Project #4
Make Family Dinner Time Special
Whether you have a family of eight, or are single and dining alone, I want you to make family dinner time special. I want dinner to be something you look forward to each and every night.
Your life is busy, your life is crazy, and you need a time every single day where you have an opportunity to connect with your family, or your roommates, or even just to catch your breath.
Sometimes it can be the food that helps make dinnertime special. In the comments below, I want you to tell me what your family’s favorite meal is. (And if you include the recipe, you will be entered into our prize drawing twice!)
For more ideas, I have a newsletter filled with great recipes and tips for every area of your home. You can sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox once a month.
(Plus when you sign up for the newsletter, your will receive The Ultimate Guide to Man Food an e-cookbook that will rock your husband’s culinary world.)
In addition to the food, sometimes it’s the dinner conversation that will make your dinnertime special. That’s why today’s giveaway is this amazing book by my friend Mary DeMuth.
(BTW – if you are not subscribed to her blog, reading her books, following her on Facebook, or just generally being a Mary stalker, just do it. She’s challenging and brave and kinda amazing.)
Ok-so— as you can tell i dont like dietpepsi… BUT– take real pepsi and you can make a real tret out of it. I have a 3 year old son,and he wont eat meatloaf- no matter what we told him. He’s also very big into having som soda- but since he’s only three he doesnt get it very much ecxept fr sipp of mommys or daddys. So i made this meat loaf recipisand all you do is…
\mke any recipie of meat loaf you ike- then add a little bit of either Pepsi or docter pepper- taste is different in each- but they are both good- then add little bits at a time- you dont want your ‘dough’ to get to liquedy, and then stir it up. Bake as your original recipie tells you too. Then- if your like me, you think that meatloaf isnt dry- but couold use a little ore?? So in the sauce you make to drizzle over the top of your cooked meatloaf, add a little spritz of the soda u used MWAH!!! delisioso
Our family of seven always looks forward to Friday movie night! I make a triple batch of pizza dough in the kitchen aid, and we either make big pizzas, or the kids each get a hunk of dough to make their own.
We will usually make a batch of kettle corn as well. http://allrecipes.com/recipe/kettle-corn/
Our family favorite is “Fresh Market ” Pizza. I order day before and they fix them just how we like them. No extra charge! Veggie pizza light cheese for dh and me. Cheese on one side and pepperoni on the other. Serve a salad and fresh fruit. We started having this on our “Survivor” night.
Our favorite meal is breakfast! http://www.reallifedeals.com/?p=24313 I can’t go wrong on that!
Our family favorite Pastachutta. (Pizza is close second).
It is a pork/tomato sauce poured over pasta. It’s an all day cooking project but when you are done I have about 5 jars of sauce ready to freeze.
(Use a really big pot to cook in)
1. Brown 4-5lb pork roast
2. fry in oil 2 onions, 1 cutup celery stalk, 1 bell pepper and 3 garlic cloves
transfer to pot
3. add in the following:
4 small cans of tomato paste
12 small cans of water
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
1teaspoon all spice
1 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon thyme
1 tablespoon of Italian seasoning
salt & pepper
4. cook on top of stove for 4-5 hours
Shred pork and mix back in sauce
(at this point I pour sauce into canning jars and freeze until needed)
When ready to make for dinner, take a jar of sauce and pour over cooked macaroni shells, mix with 1 cup sharp cheese and cook in oven for 20 or so minutes at 350.
I got this recipe from my mother in law, so I’m sure it has changed/adapted over the years. My husband loves it. And I had to learn make it/love it.
And the second family favorite is pizza and that recipe is just to call your local pizza joint!
My family’s favorite meal is barbecue meatballs. I use ground turkey, onions, ketchup, brown sugar, liquid smoke, eggs, oatmeal, and various spices. It’s delicious!
http://thedistracteddomestic.blogspot.com/2012/01/day-4the-go-to-meal.html
Day 4 posted! Complete with a picture of a recipe from the book!!
One of our favorite wind-down-the-week Friday night meals is Finnish Rice Porridge. When I was growing up, we only made this once a year: for Christmas Eve. I probably make it once a month, perhaps twice in the winter.
Finnish Rice Porridge
1.5 cups white rice
Pot of boiling water
(Place rice in a sieve; pour the boiling water over the rice slowly)
1.5 cups water
(Bring water to boil in a 5 qt pot. Add rice. Reduce heat; simmer for 10 minutes or until water disappears. Rice will NOT be tender.)
2 quarts milk
1.5 tsp. salt
2 Tbs. sugar
2 cinnamon sticks
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
(Add milk and other ingredients. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce to low. Simmer uncovered, stirring every 5 minutes, for 35-45 minutes, or until as thick as oatmeal.)
1.5 tsp. grated lemon rind
2 tsp. vanilla
(Stir in lemon rind and vanilla. Remove cinnamon sticks.)
Serve with cinnamon sugar or berry sauce.
Berry Sauce
1 cup water
2 cups cranberries
3/4 c sugar
1.5 Tbs. lemon juice
(Put in 2 qt pan. Boil gently for 10 minutes)
1 pkg. frozen raspberries
1.5 Tbs. cornstarch mixed with 1.5 Tbs water
(Stir into the pot. Cook, stirring until thick and clear.)
Chill.
My family’s favorite meal is fish tacos. The first time I made them, I had no idea what I was doing, but they turned out just as good as our favorite fish taco place!
My family’s favorite is meatloaf and mashed potatoes. I use 3 kinds of meat (varies e: what is on sale or in freezer) egg, oatmeal, Worcestershire, and whatever spices sound good at the time, onion. The mashed potatoes are usually Yukon gold with the skins on and butter and milk added.