Food

pumpkin banana muffins

August 29, 2012 | posted by Jaima @ Ring Around the Rosies | 10 Comments

It seems like fall is almost here. And though I have always been a summer girl, the New Englander in me also has a huge heart for autumn! Plus, it was just too hot this summer! I mean, record breaking hot in Tennessee which means miserable!

I am sad to see it get dark earlier, but I love the smell of “football weather”. Tobacco is smoking in the barns and the leaves have that first hue of change.

I seriously feel like it should still be may though. I’m not sure where this year has went, and it makes me a little sad as a mama to a growing baby girl. Anybody else feel that way?

Anyway, today the fall bug bit and I opened my first can of pumpkin!

this is basically exactly the same as my banana nut muffins. Except I added 1 cup pumpkin. I didn’t have any nuts or chocolate chips (which is very rare), but they were still delicious! Elizabeth actually ate TWO after dinner! She calls all muffins “cake”! I wondered how the consistency would be with the added wet ingredient, but they were perfect! Moist, which I like! They would also be amazing with a cream cheese frosting! But I didn’t have the ingredients for that either!

I hope you enjoy!

pumpkin banana muffins

Author: Ring Around the Rosies

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 20 mins

Total time: 30 mins

Serves: 18

delicious mix of banana and pumpkin together in a moist muffin

Ingredients

1 stick butter (room temperature)
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 Tbs pumpkin pie spice
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup pure pumpkin
3 ripe bananas, mashed
1/2 cup chopped nuts (pecans or walnuts) – optional
1/2 cup chocolate chips – optional

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 and line muffin tins with liners
In large bowl, combine butter & sugar; mix well. Add the salt, spice, eggs, vanilla, flour, baking soda, baking powder, pumpkin & bananas. Mix well. Fold in nuts & chips.
Once cooled, can be frozen for 2 weeks –thaw/reheat

Have you started thinking of fall treats yet? I will for sure be making this gooey caramel pumpkin blondies again this fall!

Filed Under: fall, Food, recipe

Southwestern Quinoa Salad

August 15, 2012 | posted by Jaima @ Ring Around the Rosies | 1 Comment

I love quinoa. It is the perfect gluten free grain and alternative to super starchy pastas and rice. It is full of protein, fiber, phytonutrients, and is a good antioxidant!

Did I mention it is super yummy, too?! I often serve it as a side in place of potatoes or rice, but I also like to make salads out of it like I would for a pasta salad!

The last salad I made was a “southwestern” style salad with black beans, fresh corn, tomatoes, red onion, cilantro and avocado! I added a little of my homemade cajuny/chili seasoning and everyone cleaned their plates!

Southwestern Quinoa Salad

Recipe Type: Entree, Side

Author: Ring Around the Rosies

Prep time: 15 mins

Total time: 15 mins

Serves: 4

easy nutritious salad. Serve as an entree with chopped grilled chicken or as a side without.

Ingredients

3 cups cooked organic quinoa
1.5 cups black beans
1.5 cups corn
1 cup diced tomato
1 avocado diced
1/4 cup red onion chopped
1 cup chopped grilled chicken (optional)
fresh cilantro (optional)
salt/pepper/cumin/chili powder/

Instructions mix all together

I hope you enjoy!

What is your favorite way to serve quinoa?!

Filed Under: Food, recipe

freezer cooking {part 5}

August 1, 2012 | posted by Jaima @ Ring Around the Rosies | 58 Comments

Yep, it’s that time again! I’m getting ready to leave for Vegas next week, so of course I want everything at home taken care of while I’m gone! Andrew’s dad is still here, so he will be watching Elizabeth while Andrew’s at work. We’re so blessed he’s still able to come out for a few months every year, he’s such a huge help! Elizabeth just loves ~~Grandpa~~ Geepaw! And I love it because he knows her routine and is awesome with her!

If you’re new here: here is Part One, Part Two, Part Three, and Part Four! I never dreamed my first post would turn in to such a hit, but I am so thankful it has helped so many of you! The emails you guys send literally bring me to tears! My passion is definitely in empowering and helping other women, so thank YOU!

Without further ado: Part Five:

This time I’m going to try to do things a little different in an effort to provide you with printable versions of these! And hopefully I will get the first 4 done the same way, so bear with me, while I work on some changes around here!

GET THE PRINTABLE RECIPES HERE

General Freezer Cooking Directions:

1) make a list of recipes 2) make an ingredient list and go shopping (don’t forget your freezer bags). 3) gather all of the ingredients 4) Chop all of the veggies first. Dice all of your onions, carrots, peppers, and mince your garlic. 5) Label your bags with the directions and 6) THEN add your veggies 7) Add your meat 8) Add your other ingredients. 9) Let out air, seal bag, mix around, and lay flat! 10) Freeze and Rejoice!

