The Motherload Blog

Tag Archives: Recipes

Spaghetti Cupcakes

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Tired of the same old weeknight food routines?  I have the perfect kid-friendly and fun recipe that your kids will absolutely love and so will you. Today I am sharing a recipe for Spaghetti Cupcakes that will put those taco and potato bars to shame. This dinner idea is one the whole family will love and can be ready in about fifteen minutes.

Gather up all of your favorite spaghetti toppings to top each of your noodle cupcakes. For my cupcake toppers I have shredded carrots, baby peas, ricotta cheese, turkey meatballs, and Ragu Old World Style tomato sauce.

Cook your pasta as directed on the package and drain the pasta in a colander. Do not rinse your pasta because it will help the pasta hold its shape better in the cupcake liner.

Twist your pasta noodles around a fork until you have a good forkful of noodles. Gently place the noodles in a foil-lined cupcake liner. I would say that three to four of these spaghetti cupcakes would feed one person once it has been topped with its toppings.

Top each spaghetti cupcake with Ragu sauce. Once it has been topped on these cupcakes, it will ooze into the crevices of the noodles with ease. Repeat this step on each of your cupcakes.

Top each cupcake with your favorite toppings and finish each cupcake with a turkey meatball. This is a fun food activity to let your kids do and is also a creative way to get your kids to eat their vegetables.

I can’t take the credit for the fun food that was featured today. These Spaghetti Cupcakes are featured on a great site that offers inspirational ideas for meals to share with your family.

You can visit the Meal Inspirations site to find loads of great ideas for meals, demos on how to create the recipes, and even print out coupons for your favorite products. For example, this week you can grab a coupon for $1 off of Hellman’s mayonnaise!

I hope you love these fun Spaghetti Cupcakes and I hope you can take a moment to head over to the Meal Inspirations site to get even more great ideas to enjoy around the dinner table with your family!

If you love this idea, I am betting you will love my Mac & Cheese Bites too! Happy cooking, friends!

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Spaghetti Cupcakes
Recipe type: Main
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 

Serves: 4
 

Spaghetti cupcakes are a fun way to get your kids to eat their veggies and to be master of their own creations. I guarantee your kids will love this one!
Ingredients
  • Ragu® Old World Style® Spaghetti, cooked and drained
  • Ragu® Pasta Sauce, heated
  • Whole kernel corn, drained
  • Green peas
  • Shredded carrots
  • Part-skim ricotta cheese
  • Grated Parmesan cheese
  • Frozen fully-cooked low fat cocktail-size meatballs, heated
  • Foil cupcake liners

Instructions
  1. Arrange sturdy foiled cupcake liners on serving plates.
  2. Fill each with fork-twirled hot spaghetti and top with heated Ragú® Pasta Sauce. For best results, do not rinse the pasta after draining.
  3. Decorate with your kid’s favorites like corn, peas, shredded carrots, part-skim ricotta cheese, grated parmesan, or hot cooked mini meatballs.


 This is a sponsored post as a part of my role in the Walmart Moms program. I am a part of the Walmart Moms program, and Walmart has provided me with compensation for these posts. My participation is voluntary and opinions are always my own.

 

 

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Slow Cooker Stuffed Green Pepper Soup

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When I was a child, one of my absolute favorite foods was stuffed green peppers. Stuffed green pepper soup is the next best thing to stuffed green peppers and offers all the flavors you love in a stuffed pepper, but in a rich tomato broth. Once you make a batch of this stuffed green pepper soup in your slow cooker, you will want to make it and eat it over and over again.

I wanted to create this soup for my slow cooker and fill it with my favorite stuffed green pepper ingredients- diced tomatoes, garlic, lean ground beef, and a hearty addition of brown rice. I prefer a combination of broths in this (beef and chicken broth) because it helps lighten this hearty soup.  I also wanted this soup to cook itself since we have busy days with extracurricular activities in the evenings. This soup is a one pot wonder and can be served with a loaf of crusty bread for a busy weeknight. The leftovers offer a filling and satisfying lunch as well!

I hope you will love this soup as much as I do! It will be a recipe repeat for me and is a great soup to be doubled and shared with friends!

