dinner

Recipe: Honey Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Abby H.

This recipe is super easy. I used the Brussels Sprouts from my CSA box.

There is no need to use expensive balsamic vinegar or honey, whatever you have on hand is fine. BUT_ Make sure your honey is 100% honey and not honey flavored syrup.

Honey Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts 

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds Brussel sprouts
  • Two bell peppers
  • 2 tablespoons avocado or olive oil (your choice)
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 1/4 cup honey

Directions

  1. To prepare the brussels sprouts for roasting, sliced each Brussel sprout in half and discard any loose outer leaves.
  2. Destem and deseed the bell peppers, dice or cut into long strips.
  3. Preheat oven to 450°. Place a foil-lined baking sheet into the cold oven and allow the pan to heat.
  4. In a mixing bowl combine brussels sprouts, bell peppers, salt and pepper, and oil. Toss veggies to coat in oil.
  5. Once the oven and baking sheet has come up to temperature, evenly spread veggies on the hot baking sheet and roast for 10 minutes, stir, and roast for up to an additional 10 minutes.
  6. While veggies are roasting, in a small pot combine honey and balsamic vinegar, cook on medium until the mixture reduces by half.
  7. Once veggies are cooked and removed from the oven toss in honey balsamic glaze. Serve immediately. If you desire, top with a little shaved Parmesan or pecorino.

Serves 4 to 6.

If there are any leftovers, they can be stored in the fridge for 3-4 days and reheated as you see fit.

Celebrate Pi Day (3.14) with Some Tasty Deals

Abby H.

It’s Pi Day (March 14th, or 3.14 as it’s written out). 

This made-up holiday is to celebrate the mathematical constant π (pi), which is the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter. 

Basically, it’s a way to get people to eat more pi(e). 

Here are a few deals to celebrate various types of pi(e) today. I’ve only included offers with locations in Southern California, you may know of other deals, please feel free to leave a comment. 

I’m pretty bummed that Marie Callendar’s Restaurant isn’t doing a deal, but you can get a whole lemon meringue pie for just $9.99. 

Round Table Pizza: This is where we are headed for dinner tonight! Buy a personal-size cheese pizza for $3.14 on Pi Day at participating locations. Join the rewards clubs to take advantage of the offer (you can download their app and join- check your favorite spot to download apps).

BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse: Get a mini, one-topping version of the restaurant’s deep-dish pizza for $3.14. Available all day Monday, dine-in only.

7-Eleven: Members of the 7Rewards loyalty program can buy a large pizza for $3.14 on Monday at  participating stores.

Chuck E. Cheese: Chuck E. Cheese said its Spring-tastic Family Fun Pack is available through April 24 for delivery or carryout. For $34.99, get two large pizzas, Unicorn Cotton Candy, a goody bag and spring activity sheet, and 250 e-tickets for your next Chuck E. Cheese visit.

 

3/14/2022 Meal Plan Monday

Abby H.

0a5e9dab796cea8a07eabe4eb4795b9e.jpgWe are entering week three of no kitchen due to our water heater leak.

Our kitchen is in the middle of remediation, and it’s gotten to the point where we are just waiting for estimates to be approved by our insurance. It’s very frustrating.  My oven and stove are inaccessible, so I’m relying a lot on my sweet air fryer/convection oven/toaster combo (Like this one, but ours is bigger), microwave, and fridge for this week (and probably next week too).  I planned, but I’m not 100% committed to anything.  I need to go to the grocery store this morning and pick up some milk and a few other things to fill in. I’m trying really hard to have food at home that the kids can eat, so we aren’t going out to eat.

Our veggies and fruit are delivered by Yasukochi Family Farms CSA. For $28, it’s a great deal. I don’t have to pick anything, go to the store, or carry it upstairs. I can’t go to the store and get the same amount we get weekly for $25. Seriously. It’s a deal. They email a preview of what will be in the boxes over the weekend, so I can start thinking about what I’d like to make.

We’ve been trying a lot of new foods lately, thanks to the really great freebies from Social Nature lately too. It’s fun to try new foods.

For those of you that are new to meal planning, I’ve got an easy 101 style post here with super easy tips and steps. After you get that down, here is info about batch or freezer cooking.

I’ve gotten a pretty good inventory of the pantry, freezer, and fridge done (I try to update it after every shopping trip), so I’m able to plan meals and use up what we’ve got with little waste.

