It’s a new year guys, HAPPY 2023! Hard to believe that we’ve now been doing the podcast for almost 4 years. We’re 180+ episodes in and if you’ve been a longtime listener then you know we’re pretty discerning when it comes to who we partner with on the show. From Day 1, we always wanted to share products and services that we really liked & felt good about supporting. Which is why I’m excited to give you some additional details behind one of the many Beehive Meals I’ve made for my family over the past couple of weeks.
Beehive Meals is a service that prepares fresh, quality, freezer meals straight to your door. The menus they have are family friendly and I’ve LOVED that this isn’t a microwaved meal or frozen dish I’m throwing in the oven. The meals are all prepped & delivered raw in a vacuum sealed bag, allowing you to cook them whenever you’re ready in a slow cooker or Instapot. Just grab a side or two and before you know it, your family will be eating a delicious family meal! And all without making a huge mess in the kitchen (amen!).
I’m admittedly not the most comfortable mom in the kitchen… Recipes intimidate me, the messes frustrate me and to be honest – it’s just not something I’ve prioritized. But that doesn’t mean I haven’t had all the guilt over the years for not being able to show up for my family at dinnertime the way I want to. I’ve gone in phases of cooking, sure. But inevitably, I’ll go to the grocery store and spend all the $$ just to have it sit there for days before I attempt to use it (again… intimidating!).
Cooking can also be an expensive endeavor on my part and I’ll forget the frustration after making a meal from scratch just to see 2 of my 3 kids sit there & not touch it. Seriously, let’s just say a little piece of my heart broke in those moments. And usually ends up with me looking to my husband with an eyeroll while saying “why do I even try!?”. Sound familiar? If so, then I really think freezer meals might be a great solution for you too! If I can do it, then you can too!
Today I prepped the BBQ Pork in the slow cooker for dinner. I literally grabbed it out of the freezer at 10:30am, dumped all the contents of the bag into the Crockpot, set it to cook and left for work. The kitchen was still clean and I was able to do it in 2 minutes on my way out the door. I ended up cooking this for 7 hours on LOW which worked out perfectly.
When I got home later that afternoon, little bellies were starting to get hungry. So, the timing worked out perfectly. Around 6:00pm, I prepped the pulled pork sliders. On each Hawaiian Roll I put a good helping of the pork, and topped it with a little slice of Colby Jack cheese. Leaving the sandwiches open-faced, I threw them on a cookie sheet and broiled them on LOW in our oven for about a minute. This just toasted the buns a little & melted the cheese for the kids. Then for my husband’s sandwich (and my own), I topped with some red onion and a little slaw from the grocery store. The sauce was sweet and I was SO HAPPY all 3 of my kids ate it! So, I’m counting this dinner as a win and one I know I’ll repeat in the future. The conversations had around the dinner-table really are priceless. So, here’s your reminder to make it a priority in 2023!
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The finished product – a delicious meal that the whole family loves!
OK guys, if you’ve been a listener of ours for a while then you’ve probably heard my woes in the kitchen – and how overwhelming & intimidated cooking is to me! A few months back while recording, Lauren suggested I find a few meals/recipes, and nail those. Then have a good rotation of easy, go-to staples in my house.
My boys can be picky eaters from time to time, but I know that they love baked ziti. For some reason, they don’t like spaghetti (and I think the penne noodles are so much easier to eat for kids). So, that’s the meal I decided to make my own. I cook this at least every over week and it’s SO GOOD as leftovers (maybe even better!?). I taught my 9 year old daughter how to make this last time, and honestly I just had to observe (it’s super easy!). She absolutely loves being in the kitchen and I love seeing how proud she is after making the family dinner.
This recipe makes a 9×13 dish – plenty for the whole family (with leftovers) and takes about 30 minutes from start to finish.
Here’s a few photos of the ingredients & process.
Love this seasoning blend, perfect to keep on hand
Right after mixing in the noodles to the meat mixture
Love this cheese from Sam’s Club, lasts forever
Ingredients: – 1 lb ground beef (I prefer 93% lean) – 1 jar of Rao’s Homemade Marinara sauce (**See my note below in the Instructions about the sauce) – 1 lb of Barilla Penne Pasta – 3 cups of Shredded Parmesan Cheese (I get the big container from Sam’s Club & just reuse it) – Garlic Herb grinder (pictured – I do about 5 cranks on this) – 1 tsp Dried Oregano Leaves – 1 tsp Garlic seasoning (powder form) – Salt to taste
Instructions: This recipe makes a 9×13 dish – plenty for the whole family (with leftovers).
Prep your 9×13 pyrex pan by spraying with olive oil – then set aside.
Preheat oven to 350.
Start boiling your water for your penne noodles – adding some salt and a little bit of olive oil (optional) to the water to reduce sticking when dry.
Once the water is boiling rapidly, add the penne and cook per the instructions on the box (I prefer the al dente instructions). Remember you are going to bake this after for a bit so, you don’t want them overly cooked.
In a large skillet, spray with olive oil to prevent sticking and brown your ground beef over medium-high heat.
***Once the beef is about 90% cooked, turn the heat down to low-medium and add the jar of Rao’s marinara sauce to the meat & mix. I then supplement with a jar of Prego marinara that I keep in my fridge. Adding enough extra sauce to get the sauce to meat ratio that I like. Rao’s is expensive and I’ve done this with the Prego everytime and it’s still delicious!
