Stuff Parents Need

Easing the chaos in the nest, one find at a time.

Recipes My Family Loves

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I can’t believe the last day of 31 Days of Unforgettable Recipes is here! I have had SO much fun sharing some of the great recipes I have discovered, and introducing you to other bloggers who have shared some of their top finds, as well. I think it is safe to say that I have enough recipe ideas to last me for the next year (or three!).

Even so, I still have a few more gems I wanted to share with you. These are “winning” recipes according to my family. We’ve tried them all, and loved every single one. I haven’t shared any of these dishes with you yet this month, and a few of them may surprise you (hello there sandwich with beets in it and muffins made with squash!). But they all have earned regular spots in my meal prep rotation, even with fairly picky eaters in our home, so I encourage you to give them a try for yourself! Please come back and tell me what you tried, too!

recipes my family loves

Cream Cheese Cannoli Dip, Stuff Parents Need

Yellow Squash Muffins, Taste of Home

Cheesy Chicken and Rice Bake, How Sweet It Is

Broccoli Cheese and Cracker Casserole, The Pioneer Woman

Peanut Butter, Strawberry and Banana Quesadillas, The Nutrition Twins

Polenta Pudding with Blueberry Topping, Stuff Parents Need

Yummy Pork Sliders, Stuff Parents Need

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos, The Girl Who Ate Everything

Freezer Caramel Drizzle Pie, All Recipes

Grilled Cheese with Beets, Arugula and Goat Cheese, BS in the Kitchen

 

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18 Easy Snack Ideas!

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Since I work from home, being hungry at the office is never a problem. My full-sized kitchen and pantry is just one room over.

That’s also a bit of a problem, as it turns out. You see, I have pretty much ZERO self control when it comes to keeping my hands off sweet treats. And I’ll be the first to tell you that there’s nothing wrong with getting a chocolate fix every now and again. But not 6 times a day! Part of my problem is that I don’t have enough snack ideas on hand, so I just reach for what is ready to go. That’s why I’ve got a list of delicious snack ideas that require minimal cooking and can help satisfy cravings! Enjoy!

18-easy-snack-ideas

  1. Game Day Snacks Cereal Treat by Occasionally Crafty
  2. Cinnamon Roasted Cashews by Slap Dash Mom
  3. Healthy Peanut Butter Hummus by Slap Dash Mom
  4. Pumpkin Peanut Butter Dip by A Night Owl
  5. Chocolate Banana Bites by Glued to My Crafts
  6. Fig & Walnut Energy Bites by Wonky Wonderful
  7. Candy Corn Sweet & Salty Chex Mix by Mom Endeavors
  8. DIY Smucker’s Uncrustables by The Pinning Mama
  9. Popcorn Ball Treats by The Pinning Mama
  10. Sierra Nevada Mountain Trail Mix by The Freshman Cook
  11. Chocolate Chip S’mores Bars by Love Bakes Good Cakes
  12. Slow Cooker Apple-Pear Butter by Stuff Parents Need
  13. Cinnamon Sugar Pretzels by Hot Eats & Cool Reads
  14. Spiced Peacans by A Family Feast
  15. Banana Peanut Butter Cupcakes by Robyn’s View
  16. Strawberry Cake Muddy Buddies by What’s Cooking, Love?
  17. Copycat Kashi Granola Bars by Call Me PMC
  18. No Bake Oatmeal Fruit Cookies by Food Done Light

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28 Date Night Recipes For Romance at Home!

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If Tim and I waited to spend time together until we hired a babysitter, our marriage probably would not have survived the past 4 years. We do spend money on sitters on occasion, but we can’t afford to do it as often as we need to in order to get sufficient quality time together. That’s why we sometimes create our own date night at home after we put the kids down for the night. It’s cheap, it’s relatively easy, and when you make just a little bit of fuss over the food and light a few candles, it honestly does feel special.

