Meals and Recipes

Let’s Lunch!

Posted on January 20, 2022January 20, 2022 by jgalvinwhite

Hello! Well, since January 1st, I can honestly say that I’ve done a much better job about meal planning and meal prepping. One thing I struggle with is packing my lunch. I don’t know why, but that always feels like such a tedious task for me!

I have a few recent lunch faves that I’m sharing with you today!

Sweet Potato:

I’ve gotten out of the habit of eating sweet potatoes, and I’d forgotten how much I love them. Here’s a quick lunch I love:

Microwave the sweet potato.
Sprinkle Trader Joe’s Everything but the Bagel seasoning on it.
Add chicken (I use Perdue shortcut chicken bites)
I add a pinch of shredded (Monterey Jack) cheese.
A dollop of salsa

Salad:

This may seem like a random combination, but I love it.

2 cups of arugula
Sprinkle some Feta cheese on top
Add a scrambled egg
Top with salsa

Stir Fry Bowl:

What I love the most about this dish is that it’s a great way to use up any veggies I have on hand.

Sauté’ some shrimp in Extra Virgin Olive Oil, and I use Trader Joe’s Chile Lime seasoning.
After those are cooked, I remove them from the pan and scramble three eggs.
Then, I remove those from the pan and sauté whatever veggies I have and add a few sprinkles of garlic powder and a couple of dashes of soy sauce. I usually do zucchini, onion, mushrooms, and broccoli (if I have it). Then, I add it some shredded carrot when everything is pretty much cooked through.
While the veggies are cooking, I put the cauliflower rice in the microwave.
When the rice is finished, I add it into the pan, and I also add the shrimp and eggs back in.
I stir everything together, and it’s ready to eat.

By using one bag of microwave cauliflower, I can get three lunches out of this stir fry which is why I scramble three eggs.

This is my most “time intensive” meal, but like I said, I get three lunches out of it and can use up what ever veggies I have in the fridge.

And…

Sometimes, I end up bringing some fruit, a protein shake, and some pretzels or popcorn as my lunch.

I’ve found if I can have a rotation of a few lunch ideas, I can get through a month at a time without thinking that packing a lunch is much of a chore!

One more idea:

Since we had a snow day on Tuesday, I was home for lunch. That gave me a bit more time to eat, so I prepared another fave:

Shrimp Tacos:

I just cooked the shrimp like I do for the stir fry bowls.
I put the shrimp in the Trader Joe’s Carb Savvy whole wheat tortillas, top the shrimp with shredded lettuce or cabbage and a sprinkle of shredded cheese.

What about you? What are some of your favorite quick and healthy lunches? I’d love to add to my recipe rotation!

See you back here tomorrow for Friday Favorites.

Tuesday Talk: Cookbooks

Posted on January 18, 2022January 17, 2022 by jgalvinwhite

Hello from snowy Kentucky! I’m pretty sure that was my intro one day last week, and now we’ve gotten more snow…with more on the way later in the week! I will be honest…I’m not mad about it, but by mid-February, I will be ready for spring!

I’m not sure if this link up is still a thing, but I still have things to talk about…on a Tuesday 🤣 …like my favorite cookbooks.

January is always the perfect time to regroup after the holidays and take more time to meal plan and meal prep. I don’t ever really stop meal planning, but sometimes I slack off with meal prep.

Anyway, today I’m sharing some of my favorite cookbooks that I turn to very often (and a few favorite recipes from each).

Growing up, I didn’t think much about cooking (besides the fact that my mom made dinner for us every night), but I do love to cook, and have taught myself a bit along the way.

Here are some of my faves:

Simmers:

If I had to choose one cookbook to have for the rest of my life, Simmers would be it. Dramatic or what? haha Seriously though, the busier my kids have gotten through the years, the more and more I turn to Shay’s cookbook for slow cooker recipes.

