Ever wondered what your friends and neighbors spend on groceries every month? As my family grew over the years, and our grocery bills rose nearly as high as the rent for our small apartment, I often wondered, “Is everybody else spending the same truckload of cash to put food on the table?” I thought I had finally found the answer when I learned that the USDA has a handy chart to calculate what average families spend on food each month. There are even separate columns for thrifty, low-cost, ... continue reading...
Blueberry Pear Smoothie
When does spring begin? The calendar says it started a month ago, but I beg to differ. Spring really begins for me when the Chinese magnolia trees blossom, and when it's finally warm enough that I feel like making smoothies again. By that definition, spring started in January when we lived in California. Here in Massachusetts, it starts in April. I love smoothies (blueberry ones, mango ones, you name it), but I can't bring myself to make them in winter. When it's cold and gray outside, ... continue reading...
Hot Cross Muffins
Hot cross buns are an Easter tradition with a fun history. According to legend, a 12th-century British monk started making buns topped with pastry crosses on Good Friday, then giving them to the poor to honor Christ's crucifixion. The buns quickly grew in popularity, and as the years went by, they gave rise to some peculiar superstitions. Supposedly, a hot cross bun baked on Good Friday would last a year without going stale. If you hung if from your kitchen rafters, it would keep evil ... continue reading...
The Dinners My Kids Like Best
Have you ever wondered what my kids think of the recipes on my blog? It’s all well and good if I like them, but do my kids actually eat them? Earlier this week, I handed each of my kids a list of the recipes I've posted so far, and asked them to mark the three dinners they like best. I expected their responses to vary widely, but two recipes easily tied for first place: Chicken Broccoli Parmesan earned one of those top scores, and it was my older son's first choice. I asked what he ... continue reading...
My Guest Post about Getting Kids to Eat Healthy
Ashley Ekpo at startingoverfitness.com recently invited me to write a guest post about how to get kids to eat healthy. I shared my two favorite picky eater hacks, as well as the three strategies that have been most helpful as I've encouraged my picky kids to try new things. You can read my guest post here. I encourage you to check out the rest of Ashley's blog too. She has lots of great advice for women who are trying to get in shape, especially if they recently (or not so recently) had a ... continue reading...
Instant Pot Potato Soup (with Stovetop Directions Too!)
When I serve a new, unfamiliar recipe to my family, I can usually expect the following reactions: Husband: Thanks me for cooking; eats at least two servings (unless he hates it--then he just quietly finishes his first serving and puts his plate in the sink) Older daughter (age 12): Criticizes something about the dish, but eats a serving or two Older son (age 10): Likes it and eats two or three servings Younger daughter (age 7): Takes a few tentative bites, then asks me to never ... continue reading...
Cranberry Protein Balls
As you may have noticed, I adore protein balls. They’re easy to whip up, and I always have at least one kind (sometimes two!) in my fridge to help get my day off to a good start. For whatever reason, I’m not really in the mood for breakfast when I first get up in the morning. Cereal? Meh. Oatmeal? No thanks. Protein balls always sound like a good idea, though, even when nothing else does. A couple of those little guys give me the energy I need to get one child after another off to ... continue reading...
Egg Roll Bowls
I've been missing Bess Custodio's egg rolls ever since we moved from California. Whenever she was invited to a pot luck--whether it was for Christmas, the Fourth of July, or no holiday at all--Bess always ordered dozens of egg rolls from some Asian restaurant and brought them on a huge tray. I would invariably eat three or four of them, then I'd will myself to walk to the other side of the room so there'd be enough egg rolls left for the other guests. They were that good. I've tried ... continue reading...
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