A Trip To The Macaroni Grill And A Bee's Life

Yesterday David and I took the kids to the Macaroni Grill. We don't eat out much, but when we do, it's such a treat. It was so much fun! When we arrived, the restaurant was packed, but the service was great and the food even better. The waitress brought out a loaf of fresh-baked bread and a small bowl of olive oil that was seasoned with pepper to dip it in. We briefly discussed the health benefits of olive oil. The kids each ordered from the kids menu. They had their entrees as well as unlimited drink refills and an ice cream sundae for dessert. David had chicken pizza and I ordered a chicken and veggie sandwich with a house salad.
After eating we took the kids to see the Bee Movie. Even though we were about 10 minutes early, the theater was packed with kids of all ages, parents, and grandparents and we ending up sitting about 3 rows from the front on the side. The movie was pretty funny and very cute! The kids really enjoyed it and so did I.
I know the kids have enjoyed being home more during Christmas break and having a break from school. But I don't know who's enjoyed it more, me or the kids. Having David and the kids home this past week has been so much fun! It's really made me reflect on 2007 and be thankful for the great memories we have made.
I am looking forward to the New Year. For one thing, our 14th anniversary is on January 1. . . more on that later.

My Grandma's Recipe for Yummy Peanut Butter Candy

My Grandma Wanda first introduced me to these deliciously simple sweet treats when I was a girl. They are so simple, yet delectable!

Here's what you need:

Peanut butter

Ritz Crackers

Chocolate Almond Bark

You simply spread some peanut butter between 2 crackers, then dip in melted almond bark. They keep well in the freezer and taste sort of like Reese's peanut butter cups, but with the interesting crispiness of the crackers.

The Christmas Cards Have All Been Sent. . . or Have They?

Happy Christmas Eve to all!

I have a confession to make. . . I goofed up a bit this year when sending out Christmas cards. We took our yearly picture in front of the tree. David sets the digital camera on the ledge overlooking our great room. We get the children posed and tell them to freeze and to keep smiling, no matter what. Then David sets the camera to go off and has under 10 seconds to run back to his spot, sit down, and smile. The actual posing for the camera went off without a hitch. . . the easiest one yet. It was what happened after the cards had been ordered that was my blunder.

After I picked up our 60 cards from being made at Wal Mart, I discovered that my Palm was dead and refused to charge. Because my Palm is where I store my addresses, this was slightly inconvenient but not impossible (or so I thought). With the help of my mom and the internet, I managed to get most of the addresses I needed. The one's I couldn't locate, well I thought. . . I'll just wait until they send me a card and then use their return address to send them a card back. Everything was going great until I realized that I had mailed most of the 60 cards, but had kept no record of who I'd sent the cards to.

At the time I was addressing them, I thought. . . I'll remember who I send these cards to. . . no problem. But, unfortunately that method didn't work like I was counting on.

So now, I've sent out all 60 and have had to reorder 20 more

To all my family and friends. . . if you don't receive a card from us this year (or if you receive 2 or 3), please forgive me for not being as organized as I should have been and please don't take it personally. Just know that I will do better next year.

Have a Merry Christmas!

Christmas Candy Recipe

My mom brought the cutest little turtle treats to our family Christmas gathering yesterday! She saw the idea on a TV program. . . I can't remember which one. They are so simple and sooo tasty! You only need 3 ingredients: Rolo candy, pecans, and mini pretzels. First, you place the pretzels on a microwavable plate. Then place a Rolo on top of the pretzel. Microwave this for a few seconds until the Rolo is slightly soft. Finally, press a pecan on top of the Rolo and let them cool. These are a perfect mini treat and really look like little turtles. I plan to make them with the kids some time.

High School Musical and Hannah Montana

Last night we celebrated Maddie's 7th birthday with my parents. After having a sleepover birthday celebration this weekend, she was feeling pretty lucky to get to eat cake, have her picture taken, open presents, and be the center of attention for the 2nd time in a week! (not an everyday occurrence in a family of 6) As I posted earlier, our girls love High School Musical. Maddie was so happy to receive a Sharpay doll that sings and talks! We even discussed how Sharpay is an unusual name for a girl and how there is a breed of dog with the same name, only spelled differently. (shar pei)

She also opened a package containing a Hannah Montana doll that sings. Needless to say, we have a whole lot a singing and dancing going on in our house! It's so much fun for me to see her enjoying her new toys. . . but where does the time go? Really!

