Bisquick Emergency Meals

Are you having Busy mom day, Crazy mom week or  in need of a quick recipe check out theses simple Bisquick emergency meals you can serve to your families.
 

30-Minute Mini Meat Loaves

From: Bisquick

Slash the bake time of meat loaf when you make mini-loaves. Meat loaf is now doable for weeknights!  Click here for complete recipe from Bisquick.

 Cheesy Chicken Casserole

From: Bisquick

Leftover chicken? Turn it into a delicious casserole complete with veggies. Click here for complete recipe from Bisquick

 Skillet Chicken Parmesan

From: Bisquick

Need a new and delicious idea for chicken breasts? Try an easy skillet dish with Italian pasta sauce and cheese. Click here for complete recipe from Bisquick.

Twisted Pizza Dogs 

From: Bisquick   

Serve a twist to plain ol' hot dogs. Bisquick® mix creates a fun and tasty stand-in for ordinary buns. Click here for complete recipe from Bisquick.

 

Stretch Your Family Meals

By Renae Chiovaro for Ideas That Spark


Cooking at home is the most economical way to feed your family. Here’s how to make the most of your time and money.

• Cook once, eat twice. That doesn’t mean you have to serve the same meal each night! Cook extra servings of the main ingredient from which you can make several meals. A baked whole chicken could be used for tacos, a casserole or a salad. Plan your meals ahead and don’t just eat leftovers: Eat leftover makeovers!
• Take time to plan a menu. Without a plan, it’s too easy to eat out. Recipes that call for seasonal ingredients are more affordable -- this is especially true for produce. Warm weather is a great time to visit the local farmers market for fresh produce at a lower price.
• Substitute ingredients for items you have on hand. Most recipes can be altered with similar substitute ingredients. Don’t be afraid to deviate from the recipe.
• Try cooking with less meat. Meat is the main ingredient in many recipes, and generally, it’s also the most expensive part of a meal. If a recipe, such as a casserole, calls for 1 pound of ground beef, try using half. Compensate with additional grains, pasta, rice or vegetables.
• Serve smaller portions. Instead of plating a whole steak for each person, cut the meat into portions. Seconds can be served if needed.
• When cleaning up, don’t immediately toss plate leftovers. If your kids are picky eaters but enjoyed the meal, contain leftovers for tomorrow’s meal, should they not enjoy what you’ll be serving tomorrow as much.

Stretching your meals is doable with a little planning and experimentation. Make the most of your meals by turning leftovers into new dishes and substituting ingredients. Most important, take inventory of your pantry and freezer and use items already available to you.

Renae Chiovaro is a mother of two boys who blogs at madamedeals.com on
how to save money in all aspects of life.

Biscuits with a message for St. Patricks Day

This St. Patrick's day add a blessing to your family meal with these Blarney Biscuits from Skip To My Lou.  You can personalize each biscuit for your family members and dinner guests. What a fun way to encourage others. Click here for complete how to recipe.

Tips to Make Eating with Our Children More Enjoyable!

By Leslie Pleasants

24/7 Editor

Are you one of those parents that attempt to take your family to a restaurant only to ask yourself half way through your meal "Why do we do this?". Having to move everything to one side of the table so your kids can't reach it. Or how about giving in to whatever they want just so they are quiet. Maybe that is why we don't eat out much. Not worth the hassle. I like take out. :) Even eating at home can be a chore in it self. Threatening if they don't eat their dinner they don't get dessert (even if I wasn't planning on giving them dessert). Sitting there for hours waiting for them to finish their meals. How many of you save your kids meals and put them back in the fridge for later when they say "I'm hungry".
Maybe with these tips we can find more peace at the dinner table... to give us some more ideas to make eating with our children more enjoyable.

