5 Tips for Keeping Your Children on Schedule Throughout the Week! #GetGoing #MC

I participated in an Influencer Activation Program on behalf of Influence-Central for Jif To Go Dippers. I received a sample to facilitate my review and a thank you item for participating.  All opinions expressed are my own.

One of the things that has become obvious to me over the past year or so is that our family of five is only going to get busier and busier as our children grow older.  Every grade they advance means more homework.  Every year they mature means they want to be more social and may want to try new extracurricular activities.

At the moment, all three of our children study Taekwondo.  If you can somehow manage to have all your children take part in the same activity, I highly recommend it.  I do not miss the days of dragging all three children to soccer practice and dance class when only one of them was participating.  Still, life is hectic because there's 3 of them and only 2 of us.  They outnumber us!  Let me share a few tips I've come to find very useful over the past few years . . .

5 Tips for Keeping Your Children on Schedule:

1.  Try to always be at least 15 minutes early. If you always try to be early, that means you might only be late about 50% of the time despite having children who try to leave the house without remembering to put on their shoes or need to use the bathroom as you're pulling out of the driveway even though they swore they didn't need to just 10 minutes before.

2.  Take homework with you.  I know it can be a little stressful to help multiple children with homework while you're out of the house, but it really is a smart way to use your time.  While our twins are in Taekwondo class, their big brother does his homework.  Then while he is taking his class, the twins do their homework.  It works out very well and it may free up an extra half an hour for down time later on, something my children hardly get any of on most weeknights.

3.  Complete homework in advance.  It may not always be feasible, but if your child gets a week's worth of assignments at once, then it could help if he or she completed an extra assignment or two on a night when there are no activities outside of the house.  This makes it much less stressful on the school nights when you do have to leave the house.

4.  Keep any gear you need by the door or in the car.  No, you probably won't see a big duffel bag full of gear by the front door at Martha Stewart's house, but . . . I'm not Martha Stewart.  We keep a rolling duffel full of sparring gear for Taekwondo either inside the back door of our house or in the trunk of our car.  By doing this, it's very rare that we show up for class unprepared.  My sanity is more important that someone thinking less of me because my house looks lived in.

5.  Keep portable snacks on-hand.  Something we always kept on-hand were little single serve pouches of fruit snacks.   This is something that we could just grab on our way out the door when we're running late for Taekwondo class.  However, since our children had voiced how tired they were of having the same snack all the time, I started to look for other options for portable snacks.  We recently tried Jif To Go® Dippers and will be adding them to our very short list of on-the-go snacks.

As a parent, I found both the contents and the packaging of Jif To Go Dippers to be very well-thought out.  This product was made with children in mind.  Sometimes we just have enough time to get the children off the school bus, have them change into their Taekwondo uniforms, get their backpacks, grab water bottles and a to-go snack, and head out the door.  When unwrapped, you get a container of 10 to 12 pretzels with a separate container of dip.  The container of pretzels is perfect for putting in one of the cup holders in the car, which works out great because our children usually finish their Jif To Go Dippers in the car before we go into class.  That way, we don't need to worry about being rude by eating in front of others when we don't have enough for everyone and we don't have to worry about other students having peanut allergies. Did I also mention that my children can eat Jif To Go Dippers without making a mess on their white uniforms?

Now, what did our children think?  Not only were they thrilled about having something different to eat for snack, they made sure we put Jif To Go Dippers on the list for our next trip to the grocery store.  Although they enjoyed both the Creamy Peanut Butter and the Chocolate Silk Peanut Butter, they all seemed to liked the Chocolate Silk the best.

Do your children need something new for a to-go snack?  Look for Jif To Go Dippers in grocery stores nationwide.

Revolution Foods Meal Kits for Kids . . . Convenience Without the Artificial Ingredients! #RealFoodForAll #MC

I participated in an Influencer Program on behalf of Mom Central for Revolution Foods. I received a product sample to facilitate my review and a promotional item to thank me for participating.

