Home Chef and Other Meal Delivery Services

Posted in Activities, Product Reviews, Recipes by Cheryl

I have been a big fan of meal delivery services since they started a couple of years ago. My main go to is Hello Fresh because I love their variety of meals and flexible weekly options. I have done a few posts reviewing the service, and even included some of the meals that you can make yourself within those posts.

I can tell you one thing though, during this quarantine and pandemic going on, these meal delivery services have saved my butt. Literally. Think about it, instead of gearing up mask and gloves to go to the supermarket surrounded by others who potentially can expose you to the virus, only to go up to the produce and meat sections to realize they’re out of almost everything OR prices have gone us drastically due to demand and you are only able to get 1 or 2 packages of fresh meat. It’s a nightmare.

With these meal delivery kits, they come like clockwork. Their sites say there may be delays, but mine have all been coming on time, and very fresh when they arrive. I have been able to have these 3 dinners worth of amazing restaurant quality meals delivered to me without fail during this quarantine and loving every week of it. I’m not gonna lie.. I even had both Hello Fresh AND Home Chef delivered one week because I forgot to shut one off for the week since I bounce back and forth, and it was 6 dinners worth! Think it’s expensive? Think again… no contract cancel any time, and your first box is only $35 if you sign up through an existing member – otherwise it’s $59.95. That’s still less than $10 a person for dinner per day.

Try it for yourself, save $35 on your first box by signing up 🡪HERE🡨

My new kick I’m on is Home Chef, I started it just a few weeks ago. It is the same basic idea as Hello Fresh, a collection of meals that you choose from a list, or if you forget to chose then the meals are chosen for you. The difference I have noticed between Home Chef vs Hello Fresh is that Home Chef does some of the work for you & the ingredients are more on a professional culinary level even though the meals are simple. They’re both $59.95 for a 3 meal 2 person plan, and I am usually able to get 2 1/2 meals out of it for me, my husband and my oldest son (my youngest is too picky to eat anything good…).

With that being said, they do an AMAZING job with outlining the recipe and even a novice cook can feel like a chef.. I guess that’s where the got the name from!

Here is an example of a complex risotto recipe I was able to easily make in a matter of 30 minutes;

This is their Shrimp & Bok Choy with Coconut Risotto and it was A-Mazing!

Simple step by step recipe with the freshest ingredients ready to go. See if you can follow along with the recipe card and keep in mind all ingredients are provided in separate little meal bags for you although you do need to sharpen up your knife skills and chop;

Prepare the Ingredients

Remove any discolored outer leaves from bok choy and trim ends. Cut stems into ¼” slices and coarsely chop leaves. Keep stems and leaves separate. Trim and thinly slice white portions of green onions. Thinly slice remaining green onions on an angle. Keep white and green portions separate. Pat shrimp dry.

Start the Risotto

Place a medium pot over medium-high heat and add 1 tsp. olive oil. Add rice and white portions of green onions to hot pot. Stir occasionally until rice is toasted and opaque, 1-2 minutes. Add 1 cup boiling water from small pot and mirepoix base to pot with rice. Rice should just be covered by water. Stir often until nearly all water is absorbed.

Finish the Risotto

Add ½ cup boiling water from small pot and stir often until nearly all water is absorbed. Repeat this process, stirring often, 18-20 minutes. Taste risotto as you cook, checking for tenderness. When rice has no more “bite” or crunch, it’s done. There may be water left. Stir in coconut milk until combined and bring to a boil. Once boiling, stir constantly until slightly thickened, 1-2 minutes. Remove from burner and stir in green portions of green onions (reserve a pinch for garnish) and ¼ tsp. salt. Cover and set aside.

Cook the Shrimp

Heat 1 tsp. olive oil in a medium non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Working in batches if necessary, add shrimp to hot pan and cook undisturbed until seared on one side, 2-3 minutes. Flip, and cook until shrimp reaches a minimum internal temperature of 145 degrees, 1-2 minutes. Transfer shrimp to a plate. Keep pan over medium-high heat.