Some of my favorite recipes:

King Ranch Joe’s (We are having these this week.)
Taco Tortellini Soup
Chicken Tortilla Soup
Beef Enchilada Tacos
Old-Fashioned Sloppy Joe’s

Eat Better Feel Better

I often ask for cookbooks for Christmas, and Travis got me one of Giada’s cookbooks. He knows I try to make healthy meals for the family, and that my love for Giada runs deep! I’ve made a few recipes, and I know I will continue to use this book to plan our family dinners.

So far, I’ve made:

Fusilli with Pesto and Green Beans
Green Fried Rice
Chicken Milanese

That Bowl Life:

Beth used to live in Lexington, and she’s a fun follow on Instagram. She’s had great success with the Faster Way to Fat Loss and created this cookbook after creating so many meals while on the program. I love how easy the recipes are, and the idea of just tossing some goodness in a bowl and that eating healthy can be pretty effortless is a win. {*Not all the recipes are in a bowl…}

Some of my favorite recipes:

Egg muffins
I’m a big fan of a snack plate because of her: a handful of almonds, a hard boiled egg, a few pickles, some lunch meat, pretzels and hummus, etc.
Arugula with shredded parm and proscuitto is another fave.
Watermelon, mint, feta salad
Lots of a great drink concoctions too!

She has another one, The Village Cookbook, coming out too!

Mix and Match Mama Meal Planner:

This is another cookbook by Shay that I love so much. What I love the most about it is that it is organized by season. Sometimes I think cookbooks can be overwhelming, but I love that I can turn to each season and there are four weeks worth of meals from which I pick and choose what to feed my family. There’s also a “sweet treat’ each week as well!

Some of my favorite recipes:

Beefy Cornbread Casserole (Winter)
Shrimp Caprese Pasta (Spring)
Caesar Salad Burgers (Summer)
Roasted Chicken and Sweet Potato Risotto (Fall)

What about you? What are some of your favorite cook books that I can add to my collection? Of course, I also turn to Pinterest for recipe inspiration, but kind of like the book vs Kindle debate…sometimes, I just like turning the pages to see what inspires me while making my grocery list!

Well, today is a first…our first ever NTI (non-traditional instruction) snow day. Of course, we became familiar with NTI in spring 2020 (followed by fall 2020 and winter 2021), but this will be our first snow NTI day. I guess the neighborhood roads are still a bit dicey. I feel like if we have to miss school for the weather, NTI is a good compromise. We had regular snow days (that we don’t have to make up) last week, so I’d rather my kids do a bit of learning now rather than be in school until June. As a teacher, I did weather NTI days in my previous district, and I thought they were a good option if we were going to miss lots of school due to weather.

Wish us luck!

Meals and Recipes

Monday Meals: Turkey Rice Soup

Posted on November 22, 2021November 20, 2021 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and Happy Monday! How was your weekend? We had a great but busy one mostly filled with celebrating Hayden and Hadley turning 12. More about that tomorrow!

Today, I’m sharing one of my favorite recipes: Turkey Rice Soup.

We’ve been making this for years. It’s actually a recipe that we got from my high school boyfriend’s dad way back in 1997! It’s the perfect way to use up some leftover turkey the day after Thanksgiving!

Ingredients:

1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of celery soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can chicken broth
4 cans of water
1/2 an onion, chopped
1-2 c. shredded carrots
2 c. uncooked rice + a little bit more
leftover shredded turkey
Creole spice (I usually use the Tony Chachere brand)

Instructions:

Saute’ the chopped onions in some oil until soft.
Add in soups + cans of water and heat for a few minutes.
Add in the turkey and shredded carrots. Stir to combine.
Pour in 2 cups of rice, and I add in a little bit more rice.
Top the ingredients with Creole spice plus a bit more. Stir.
Cook for 20-30 minutes.
Enjoy!

We make this soup every year on the Friday after Thanksgiving. I also make it a few other times in the winter and use shredded chicken.

If you make this, tag me on Instagram!

I can’t tell you how much this day off is needed. I was a big slacker this weekend on household chores and errands.

I hope you have a great week.

Let's look, Meals and Recipes

(Let’s Look) Meal Planning

Posted on September 9, 2021September 8, 2021 by jgalvinwhite

Well, this four day week has apparently gotten me all messed up! I was off on my days and shared my posts on the wrong days (insert hand on forehead emjoi!)