We usually keep a small handful of refrigerated lunch kits on hand for our children just in case we ever need them in a pinch.  I used to give lunch kits to our children regularly because they were so convenient, but most of the time I would have to remove the things that came in the kits that I considered to be more appropriate for an occasional treat, such as powdered drink mixes, candy, and cookies.  That is something I do not need to worry about with these new Revolution Foods meal kits since only wholesome foods are included in each box.  In fact, Revolution Foods goes even a step further by including only all-natural foods in these meal kits for kids.

Having been designed by two moms, these meal kits are extremely child-friendly.  Not only did my children enjoy the foods (even without any artificial colors or flavors), they were mostly able to open the sealed packages of food inside each kit on their own.  There aren't too many foods my children can serve themselves.  I keep our Revolution Foods meal kits in the drawer of our fridge right next to the juice boxes, so our children can choose their own lunch and beverage independently.

Although there isn't enough food inside these kits for our 10 year old son, they are the perfect size for early grade school children, like our 7 year old twins.  They each took a meal kit with them on the day of their class field trip to the zoo.  Both were very excited to have such a cool looking lunch to bring, rather than a semi-smooshed sandwich in a paper bag.  As expected, our daughter enjoyed hers, but surprisingly her picky twin brother admitted his was good as well.  It was very clear that the Cheese Pizza Meal Kit was the favorite among our children.  In addition to the pizza, the Ham & Cheddar, and the Turkey & Cheddar, there is also a Peanut Butter & Jelly kit available.  We did not purchase that one because our children's classrooms are peanut-free.

As a parent, I like not feeling guilty about packing something convenient for my children for lunch. These kits contain high quality meats, cheese made from real milk, a serving of 100% real fruit, and whole grain crackers or pizza crust.  There are also no preservatives or artificial flavors and colors.  Best of all, our children enjoyed the meals!

You can find these new Revolution Foods meal kits at Safeway stores nationwide, as well as at select Target and Whole Foods stores.  Use the store locator to find a retailer near you.  Before you shop, be sure to grab a printable coupon to save $1.00 on one Revolution Foods Meal Kit.  Then come back and tell me which variety was your child's favorite!

Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth Without Overindulging with a Trio of Cakeballz Ready-to-Eat Cake Balls!

Thank you to Cakeballz for providing complimentary cake balls samples for us to base this review upon.  All opinions expressed are my own.

If you have a sweet tooth like I do, then you will love Cakeballz. These bite-sized treats come in three delicious flavors . . . Red Velvet, Chocolate, and Birthday Cake, that are sure to satisfy any sugar craving. These mini cakes are perfectly sized and come in a package of three so you get all the deliciousness of fresh cake without all the guilt. Cakeballz are moist balls of cake covered in hard chocolate and sprinkles; and they are yummy!

I expected the Cakeballz to be good, but I had no idea they would be as tasty as they are! They were really fresh and moist and all three flavors tasted awesome. The chocolate and birthday cake flavors were my personal favorites, but my husband loved the red velvet. I wasn’t disappointed in any of them at all. A package of three is perfect to satisfy my craving without making me feel like I'm overindulging, plus I really am satisfied, so I don’t go out searching for more sweets once I’ve finished. These are also very handy for taking on-the-go or in lunchboxes because they are small and not messy. My kids loved them and have already asked when we can go buy more.

We really enjoyed trying these and I will undoubtedly be buying them in the future to snack on. You can find Cakeballz at many Walgreens stores nationwide. Visit their website at www.cakeballz.com to find a Walgreens that carries them near you.  You can also keep a lookout for Cakeballz coming to your local 7-Eleven stores in May!

Don't Skip Breakfast! Grab a Nutri-Grain® Fruit & Oat Harvest Cereal Bar To-Go Instead #NGHarvest

I participated in an Influencer Program on behalf of Mom Central for Nutri-Grain. I received product samples and promotional item to thank me for participating.

As parents, sometimes we are so focused on making sure our children are doing what's best for them that we forget to take care of ourselves.  Take breakfast for instance . . . There are days when we have to fight to get our children to finish even a small breakfast, but we do it because we know they need the fuel to perform their best at school.

Since I work at home, I usually have time to grab a quick breakfast to eat while I work after I've put the children on the school bus.  My husband, on the other hand, usually runs out the door empty-handed and often goes through the morning with only a cup of coffee in his stomach.  I don't know how he makes it through to lunchtime that way.  On the few occasions when I forgot to eat something for breakfast because I got sidetracked by work, I was quickly reminded halfway through the morning with a feeling of extreme weakness and sometimes even a bit of nausea.

