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JenOni

Easy Meal Ideas

Dessert – Chocolate Chip Brioche Bread Pudding Whipped Cream & Berries

 

*this post contains an affiliate link and I will receive a commission if you click and purchase*

*items received free of charge for review and recipe purposes only.  All opinions shared are my own*

Dessert Chocolate Brioche Bread Pudding

For a quick dessert, I whipped together ingredients on hand for my first bread pudding.  This was perfect for a July 4th dessert.   I received Brioche Bread with chocolate chips from St.Pierre Bakery and was up for the challenge of finding ways to eat every morsel of the bread shipped to me.

Bread is my number one guilty pleasure and then you serve any type of French bread and I can’t resist the temptation.  I know I have gained a few pounds in a couple of days.

 

 

The chocolate chip brioche bread is filled with layers and layers of buttery sweetness in every bite.  The chocolate chips add another level of sweetness for a perfect bread pudding.   Bread pudding is even better with homemade whipped cream and fresh berries!  I did add cinnamon and nutmeg for added spice to the milk before I blended with the eggs.

recipe credit: NY Times

The remaining recipe found here

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 cups milk
  • 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter, more for greasing pan
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ⅓ cup sugar
  •  Pinch salt
  • ½ loaf sweet egg bread like challah or brioche, cut into 2-inch cubes (about 5 to 6 cups)
  • 2 eggs, beaten

PREPARATION

  1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a small saucepan over low heat, warm milk, butter, vanilla,  sugar,  and salt. Continue cooking just until butter melts; cool. Meanwhile, butter a 4-to-6-cup baking dish and fill it with cubed bread.

My Quick Recipe for Whipped Cream (chill bowl and mixer beaters in freezer a few minutes before making)

1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

1 tsp of ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp of vanilla flavor

1/4 cup of sugar

Fresh berries

Add all ingredients to the bowl, start mixing on low and gradually increase speed as you tilt the bowl and peaks begin to form.

 

 

 


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Dessert- No Bake Oreo Cheesecake with this Easy Recipe

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Are you looking for a yummy summer dessert? Well, look no further because this requires no oven and only five ingredients.   It is the Oreo No Bake Cheesecake.   It is kid approved in my home and literally vanishes within hours!  It’s so easy you may have your kids make it by themselves.    If you have a potluck or July 4th bbq it is a perfect dessert.   How can you go wrong with a dessert that has cream cheese and Oreos.    I real time saver was purchasing the Oreo pie crust vs. making the pie crust.    This is the recipe shared with me.   Enjoy my pictures. Happy Making!!!!!

If you have a potluck or  bbq it is a perfect dessert.   How can you go wrong with cream cheese and Oreos?    A real time saver was purchasing the Oreo pie crust vs. making the pie crust.    Below is the recipe shared by one of my friends.   Click link below to see full recipe.   Enjoy my pictures.  Happy Making!!!!!

Dessert NobakeOreocheesecake

Summer Dessert: No Bake Oreo Cheesecake

  • 1 Oreo Crust (or store bought)
  • 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

You can find the remaining recipe from link below.

recipe credit 

 

Dessert NoBakeOreoCheesecakeChop

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Empanada Recipe and Pastry Fork Review

*this post contains an affiliate link which means I receive commission if you click and purchase*

Empanada Recipe and Pastry Fork Review

I used this recipe a few years ago and loved the empanadas. As with a few recipes, I tweak it a bit to fit my taste. I omitted the curry powder and dried thyme. Substituted nutmeg for allspice. Also, used ground turkey instead of ground beef. The recipe credit: FoodNetwork.com

EmpanadaRecipeIngredients

 

EmpanadaPrep

 

EmpanadaRecipeCooking

Empanada Fork Review

The best part of the recipe was receiving the Empanada Fork for review from Hipatia Lopez, CEO and Inventor of HL Unico LLC. She reached out on Instagram and asked if I would be interested in reviewing her product. The Empanada Fork is very durable, the sturdy handle makes it easy to grip and seal the empanadas. In years past, I used the tines of a fork. I am so excited to have a new kitchen utensil that makes cooking easy. Find out more at www.empananadafork.com

*Product was received free of charge. All opinions shared are my own.

