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5 Packaged Foods to Make Dinner a Breeze

5 Packaged Foods

In case you couldn’t tell by my blog name, I love to eat…..and cook.  Some nights both kids have different activities and there’s not a lot of time to cook or sometimes I’m just too tired to feel like cooking (c’mon, tell me I’m not the only one!).  It’s so easy to want to pick up the phone and call for a pizza or some Chinese takeout.  Not only does that get old after awhile (….and expensive!), but it’s also not the healthiest of options.  In the time it would take to call for takeout and wait for it to be cooked and delivered, you can make some of these packaged foods and have dinner on the table in no time.  When I don’t have time or just don’t feel like cooking a homemade, from scratch dinner these are some of our go-to packaged foods:

Simply Potatoes

1.Simply Potatoes – Traditional Mashed Potatoes – My mom first introduced me to these potatoes several years ago when I had my wisdom teeth pulled and couldn’t chew. Well, let me tell you, these potatoes are amazing!  The first ingredients are potatoes, half and half, whole milk, and butter.  These potatoes can be microwaved and ready in about 5 minutes.  I buy these for convenience, so even though you can cook these in the oven or on the stove top we don’t go that route for the sake of speed.  These potatoes are super creamy and delicious.  Both my kids LOVE these.  Even my son who doesn’t usually like mashed potatoes (or maybe MY mashed potatoes!) asks for seconds when we have these.  Simply Potatoes also makes a variety of other types of potatoes including shredded hash browns, potato wedges and even macaroni & cheese.  However, we love the Traditional Mashed Potatoes the best.  These potatoes are found in the refrigerated section of the grocery store and normally retail for approximately $3.99 a package.  They are often on sale though, which is when I usually stock up on them!

Dole Chopped Salad

2. Dole Chopped Salad Kits – In the past couple of years our kids have become salad fans.  Especially Caesar salad.  And as much as I love salad, I really dislike all of the chopping necessary to make a good salad.  This is where I pick up Dole Chopped Salad Kits or Caesar Salad mix.  I love how everything is already prepared and just has to be put in a bowl and mixed.  Plus, the kids can help mix everything and have become quite the expert “salad makers.”

Mrs. T's Pierogies

3. Pierogies –  Growing up in my house, pierogies were a weeknight dinner staple.  While I don’t make these often, I do usually have a couple of packages in the freezer for when we are in need of a quick and easy dinner.  For those that aren’t familiar with pierogies, they are an Eastern European filled dumpling.  The frozen ones that I have found in the supermarket usually contain some type of potato and cheese filling.  However, traditionally, pierogies can be filled with sauerkraut, ground meat, or even fruit.  When I make them, I boil a pot of water, throw the pierogies in, when they float to the top in approximately 5-7 minutes I drain the water and eat them.  When I have extra time, I will saute some onions in a frying pan and then add the pierogies to the pan, after they are boiled, to brown them up a bit and give them some extra flavor.  This is my preferred method of cooking.  If you want to keep the meal vegetarian, you can cook up some veggies or make a salad to go with.  Otherwise, you can heat up some kielbasa to go with the pierogies.   I grew up on Mrs. T’s Pierogies that only came in one flavor, Potato and Cheddar Cheese.  Mrs. T’s now makes a huge variety of pierogies including their newest flavor Mozzarella, Tomato & Basil which we recently tried.  These were great served with marinara sauce!  Pierogies can be found in the freezer section of the grocery store and can range in price based on brand.  I prefer to buy Mrs. T’s Pierogies, and can often buy them on sale for $2.50 a box.  

Gorton's Smart & Crunchy Fish Fillets

4. Gorton’s Smart & Crunchy Fish Fillets – We recently tried these new fish fillets from Gorton’s and I was pleasantly surprised.  I baked them for twenty minutes, flipping them half-way and they ended up with a nice crunch.  I like that they have 50% less fat than Gorton’s regular fish fillets.  Pair these with the mashed potatoes and salad kit and you have a meal! I purchased this bag with 8 fillets, on sale for under $5.

