Butternut Squash Ravioli with Mushrooms

Posted on April 26, 2012 by leigh ann

One of my favorite recipes lately has been this Butternut Squash Ravioli with Mushrooms that I found in my Southern Living magazine a few months ago.  (Honestly, I have never been disappointed with any of the recipes that I try from Southern Living.)

It is a quick, easy dish and amazingly delicious.  I’m not a chef by any means, but I always feel like I’ve somehow managed to make a “fancy” meal whenever I make this.  My favorite thing to serve it with is fresh asparagus drizzled with olive oil, salt, and pepper that my hubby cooks on the grill for a few minutes.  A nice piece of bread of your choice and a side salad wrap it all up nicely for a lovely dinner.

Go ahead – put some candles on the table for this dinner!  It’s worth it!

Here’s the recipe from the Southern Living website with my own notes added in:

Ingredients

  • 2 (8-oz.) packages refrigerated butternut squash-filled ravioli (My favorite is from Trader Joe’s)
  • 6 tablespoons butter, divided (I don’t even use half of this much butter and it’s still delicious!)
  • 1 (8-oz.) package sliced baby portobello mushrooms
  • 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • 3 tablespoons sliced fresh shallots (Any onion you have on hand works fine as a substitute)
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (or you can be cheap like me and use the jar kind – it’s still good)
  • 1 tablespoon thinly sliced fresh sage (again, can use the jar kind for this too)
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  • Toppings: freshly shaved Parmesan cheese, freshly ground pepper, chopped fresh parsley

Preparation

  1. Prepare ravioli according to package directions. Keep warm.
  2. Melt 2 Tbsp. butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms; sauté 3 to 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Add garlic and shallots; sauté 2 minutes or until tender. Remove from skillet. Wipe skillet clean.
  3. Melt remaining 4 Tbsp. butter in skillet over medium-high heat; cook 2 to 3 minutes or until lightly browned. Stir in parsley, sage, and mushroom mixture. Add hot cooked ravioli, and toss gently. Stir in salt and pepper. Serve immediately with desired toppings.

Meal (Non) Delivery Tip: This is best served right away (although the leftovers are good too).  This would be a good meal to make for someone who you have invited over to your home for dinner that you could serve immediately after cooking.

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Mason Jar Frappuccino

Posted on March 19, 2012 by leigh ann

After my friend discovered this recipe a couple of years ago, this has been one of my favorite treats for the spring and summer months. These mason jar frappuccinos are easy to make and delicious! I usually make several jars at a time to keep in the fridge so I can just grab one on my way out in the mornings. They are also a fun drink to make for playdates, baby or wedding showers, etc.

Thank you to the Tasty Kitchen website for such a fabulous recipe (be sure to check out their site for other delicious recipes)!

¾ cups Brewed Strong Coffee, Room Temperature
¾ cups Milk
1 package Sweetener, A Single Serve Packet, Your Choice
2 Tablespoons Chocolate Syrup (I like to use my favorite chocolate syrup – “Trader Joe’s Organic Midnight Moo” which doesn’t have any high fructose corn syrup.)
2 Tablespoons Liquid Coffee Creamer, Your Flavor Of Choice (I like the Italian Sweet Cream flavor)
3 whole Ice Cubes

In a 16 oz. Mason jar, put all your ingredients followed with the ice cubes. Put the lid and ring on and shake, shake, shake!

Here’s a hint: Did you know Mason jars have measurement marks on the side of the jar? You don’t even need to dirty a measuring cup – told you it was easy!

Meal Delivery Tip: Include a couple of Mason Jar Frappuccinos with your meal delivery for your friend to enjoy with breakfast the next morning!

Posted in Meal Delivery Tip, Recipes | 1 Comment

Quick Tip For A Clean Stroller

Posted on March 2, 2012 by leigh ann

I don’t know why it has taken me 4.5 years of being a parent to figure this out. Maybe you already do this? It was a warm (80 degrees!) day here and I decided to do a little outside cleaning, including washing my stroller.

Do you always get those dirty spots on your stroller canopy where the wheels touch when it’s folded up? That seems so gross to me – who knows what all those tires roll over and then rub all over the canopy.

So, in a moment of inspiration, I upcycled a Target bag into a canopy cover for when my stroller is in the folded position! Viola!

Just wrap the bag over your canopy

And fold your stroller with satisfaction of a protected canopy

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Fruit Cobbler

Posted on February 27, 2012 by leigh ann

Our neighbor’s 14-year-old dog passed away yesterday. It’s been tough for them, and my girls and I wanted to do a little something to cheer them up. I was searching through some old recipe cards and came across this quick and easy Fruit Cobbler. I had all the ingredients on hand and it was simple enough that my 2-year-old and 4-year-old could help me put it together.

We are going to color some sympathy cards for our afternoon activity and then deliver them along with the Fruit Cobbler when our neighbor gets home from work today. I love giving my children the opportunity to love on others!

If only you could smell this through your computer!