Because my husband works long days, I try to keep some nutritious to-go options for him to grab on his way out.  Kellogg's Nutri-Grain® Fruit & Oat Harvest Cereal Bars are a healthy new option that contains whole grains, real fruit, and 4 grams of protein in each bar.  They are like having a cereal bar and a granola bar all in one!

Nutri-Grain® Fruit & Oat Harvest Cereal Bars are currently available in Country Strawberry and Blueberry Bliss.  Thank goodness my husband enjoys both varieties because he is constantly at risk of having the strawberry bars stolen out from under him by one of our children.

To make sure you get through the day without running out of steam, try carrying one or two Nutri-Grain® Fruit & Oat Harvest Cereal Bars and a small bottle of water with you or keeping some in your desk at work.  These bars are surprisingly filling.  You just never know when you'll find yourself stuck at work late or in a bad traffic jam and will need something to help keep you going until your next meal.

To learn more about Nutri-Grain® Fruit & Oat Harvest Cereal Bars, which are now available nationwide, visit www.facebook.com/NutriGrain.

5 Ways Del Monte Fruit Burst Squeezers & Mango Fruit Cups Make Healthy Snacking Easy

The Del Monte products, information, gift pack, and gift card have been provided by Del Monte for the purpose of a product review and for a reader giveaway. All opinions expressed are my own.

Del Monte is a trusted company because they produce quality products that families have loved for over a century. Their newest products, Del Monte Fruit Burst Squeezers and Del Monte Mango and Mango Pineapple Fruit Cups, are delicious, nutritious, and make my life much easier for many reasons . . .

1. They are a healthy, natural snack that I am happy to see my kids eating. With high-fructose corn syrup being a prominent substance in most packaged foods, it makes me happy that these Del Monte foods are free of that.

2. They are tasty and therefore, we like to eat them. It’s rare for my kids to like anything that is healthy, so I love that they not only eat these, but also ask for them and actually crave them. This is a craving I am happy to indulge.

3. They are not messy. The Fruit Burst Squeezers come in a handy pouch so there is absolutely no mess to eating them and the Fruit Cups just require removing the plastic covering and then they are ready to eat. I like to drain some of the juice from them before giving to the kids so we don’t end up with the occasional spilled fruit juice.

4. They are convenient! Even if we are rushing out of the house, I can tell my boys to grab a Fruit Squeezer pouch to eat in the car. I know they won’t end up sticky and they will get a precise 1-1/2 servings of pureed fruit filled with Vitamins A and C. The Fruit Cups are slightly less convenient for eating on the go, but it’s still easier for them to pack the snack cup and a spoon to enjoy a snack away from home (at the park, on a field trip, etc . . . ) than it is to cut and store fresh fruit and to keep it chilled. And the convenience of the pre-portioned sizes cannot be overlooked either.

5. Some varieties of Fruit Squeezers have vegetables in them too. You can’t taste the veggies at all, but it’s great that my children are getting those vital nutrients without all the complaining about not liking vegetables.

We are really happy with these yummy Del Monte products. You can purchase Del Monte Fruit Burst Squeezers and Del Monte Mango Fruit Cups at Walmart. To learn more about these and other Del Monte products, visit www.delmonte.com.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck in the drawing!

This giveaway is open to U.S. entries only. You do not need to be a blogger to enter, but you must have a valid email address and be age 18 years or older. A random drawing will be held shortly after the contest closing. The winner will be announced here and will be contacted via email. If the winner does not respond within 48 hours, a new winner will be drawn.

Good Food Made Simple Frozen Food Products Make It Easy for My Family to #EatClean

This post was written as part of a paid Eat Clean, Eat Simple campaign for The Motherhood and their client Good Food Made Simple. All opinions expressed are my own.

Because our busy family rarely has any down time, easy and convenient solutions are something I am constantly on the lookout for to help streamline our household.  Like with many beneficial things I see other people doing, when it comes to clean eating, I've always thought to myself that I would do this if someone would come up with a way to make it quick and easy for me.  As our lives have become busier, we have turned to using prepared foods and order takeout for dinner more and more.