Yesterday, Shay and Erika shared Let’s Look: Meal Planning, and I’m doing so today. #betterlatethannever

I was a girl who always needed a plan before I was ever a working mom with two very busy kids who most definitely needs a plan because…

There are mornings that my kids wake up and ask me what’s for dinner!

Meal Planning:

Here’s a little look at my process:

I have a paper calendar on the fridge where I write down all of our weekly activities. I sit down on Saturday night or Sunday to write those activities out and then I plan the meals accordingly.
Then, I make my grocery list before placing my Clicklist order. I can’t live without Clicklist. Sometimes, if I can’t figure out what I want to make, Travis just tells me he will go to the store mid-week for whatever we need. I act like I can’t go to the grocery store more than once in a week! 😂 . Honestly, for years, I did Clicklist pick up and that was it. As the kids have gotten busier and I can’t always plan the whole week, I will do grocery pick up on Sunday and then go to the store Thursday if we need something for dinner that night or if they were out of stock on something during my weekend pick up.

For me, Clicklist pick up is usually Sunday afternoon. Occasionally, I will do Monday pick up after school. If I do that, sometimes I will run to Kroger for whatever ingredients we need for Sunday night dinner.
I do try to cook Monday-Thursday, and my general plan is to make something on Sunday with leftovers for Monday. Mondays just seem to be the hardest day of the week, so I like not having to think about what to make for dinner. Then, Tuesday is either a slow cooker meal or we do rotisserie chicken with Bob Evans mashed potatoes and fruit (That’s what we had for dinner Tuesday night). For Wednesday, I often make a pasta that will make enough leftovers for Thursday night. Both Wednesday and Thursday dinners, I will serve with salad, broccoli, or green beans.
Like I said, once we went back to school in March and our lives started to be busier again, I at least plan for Sunday-Wednesday, and then pop into Kroger or Fresh Market for Thursday dinner if needed along with a few fresh items like strawberries or other fruit that we might want for the weekend. I’ve noticed I don’t dread going into the store if I know that it’s only for a few things.

Other Thoughts:

It’s easier to double up recipes in winter for things like soups, chili, and casseroles.
We grill a lot in the summer which is nice to only have to think about quick side dishes like baked beans, pasta salad, and watermelon.
I always forget about breakfast for dinner. We did that recently, and everyone was so excited for dinner.
I go to Trader Joe’s every other week or so. I might go once a week in the fall and winter when there are more seasonal faves that we might want more often. There’s not really anything that I buy at Trader Joe’s that I’d also buy at Kroger. For example, I typically get produce at Kroger and not at Trader Joe’s (unless we are out of something at the time). I go to TJ for Trader Joe’s only items like buffalo chicken dip, Chomps, my favorite Havarti/dill cheese, pumpkin bagels, and more!

If I can get organized, I prefer grocery pickup on Saturday. I’d love to get to the point where I pick up on Friday after school! I’d really be on top of my life if I could do that!
At least once a month, I try to just buy what we need for dinner that week. That forces the kids to finish up whatever chips we have on hand, eat the two yogurts that are left in the fridge, etc.
I’m not great about meal prepping for breakfast, but I did make an egg casserole a couple of weeks ago, and it was so nice to have on hand throughout the week. I tend to eat the same kinds of things for lunch or have leftovers from dinner the night before.
I do try to make one new recipe a week. I tend to do a really good job of this starting in January. I pin a lot of things on Pinterest and tell myself that if I have the time to do that, then I should make sure to try one new recipe a week.
I use my slow cooker at least once a week and even more so in the fall and winter months.
I have an Instant Pot and do use it but more so in the fall and winter months. If I had to choose, though, the slow cooker is my favorite!

What about you? How do you meal plan? I really enjoyed reading so many posts yesterday about how others meal plan. It’s amazing to me that those who meal plan/prep do so a bit differently.

I’ll be back tomorrow for Friday Favorites. I’ve lost track of time this week, but I definitely know that tomorrow is Friday!