Pizza Dough

5. Store-bought Pizza Dough – Friday night at our house is usually pizza night.  Homemade pizza, that is.  We prefer the frozen pizza dough found in the bakery section of our local Shoprite.  If they don’t have any there we’ll get the refrigerated variety found by the shredded cheese.  Yes, you can make homemade pizza dough, but this store-bought dough is just so cheap and easy to cook!  We defrost the dough the night before in the refrigerator.  Then, a couple of hours before we plan to make the pizza we take it out of the refrigerator.  The dough is a blank canvas for whatever type of pizza we are craving.  The kids usually prefer plain, but my husband and I are always trying out new pizza recipes including Onion, Pear & Gorgonzola Pizza with Balsamic Glaze and Olive Potato Pizza.

What packaged foods make your dinner time easier? 

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Sahara Sam’s Oasis – New Jersey

I had won passes to Sahara Sam’s Oasis from a blogger giveaway.  I didn’t realize that the park, located in West Berlin, New Jersey, was 2 1/2 hours away from our house in Westchester County, New York.  So, when we recently took a trip to Philadelphia over the kids’ spring break we planned a stop at Sahara Sam’s on our way home.

We arrived pretty close to the 10 AM opening.  We had to use the Route 53 entrance, as the facility is in the process of expanding the outdoor water park area, and is slated to open this Memorial Day weekend.  We had our complimentary passes, however, one day tickets cost $29.95 and twilight tickets, valid after 3:30 cost $24.95.  If we lived closer to the park, we’d purchase an annual pass, which is currently on sale for $59.95.

Lockers

While at the desk, we rented a small locker to store our things.  The locker cost $7 to rent but we also needed to pay a $20 deposit, which we got back when we returned the key.   The lockers, pictured above, use keys, but they give you a waterproof key holder that you can wear around your neck.  The small locker was big enough for us to store a book bag that held changes of clothes for the four of us.

The water park was pretty empty when we first arrived.  We threw our towels on some chairs, but very little sitting was done on this visit by anyone except me!  Indoor cabanas are available to rent for $85 a day.  They honestly were pretty small, and like I mentioned, our family is not one to just sit and hang out, so this wasn’t a useful option for us.

We first headed to Congo Bongo, the lazy river that spans almost the entire length of the right side of the park.  There are a couple of waterfalls that I managed to avoid, as I was not quite ready to be soaked at this point!

Water Slides

After the lazy river we decided to try some slides.  Mount Kilimanjaro is the family slide, where the four of us were able to slide together in a giant tube.  There are two different Snake Eyes tube slides which you can ride in either a single or a double tube.  As there were super short lines, we rode these slides a couple of times.  Be warned that except for the family slide, you must carry your tube up the steps to the other slides.   None of us opted to try the Nile Mile body slide.

Tim-Buk-Tu, the large play area, pictured at the beginning of this post, is in the center of the park.  The kids loved being soaked by the water bucket and playing on the structure.  I liked that there’s plenty of seating in front of it, so I could sit and keep an eye on them while they played.

Crocodile Flats

The kids had a fun time crossing Crocodile Flats.  You have to hold onto the ropes as you traverse the lily pads to cross from one end of the pool to the other.  They also enjoyed Sam’s Slamdunker aqua basketball area, located adjacent to Crocodile Flats, and spent a lot of time in this area with my husband.  Unfortunately, there is not an inside wave pool, though one is being built for the outdoor expansion.  The aqua basketball area got pretty crowded with parents holding toddlers and little kids trying to swim.  So, you had to be super aware of the basketballs being thrown.

Flow Rider

I was super surprised that my daughter wanted to ride The Flow Rider, surfing simulator.  Waivers need to be signed prior to riding and riders need to be at least eight years old, so unfortunately, my son couldn’t ride.  After signing the waiver, which required a photo ID, my husband and daughter were given special wrist bands.  Riders are given approximately five minutes of “surf” time.  They both rode a couple of times and had a blast!

For little ones, Lizard Lagoon offers slides and bucket seats perfectly sized for infants and toddlers.

Desert Palm Cafe

Outside food is not allowed into the park.  The Desert Palm Café Food Court offers something for everyone.  They have pizza, sandwiches, burgers, hot dogs and more.  We found there to be plenty of seating inside the food court, but if it is crowded, food is allowed to be taken into the park.

Menu

We found the prices to be on the more expensive side.  Burgers were $11 + and Italian Sausage or Polish Sausages were $10+.  The four of us ended up sharing a Family Fun Bucket for $32.  This came with 9 chicken fingers and way too many fries for the four of us to eat.  They accept credit cards but require a valid ID with it.  This policy held up the line as people had to run back to their lockers or bags and get their license.