I still remember that cold December afternoon, just a few days before Christmas and seven years ago when we brought our sweet Maddie home from the hospital. Fuzzy red hair and precious little fingers and toes. It makes me tear up to remember bringing each of our 4 babies home for the first time. Those moments will forever be etched in my memory.

I guess we've come a long way to get from then to High School Musical and Hannah Montana.

Happy Birthday Maddie!

Pizza and a High School Musical Sleevover

Our oldest daughter, Maddie, had a slumber party last weekend to celebrate her 7th birthday. The theme she chose was High School Musical, a phenomenon that is drawing fans of all ages, myself included. Although the weather man had predicted a big snowstorm the night of the big event, we all awoke the next morning to see a light dusting of snow on the rooftops. The girls enjoyed watching High School Musical 1 and 2 while singing and dancing to the music, crafting, and giggling (like 7-year-olds do).

Dinner was the best part for me, because the girls and I made mini pizzas. They were so easy, but fun to make:

You simply take a flour tortilla and spread the top with approximately 1-2 T. of pizza sauce. Next top with your favorite toppings. We used mozzarella cheese, turkey pepperoni, and sliced olives. You pop them in the oven for about 10 minutes at 375 degrees (more or less depending on your oven and how crisp you like your pizza) and that's all there is to it! As Rachel Ray would say, "Yummo!"

Peanut Butter Rocks!

I don't know about you, but our family loves peanut butter. It's a staple in our house! Peanut butter with banana slices and honey, peanut butter with marshmallow fluff, peanut butter pie, peanut butter cookies, peanut butter bread, peanut butter ice cream, ice cream with peanut butter on the side, or peanut butter on a spoon. What. . . you've never heard of peanut butter on a spoon? Peanut butter on a spoon (or in our house, simply "peanut butter spoon") was a trend started in our household, by my dear hubby and now carried on by our kids. . . OK. . . and occasionally me. What can I say? We are peanut butter crazy! When Peter Pan announced a recall earlier this year, we became a little nervous. Fortunately, the other peanut butter brands picked up the slack.
Maybe that's not such a bad thing. According to the Peanut Butter & Co website (http://ilovepeanutbutter.qa.beantree.com/health.html), peanut butter has several health benefits. It provides a good source of protein, vitamin A, niacin, phosphorus, and magnesium. A little know fact about peanut butter is that it is a cholesterol free food and can actually help improve cholesterol levels. Amazingly (to me) the smooth and creamy stuff contains as much fiber as 1/2 cup of broccoli! Several studies have even indicated that eating a little bit of peanut butter daily can aide in weight loss and overall heart health.
For these reasons (and many more) we will continue to enjoy our favorite treat, peanut butter!

Lasagna in the Crockpot!

Sometimes I prefer to prepare the evening meal in the morning and let it cook in the crockpot. Since our afternoons are typically very busy with homework, practices, and other activities it really simplifies mealtime. I also enjoy to take an interesting recipe and use it for inspiration. I'm more of a "throw things in and taste it as I go" kind of chef. I use the ingredients that I want and add extras, when necessary.

This morning I browned some ground turkey (you could use ground beef), then added a large jar of spaghetti sauce. While the meat was cooking, I cooked some pasta in boiling water. In a separate bowl I mixed 1 cup of shredded pizza cheese, 1 cup cottage cheese, and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese. Then I added the pasta to the cheese mix. Next, I layered the ground meat and sauce, and the cheese/pasta mix until I was out of ingredients. Oh, and I also sprinkled a bit of oregano on top. Depending on your personal tastes, you could use different types of cheese (I love ricotta), leave out the meat for a vegetarian dish, or add colorful vegetables. It has been cooking all day and the house smells great! I will serve it with some garlic bread and Steamfresh broccoli. The kids love anything with pasta, so it's bound to be a hit!

A Charlie Brown Christmas Tree

Earlier this week, Emma and I went on a field trip with her class to the Christmas Tree Farm. We went on a hay ride out to the section of the farm where the children were to pick out a tree that they would later decorate and place in their classroom.