Cook Vegetables and Finish Dish

Add 1 tsp. olive oil and bok choy stems to hot pan and stir occasionally until lightly browned, 2-3 minutes. Add bok choy leaves and stir constantly until leaves are wilted, 1-2 minutes. Stir in shrimp, garlic and ginger sauce, and ¼ tsp. salt until heated through, 30-60 seconds. Remove from burner. Plate dish as pictured on front of card, topping risotto with shrimp-vegetable mixture and garnishing with toasted coconut and reserved green portions of green onions. Bon appétit!

Keep in mind all images above are copywrite of Home Chef and shown from my online cookbook. Yes, they even give you a cookbook in your online account that stores all of the past recipes you’ve made on their plan so you can remake them yourself by buying the ingredients.

I took it a step further and have ordered a large 3 ring recipe binder and a 3 hole punch and will be adding all of the Hello Fresh, Blue Apron, and Home Chef meal cards to so that I can have them all on hand to make them whenever I feel the need to.

If you want try it please use my invite link to appreciate my work that went into posting this for you!❤🤗
https://www.homechef.com/invite/QbnZwrC2K190R

There are other meal plans as well like FRESHLY if you are not a fan of cooking. They’re pre-made meals and perfect for take and go lunch’s for work or quick dinners. They are microwavable and freezer ready. They’re very tasty but a little expensive in my opinion for the portions although the more you buy the cheaper they get and they do have $20 off of your first order by signing up 🡪HERE🡨 .

Hope you try one of these meal plans out, they are definitely coming in handy during this shut down in New Jersey! Comment your thoughts if you’ve tried any of the meal plans I mentioned or any others that I haven’t.

26Sep2019

HIP KIDDY PRESENTS: LULLABY KREATIONS OF KHALID

Posted in Kids and Moms, Product Reviews by Cheryl

HIP KIDDY PRESENTS:

LULLABY KREATIONS OF KHALID

This is perfect for background music at a kids birthday party. The adults will recognize the tunes, and even be able to sing along to their favorite hits with this adorable lullaby edition. It is actually fun trying to recognize each hit!

TO PURCHASE OR STREAM – https://linktr.ee/hipkiddy

Hip Kiddy Records, known for producing Hip Hop, R&B and Pop music for little ears, now premieres a new series of Lullaby Kreations, focusing on today’s hottest R&B and Hip Hop stars.

The brand new release – Lullaby Kreations of Khalid – is a tribute to the hottest R&B artist of today. Khalid, a platinum selling artist, received 5 Grammy nominations, including Best New artist at the 60th Grammy Awards. This album features Khalid’s biggest hits, set to soothing melodic instrumental lullaby tracks – perfect for little ears.

Track Listing:

Talk
Better
Love Lies
Location
Young, Dumb & Broke
Eastside
Steen
OTW
Outta My Head
Lovely

Last year, according to Soundscan, 81 million rap albums were sold making rap the largest and fastest growing in the business. Hip Kiddy is the first company to bring Rap to children, specifically, and attributes the enormous success of the Kids Rap’N the Hits series to the vibrant music of mainstream Rap! Because of the overwhelming success of the Hip Kiddy concept, they were inspired to create product for babies and toddlers.

All of the products in the Hip Kiddy catalog are vibrant and fun! Hip Kiddy believes that quality time spent with family and friends make for some of life’s best memories. Our products promote family interaction that encourages self-expression through music art and culture; in turn building a child’s self esteem and expanding their horizons.

Spotify playlist click to listen now;

10Sep2019

September to Remember Giveaway & BroadwayHD!

Posted in Kids and Moms, Self Help by Cheryl

Love Broadway shows but find it hard to get to NYC during these busy school months? Broadway HD is bringing you a streaming service to help you out.

Trading in those lazy summer days for the fast-paced, back-to-school routines can be rough. But when you add a little family time into those busy schedules, it doesn’t have to be! This September, BroadwayHD, the premiere streaming service for live theater, is helping to bring families together to experience the magic and thrill of theater with a family friendly playlist for everyone to enjoy. Classics like The Sound of Music and Peter Pan to spellbinding productions like Cirque du Soleil: Toruk – The First Flight will make for the most memorable family entertainment night. Below is a rundown of some of the performances included in the playlist. I wanted to see if you might be interested in learning more about BroadwayHD and covering the debut of this playlist as well as other family-friendly content in service.

