meal plan

How to Repurpose Thanksgiving Leftovers

Abby H.
Everyone loves leftovers!

At this point, your 2022 Thanksgiving Meal is already cookin’. And if your dinner is anything like ours, there are leftovers. Lots and lots of leftovers. Which, don’t get me wrong is great, but, after a few days, you may get tired of eating leftovers.

Here are a few ways you can repurpose your Thanksgiving leftovers and make something tasty (and different).

1- Let’s start with the star of the show- The Bird.  I recommend taking the carcass and a few cups of meat (I use dark meat) and make stock. Here is my basic recipe, substitute the rotisserie chicken in the recipe for your turkey. And the best part is that you can do it in the crockpot overnight! Once you have a rich stock, you can make- SOUP! I’ll have a great Turkey Soup recipe up in a bit.

When packing up leftovers, I cut all of the remaining meat up, so there aren’t HUGE CHUNKS. This makes the meat easy to serve for future meals.

2- Gravy. Don’t ditch the leftover gravy! I add my leftover gravy to my Turkey Soup. Admittedly, I make a lot (8 cups+) of gravy.  Not a thick soup fan?

  • It’s turkey pie time! It’s a take on shepherd’s pie.  Take 1 cup of gravy, 2-3 cups of bite-size pieces of turkey, and 1 cup of frozen carrots and peas (or if you have leftover veggies from dinner). Mix all together, and pour into a greased baking dish. Then, top with 2-3 cups of leftover mashed potatoes. Cover with foil and bake for 20-30 minutes. I like to top with 1/2 cup of sharp cheddar cheese about 10 minutes before it’s done, remove the foil, and allow the cheese to melt and get all bubbly.

3-Mashed Potatoes. Don’t ditch the taters, they have lots of life in leftovers! In addition to the turkey pie above, Mashed potato cakes are a good choice, and they are super easy to make!

  • Mashed Potato Cakes start with 2 cups mashed potatoes, 1 egg, 1 cup AP flour, 1/2 c grated or minced onion, salt, and pepper. Mix all of these ingredients together and form into patties. Fry the patties in 1 cup oil (your choice), drain on paper towels prior to serving. If you like cheese, add 1/2 cup cheese of your choice.  These are great for breakfast with eggs.

4- Cranberry Sauce/Jelly. I like topping toasted leftover rolls with it, or putting it on toast. It’s also good on turkey sandwiches. Thirsty Whale has a great cocktail recipe using Cranberry Sauce.

Talk Back: How do you repurpose your holiday leftovers?

 

Two Very Practical Gifts for Busy Families!

Abby H.

I was texting with some relatives yesterday, and they had gone through everyone’s Amazon Wishlists and didn’t like anything on the lists. The wishlist didn’t have anything “Exciting”.

So they asked me what I thought these adults with kids would want for the holidays. First of all, If it’s on someone’s wishlist and it’s not super expensive, just buy it. It doesn’t have to be something exciting. It doesn’t matter if the gift giver likes it or thinks it’s “Exciting”, it’s what the recipient wants.

I’m an adult for Pete’s sake. For me, an exciting gift is a nice new set of sheets for my bed or a box of produce on my doorstep.

If you are looking for a gift that will WOW the adults in your life, here are some suggestions:

Meal Plan/Meal Prep: Seriously. Do you know what’s exciting? Not having the decide what to eat every single day of my life. For those of you who live near Dream Dinners, They have many different gifting options. There are locations all over the US, and many locations will ship if you are too far/busy to visit a location.

Another Meal Prep option is What a Crock. They have locations all across the Mid-Atlantic, and they also ship as well.

What I like about What A Crock is that you choose how many portions of each Entree you want. They also have holiday bundles and even gift cards!