Arcade

If you didn’t have enough fun in the water park, there’s an arcade that you can play in either before or after your visit.  The arcade is accessible without water park admission tickets.

As I mentioned earlier, the Beach Club Outdoor Water Park opens this weekend (Memorial Day Weekend) and stays open until Labor Day.  The outdoor park includes a pool, splash zone and wave pool.  The recent expansion also includes outdoor water slides and an indoor pool leisure pool.

We had a fun time visiting Sahara Sam’s Oasis and enjoyed getting in some water park and pool fun during the winter.  However, the park is open year-round with outdoor attractions available from Memorial Day through Labor Day.  The park is located in Southern New Jersey and is easily accessible from the Philadelphia and New York City areas.

Weekly Meal Plan {Week 40}

2016 Calendar

I hope everyone had a great weekend!  We all are getting over a cold that’s been passed around from one family member to another over the past couple of days, which isn’t fun.  But, we are lucky to have a four day week and then a four day Memorial Weekend.  Of course we have to get through a jam packed week of a 4th grade concert, last Cub Scout meeting, piano lessons and Girl Scouts.  We got this!  As summer is approaching and the kids’ activities are winding down I will have more time to cook.  I know that once the weather heats up a bit I won’t WANT to cook though.  So, I’m sure quick, easy, recipes  that don’t require turning the oven on or exerting too much effort will be on the menu soon!  Here’s a look at what was on our menu this past week:

Saturday:  We had a lazy dinner of Gorton’s Fried Shrimp and french fries.  As long as I’m not cooking on the weekends, I’m happy!

Indian Food

Sunday:  We ended up going out for Indian food for lunch.  I ate way more than I normally do.  Although we ate lunch around 1:30, I was still so full that we didn’t eat dinner that night!  My son made himself a jelly sandwich and had a yogurt, but the rest of us weren’t hungry!

Thai-Style Ground Beef

Monday:  I made Thai-Style Ground Beef from Cooking Light, January 2006.  I thought that I had curry paste, but when I went to make this, discovered that I didn’t.  Luckily, my husband works near an Asian market and after a quick call to him, he picked some up for me on the way home from work.  So, dinner was a little later than we usually eat, but I was able to make what I had planned!  I didn’t add the leeks that the recipe called for and thought it came out flavorful enough without.  I served this over rice, which I cooked in the leftover coconut milk from the sauce.

Mixed Salad with Hoisin Vinaigrette and Panko Chicken

Tuesday: I made Mixed Salad with Hoisin Vinaigrette and Crisp Panko Chicken from Cooking Light, April 2006.  I originally made this recipe back in 2009 and noted in my cookbook that it was good.  Fast forward seven years and it was still as tasty.  My daughter helped by making the dressing while I prepped the chicken.  Since it’s baked, the chicken wasn’t as “crisp” as I would have liked.  But overall, this was a tasty meal. I love that my kids enjoy salads.  As I’m sure many more salad dinners will be made over the summer!

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Wednesday:  I made Brown Sugar Pulled Chicken Sandwiches with Honey Mustard from With Salt & Wit.  I made sandwiches instead of sliders and used hamburger buns.  I needed a sturdier bun, as the rolls got super soggy and made these sandwiches a bit messy to eat.  I liked the addition of the onion rings on the sandwich!  I didn’t make the honey mustard sauce, since I found the chicken saucy and flavorful enough and I also didn’t add the cabbage.  I served this with a Caesar salad.

Buttermilk Chocolate Chip Pancakes

Thursday:  My husband came home early from work to make dinner.  When we got home from piano lessons he was making Buttermilk Chocolate Chip Pancakes for us.  We had these with breakfast sausage.  He made big pancakes and even with the larger size we still had enough leftover for breakfast the next morning.

Pepperoni Pizza

Friday:  We had our usual homemade pizza, but this week I made pepperoni pizza.  Homemade pizza is so easy, when I use the store-bought dough.

