{I received this product free of charge. All opinions expressed in this post are my own.}
If you have been following my blog, then you may know that I have had menu planning as a Mission of the Month for quite awhile! I seem to have the same daily struggle right around 5pm. The kids start asking what’s for dinner and I get frustrated because I have no clue what we are going to eat! Well, I don’t know if Mystie (fellow homeschool mother of five) knew about my frustration, but her eBook, Simplified Dinners, has been a real help to my once daily (now rarely) dilemma!
What is Simplified Dinners?
Simplified Dinners is a cookbook, but a cookbook with a greater purpose than JUST recipes! Simplified Dinners does exactly what it says, it helps to simplify dinner! You begin with a basic master pantry list. Keeping your pantry stocked with these basic (nothing fancy) grocery items from the master pantry list ensures that you can make the recipes included in the book!
[Simplified Dinners] is all about encouraging homestyle cooking with basic ingredients. It is possible to cook good, healthy food without a pantry full of specialized ingredients, and it is possible to make easy dinners without shortcut, preprepared products. Simplified Dinners (and the gluten- and dairy-free edition!), enables anyone to transition toward home-prepared, real, whole foods cooking—even those less confident in the kitchen. Simplified Dinners helps keep dinner streamlined while allowing flexibility. ~Simplified Dinners website
How I’m Using Simplified Dinners:
Simplified Dinners is an eBook. However, I am a hard copy type of girl. So, I printed out the 30 page file and bound it together using my new binding machine. The book now sits on my desk in the kitchen ready for me to pull out at that once dreadful hour of 5pm! {grins}
Once I got the eBook printed out, I began filling up my pantry using the master pantry list supplied in the book. I was pleasantly surprised that I didn’t need to stock up on a bunch of random grocery items. Everything is very basic and easily accessible! While I still have yet to completely stock my pantry with ALL of the items, I have still been able to avoid that 5pm dilemma A LOT more than I had in the past!
I am quickly able to skim through the recipe combinations in the book and select a meal. When I am really on my game, I take a look at the book in the morning before breakfast so that I can thaw meat or fill my crockpot if needed. Honestly, it feels great to plan ahead and sit down to a great, nutritious, stress-free meal with my family! Yes, 5pm used to be a very stressful time of the day for me! {grins}
The Simplified Dinners Recipes:
I really like how Mystie set up and organized the eBook. There a lot of meals included in the eBook:
| Slow Cooker Roasts | Slow-Cooker (No Frost Chicken) |
| Chicken-in-a-Pot | Skillet Cutlets w/Pan Sauces |
| Marinades for Grilling or Broiling | Foil-Packet Fish |
| Stovetop Pasta | Bean Pots |
| Fajitas | Quesadillas |
| Taco Bar | Burritos or Enchiladas |
| Taquitos | Frittata |
| Oven Omelette | Pizza |
| Simple Stir-fry | Potato Hash |
| Baked Potato Bar | Bean Soups |
| Stews | Blended Vegetable Soups |
| Quick Soups | Main Dish Salads |
| Side Dishes | Salads |
But, don’t be fooled, within the meal list shown above, there are multiple recipe variations for each meal! There are well over 100 recipes based on the meal list above, using the items from the master pantry list!
For example, take a look below. This is the page for Slow-Cooker, No Defrost Chicken. There are six variations of slow-cooker chicken recipes all using the same general process! Simple and easy…just how I like it!
Our Simplified Dinners:
The very first recipe that I tried were the Creamy Chicken Taquitos. Oh.my.goodness! They were so delicious! I normally get the prepackaged taquitos from Costco and they are no comparison to these! My kids now request the “homemade” taquitos rather than the packaged ones!
Creamy Chicken Taquitos served with black beans and fresh salsa
After our experience with the taquitos, I was eager to try more recipes! Here are some of the recipes that I remembered to snap a photo of:
Taco Chicken served on a warm tortilla
Broccoli Cheese Soup
Black Bean Chili with ground turkey
Simple Sweet & Sour Stir-Fry served on a bed of brown rice
According to the Kids:
Confession time…one morning I was cooking ground beef to use for dinner and my kids were shocked! Needless to say, I was excited when they asked me what’s for dinner that day…I actually knew what to tell them…and it was 8 o’clock in the morning! My 9 year daughter continued to say, and I quote, “This new meal planner stuff is really helping mom out! It’s only breakfast and she’s making dinner!”
I have gotten “thumbs up” from at least 4 of my 5 kids for every single meal that I have made using Simplified Dinners! Now, THAT is a sign that Simplified Dinners is a keeper!!! Thank you Mystie and my kids thank you too! {grins}
Buy Simplified Dinners!