Wind in the Willows – Join Ratty, Badger, Mole and the impulsive Toad as they embark on a series of riotous adventures spiraling from Toad’s insatiable need for speed! Featuring eye-poppingly beautiful design, exuberant choreography and a gloriously British score, The Wind in the Willows recently brought comedy, heart and thrills to the world-famous London Palladium for a strictly limited summer season.

The Sound of Music – In this exciting production of the universally beloved musical which made its broadcast debut in the UK on ITV, the enchanting Kara Tointon (Mr Selfridge, EastEnders) delivers a “mesmerizing performance and incredible vocal talents” (Daily Mail) as Maria, an apprentice nun who is tasked with caring for the children of a retired naval officer (Julian Ovenden, Downton Abbey). With Maria’s love for music and unwavering confidence, she brings a new zest for life back into the household. The performance is supported by Katherine Kelly (Mr Selfridge, Coronation Street) as Baroness Elsa Schraeder and Alexander Armstrong (The Armstrong and Miller Show, Danger Mouse) as Max Detweiler, and also features two songs not in the original movie but part of the stage show since 1959, “How Can Love Survive,” and “No Way to Stop It.” THE SOUND OF MUSIC LIVE also features showtune favorites like “The Sound of Music,” “Edelweiss,” “Sixteen Going on Seventeen,” “My Favorite Things” and many others.

The Woodsman – Based on the beloved writings of L. Frank Baum, The Woodsman, an imaginative retelling of the origins of Oz’s Tin Woodsman, is the story of the Tin Man, the woman he loved, and the witch that would stop at nothing to keep them apart. Through spectacular life-size puppetry and original music, the ensemble of Strangemen & Co. presents an inventive take on one of America’s original fairy tales.

Railway Children – The Railway Children tells the story of Bobbie, Peter and Phyllis, three children whose lives change dramatically when their father is mysteriously taken away. They move from London to a cottage in rural Yorkshire with their mother, where they befriend the local railway porter, Perks, and embark on a magical journey of discovery, friendship and adventure. But the mystery remains – where is Father, and is he ever coming back?

Puffs – For seven years a certain boy wizard went to a certain Wizard School and conquered evil. This, however, is not his story. This is the story of the Puffs… who just happened to be there too. A tale for anyone who has never been destined to save the world. The New York Times proclaims PUFFS, “A FAST-PACED ROMP through the ‘Seven Increasingly Eventful Years at a Certain School of Magic and Magic.’

Prince and the Pauper – From BBC and based on the Mark Twain classic, Prince and the Pauper is a classic trope. The show captures a classic trope of two individuals switching places. You’ll feel the chill in the castle air and smell the foetid London streets in this richly atmospheric tale of Tudor England. Mark Twain’s story of mistaken identities stars Keith Michell, who re-creates the role that made him famous (King Henry in the classic BBC series The Six Wives of Henry VIII). Street urchin Tom Canty could be Prince Edward’s identical twin brother. When they get mixed up, no-one will believe their stories.

Peter Pan – A smash hit when it debuted in 1991, this production of Peter Pan starring Cathy Rigby toured the globe and continues to be beloved by theater goers. The show was filmed in 2000 and features spectacular flying sequences as well as the tunes that everyone loves such as “I’m Flying” and “I Won’t Grow Up.”

Hetty Feather – A BroadwayHD original production debuting for the first time exclusively on BroadwayHD. From the best-selling author Jacqueline Wilson, the tale of plucky Hetty Feather is brought thrillingly to life on stage by award-winning scriptwriter Emma Reeves (CBBC’s The Story of Tracy Beaker) and by Olivier Award-nominated director Sally Cookson, whose many five star productions include Peter Pan, We’re Going on a Bear Hunt, and Stick Man. With an original musical score by Benji Bower, circus skills and a huge heart, Hetty Feather is a terrific adventure story! Starring BAFTA-nominated actress Phoebe Thomas in the title role, this production of Hetty Feather was filmed from the 2015 Olivier nominated production on the West End in London.