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Friday Favorites – Mid-May Edition

Friday Favorites

Happy Friday!  I can’t believe that we are halfway through May already.  The days seem to be flying by and summer will be here soon!  Luckily, the kids still have over a month of school left, while I try to figure out what we will be doing all summer when they are home with me.  As the school year is winding down, so are the kids’ activities.  This weekend is filled with a school fair tonight, soccer and Supper Club tomorrow and then a hopefully relaxing, family fun Sunday.  This week’s favorites include:

1.End of year Tae Kwon Do demonstration – Last Friday night the kids had their end of year TKD demonstration.  This included lots of board breaking and showing all the skills that they have learned.  Unfortunately, my daughter did not participate, since she hurt her ankle in gym that afternoon and we didn’t want her aggravating her injury and making it worse.  I didn’t feel too bad though, since she was wearing her Converse sneakers in gym and I’ve told her that those aren’t good gym day shoes.  I think the lesson was finally learned…..the hard way.

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Geocaching – We went geocaching for the first time last weekend.  I will be writing a future post about it, but it was lots of fun and we are addicted!  I definitely see more of this happening over the summer.

Indian Food Lunch

3. Indian Food – After our geocaching trip we went out to an Indian restaurant for lunch.  The kids weren’t all that into it, but I love me some Indian food.  I especially love the weekend buffet, where I can fill my plate and try everything, versus going for dinner and having to commit to only one dish!

Angry Orchard Summer Honey

4.  Angry Orchard Summer Honey – I’m not a big drinker, but when I do, my beverage of choice is a hard cider.  I’m happy that the Angry Orchard seasonal cider is back, Summer Honey.  I prefer a sweet cider over a dry one and this is a great summer drink!

Book Series Recommendations for Young Readers

5. Series Book Recommendations for Young Readers – Yesterday I posted about this book, Jelly Bean, the first in the Shelter Pet Squad series as well as other series book recommendations that might interest young readers.  With summer coming, my kids will have plenty of time for reading and we are always looking for new books and series to read.

ICYMI on the blog:
Monday  I shared our weekly meal plan.
Tuesday I shared Summer Family Fun:  Movies on a Budget.
Thursday I shared Chapter Book Series Recommendations for Young Readers.

I’m linking up with Tif, Andrea and Amanda.  Have a great weekend!

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Chapter Book Series Recommendations for Young Readers

Chapter Series

My son is in second grade and loves to read!  He’s read some of the books in the Henry and Mudge series, some of the Ready Freddy! series as well as almost all of The Magic Treehouse series.  However, I am always on the lookout for new books and series that may interest him.  I thought I’d share some of the more recent chapter book series that we have read that might bring some reading enjoyment to a young reader in your family!  While he read all of these books on his own, I also read them all.  I would recommend the below series for children in 1st through 3rd grade, dependent on reading level.  All of the series have fairly short chapters and lots of illustrations.

If you like mystery books try:

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West Meadows Detectives: The Case of the Snack Snatcher by Liam O’Donnell – This is the first book in the West Meadows Detectives series, published in October of 2015.  Main character Myron is a third grader on the autism spectrum.  As a former special education teacher, I appreciate the author having a diverse cast of characters, including students with special needs.  O’Donnell shows that they are very much like other children with a few quirks.  In this first book, Myron and his friend Hajrah use their detective skills to find out who has been stealing the snacks from the school kitchen.  As an adult, I was able to identify the culprit super early on, based on the clues.  It’s not a suspenseful mystery, but I think young readers will enjoy the story.

If you like adventure try:
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Race the Wild:  Rain Forest Relay by Kristin Earhart – Back in September 2015 I wrote a full post on this book.  This book series is like the Amazing Race for kids!  You follow Russell and his friends as they race around the world (each book takes place in a different geographic location) in an attempt to win the prize money.  There are currently four books in the series, with the fifth book, Outback All-Stars, expected to be released this week.

If you like to travel and learn about other countries try:

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Greetings from Somewhere #1: They Mystery of the Gold Coin by Harper Paris – This is the first book in the Greetings from Somewhere series that was published in January 2014.  There are currently 9, soon to be 10 books in this series, targeted for transitional readers who are readyin first and second grade.  Twins Ethan and Ella learn that their mother has accepted a job as a travel writer for The Brookeston Times.  This book sets the stage for future books, as the twins get ready to move and say goodbye to friends.  The two siblings must also find the gold coin that their grandfather gave Ethan as a going away present before they have to leave for the airport.  The mystery in this first story isn’t a big mystery, but they do become bigger in future books.  Each subsequent book also takes place in a different country.