The owner of the farm, a kind lady, explained that we would be seeing Christmas trees that were similar to the one Charlie Brown picked in A Charlie Brown Christmas. Although these trees were pretty in their own way, they were a bit less desirable than many of the others. The Charlie Brown trees had imperfections, however the children seemed oblivious to them. They ran around the farm, examining each of the trees and it seemed like they all wanted to choose a different one. Eventually, they decided upon a medium sized one.

I was thankful to have shared the Christmas Tree Farm experience with my daughter and hope to bring the rest of the family back next year (even if we do have a fake tree).

Stress-Free Holidays!

Continuing on with the no-stress holiday theme, I found a helpful tidbit from Lists to Live By. The authors offer 5 ways to reduce stress:

1. Assess how stress impacts your life. How do you feel tension? Do you have stomach churning or a stiff neck? Once you're aware of how stress effects you, you're better able to deal with its influence.

2. Prioritize. What must be done and what can wait a week, a month, or even a year?

3. Be realistic. Realizing that everyone experiences stress can help you approach the issue from a broader perspective.

4. Celebrate workable coping techniques. Identify ways in which you can alleviate stress (i.e. taking a walk, drinking a hot cup of tea, singing at the top of your lungs, or my favorite. . . shopping.)

5. Be kind to yourself. Taking care of yourself by eating nutritious foods, exercising, or reading a good book (or blog) can provide an added benefit.

Enjoing the Christmas Season

I don't know about you, but between all the kids activities, Christmas concerts, and holiday get-togethers and parties, I don't have an abundance of energy by the end of the day. Add to that the impending ice storm that has been predicted, sick children, all the gifts I need to wrap, and treats to take to the Christmas dinners. . . and I could easily become stressed, my cortisol levels going through the roof (http://stress.about.com/od/stresshealth/a/cortisol.htm).

I know a lot of you can probably relate to this scenario. But. . . rather than being stressed out, (not that I have ever been before) this year I plan on enjoying the holiday season to it's fullest extent, and not stressing over the little things. I vow to soak up every hug, kiss, and smile from David the kids, savoring the joy and laughter the little ones give so freely. I acknowledge that there are (much) more important things that I want to focus on, so. . . even though potentially stressful moments are just lurking around the corner, I will do my best to be calm, cool, and collected this holiday season!

Kids Say the Cutest Things!

Emma said the funniest thing, and I had to write it down before I forgot. In preschool, her class each received a little paper turkey. They were told to write about how you cook a turkey. Emma said, "Grandma makes it. She puts teeth on it. Puts it in the oven. Cook it for 1 min." Spoken like a true 4-year-old! It was so cute and funny! I had to hold my laughter in because she was giving me one a serious look. I tried thinking whether she had ever eaten turkey with teeth or what might have given her the idea that you put teeth on the turkey.

As a side note, my personal experience with baking turkeys hasn't been too great. The (one) time I attempted it, I had to call my Dad for emergency help. The caring Dad that he is, he left work and helped me gut it. As much as I like eating turkey, the gory contents of the cold, wet turkey made me lose my appetite for the bird (at least for a day or so). As my Dad and I struggled with that crazy turkey, I vowed to never again attempt the impossible (or at least the unlikely). I love to cook and bake, but that silly turkey was all I could take.

Anyway, we had a wonderful Thanksgiving with family and . . .yes, my Mom cooked the turkey and it was delicious!

Over the River and Through the Woods to Grandmother's House We Go!

It's so hard to believe that tomorrow is Thanksgiving. We are planning to spend the day with loved ones talking and savoring turkey, cranberry sauce, and all the trimmings. The kids are excited because they'll get to play with their cousins who they don't get to see that often.

Today USA Today online featured a thought-provoking article (that I skimmed) about a teacher from Florida who's written a children's book entitled America's REAL First Thanksgiving. Please click here to read the article: http://www.usatoday.com/life/lifestyle/2007-11-20-first-thanksgiving_N.htm Long story short, after conducting extensive research about the history of Thanksgiving, author Robyn Gioia challenges many of the steadfast beliefs that I remember being taught when I was a child (i.e. the first Thanksgiving was at Plymouth Rock and the Pilgrims and the Indians had turkey with mashed potatoes and corn from the Indians). It's an interesting article.

But, regardless of the specifics that occurred or didn't occur that 1st Thanksgiving, it's a wonderful time to reflect on our blessings. I'm so thankful to have a wonderful family, including my husband, 4 kids, parents, brother, in-laws, and friends. I'm happy to have a day to relax and spend with loved ones. I hope your Thanksgiving is a great one!