4.3 from 3 reviews

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Slow Cooker Stuffed Green Pepper Soup
Author: 
Recipe type: Main
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 

Serves: 8
 

Everything you love about a stuffed pepper in an easy slow cooker soup!
Ingredients
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 3 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1 pound lean ground beef or sirloin
  • 3 green peppers, diced
  • 4 cups beef broth
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 28 ounce can petite diced tomatoes
  • 3- 8 ounce cans tomato sauce
  • 1 cup brown rice (NOT INSTANT)
  • 3 teaspoons basil
  • 3 teaspoons oregano
  • Salt & Pepper to taste

Instructions
  1. In a skillet, add your olive oil and saute your garlic for one minute.
  2. Add your ground beef to the skillet and season well with pepper and salt.
  3. Once cooked, drain your ground beef & garlic mixture, and add this to your slow cooker.
  4. Next add your diced green peppers, beef broth, chicken broth, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, seasoning, and brown rice. Give it all a stir.
  5. Set your slow cooker to LOW for 4-6 hours.
  6. Serve with crusty bread.
  7. Side note- if your slow cooker sets itself to WARM after it is done cooking, you only need to cook this for four hours. If your slow cooker does not set itself to WARM, it will need to cook for six hours.



Love your slow cooker as much as I do? Be sure to check out my 30 Days with Your Slow Cooker article for thirty ideas for weeknight meals all month long!

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Fall Into Fall FOODS With MomAdvice

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As I begin creating new recipes for the site, I wanted to showcase a few of my favorite dishes that have been on our site in years past for the fall. Fall just so happens to be my favorite season and coincidentally, Fall foods and drinks happen to be my favorite type of sips & dishes.

Here is a list of a few of my favorite Fall foods that I can’t wait to eat this year!

Weeknight Roast Turkey Sandwiches

Few things say fall is here to me like the delicious flavor of roast turkey. While many think of roasting a turkey as only a routine done on Thanksgiving, I think of roasting a turkey as an easy weeknight dish that can be turned into delicious packed sandwiches for my kid’s lunchboxes and a lifesaver for busy weeknights when I don’t feel like cooking. You will love this easy (and frugal) technique for a great weeknight turkey sandwich!

Hearty Beef Stew

Nothing says the Fall like a great beef stew. This stew is so rich and decadent,  because of the use of bacon in this stew. The bacon fat is what all of the vegetables get coated in for cooking and then the cooked bacon is set aside for crumbling on top of the stew once it comes out of the oven.  I filled the broth with red wine and beef broth, to create a rich and flavorful broth that will have your whole family begging for more!

Soup, Soup, & More Soup

For a family that never liked soup, we have become the family with a soup night in our weekly rotation. Visit the link above to access my absolute favorite soups- an easy weeknight chicken noodle, Greek Lemon Chicken Soup, our Pesto Chicken Tortellini, and so much more! If that isn’t enough soup for you this year, you must try my homemade tomato soup. It will change any negative feelings you might have about tomato soup- I promise!

Apple Pie Muffins

My family does not like apple pie (weird, I know!), but they do really love my apple pie muffins that incorporate those delicious flavors of the apple pie with a simple crumb topping. If you happen to have an abundance of apples on hand, I highly recommend giving these apple muffins a try

The batter is sweet, but not too sweet, and the apples have a warmness to them thanks to the cooked apple and the cinnamon that is worked into the crumb topping and within the muffin itself.  Serve these up with a big glass of milk and you have the makings of a perfect snack!

Apple Pork Chops

These pork chops are a satisfyingly sweet and savory dish that pairs ingredients that I typically have around our house. The brown sugar and cinnamon sauce adds a delicious glaze to this perfectly cooked pork.  Baking the pork helps it to achieve the perfect temperature and I believe you will be stunned at what a tender and juicy pork chop this recipe yields!

Baked Apple Pie Donuts

I love baking donuts and these Baked Apple Pie Donuts are the perfect treat to make for your family! The dominate flavor in this one is definitely the apple followed by the earthy and nutty flavor of ground nutmeg that helps round out the flavor profile of these donuts.  Once these delicate donuts are done baking, they are brushed lightly with butter and then dipped into a cinnamon and sugar coating that helps bring all of those delicious fall flavors together and that little bit of gritty, yummy crunch that just so happens to be my favorite thing about donuts.