If you like animals try:

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Shelter Pet Squad #1:  Jelly Bean by Cynthia Lord – In the first book in this series, the reader is introduced to Suzannah.  She lives in an apartment building that does not allow pets, so her mom signs her up for a program in which she gets to help at the local animal shelter.  Suzannah is at the shelter when a young girl drops off her guinea pig, Jelly Bean.  Her family is moving to France and she can’t take the guinea pig with her.  Suzannah promises to find a good home for Jelly Bean, but discovers that doing so is harder than it appears.  There are currently three books in this series.

If you like food try:

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Phoebe G. Green: Lunch Will Never Be the Same! by Veera Hiranandani – We first reviewed this book on the blog back in July.  Phoebe loves new and interesting food but her parents always make the same thing.  In this book, readers will be introduced to all kinds of new and different foods that Phoebe samples by befriending Camille, the new girl from France.  There are currently four books in this series.

If you like scary books try:

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Eerie Elementary:  The School is Alive! by Jack Chabert – I’m not going to lie, this book will not be for all readers.  In this first book Sam Graves is chosen to be hall monitor and discovers that his school, Eerie Elementary, is alive.  Of course his friends don’t believe him at first…..but then they see how scary the school is.  For some readers, reading about a school that is evil may be a bit too much.  My son has read the first two books in the currently four book series and has enjoyed them with no problems.

 

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Summer Family Fun: Movies on a Budget

Movies on a Budget

Summer vacation is quickly approaching!  My kids have opted not to go to camp this summer and I am trying to fill up our calendar with fun activities.  Who doesn’t love movies?!! As much as our family loves going to the movies, I don’t love the cost of taking our family of four to go see one!  Four tickets and a large popcorn and soda later and we’ve spent close to $75!   However, summer is the perfect time for me to take the kids to the movies.   We get to escape the heat for a couple of hours and get to see a movie on the big screen.  If you’re looking for the most recent blockbuster release, then you might want to stop reading here.  If you’re like my kids, who don’t mind seeing older movies that they might have already seen, then keep reading, because I’ve found some summer movie deals!

Alamo Drafthouse Kids Camp – Movie and restaurant chain Alamo Drafthouse is again offering their Kids Camp.  You choose your ticket price between $1 – $3 and all proceeds get donated to a local nonprofit.   The movies offered this summer include classics like A League of Their Own and Babe, as well as older, but more recent films like The Lego Movie and Shaun the Sheep.

Regal Cinemas Summer Movie Express – Regal Cinemas offers movies every Tuesday and Wednesday at 10 AM for only $1 each.  Two movies are offered each week and both movies play on both days.  So if you really wanted to, you could go to the movies twice each week!  Sitting in an air conditioned theater watching a popular family fun movie for $1 is my kind of movie fun!  This summer’s movie line up includes Goosebumps, The Smurfs 2, Home, The Peanuts Movie and many more.

Local Movie Viewings – Check your town’s recreation department website, or local neighboring towns, to see if they are offering free “Movies Under the Stars” night.  Several towns in our area offer such a night.  Bring a blanket or some chairs and some snacks and you can have yourself a free family movie night.  Just don’t forget the bug spray!

Drive-In – Nothing says summer to me more than a drive-in movie theater.  Do a quick internet search for your nearest drive-in movie theater.  If it’s a bit of a drive, possibly make a day of it and go out to lunch or dinner, see if there’s a local park and then go watch the movie.  Or, if you are taking a summer vacation, see if there’s a drive-in theater near your destination.  Drive-in theaters often play current releases and often have discount nights or special deals going on.

 

 

 

 

Weekly Meal Plan {Week 39}

2016 Calendar

Mondays seem to come way too quickly!  We had a relaxing but fun weekend filled with the kids’ end of year tae kwon do demonstration, soccer, some geocaching, bike riding and a lunch out.  I also got some in some scrapbook and reading time!  Here’s a look at what was on our menu last week:

Saturday – We ordered Chinese take-out.  A low-key, no cooking, Saturday night!

Mother's Day Burgers

Sunday – For Mother’s Day we spent the afternoon up at a cupcake festival.  My parents and brother came over for dinner later that day, where my husband grilled some burgers which he served with bacon, gorgonzola cheese, sauteed mushrooms and fried onion straws.  He served the burgers with corn-on-the-cob and both regular and sweet potato fries.

Citrus Glazed Chicken Thighs

Monday – I made Citrus Glazed Chicken Thighs from Cooking Light, January 2006.  I adapted the recipe a little bit and cut up the thighs into bite-size pieces before marinating.  Instead of broiling the chicken, I sauteed it in a large pan on the stove.  The chicken didn’t get very glazed, but I cooked up the sauce and served it with the chicken over rice. The chicken is supposed to marinate for an hour, so it’s not a quick meal.  Taste wise, I thought this was okay, but probably won’t make it again.