Fruit Cobbler
1. Melt 1/2 stick butter in a 2 quart baking dish, set aside (I used a pie dish)
2. Sift together: 3/4 cup flour, 1 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon baking powder, pinch salt. Add 3/4 cup milk to make a very thin batter
3. Pour batter into melted butter in baking dish – Do Not Stir!
4. Pour approximately 2 cups fruit in center of batter – Do Not Stir!
5. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes

You can use fresh, frozen, or canned fruit. I used 2 cups of frozen peaches from when the girls and I went peach picking last summer.

When you serve it, try to cut portions that include the soft and fruity middle, the cakey edge, and the crispy, buttery crust.

This quick and easy dessert would be a great addition to a meal that you are taking to someone in need!

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White Bean-Tomato Risotto

Posted on February 21, 2012 by leigh ann

We tried a new recipe this week and it was a hit!  We served ours with steamed zucchini, cantaloupe, and spinach salad.   Fast + Easy + Delicious = WIN!

The recipe is originally from the Parents.com website.  There is an option for either a slow cooker or stove top preparation.  I used the stove top method.

White Bean-Tomato Risotto

  • Nonstick cooking spray
  • 1 19 ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1/3 cup finely chopped onion
  • 1 cup arborio rice
  • 1 14 ounce can vegetable broth
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 14 1/2 ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
  • 1/2 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese
  • 3 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley (I just used the jar kind since that is what I had on hand)

Slow Cooker Method:

1. Lightly coat a 2-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Place the beans and onion in the cooker; set aside. In a medium microwave-safe bowl combine the rice, broth and water. Microwave on 100% power (high) for 3 minutes or until just boiling. Pour over beans and onion in cooker.

2. Cover; cook on low-heat setting for 3-1/2 hours (rice should be tender). Stir in tomatoes, cheese, and parsley. Makes 5 cups.

Stove Top Method:

In a 3-quart saucepan heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium. Add the onion and cook for 3 minutes or until tender. Stir in the rice. Cook and stir for 1 minute. Add broth, water and beans; bring to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, cheese, and parsley. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes.

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Fighting Foods

Posted on January 30, 2012 by leigh ann

One of the common uses of a MealBaby registry is for a person going through treatments for their fight against cancer.   Although I’ve personally never had to go through this myself, I know from others that treatments such as chemo can drastically affect a person’s diet.

A friend of mine who is going through cancer treatments recently wrote this on her CaringBridge blog:

People have so many recommendations about what to eat when you have cancer, and if I took them all, there would be very little left to eat, a lot of which wouldn’t taste good when the chemo impacts my system.  The main source I’ve used is Anti-Cancer, A New Way of Life by David Servan-Schreiber, M.D.  I’ve greatly reduced the amount of refined foods, replacing them with whole and multi-grains, and no sugar (I use agave syrup, stevia, or acacia honey in small amounts instead, mostly in cooking), try to lower my glycemic index load, and have gotten rid of most the cow milk (but have goat cheese and almond, soy, and coconut milk and yogurt).  I still don’t eat most meats, although do eat none-grain fed meats, including fish (I’ve done that since I was 19).  I add spinach and kale to lots of stuff, and my sweet stuff comes mostly from natural fruits and dark (>70%) chocolate.  I don’t have much alcohol, but if I do it is an occasional half-glass of red wine.  I tend to eat a lot, and often, but with this diet, I’m neither gaining nor losing weight (I did lose weight earlier, but have been this weight for over a year).  I choose organic for many things, using http://www.ewg.org/foodnews/summary/ to see which produce is the most important to get organic and which is OK to get conventional.

This has had me thinking lately, if you have gone through cancer treatments or prepared meals for someone during their treatment, what foods have you found to be good?  What founds have you stayed away from?

I also heard from someone going through chemo that she preferred to leave a cooler on her front porch for friends to leave her meals in.  She was never sure on any particular day if she would feel like getting out of bed, and she certainly didn’t want to have to worry about what she or her house looked like at any time of day.  Her friends could simply drop the food off in the cooler for her to retrieve whenever it was convenient.  I thought that was such a helpful idea!

Please share any tips you may have!

Posted in Occasions for MealBaby, Other Than Meals | Comments Off

Freezer Meals

Posted on January 11, 2012 by leigh ann

We polled our Facebook fans to create a collection of freezer meals.  In case you are wondering, freezer meals are just meals that you can prepare ahead of time and freeze to be cooked or reheated when needed.  Freezer meals are nice to have on hand when you know you won’t have time and/or energy to prepare a meal for some reason.   Freezer meals are also a great option for preparing for someone else when you know they need a helping hand, but aren’t sure exactly when a meal will be needed.

Of course some foods freeze and reheat better than others.  Here are some that were recommended by our fans:

  • Burritos and Enchiladas
  • Pulled pork
  • Lasagna
  • Tater tot casserole
  • Any kind of soup or chili
  • Cheesy potatoes with ham
  • Meatloaves (especially mini-loaves)
  • Muffins

Here are some specific recipes that were recommended.  Please comment if you have any recipes to share and I will add them to this list!

