Valentine's Day Recipes for Kids: 5 Unique and Healthy Snack Ideas!

Written Tuesday, February 7th, 2012 by admin

Valentine's Day is exactly one week away and if you're looking for festive snack ideas for your kids, look no further - HalfHourMeals has you covered!

Finding unique and fun Valentine's Day recipes for your children isn't exactly a difficult task - there are thousands of great ideas online. The difficulty lies in finding snacks your kids will love that are as equally healthy as they are fun.

In anticipation for V-Day, we've scoured the popular social site Pinterest.com for the best recipe ideas for kids and toddlers. These recipes will put a smile on your child's face and make them the envy of all their friends at school. The best part of all? They're super easy to make!

Here are 5 unique and healthy snacks for your kids this Valentine's Day:

Valentine's Jello Hearts

Conversation Heart Cookies

Watermelon Valentine's Hearts

Linzer Heart-Shaped Cookies

Valentine's Heart Fruit Kabobs

The heart-shaped fruit kabobs are a great way to make snack time healthy and fun. There are other shapes you can play around with as well, like "X and O" cookie cutters and even cookie cutters that spell out the word "Love."

Take some time this year and make Valentine's Day extra special for your kids. Trust me, they'll appreciate it!

If you have your own healthy and fun Valentine's Day recipes for kids, please share with HalfHourMeals readers and upload your recipe now!

Meatless And Delicious

Written Thursday, August 11th, 2011 by Theresa H Hall

Have you ever considered giving up eating meat or even just cutting back, but can't seem to make this huge transition? We are constantly being advised to add more fruits, grains and vegetables to our diets, and to eat far less animal protein. A practical way to begin a healthier lifestyle, would be to try delicious and flavorful vegetarian recipes while cutting back on meat, chicken, seafood or fish. Once you begin to add different dishes and enjoy how you feel after you have eaten them, you'll naturally want to include more varied ingredients in your menu planning. Below are a few dishes to whet your appetite. Take your time and before you know it, you will be on your way to a far healthier lifestyle.

Fried Zuchinni Flowers by member Eleonora.

Hibiscus Flower Vinaigrette by member maebybaby.

Strawberry Banana Muffins The Keen Kitchen.

There are thousands of recipes and I'll be highlighting more for you to choose from.

Aren't these dishes a tempting way to begin your vegetarian journey?

Dress Your Pasta On Shrimp Scampi Day

Written Friday, April 29th, 2011 by Theresa H Hall

April 29th is National Shrimp Scampi Day! On your way home from work stop by your grocers for fresh shrimp, garlic and your favorite pasta. This recipe is easy to prepare and it is a delight to eat. It pairs nicely with a white fruity wine. Serve it with salad for a balanced meal.

Shrimp Scampi & Pasta

1 Lb fresh large shrimp (frozen may be substituted)

1 whole garlic bulb (shucked and pressed)

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tbsp lemon juice (freshly squeezed)

1 small sweet pepper (yellow or red) (thinly sliced then cut into fifths)

1 yellow onion (diced)