 

If your gift recipients live in San Diego County and meal prep isn’t what you are feeling, produce boxes are it! I love Yasukochi Family Farms CSA boxes. We’ve been getting them for about 2 years, and it’s the perfect gift in my opinion. Locally grown fresh fruits and veggies are delivered to the gift recipient’s door each week. You can contact the farm here and find out more about ordering boxes as gifts!

If you aren’t a San Diego, Ca local and are interested in CSA or farm boxes, my recommendation is that you visit your local farmer’s market and ask some of the farmers if they offer one. I am not a fan of some of the farm boxes that are advertised online, as they are not from local farmers.  As the great-granddaughter of a farmer, I fully support local farms.

 

Talk Back: What’s on your Amazon Wishlist?

11/21/2022 Weekly Meal Plan

Abby H.

0a5e9dab796cea8a07eabe4eb4795b9e.jpgOur  Yasukochi Family Farms CSA box is arriving today and I am looking forward to making a big batch of soup! The cold dry weather we’ve been having recently has me in the mood for soup!

This week we’re leaning a lot on what we already had on-hand. My grocery trip for this week is bagels, coffee, cheese, and some garlic (I’m all out!!).

The kids and I are off school/work this week, and we plan on using some of our summer reading program museum passes, visiting the zoo, going to the library, and hanging out with family and friends.

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. The big kid brings his lunch from home every day and the littlest buys her lunch at school about half the time. In California, all public schools provide breakfast and lunch for free.

Dinner: This week is packed as far as appointments, so I’m leaning on stuff that’s easy and tasty. I prepped fruits and veg over the weekend and made up the last Dream Dinner and portioned it into lunch-sized servings.

  • Monday: Butternut Squash Bisque, rolls, roasted veggies

  • Tuesday: Frozen entrees,  Kale Cranberry Salad

  • Wednesday: Nuggets, fruit, crackers, and cheese (the typical Wednesday night dinner)

  • Thursday:  Thanksgiving dinner with family

  • Friday: Takeout night!
  • Saturday: Soup (I have several varieties in the freezer, I’ll defrost one in the morning), garlic bread, salad
  • Sunday:  Leftovers

11/15/2022 Weekly Meal Plan

Abby H.

0a5e9dab796cea8a07eabe4eb4795b9e.jpgOur  Yasukochi Family Farms CSA box didn’t arrive yesterday (our main community gate was having functionality issues), so I didn’t meal prep or plan yesterday.

This week we’re leaning a lot on what we already had on-hand. My grocery trip was to pick up bagels and milk.

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. The big kid brings his lunch from home every day and the littlest buys her lunch at school about half the time. In California, all public schools provide breakfast and lunch for free.

Dinner: This week is packed as far as appointments, so I’m leaning on stuff that’s easy and tasty. I prepped fruits and veg over the weekend and made up the last Dream Dinner and portioned it into lunch-sized servings.

  • Monday:  Colonial Chowder, Garlic bread

  • Tuesday: Frozen entrees, roasted veggies, mashed sweet potatoes

  • Wednesday: Nuggets, fruit, crackers, and cheese (the typical Wednesday night dinner)

  • Thursday:  Roasted brussels sprouts, riced cauliflower, bbq chicken breasts

  • Friday: Takeout night!
  • Saturday:  Hearty Veggie Soup 
  • Sunday:  Leftovers

November: 2 Dream Dinner Bundles!

Abby H.

Looking to simplify your meal planning this month? Dream Dinners has your back! This month Dream Dinners has 2 Special Bundle Deals this Month

8 Medium Meals for $199

  • Mini Chicken Pot Pies
  • Sherry Cream Chicken Over Rice
  • Cattleman’s Pie
  • Thanksgiving Burger w/ Rosemary Shoestring Fries
  • Layered Verde Chicken Enchiladas
  • Honey Pecan Pork Tenderloin with Cranberry Applesauce
  • Layered Ravioli Bake
  • Chicken Paella

6 meals for $149 

  • Mini Chicken Pot Pies
  • Sherry Cream Chicken Over Rice
  • Cattleman’s Pie
  • Thanksgiving Burger w/ Rosemary Shoestring Fries
  • Layered Verde Chicken Enchiladas

This offer is not available on-line. To place your order call/text 619-460-6800 or email lamesaca@dreamdinners.com.
*This offer is only available for a limited time. Contact your store by Wednesday, November 16th at 5 pm to place your order. The bundle offer includes 1 of each entree listed. Any changes or substitutions will be subject to the current retail value of the entree.