Meals and Recipes, Not Just a Mom

Not Just a Mom: Quick Family Dinners

Posted on June 14, 2021June 14, 2021 by jgalvinwhite

Hello! How was your weekend? We had a great one with my dad visiting for few days, Hayden’s baseball tournament, some pool time, and an early Father’s Day (and my brother’s birthday) celebration.

Today, I’m co-hosting with these ladies for our Not Just a Mom series.

This month’s topic is Quick Family Dinners.

I try to meal prep and make my grocery list for pick up most weekends. I like to have a plan for the week ahead. With the kids being pretty busy most evenings, almost anything I make is quick.

I turn to one of my favorite cookbooks a lot for meals all year long:

Some of my favorite recipes from Shay’s Simmers cookbook that I turn to quite often are:

The best “cooking hack” is putting chicken in the slow cooker, cover it with water, and then shred when it’s finished cooking to use for meals.

Also, when I thought of this topic, I immediately thought about sharing a few favorites from each season. Here are some pretty quick recipes my family enjoys!

Winter:

Of course, the winter months are perfect for soups and chilis!

Spring:

In the spring, we start eating lighter meals.

Salmon with roasted Brussel Sprouts or broccoli is a family fave! (I love that our Kroger has salmon that can be baked in the foil packs with spices and herbs that can be added in. The salmon is always flavorful, and the clean up is easy.)
Of course, every March I make Corned beef and cabbage & Irish Soda Bread.

Summer:

During the summer months, we grill out, and I typically make one of these side dishes, during the summer months. Fresh fruit is also an easy side dish when the weather is warm. Watermelon is definitely a summer fave!

I found this recipe on Pinterest for a Sushi Roll Bowl a few years ago. I tweaked the recipe a bit, but it’s such a healthy and refreshing meal in the summer.

Fall:

I start making hearty meals / comfort food once the weather cools down in the fall.

One recipe I always look forward to in the fall is Pumpkin Sausage Penne Pasta. I’ve had this recipe for years, and found it in a Kroger coupon pack. It’s so good.

I also make Turkey Rice soup with Thanksgiving turkey leftovers.

Other Ideas:

Other easy dinner ideas all year long include tacos, grilled cheese and tomato soup, and pork loin with a veggie or Trader Joe’s side. Like the salmon, I love the Smithfield pork that is cooked in the bag. It’s such an easy “go to” although I always forget that it takes about 45 minutes in the oven, but the clean up is easy!

Favorite Trader Joe’s Sides:

Y’all know I’m a faithful Trader Joe’s customer. While I love most everything from TJ’s, their side dishes have been my best “mom cooking hack” through the years. They have so many great options, and they are all so delicious.

Here are some of my faves: {all found in the frozen section}

Mexican Street Corn
Mushroom Risotto
Gnocchi

I love to cook, and I would say that most everything I make is a pretty quick and easy dinner! Also, I’m a big fan of leftovers, so if a recipe takes an extra bit of time to make, I always think it’s worth it for leftovers the next day!

Next month’s topic is Home Tour! I can’t wait to see a sneak peek of everyone’s homes!

Thanks so much for reading, and make sure to check out the other ladies’ posts too! I hope you have a great week.

Meals and Recipes

Monday Meals: Air Fryer Chicken

Posted on April 19, 2021April 18, 2021 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and Happy Monday! It’s been a minute since I’ve shared a meal, and I don’t want to brag, but I’m getting the hang of my Air Fryer, y’all!

A couple of weeks ago, it was just me for dinner, so I decided to try chicken in my Air Fryer. I just did a spin on my Baked Chicken recipe and used the Air Fryer. I loved it so much that I made it again for the family using chicken tenders.

Ingredients:

Chicken
2-3 eggs
Splash of milk (not pictured)
Salt and pepper
Panko bread crumbs
Italian bread crumbs
Grated Parm

*I like to use Italian bread crumbs for flavor, Parm for saltiness, and Panko bread crumbs for crunch.

Instructions:

Using two dishes, put eggs, splash of milk, salt and pepper in one, and bread crumbs, Panko, and a couple of small handfuls of grated parm in the other.