1/2 cup white wine

1 sprig flat leaf parsley (chopped)

~~~~~~~~~~~~

3 cups of your favorite dried pasta (or ¾ box spaghetti)

4 Tbsp unsalted butter

salt & ground pepper (to taste)

1/3 cup Parmesan or Romano Cheese (grated)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Instructions

1) Boil sufficient water for pasta and cook according to box directions. Salt boiling water, add pasta, save a little water after draining

2) Devein shrimp, leaving the tail piece intact, rinse and allow to drain excess water using a strainer

3) Prepare the garlic, onion and pepper

4) Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet and add the onion and sweet pepper, toss and cook part-way

5) Add wine, garlic and lemon juice

6) Add shrimp and cook about 1 minute on each side, then for another 30 to 60 seconds Remove from heat immediately do not overcook!

7) Drain pasta, toss in large bowl with butter, salt & pepper

8) Add shrimp scampi to pasta and toss and add a little pasta water in if needed

9) Sprinkle the top with grated cheese and parsley

Serve immediately and enjoy! Serves four.

"Soups On!

Written Monday, June 14th, 2010 by Theresa H Hall

Growing up, I remember hearing "Soups On", being called to us when we were out playing, and whoever was doing the cooking beckoned us to the table. Those were the two words we loved hearing because we always played hard, and being at that age where we were growing right before our parents' eyes, we responded very quickly. Before five minutes passed we were sitting at the table, freshly washed and hair combed. We looked longingly at the food that had been placed in the center of the table for we were hungry indeed. Back then we had to wait until we were served our food by our Parents or Grandmother, and grace had been said.

Soups are some of the most versatile of foods. You can prepare them the day before and let them simmer, or they may be made in a matter of thirty minutes. Soup is a fast, easy method to provide a warm food that is easy on the wallet, filling and soothing to our senses. By adding crackers, bread and even cheeses, you have a main dish, too.

In restaurants soup is usually used as an appetizer and it really does help to curb one's appetite. It helps to keep from going overboard on the main dish and sweets at the end of the meal. I find it actually balances out the portions and extends the dining experience. Getting to sit down to eat dinner together these days is almost a catch-me-if-you-can scenario. But that is another story.

Soups can be made from the most frugal of ingredients. That leftover pork loin, chicken, roast beef or a few pieces of baked fish can lend the base for a delicious soup. Add in some vegetable peelings, boil down and then strain out any bones and the peelings, from the broth. Add fresh vegetables to the existing broth and allow them to cook down until they still have a little crunch. How great is that? A spoonful of soup and biting into a diagonal carrot that still has body and the slight firmness to chew. There is the flavor of the carrot still hidden within. Mushrooms are the same. In fact, I shall share with you a delicious French soup (my version), for you to try.

Remember to serve an accompanying carbohydrate on the side, even a half sandwich, a baguette with cold butter or homemade crackers. As a garnish you could add a dollop of sour cream, or sherry, or sprinkle fresh herbs on top. Delight your family with a splendid homemade soup at your next meal.

Theresa's Cream of Mushroom Soup

1 package of white button mushrooms (sliced)

1 small onion finely minced

1/2 stick unsalted butter

salt & ground pepper to taste

2 TBSP flour

2 cups heavy cream

1 cup milk

Use a large saute skillet for entire cooking.

1) Melt only 1/2 of the butter (4 TBSP) salt and pepper skillet, and saute the minced onion until translucent. Set aside.

2) Melt remaining butter in same pan, salt and pepper, then saute the sliced mushrooms, until they are still firm, but are browned on both sides. Remove and set aside.

3) Using the same skillet sprinkle the flour and stir very quickly until combined with the fat.

4) Pour in the cream and stir to blend and then add milk and turn heat on medium high. Watch Closely! Do not burn the liquid! Allow to come to a soft bubbly boil. Reduce the heat and cook down for a full five minutes.

5) Add in the onion and mushrooms. Simmer for a few minutes. Adjust the seasonings by taste and serve piping hot.

Featured Community Member: SweetsFoods

Written Friday, May 14th, 2010 by Theresa H Hall

I have been visiting you and your blog for quite some time now. You always seem to provide fresh food ideas, healthy recipes, and lately, I have even seen guest bloggers on your website. Hailing from Uruguay, South America, it makes me think about the romance of the country, the allure of the cuisine and Gera. He offers our members a peek into his country’s lifestyle, cuisine, culture and traditions, and I am so glad he is a contributing member of Half Hour Meals.

Theresa: Tell me Gera how long have you been writing about food? When did you start your food blog, SweetsFoods?