Empanada Fork Review

 

Recipe: Bay Ridge Empanadas

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 pound ground beef
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

Recipe Credit : Sunny Anderson’s Bay Ridge Empanadas

Empanada Recipe Done


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Food: DIY Meal Ideas for Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Food: Meal Planning 101

I really want to get organized with our schedules. I am hoping to get organized on Sunday by organizing all clothes for the week, making all lunches the night before, dinner preparation in the freezer, homework, bedtime and then hit REPEAT!!!

Shopping for Groceries

FoodGroceryShoppingOnline

I have organized in my mind that freezing meals will save money and prevent weekly trips to the grocery store. Also I am going to try grocery delivery to save time and preserve my weekend. The Giant supermarket offers PEAPOD, which allows you to order online and schedule delivery time and day. I tried them about 3 years ago and the I was very pleased with the service. The delivery was on time, driver was professional and I was very impressed with the quality of the food.

  1. Grocery delivery through PEAPOD, easy you shop online, schedule delivery and driver shows and unloads. If you have a shopper card you can automatically link to your account. The site is set up where you can save and can come back to finish your order.
  2. Freezing meals to cover Sunday to Thursday, Friday and Saturday is potluck

I am all about budgeting and buying their lunch is allowed one day a week. After having my 8 year old buy lunch for 2 weeks what started out as $15.00 per week actually cost me $40.00 for two weeks.

The kids were tasked with writing down their lunch preferences so I know what to include on the grocery list and they are more likely to be happy or at least I hope. I also told them they are to pick and prepare if possible dinner for Friday and Saturday night.

Breakfast Menu

A few breakfast ideas

  1. Breakfast burritos (eggs, bacon(or turkey sausage), potatoes, whole wheat tortillas)-freezable
  2. Petite Quiches(eggs, bacon(or turkey sausage), cheese, freezable
  3. Frittata (spinach, tomatoes, cheese) -slice and freeze
  4. Plain oatmeal with fruit, cinnamon, brown sugar
  5. Drinkable yogurts
  6. Frozen waffles/french toast sticks

FoodBreakfastQuiches

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Lunch Menu

I have a few challenges with lunch as I no longer buy cold cuts and the kids have no access to heat up their lunch. A thermos was never successful for me when my daughter took food in it. How many days can anyone eat a PB&J? I found the more buy-in the kids have with any meal planning the less likely they are to be unhappy. I’m finally going to buy a Pack-It lunch tote for my 8-year-old and the teen will brown bag it for high school. I asked the kids to come up with a lunch menu to make planning a little easier. The teen came up with fruits, vegetables, snacks and a sandwich. Just typical of the teen to not give details. The biggest challenge is my 3rd grader, she wants a variety however her palette is limited. She is not willing to try new things.

Here is one of the links I found on Pinterest. It is a great resource for ideas on building a lunch menu even for picky eaters.

 

Freezable Dinners

Some ideas which will plan out for a few weeks worth of meals for dinner

  1. Tacos, Ground Turkey
  2. Salmon Croquettes
  3. Lasagna with ground turkey(I can sauté spinach and hide in the filling)
  4. Turkey Meatballs in marinara sauce
  5. Turkey Sliders
  6. Sloppy Joes with ground turkey(The Neely’s recipes is my favorite, Spenser’s Sloppy Joes)

I plan to use frozen veggies and a quick starch side dish to balance out every meal. My fingers are crossed that this will shave off a nice chunk of time from our evening and alleviate the stress of having a healthy dinner. Friday and Saturday will be the potluck and the kids get to plan those meals.

 

Superbowl Recipe – Yummy Hoagie Dip, Best Dip for a Party

*The recipe below is if you prepare the day before serving.

