meal

2/28/2022 Weekly Meal Plan

Abby H.

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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.

2/21/2022 Weekly Meal Plan

Abby H.

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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!

2/14/12022 Weekly Meal Plan!

Abby H.

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The kids and I have the day off school/work, so we’re spending v-day together! I’m thinking about heart-shaped pizza for lunch!

I did a little bit of meal prep Saturday night and Sunday morning. I also updated the fridge, freezer, and pantry inventories. I didn’t watch “The Big Game”, I had other stuff to do.

We are skipping our CSA box this week- I still have a lot from last week, and that’s after sharing it with my mom and a family friend!

Most other weeks, 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: We’ve got a few Dream Dinner left, and I’ll be making those along with some other stuff in the freezer (looking at you lasagna). We’ve got out-of-town guests this week, so I planned dinners that are appropriate for company, filling and budget-friendly.

  • Monday: Nug night- crinkle fries, apple slices & strawberries
  • Tuesday: Chicken with Peanut Sauce (It’s a Dream Dinner, but I’m using rice instead of the Penne that comes with it), Rice, Salad
  • Wednesday: Waffles, eggs, bacon, fruit
  • Thursday:  Kentucky Pork Chops, taters, roasted Veg (We didn’t end up having this last week- I forgot to take it out of the freezer!)
  • Friday: Takeout night!
  • Saturday:  Leftovers
  • Sunday: Lasagna, Garlic Bread, roasted veggies or salad

I’ll be hosting two Dream Dinners events, one virtual, and one in person at the La Mesa store later this month- It’s a great way for those of you who want to check it out for yourselves!

Family Recipe: Bread Bowl Cheese Dip

Abby H.

This recipe is perfect for potlucks, parties, basically any time you want to eat cheesy dip from a bread boule.

It’s been in the family for years. At least 25.

 

It is not healthy. It is not low sodium. This is a sometimes food for sure.

Bread Bowl

Serves 10-12 as an appetizer

Ingredients:

  • 1 15 oz jar Cheese Whiz (It has to be cheez whiz)
  • 10 slices Hormel Dried Beef
  • 1 bunch green onions
  • 1 brick cream cheese
  • 8 oz sour cream
  • 1 bread boule (I like sourdough, but whatever you enjoy)

Directions:

  1. To prepare the bread bowl, cut a shallow square at the top of the bread. Pull it off in one piece, reserve. Pull out the soft interior of the bread until there is a decent-sized cavity. Tear the “guts” of the bread that you pulled out into bite-size pieces. Do the same with the under/soft side of the square piece that was cut off. This is now the “lid” to the bowl.
  2. On a foil-lined baking tray, scatter your little bread “guts”. these will be heated up and used to scoop the dip up.
  3. Rinse the dried beef very well. It is very salty. Once it has been rinsed and patted dry (I use a paper towel), cut into bite-sized pieces. I prefer mine to be smaller than a penny.
  4. Rinse the green onions and slice. I usually use the bottom 1/4-1/2 of each, discarding the very white end part with the roots (ick).
  5. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, sour cream, cheez whiz. Fold in the dried beef and green onions.
  6. Pour mixture into the bread bowl cavity, top with the bread lid. Wrap in tin foil, place on a baking tray, and bake at 350 for 30-45 minutes.
  7. After the initial baking time, unwrap, remove the lid of the bowl and bake for another 15 minutes.
  8. During the last 5 minutes of baking, place the tray of small torn bread pieces in the oven to crisp up.
  9. Serve bread bowl HOT with torn bread pieces, crackers, cocktail bread, crudities, whatever appeals to you.

For my family, the best part is tearing off pieces of the bowl to eat once most of the interior dip has been eaten.

Bread Bowl makes a great dish for THE BIG GAME, which is this coming Sunday.

2/7/2022 Weekly Meal Plan

Abby H.

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I did a ton of meal prep yesterday. I cleaned the kitchen, made a big pot of vegetable soup, made a big salad, and cleaned out the fridge and freezer.