Our Roadtrip to Branson

Yesterday we all piled into my husbands truck and went for a scenic drive to Branson, MO (http://welovebranson.blogspot.com/). After playing at the park on such a gorgeous fall day, we started to get hungry. It was David's birthday, so we wanted to take him out to eat. After calling my sweet cousin Shelly to get some information, we decided to visit the 'Ol Hickory Steak and Catfish House in the quaint little town of Crane. (Please click here for directions: http://www.catfishrestaurants.com/catfish_restaurants_012.htm) It was so much fun and the food was delicious!

When we arrived at 4 pm, it was quiet (a perfect time to take four kids to a restaurant)! The atmosphere was casual and relaxed. They even had an old-time wooden checkerboard that the kids took turns playing with until our meal was served. David and I both ordered the fried catfish with cole slaw, sweet potatoes with butter and brown sugar, green beans, and homemade rolls. The kids and adult portions were very generous.

The pies looked delectable, but, unfortunately, we didn't have room for dessert. We were told that they were to have live music later on, but decided to catch the music another time. We will definately remember this wonderful restaurant in the future and be sure to recommend it to our friends and family!

Who Doesn't Love Pizza!

The kids and I made little pizzas last night for dinner and they were delicious and so quick and easy to make. I gave each child a flour tortilla and let them dress their pizza with cheese, sauce, and turkey pepperoni. Normally I would also offer green pepper, mushrooms, black olives, and onion, but I was low on ingredients. If you like thin crust pizza, you will love these! Just bake in the oven until the cheese is melted and tortilla is crisp!

Just for fun, here is a list of pizza toppings from around the world. Just memorize it and you can impress your friends!

Australia-Eggs

Bahamas-Barbecued chicken

Brazil-Green peas

Chile-Mussels and clams

Colombia-Guava

Costa Rica-Coconut

England-Tuna and corn

France-Fresh cream

Guatemala-Black bean sauce

India-Pickled ginger

Japan-Squid, mayonnaise, potato

Pakistan-Curry

Russia-Red herring

Here are America's favorite toppings, according to the Book of Lists: pepperoni, mushrooms, extra cheese, sausage, green pepper, and onions.

Fat-Free Brownies-Microwaveable

This is a great recipe that's so quick and easy to prepare. You prepare the brownie mix, then store it in a sealed container. Whenever someone gets a chocolate craving or is in the mood for a sweet treat you can have hot, fresh brownies within minutes. The best thing about this recipe is you can prepare individual servings rather than making an entire pan.

Fat-Free Brownie Mix

1/2 cup baking cocoa

3/4 cup flour

1 T. cornstarch

1/4 t. baking powder

1/4 t. baking soda

1/4 t. salt

1 1/4 cups sugar

f.f. plain yogurt, f.f. sour cream, applesauce, or water to mix

When you're ready for a brownie simply mix 2 T. of the dry mix with 1 T. of the yogurt, sour cream, applesauce, or water. I usually spread it out a little on a microwave-safe plate and microwave for approximately 30 seconds. This is soooo easy, and it makes the house smell like chocolate. MMMMMM! It's extra special with a dollop of cool whip.

The Case for Family Meals

According to a recent article in Time (http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1200760,00.html), Nancy Gibbs reports, "It turns out that when kids help prepare a meal, they are much more likely to eat it, and it's a useful skill that seems to build self-esteem." Statistically speaking, family meals eaten and/or prepared together protect children and teens from a multitude of pressures including: smoking, drinking alcohol, doing drugs, developing eating disorders, depression, and contemplating suicide. Sociologists have discovered that the more families make time for family meals the more the kids learn about socially acceptable behavior, earn better grades, and delay having sex.
It sounds like a win/win situation for everyone involved, but what if your schedule is so full of activities and appointments that eating together seems impossible? I completely understand how difficult it can be to set aside time to have family meals. Between sports, piano lessons, and homework it is definitely challenging for many families. I think consistency is the key. If you have to eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches in the car every once in a while due to time constraints it's OK. If your evening schedule is jam-packed, perhaps setting the alarm clocks a little bit earlier in the morning would allow you to connect with your family during breakfast. It doesn't have to be extravagant; cereal or oatmeal with fruit, frozen waffles, or peanut butter on toast are quick and easy and give you and your child energy for the day. Simply planning to share several family meals together each week has so many wonderful social and health benefits.
If you have suggestions or stories about family meal time in your house please let me know. I'm always looking for new ideas!

