Easy Peasy Spaghetti & Meatballs

Once upon a time, I used to think my kids needed wholesome nutritious meals that were complicated and took a lot of ingredients and time to make.

Needless to say, time has taught me the error of my ways. I started listening to my kids and realized, sometimes, it's best to actually do what your kids want. My 5-year-old son recently started asking for Spaghetti and Meatballs. And I realized, it's easy, it can be nutritious, and your kids will actually eat it! So, lo and behold:

Spaghetti & Meatballs (with broccoli & cauliflower on the side)

Ingredients:
1 pkg Spaghetti noodles (cut noodles in half for little kids)
1 12oz can of Classico (or other type) Tomato & Basil sauce
1 12oz pkg of frozen meatballs
1 pkg of SteamFresh broccoli & cauliflower
Parmeson for taste

Directions:

1) First off, start by boiling water in a pot. My easy trick to prevent noodles from sticking is to add some vegetable or olive oil.

2) If you have younger children (who struggle to get noodles wrapped around a fork and revert to shoving it into their mouths, and everywhere else), an easy trick is breaking the noodles in half. It's much easier to eat a smaller noodle than the big ones that fall everywhere, and spray pasta sauce everywhere. After breaking the noodles, put into boiling water pot.

3) Put meatballs on plate and cover with wet paper towel. Cook for about 2-3 minutes (depending on how many meatballs you want to cook). In my family, we cook the whole package. Whatever meatballs don't get eaten by my family, get eaten by the dogs. They all follow my toddler around (she shares)

4) After meatballs are cooked, put the SteamFresh package in the microwave for 5-6 minutes.

Yes, you can absolutely cook fresh vegetables for your family, but on the days when you want them to eat healthy without exhausting yourself in the kitchen, this is a really quick trick (I buy at least 3 of these every week. Sometimes they just make a nice healthy snack)

5) After noodles are cooked, drain and then add in pasta sauce. Cook over stove for 5-6 minutes and then add in meatballs.

Trick:

Some kids are really picky about spaghetti and meatballs touching vegetables. I suggest using a bowl and plate. The spaghetti is easier for kids to scoop and eat out of a bowl, everyone wins!

How do I get my kids to eat their vegetables?

So, I've had this battle for years. Half the problem is the smell or shape or color of a vegetable, and the other half the problem is the taste. If you have those finicky eaters ( we all do), try adding salt or melting cheese over the vegetables. Suddenly that broccoli tastes 100% better with cheese on it (and dairy is good for them!)

6) Serve up your quick dinner meal (Yeah, that took maybe 15 minutes...) and enjoy! Bon Appetit!

Slow Cooker Pot Roast

How can you have a meal already cooked before you get home from work? Not to mention with the hungry and cranky kids in tow?

Do it before work, or better yet, the night before.

Slow Cooker Pot Roast

It's easy, it has the basic food groups, and when you get home, you don't have to freak out about dinner.

Ingredients:

1 3-4 lb pot roast
5 medium sized potatoes (yukon gold or other, depending on preference)
1 8oz bag of mini carrots (you can use regular carrots, but mini carrots will save you time)
1/2 medium sized chopped onion
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp rosemary
1 14 oz can of beef broth (or use beef bullion cubes mixed with hot water)

If you're making gravy (I strongly suggest you do)
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour

Directions:

1) First off, you'll want to do most of this the night before. Just think, even if you're exhausted, it's much much easier the night before. Start off my chopping half an onion, and if you want the carrots chopped into smaller pieces, this is the time to do it. You'll also want to chop up the potatoes tonight too.


2) Get a medium sized bowl and pour all seasonings into the bowl. Set all of these aside until the next morning.



3) Don't forget to put the pot roast in the fridge to thaw out (or place in luke warm water)

4) In the morning, brown the pot roast over the stove on all sides. Place it in your crock pot/slow cooker, and sprinkle seasonings over the roast.

5) Put the potatoes, carrots and onions around the roast pour beef broth all around.

6) Cook on low for 6 hours

7) When you're home from work, your dinner is ready. However, if your kids won't eat food without gravy, you will have to do a little bit of work:

8) Melt butter in a small pot and mix in flour. Then take 1/2 cup of broth in bottom of slow cooker and mix in with butter/flour mixture. Heat on simmer until it thickens

If it's really delicious, it will get eaten very quickly. Or if you have kids like mine: They will actually eat their dinner for once in a blue moon. (My kids never do)

9) What if the gravy doesn't thicken? It's simple, just add more flour. I would sprinkle this in so it doesn't get too thick.

Serve & Enjoy!

Happy child!!!! (If you were curious, that beer bottle was from yesterday and is empty. No, the toddler didn't get any)