Everyday Mom's Meals

Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Alex In The Kitchen Once Again

Two years ago we started a tradition here on EMM, my favorite little monkey stopping by to guest blog something simple and yummy that your kids can enjoy making, and of course eating, too. And two of those posts, one at the beginning of his 1st grade year, and one at the end, had something in common. Lemon Fruit Salad and Key Lime Fruit Salad were both creations he and I worked on together, and were perfect for little hands and little tummies.

So, in that same tradition, and since the school year is once again quickly approaching, we thought ti was a great time for Alex (now a 3rd grader!) to share yet another easy but tasty fruit salad perfect for an after school snack or even a light dessert. Or if you are like us and you are filling these last few days of summer vacation with as much fun as possible, it would be great for a picnic in the park too!

Please welcome the best little sous chef around back to the EMM kitchen!

Hi everyone! I'm so excited Mommy asked me to cook for you again! Well, I guess this isn't really something you actually cook, but you know what I mean! For those of you who don't know, I am going into the 3rd grade, and am really looking forward to it! I am sad to see summer end, but I love school, and seeing my friends, so I'm okay with going back too. (But that 7:30 am wake up Monday morning will NOT be easy!!)

Mommy and I love finding simple sweet treats I can help her make, and this is another one of those. Using mostly canned fruit, it's nice for little kids because there isn't a lot of chopping. (Mommy did slice the bananas though) Plus, it's really neat to watch how the pudding mix and fruit juice turn into a "sauce" while you stir...which was my job! This makes a perfect snack, now or once school is in, or a dessert too. Oh, and I actually like eating it for breakfast too, especially on a hot day!

I hope you enjoy my newest fruit salad creation. Be sure to make it with your kids too! I've been helping Mommy in the kitchen since I was a tiny baby, and we always have so much fun! I bet your kids would too!

Vanilla Fruit Salad Adapted from Taste of Home

1 (29 oz.) can fruit cocktail, with juice

1 (11 oz.) can mandarin oranges, drained

1 (20 oz.) can pineapple chunks, drained

3/4 c. fresh blueberries

1 TBS lemon juice

2 bananas, sliced

1 (3.4 oz) box instant vanilla pudding

Whipped Cream

Pecan Halves

In a large bowl combine all fruit except bananas. Add lemon juice. Stir. Sprinkle with pudding mix. Gently stir for about a minute until slightly thickened. Fold in bananas. Refrigerate until serving, at least an hour. When ready to serve, top with whipped cream and sprinkle with pecans.

Salad at Very Good Recipes

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Tuesday, August 13, 2013

Nature Raised Winner

Thanks to everyone who entered the fantastic giveaway from NatureRaised Farms! Their chicken is definitely something to get excited about, and I'm so happy one of you gets to enjoy it in your home!

Congratulations to Susan B.

YOU are the WINNER of this fabulous prize pack!

Please check your inbox for more instructions!

Shop LA From Home {Review of TheLaShop.com}

It seems with each passing year, I'm doing more and more shopping online, and not just at holiday time. Each time there is a special occasion I need that perfect gift for, I find myself logging on, before I even attempt to find it in a store. It's convenient, fast, easy and quite frankly, I have more options. If that something perfect isn't within driving distance, it doesn't matter. I can shop all over the world from the comfort of my living room. And that idea is exactly what you get from TheLaShop.com.

Yescom USA, Inc. launched an e-Commerce business in February 2002.In the beginning, Yescom USA, Inc. began its journey as an e-retailer of cell phone accessories. As their business continued to expand, they created a one-stop shop online store. TheLAshop.com is an online shopping websites located in sunny Southern California. They provide products for commercial, home and business for retail and wholesale customers.

Their site is filled with great, fun, and useful items for your home, garden, kitchen, and even your car! There are just too many categories to even list. But when I was given the opportunity to review the site, and choose a product for my home, I of course went straight to the kitchen section where I found this adorable Mini Kettle Popcorn Maker Kids Cart. I knew Alex would flip for this, and we could really enjoy it as a family!

It looks super cute sitting in my kitchen, and is really a conversation piece as much as a functional. Not to mention, it makes some might tasty popcorn!

So, if you are looking for an unique gift, maybe for a wedding gift, or a college student headed to campus for the first time, be sure to check out the huge selection at TheLaShop.com. There is no doubt they have a little something for everyone, and might have that perfect gift you're looking for, and you won't even have to leave home!

Monday, August 12, 2013

Yeah, It's Still Broke

As most of you know already, I am usually about "two weeks out on the blog" as I like to say. This means that when I post something for you, I made it approximately 2 weeks ago in my kitchen. I really like this time frame, I've found it's what works best for me, allows me to be the most flexible with my blogging schedule, and still leave me time for my family too. For instance, when we were in Florida for 3 weeks, I had planned ahead and was actually a month ahead, so I could relax and enjoy our time on the beach without stressing about making sure there were new recipes to share with all of you. But for the most part, it's about a two week turn around from my table to your screen.

But as it is usually in life, there is always a down side. See that title? Yep...if I didn't take the time to explain, it would totally be making me out to be a liar. As I'm typing this, it's been one week since I cooked this yummy dish, and it will be another week before you read it. Well, the night I made this, I came up with that title, so I typed it up really quick, knowing I could come back to do the "main part" of the post later. Well, tonight as I sat down to do so, I reread it thought "oh great, now I have to change it." Let me explain...

As of last week my oven was still broke. Yep, going on 4 months without a working oven, and this food blogger was going a little stir crazy. Now, to be fair, it was better to have it happen in the warm, grilling, months than the winter time, but believe me, there wasn't a day that I didn't wish it was back in commission. So when I found this recipe for a stove top version of one of Monkey's favorite foods, I was super excited. He had been asking over and over for my Baked Mac n Cheese, and I kept having to remind him why that wasn't possible. So I was going to talk about that and why having this "back- up" was so nice.

But miracles do happen, and wonders never cease. After almost four months, and 3 incorrect parts later, we finally got the ignitor switch we needed to fix my oven, and as of this past Saturday, Mr. Everyday had it back up and running! I was so excited. I was like a little kid on Christmas with a new toy. The next morning I had to get up and bake something just because I knew I could.

So while this recipe started out as a substitution with a funny store about my poor oven, it is ending on a happy note with me being able to bake and roast once again, plus a great new, simple recipe perfect for a easy weeknight dinner that the kids will love. And anyways, anything that can be cooked completely on the stove top, in one pot is a great idea, no matter what the circumstances surrounding it are!

Stove Top Creamy Mac n Cheese Adapted from Food Network

1 lb. elbow macaroni

1 stick butter

4 large eggs

4 c. shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1/2 c. shredded Monterrey Jack cheese

1 1/2 tsp. ground mustard

1 (12 oz.) can evaporated milk

Salt and Pepper to taste

Cook macaroni until al dente. Drain. While it's cooking, mix eggs, milk, mustard, salt and pepper. Whisk well. When macaroni is done, return to hot pot. Turn heat to LOW. Add butter. Toss and stir to coat. Add in egg mixture. Mix well. Add cheese in several batches, stirring constantly until cheese is melted and creamy, about 3-4 minutes.