I have tried using glass or plastic freezer containers, but still find the freezer bags to work out the best. You can always wash and reuse them if you would like to keep your thumb print green!

Each freezer dinner recipe makes TWO bags which will each make 1 dinner plus leftovers for my family of 3!

You can find my see my faq responses here!

Toddler Meals

Mini Omelet Cups

Mini Spaghetti Cups

Tropical Freezer Smoothies

Banana Nut Muffins

Freezer Dinner Meals

Chicken Cacciatore

Pepper Steak

Taco Soup

Baked Green Chile Enchiladas

Baked Goulash

Roast (recipe in part 3)

GET THE PRINTABLE RECIPES HERE

I hope you love these as much as I love helping other busy mom (and women in general) find simple solutions that allow them to spend more time with their families or doing other things they love!

GET THE PRINTABLE RECIPES HERE

Filed Under: Food, freezer cooking, r, recipe

grilled island turkey burgers

July 24, 2012 | posted by Jaima @ Ring Around the Rosies | 3 Comments

here is a super simple {and fast} weeknight dinner for you! Or, host a bbq and serve them up on the weekend!

take 1 lb of ground turkey burger (or, you could use beef)

mix in the following spices to your liking (I never measure my spices, but I will try at the end to guestimate for you) with your meat and then pat out into patties (I am a pansy and use gloves when handling ANY kind of meat)!

have your handsome husband throw them on a preheated grill. 1/2 way through cooking throw on some rings of fresh pineapple.

meanwhile, whip up a quick corn salsa – I do 1 bag of frozen corn or 4 ears of fresh corn cut off the cob and 1 can of black beans. I mix in salt, cilantro, lime juice, and usually red onion and diced tomato! And sometimes avocado, but this time, we’re serving it on the burger – so go ahead and slice one up.

When the burgers are almost done, throw a slice of provolone on your burger and then dress your burger as you desire.

We had ours on Udi’s gluten free buns (which are the best I’ve found, but really thick) with a dab of organic mayo, grilled pineapple, and sliced avocado! We had paper plates left over from something, so we used them right up and made clean up even easier!

Grilled Island Turkey Burgers

Recipe Type: Entree

Author: Ring Around the Rosies

Prep time: 5 mins

Cook time: 12 mins

Total time: 17 mins

Serves: 4

an easy weeknight grilled dinner

Ingredients

1lb ground turkey
1tsp sea salt
1tsp ground pepper
1 tsp cumin
1 Tbs chili powder
2 cloves minced garlic
chopped cilantro (optional)
Pineapple Slices
Provolone Cheese
Avocado sliced

Instructions

Preheat grill
Mix all spices and herbs together with meat
Pat out into round patties
Grill about 12 minutes (or until completely done) flipping once
Grill pineapple slices about 5 minutes beside burgers
Top burgers with Cheese, grilled pineapple, and fresh sliced avocado

Notes

Serve with a simple Corn Salsa:

Mix together 1 can rinsed organic black beans, equal amounts of corn, 1/2 of medium red onion (chopped), cherry tomatoes (diced), sprinkle of salt, lime juice, and cilantro (chopped)

Filed Under: Food, recipe

ninja krispies {a gluten free treat}

July 16, 2012 | posted by Jaima @ Ring Around the Rosies | 5 Comments

and I should probably add {unhealthy} treat.

Andrew’s coworkers request these at least every other week now. And my brother’s friends request them every weekend, so as you can see, they are almost always in my house. Thankfully, Elizabeth hasn’t noticed them yet. But I did serve the ones I had leftover from the boys at her birthday party.

I don’t always make them gluten free. If I’m sending them to someone else I usually use regular oreos. They are simple easy! The hardest part is waiting for them to set!

To start, crush 1 pack of sandwich cookies (glutino, oreos, newman’s own, or other). I crush mine in a ziplock with a rolling pin.

Then I melt 1 pack of marshmallows and about 1/4 stick of butter

then you mix it all together!

line a 9×9 pan with plastic wrap (not aluminum foil or wax paper – trust my errors, they will stick)

refrigerate ‘til firm enough to cut into squares and eat.

easy peasy, right?!?

Recipe:

1 package cookies (crushed)
1 bag of marshmallows
1/4 stick of butter
crush cookies
melt marshmallows and butter, mix together
add in cookies and blend ‘til desired
let set in fridge ‘til firm

Filed Under: Food, recipe

homemade sushi & date night in

June 27, 2012 | posted by Jaima @ Ring Around the Rosies | 7 Comments

At least once a month, I feed Elizabeth an early dinner and then we all play for a little while together. Afterwards, we give her a bath, put her to bed and make dinner for ourselves.

