Monday Menu Plan Feb. 23 Teaching Kids to Cook and a Giveaway {CLOSED}
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Happy Monday! It's Menu Planning time.
This week I hope to get my daughter more involved in cooking. She loves all things Homemaking and has been asking to help more around the house.
These last few weeks she's been making a Daily To-Do list and asking me what can she do to help me in the home. How can I ignore that?
I will admit I am one of those mothers that think that I can do it faster, better, more efficiently, but if I don't take the time to teach her how else will she learn?
Mystie of Simplified Dinners has heard the cry of my heart and just announced her new ebook Simplified Dinners for New Cooks.
Each week you see the link to Simplified Dinners at the bottom of my post and my wonder of my affinity (maybe) for this great cooking resource. Simplified Dinners is my kind of cooking. Start with a style such as Stovetop, Crockpot, Stirfry, etc, pick your kind of protein. Then make several kinds of dinners depending upon spices and ingredients. This is perfect you're at a loss for what to cook or even to put your Menu Plan together with.
Simplified Dinners for New Cooks works on the same principal as the original but starts off teaching the new cook the basics and it can be used as a primer for teaching young kids.
- Begin with going over the Basic Skills for cooking (covered in the book).
- Next learn the various kitchen tools needed to pull together a meal (covered in the book)
- Then learn Basic Kitchen Safety (covered in the book)
- And finally let them get cooking with templates for various kinds of meals (the recipes)
The ebook includes recipes for Slow Cooker Meals, One Pot Dishes, Soups, favorites like pizza and quesadillas, and Side Dishes.
By the way if you're interest in your own copy of Simplified Dinners for New Cooks you can enter my giveaway (below) or just go ahead and get your own copy. Be sure and take $5 off with the code: newcooks15 until March 6th.
My plan is to choose one recipe each week to for the Sweet Peanut to cook with some supervision after we've gone through the introductory sections.
As for my Menu Plan I ended up not having Flank Steak for Monday, but we did eat some yummy salmon with enough leftovers for dinner this week (the quiche).
This is what I have happening this week…
Monday – Meatloaf with baked potatoes.
Tuesday – still figuring this one out
Wednesday – Foil Packet Fish (from Simplified Dinners for New Cooks)
Thursday – Salmon Quiche
Friday – Quesdaillas
Giveaway
I'm also giving away a copy of the Simplified Dinners for New Cooks eBook. Just follow the prompts in the Rafflecopter widget below.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
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No purchase is necessary.
·        Odds of winning are based on number of entries.
·       Starts 2/23/2015, Ends 3/3/2015
·        Who is eligible to enter (US residents, 18 and older)
·        I will notify the winners by email and you have 48 hours to respond.
What’s on your menu?
- Find more menus to inspire you from other bloggers at Organized Junkie.
- Read some Menu Planning articles for tips on planning your weekly menu
- Need delicious easy recipes for your family? Simplified Dinners is your template for fresh easy recipes every day.
Linking up with…
making salad dressing
Amy I love salad dressings. So easy too. What kind of flavors appeal to you?
I would love to have any help in the meal planning, cooking , prepping. Maybe this book would help me get the kids interested in cooking.
Cindy check out my meal planning articles. You may find something in there to help you out.
I love crockpot meals, especially when I work long hours, but I have the hardest time finding recipes for it that I like.
It’s so nice to come home and dinner is done. Good slow cooker recipes ARE a treasure.
I hardly ever use my crockpot… and I have heard it is very efficient and time saving! I would like more tips on utilizing my crockpot! 🙂
MichelleD I was hardly using my slow cooker also. I’ve been pulling it out the last few weeks though. Start slow. Use it once every two weeks on a dish you like. And it doesn’t always need to be dinner. You can make breakfast, yogurt, even dessert in the slow cooker!
I’m always looking for more slow cooker recipes. I could also stand to learn how to cut faster.
MelissaB sometimes it’s a matter of finding your favorite recipe in slow cooker form. But I’m hearing you so I’m on the hunt.
And make sure you sign up for Craftsy’s free Knife Skills Course. It’s a good one.
I would like to get my husband and teenage son to cook more than meat & potatoes. making frozen veggies taste okay would be awesome – I love the roasted broccoli posted on the blog!
You have your work cut out for your Shelly but all is not lost. You can roast quite a bit of veggies. One thing I like to do (not roasting) is to shred cabbage, onions, carrots, and zucchini. I saute in a little olive oil and season with salt.
I need help with knife skills and being more creative in the kitchen-not the same old stuff all the time.
Ah Melissa you came to the right place. Be sure and sign up for Craftsy’s free Knife Skills Course. It’s a good one.
I would like help with side dishes. I am tired of rice and potatoes.
I hear you Pam. It’s so easy to get into a rut of rice and potatoes and that gets old soon. Don’t forget pastas, and coucous, and even veggies done up to mimick your favorite starches.
I would love to do more ethnic foods
Audra I love cooking ethnic foods. I get inspired from my Vintage Foods of the World series and then go hunt down the recipe.
Hey Kemi! 🙂
My son has been asking to cook more, and has even come up with some recipes of his own.
But I would adore a full plan to teach him with. What a great idea! 🙂
Hugs, my friend!
Hi Wren 🙂 I think that’s great your son wants to cook more. How wonderful! He’ll be cooking you dinner before long.
I like to learn how to use the crock pot to make more meals.
The Slow Cooker is a great way to spend less time in the kitchen. Check out this section at Taste of Home for some great recipes from cooks all over the country => http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/cooking-style/slow-cooker-recipes
I’m with you on the whole “It’s easier to just do it myself, but by doing so I’m not doing my children any favors.” So starting simply with them, using a book like this, would be great.
LOL! I feel so bad for feeling like that. I have to really grit my teeth, take a deep breath and work through it. It pays off in the end but getting there is so hard. I’m going to have her try the fish dish tonight (It’s in the book).
I could use more help with my knife skills and cutting
Hi Carolyn, Did you know you can take a free knife skills course from Craftsy? I’m in the midst of taking it right now. It’s pretty good and my husband has noticed my new finesse with our chef’s knife.