SUPERBOWL RECIPE- HOAGIE DIP

Superbowlrecipehoagiedip

INGREDIENTS

  • 1/2 pound cooked ham
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
  • 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
  • 1 small, onion
  • 2 medium tomatoes, remove seeds
  • 1/2 head of lettuce
  • 1/2 pound provolone cheese
  • 1/2 pound hard salami
  • 2 French baguettes, sliced
    INSTRUCTIONS
  1. Chop ham, salami, and provolone cheese into small pieces. Set in a large bowl.
  2. Chop lettuce. Add mayonnaise, oregano and Italian seasoning. Mix well and store in a refrigerator.
  3. Chop onion. Store in a storage bag and refrigerate.
  4. Chop tomatoes and remove seeds to eliminate excess water in the dip. Store in a storage bag and refrigerate.
  5. Before serving, add the onion and tomatoes. If needed, add additional mayonnaise. Sprinkle top with additional oregano and Italian seasoning according to your taste
Source: D.Ross

SuperbowlRecipeHoagieDip1

SuperbowlHoagieDipRecipe2

 

Big Deals for the Big Day!

Come in store, pick up your savings and say “I do” to discounts on dresses, jewelry, men’s suites, shirts and ties, furniture, mattresses and rugs, luggage, bedding and bath essentials, women’s shoes, evening bags and more! Create your Macy’s wedding and gift registry today.

Appetizer My DIY Loaded Tortilla Chips, Superbowl Foodie Idea

 Appetizer LoadedTortillaChip

Appetizer Loaded Tortilla Chips

This is a simple DIY appetizer recipe with my favorite ingredients:

  1. Chipotle Mexican Grill tortilla chips.  These are my favorite chips because they are made fresh, perfectly salted with a hint of lime.
  2. Seasoned Grilled Chicken (or meat of your choice)
  3. Taco Shredded Cheese
  4. Pico de Gallo
  5. Guacamole
  6. Black Beans
  7. Jalapenos/Chipolte Peppers
  8. Sour Cream

 

Use a microwaveable plate, add chips,  Grilled Chicken, Taco Shredded Cheese, Taco Shredded Cheese

Microwave for 45 secs to 1 minute until cheese starts to melt.  Top with salsa, and/or guacamole, peppers and a dollop of sour cream.

 

 

 

Dinner: Importance of Home Cooked Meals

Dinner

Before school started I was on a mission to get our dinner meal planning organized.    My preference is to cook at home, however, our time in the evenings is very limited.    Also, meal planning prevents excess spending on take out.    I found this recipe on Food Network and after trying one time I was sold.  These were hands down the BEST SLOPPY JOES.   I will never buy anything in a can.   I also use ground turkey instead of ground beef.  This is the recipe I used from Food Network.

Sloppy Joes

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Ground Turkey Sliders with Alexia Sweet Potato Waffle Fries

I take 2 packs of 4 ground turkey patties and make 8 sliders.  My kids love, love sliders.    The key to my recipe is to season the ground turkey with ground cumin, minced garlic, onion powder and chili powder.

DinnerMakeAheadSliders

 

Make Ahead Lasagna

Barilla Oven Ready Lasagna, freeze and thaw 24 hours before you prepare.   I would suggest baking at least 1 1/2 to 2 hours.   For some reason, parts of the noodles did not bake.  This is was a little disappointing.   The recipe is so easy I will just make a day before I plan to bake.

DinnerMakeAheadLasagnaFreezer

 

WHY ARE HOME-COOKED MEALS IMPORTANT?

As a full-time working parent, I know how hectic the evenings can be with trying to prepare dinner, homework, winding down and getting ready for bed.

The article  from Fix.com outlines key reasons on why we should have more home-cooked meals!

I learned how important home-cooked meals are in terms of:

  1. Improving health and longevity
  2. Strengthening family dynamics
  3. Encouraging clean eating
  4. Living green helps the environment by reducing carbon footprint

I
Source: Fix.com

Recipes for Easy Kids Meals for the Junior Chefs in Your Kitchen

Recipes for Easy Kids Meals

My full-time work schedule leaves our evenings a bit crunched for time with after school activities, homework, and dinner.   I have tried meal prep, however, it was very short lived as I can no longer commit every Sunday. One of the biggest challenges at mealtime is finding good recipes my kids will love.  Here are a few recipes I am willing to try for my picky eaters.  These look easy enough for the kids to prepare by themselves which is a time saver for me to get some other evening tasks completed.  I really love the combination of ingredients that delivers a balanced dish.

Turkey Taco Skillet

Turkey and Cucumber Salad Wraps

Grilled Cheese

 

Granola Yogurt Parfait