You can purchase Simplified Dinners for $12.99.
“But, I’m on a gluten-free, dairy-free diet!” Well, Mystie’s got you covered too! She has an GFDF edition of Simplified Dinners dedicated to easy, flexible, frugal, allergy-free cooking! Check it out!
Win Simplified Dinners!
~Giveaway has ended~
Would you like to win a copy of Simplified Dinners (your choice of the regular or allergy-free version)? You can enter to win using the Rafflecopter below. Giveaway ends at midnight on Thursday 12/20/12. The winner will be emailed and announced on the giveaway widget below. Winner will have 48 hours to respond to the email or a new winner will be selected. All entries must be documented within the Rafflecopter widget below.
**If you are reading this post via email or via a reader and the giveaway widget does not appear below, please click the link below to enter.
Disclosure: This product was given to me free of charge for review/giveaway purposes. I do not have to return the product to the vendor. All opinions expressed in this post are my own and I was not required to post a positive review of the product.
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Sounds like a great tool for family meal prep
I am definitely interested in the allergen-free version! Our DD has severe allergies and I am always looking for quick, healthy meals that are kid friendly! BTW, loved the photos, the food looked great!
[email protected]
I would love to win Simplified dinners because I am a busy mother of six children with a hubby that loves to eat! LOL I need a simplified way of cooking! This would be put to GREAT use!
As a homeschooling mom of 4, with an intensive treatment protocol for my son, I crave simplicity and a moment to stop planning everything.
I would love to win this as I could use some help with getting simple meals on the table.
Wow! This would be pretty helpful. I seem to have a slump these days too.
This sounds like exactly what I need. I am so not creative about dinner and do not think about it until everyone is hungry.
I’m always on the lookout for good cookbooks that use REAL ingredients and make meals simple like this one. I would love to win it!
This would be a great to have on hand. I try to be organized… but it doesn’t always work that way. Would love to win this giveaway. Thanks for telling us about Simplified Dinners.
I really need dinner help, I’ve been in such a rut lately and this sounds like a great solution!
I ONLY survive, using meal plans, but since I HATE being in the kitchen, I have to use cookbooks for my meal plans. I’ve gone through 2 cookbooks already, but this one sounds different, and I would LOVE to give it a try.
Oh my. I would really, really like this. Sounds like just what I need!
I am looking to perhaps simply and be healthier for my family this year. This looks like a great option!
I am a busy mom of 4 and anything that can make getting an easy dinner on the table, that taste great, quickly is a must have for me.
I haven’t REALLY cooked for about 15 years. I’d like to start back up, slowly and easily. This book would be a great help!
Dinner is my least favorite meal of the day. I need all the help I can get. This sounds like the perfect solution.
This book looks amazing! What a wonderful way to make dinnertime less stressful and avoid the 5:00 panic! Thank you!
Working full time again it is hard to find time to sit down and plan out meals.
This would be great for my family of 5. Dinner is pretty much the same thing every night with a few special theme nights (i.e., tacos, pizza, burger/fries) on Friday & Saturday. Not to mention I think this would help me feed everyone and not have to make tow different dinners to satisfy kids v. adults.
I want to print it out and bind it just like you did!
What a great concept…fill the pantry and create easy meals that can always be made based on those items. What a great giveaway.
Love meal planning -life saving for us too, this book seems like a great addition to the meal planning solution.
Thanks,
Kathey
i am just starting out a gluten free diet and this can be helpful.
I have been thinking about meal planning for a long time now – LOL!!! I work nights so planning dinner is key for me. My husband is in charge of preparing dinner right now, but it’s a challenge for him. This will also help me eat more healthy since I am out of the house around dinner time at least 4 nights a week. Thanks for this awesome giveaway!!!
I love it! With this ebook anybody can be a cheff
Joanna
I am not a chef or a baker, but I am forced into both through food allergies and family overall health. I need some help coming up with ideas and getting organized especially with the allergy restrictions like dairy in our home. This could really help with my quest for a more peaceful household.
I am always looking for easy dinner ideas that don’t come from a. Box. We have scouts, sports and homeschool activities that keep me busy. This would be awesome to win. What a great giveaway!
I’d love to get better with my meal planning — especially with K4 due anytime now. 🙂
Oh, they are SO yummy!!!
Oooh! I would want to win just for the taquito recipe. Seriously, this looks exactly what I need.
We’re going to switch to Gluten Free in 2013 for my allergies/asthma and my oldest son’s ADHD this cookbook would be a great help!
I would love to win this for some streamline planning!