Gera: I've been writing about food since I learned to write at school, because I'm always fascinated about this vital and yummy element. Specifically about my blog, I can say that it was started with my first post in October of 2008, but I had already been reading and exploring blogger themes for many years.

Theresa: I saw in your profile that you are a businessman who is also interested in engineering. Including your food blog, you also write about social networking. How do you manage it all?

Gera: I'm an engineer who is also interested in business themes and social networking. If you blog, then that automatically makes you a blogger in the first place and later, if you're a foodie, then you're also a food blogger. Why this precision? All bloggers, no matter the niche, need to do good social networking and this is the reason why food and social networking are tied. For me, it's a natural combination to reflect on my blog site.

Theresa: What made you decide to invite guest writers to contribute to your website?

Gera: I've decided to allow guest writers, because I like to show new points of view, different styles of writing and explore new different themes. If one week I'm too involved in other matters to write, the guest post can fill the vacuum that week.

Theresa: Allowing for all of the diversity of your parents’ cultural backgrounds and the foods they grew up eating, plus the worldwide migratory influences in your Country’s cuisines, which three foods are your favorites to prepare?

Gera: For traditional dishes, I enjoy preparing pastas like Cappelletti with Caruso Sauce (milk cream, mushrooms and ham). Also, two typical dishes from Uruguay: Milanesa a la Napolitana and Chivito Uruguayo. Of course, I can also mention others like Couscous, Falafel, as well as desserts. The list is endless!

Theresa: Are you married or have you a partner? Any children? How has your blogging fit in with your home life? Do you all cook in the kitchen together?

Gera: I have a beautiful partner and a wonderful toddler. She is the life of our home. Blogging is like any other task in my daily life, sometimes the issue is to photograph a dish before eating and this can be problematic when everybody is hungry! She is the cook of the family, thus my presence in the kitchen is much less than hers and my cooking skills could be improved.

Theresa: So we can have some fun here, Gera what would you serve to a friend visiting from the USA? Would it be native to your country or something else that you like to fix?

Gera: The emblematic dishes that should be tasted, for people who comes from USA, are Beef Parrilladas (Beef BBQ), and for dessert, Flan with Dulce de Leche. These were some of the principal foods on the menu that several US Presidents enjoyed while they were visiting my country.

Theresa: Please name some foods that are indigenous to Uruguay.

Gera: El Asado and the Chivito Uruguayo. Certainly there is a huge quantity of dishes but they can be found also in other countries.

Theresa: I know in Argentina they dance the tango. Is there a national dance or dress for your country?

Gera: Uruguay and Argentina share their passion with Tango, and Carlos Gardel, The Master of the Tango, was born in Uruguay, so he says. But most of his career was spent in Argentina. This point is a controversial one, always!

Theresa: You write about being fit and healthy. Please tell us some of the things you do to stay in such great shape?

Gera: There isn’t a magical recipe, but some ingredients are very often present: eat healthy with fruits, vegetables, nuts, few red meats, more fish, avoid big quantities of sugary things (so difficult!), and eat fewer fries, drink little alcohol and zero smoking. Stay active, walk, and include workouts several times per week. You can check out my post, “How to Stay Healthy and Fit in a Snap of Your Day”.

Theresa: Which ten ingredients must you have in your kitchen?

Gera: Garlic, Paprika, Onion, Bell Peppers, Soy Sauce, Olive Oil, Mustard and Cheese, Parmesan & Mozzarella. Sweet ingredients would be: Dulce de Leche and Chocolate.

Theresa: How did you hear about Half Hour Meals and why did you signup?

Gera: I found it via BlogCatalog and love visiting yummy sites to find gorgeous recipes.

Theresa: Have you tried any of our member recipes yet? If so, which ones?

Gera: I've tried the Mediterranean Hummus and it quickly vanished.

Theresa: You mentioned you like to travel, which countries have you visited that have influenced your cooking?

Gera: Really my influence at this moment is worldwide. Despite the fact that my country Uruguay is small, it is huge on flavors. The cuisines are so diverse here, that in a radius of a few kilometers from your home (in the capital), you find delicious dishes from all over the world. We are all immigrants and the culinary traditions came here with us.

Theresa: What would you say to your friends about our food site?

Gera: Half Hour Meals is a luscious food site with a full collection of mouthwatering recipes, an excellent layout that deserves a visit whenever you need delicious and easy recipes. Like right now!