While we have made a routine of having dinner as a family at the table every night, sometimes we just need a dinner to ourselves. One that doesn’t require me to get up and down fetching various things, constantly wiping “yucky hands”, or cleaning up spilled milk.

One of our favorite things to make together is sushi! It is way easier than we thought it would be. And much, much cheaper! And I love that we can do it together.

After we prepare our food, whether we’re eating sushi or something more fancy, we usually follow it up with a date night on the couch. Our tv is very rarely on, but some nights it’s nice to just snuggle on the couch and be with each other.

What you’ll need:

Sushi Mat
cutting board and sharp knife
seaweed sheets
sushi rice (it’s much sticker than regular white or brown rice)
avocado, cucumber, crab, tuna, or other filling (you can buy it cooked in your freezer section or deli usually).

I usually put my rice on in the morning, and let it set all day. The sticker the better! But I have made it before we give Elizabeth a bath and it’s been good.

Here is the video we watched on youtube to teach us. It’s quite amusing.

We didn’t follow them word for word. We kind of made our own, but it gives you the general directions.

I like them better with the rice on the outside. But you can see which ones you like better.

Do you ever put the kids to bed early so you can enjoy a little more time with your hubby? Or just to have a quiet dinner?

What are your favorite ways to nurture your marriage?

Filed Under: Food, marraige, recipe, This is Us

25 Minute Monterrey Chicken

June 20, 2012 | posted by Jaima @ Ring Around the Rosies | Leave a Comment

I hope you’re all having a great week. I think we are finally getting some of the kinks worked out here at RATR. I think you should all be seeing the same fonts and header now. It’s not what I originally wanted, but for now, it will work so that I can focus on other things…

Like preparing for Bean’s second birthday, and getting my home ready for my father-in-law who will be spending the summer with us. Oh, and my business that is booming! My heart is seriously so full! I love helping other people, and I love being at home and planning special things for those I love!

In case you don’t have anything planned for dinner, I thought I’d share with you a super simple, but super satisfying and healthy dish!

I made this last night, and it’s always a crowd pleaser!

All of the veggies came from the garden! There is seriously not much better than having fresh vegetables that you don’t have to drive to the food store and pay for!

The entire meal takes about 25 minutes, with only about 5 minutes of prep time. To begin, preheat the oven to 400 and then slice 2-3 squash and 1-2 zucchini. Dump it all in a large pot and boil for about 15 minutes. Once they’re tender and mushy, drain and add back to the pot. Mix in butter, salt, and pepper, and mash! Basically, just like you would do for creamed potatoes!

This is what it should look like when it’s done.

Once you get the squash and zucchini on the stove, trim 3 chicken breast and slice in half lengthwise. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and garlic. I like to add my favorite homemade all purpose seasoning too. Then, sprinkle with chopped onions (optional). Top with bbq sauce. Bake for 20 minutes.

While you wait, put the dishes away from breakfast, or start on the dinner dishes! Then, top with shredded cheese and let it melt. Then garnish with fresh chopped tomatoes.

Now you have a semi-clean kitchen and a healthy dinner!

Enjoy!

2-3 squash
1-2 zucchini
3-4 Tbs butter
salt & pepper to taste
slice squash and zucchini
add to large pot and cover with water
bring to boil – boil 15 minutes
drain, add back to pot
mix in butter and salt and pepper
mash

3 boneless skinless chicken breasts – trimmed and split
salt & pepper to taste
chopped onion (optional)
bbq sauce
shredded cheese
chopped tomato (optional)

preheat oven to 400
place chicken in baking dish, top with seasoning and onion
spread on bbq sauce
bake 20 minutes
add cheese to top and melt
let cool slightly, top with diced tomatoes

Filed Under: Food, recipe

Freezer Cooking {Part 4}

May 23, 2012 | posted by Jaima @ Ring Around the Rosies | 27 Comments

I love new recipes, Unless noted otherwise, most of the recipes I share with you are my own recipes, either tried and true from old cookbooks or from Mama.

But this week, I had the opportunity to review my friend Stephanie’s new eCookbook! Y’all, I adore it. Not only is it super cute, but she uses real, healthy food and she explains what real food is! And, all of her recipes include the nutritional values. So smart.