For the most part, I am not a label-reader, except when checking for how much sodium is in a product if my husband will be eating it.  According to the survey results recently published by Good Food Made Simple, 65% of Americans are just like me and do not read food labels prior to purchasing.  Many of those who do read labels some of the time admitted that they do not understand what a lot of the listed ingredients are.

What's the solution for a busy family like mine? . . .  To slowly compile a list of food brands that I trust to offer products that are free of artificial flavors, colors, sweeteners, preservatives, as well as free of hydrogenated oils (a source of trans fat).  Eventually, I won't have to take the time to read that many labels if I have a good list of go-to brands.  This will be a gradual process, but the first name to be added to my list of trusted clean eating brands is Good Food Made Simple.

No matter how much any given food is better for them, all my family really cares about is the taste.   Before any brand makes it onto my clean eating list, I have to know that my husband and children will actually eat the products.  My family received an assortment of Good Food Made Simple products to try.  Among those, our favorites were the egg patties made with egg whites (they're large enough to use with jumbo English muffins), the breakfast burritos, and the mac & cheese.  I was particularly thrilled that our twins enjoyed the mac & cheese made with Cabot white cheddar.  They love mac & cheese, but are quite set in their ways, so there was a 50/50 chance they would snub this new variety.  Instead, they told me that this was the best macaroni and cheese they've ever eaten!

In addition to the products we tried, Good Food Made Simple also offers oatmeal, breakfast bowls, egg white burritos, and entree wraps and burritos.  Each product is available in different varieties, so you will never get bored.  To learn more about Good Food Made Simple frozen products, visit www.goodfoodmadesimple.com, where you can also find a helpful ingredient dictionary and where to buy Good Food Made Simple products locally.

Caza Trail & Grove Square Single Serve K-Cups (#MC)

I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Sturm Foods, Inc. I received a promotional item and product samples as a thank you for participating. All opinions expressed are my own.

I love coffee (who doesn't?) and I cannot function without my one cup every morning. At work I drink coffee from an industrial machine and I don’t need to worry about doing anything more than pressing a button. At home however, I am the only coffee drinker in the house and making an entire pot is out of the question and frankly not worth it. Great K-Cup coffees for my single servings are mandatory.

Karen asked me if I was interested in trying some new K-Cups from Caza Trail and Grove Square . . . Well heck yeah!  I am always interested in trying new coffee. My pursuit for the ultimate K-Cup experience is ongoing.

We were sent the Caza Trail Dark Roast Coffee, Grove Square Hot Cocoa Variety Pack, and the Grove Square French Vanilla Cappuccino K-Cups to try. I started with the cappuccino for a change. I was a little hesitant as I am not always a fan of flavored coffee. Surprisingly, my fears were quickly removed.  The French Vanilla taste was very subtle and I enjoyed it very much. This K-Cup requires no sweetening or cream to enhance the taste or texture, just serve and enjoy.

Next, I tried the Caza Trail Dark Roast coffee. Dark roast coffee will always be my go-to beverage in the morning, so I was curious to try it. It was excellent, certainly as good as, if not better than, the brands I have been using.

I must admit I have not tried the hot chocolate yet, but Karen has.  Her favorite is the Peppermint Flavor Hot Cocoa.  She loves the flavor and not having to crush candy canes to stir into her cocoa to get it.  With all of this snow and these sub-freezing temperatures, the kids and I will be enjoying some very soon!  Its nice to see a K-Cup that my kids can enjoy for a change, adding even more value to our Keurig brewer.

If you are looking to try some new K-Cups, go ahead and try these and other varieties of single-serve beverages from Caza Trail and Grove Square, I am enjoying them very much and I think you will too.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck in the drawing!

***PLEASE READ CAREFULLY*** This giveaway ends on 12/19/13. This giveaway is open to residents of the continental U.S. only. You do not need to be a blogger to enter, but you must have a valid email address and be age 18 years or older. A random drawing will be held shortly after the contest closing. The winner will be announced here and will be contacted via email. If the winner does not respond on 12/20/13 by 5pm EST, a new winner will be drawn immediately in order to wrap up this contest before the Holiday.