I only post our dinner plans for the week, because our other meals are usually the same each day.

Breakfast: Coffee with 1/2 and 1/2  for me, and pancakes or something along those lines for the kids. They are also into fruit and bagels for breakfast. Lately, the big kid has been digging protein shakes in the morning. This is his favorite kind. 

Lunch: I have a plastic tote in the cupboard full of self-serve snacks. I buy treats and snacks in bulk and fill up snack-sized zip-top bags. I’m back to packing lunches again. However, school lunches are free this year- Little Bit has been buying her lunch and expanding her palate.

Dinner: I’m leaning heavily on the CSA box this week, and what’s in the fridge. All of my pantry is packed up, and I don’t have access to 90% of my kitchen. I will be taking my CSA box over to my mom’s house today or tomorrow to do some prep- roasting veggies, making salad.

  • Monday: It’s Pi day, so the kids and I are heading next door to Round Table Pizza for $3.14 personal cheese pizzas.
  • Tuesday:Nug night- crinkle fries, apple slices & strawberries
  • Wednesday: Parmaesan Crusted chicken and veggies- I prepared this late last week at my mom’s house and I’ve got it in the fridge
  • Thursday: Salad Bar Night with garlic bread and roasted veggies
  • Friday: Takeout night!
  • Saturday:  Leftovers
  • Sunday: Who Knows, by Sunday I may have lost my marbles.

3/7/2022 Meal Plan Monday

Abby H.

0a5e9dab796cea8a07eabe4eb4795b9e.jpg

Uh, so the long and the short of it is that there is no meal plan this week.

Our kitchen is in the middle of remediation, due to a water heater failure two weeks ago. You can see pics on my Instagram later today. I’m taking my CSA Box to my mom’s house later and I’ll be roasting and doing veggie prep there for the week.

My oven and stove are inaccessible, so I’m relying a lot on my sweet air fryer/convection oven/toaster combo (Like this one, but ours is bigger), microwave, and fridge for the week.  I planned, but I’m not 100% committed to anything other than eating roasted asparagus this week.

Our veggies and fruit are delivered by Yasukochi Family Farms CSA. For $28, it’s a great deal. I don’t have to pick anything, go to the store, or carry it upstairs. I can’t go to the store and get the same amount we get weekly for $25. Seriously. It’s a deal. They email a preview of what will be in the boxes over the weekend, so I can start thinking about what I’d like to make.

This week I also got a lovely bouquet of flowers (pics on IG in a bit), that I’ll be taking to my mom. We have dehumidifiers going 24/7 and I don’t want the flowers to dry out.

We’ve been trying a lot of new foods lately, thanks to the really great freebies from Social Nature lately too. It’s fun to try new foods.

For those of you that are new to meal planning, I’ve got an easy 101 style post here with super easy tips and steps. After you get that down, here is info about batch or freezer cooking.

I’ve gotten a pretty good inventory of the pantry, freezer, and fridge done (I try to update it after every shopping trip), so I’m able to plan meals and use up what we’ve got with little waste.

I only post our dinner plans for the week, because our other meals are usually the same each day.

Breakfast: Coffee with 1/2 and 1/2  for me, and pancakes or something along those lines for the kids. They are also into fruit and bagels for breakfast. Lately, the big kid has been digging protein shakes in the morning. This is his favorite kind. 

Lunch: I have a plastic tote in the cupboard full of self-serve snacks. I buy treats and snacks in bulk and fill up snack-sized zip-top bags. I’m back to packing lunches again. However, school lunches are free this year- Little Bit has been buying her lunch and expanding her palate.

Dinner: I’m leaning heavily on the CSA box this week, and what’s in the fridge. All of my pantry is packed up, and I don’t have access to 90% of my kitchen.

  • Monday: Nug night- crinkle fries, apple slices & strawberries
  • Tuesday: Breakfast for dinner (probably bagels with cream cheese,  fruit, and yogurt)
  • Wednesday: Pesto ravioli and roasted veggies
  • Thursday: Salad Bar Night with garlic bread
  • Friday: Takeout night!
  • Saturday:  Leftovers
  • Sunday: Who Knows, by Sunday I may have lost my marbles.

2/28/2022 Weekly Meal Plan

Abby H.