Theresa: Gera I want to thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to talk with me. I love your food site and I hope many of our members will visit SweetsFoods and try your wonderful cuisine.

Well Preserved, A Cookbook Review

Written Friday, April 23rd, 2010 by Theresa H Hall

It's the perfect time of the year to begin preparing to preserve all of the delicious foods which will be popping up from the ground, on bushes, vines or on trees. Last autumn was the very first time I ever preserved or canned. It was a very cool process and one which will remain with me forever. First times are like that.

My niece brought me a few books to look over a few months ago. We decided we will get together in May to begin trying new recipes such as pickling, putting aside tomatoes in water, oil and herbs, cooking tomatoes for paste and sauce, plus making more sweet preserves. This book really offers a lot of choices.

One of our members, Amybyrd, has provided a recipe here at Half Hour Meals, for her Apple Pie In A Jar and as soon as the West Virginia Apples are picked in May, I am going to make this, so I will have it on hand for speedy apple pie desserts. Thanks Amybyrd!

My niece has a lot of canning tools that I never purchased, so it will still be a learning experience for both of us. She has her own garden that she has planted and I am certain we will be using many of the fresh herbs and vegetables for our projects. Since she is carrying our newest addition to our family and is due in late August, we will have plenty of time to stock our shelves and even try our hands at making baby foods, too. This wholesome way of storing fresh foods for later use is a novelty and very exciting. You can tell I was raised in the suburbs, where I have been taught to purchase everything from the local grocery store chain.

If you have never tried this before I certainly think you should give it a go. The preserves I made last October, when we had a Preserving Event, still taste fresh and better than any I have ever bought.

Well Preserved is a gem and gives easy to follow tips and suggestions. It has the idea that preparing smaller amounts gives the novice a chance to try out many recipes. This cookbook is filled with infused vinegars, conserves, jellies, chutneys, sauces, fruit butters, pickles and much more. It's a tiny book of edible delights.

No Compromises, Just Good Food

Written Monday, January 11th, 2010 by Anne Coleman

Fast meals, convenience and shortcuts mean a health or money compromise, right? Wrong. Take a look at the recipes offered on Half Hour Meals and you'll find that more often than not, the opposite is true.

Check out recipes like Broccoli Rabe with Sun Dried Tomatoes & Macaroni with every ingredient fresh and a snap to make. How about Tortellini Salad with Prosciutto and Spinach, 30 minutes to finished and not a strain on the wallet. Rebekka's Southwestern Egg Cups are lightning fast and budget-minded and Roast Tomato, Onion & Pumpkin Seed Salad is all fresh and ready in 20 minutes. Arroz con Pollo in 30? You can't beat that!

So, before you assume that fast equals unhealthy and expensive, take a moment or two to browse our recipes, you'll be deliciously surprised.

Soup's On

Written Sunday, December 20th, 2009 by TrishB

Frigid conditions have gripped New York this week. Snowy too. Days are getting shorter and nights longer. Winter is here. So what am I thinking we should have for dinner? Soup. The ultimate in comfort food.

Nothing beats a steaming bowl of hot soup on a cold winter day. It’s also the cure for anything that ails you. Just ask my mother.

Serve soup with a warm piece of crusty bread and, voila, a complete meal. Another great thing about soup is that it’s even tastier the following day. My son loves to heat up a cup after a long day of school. It’s not only delicious but nutritious too. So here are a few of my favorites. These are easy recipes that fill your kitchen with wonderful aromas but more importantly are chock full of flavor, color and texture.

Baked Caramelized Onion Soup with Gruyere Croutons

2 tbs canola oil
9 Cups (approx 4 large) Vidalia or Spanish onions, thinly sliced
3 tsp sugar
3 cups chicken stock and 3 ½ cups beef stock or 6 ½ cups chicken stock
salt and pepper, to taste

Croutons

4 ½ inch thick slices of baguette
1 clove garlic, split
1 cup gruyere cheese, grated

1. Heat oil in a pot over medium high heat.
2. When hot, add the onions and mix well
3. Place wax paper over the onions to cover them (allowing the onions to sweat) and cover with a lid.
4. Cook slowly for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally until they are very soft.
5. Remove the paper and stir in the sugar and cook until the onions take on a light brown color and are caramelized (approx 20 minutes). Watch carefully during this process and remove the pot from the heat frequently while you stir the edges into the mixture.
6. Add the stock.
7. Simmer covered for about 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add salt and pepper to taste.
8. Preheat oven to 250 degrees and bake the baguette slices until lightly toasted.
9. Remove the croutons and rub with garlic.