Here are 28 of my favorite date night recipes to help inspire you. I hope a date night with your significant is in your immediate future!

date night recipes

  1. Thanksgiving for Two & My Favorite Stuffing Ever by Karen’s Kitchen Stories
  2. Beef Tenderloin with Red Wine Dijon Cream Sauce by Karen’s Kitchen Stories
  3. Boeuf Bourguignon | Beef Burgundy by Karen’s Kitchen Stories
  4. Slow Cooker Salmon Swiss Chard Artichoke Dip by Farm Fresh Feasts
  5. Chicken Saltimbocca Stuffed With Butternut Squash and Goat Cheese by Farm Fresh Feasts
  6. Skillet Mushroom Dip for Two (Quick Take) by Farm Fresh Feasts
  7. Spiced Sirloin Roast for Two by An Edible Mosaic
  8. Chocolate Lover’s Cake by Noble Pig
  9. Pepper-Crusted Filet Mignon by Hezzi-D’s Books & Cooks
  10. Italian Herb Sautéed Chicken by Hezzi-D’s Books & Cooks
  11. Skinny 4 Ingredient Chocolate Cheesecake Mousse by Back for Seconds
  12. Tropical Chocolate Mousse Parfaits by Back for Seconds
  13. Deep Dish Hot Fudge Brownie Sundaes For Two by Chocolate Moosey
  14. Mini Pear Walnut Crisps with Blood Orange Caramel Sauce by Chocolate Moosey
  15. Mini Deep Dish Lemon Meringue Pies by Chocolate Moosey
  16. Nutella Ganache Dip by Wine & Glue
  17. 6 Date Night Ideas Under $20 & 2 Hours by Frugal Foodie Mama
  18. Easy Chocolate-&-Honey Fondue by The Kitchen is My Playground
  19. Thanksgiving Meatballs by Jew Hungry
  20. Coconut Milk Southern Fried Chicken by Jew Hungry
  21. Homemade Fettuccine with Pesto Cream Sauce by Jew Hungry
  22. Deep Breath Chicken by Jew Hungry
  23. Champagne Chicken & Mushroom Pasta by Snappy Gourmet
  24. Dark Chocolate Coconut Muddy Buddies by Jen’s Favorites Cookies
  25. Morocccan Chicken Bastilla by Thirty-One 10
  26. Taco Truck Tacos by Thirty-One 10
  27. Beef Sosaties by Food Done Light
  28. Seared Scallops with Blood Orange Glaze by Food Done Light

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20 Beef Recipes to Get You Out of a Cooking Rut

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So for me, preparing beef recipes is a bit of a novelty. My family doesn’t eat a lot of red meat (we tend to mostly eat chicken, turkey and pork). But when I did my Paleo Diet stint a few months back, I didn’t have too much choice, and starting experimenting with beef again. I realized that there was SO much more to it than fatty ground beef, you guys! And not everything has to taste just like a hamburger, either. Not even close. So here’s a collection of 20 fantastic beef recipes that my family is going to be trying in the next handful of months. Check it out and see if you can find something to get you out of your cooking rut!

20 beef recipes

Garlic Lemongrass Beef Skewers, Shrinking Kitchen

Paleo Plantain Beef Pie, Stupid Easy Paleo

Beef and Potato Empanadas, Pillsbury

Chorizo-Apple Hamburger, Stuff Parents Need

Corned-Beef Hash with Eggs, Raley’s

Beef and Black Bean Burrito Bowls, Mommy’s Kitchen

Irish Beef Stew with Guinness, Housewife Notes

Slow Cooker Hickory BBQ Beef, Very Culinary

Beef and Brussel Sprout Breakfast Bowl, Leaf Parade

Beef Tostadas, Dine and Dish

(Not Your Regular) Roast Beef Sandwich, Bell’alimento

Beef and Cheese Foldover, Babee Love

Beef Taquitos, Elan The Blog

Pennsylvania Dutch Meat Pies, My Recipes

Slow Cooker Beef Tamale Casserole, Chef This Up

Korean Beef Bowl, Damn Delicious

Sweet Teriyaki Beef Skewers, All Recipes

Hamburger Pie, Taking on Magazines

Garlic Mustard Beef Skewers, Giving Up on Perfect

Beef Crostini, Simply Jolleen

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Kid-Friendly Recipes! (31 Days of Unforgettable Recipes)