0a5e9dab796cea8a07eabe4eb4795b9e.jpg

This week I lagged on the meal plan, and as a result, this post is a little later than usual.

I chopped, peeled, and prepped fruits and veggies this afternoon after work.  Our veggies and fruit are delivered by Yasukochi Family Farms CSA. For $28, it’s a great deal. I don’t have to pick anything, go to the store, or carry it upstairs. I can’t go to the store and get the same amount we get weekly for $25. Seriously. It’s a deal. They email a preview of what will be in the boxes over the weekend, so I can start thinking about what I’d like to make.

This week I also got a jar of Strawberry jam. I can’t wait to slather it all over popover (recipe coming up this week).

We’ve been trying a lot of new foods lately, thanks to the really great freebies from Social Nature lately too. It’s fun to try new foods.

For those of you that are new to meal planning, I’ve got an easy 101 style post here with super easy tips and steps. After you get that down, here is info about batch or freezer cooking.

I’ve gotten a pretty good inventory of the pantry, freezer, and fridge done (I try to update it after every shopping trip), so I’m able to plan meals and use up what we’ve got with little waste.

I only post our dinner plans for the week, because our other meals are usually the same each day.

Breakfast: Coffee with 1/2 and 1/2  for me, and pancakes or something along those lines for the kids. They are also into fruit and bagels for breakfast. Lately, the big kid has been digging protein shakes in the morning. This is his favorite kind. 

Lunch: I have a plastic tote in the cupboard full of self-serve snacks. I buy treats and snacks in bulk and fill up snack-sized zip-top bags. I’m back to packing lunches again. However, school lunches are free this year- Little Bit has been buying her lunch and expanding her palate.

Dinner: I’m leaning heavily on the CSA box this week, Dream Dinners, and what we’ve got in the house. I didn’t do a big shop this week, just milk and popsicles.

Vegetarian Recipe Round Up

Abby H.

It’s time for some yummy veggie meals!

Most of these are vegetarian, not vegan. These are recipes that I feed my family, so they are kid-approved and don’t require any weird, expensive ingredients.

And as a bonus, many of the ingredients for these ingredients are frequently given out in Neighborhood Distributions.

Rubio’s Launches Three New Dishes!

Abby H.

Are you Hungry? You will be after reading this post!

Calling all seafood lovers. On Wednesday, February 23, Rubio’s Coastal Grill locations in California, Nevada, and Arizona will introduce new dishes featuring Wild-Caught Red Argentinian Shrimp with a sweet-spicy kick of honey and chipotle peppers. With its large size, bright color, and exceptional flavor, wild Red Argentinian shrimp is a Rubio’s fan favorite.

“The rich, fresh, sweet-tasting Wild-Caught Red Argentinian Shrimp never fails to delight guests, and we’re thrilled it’s back on the menu,” said Rubio’s Co-Founder, Ralph Rubio. “Our Red Argentinian shrimp are sourced from the icy, pristine waters off the far southeastern tip of Argentina. They are wild-caught, never farmed, continuing our commitment to serving responsibly sourced seafood wherever possible.”

 While available, Rubio’s guests can enjoy wild-caught Red Argentinian shrimp paired with a specially created chipotle honey sauce. The culinary team has created three incredibly flavorful menu options, available for a limited time, including:

Chipotle Honey Argentinian Shrimp Bowl

Wild-caught, grilled Red Argentinian Shrimp, crisp romaine, citrus rice, and black beans topped with handmade guacamole, cilantro/onion mix, creamy chipotle sauce, a new chipotle honey sauce, pickled red onions, and a slice of fresh lime.

 Chipotle Honey Argentinian Shrimp Burrito

Wild-caught, grilled Red Argentinian Shrimp, citrus rice, black beans, handmade guacamole, cilantro/onion mix, creamy chipotle sauce, a signature chipotle honey sauce, and pickled red onions all wrapped in a warm flour tortilla. Served with tortilla chips.

 Chipotle Honey Argentinian Shrimp Two Taco Plate

Wild-caught, grilled Red Argentinian Shrimp on top of melted three cheese blend, crisp romaine, and cilantro/onion mix. Topped with creamy chipotle white sauce, a new chipotle honey sauce, and pickled red onions. Served on warm flour tortillas with black beans, tortilla chips, and a slice of fresh lime.