Easy Delicious Taco Soup Recipe

I made this for my family last night and served it with grilled cheese sandwiches and baby carrots on the side. My kids love this and it's soooo easy! I put all of the ingredients in the crock pot and let it cook all day. Then, when dinner time rolls around. . . Voila! The recipe can be altered depending upon what kind of beans you have. Also, I use the mild Rotelle because most of our kids like it this way. Also, yesterday I didn't take time to thaw out ground beef (or ground turkey) so it ended up being a vegetarian main dish. Very satisfying, healthy, and budget-friendly! Oh yeah, my Mom gave me the recipe. . . Thanks Mom!

Chili or Taco Soup
1 pound lean ground beef (or ground turkey), brown and drain
1-15.5 ounce can navy beans, undrained
1-15.5 ounce can kidney beans, undrained
1-15.5 ounce can black beans, undrained
1-15.5 ounce can corn or hominy, undrained
2-14.5 ounce cans diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can Rotelle tomatoes
1 envelope Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix (sometimes I use pkg. of onion soup mix)
1 envelope taco seasoning
2 cups water
Combine ingredients in crock pot. DON'T DRAIN ANY CANS! Cook on low all day.
This soup freezes well. Yield: 12 servings
If you do Weight Watchers, 1.5 cups=3 points.

Awesome Rachel Ray Recipe for Kids

Drew received Rachel Ray's Cooking Rocks, Rachel Ray 30-Minute Meals for Kids http://www.rachaelray.com/ for his birthday last year. It features great recipes for children in different age groups. Most of the ingredients are easily found at our small town grocery store. I love this one because all of my kids love pasta. You can vary this recipe according to what you have in your pantry.

Pasta and Trees

Makes 4 Servings

1 pound broccoli tops

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 pound pasta: penne regate, corkscrew cavatappi, elbows, or medium shells

1 T. extra-virgin olive oil (evoo)

2 T. butter, cut up

1 cup grated Parmesan, Parmigiano Reggiano, or Romano cheese

Boil a large pot of water for the pasta. Separate the broccoli into small trees by pulling them apart. Put the broccoli florets into a pot and add water to cover the tops of the trees. Bring the water to a boil and add 4 pinches of salt to the water. Cook the broccoli 5 minutes and drain.

When the pasta water boils add 4 pinches of salt. Add pasta to pan. Cook to al dente according to package directions.

Put the evoo and butter in a big bowl. Add the hot drained pasta and broccoli to the bowl. Add the cheese and stir until the butter melts and the cheese mixes in.Add salt and pepper to suit your taste.

PS. I've found that referring to broccoli as baby trees helps endear the the veggie to the child, mine anyway.

Too Much Halloween Candy!

Five kids (our four plus Drew's friend), five costumes, two parents, one minivan, and loads of candy. That's what our Wednesday night looked like. Tootsie Rolls, Three Musketeers (my personal favorite), Mike & Ike, Heath, Snickers, Hershey Kisses, Mary Janes, Butterfingers, M&M's, Tootsie Pops, Twizzlers, marshmallow eyeballs, Whoppers, and Reese's. That doesn't even begin to cover the enormous haul of candy our little trick-or-treaters brought home. How can five kids accumulate so much candy in one and a half hours? It's amazing how much ground they can cover when sugar's involved! After returning home we dumped the sweet confections into a giant mixing bowl. It was the only thing I could find that was enormous enough to hold the stash. The kids (and us, the parents) eventually got the kids settled down enough to go to sleep

I feel guilty for having all this candy when there are so many starving people in the world. I had thought I might contribute it to a local group that's sending candy to the troops in Iraq. Unfortunately, I heard on the radio today the candy is already being sent.

I will count my many blessings and continue rationing out the daily candy allowance to our clan, that is until I come up with a better plan.

Trick or Treat!

We're taking our kids trick or treating tonight. It should be fun. I'll get some new pictures up later. This one is from last year. Drew will be Harry Potter, Cooper is a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle, Maddie is a Dallas Cowgirls cheerleader, and Emma is a fairy princess. I'm thankful for the mild temps tonight. It ought to make things more enjoyable.