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Being There

Posted on January 4, 2012 by leigh ann

During Christmas vacation I was in the Columbus, Ohio area which is the location of the second largest Ronald McDonald House in the world.  It also happens to the be the Ronald McDonald House that MealBaby has been supporting by making it easy for anyone to purchase a restaurant gift card that will be delivered to a family staying at the house.  If you missed it, you can find all the details about that here.

I had the wonderful opportunity to be able to tour the Columbus Ronald McDonald House.  I had an image in my head of what it might be like, but it was so much more amazing than I had even imagined.  At first you might think it looks more like a hotel, but once you get inside then you see it really is a house.  There are about 80 bedrooms private for each family, but all the other normal house spaces are for everyone to use.  There are living rooms, game rooms, media rooms, a library, and more.

One of my favorite rooms was the dining room and kitchen.   There are several (maybe 8 or 10) mini-kitchens that are all open and surrounding the big dining room.  There families can cook their own meals or volunteers can come in and cook.

Even though there is such a neat kitchen and dining area, I know cooking is probably the last thing on a parent’s mind after a long day (and night) at the hospital.  I was happy to see volunteers there preparing meals for the families.  It’s just another reason I’m so glad MealBaby has been able to provide some gift cards for these families.  Heck, most days I don’t feel like cooking when dinner time rolls around so I can only imagine the physical and mental exhaustion these parents must be facing every day.

I didn’t have my camera with me when I toured the house, but I was able to snap a couple of pictures with my phone.

Loved these kid sized recliners in the family room

A GIANT teddy bear in the library that was donated by a company. Who wouldn't want to sit on his lap and read?

I think the service the Ronald McDonald House provides is amazing – just being there for these families when they need it most.  I urge you to consider looking for a Ronald McDonald House in your area – perhaps you could volunteer to cook a meal for the families?  Of course, you can always purchase a gift card through our Ronald McDonald MealBaby registry as well.   Every little bit makes a difference!

“Big things are built one brick at a time.” ~Lysa TerKeurst

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Custom Canvas Print Giveaway!

Posted on December 22, 2011 by leigh ann

Congrats to our winner – S Waters!

——————————–

I recently ordered a copy of our family Christmas picture as a 16×20 canvas from Easy Canvas Prints.  Of course I think my family is beautiful (grin), but I just want to say what a fabulous job Easy Canvas Prints did with our photo.  See for yourself:

Here’s a side shot to see how the canvas is wrapped:

The ordering process on their website was straightforward, fast, and easy, and my large photo even uploaded quickly.  My favorite part about the website is the way you can preview your order all the way through so you know exactly what your canvas will look like as you select different options.

The canvas quality is excellent and came ready to hang on my wall.  If you have been thinking about getting a photo turned into canvas artwork, I’d highly recommend that you check out Easy Canvas Prints to get the job done.

Also, if you like Easy Canvas Prints on their Facebook page you can get 50% off AND free shipping on your next order!

Thinking that would have made a perfect Christmas gift for someone?  Why not place the order, and then print out a small copy of the picture with a note letting your loved one know their custom canvas print is on the way?

Just for MealBaby fans, Easy Canvas Prints is generously donating a FREE canvas print to one of you!  There are two ways to enter and you can do both for two chances to win:

1.  Leave a comment here on the blog (not on our Facebook page) telling us where you would like to hang a custom canvas print on your home.

2. “Like” the Easy Canvas Print Facebook page and then come back here to the blog and leave us a comment letting us know you liked them.

The deadline to enter is midnight on Monday, January 2.

*Winner must be a U.S. resident excluding Hawaii and Alaska

Posted in Giveaways | 26 Comments

Fun Run

Posted on December 9, 2011 by leigh ann

I am a runner and I love that my children seem to love running as well.  They will put on a watch and run around the house as if they are running a race.  Sometimes they’ll even put a baby doll in the toy stroller and take their “jogging stroller” too.  Anytime my hubby or I participate in a race our girls always enjoy doing the “fun run” for kids (which most races usually have as part of the event).

Over Thanksgiving vacation I was having a discussion with my 4-year-old and we came up with the idea to create our very own Fun Run for all of our friends.  As the idea evolved we decided we’d ask our friends to bring a toy to donate to charity as their entrance fee for the race.

Today was the big day and about 20 of our little friends came out to a local park to run a lap (or several laps for some of the kids who were *really* enjoying it) on a paved trail that encircles the playground.  We collected around 30 books, toys, and games that we are donating to a local charity just in time for Christmas!

We served cut up fruit, bottled water, and of course some cookies to all of the runners.  And I just love the little “ribbons” we handed out to all of the finishers.

I am so thankful for all of our friends who came to participate.  I loved having this opportunity to share the joy of running and exercise with my kids and their friends, and I especially loved making it all be about loving on other people and giving to others.

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