I don’t want to give too much away about the book, because I think that if you like my freezer cooking posts, that you’ll love this book and should just buy it for your collection! Currently, It is only $6.00! I printed it out and quickly added it to my favorite recipe collections. There are all sorts of meals in it though, chicken, beef, pork, vegetarian… AND, she even includes printable labels for your bags/containers. I didn’t take the time to find my label paper, so I just wrote right on the bag, but they are available if you want them!

GET YOURS HERE

This time around I made:

French Beef Dip, Cumin Cinnamon Beef Stew

Ginger Cranberry Pork Roast (cooking now), Summer Veggie Soup

And her goulash, which I’ve had before and loved!

We ate the Cumin Cinnamon Beef Stew last night. I LOVE the way anything cinnamon smells up your house. But with the cumin and carrots, it was so good! So nice to have some fresh new recipes at your disposal. I know my family will like them all.

My favorite part is still being able to prepare so many meals during naptime because around 5:00, Elizabeth wants nothing else but to be held. She is always right between me and the stove while I’m trying to cook, and between her and the dog, it is the most stressful time of day for me. I also love only having a small mess to clean up (knifes, cutting boards, chopper, couple of spoons). My husband likes it too, because he’s usually the one to do the dishes at night! No pots and pans or mixing bowls!

I also browned some ground chuck and put together 2 lasagnas during this time. It’s one of my favorites, but we rarely have it. We’ve had a lot to celebrate lately so I made us one and made a separate one for my bffl who just welcomed her first baby home. Mama made this for our wedding rehearsal dinner. She used cottage cheese instead of ricotta, but once I moved to Connecticut and made my second family Italians, I learned that that is a big time no-no! I usually use fresh mozzarella too, but forgot to pick it up.

Mama Barbara’s Lasagna

2 lb ground chuck, 2 Tbs Italian herbs, and 1 chopped onion, browned & drained
4-5 cups of your favorite sauce (or homemade)
1 container ricotta cheese
2 cups mozzarella shredded (plus handfull for top)
1 cup fresh shaved parmesan (plus handfull for top)
2 eggs
1 box de boles gluten free oven ready lasagna noodles

mix sauce in with meat and ladle a little on bottom of 9×13 pyrex

top with noodles

mix all cheeses and eggs together layer on top of noodles

repeat layers ending with sauce and top with extra cheese

Bake 425 for 45-60 minutes or until done

I always make two of these at a time and freeze one in an aluminum pan for one there’s a new baby or if someone needs a meal. It would be great paired with bread, salad, and wine for a new neighbor or just for a quick “thinking of you” on a doorstep!

Have you tried Stephanie’s Book or freezer cooking yet? It totally simplifies our life!!

GET YOURS TODAY

Filed Under: Food, freezer cooking, recipe

recipes, weekend, mothers day

May 11, 2012 | posted by Jaima @ Ring Around the Rosies | 2 Comments

Thought I would drop in for a minute and share a few things we’ve been eating lately that aren’t freezer meals. It has been a crazy busy week, which I am thankful for, but I am in need of a mental break.

Saturday we are hosting a dinner party here with some of Andrew’s coworkers. I’m pretty excited to mingle with other families. I love hosting parties, but given our current home is barely over 900 sq. feet, we have to get creative with seating. We’ve decided to have an outside Southern bbq. There’s quite a few kids too, so outside will definitely be best for their energy!

And then there’s Mother’s Day. Which should be joyous, but in all honesty, it is one of THE hardest days of the year for me. While I celebrate Mom’s life and have a party on her birthday, mother’s day is different. It reminds me that Elizabeth will never ever have her as a grandma she can escape to and that I can’t call her and talk to her 10 times a day anymore. And there are more days than I’d like to admit that I just need my Mama. And how do you make it special for YOU as a mom? While it’s already hard, I still have to treat my grandma, my hubby’s mom & grandmas. I’d love to just have a day OFF. No running around. no cooking. no cleaning… just a low-key, picnic kind of day at home with the family that made ME a mom. But that’s not treating our other mom’s fairly… Ugh. How do YOU celebrate?

Can you tell I need that mental break?

Anyway, onto some recipes.

Chicken Parm with Parmesan Roasted Zucchini

I have never made my zucchini like this before, but it turned out so good.I love zucchini just about any way you make it. Sautéed, grilled, creamed (that’s Southern), and definitely fried! But this may be my new favorite way to prepare it.

Chicken Parm: split 2 chicken breasts in half (lengthwise). Pour 1 cup seasoned gf flour in bag or container. Add chicken and shake. Once it is coated, place chicken in greased baking dish and bake at 400 for 15 minutes. Turn Chicken, top with your favorite tomato sauce and fresh shaved parmesan (and mozzarella if you want). Backe for another 15 minutes, or until chicken is cooked thoroughly. Add a tad bit more parmesan once you plate it.