Dip the chicken in the egg wash and then the bread crumbs and place in your Air Fryer.

The automatic Air Fryer setting for chicken is 380 for 25 minutes. That is what I did with the chicken breasts the first time I made it, flipping halfway through. For this recipe, since I was using chicken tenders 15 minutes at 380 degrees (flipping once midway through) was enough to cook them just right.

Enjoy!

We had our dinner with bagged Caesar salad and Bob Evans mashed potoatoes.

The Air Fryer and dinner hacks like bagged salad and microwave mashed potatoes provided us with a healthy and hearty meal in less than 20 minutes!

Now that it’s springtime, next time, I’m going to serve this Air Fryer chicken with one of my favorite side dishes!

If you need more Air Fryer ideas, Tina (to_mimishousewego) on instagram shares so many awesome Air Fryer recipes!

What have you made in the Air Fryer recently? I’d love more ideas!

I hope you have a great week,

Meals and Recipes

Monday Meals: Taco Soup

Posted on February 1, 2021January 31, 2021 by jgalvinwhite

Hello! and happy F E B R U A R Y 1st?! Where in the world did January go?

Well, according to WordPress, this is my 300th blog post! I’m so happy to be sharing one of my favorite recipes with you to mark the occasion.

We eat some form of Mexican food every week for dinner (never underestimate the power of a good Taco Tuesday!), and of course, I love soups in the fall and the winter, so Taco Soup is the perfect answer to a cold and dreary day!

I’ve had this recipe for years, and I think my dad is who shared it with me. It’s on heavy dinner rotation during fall and winter months.

Here it is:

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lb beef
onion, chopped
1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (15 oz) kidney beans
1 can (15 oz) corn, undrained
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
1-2 cups water (I typically use 2 cups)
1 envelope taco seasoning mix
salt and pepper
1 c (4 oz) shredded Cheddar cheese

Instructions:

In soup pot, cook beef and onion until beef is browned and onion is tender. Drain grease.
Stir in tomatoes, beans, corn, tomato sauce, taco seasoning, and water.
Season with salt and pepper.
Simmer for 15 minutes.
Ladle into bowls and garnish with shredded Cheddar cheese.
Enjoy!

We usually get two nights of dinner out of this!

Last night, we had Shay’s Creamy Tomato Chicken Pasta, and it hit the spot on a rainy Sunday!

We are having plenty of hearty comfort meals this week as it appears we may not see the sunshine for a few days!

I hope you had a great weekend, and have an great week as well!

Meals and Recipes

Monday Meals

Posted on January 18, 2021January 17, 2021 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and Happy Monday! How was your weekend? We had a good one. Hayden had a basketball game Friday night. On Saturday, I had lunch out with a couple friends and then got a massage; yesterday, we went to church. We ended the weekend cheering for our KC Chiefs. I think Hayden’s blood pressure may still be off the charts! 😆 We were very excited for the win. Now, today is a bonus day off!

It’s been a minute since I’ve shared a recipe (or two) that my family loves, so that’s what I’m doing today. Again, I don’t really create recipes; I’m just really good at following directions.

One of my kids’ favorite dinners is Sloppy Joes.

Fun fact: Growing up, we had a big fish tank in our living room with a few fish. We named our two Oscar fish “Sloppy” and “Joe,” because that’s what we were eating for dinner the day we got them!

Of course, the recipe on the can is easy enough, but after I bought Shay’s Simmers cookbook, I started using her recipe, and we all love it. I’m team “dinner in the slow cooker” as much as possible. I think my favorite part of her recipe is the yellow mustard.

Then, Andrea shared her Sloppy Joe Biscuit Cup recipe, and now that recipe is a staple at our house too.

Sloppy Joe Biscuit Cups:

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef
1 can Sloppy Joe sauce
I can biscuits
shredded Cheddar cheese

Instructions:

I turn the biscuits on their side and cut them in half, so they are thinner, and then put them into a lightly greased muffin tin. (The first time I made them and didn’t grease the pan, they seemed to stick!)
Brown the ground beef and drain.
Add in the sauce and let simmer for a few minutes.
Then, I spoon a bit of the beef sauce into each biscuit and top with a sprinkle of shredded cheese.
I bake them for about 12-15 minutes at 375 degrees.
Enjoy!