10. Place a crouton for each serving in a deep ovenproof bowl and ladle the hot soup over the croutons.
11. Divide the cheese into 4 equal portions and sprinkle each bowl and place under the broiler until the cheese is browned and sizzling.
12. Serve immediately.

Tortilla Soup

6 – 6” tortillas
6 Tbs olive oil
6-8 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 cups onions, finely chopped
1 ½ tsp ground cumin
1 tsp coriander
½ tsp cayenne (optional)
1 tsp salt
1 28 oz can chopped tomatoes, drained
8 cups chicken stock
1 package frozen corn

1. Cut tortillas in ½” wide strips. Saute in 4 Tbs oil until lightly brown and crisp. Set aside on paper towel when done.
2. In a pot, heat the remaining olive oil. Brown garlic.
3. Add onions, cumin, coriander, and cayenne. Stir until soft.
4. Add salt, tomatoes, and 1/3 of tortilla strips.
5. Add broth and cook for 25 minutes.
6. Add corn. Cook 10 more minutes.
7. Serve with extra tortilla chips and condiments.

Condiments

Avocado or guacomole
Monterey jack cheese, shredded
Sour cream

Half an Hour to Healthier Fries

Written Thursday, December 10th, 2009 by Anne Coleman

French fries (a.k.a. 'chips' in other countries) are a huge favorite around the globe, but they often come with a high health price tag. Deep fried and covered in salt, they aren't so good for a body, but cooked with less oil and a controlled amount of salt, their true flavor and healthful attributes, like potassium, iron, vitamin C and fiber, can shine through.

Potatoes are rarely seen as a time-friendly food either, but this recipe fits in well with the half-hour frame of mind and can be put into the oven before starting on other parts of your meal. Any potato works for these, but I like Russets as they make a longer fry and the kids absolutely like that part. These don't last long in my home and I more often than not make a double batch. Even so, they're economical and fit in to our quick-but-frugal meal budget and they go well with everything from burgers to fried chicken to a stand-alone with dipping sauces.

Oven Fries
Serves 4
Total Cooking Time: 30 minutes

2 large Russet potatoes
2 Tablespoons olive or other oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon crushed Rosemary
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or spray with non-stick cooking spray.
Scrub potatoes well and make lengthwise cuts in each, making 12 thin wedges from each potato - 24 total.
Toss wedges with oil, salt, Rosemary and garlic powder making sure to coat each well.
Lay on baking sheets in a single layer.
Bake for 30 minutes, switching baking sheets between oven racks halfway through cooking time.

Salt again if necessary once cooked and enjoy!

*Pottery in photo courtesy Chris Fredericks

Featured Community Member: Marla

Written Friday, October 2nd, 2009 by Penny Hawkins

Half Hour Meals Member Marla lives in California and authors a blog about food and a healthy lifestyle. In reading Marla’s blog, Family Fresh Cooking, one thing comes through on the first page: her incredible energy! Part “energizer bunny” and part healthy-lifestyle cheerleader, Marla truly gets you fired-up and excited about eating and living healthier! Read on to learn a little more about her.

Your blog, Family Fresh Cooking is bright, energetic and chock-full of recipes and information. What is the inspiration behind your blog? I love food, great design and good clean living! I look forward to each meal of the day, it’s a good thing I have 6 meals to savor each day! As we know not all food is created equal. I prefer unprocessed, clean, healthy, delicious whole foods. With two small kids I need loads of energy to keep up with an active lifestyle. Feeding myself and my family high energy, whole foods is a passion. Balance is key, eating small frequent, clean meals are the main principles behind FFC. In FFC my goal is to inspire and reinforce the idea that healthy, clean foods taste great!!

How long have you been blogging and how has blogging changed your daily life?  People are always asking about my meals and healthy living lifestyle. Last October it was recommended that I should start blogging. After research I found that blogging opens up a whole new world of opportunities. It is a great forum to share ideas and create an inspirational exchange of recipes and healthy living tips. I tapped away for a number of months creating content and finally launched my site this past June. It is fun being part of such a large, active, ambitious community! When people ask me about my healthy lifestyle I direct them straight to my Blog.

Do you see yourself still blogging several years from now? Absolutely! Blogging has opened up my world immensely! It is so fun to have adult time again anytime, anywhere. You can often find me blogging at my gym on or off the machines :) I have huge goals that are based on the content in my blog. I am getting a great response and my fan base is growing daily.