Cheddar Apple Pie Dip

One of my favorite combinations for fall eating is cheddar and apples. If you haven’t tried this before, it is the perfect balance of sweet and savory and they all come together in this easy & delicious dip.  Diced on top  is a mixture of red and green apples that have been tossed with brown sugar, cinnamon, and coarsely chopped walnuts. The layer underneath offers a surprise of cheddar cheese mixed with cream cheese and sour cream, cooked until hot and bubbly. Serve with your favorite cinnamon chip or cracker.

 

Baked Pumpkin Donuts with Maple Syrup Frosting

I wanted to figure out a way to use the leftover cans of pumpkin we had from our Thanksgiving feasting last year, and I decided to create my very own Baked Pumpkin Donuts with a Maple Syrup Frosting that would be the perfect use for the pumpkin leftover. What started as a way to use up leftover pumpkin is now worked into our fall activities and this year my kids will be enjoying these with big mugs of  homemade hot cocoa on our little front step outside when we do our raking this year.

These are flavorful and almost like a glass of wine, you can taste all the different flavors as you eat them. You can taste the hints of cinnamon and nutmeg, the rich pumpkin flavor, and then that maple syrup sweetness from the light glaze drizzle. The texture is different than a fried donut and more like a muffin or a good piece of cake. They are not overly sweet though and the pumpkin really seems to add a savory quality to these.

Creamy Pumpkin Pasta

I can’t tell you how many of my friends have made my pumpkin pasta a part of their fall routines. It is one of those dishes that surprises me about just how much it is loved!

Have you ever tried pumpkin pasta?  Over the years this dish has become the most favorite dish for fall and one bite of this will tell you why! The kids think it looks like macaroni and cheese so it does not take much coaxing to get them to try a bite. My husband loves the turkey sausage and the meaty flavor of this dish. Me? I just love the creamy pumpkin taste in my mouth!

If you are worried about how your family will react to pumpkin pasta, scale the pumpkin back. You can do between 2/3-2 cups of pasta, depending on your personal taste. Start with a little and ease your family into the two cup ratio.

The pumpkin recipes go on for days and days on our site! Be sure to visit my article on 11 Recipes to Try this Fall with Pumpkin!

What is your favorite Fall recipe you have tried from our site? Have any of these recipes become a yearly tradition for your families? I would love to hear from you!

 

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12 Great Tailgating Recipes

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Hip-Hip-Hooray! Tailgating season is finally here and today I wanted to showcase to you twelve great dishes you can take with you to your next tailgating event. After all, what tailgating event would be complete without a great dish to share with friends?

It may surprise you that I don’t care a thing about football…Oh, who are we kidding? I am sure you already knew this about me. I will admit that I may not love the game, but I am all about the yummy food, drinks, and festivities with friends that surround the games.

Here are my top twelve choices for taking to your next tailgate:

1. Roasted Corn Salsa-  Fresh chopped tomatoes, roasted corn, and parsley are tossed with just a little red wine vinegar, olive oil, hot sauce, salt, and pepper to create this unique and easy appetizer. What makes this appetizer unique is the process of broiling your corn under the broiler to add a smokey flavor that will have your friends begging for the recipe!

2.  Cheddar Apple Pie Dip-  One of my favorite combinations for fall eating is cheddar and apples. If you haven’t tried this before, it is the perfect balance of sweet and savory and they all come together in this easy dip to tailgate with.  Diced on top  is a mixture of red and green apples that have been tossed with brown sugar, cinnamon, and coarsely chopped walnuts. The layer underneath offers a surprise of cheddar cheese mixed with cream cheese and sour cream, cooked until hot and bubbly. Serve with your favorite cinnamon chip or cracker.

3. Lentil Soup- Looking for a wallet-friendly soup to feed a big crowd? Lentil soup is the perfect answer to feasting on a budget.  If you haven’t cooked with lentils before, you should really give them a try! Unlike dried beans, lentils do not require any pre-soaking overnight prior to being cooked. Instead, most cooks recommend that you first pick over these legumes, and remove any that look broken or damaged. A quick rinse after you have picked out the damaged lentils, and you are ready to go. The ease and minimal prep time for cooking these is why lentils are a wonderful and easy addition to any soup and the perfect soup to tailgate with!

