March 2012

Something Fun To Do Today

by Full House MOM on March 24, 2012

Looking for something fun to do this weekend? (Aside from finally getting a chance to take your kiddos to the park?! Yay, Sun!) Of course, the Portland Area is full of exciting things to experience and try, but here’s a little something going on this weekend only that might be fun for your entire family (and one is FREE!).

I'm going so I can find out more about Eco living, not to see Daryl Hannah.

The Expo Center has all kinds of goodness going on today and tomorrow for families, bike riders, and crafters. The biggest event is The Better Living Show going on right now until 8 or 9 PM. (Not 100% on that time.) It’s open tomorrow from 11-5 PM, which may or may not be the better day to go since I hear the rain will be back. Boo. I’m super excited to attend this event and hope to catch a glimpse of Daryl Hannah!! Okay, so I’m a fan, so I find this extra exciting. She’s set to speak on the main stage at 7 PM tonight. Please visit their website or facebook page to find out more and keep up to the minute on what’s going on at the show. Oh, and the entrance is free to this event!

Going on simultaneously is the Portland Bike Show now until 6 PM tonight, and again tomorrow from 10 AM - 5 PM in Hall E. Adults are $10 and kids are free with paid adult. This is where my husband will be checking out the latest and greatest in bike gear while I’ll be in Hall C checking out Heirloom’s Rubber Stamp and Paper Arts Festival. It’s open until 5 PM today and 10 AM – 4 PM tomorrow. Cost is $8 today (gets you in tomorrow, too) or $6 for Sunday only. We’ll need to divide and conquer with the kiddos, but that works fine for me (especially since they’ll all want to go with my husband into the bike show). Hehehe.

Be prepared that parking will probably be around $8. Of course, you could take the MAX or bike there, too.

Hope to see some familiar faces at the Expo Center, but if I don’t see you, I’ll know you’re outside enjoying this glorious sun!

If you know of fun events going on that you’d like to share with the FHM greater community, please email a brief description or review to: blogger@fullhousemoms.com

Kim S., 2012 FHM Community Manager

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What to eat?!

by Full House MOM on March 17, 2012

Are you looking for new easy meals ideas for your family? Below are two ideas to add to your menu planning repertoire.

Idea #1: Get an app. A good family friend of ours, Ryan Smith, just launched a new app for iphone designed to make meal planning fast for busy families. His site is www.spinningcook.com. A cool introduction video about his new app can be found here: http://spinningcook.com/2012/spinning-meals-the-movie/ It’s only about 2 minutes long. You’ll want to check it out!

Idea #2: We hope to update our blog with semi-regular recipes for you and your families to enjoy. If you have a favorite family meal and a kid fare to share, please submit to blogger@fullhousemoms.com to see your recipes featured here. Thank you, Charla, for our first entry!

Be sure to add the recipes you find on our site to the Spinning Cook app!

Family Fave

I stumbled across this recipe after I’d been through the cookbook about a thousand times looking for something new to try. Couldn’t believe it took so long. Just about every dinner in my house comes out of the crock pot and being real, sometimes it just gets old. This recipe is flavorful for my husband’s tastes while still being kid friendly, thank goodness. My kids really prefer it with quinoa, but also like brown rice. Both are a mess and a guarantee of floor cleaning after. Pasta… They still just won’t eat.

Saucy Italian-Style Chicken Thighs

- 12 chicken thighs (about 3 pounds), skinned

- 1 (14.5-ounce) can Italian-style diced tomatoes, undrained

- 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste

- 1/2 chopped onion

- 1 tablespoon bottled minced garlic

- 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning

- 1/4 teaspoon salt

- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Place chicken in a 4-quart electric slow cooker. Combine tomatoes and next 6 ingredients, stir well. Pour sauce over chicken. Cover and cook on HIGH 1 hour. Reduce heat to LOW and cook 4 to 5 hours or until chicken is tender.

Serve over brown rice, quinoa, spinach fettuccine, or mashed potatoes. Sprinkle with shredded parmesan cheese.

Kid Fare

The first time I served this to my kids, they just kept looking from the pile on their tray to me and back. After that they were hooked and this has become a lunchtime favorite. The cheese coats the zucchini and they pick up clumps of it to eat. I usually still include another vegetable as a side just to encourage variety and to have vegetables be a staple in their diet. So far it’s worked, they don’t balk at vegetables… Most days.

Cowboy Black Bean Rice Bake

- 1 1/2 cups cooked short-grain brown rice

- 1/2 cup plain yogurt

- 2/3 cup cooked black beans

- 1 zucchini, thinly sliced or shredded in food processor

- 3/4 cup grated cheddar cheese

Preheat the oven to 350. Lightly spray an 8″ square baking dish. Mix rice, beans, and yogurt in a small bowl. Spread mixture into the bottom of the baking dish. Arrange a single layer of squash slices over the rice mix. Sprinkle cheese evenly over the squash. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Cool and serve. Freeze leftovers in individual packets for a quick meal.

Submitted by: Charla K., 2012 FHM Newsletter Editor & mommy to Raya & Silas, 15 months

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“Quiet” time

by Full House MOM on March 17, 2012

THIS is what happens when you ask three-year-old twins for an hour of quiet time so you can get some work done.

Submitted by FHM Member

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