Tuesday – Unfortunately, no picture was taken of tonight’s dinner.  I made Filet Mignon with Sweet Bourbon-Coffee Sauce from Cooking Light, March 2006.  Instead of filet mignon, I used thin, beef tenderloin steaks I found at Shoprite.  I served the beef with leftover corn-on-the-cob from Sunday and some mashed potatoes.  I thought the sauce was just okay and won’t be making it again.  

Chinese Chicken Salad

Wednesday – I made Chinese Chicken Salad from Yummy Health Easy.  While I normally hate making salads, my daughter helped me make this dinner.  She used the salad spinner to dry the romaine and then chop it while I cooked the chicken.  I had some sunflower seeds that I wanted to use up, so I put those in the salad instead of the slivered almonds and sesame seeds that the recipe called for.  I ended up adding some teriyaki and sesame oil to the homemade dressing as well.  Overall, this was a tasty enough salad.  I’ve seen other similar salads around the blogosphere that I may end up trying since we like the flavors.

Pasta alla Vodka

Thursday – I made The Pioneer Woman’s Pasta all Vodka.  This was a pretty quick and easy dinner and really tasty.

Breakfast Calzones

Friday – My husband made breakfast calzones.  I didn’t have a particular recipe in mind when I put this on the weekly meal plan, so we stuck some cooked, shredded hash browns, scrambled eggs, crumbled, cooked bacon and some shredded cheese inside pizza dough.  We cooked the calzones on our pizza stone.  They were tasty and a kid pleaser, though the eggs got a little overcooked.

Westchester County Family Fun: Westchester RiverWalk Peekskill

Westchester RiverWalk

A couple of weekends ago, our family visited the recently completed section of the Westchester RiverWalk in Peekskill.  When completed, the Westchester RiverWalk will be a 51.5 mile trail along the beautiful Hudson River.  This project started in 2004, will span the entire county from Yonkers to the Putnam County border by the Bear Mountain Bridge.  

Peekskill Riverfront

We parked at the Metro North Peekskill train station, which has free parking on weekends.  We spent some time walking around the Riverfront Green Park viewing some of the sculptures that are situated throughout the park and just taking in the awesome views of the Hudson River.

Fleischmann Pier

We then walked south on the paved pathway, past the Peekskill Yacht Club until we reached Fleischmann Pier. 

View of Bear Mountain Bridge

We walked out onto the pier and were able to see the Bear Mountain Bridge in the distance.  After our little break we headed back to the Riverfront Green Park.

RiverWalk

We only walked a very small section of the RiverWalk.  There were benches throughout the path for those who would like to sit and take a rest.  We saw lots of people on the path, including those walking their dogs, joggers and others like our family, taking a more leisurely stroll.  Biking is allowed on the path, except for the bridges, where signs indicate that bikers must dismount when crossing.  Our kids aren’t the best bikers and the path isn’t super wide, so I wouldn’t feel comfortable having them bike this particular section of the RiverWalk.

Breakfast Club Sundae from Hudson Creamery

Once we got back to the Riverfront Green, we made a stop at the Hudson Creamery for an ice cream treat.  The Breakfast Club Signature Sunday was delicious!

We visited the RiverWalk on a really beautiful day.  I highly recommend walking a section of the RiverWalk, whether it be in Peekskill or another section of the trail.  You get to spend FREE, quality time with the family outside along the beautiful Hudson River.

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April 2016 Reads

Life According to Steph

Happy book day!  Today I’m joining Jana and Steph for their monthly Show Us Your Books linkup.  I didn’t get a lot read in April, but most of what I did read was good.  I’ve ordered my reads from least to most enjoyed.  I’m looking forward to checking out everyone’s posts and adding to my ever growing goodreads to read list!

3 Stars:

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The Passenger  by Lisa Lutz – “Tanya Dubois” is on the run….again.  She has a secret past that the reader isn’t privy to until the very end of the book.  This secret keeps her on the run, changing names and her appearance.  While classified as a thriller, I didn’t find this book all that suspenseful.  It was also annoying that of course I wanted to find out the secret, but was literally dragged along until the very end.