4. Pesto Chicken Tortellini Soup-  This tortellini soup brings together all of the flavors that my family loves, but is a versatile recipe that could be created with what is at your supermarket that day. For our vegetarian readers, the chicken tortellini and chicken broth can easily be switched to a cheese-filled tortellini with vegetable broth instead. I used basil pesto in this, but you could also try a sun-dried tomato pesto or omit the pesto altogether if it is not a favorite of your family. Versatility is the beauty of a good soup recipe  and this recipe is quite versatile! Not only is this sup a crowd pleaser, but it also is an easy soup to double or triple for your tailgating needs.

5. Homemade Tomato Soup- This tomato soup is all of our favorite flavors in the perfect merriment for our family.  Chicken stock, whole tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, and a little heavy cream are all mixed together. To cut the acidity, a pinch of sugar and a healthy dose of pesto round out the flavors. Be warned, a single batch makes enough to serve a small army. I love to serve this soup with a variety of fun crackers, croutons, or shredded cheeses for topping.

6. Cookie Dough Dip- This dip was nicknamed “Crack Dip” after the bowl was scraped clean when I brought it for Thanksgiving one year. I love to bring a sweet dessert dip that can be an unexpected surprise among the savory dips that are usually offered for tailgating spreads.

7. Bacon & Ranch Cheese Ball- This cheese ball is so embarrassingly easy, but is always a showstopper when I bring it to any get together. I try to always keep these ingredients on hand in my fridge or pantry for the unexpected get together for the games!

8. Double Tomato Bruschetta- This bruschetta is a double tomato bruschetta which combines the super sweet and chewy flavors of the sun-dried tomatoes with the delicious juiciness of the Roma tomatoes. The flavors together are phenomenal and are mixed with just a little balsamic vinegar,olive oil, garlic, and a little fresh garlic.  You can prepare this one a few hours in advance, allowing the flavors to marinate together and break down the tomatoes a bit, or you can prepare it and eat it within ten minutes of preparation. I promise it won’t last long wherever you take this one!

9. Black Bean & Roasted Red Pepper Soup- Looking for a soup that will stick to your ribs through the whole day? I happen to have just the soup for you! The spices in this soup are perfect , the roasted red pepper adds a beautiful color and flavor to the soup, the sour cream adds that perfect balance of creaminess, and the beans add that filling soup combination to help keep you full throughout the day, while the chicken broth makes this soup light enough that even black bean soup haters could learn to love it… well, most black bean soup haters. This is a great soup to double or triple depending on the crowd that is gathering!

10. Baked Apple Pie Donuts- I love baking donuts and these Baked Apple Pie Donuts are the perfect treat to take to your next tailgate! The dominate flavor in this one is definitely the apple followed by the earthy and nutty flavor of ground nutmeg that helps round out the flavor profile of these donuts.  Once these delicate donuts are done baking, they are brushed lightly with butter and then dipped into a cinnamon and sugar coating that helps bring all of those delicious fall flavors together and that little bit of gritty, yummy crunch that just so happens to be my favorite thing about donuts. I guarantee that not a single one will be left within minutes of their arrival!

11. Pumpkin Cornbread Muffins- Pumpkin Cornbread Muffins are my family’s favorite side dish if it is fall or the dead of summer. I try to make sure to stockpile pumpkin for just this reason and you might be doing the same after making a batch of these for tailgating season. These are best served at room temperature which is just the right temperature for your next tailgate!

12. Sub Sandwiches- Walmart gave us a chance to throw a game party with their subs to showcase what an affordable tailgating party option these are. For $28, you can get a six foot sub with your favorite meats and cheeses and all of the toppings.

As you can see from the way that these subs got plated, I took the opportunity to throw a GAME party quite literally and hosted a board game night with my best girlfriends.

Here is a little sneak peek at my table and the spread that I did with my tailgating recipes for a fun board game night with friends. Be sure to check back next week for ideas on how to decorate, board game ideas, and other fun crafty projects you can incorporate within your own game party. This might be a fun one to throw for the wives while the husbands are enjoying the game!

Be sure to check out my tutorial this week for those cute DIY Chalkboard Food Label Frames! Those would make a fun addition to any game day party table that you might be creating!

Happy tailgating, friends!