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Thank you, Erica, for sharing these fantastic kid-friendly recipes that I know my little girls are going to love!
Hi y’all! I’m so excited to be here on Stuff Parents Need sharing my top 2 favorite “Kid-Friendly” recipes. My little one is extremely picky and it’s a chore to get him to eat fruits and vegetables, but if your kids are like mine, they love cake and cupcakes. So, today I’m going to share with you 2 recipes that are sure to please the pickiest eater. And you can make the choice to tell them what it’s in the recipe or not 😉
RECIPE #1: Blueberry Banana Muffins

Ingredients: 

2 Ripe Bananas
1 cup of applesauce
1/2 cup apple juice
2 cups flour
1/2 cup frozen wild blueberries
1/4 cup melted butter
1 tbsp. cinnamon
1 tbsp. pumpkin spice
1 egg
1 tbsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. baking powder
1tsp. baking soda
1/4 cup brown sugar
Directions:

 *Preheat oven to 370 degrees
1. Grease a muffin tray (I tried using muffin cup paper, but the muffins stuck so you’re better off using a greased tray here)
2. In a big bowl combine mashed bananas, melted butter, egg, apple sauce, apple juice, and brown sugar. Whisk ingredients.
3. In another bowl, sift flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon,  pumpkin spice together.
4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.
5. Add in frozen blueberries.
6. Mix batter together well.
7. Spoon into greased muffin pans
8. Bake 20-30 minutes until golden brown.
Yield: 12-16 muffins
Suggestions for Substitutions:
*Use gluten free flour
*Use a binding agent such as soy yogurt or canned pumpkin to replace egg
These muffins are a HIT with my little one. They are moist and delicious and packed with all those good nutrients from the fruit. They are great for breakfast or desert. Spread a little cream cheese on them for extra yummy taste!
RECIPE #2: Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Ingredients:

3 eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 cups grated zucchini
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup salad oil (vegetable oil or corn oil)
3 1/2 cups pre-sifted flour
1/4 cup dry cocoa
14/ tsp. salt
3 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. ginger
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)
1 cup raisins or 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (optional)
Directions:

*Preheat oven to 325
1. Beat eggs, sugar, vanilla, and oil until thoroughly mixed.
2. Add zucchini to mixture.
3. Mix together flour, salt, cocoa, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder and ginger, then add to the zucchini mixture.
4. Beat mixture together for 2 minutes.
5. Add chopped nuts, raisins, chocolate chips.
6. Pour into 2 greased loaf pans.
7. Bake at 325 for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out dry.
8. Cool about 10 minutes before removing from pan.
Yield: 2 loaves
Suggestions for substitutions:
*Use gluten free flour
*Use binding agent, such as applesauce to replace egg
*Use brown sugar to replace white sugar
This is another great recipe to get your kids to eat their vegetables. My little one would never touch a zucchini, but if you hid it in this bread, it’s “deceptively delicious”. We call it “Chocolate Bread” in our house. I make no mention of the zucchini.
I hope you all enjoy these recipes and remember to invite your kids to join in and help you!
Thanks for having me!
Erica Leggiero
Erica’s shop eLeMeNO-P Kids offers toys for the learning child.
Follow her on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and her Blog. You can also shop
her Website.

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Turkey Recipes: Think Outside the Bird (31 Days of Unforgettable Recipes)

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Thanksgiving is in 33 days. That means that in 34 days you are going to start looking for turkey recipes for all those leftover! But my friends, if you typically only eat turkey around the holidays, I want to encourage you to really think outside the bird this year, and try some dishes that use turkey in creative and very delicious ways. I’ve got a list of 12 below that are sure to surprise, delight and please your family.

turkey recipes round up

photo credit: Jennie Ivins via photopin cc

Just look at all the great turkey recipes waiting for you! And you are going to totally flip when you see all the gorgeous food behind these links. Get ready to gobble up some great new dishes (hee hee!).