Our town has official trick or treating hours, from 5:30-8:00. Although I've never heard of a town doing this, I'm glad. It's always a challenge to get the kids settled in for the night after Halloween. They get so sugared up!

Have a safe Halloween!

Sawdust Pie from Patti's on the Pier

This is one of our favorite dessert recipes. It's definitely rich, so we add sliced bananas to make it seem more healthful. He He! Whipped cream goes nicely as well. The recipe is courtesy Patti's On the Pier, Grand Rivers, KY. http://www.pattis-settlement.com/. We go to Patti's whenever we're in Kentucky to visit David's family. It's a wonderful place for families to visit. They have gorgeous flower gardens and animals for the kids to see. This past summer, while visiting Patti's, we took a trip down to the lake via horse-drawn carriage.

Sawdust Pie
7 egg whites, unbeaten
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 1/2 cups pecans
1 1/2 cups coconut
9-inch unbaked pie shell

Mix all ingredients together and stir by hand. Pour into unbaked pie shell. Bake in preheated 325 degree oven until glossy and set (about 25 to 30 minutes). Do not overbake! Serves 8.

Special Meals

David-steak, homemade creamed corn, hash brown casserole, and blackberry cobbler with ice cream.

Drew-supreme pizza, cooked cinnamon carrots, fruit salad, and oatmeal raisin cookies,

Cooper-hamburger pizza, corn on the cob, yellow sliced apples without the peels, chocolate cake with chocolate icing.

Maddie-spiral-shaped pasta with meat sauce, green beans, and apple pie with ice cream.

More Special Meals

Here are some more menu favorites from our family to yours. Please note that recipes are coming the near future!

David-scrambled eggs, hash brown casserole, and fruit salad.

Drew-tacos, peas, pineapple and apple slices, and vanilla milkshakes.

Cooper-hot dogs on buns, hash browns, corn on the cob, pears, and homemade chocolate cake with chocolate icing.

Maddie-pepperoni pizza, green beans, peaches, and chocolate chip cookies.

Lori-stuffed manicotti, Caesar salad, kiwi, and lemonade pie.

Past Special Meals

I'm busy gathering some of our past Special Meals and will be adding favorite recipes in the near future. If you're looking for a new menu, perhaps this will give you some new ideas. Please note that the menus were created and chosen by our four children and my dear hubby. Enjoy!

Special Meal's #1

Drew-soft tacos, cinnamon carrots, pear slices with peels, and white cupcakes with white icing.

Cooper-hot dogs with buns, corn on the cob, pears without peels, and strawberry shortcake.

Maddie-spaghetti and meatballs, cheesy broccoli, oranges, and ice cream sundaes.

David-roast beef, mashed potatoes with gravy, green beans, and Sawdust Pie (one of our favorites!)

What are Special Meals?

I originally came up with the idea of Special Meals to encourage some picky eaters in our family. The idea is to allow each child (and spouse) to choose a main course, vegetable side, fruit, and dessert. I usually write the menu on a sheet of paper and hang it on the fridge with a magnet. We try to create a new menu each month. That way the kids can look forward to their Special Meal each month. The only thing I ask is that they don't repeat more than one food a month. This encourages them to venture out a bit and try new foods. Each child gets to help prepare his or her Special Meal. This includes setting the table and cleaning up after mealtime. I try to make the entire process as special and fun as possible.

After implementing the Special Meal concept for a few years, I've noticed a dramatic change in the children, one in particular. Cooper, now 9, was our pickiest eater for several years. However, I'm happy to report that he now loves a variety of foods and will try just about anything!

Between soccer and t-ball, gymnastics and piano lessons it is so challenging for our family to make time to sit down together to a nourishing home cooked meal. We still hit the fast food drive-through's when time necessitates. However, in our busy little family of six, we have found our Special Meals to be. . . well . . . special.

Welcome to Special Meals!

This website was born out of my love for my family and food. As a mom to 4 growing kids and wife to a wonderful man with a hearty appetite, I positively enjoy preparing quick, nutritious, and fun meals for and with my family. Our kids love to cook and bake, so I try including them in meal preparation whenever possible.

I have such fond memories of baking with my dear grandmother, Nanny, whom I adored. She taught me that time spent in the kitchen and love go hand in hand. This site is lovingly dedicated to her.