Also for dinner this week:

Here’s our dinner menu this week:

Sunday: Taco soup (I will share the recipe soon)
Monday: Baked chicken thighs, Bob Evans mashed potatoes, fruit
Tuesday: Leftover chicken, bagged Caesar salad
Wednesday: Instant Pot Lazy Lasagna, roasted broccoli
Thursday: Leftover lasagna and green beans
Friday and Saturday: take out, I’m sure!

I love these two Sloppy Joe recipes that are a spin on a classic! What are you having for dinner this week?

Take care,

Meals and Recipes

Monday Meals: Chicken Chili

Posted on November 16, 2020November 15, 2020 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and Happy Monday! Today, I’m sharing one of my favorite recipes: chicken chili. A friend shared this recipe years ago, and it’s the only chicken chili I make. While my kids also love the Major’s chili, this one is a family favorite too.

Ingredients:

2 Tblsp butter or extra virgin olive oil
1 medium white or yellow onion, chopped
2 green peppers, chopped
1 jalapeno, chopped (sometimes I leave this out…I’m not a fan of spicy)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tblsp chili powder
2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 Tblsp Worcestershire sauce (plus a dash more)
2 Tblsp Dijon mustard
1 can diced tomato (do not drain)
12 oz bottle chili sauce
2 cans black beans, rinsed
32 oz chicken broth
1 rotisserie chicken, shredded

Toppings:

chopped avocado, shredded cheese, fresh cilantro, sour cream

Instructions:

In the bottom of your soup pot drizzle EVOO or let butter melt. Then, saute onion, green pepper, jalapeno, and garlic until soft. (5-8 minutes)
Add chili powder, cumin, oregano, red pepper flakes, black pepper, Worcestershire, Dijon mustard, tomatoes, chili sauce, and black beans. Mix well.
Add chicken broth and mix well.
Shred chicken into soup mixture.
Simmer for at least 30 minutes. (I usually let it simmer 45 minutes- 1 hour)

Enjoy with toppings!

We still have pretty mild temps this week, but once the weather turns colder, this chili is definitely in our dinner rotation!

I hope you have a great week!

Meals and Recipes

Monday Meals: Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

Posted on October 5, 2020November 15, 2020 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and Happy Monday! Well, fall break sure seemed to fly by! Now, we are back at it this week with school and fall activities. We took a couple days and went to Asheville, NC (more about that later this week!), and it was a nice getaway. We also had family visit this weekend. My mom and Gma were here from KC for a few days.

Anyway, I try to share a recipe or two each month, and this casserole by Taryn is a new Pinterest find for me. I made this a couple of weeks ago, and the whole family enjoyed it. It’s a great low carb option as well as being delicious.

Ingredients:

6 cups shredded cooked chicken (from about 2 lb chicken) (I used Shay’s method- In the morning, I put the chicken in the slow cooker, covered it with water and cooked on low for 6 hours…and then it’s so easy to shred!)
6 oz ham cut into bite size pieces
4 oz butter melted
6 oz cream cheese softened
1 tbsp dijon mustard
1 tbsp white wine (optional) (I omitted this step)
1 oz lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt
5 oz Swiss cheese

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350. Put the chicken in the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking dish. Layer the pieces of ham on top.

In a large bowl with an electric mixer combine the melted butter, softened cream cheese, white wine (if using), mustard, lemon juice, and salt. Blend until a thick sauce forms. Spread this sauce over the chicken and ham in the baking dish.

Lay the slices of Swiss cheese on top of the sauce. Bake for 30-40 minutes until hot.

Broil it for 2 minutes at the end so the cheese gets more golden and bubbly. If you decide to do that, do not leave it unattended. It’s very easy to burn the cheese topping.

I served our casserole with Bob Evans mashed potatoes and roasted broccoli. Delish!

This is definitely a recipe that will be in our dinner rotation. Pinterest saves the day again!

I hope you have a great week.