Guests are encouraged to order ahead through the Rubio’s app or Rubios.com. For more information about Rubio’s Coastal Grill and to view the menu, visit Rubio’s, Facebook and Instagram.

2/21/2022 Weekly Meal Plan

Abby H.

0a5e9dab796cea8a07eabe4eb4795b9e.jpg

The kids and I have the day off school/work today! The kids stayed at home and played, and I ran a bunch of errands, effectively taking care of 99% of my care tasks for the week. I will not be adding any additional tasks.

I did zero meal prep over the weekend, as we had out-of-town guests, and I went out with friends on Saturday, and I stayed out waaay too late.

I’m picking up an order of Dream Dinners this afternoon, and our CSA box will be delivered this afternoon.

Our veggies and fruit are delivered by Yasukochi Family Farms CSA. For $25, it’s a great deal. I don’t have to pick anything, go to the store, or carry it upstairs. I can’t go to the store and get the same amount we get weekly for $25. Seriously. It’s a deal. They email a preview of what will be in the boxes over the weekend, so I can start thinking about what I’d like to make.

We’ve been trying a lot of new foods lately, thanks to the really great freebies from Social Nature lately too. It’s fun to try new foods.

For those of you that are new to meal planning, I’ve got an easy 101 style post here with super easy tips and steps. After you get that down, here is info about batch or freezer cooking.

I’ve gotten a pretty good inventory of the pantry, freezer, and fridge done (I try to update it after every shopping trip), so I’m able to plan meals and use up what we’ve got with little waste.

I only post our dinner plans for the week, because our other meals are usually the same each day.

Breakfast: Coffee with 1/2 and 1/2  for me, and pancakes or something along those lines for the kids. They are also into fruit and bagels for breakfast. Lately, the big kid has been digging protein shakes in the morning. This is his favorite kind. 

Lunch: I have a plastic tote in the cupboard full of self-serve snacks. I buy treats and snacks in bulk and fill up snack-sized zip-top bags. I’m back to packing lunches again. However, school lunches are free this year- Little Bit has been buying her lunch and expanding her palate.

Dinner: I’m leaning heavily on the CSA box this week, Dream Dinners, and what we’ve got in the house. It’s supposed to be cool and rainy/overcast for much of the week, so I’m thinking of Soup and grilled cheese at least once!

  • Monday: Nug night- crinkle fries, apple slices & strawberries
  • Tuesday: Soup and Grilled Cheese (I have a couple batches in my freezer)
  • Wednesday: Spinach and Artichoke Ravioli Bake
  • Thursday: Breakfast for Dinner (probably waffles and fruit)
  • Friday: Takeout night!
  • Saturday:  Leftovers
  • Sunday: Pulled Pork Banh Mi Sliders

 

Flash Sale! Exclusive February Dinner Bundle!

Abby H.

It’s back! This month, Dream Dinners get eight top-rated medium meals from our February menu for just $185. This is a great way to check grocery shopping and meal prep off your to-do list, so you have more time to do the things you love.

We’ve had a lot of these dishes before, and there are a couple that I’ve never had before ( I’m super excited about Bacon Popper Chicken).

If you can’t make my in-person event (details here), this is an excellent way to try Dream Dinners.

Order before 9am Friday (2/18/2022) by emailing or calling the La Mesa location:

Store Email: lamesaca@dreamdinners.com
Store Phone Number: 619-460-6800

In-Person Dream Dinners Workshop: 2/22/22 in La Mesa, CA!

Abby H.1 Comment

I know y’all have been waiting for this in-person event, I know I have!

You’re invited to my Meal Prep Workshop at Dream Dinners! Learn my secret to making easy, homemade meals, taste delicious appetizers and spend some time with friends. You’ll receive three delicious, medium-size meals to enjoy at home with your family for just $50.00.

Plus, you get to create our exclusive Scone Trio. Only available at the Meal Prep Workshops, these delicious scones are a fun baking activity the whole family can help with.

  • Tuesday, February 22, 2022 – 6:00 PM
  • Dream Dinners La Mesa: 5208 Jackson Drive Suite 116 La Mesa, CA
  • RSVP Here, Invite Code is yummy1

There are limited spaces available, and this offer is only available for guests of this event. Reserve your spot today by choosing three dinners from the menu here and completing your order!

If you are coming, please let me know!