Mix in 1/2 cup of parmesan cheese to the meat mixture. Add in the Dried Oregano, Garlic Herb grinder and Garlic seasoning to the meat mixture as well. Do this to taste – I am VERY liberal with my spices. I like the sauce to have tons of flavor, so don’t be shy! The 1 tsp amounts would be a good place to start.
Cook the meat mixture on low-medium for 5 minutes, stirring frequently (or until the cheese is fully melted). Reduce to simmer while you finish noodles.
Strain the cooked penne and add to the meat mixture in the skillet. Stir well, but turn off the heat. Once the noodles & sauce are combined, pour into a 9X13 pyrex pan.
Cover the mixture with parmesan cheese and then cover with foil (again, I’m very liberal with the cheese). Bake at 350 for about 10-15 minutes (or until the cheese is melted). I usually remove the foil a couple minutes before taking it out to get the cheese a little brown.
We’re excited to follow up on a brand that we talked about during Ep. 143 of The Mom Voice, Treadly! You can go listen to us chat about it here. Treadly is one of the newest treadmill’s on the market and we’re sort of blown away with its design! It has a really sleek look and is one of the smallest, most low-profile treadmills out there.
As you know, I’m training for a half marathon in February (yikes!), so I’ve taken note on all things in the running world. And being totally honest, I actually prefer to run on a treadmill. I think it keeps me at a consistent, good pace and I love seeing the calories I’m burning along with the distance ran. For me, these stats are big motivators and keeps me going on the run – not to mention, accountable!
Treadly is so cool you guys – at only 73 pounds and 3.7 inches thick, it’s never been easier to work out at home or the office. It can easily be stored under your bed, totally out of the way, which is huge! Sarah is always telling me how annoying it is that her treadmill takes up so much space in her room.
The Treadly also comes with an app that helps you set goals and track your runs, really allowing you to see the progress you’ve made. The app also has an awesome social aspect that allows you to connect with a community to help motivate you with tips and support (which is huge!) This all comes included when you purchase a Treadly treadmill. The deliver it to your door, pull it out of the box and then you’re ready to get going.
Running has seriously been one of the hardest things for me my whole life. Having the convenience to run in my home whenever I need to, during any time of the day, would be so helpful! Treadly makes it convenient and easy for every runner, even beginners like me. Running really is the best overall workout you can do. To be able to catch up on your favorite show and still have the kids around, the Treadly treadmill makes it possible for everyone.
Right now they’re having a great holiday sale, offering a $100 off plus free shipping. And if you’re not happy with Treadly, they have a 30-day return policy. So, if you’ve been wanting a treadmill but have never felt like you had enough room for one – make sure to checkout Treadly. It’s a great option for home or the office. So, go take a minute to look over all the special features Treadly has to offer here!
Since the temps are starting to cool down a bit, we wanted to share a favorite recipe of ours that’s become a staple in our homes. Lauren’s been cooking this one for 10+ years now and it really is such a hit for anyone who tries it! And – it’s super easy and quick to throw together. So, when you’re in the mood for a cozy evening with a homemade soup, try this one. We promise you’ll love it!
Ingredients: 4 – cups shredded chicken 4 – (14.5 oz) cans white beans, drained 2 – (14.5 oz) cans of white corn, drained 3 – cups chicken broth 2 – (4 oz) can diced green chilies 2 – chicken bouillon cubes 2 – medium onions chopped 1 – Tablespoon garlic powder 1 – Tablespoon oregano 1 – Tablespoon cumin 1/2 – teaspoon cayenne 1 – 24 oz of sour cream
Instructions: In a large pot over medium heat, combine chicken broth and chicken bouillon cubes. Add all spices and simmer for a few minutes. Add green chilis, corn, chicken, beans, & onions. Cook for 15 minutes. Add sour cream and stir. Cook for another 5 minutes making sure to stir (so it doesn’t stick!).
I have to share a new tool that I’ve come across that’s helping me manage my days. If you’ve listened to Lauren & I much on the pod, then you know how crazy I can feel at times trying to keep life a little organized. As a full-time working mom of 3 it can definitely feel overwhelming when managing kids’ schedules, appointments, the podcast, family, church and so. much. more. (am I right?).
So, I felt like I needed to tell you about Sunsama and how it’s really helped me get the most out of my days. Sunsama is a unique tool that has a really intuitive design. Technology like this is so impressive to me, really!
I’ve been really impressed with how it can integrate all of my tasks into a daily calendar that really helps me prioritize and stay on track (and let’s be real… staying on track throughout the day can be a HUGE hurdle for me – it’s so easy to get distracted and then end the day feeling like I haven’t accomplished anything!)
But let me explain a little further… with Sunsama, you’re able to connect your Outlook, Gmail, calendars, and so much more. It pulls in all the data from these different sources and gives you a consolidated look at things (which I can seriously appreciate). So, I’m now able to see my work, podcast, personal, church, daughter’s dance calendar all in one place! And let me just say, not having to keep track of what feels like 300 different apps & calendars has been so nice!
So, if you’re feeling a need to simplify your schedule, go give it a try! Sunsama has a free 14-day trial here so you can test it out before committing. I really do think that it’s a wonderful tool for the busy mom. And if you do try it, let me know what you think!
OK, time to get going on the laundry! Have a great week. xo – Sarah
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