 

I am a part of the Walmart Moms program, and Walmart has provided me with compensation for these posts. My participation is voluntary and opinions are always my own.

 

 

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Grain and Nut Whole Wheat Pancakes

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I am always trying to incorporate whole grains into our morning meal routines for both of my children. These Nut and Grain Whole Wheat Pancakes packed a triple punch for a morning starter because they are filled with not only whole wheat flour, but the additional benefits of being laced with ground oatmeal and chopped walnuts for a hearty and satisfying pancake.

Thanks to the fact that the kids are continually exposed to whole grain foods, I think it is pretty cool that they seem to prefer these now over the white stuff. In fact, our favorite waffle recipe is still my recipe for Cinnamon Whole Wheat Waffles and the kids beg for these for our Sunday morning brunches.

These are definitely the type of pancakes that stick to your ribs which make them perfect for those long days at school before the lunch hour. I have a feeling your family will love these just as much as mine did. Top them with a little maple syrup or favorite fruit preserves and a small handful of walnuts for a beautiful finish.

 

5.0 from 1 reviews

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Grain & Nut Whole Wheat Pancakes
Author: 
Recipe type: Main
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 

Serves: 6
 

A hearty pancake laced with whole wheat flour, ground oatmeal, and chopped walnuts.
Ingredients
  • 1½ cups old-fashioned oatmeal
  • 1½ cups whole wheat flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1½ cups buttermilk
  • 1 cup milk
  • ¼ cup canola oil (or you can substitute with ½ cup applesauce)
  • 2 eggs
  • ⅓ cup brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 3 tablespoons chopped walnuts (optional)

Instructions
  1. Grind the oats in a blender or food processor until fine. In a large bowl, combine ground oats, whole wheat flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
  2. In another bowl, combine buttermilk, milk, oil, eggs, vanilla, and sugar with an electric mixer until smooth.
  3. Mix wet ingredients into dry with a few swift strokes.
  4. Stir in nuts, if desired.
  5. Lightly oil a skillet or griddle, and preheat it to medium heat.
  6. Ladle ⅓ cup of the batter onto the hot skillet; cook the pancakes for 2 to 4 minutes per side, or until brown.
  7. Recipe should yield 12 pancakes.

 

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Chicken Pesto Burgers

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There are few flavors I love more than chicken and pesto. You will find that pesto recipes creep up a lot on the blog- from soups to pasta dishes to sandwiches. In fact, it is rare you would ever open my fridge up and not find a bottle of pesto in there. That is why I was so excited to give these Chicken Pesto Burgers a whirl for an easy weeknight meal on our grill.

All the flavor in this patty comes from the pesto, minced garlic, and a little Parmesan cheese. A generous slice of fresh mozzarella, sliced tomatoes, and a little drizzle of pesto complete these. They would be great topped with a little spinach or arugula, should you have any in your fridge or can be served plain if your grocery day is still looming (like me). I served these on crusty whole wheat rolls, but they would be great without a bun too, if you are watching your carbs.

The patties are very delicate so I found that grilling them on a foil-lined grill (sprayed with a little nonstick cooking spray) over a medium-low flame was the way to go with these. You will want to make sure that they have a good five minutes on the grill before attempting to flip these and using two spatulas (one to flip and one to assist) is the best way to help these patties hold their shape.

Add a side of roasted green beans for a fun side that you and the kids will love. With these fresh alternatives,  you have the delicious makings for a fresh take on the old burger and fries!

5.0 from 1 reviews

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Chicken Pesto Burgers
Recipe type: Main
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 

Serves: 4
 

Chicken, pesto, mozzarella…what’s not to love? Be sure to read the cooking notes above about this delicate patty!
Ingredients
  • 1 pound uncooked ground chicken or ground turkey
  • 4 tablespoons purchased basil pesto
  • ¼ cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 4 whole grain rolls
  • 4 slices fresh mozzarella cheese
  • 2 cups fresh spinach (optional for topping)
  • 8 small tomato slices
  • Ground black pepper

Instructions
  1. In bowl combine ground chicken, half of the pesto, the Parmesan, garlic, and salt. Shape into four ½-inch-thick oval patties (to fit bread).
  2. Line your grill with aluminum foil and spray the foil generously with nonstick cooking spray. Turn grill on to a medium-low heat.
  3. Grill, uncovered, 10 to 13 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink (165 degrees F), turning once halfway through grilling.
  4. Top each patty with a mozzarella slice. Cover grill; grill 1 to 2 minutes more or until cheese is melted.
  5. Add bread and grill for 1 to 2 minutes per side or until toasted. (For gas grill, preheat grill. Place patty in your whole wheat bun. Top with a drizzle of pesto and sliced tomatoes to finish. Sprinkle with coarsely ground black pepper.