Roasted Zucchini: Slice zucchini and throw onto baking pan. Drizzle with sea salt, evoo, and parmesan. Bake for 25 minutes, tossing once.

Baked Burgers with Sautéed Mushrooms and Onions

Baked Burgers: Mix beef or turkey with seasoning (I use sea salt, cracked black pepper, garlic cloves, and onion powder). Pat out into round burgers. Bake in oven for about 20 minutes, or until they’re cooked enough for your liking. Meanwhile, slice onion (red or yellow) and mushrooms. Heat evoo or coconut oil in large pan. Add veggies and a touch of sea salt and sauté until onions are translucent. Top Burgers with swiss cheese (optional) and veggies.

I served mine with a spinach salad and baked potato. I was trying to carb load before my first 5k!

Avocado Chicken Salad

Avocado Chicken Salad:
I made mine basically just like my guacamole recipe, but added chicken. Then I added a slice of cheese and grilled it on our Forman grill. Served on Udi’s gf bread with fruit salad! SO easy and So good!

I hope you all have a fantastic Mother’s Day weekend!!! Maybe your hubby will make you one of these easy, but delicious meals that night!

Be on the lookout for a great special for Sunday only to post.

And please help me congratulate my friend Stephanie from Mama and Baby Love on her first E-Cookbook! YOU will love it! It’s all about Freezer Cooking! Click here to view more details

Filed Under: Food, freezer cooking, This is Us

clean eating and life

April 24, 2012 | posted by Jaima @ Ring Around the Rosies | 3 Comments

I wanted to share a few of the recipes I have been eating during the Spring Detox. I had meat for the first time in a week last night. And strangely, I didn’t get a headache at all the first week, but this morning I woke up with a wicked headache… I don’t know if it’s related or not.

This is one of our favorite snacks, even when I’m not doing a detox! Elizabeth loves it, too!

Green Smoothie

honestly, my ingredients are always different for smoothies, and I don’t always measure. I just add ‘til I have the flavor and texture I like.

They almost always contain organic greek yogurt, almond milk, and 1/2 – 1 whole frozen banana, organic non gmo soy protein, and sometimes other fruit.

This one, I did about 1 cup milk, 1/2 cup yogurt, 1/2 banana, 1 cup pineapple, 2 scoops protein, sprinkle of cinnamon, and a big fistfull of spinach. Again, add more milk if you like a different texture. You can add ice to make it more like a slush, or you can add a bit of stevia to fight the bitterness of the spinach. I find that the fresh pineapple is sweet enough.

Tip: When your bananas are beginning to get too ripe, cut in half and freeze! They make amazing smoothies, shakes, or use them for baking!

I love salads, especially during the spring and summer.

Simple Salad

Because I haven’t had meat, I added a little extra protein with a boiled egg, and garbanzo beans (which my husband likes to call “garbage beans”). I loaded it with fresh veggies, baby spinach, and added raw sliced almonds to the top! For the dressing, I used a light vinaigrette.

I use to not be a seafood person AT ALL, but I’m learning to love it. Here is Andrew’s plate.

Baked Fish

I usually bake or grill mine in foil with a little butter and seasoning (SOOO GOOD). Andrew wanted his battered last night. I mixed flour (you can use gf if you have to), sea salt, seafood rub, cracked black pepper, garlic powder together in a bag. Shook my fish in it, and layed it in an oil drizzled baking dish. I baked it at 400 for about 15 minutes. SOOO easy! Be sure to drizzle enough oil, or spray your pan! Don’t forget like I did, or your flour will come off!

I served it with organic quinoa (our newest obsession) and steamed broccoli! Elizabeth ate almost her entire plate!

***

Life is so busy here right now. Every day there is something fun and exciting I want to show you, but simply do not have the time. There are a lot of things evolving and changing in our home and in our lives, along with my little piece of the internet. I can’t wait to show you more, but for now I am off to savor this little girls silly smile! She begs to WEEEEEE (swing) all day long! As soon as she woke up this morning, “Mama, weeee! Mama, I weeee”! So even though it was freezing cold (what is up with this weather) I bundled her up and we went weeeee!

Hope you’re all having a great day!

XOXO

Filed Under: Food, health, This is Us

pumpkin banana muffins

Southwestern Quinoa Salad

freezer cooking {part 5}

grilled island turkey burgers

ninja krispies {a gluten free treat}

homemade sushi & date night in

25 Minute Monterrey Chicken

Freezer Cooking {Part 4}

recipes, weekend, mothers day

clean eating and life

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