Cirque du Soleil: Toruk – The First Flight – Toruk – The First Flight is a live immersive multimedia spectacle that brings to the stage the breathtaking world of James Cameron’s Avatar like you have never seen it before. Through a riveting fusion of cutting edge visuals, puppetry and stagecraft buoyed by a soaring cinematic score, Cirque du Soleil applies its unique signature style to James Cameron’s imaginary world and “makes the bond” between two kindred artistic visions that capture the imagination. It is a living ode to the Na’vi’s symbiotic coexistence with nature and their belief in the basic interconnectedness of all living things. Narrated by a “Na’vi Storyteller” and populated by unforgettable characters, Toruk – The First Flight is a mythical tale set thousands of years before the events depicted in the film Avatar, and before any humans ever set foot on Pandora.

BroadwayHD introduces award-winning theater from all across the globe with both classic and modern productions. It’s a great way to introduce your family to live theater. In addition to the shows highlighted above, fans can expect to see the full works of Shakespeare, awe-inspiring performances from Cirque du Soleil and a selection of the world’s greatest musical including Kinky Boots, 42^nd Street, The King and I, Sound of Music, An American in Paris, and Peter Pan. All performances are adapted specifically for streaming audiences to maximize the entertainment experience. To learn more, visit www.broadwayhd.com.

Enter to win a $10 Amazon eGift Card from it’s a Jersey Thing Blog to help jump start your service!
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6Aug2019

Back to school with Honeysticks Natural Beeswax Crayons – Giveaway Hop over 60 giveaways!

Posted in Activities, Crafts, Current Giveaways, Kids and Moms by Cheryl

Welcome to the Back to school giveaway hop! Hosted by the kids did it and the mommy island.

Enter now to win a pack of Hona $10 Amazon gift card to get you started on back to school supplies this 2019/2020 school year

Honeysticks Crayons are handmade in New Zealand with 100% pure beeswax, so they are safer for children of all ages. This sustainable process causes minimal impact on the environment and gives the crayons a wonderful honey scent. Our unique chubby crayons are easy for small hands to hold, but much harder to break! Let your little ones express their inner artist with a stunning range of twelve eye catching, non-toxic crayon colours.

Welcome to the 4th Annual Oh, The Places You’ll Go! Giveaway Hop!
Please click each link below to visit a new site with a new giveaway!
Don’t forget to come back daily for bonus entries!

