good reminder

easy and yummy

My new favorite last minute dinner is..... meatball sandwiches. Now I prefer to make all of our own meals and eat real food, but there are times that I need something in a flash. So here is my go-to recipe.

Trader Joe's Meatballs (they are frozen and already cooked)
1 jar of Organic Marinara Sauce
Good rolls or sandwich buns
Provolone cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat the meatballs and marinara sauce in a pan on stovetop. Cook on low for 20 minutes. Take your buns and remove some of the bread to make a well for the meatballs. Add  meatballs and some sauce to each bun and then cover with provolone cheese. Put on a baking sheet for about 4 minutes. Enjoy!

I can't wait to possibly perfect my own meatball recipe and keep them in the freezer. Until then, I love this substitution.

new recipe and a cute food lover

This cute kid eats anything. He was excited to help me make stuffed bell peppers. He ate them all up too. Our third born is our little food lover. 

Here is a delicious recipe (you can also find here) for Taco Stuffed Bell Peppers:

Taco Stuffed Peppers

6 medium sweet bell peppers
1 Tbs salt
1/2 C cooked couscous
2 Tbs olive oil
1 onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 14oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup frozen corn kernels
2 green onions, sliced
1-2 tablespoons taco seasoning
1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
1/4 black pepper, plus more to taste
1 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes
3/4 C Mexican blend cheese

Preheat oven to 350. Prepare peppers by washing, slicing tops off, and removing insides. Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil and add 1 tablespoon salt. Boil whole peppers for about 3-4 minutes, until they begin to soften. Remove from water with tongs and place on paper towels to drain.

Heat oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add corn, beans, green onions, taco seasoning, kosher salt, and pepper. Stir until corn and beans are heated through, about 5 minutes. Place peppers in a baking dish. Remove skillet from heat and add couscous, tomatoes, and 1/2 cup cheese. Stir to combine well and give it a taste. Add additional salt, pepper, and taco seasoning to your liking. Then evenly divide mixture between peppers. Top peppers with remaining 1/4 cup cheese. Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes.

Enjoy!

fav

It is safe to say that this is one of my favorite photos ever. My husband and my son together. Thank you to our friend Steve at Threaded Films for capturing this moment forever.

sugar & spice

Head over to my Family and Frills blog at ocfamily.com to see more picture from the Sugar & Spice baby shower I co-hosted!

talk about lovely

My friend Merisa was featured on Apartment Therapy. I am so in love with her sweet little home. 

Talk about lovely!

For the rest of the Home Tour go here!

time away

A few weeks back I took a whole day off. Not from a job, or a volunteer position, but from my family. It sounds bad, I know, but it's not. It's necessary. I got my tan on at the pool, my nails done, I went to the mall, and I ate dinner by myself. It was a nice way to take a deep breath and let some stress go. It was like a mommy staycation day.

As moms we get so wrapped up in our family life that we forget that we need some time away. Not just a girls night out or a baby shower, but real quiet time. Time to reflect, think, and enjoy. I have an amazing husband who always gives me my own time, but it's still hard to take a whole day off. I think as mom's we have to demand it, plan it, and implement it.

I think a full day off for myself every three or four months will be just enough to keep me refreshed from the craziness of life with three little ones!

summer moments

We have had a lot of fighting, tears, and timeouts this summer. Three kids 7 and under has proven difficult for me during this time off, but there has been a lot of good too. Some of my favorite moments of summer have been catching my kids playing quietly by themselves... they become so deep in play that they don't even notice their mommy hovering above them taking pictures. 

easiest dessert ever

I made these peanut butter bars for a friend whose only birthday dessert request was that it involved peanut butter cups. So I figured why not make my own! They are pretty darn close, require no baking, and are addicting (and I don't even like peanut butter cups). Go here for the recipe! You won't be disappointed.

new obsession

My sister sent me this link for homemade chocolate soft serve. It's the kind that is actually healthy for you. After all, it's made of frozen bananas, milk, vanilla extract, cocoa powder..... and that's it. No sugar, no cream, nothing else. You can follow her recipe, but I usually add more milk and it takes a little bit of love to get it creamy (I have made in Cuisinart and the blender). Maybe a total of 5 minutes. So easy and delicious.

I'm serious.... make it today. Immediately. Right now. Or as soon as your bananas are frozen.

Enjoy!