1. Turkey and Avocado Grilled Cheese, Katie and the Kitchen Door

2 Turkey Sausage with Yummy Sautéed Veggies, Stuff Parents Need

3. Turkey Chili Hand Pies, King Arthur Flour

4. Sweet Potato Turkey Shepherd’s Pie, Skinny Taste

5. Thai Turkey Meatballs, Minnesota Monthly

6. Chipotle Apple Turkey Chili with Honey Cornbread, Pass the Sushi

7. Teriyaki Turkey Burgers, Appetite for China

8. Turkey Salad with Indian Spices, Lemon and Cilantro, Kalyn’s Kitchen

9. Turkey Enchilada Meatloaf, Sweet Basil

10. Mediterranean Stuffed Squash, Bev Cooks

11. Turkey Cranchiladas, Pink Parsley

12. Sweet and Sour Sloppy Joes with Sesame Slaw, Real Simple

Please share these ideas with your friends (sharing buttons are over on the left for your convenience). Let’s spread the word that turkey is for much more than Thanksgiving!

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Spotlight on Vegetable Side Dishes

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I hope you all enjoy these delicious, easy side dishes from my good friend Desi! 

Y’all– I LOVE to cook. But, it definitely hasn’t always been that way. I used to view cooking as a chore– one of those necessary evils that I had to do each day.

However, over the past few years, I have truly began to find joy in providing my family with a hot, home-cooked meal each night. There’s just something about seeing a my family truly enjoy food that I have prepared that is completely satisfying.

Finding joy in cooking has opened the door for me to try a lot of new recipes. Still, for a long time, I continued to struggle with side dishes. I felt like I was always making the same few dishes, or a slight variation of them. So, I made a point to try new sides, including new ingredients that weren’t in the “normal rotation” for my family.

Sure, we had a few duds. But, we also discovered some true gems that we now enjoy often.

15 side dishes to compliment any meal

These are 15 of my absolute favorite side dish recipes. Hopefully, you will discover some new ones that your family will enjoy as well.

1. Make Zucchini like in Japanese Restaurants from Wee Share

2. Crock Pot Baked Potatoes from Skip to My Lou

3. Oven-Roasted Vegetables from I Like Food and So Do You

4. BLT Deviled Eggs from Food Network

5. Cucumber Tomato Salad from KojoDesigns

6. Cheesy Rice with Broccoli from Macaroni and Cheesecake

7. Oven Fried Okra from Cookin’ Cowgirl

8. Whipped Garlic Mashed Potatoes from Cook & Craft Me Crazy

9. Spaghetti Squash with Butter and Garlic from SparkPeople

10. The Best Broccoli of Your Life from The Amateur Gourmet

11. Easy Parmesan Knots from Real Mom Kitchen

12. 7Up Biscuits from Plain Chicken

13. Guacamole from Nom Nom Paleo

14. Corn on the Cob: Four Ways from Baked by Rachel

15. Blasted Broccoli from Dana Treat

Let me know what you try! I’d love to hear what you think.

Do you have a favorite side dish recipe? I would love to hear about that as well. I am always looking for tasty new options to serve my family!

 

headshot 1

 

Desi is mom to a wonderful 5 year old daughter and married to her high school sweetheart. She began Wee Share in 2009 and often shares the products she loves, crafts, recipes, and tips to make your Disney vacation the best yet. She can also find her on Pinterest, Facebook, twitter, and Instagram.

Bento Lunch Ideas For Kids Or the Kid in You! (31 Days of Unforgettable Recipes)

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So excited to have Lindsey, one of my oldest blogging buds, sharing some super creative ideas with you today! If you have been wanting to try bento, here’s a round up to get you started! 