Adapted from Better Homes & Gardens Magazine

I am participating in Mouthwatering Mondays over at A Southern Fairytale!

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Insta Meal Plan: Six Meal Ideas For Your Busy Week

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Whole Wheat Cinnamon Waffles with Blueberry Syrup (made from berries I had stashed in my freezer).

Roasted Chicken Cooked in Milk with Roasted Green Beans & Baby Roasted Potatoes.

Mongolian Beef with steamed rice & broccoli.

Baked Chicken Enchiladas with blue corn tortilla chips & fresh strawberries

Homemade Pizza with Cheesy Bread & Dipping Sauce.

Chicken Pesto Open-Faced Flatbread Sandwiches with baby carrots and grapes

Nutella S’mores on the fire pit. Nutella plus marshmallows plus graham crackers equals heaven.

I hope you enjoy a peek into what we ate this week! Let’s be friends on Instagram! You will find me under the username momadvice!

Linking to Menu Planning Monday today over at I’m An Organizing Junkie!

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Amy’s Notebook 08.15.12

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Welcome to my little notebook of ideas to help improve your life. This is a collection of gathered links to DIY crafts, food projects, and thrifty ways to spruce up your home. Nothing brings me more joy then to highlight other fabulous bloggers. I hope you will enjoy this weekly does of loveliness with beautiful links that are individually handpicked just for you!

 

These back-to-school apple waffles would be a great way to start the school year (Random Thoughts of a SuperMom)

I love these faux stainless steel letters for the fridge (@ The Crafted Sparrow)

I love this advice for making the perfect bow (@ The 36th Avenue)

This diamond wall made from Scotch tape looks like a fun & inexpensive way to create an accent wall (@ The Nesting Place)

I love this knitted lines & squares blanket pattern (@ The Purl Bee)

This tip for a baking powder substitute will really come in handy, I am sure! (@ Dine & Dish)

I love these tips for throwing a grilled pizza party (@ The Crafting Chicks)

These DIY paper parasols are a cute way to dress up a drink for a party (@ P.S. Blog)

This s’mores cake would be a cute addition to a camping party (@ One Charming Party)

This chalkboard globe would be a fun desk accessory (@ Ucreate)

I love these tips for hosting a kid’s book club (@ pars caeli)

I want to make some of these mason jar to-go cups (@ fine & feathered)

This diy easy fridge makeover is a cute way to organize those art projects on the fridge (@ How Does She?)

This chocolate chip cookie dough frozen yogurt looks divine (@ Two Peas & Their Pod)

I love this list of seven ways to organize a bookshelf (@ The Art of Doing Stuff)

These bacon tomato pesto sandwiches look like a perfect lunch (@ Smells Like Home)

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Asian Lunchbox Noodles

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My kids will be beginning their school year in just a couple of short weeks. I am so sad to see our summer come to an end, but also love their excitement and enthusiasm to get back to their favorite friends and learning.

With beginning the school year comes the challenge of making lunchtime fun for my kids. Sandwiches are our usual lunchbox standby, but I thought it would be fun to step out of the sandwich box, so to speak, and offer my kids another fun lunch that could be made and prepared ahead for our busy mornings.

These Asian Lunchbox Noodles fit the lunch bill perfectly! They can be made ahead, are great at any temperature, and you can add your child’s favorite flavors to them to spice them up. Tuck these into a reuseable Glad container or prepare these for any easy weeknight meal when extracurricular activities can wreak havoc on the evening routines. These noodles are great anytime and a great solution for any lunch or dinner.

