Moms + Meals: Buffalo Chicken Pizza

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pizzaThis time of year, all of the time, I am on the look-out for quick, easy, delicious meals I can serve my family. I am not a great cook, but I try. One of my favorite things to do is throw something in the crock-pot in the morning before rushing out the door to work. It is the best feeling to get home after a long day and know dinner is basically done.

buffalo-wingsOne of our favorite crock-pot dishes is shredded buffalo chicken. You literally throw three ingredients in the crock-pot and done:

  • frozen chicken breast (4-5 large breast)
  • Frank’s buffalo sauce
  • one packet of ranch dressing mix

Set on low and enjoy 6-8 hours later! I typically serve on warm tortillas, on a baked potato or just eat plain. My husband pops a couple of pieces of  bread in the toaster and eats it on a sandwich. I can’t lie though, my kids (2 & 5) won’t eat. They do, however, like buffalo chicken pizza.

This week, I attempted to whip-up a buffalo-chicken pizza and, well… It was a success! Both kids ate 1.5 pieces!

So, here is what I did:

  • made the buffalo chicken (just like above)
  • took half of the chicken, drained, and mixed with ranch dressing
  • spread mixture over a pre-made wheat pizza crust (doesn’t have to be wheat, just whatever your family likes best)
  • asked the kids to sprinkle mozzarella cheese on top
  • Baked at 425 for around 10 minutes

Like I said, I am all about easy! This was a win at my house… Maybe your family will enjoy it too! Happy cooking, mommas!

Produce for Kids: Banana Fro-Yo

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Just like you, we struggle to get dinner on the table night after night (after night) and also find healthy options for dessert. While this is a sponsored post, all opinions are our own.

My family LOVES sweet treats! My kiddos are always asking to go out for ice cream on a daily basis. We as parents of course don’t let our kids eat ice cream daily, but they would if we would let them. So, needless to say we are always in the hunt for a healthy alternative that also taste great.

When we found this Banana Fro-Yo recipe from Produce for Kids, we knew we had to try it. Not only was this the simplest dessert to make, it was so amazingly delicious. My girls were licking the blender for more.

Ingredients:

  • 2 bananas, chopped
  • 3 cups lowfat yogurt
  • 1 cup chopped pineapple
  • 1/4 cup caramel dip

Directions: 

  1. Place bananas in freezer bag and freeze overnight.
  2. Blend bananas, yogurt and pineapple in blender until thick and smooth. Portion and freeze for 25 minutes.
  3. Drizzle with caramel dip.

Side note from Kelli: My girls asked if we could have this dessert every night! 🙂 Also the drizzle of caramel dip over the top is the perfect finishing touch. 

If you want to see the full nutritional value of this recipe click here. For more healthy and tasty recipes from Produce for Kids click here. 

In addition to delicious, healthy and quick recipes, Produce for Kids cares about our local community and feeding the hungry right here in SWMO. They have  partnered with Associated Wholesale Grocer (AWG) in our area to support Feeding America® food banks. Many of those food banks are right here in Southwest Missouri. They are helping moms like you and I provide healthy meal options for their families–and that is a big deal!

Look for signage in your local AWG store in the produce department. When you see the signs, stock up on your produce and have peace of mind–not only are you providing your family with nutritious grocieries, you are helping others in our area too. And we think that is a win-win!

Moms + Meals: “Fast-Food”

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Ok, we aren’t talking about running through a drive through to grab dinner, although, we all have to do that on occasion. We are talking about how to whip up “fast-food” for you hungry kids. I don’t know about you, but the minute I pick my kids up from school they are ready to eat! I do let them have a small snack while I am unloading the car and getting ready for dinner, but I try to make sure it is somewhat healthy. Our favorite snacks include:PicMonkey Collage

  • string cheese
  • yogurt or gogurt
  • cutie oranges
  • mixed nuts
  • raisins
  • apples
  • blueberries or grapes
  • craisins
  • almonds (try mixing the almonds and craisins together!)