Living Green With Jerinda: New Technology Brings You All-Natural Tea in a Bottle with No Preservatives

Thank you to Tea of a Kind for providing complimentary product samples for us to base this review upon. All opinions expressed are my own.

Tea of a Kind is a super-unique new beverage that offers delicious tea in a new and exciting way. With their globally patented “Gizmo Closure and Delivery System”, the tea itself is stored in a nitrogen pressurized chamber where it stays until the cap is twisted and the tea goes spraying into the bottle. This method requires no preservatives to keep it fresh plus its all-natural ingredients and antioxidants are protected from degradation until consumers are ready to drink. Upon the twist of the cap, the Gizmo closure instantly released the tea into the water which producing a dramatic color transformation that is sure to “wow” anyone.

I wasn’t sure what to expect when this tea came. It sounded really interesting and I knew we would think it was cool based on the video we watched (see the Gizmo technology in action here), but I wondered if the tea would be good and if the transformation would really be as dramatic as their website says. The truth is, it is even more so! The video doesn’t do justice to how rapid and exciting it is to twist that cap. We all had so much fun trying ours and watching the tea spurt out into the water.


As for the tea itself, we all have our favorite flavors and ones we didn’t care for, but every flavor had at least one fan in our household. Tea of a Kind comes in 3 flavors: Peach Ginger, Citrus Mint, and Pomegranate Acai. My oldest son, Avery, and I really liked the Peach Ginger, my husband loved the Citrus Mint, and my youngest, Quinn, liked the Pomegranate Acai.  The tea is just sweet enough and the fruit flavor is neither overpowering nor too subtle; it’s just perfect. We really loved this tea and liked showing off the cool “technology” to our friends and family.

Tea of a Kind is really an interesting twist on beverages. To learn more about their products, including where to purchase, visit their website at www.teaofakind.com.

How to Choose, Store, Cut, and Cook with Fresh Mangos (#Mangover)

This post has been written as part of a paid campaign for The Motherhood, who also provided complimentary product samples for us to participate in an instructional webinar and additional products for our contest prize.  All opinions expressed are my own.

Like to many, for the longest time, mangos have been a mystery to me.  I was never served it growing up, so in turn I never served it to my own family.  I've had mango flavored beverages and have purchased gourmet jarred peach mango salsa from a specialty store, but that was the extent of my exposure to this fruit.  When I was invited to participate in a webinar with Meghan McKenna of the National Mango Board, I was very intrigued.  I ultimately accepted the invitation and was very happy that I did.  I learned so much about how to select the right mangos in the produce section, how to store mangos at home to ensure they ripen properly, how to cut mangos, and how to incorporate them into our everyday meals.  Now I am eager to share the tips I learned with all of you!

How to choose the right mango . . . 

Every fruit has different rules when it comes to choosing one that is at the desired level of ripeness.  You can look for a ripe mango by gently squeezing it.  It should feel slightly soft like a peach.  Since there are so many varieties of mangos, you cannot really judge the level of ripeness of a mango by its external color.  There are 6 different varieties of mangos . . . Ataulfo, Francis, Haden, Keitt, Kent, and Tommy Atkins.  You should be able to find at least one variety in your area no matter what time of year it is.


How to store mangos at home . . . 

Depending on when you plan to use your mangos and their level of ripeness, there are different ways to store them.  If your mangos are not quite ripe, then you can store them out in the open at room temperature.  If you need your mangos to ripen quickly because you plan on using them soon, then you can store them at room temperature in a paper bag to speed up the process.  Once a mango is ripe, it should be stored in the fridge and can remain there for up to 5 days while uncut.  If you purchased more mangos than you ended up needing, you can store peeled or cut mangos in the freezer for up to 6 months if you use a good airtight container.


How to cut a mango . . . 

I was amazed at how easy it is to cut a mango.  I would not have believed it if I hadn't done it myself.  After washing your mango, stand it up on a cutting board with the stem facing down.  Then, with the eye facing up, cut the mango straight down about a quarter inch to the right and to the left of the eye.  If done correctly, you should have two fleshy mango cheeks to use as you like.  I found it easiest to cut the mango flesh with a knife in a grid pattern without cutting through the skin and to use a spoon to scoop out the flesh.