1) Have a timer: If you are at home. Every night set a timer for when your kids start their dinner. Allow them a certain amount of time to eat their dinner. You can even set the timer in front of them or close by in their view. Then let them know when it is getting close... like "you have 10 minutes left". Eventually they will catch on. Once their time is up if they haven't finished their meal you take their plate away and throw away their food. That is it! That is all they get. No dessert either unless they have finished their meal. Setting a timer sets a goal for them. It's kind of like a game for them and you might see some good changes with their eating habits.

2) Restaurant Bin: Take this inside the restaurant. A lot of times the restaurant will provide the kids with a coloring page and crayons but that will only amuse them for so long. Bring this bin filled with fun things to keep them busy during your restaurant experience. You can keep this in your car. Here are some ideas of what to fill your bin with:
- Crayons
- Paper
- Play dough
- Cars
- Stickers
- Glow bracelets
- Fruit snacks
- Flash cards
- Work books
- Pencils

3) Discussion Jar: Keep kids talking at the table but not babbling on about who knows what. :) Create a discussion jar. Take a canning jar or even a empty coffee can. You can decorate them to look a little prettier. Then cut up strips of paper. Write on the strips of paper questions for the whole family. Make them easy for all ages to answers. For example; If you go anywhere right now where would you go? What is your favorite food? Who is your best friend? What is the last thing you prayed about? etc... Then you go around the table while you are eating answering the questions.

4) Change it up: Sometimes the kids are just bored of the everyday dinner table routine. There are several things you can do to change it up to make it more fun for everyone. Here are some ideas:

- Make a picnic: Lay out a blanket on the floor and eat on the blanket like you are having a picnic

- Have a theme night: If you have all girls you could have Princess night or a theme from a movie. You could even just have it as simple as wear all blue, pj's or wear a hat.

- Decorate the table: Make a fun table with lights or candles. You can even use confetti and streamers like its a birthday party. Colored paper plates and plastic silverware. Kids just get a kick over the simplest things.

- Colored Food: Have all your food be the same color. Kids might be weirded out at first but then might think its fun once they realize what it is.

- Finger Food: Make all finger foods. Set all the food in the middle of the table like appetizers with various dips. Lots of veggies. Let the kids decide what they want to eat.

- Play a Game: Play a game while eating dinner. Find a game that will fit in the middle of your table. Let the kids know that this will NOT happen all the time... only on special occasions. Play the game while you eat. Make sure its not a greasy finger food meal.

- Fancy Night: Dress up the table with linens and your fine china. Let the kids help you pick out the meal from a recipe book. Teach them the fine dining manners. Napkin on laps, holding the silverware, "please pass the...", etc.. you might be surprised just by decorating the table all fancy how it can change their mood and make it fun for them to be all serious. Have them even dress up in nice outfits.

- Salad Bar Night: Make a salad bar. Have it low enough so kids can reach it and have everyone go through the line just like a restaurant getting what they want. Help them with the dressing. It's always surprising how many vegetables they end up having on their plates! :)

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Talking with other moms is sometimes how you can get the best secrets/tips out there. So please share. What is your best tip to get your kids to sit still at the dinner table and/or restaurants?

Souper Sunday - Potatoe Soup

24/7 MOM Cynthia Shern
barksandbones.blogspot.com

I cheat.... I buy those ham cubes from meat Dept. My Mother always used Ham left over from large family get togethers. I think waxy potatoes (red, Yukon Gold, or Organic Purple) make better soup, too.


IN A STOCK POT:
6 Larger Red Potatoes quartered
1 stick of butter
One Package already cubed Ham (we love ham ... so I get the biggest one they have)
Large Sweet onion (Vadalia is my Favorite)
Fresh Thyme About 2 T. leaves
I always grate a few mini carrots just for color
Salt to taste
1 tablespoon cracked black pepper
1 tablespoon Maggi seaoning

You add a stick of butter just until melted before you blend it up.
Add water just to top of contents. Boil until potatoes are tender and water has reduced some. Blend everything smooth in your blender and return to pot. Add a pint of your favorite MILK.