And the CSA Box will be delivered this morning too- I’ve got plans for most of that stuff too! I’m sharing the box with a family friend- sometimes it’s hard to get through all those fruits and veggies in 7 days!

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: The Dream Dinners I picked up 2 weeks ago are really helping with those nights where we’ve got so much going on. This week I’ll be making the salmon tarragon with crispy potatoes as lunch for grown-ups.

  • Monday: Philly Cheese Steak sandwiches, Green Salad
  • Tuesday: Nug night- I’ve got 3 different types, crinkle fries, apple slices & strawberries
  • Wednesday: Chicken enchiladas, beans, rice
  • Thursday:    Cheese and spinach cannelloni with red sauce, garlic bread, roasted veggies
  • Friday: Takeout night!
  • Saturday:  Leftovers
  • Sunday:  Kentucky Pork Chops, mashed potatoes, roasted veggies

I’ll be hosting two Dream Dinners events, one virtual, and one in person at the La Mesa store later this month- It’s a great way for those of you who want to check it out for yourselves!

1/31/2022 Weekly Meal Plan

Abby H.

0a5e9dab796cea8a07eabe4eb4795b9e.jpgThis week is starting off with a somber note. My dad is in the ICU and he’s stable, but pretty sick. So, dear readers, thoughts and prayers are requested! My meal plan for the week may not be as put together since I’ll be visiting him and my family as much as I can.

As usual, the CSA Box will be delivered this morning too. I’m hoping to roast up some veggies and make a big salad. I’ll be posting a really yummy salad recipe this week.

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.

I did a grocery shopping trip on Friday, stocked up on lunch food and snacks for the kids, and of course- milk and bread.

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: This week we’ll start enjoying some Dream Dinners, and I’ll be posting pics and deets all over my social media!

  • Monday: Dinner with family
  • Tuesday: Nug night- I’ve got 3 different types, krinkle fries, apple slices & strawberries
  • Wednesday:   Grilled Chicken and Quinoa Power Bowl We didn’t have it last week
  • Thursday:   Baked Stuffed Canollis, salad
  • Friday: Takeout night!
  • Saturday:  Leftovers
  • Sunday: Veggie Soup

Please stay safe you guys!

1/24/2022 Weekly Meal Plan

Abby H.

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Woo Hoo! I’m stoked about this week! I’ve got a Dream Dinners Pick up this afternoon.  I took advantage of the deal I posted last week, and I’ve got 9 meals taken care of – I’ll be spreading those meals over this week and next.

And the CSA Box will be delivered this morning too. Late last week I roasted 2 butternut squashes, and I’m turning the roasted squash into soup today (recipe here). I’m making it vegetarian, so the big kid can try it out too.

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: This week we’ll start enjoying some Dream Dinners, and I’ll be posting pics and deets all over my social media!

Please stay safe you guys!

Dream Dinners Flash Sale! Light and Lean Dinner Bundle!

Abby H.

Y’all know I love Dream Dinners. Check out this amazing deal- It’s only good through tomorrow, and it’s the perfect way to start the year off with easy, healthy meals.

Get nine delicious, healthy medium meals for just $185!

Order before 9am Friday, January 21, 2022, to get all nine under 450 calorie dinners from our January menu for just $185. This is a great way to jump-start your resolutions and try out some new recipes.

The Light and Lean Dinner Bundle* includes a medium of each of the following:

A Medium Meal feeds 2-3 adults (honestly, it’s usually 3+ in our house), so you’ll be getting 18-27 restaurant-quality meals for $185!

Our local store here in East County is La Mesa, run by Marsi and her friendly staff! Store Email: lamesaca@dreamdinners.com  Store Phone Number: 619-460-6800

**The Vegetable and Chickpea Curry over Coconut Rice is under 450 calories when not served with coconut rice, and the Greek Island Shrimp with Pasta is under 450 calories without the pasta. For some additional healthy side ideas, visit their blog at https://blog.dreamdinners.com/healthy-homemade-side-dishes-for-the-new-year/