Are you married? Do you have a family? If yes, does this (either one) change the way you blog? Yes, I am married to a wonderful, encouraging, supportive guy. He is a great dad to my 2 and 5 year old kids. In our family we want to see success for all, with health and happiness being the driving force. We are open to face new opportunities. We enjoy trying new foods, athletic pursuits and we always embrace cool travel opportunities. My husband and I just learned how to surf. Soooo fun and exhilarating! Launching my blog was a big step for me. I felt the need to share my inspirational ideas with the public. The only difficulty.....finding enough time in the day to create my posts! I wake each morning around 4:00am to fit in a yummy breakfast (my stuffed French Toast recipe) and to get some blog time in before the kids wake up.

Where does your inspiration in the kitchen come from? I have a keen sense of taste. I mostly enjoy flavor packed foods that provide a high energy, low glycemic response. I want to look and feel my best and I want the same for my family. I get daily inspiration from foodie magazines, websites and blogs. It is so fun going to the various markets and getting inspired by the fresh fruits, veggies, seafood etc....In order to stay in the best shape mentally and physically I focus on clean, fresh, unprocessed ingredients.

Your “In a Pinch” Crab Salad looked easy and delicious! Do you create most of your own recipes? Yes, I do create most of my own recipes. I use others as guide lines, but I always need to add my own spin. Lately I am hooked on the smoked paprika that is in this crab salad. It adds a huge amount of flavor to savory dishes. I enjoy finding unique hits of flavors to amp up the taste of a dish at the same time keeping meals light, healthy and well balanced.

I especially love how you give tips and variations with your recipes. What inspired you to include them? For me it is all about improvisation. With little kids I have learned to be very quick and steady on my toes. If we have all ready sat down to dinner and they are doing the whiny thing I need to think of quick healthy additions (or subtractions) to get them munching! We all love routines, but it is so fun showing how many changes you can utilize with one recipe. A slight ingredient twist can create a whole new flavor profile. Not only do I provide flavor variations, but I demonstrate how you can adapt the meal for your kids or how you can add or subtract healthy fats, carbs, protein etc...Also I show how to improvise for mini-meals as well. My recipes are often made in a big batch. I want you to have leftovers so you have healthy choices to grab from your fridge at all times. Ultimately we all want to avoid the “crash” from being too hungry.

Ever thought about writing a Family Fresh Cook Book? YES!! That is one of my goals with FFC. I have a huge passion to inspire a lifestyle of clean, healthy, yummy eating. I love cookbooks and it is high on my list of goals to create my own. Not only do I want to share my recipes in the book form, but my graphics and photos as well. I come from a design background, so designing the book would be a blast. Right now I take all of my photos with my iPhone because it is quick, easy and always within reach. Perhaps one day I’ll upgrade and pull out the SLR!! Maybe my niche can be photos from my iPhone!!

 Why did you join Half Hour Meals? It shouldn’t take forever to get a fabulous meal on the table. Half Hour Meals is a great website that shows how much can be done in a half hour or less to get those meals served. I pack 3 lunch boxes a day for myself and the kids, I always need new inspiration. Let’s not forget breakfasts, and dinners and mini-meals or snacks! It is a very inspirational website that I am honored to be a part of.

When did you join Half Hour Meals? I joined Half Hour Meals a few weeks ago and I am so pleased I did! There is a great community of like-minded folks with fabulous recipes and great energy! I love the ambition and diversity of the community.

What's your favorite thing about the site? The vibrant community! There is a great diversity of the posts and the personalities behind them. HHM also has a wonderful layout and easy navigation. When I am surfing around looking for inspiration I need clutter-free, well thought out sources. HHM provides this for me. I appreciate that HHM highly values clean, healthy, home made foods.

Have you tried others' recipes from Half Hour Meals? I am a protein junkie so the first thing I tried was the Herbed Lemon Butter Tilapia. Great recipe!! I used a little less butter and added some Turmeric because I love the golden color it adds to meals.

If others were to ask you about Half Hour Meals, how would you describe the site to them? The website covers many flavor profiles and it is very well designed. I enjoy how recipes are categorized in multiple ways. It is very user-friendly and you don’t need tons of ingredients to make the meals. There are loads of clean, healthy, yummy meals and you can always alter recipes to suit your dietary needs. I love that such a wealth of info is in one place! It is a fun community and there are always new posts being added and commented on.

Thanks for sharing with us, Marla! Please stop by and visit Marla’s page here at Half Hour Meals, and be sure to check out her wonderful blog as well!