 

 

Cold Weather Means Soup! Soup Recipe Round-Up

Abby H.

It’s been chilly here the past few days, and that means sweaters and soup!

I love making soup, it’s easy, inexpensive per serving, and there are always leftovers.

Here are a few of my family’s favorite soups:

Veggie Soup 
Chicken Fajitas Soup 
Easy Broccoli Cheese Soup
Potato Cheese Soup
Hearty Veggie Soup
Chicken Tortellini Soup
Veggie Tuscan Soup
Homemade Chicken Soup
Zuppa Tuscana Soup CopyCat Recipe
Chicken Corn Chowder
Roasted Onion and Caramelized Onion Bisque
Butternut Squash Bisque
Beef Stew
Harvest Veggie Ravioli Soup

Dream Dinner October Mini Bundle Offer!

Abby H.

It’s back! Dream Dinners is now offering Smaller Minimum Orders for a limited time*! Beginning this week until October 21 you can order Eight meals for Only $189

The October Dinner Bundle includes:

  • Parmesan Herb Crusted Chicken with Oven Roasted Broccoli
  • Cranberry Buttermilk Chicken with Almond Green Beans
  • Maple Pork Tenderloin with Bountiful Baked Beans
  • Firehouse Three Cheese Pasta with Meatballs
  • Maple Bourbon BBQ Chicken with Bacon
  • Old Fashioned Meatloaf
  • Autumn Chicken Pie
  • Tortellino Al Forno

This offer is not available online. To place your order call/text 619-460-6800 or email lamesaca@dreamdinners.com.

*This offer is only available for a limited time. Contact your store by Friday, October 21st at 9 am to place your order. The bundle offer includes 1 of each entree listed. Any changes or substitutions will be subject to the current retail value of the entree.

 

If you are new to Dream Dinners, check out my amazing giveaway here!

Giveaway: Meal Prep Starter Pack from La Mesa Dream Dinners!

Abby H.6 Comments

I am so excited to share this giveaway with you! I’ve partnered with La Mesa Dream Dinners to give away a Meal Prep Starter kit that contains 4 medium meals (a medium meal feeds 2-3 people, but in our family of 4 it usually feeds all 4 of us with a couple side dishes added) or 2 Large Meals, which feeds 4-6 each.

Y’all know I love Dream Dinners. Dinner is on the table in 30 minutes or less, and there is no chopping, measuring, or shopping for ingredients. It’s awesome for us busy folks- I put 1-2 Dream Dinners in the fridge to defrost Sunday night, and we’ve got easy meals for our busiest nights.

With the kid’s extracurriculars and therapies, every day is busy right now. I’m up at 5:45am making breakfasts and lunches, washing dishes, and feeding the kitty. By the time 5pm rolls around, the last thing I want to do is spend an hour plus in the kitchen.

Dream Dinners is cheaper than takeout, healthier, and many times, it’s the same amount of dishes to wash. Yes, I serve takeout on plates and use silverware. I’m not eating Chinese takeout out of the little paper boxes with my hands.

If you are new to Dream Dinners, check out my post here with all the details, and how they compare to other meal kits.

Onto the Giveaway- Enter using the Rafflecopter widget/link (it’s not mobile-friendly) below. For a mobile-friendly entry, click here.

