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If you find yourself trying to come up with something for supper every night then check out this quick solution to get inspired when making meals for your family.
Okay, now I need to ask do you find yourself making the same meals over and over and over? It seems like I get in a rut and fix the same foods on a rotating scale. Granted I have picky eaters in my family but not that picky.
I decided to do something about it. After reflecting on it for awhile I discovered the biggest problem with cooking supper was deciding what to make so I got out a notebook and started writing down meal ideas complete with side dishes. I even asked friends and family occasionally what they were having for dinner to get more ideas.
I had my daughter give me ideas too for her favorite meal choices and side dishes. She did a good job of coming up with things I hadn't even made in a long time. I found that asking her when she was hungry seemed to help her creative juices come up with more ideas.
Now each week I have my little notebook of meal ideas and I decide on 8 of them and go shopping for the ingredients to make them. I then make a list and put it on the board of the 8 different menu choices and cross them off as I make them.
At the end of the week there is always one meal left over, I often find I didn't make it because someone doesn't like it much or it takes too long to prepare. I then make a little note in my notebook saying cook this when so and so won't be home, or only put this on the supper list when you know you have time to make it.
I find I don't dread cooking supper nearly as much, I have eliminated the quick run to the grocery store before making supper, and have made my life much simpler when it comes to cooking supper.
Read More... Why is It I Can Never Think Of Anything "Good" To Make For Supper?
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meal ideas,
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Obesity and related health problems are epidemic in North America. Not only are most of us eating way too much and getting little exercise, but we're also eating very fatty foods. Even if you shun fast food restaurants and buy your food at supermarkets, it's still almost impossible to find quick-to-fix foods that aren't high in fat content.
Experts say we were in far better health a few decades ago when just about everyone prepared their meals from scratch. Home cooking, even when elevated to the gourmet level, is far healthier than restaurants or instant dishes from the grocery store.
But these days when everyone is working one, two, even three jobs, who has the time to make a complete meal at home? It would seem there is simply no fast, easy way to eat healthy food.
Let me speak from experience: You CAN cook FAST at home and make EXCELLENT meals. Nick has been a gourmet chef for 25 years. During that time he developed more than 300 great, healthy recipes that can be prepared quickly.
As a general rule of thumb, you can be sitting down, eating a hot, fresh meal within 45 minutes to one hour after you come home.
Consider how much time and money you spend at fast food restaurants, and you'll realize how much money--even time--you can save.
Not only does eating better help you stay trimmer, it also makes you feel better. People who eat better have more energy and quite often feel younger. Education specialists assure us kids develop normally and perform better in school when they eat right. And you can certainly head off a host of health problems that can plague you in middle and later life.
Do yourself and your family a huge favor. Start cooking your meals at home using fresh ingredients in recipes that help you cook fast and often from scratch. It's cheaper and, goodness knows, it tastes a lot better!
Read More... The Best Way To Fight Poor Health Is To Make Home Cooking Fast And Easy!
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cooking,
family,
fitness,
health
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Since Americans in the South began roasting pigs publicly, Barbecues have been a staple of North American living. For many, grilling becomes a routine mealtime activity, while for the most devoted grillers, summer is ruled by massive barbecue parties. But grillers do not have to choose between boring repetition and outrageous get-togethers: every barbecue can and should be an exciting family event. Here are 5 ways to make your routine evening barbecue a more unique experience:
1) Who said you have to stick to meat? Much can be done with bread and fruits over an open flame. To make this into a fun activity with your kids, use cookie cutters to make the bread and fruit into shapes. You can decide on themes like “animals” and “letters” or ask that each shape be different from the others! Then, let your kids decide which toppings they would like to put on. Add cheese, onion and various spices to bread and cinnamon and honey to fruit.
2) Try foil-wrapped surprise meals. Place different combinations of chicken, fish and vegetables with sauces and spices in foil packets. These cook in less than 20 minutes and lead to no-mess, lip-smacking results. Children will love the surprise element and can easily switch packets. You can even ask your family for combo suggestions before the barbecue, or draw ingredient names out of a hat to create new meal ideas.
3) A little variety goes a long way. If you tend to stick to the same old beef burgers and pork wieners, why not try grilled pizza or salmon steaks? Similarly, try to mix it up with condiments and seasoning. Sick of ketchup? Try salsa instead. Look online where you’ll find hundreds of easy recipes for barbecue rubs. These give your food that extra pizzazz and prevent the mess and drip that comes with barbecue sauces.
4) Barbecues don’t have to be rushed. In fact, barbecue devotees will tell you that today’s quick broiling is an insult to the term, which should represent a process of slow cooking on low heat. You can find many slow cooker recipes online, and the wait is a great opportunity to pass some quality time with your family and friends. Entertaining backyard activities include creating an outdoor canvas to paint on or playing backyard bowling with household items.
5) Mom said not to play with your food, but there’s always an exception! Barbecue games are great fun and tasty at the same time. In the game Glutton, each player gets a certain amount of mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese or any other side dish. Various kitchen utensils are put in a box and the players blindly pick a few. On the go, they begin to eat their dish with the items that they took out. The first to finish his or her food wins the prize!
Finally, don’t fret! Far too many people get lost in the details of planning the perfect barbecue party and forget to enjoy the social atmosphere and delicious food. So kick back, bask in the relaxing sun and prepare for a summer of unforgettable barbecues!
Read More... 5 Ways to Make Your BBQ a Memorable Family Event
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backyard,
barbecue,
BBQ,
family,
fun,
games,
grill,
ideas,
kids,
memorable,
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unforgettable,
variety
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