When my daughter started preschool this year, I started fretting over what to send her for lunch!  She’s a semi-picky eater that would seriously eat a PB&J sandwich everyday.  I didn’t want to be that Mom to the teacher, so I knew I was going to need to get creative.  I had a few glimpses of the bento craze that seemed to hit instagram all at once and a lightbulb went off – I could do that!  Then, I search Pinterest – fail.  There are some crazy, creative Toddler Bento Lunch Ideas on Pinterest, let me tell you!

But instead of quitting before I even started, I searched for a bit easier-to-handle toddler bento lunch ideas!  I’ve even compiled a few of my favorites that I found in this post, along with some that I’ve made myself.  When, you’re looking for creative ways to get your child to eat – at home, at school, on a field trip – try a bento box for a new lunch inspiration! And if you need a few bento box supplies, this is my go-to resource! Read the reviews to make sure you get the best stuff!

toddlerbentopin

Holiday Inspired Ideas

We’re coming up on Halloween and Christmas and there are a ton of fun ways that you can get creative with abento box for the Holidays.

HalloweenBento

This Spooky Haunted House Bento came from BentoLunch.net

Find even more great Halloween Bento Ideas in this post from the Following in My Shoes blog.

Check out this cute Christmas-inspired Bentobox.

How about this cute Birthday-inspired Bento from Chaos and Confections?!

Happy Birthday Bento

Skip the Sandwich Ideas

It’s so easy to get stuck on the sandwich train when packing lunches for your kiddos.  There are a ton of lunch and snack sammie-less options out there.  Check out some of these cute boxes!

sewfattybento

SewFatty packed this adorable lunch of Ants on a Log, Cucumber Slices, Grapes, and Fruit Bars.

bentomarineparents

This bento box is from April – Marine Parents.  You can follow all of her bento boxes with the hashtag #bentoaday on social media and on instagram.

Bento Box #bittybentos

source – So Easy Being Green

This colorful lunch is one that I made my daughter for a lunch at home.  You’ll find that by making lunches more colorful and fun, your kiddos will eat foods they normally turn their noses up at!

Just Plain Cute Toddler Bento Lunch Ideas

marineparentsbento

source – Marine Parents

accordingtojennybento

source – According to Jenny

Gluten Free Bento Ideas

Under the Sea Toddler Bento

Hotdog Octopus

a Beary-licious Bento

For even more Creative Toddler Bento Lunch Ideas, follow the #BittyBentos Pinterest Board!

Happy Bento-ing!
Lindsey Galvez is the green Mommy blogger behind So Easy Being Green.  After realizing that small steps make a BIG impact, she’s set out on a journey to make her family a little more eco-friendly every day.  SEBG is a resource for parents who want to make small changes that will make a big impact on their path to a green-er life.

And here are a few more fun school lunch ideas for you!

dinosaur bento box

Dino Diner (with a dino hot dog!)

ant invasion bento box

Ant invasion bento box

healthy cookie dough

Healthy cookie dough! 

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12 Amazing Cheesecake Recipes You Will Love (31 Days of Unforgettable Recipes

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In our house, we are obsessed with cheesecake. I would eat it for every meal, every day if I could. It forms such a smooth and creamy base on which to add your favorite flavors. We’ve compiled an ultimate list of some of the best cheesecake recipes out there. They include easy no bake versions as well as more elaborate and decadent recipes. From almond cheesecake to pecan pie, pumpkin spice and, even cheesecakes made with Greek yogurt, these recipes are a feast for the eyes and the taste buds.

cheesecake recipes


We want to know, do you have a favorite flavor of cheesecake?

Stephanie Keeping is mom to a boy named Sam, a blogger, and an Etsy-preneur. She celebrates boyish charm at Spaceships and Laser Beams, where she talks about all things boy and birthday party. You can connect with her on Facebook, Google+, Pinterest, and Twitter.

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31 days of unforgettable recipes