The first and easiest entry is to check out the October Menu here and leave a comment on this post letting me know what you are most excited about trying. Then click ion the Rafflecopter link below and complete the remaining entries!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Fine Print: This giveaway will run from 10/11/2022 until 10/19/2022. A winner will be chosen at random on 10/19/22 and will be notified via email. The winner must reside in the San Diego, CA county area and pick up their prize directly from La Mesa Dream Dinners. The winner’s contact information will be supplied to La Mesa Dream Dinners to coordinate the delivery of the prize.

This contest is not sponsored or endorsed by WordPress, Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.

Meal Kit Round Up and Deals- Updated for 2022!

Abby H.

In my 12+ years as a blogger, I have reviewed a fair number of meal kits on the market. With the seemingly never-ending quarantine and the new normal being social distancing, something different is now more appreciated than ever.

I love trying out meal kits, they are a great way to try new recipes with new ingredients that I may not already have on hand. Here are a few of the meal kits that I’ve tried, links to reviews, and any deals or coupon codes I could find.

My number one local Meal Plan company is Dream Dinners (a review can be found here). There are locations all over the US, and my go-to location in La Mesa.

If you’ve never checked out Dream Dinners, Check out this great deal!

Learn how to meal prep with Dream Dinners. Available at our local stores, the Meal Prep Starter Pack will help you get dinner on the table with up to 4 family-style dinners for just $79.00.

  • Chef-created, family-friendly recipes are prepped in our local assembly kitchens.
  • Ready-to-cook frozen dinners leave you prepared for dinner.
  • Easy to follow instructions making both cooking and clean up simple and stress-free.
  • 20 years of experience.

Overall, my favorite mail order/delivery meal kit company is Dinnerly.

They have a nice mix of kid-friendly dishes and stuff that is decidedly more “grown-up food”. I wrote a review here. In addition to having a nice mix of dishes to choose from, the other thing I like is that Dinnerly is the first subscription meal kit service to offer $4.49 per serving. My big qualm with meal kits is that the meals can sometimes be upwards of $8-$10/per serving. At that point, you might as well go out for dinner!

Freshly is the next up on our highly received Meal companies. I reviewed Freshly in 2016, and it’s a little different that most of the other meal companies in that all of the food comes already cooked. All you do is heat and eat.

The portions are big, so if you wanted to stretch them, all you would need is an additional side, like a green salad.

Right now when you use Promo Code: LAUNCH15 you will save $60.00 on your first 4 orders($15 per order).

Gobble has a really great deal. Choose your meals and receive Gobble box for $36 for 6 meals. I recently ordered this, so we’ll see how it turns out! Here is why I decided to try it:

    • Choose your meals from our diverse weekly menu. Gluten-free, dairy-free, low-carb, & vegetarian options are available.
    • Their team of chefs does all the tedious prep work for you — no more chopping, measuring, or sink full of dishes
  • Your freshly made 15-minute dinner kits will arrive in a refrigerated box to your doorstep. No commitment. Adjustable to your schedule.

 

Talk Back: I’d love to hear about Meal Kits that you have tried and which ones have worked for you and your family!

Dream Dinners: 8 Meals in The September Mini Bundle

Abby H.

It’s that time again! La Mesa Dream Dinners mini order is perfect if 12 is too many meals this month. By Friday, September 16th at 9am, you can order this mini bundle for just $189 for 8 medium-size meals. You can cross grocery shopping and meal prep off your to-do list, giving you more time to savor time with your family and friends!

The September Dinner Bundle includes:

  1. Arroz con Pollo
  2. Outlaw Chicken Burgers with Crispy Shoestring Fries
  3. Chateau Chicken with Almond Butter Sauce
  4. Meatball Marinara Stuffed French Bread
  5. Creamy Pesto Tortellini
  6. New Orleans Jambalaya
  7. Central Park Garlic Chicken with Creamy Herbed Peas
  8. Lucky Dragon Pork Tenderloin with Jasmine Rice

This limited-time offer ends on Friday, September 16th at 9am! Call or Text 619-460-6800 or email lamesaca@dreamdinners.com to reserve yours.