 

 

We know it’s hard to make dinner in a snap, especially while you have your kids interrupting you non-stop. “One Pan Dandy” is always a hit at my house! Kids like it and it only dirties one dish, which means mom likes it because clean up is a breeze!

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb of ground hamburgerone pan dandy
  • 1 can of green beans – drained
  • 1 package of frozen corn
  • 1 can of Rotel- drained

Substitutions: You can add rice, macaroni noodles, asparagus, or other vegetables your kids like.

Directions:

Brown your hamburger and drain. Add green beans, corn and Rotel and let simmer together for about 10-15 minutes. It’s very simple, you can involve your kids in mixing and pouring the ingredients. It is by no means a fancy meal, but it works on those busy school nights when you don’t have time for much more!

Moms + Meals: Lunchbox tips

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This may sound crazy, but one thing we dread the most about the kids going to back to school is figuring out what to pack them for lunch! Our kiddos eat at school about half of the time and pack their lunch about half the time. Even with having a few days “off” from packing lunches, we still run out of ideas!

We asked other local moms what they were packing for their kids and here is what we found out! We hope this insight helps you as much as it has helped us!

  • “My son likes turkey and ham wraps w/ spinach and shredded cheese! Sometimes we’ll switch it up with a sandwich that’s the same as the wrap. Also if there are leftovers from supper he doesn’t mind eating them cold, we’ll do that too! With that stuff though he likes yogurts, apple slices, carrots, or sometimes grapes. I try not to do the same thing all time, and prepping lunches the night before reeeeeally helps!”

 

  • “I do the $1 lunchables then send a fruit cup, cheese (he loves the laughing cow soft cheese) and some chips with a sweet treat. He usually gets juice for lunch too. I really focus on good meals for breakfast and dinner and over the weekend so he can have what he wants during the week.”

 

  • “Yesterday my son said… Mom, this year can I have advanced lunches? Like more that a wet sandwich, a cheese stick and chips? Ha!!”

 

  • “I’m a mom of 3, ages 17, 14 and 11. If I’m packing a kids lunch, I pack a sandwich, chips or veggie straws, carrots and 2-3 of the following: apples, grapes, cantaloupe, watermelon or cherries. There are times when I’ve been known to buy Lunchables just for the convenience of it. Especially if their going on a field trip ect.”

 

  • ” I definitely go the bento box route for my youngest. Olives, carrots and ranch, goldfish, fruit, lunch meat and a cheese stick, pickles, a sweet treat, almonds, peanuts or cashews, leftover spaghetti noodles with a sprinkle of parm, popcorn….”

 

  •  “I am doing the bento boxes this year for my daughter. She likes cheese, crackers, cold cuts or sliced chicken or ham, carrots and ranch, fruit. Looking forward to some other ideas. Both of my daughters have asked for thermos mugs for hot dishes. Soup, noodles, rice. They both like almost anything wrapped in a tortilla.”

 

  • “Olivia’s favorite is hard boiled eggs and a pancake!”

Thanks for the feedback, friends! We always love hearing from you! Happy lunch-box packing!

Moms + Meals: Sweetest Ever Muffins

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Turns out, July is National Blueberry Month! Who knew?!

To celebrate this very important month, we wanted to share with you one of our favorite blueberry recipes. My Grandma Rose has been making these blueberry muffins for years. They are easy to make and are very tasty! I tend to make them for breakfast and eat on them for a few days, but my grandma serves them with spaghetti. Sounds odd, but it really does hit the spot!

Sweetest Ever Muffins

  • 1 3/4 cup flour
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/3 cup oil
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 3/4 cup milk
  • 1 cup blueberries

Directions: Stir together dry ingredients. Make a well in the center. Combine egg, milk, and oil. Add all at once to dry ingredients, stirring until just moistened. Fill greased or paper lined muffin pan 2/3 full. Bake at 375 degrees for 18-20 minutes. May spring the top with sugar.

In photo: I had the cutest little helpers last time we made these muffins after a cousin sleep-over!