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The Ramblers by Aidan Donnelly Rowley – This book is told through the perspectives of three different, but connected characters.  They are all in their 30’s navigating adulthood amidst living in New York City.  While slow in some parts, I was surprised that I enjoyed this one as much as I did.

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Turning the Tables:  From Housewife to Inmate and Back Again by Teresa Giudice – Okay, don’t judge me on this one! I’m a Bravo Housewives fan.  While I’m not a big fan of Teresa’s, I was interested in reading about her experience in prison.  I enjoyed the prison part, which reminded me of Orange Is the New Black, since she was housed in Danbury Federal Prison, the same prison that Piper Kerman was.  This book reaffirmed that I’m still not a fan of Teresa though.

4 Stars:

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The Charm Bracelet by Viola Shipman – This book tells the story of three generations of women and the stories behind the charms on the bracelets that they all wear.  I really enjoyed this book and loved the charms and what they represented.  I was surprised that this book was penned by a man, using a pseudonym, as he really captured the sentiments of the mother/daughter relationship.

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Hidden Bodies by Caroline Kepnes – This is the sequel to her thriller You.  Like You, this book was a bit dark and disturbing.  I actually even like Joe a little in this book!

5 Stars:

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Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling – I have started reading the Harry Potter series with my seven year old son.  We either read the book together or we listen to the audiobook in the car and he follows along in the book.  Last month we finished the first book in the series and then watched the movie.  We plan on doing this with the rest of the books in the series.  I’m hoping that we make it through the entire series, since I still have yet to read the last two books!  I also promised the kids that once we finished all the books we’d be able to go visit The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios.  We are about half-way through the second book and it’s been a lot of fun for us to do this together.

Weekly Meal Plan {Week 38}

2016 Calendar

Happy Monday!  I hope everyone had a great weekend and a nice Mother’s Day.  We spent the day at a local cupcake festival and then had my family over for a barbecue to celebrate Mother’s Day, and my mom and my brother’s birthdays.  Here’s a look at what was on our menu this past week:

Saturday:  Last Saturday was our son’s First Communion.  We ordered an Italian Wedge and a wrap platter from a local deli and then we made a broccoli salad and Asian cole slaw and my mom made potato salad.  Of course we over ordered, but the minimum wedge order was 3 feet.  Even after sending both brothers home with some wedge, we still had wedge for days….literally!

Sunday: Guess what was for dinner tonight…..the choice was a wrap or wedge with leftover salads.

Chicken Cutlets

Monday: My husband and I had some more wedge for lunch.  At dinner, my daughter was relieved that wedge or a wrap was not a dinner choice!  I made breaded chicken cutlets, red mashed potatoes and frozen veggies.  A simple, but tasty meal.

Taco Spaghetti

Tuesday: I made One Pot Taco Spaghetti from Damn Delicious.  I didn’t realize until now how bad the photo I took was.  I apologize that this dish doesn’t look the best, but it was a kid-pleaser!  I liked that it was all cooked in one pot, so less clean up for me!  My daughter took leftovers for lunch and commented how much she liked this spaghetti.

Asian-Style Meat Loaves

Wednesday: My parents came over for dinner before my daughter’s spelling bee.  I made Asian-Style Meat Loaves from Cooking Light, March 2006  I served them with rice and sautéed zucchini.   I had made these meat loaves back in 2009 but forgot how tasty they were.  I used ground beef instead of the ground turkey/ground pork combination the original recipe called for.  Besides the meat loaves, this was an easy but tasty meal.

Slow Cooker Lentils with Chicken Sausage, Spinach and Feta Cheese

Thursday: I made Slow Cooker Lentils with Chicken Sausage, Spinach and Feta Cheese from The Perfect Pantry.  This was an easy to put together slow cooker meal.  I used chicken bouillon powder to make the broth, but next time I would use low sodium chicken broth.  Between the broth, the sausage and the feta, I found this dish to be a bit on the salty side.  It is also worth noting that the recipe states it makes four servings.  There was just enough for the four of us to get a decent bowl of this to eat, with none left for seconds.

Friday:  I had planned on making a breakfast pizza.  But after helping set up the book fair at the kids’ school and driving my daughter to her Girl Scout camping trip, I was barely in the mood to make regular pizza.  There was no way a breakfast pizza was happening.  Regular cheese pizza it was.  I am planning on making breakfast calzones this week instead.

What is on your menu this week?