Tips for cooking with mangos . . . 

• You can prepare mangos for cooking in advance since they can be stored in the freezer after being cut.
• Some easy ways to add mangos to your food would be serving them on top of breakfast cereal, yogurt, or ice cream.  (One cup of mangos is only 100 calories and gives you your recommended daily allowance of Vitamin C.  They also contain antioxidants, are fat-free and cholesterol-free, and are a good source of fiber.)
• Mangos can easily substitute for tomatoes in most recipes.
• You can try to add mangos to any of your recipes containing fruit for a new twist to a classic recipe, such as adding mangos to strawberry shortcake, cranberry sauce, and pies or cobblers.

You can find tons of tasty looking recipes in the Mango Recipe Box, such as Mango Bacon BBQ Pizza, Coconut Shrimp with Ginger Mango Sauce, Mango Bread, Mango Banana Smoothies, and so much more.  Among the hundreds of mango recipes found on www.mango.org, we were not able to find the salsa recipe were were looking for, but we did find a Peach Mango Salsa recipe elsewhere online.  This recipe was extremely easy to make, especially if you use a salsa maker to chop all the ingredients for you.  We did change the recipe a little to suit our tastes by adding 1-1/2 Tbsp red wine vinegar and 1/2 tsp salt.  I loved this salsa because it tastes so fresh and it is not spicy like most salsas.  The mango gives this salsa a nice sweet tangy flavor.  Next time we make it, we might add more garlic and cilantro.  Which one of your favorite foods would you like to try preparing with mangos in it?

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck in the drawing!

This giveaway is open to U.S. entries only. You do not need to be a blogger to enter, but you must have a valid email address and be age 18 years or older. A random drawing will be held shortly after the contest closing. The winner will be announced here and will be contacted via email. If the winner does not respond within 48 hours, a new number will be drawn.

Bring Good Moments to the Dinner Table with McCain Potatoes

I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for McCain Foods. I received a sample to facilitate my review as well as a promotional item as a thank-you for participating. All opinions expressed are my own.

One of my biggest complaints about my life is how busy and hectic our household is.  We are pretty much always in a rush and that includes getting dinner on the table.  We have 3 children with 3 different levels of pickiness when it comes to food.  Our 9 year old son is most open to eating almost everything we serve him.  Our 6 year old daughter is open to trying everything at least once, but her list of foods she likes is definitely shorter than her big brother's.  Her twin brother is reluctant to try anything new and randomly moves foods from his 'likes' list to his 'does not like' list.  All of the above is true, even when it comes to the most kid-friendly food in the world . . . french fries.

Luckily for us, McCain potatoes makes it easy for us to please everybody.  Every member of the family has his or her own favorite.  It's so easy for us to make more than one variety of french fries.  The three types of fries we usually serve are McCain 5 Minute Fries, Seasoned Spirals, and Smiles.  Also, somehow our children seem much more willing to eat their veggies when they are served next to a generous serving of fries.  Bottom line is that, thanks to McCain Potato products, at least some of our family dinners can be less stressful and even fun, bringing good moments and memories to the dinner table!

Recently, we served the children a dinner consisting of 3 types of McCain french fries, freshly made hamburgers (with optional bacon, mushrooms, and Swiss or American cheese), and a tiny bit of spinach salad.  If you can believe it, our 6 year old son complained about having to eat his bacon cheeseburger.  He did end up eating it though!  Why? . . . because we also gave the children empty plates to use as canvases to make food art.  Yes, we told them they could play with their food as long as they were eating it too.  Well, they didn't dare eat all their fries first because that would end their play all too quickly, so they gobbled up their burgers and salad.

After I showed them a few things I could make using my food, the children enjoyed themselves thoroughly making their own creations while they ate.  Here are some examples of what they came up with . . .

Here's another one of mine (yes, I had fun playing with my food too!) . . .

McCain wants you to have plenty of chances to bring good moments to your dinner table!  Through November 4th, McCain will randomly draw one winner every week to receive a $500 grocery gift card.  Be sure to enter by visiting McCain on Facebook.  After you enter, remember to grab your coupon for $1 off any one bag of McCain Potato products.