 

 

5.0 from 3 reviews

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Asian Lunchbox Noodles
Author: 
Recipe type: Main
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 

Serves: 6
 

Ingredients
  • 1 pound linguine, cooked
  • 4 tablespoons fresh parsley
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • ½ cup soy sauce
  • ¼ cup sesame oil
  • ¼ cup canola oil
  • ¼- ½  cup peanut butter (depending on your preference)
  • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons brown sugar
  • ½ cup Shredded Carrots

Instructions
  1. Cook your linguine noodles as directed on the packaging. Reserve a little of the pasta water to help thin your sauce, if needed.
  2. Blend garlic in a food processor until fine.
  3. Add soy sauce, oils, vinegar, and brown sugar. Add enough peanut butter to make slightly thick. Add reserved pasta water, if needed, to thin the sauce.
  4. Blend until smooth.
  5. Add to pasta and toss with shredded carrots.
  6. If desired, you can top with chopped peanuts, sesame seeds, or grilled chicken strips.

This is just one example of the great things you will discover this month over on the Glad site.  If you would like to see some of my fun ideas including my favorite bubble recipe, homemade play dough, homemade sidewalk chalk, and snag some great free printables to add a little sparkle to your child’s lunchbox, be sure to join Glad’s Facebook Community and click on Glad’s Mom Made tab for tips and tricks to manage the back-to-school madness.   Head over to Glad to get the full scoop on all of these fantastic ideas to get your school year started out right.

Check back next week for a fun project to get those back-to-school lunches organized that will get your whole family involved!

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Mongolian Beef

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There are days where photographing your food is difficult. That was the case with this Mongolian Beef recipe that we prepared this week. It wasn’t that the food was hard to photograph, it was that the Mongolian Beef was so darn delicious that I had a hard time stealing a plate away from my family so I could take a picture of it.

I am one of those people that finds one dish that she likes when she goes out to eat and sticks to it all the way. When I order Chinese, the only dish I want is my Chicken Lo Mein. I rarely browse the menu, for fear I might waste an opportunity to eat out on a dish that isn’t as good as my old standby.

My girlfriends have been bragging about a recipe that they discovered on Pinterest for Mongolian Beef. I decided this might be a fun way to switch up my Chinese food routines and try something new.

This Mongolian Beef is so divine that I felt like we were eating out at P.F. Chang’s, but at a small fraction of the price. The sweetness from the brown sugar in the sauce mixed with the saltiness of the soy sauce and then finished with the heat from red pepper flake are truly a perfect balance in flavors.  We served this over rice and with a side of steamed broccoli, to add a little green and crunch to our plates.

I highly recommend giving this recipe a try for your next Chinese food craving night!  I am already thinking about the delicious leftovers I get to have for lunch today and can’t wait to eat this again!

5.0 from 1 reviews

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Mongolian Beef
Recipe type: Main
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 

Serves: 6
 

A perfect balance of sweet, salty, & spicy!
Ingredients
  • 2 pounds flank steak, thinly sliced crosswise
  • ⅔ cup cornstarch
  • 6 teaspoons of canola or vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon grated ginger
  • 2 tablespoons minced garlic (I use bottled minced garlic)
  • 1 cup of water
  • 1 cup soy sauce
  • ¾ cup brown sugar
  • ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 3 large green onions, sliced crosswise into thirds (we omitted because we don’t like onions)

Instructions
  1. Slice your flank steak crosswise into thin strips. Pat your meat dry with a paper towel and then toss the meat with cornstarch, making sure each piece is coated thoroughly. Place the meat into a strainer and shake off any excess cornstarch from the meat.
  2. Heat half of the oil in a large wok at medium-high and add the garlic and ginger. Allow this to cook for one minute.
  3. Add soy sauce, water, brown sugar and pepper flakes. Cook the sauce for about 2 minutes and transfer to a bowl. The sauce will be thin, but will later thicken in the cornstarch.
  4. Turn the heat up to medium-high and add the remaining oil to the wok.
  5. Divide your meat into two batches. Add the first batch of beef and cook, stirring until it is all browned. Remove this meat and then cook your second batch.
  6. Place all of the meat back into the wok. Pour the sauce back into the wok and let it cook along with the meat.
  7. Cook the sauce down for three to five minutes to reduce.
  8. Finish by adding your green onions and cook for one minute.
  9. Serve it hot with rice and a side of steamed broccoli.

Adapted from Pink Bites

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