“Load up on groceries your family loves, and bring naturally good moments to the dinner table every time you serve McCain Potatoes."

To learn about how McCain has reformulated its potato product lines to be more natural and free of artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives when possible, visit www.McCain.com.

Bacon & Shrimp Pizza Bake plus Another Easy School Night #Recipe Using #PillsburyBiscuits

Now that school is in full swing, we have a much better idea of how our average weekday looks.  It has become very clear that home cooked dinners have become less frequent.  Our twins are in first grade and no longer get rest time in the afternoon, so they really needed to have their bedtime moved up.  On the days when we need to fit in Taekwondo, homework, dinner, and baths between the time our children get off the bus and the time they go to bed, we have to make dinner a quick one.  Rather than get takeout on those days, I would much rather have some quick home cooked meals planned, for which I can do some of the prep in advance.

Our Bacon & Shrimp Pizza Bake recipe was based on Pillsbury's Grands! Pepperoni Pizza Bake.  We actually made both for dinner earlier this week.  Our children love pepperoni pizza, so I knew the Pepperoni Pizza Bake recipe would be hit with them.  I, on the other hand, prefer other toppings on my pizzas, so I made a variation of the recipe by Pillsbury.

Recipe #1:  Grands! Pepperoni Pizza Bake

INGREDIENTS:

1 can (16.3 oz) Pillsbury® Grands!® Homestyle refrigerated original biscuits
Approximately 8 oz of pizza sauce
1 (8oz) bag shredded mozzarella cheese
16 slices pepperoni (1-1/2 inch diameter)

Step 1.  Preheat oven at 375°F.

Step 2.  Grease a 13" x 9" glass baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.

Step 3.  Separate the biscuits and cut each into 8 pieces.

Step 4.  In a large mixing bowl, toss the cut dough pieces in the pizza sauce and half of the shredded mozzarella cheese.

Step 5.  Spoon the coated biscuit pieces into the baking dish and position the pieces in a single layer.

Step 6.  Add a single layer of pepperoni on top of the dough pieces.  (If you are a pepperoni-lover, you can add a bit more.)

Step 7.  Evenly sprinkle the second half of the shredded mozzarella over the pepperoni.

Step 8.  Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the cheese has started to brown.

Step 9.  Cut into 6 to 8 pieces and serve while warm.

Recipe #2:  Bacon & Shrimp Pizza Bake

INGREDIENTS:

1 can (16.3 oz) Pillsbury® Grands!® Homestyle refrigerated original biscuits
Approximately 8 oz of pizza sauce
1 (8oz) bag shredded mozzarella cheese
12 strips of bacon (cooked)
15 precooked shrimp (thawed and shelled)

Step 1.  Preheat oven at 375°F.

Step 2.  Grease a 13" x 9" glass baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.

Step 3.  Separate the biscuits and cut each into 8 pieces.

Step 4.  Cut cooked bacon into bite size pieces and slice the shrimp lengthwise (like you would to make butterfly shrimp).  This can be done in advance.

Step 5.  In a large mixing bowl, toss the cut dough pieces in the pizza sauce and half of the shredded mozzarella cheese.

Step 6.  Spoon the coated biscuit pieces into the baking dish and position the pieces in a single layer.

Step 7.  Add a single layer of shrimp on top of the dough pieces.  Then add a layer of bacon pieces on top of the shrimp.

Step 8.  Evenly sprinkle the second half of the shredded mozzarella on top of the shrimp and bacon.

Step 9.  Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the cheese has started to brown.

Step 10.  Cut into 6 to 8 pieces and serve while warm.

Two of our three children had two helpings of the pepperoni dish.  You can adjust this recipe to suit your family's needs.  If you do not usually like a lot of sauce on your pizza or pasta, then I would recommend using less pizza sauce to make these recipes.  We had some of the bacon and shrimp dish leftover and I was happy to find it reheated just fine in the microwave, but you could also reheat in the oven.

For more time-saving recipes, download the Pillsbury recipe booklet.  Which Pillsbury recipe would you try first?


I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective. The content and opinions expressed here are all my own and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of General Mills. Compensation was provided by General Mills via Clever Girls Collective.