1.	(Grand Prize #1) The Kids Did It – $150 Back To School Package – US	35.	FreeSOCIAl2011 – US
2.	(Grand Prize #2) The Mommy Island – $180 Back To School Package – US	36.	Mom Does Reviews – US
3.	(VIP) Still Blonde after all these YEARS – $429 RevAir Reverse Hair Dryer – US	37.	Un-Ordinary Me-h! – WW
4.	(VIP) Broken Teepee – $40 Beaded Bracelet Package – US	38.	The Candid Cover – WW
5.	(VIP) Coupons and Freebies Mom – $10 Amazon Gift Card – US	39.	Daisy Day Designs – US
6.	(VIP) Beauty Info Zone – $25 Beauty Package – US – 2 Winners	40.	Freebies Deals & Steals – WW
7.	(VIP) Angie’s Angle – $25 PayPal Cash – WW	41.	Jennifer Lane Books – WW
8.	(VIP) It’s Free At Last – $15 Amazon Gift Card – WW	42.	Staci Mauney’s Echoes of Joy – US/CAN
9.	(VIP) Comeback Momma – $25 Amazon Gift Card – US/CAN	43.	MarksvilleandMe – US
10.	(VIP) Zombie Parenting – $100 Back To School Package – US	44.	Erica Ever After – US
11.	(VIP) Best Selling Author Susan Arden	45.	Readeropolis – US
12.	(VIP) This Frugal Family	46.	Dish Dish – US
13.	Reading Reality – WW	47.	Woman of Many Roles – US
14.	Simply Sherryl – WW	48.	Frugal Grandmom – US
15.	Miss Molly Says – WW	49.	Naturalhairlatina – US
16.	Lindsey Blogs at SEBG – US	50.	Tammie’s Reviews, Giveaways and More – US
17.	The Homespun Chics – US	51.	Confessions of a Frugal Mind – WW
18.	Says Me Says Mom – US	52.	Love is a Lifestyle Blog – US
19.	My Life. One Story At A Time. – US/CAN	53.	A Petite Mama – US/CAN
20.	Pausitive Living – US/CAN	54.	My Crafty Zoo – US/CAN
21.	Homeschool On The Range – US	55.	Java John Z’s – US/CAN
22.	Silver Dagger Book Tours – WW	56.	JeanBookNerd – WW
23.	Savings in Seconds – US	57.	Mom To Grandma – WW
24.	Andersons Angels – US/CAN	58.	A Modern Day Fairy Tale – US
25.	Here We Go Again Ready – WW	59.	Style on Main – US
26.	Mommy’s Playbook – US	60.	How Was Your Day? – US
27.	FROG Reviews and Ramblings – US	61.	It’s a Jersey Thing Blog – US/CAN
28.	icefairy’s Treasure Chest – WW	62.	Mom The Magnificent – US
29.	Nanny to Mommy – US	63.	Sunshine and RollerCoasters – WW
30.	Christy’s Cozy Corners – US	64.	Drop The Spotlight – US
31.	Angel’s Guilty Pleasures – WW	65.	When Is Dinner? – US/CAN
32.	MyStyleSpot – US	66.	Practical Frugality – US/CAN
33.	Sharing Life’s Moments – US	67.	Roadside Travels – US/CAN
34.	Parenting In Progress – US

19Jul2019

Potato Fennel Soup

Posted in Recipes by Cheryl

This is one of my all time favorite soups! Believe it or not, it was a mistake recipe when I attempted making the recipe a friend had given my from her Ecuadorian mother-in-law.

It was an awesome mistake and I’ve made it over and over again since then. I’ve tweaked it a bit since, and probably because I keep forgetting exactly what I used in the ingredients but that’s why I’m writing this post and documenting the recipe this time! There’s one major issue I have with this soups and that’s that there is never enough! It’s too good I want an endless supply lol.

The biggest mistake I used with the initial recipe was star anise. I thought her recipe called for Anise seeds, and looking all over I only found star anise so I grabbed it. I was told the oil would turn red, and it wasn’t and then realized it was supposed to be annatto seeds which are VERY hard to find in stores and had to be purchased online in a big bottle.

That was an amazing mistake though because although I didn’t get the red tinted and flavor I was wanting, the anise added amazing flavor to it. Anise is fennel family, and super healthy too.

I tried making it again and bought actual anise which I boiled and emulsified and well… it’s just amazing and I’m going to show you the ingredients and steps below…

Add some vegetable oil to a large stock pot, and add some seeds. Simmer on low or they’ll burn and POP right out of the pot (watch your eyes!) Those sucker’s hurt when they hit you soaked in hot oil.

Simmer just until they heat up and the oil turns bright reddish orange then fish out all of the seeds from the oil and discard because they aren’t supposed to be consumed they’re just for flavor.

Chop up a quarter of the anise or fennel body (the white part), some scallions, and some green onion whites.

Add to the boiling oil and simmer until they start to get alittle tender. Then add in some vegetable stock about halfway up the pot and bring to a boil.

Then peel and chop up about 5 small red potatoes into small pieces that we will be adding to the pot to boil along with the anise and other root veggies we added.

Bring to a boil for 30 minutes. You need the potatoes and veggies to be tender enough to use an emulsion hand blender and blend into a soup consistency.

The emulsion hand blender I have I got at my local grocery store and it was maybe $30 at most but so worth it!

Blend all of the ingredients in the pot until smooth broth. The more potatoes you add initially the thicker it’ll be but I like it too be thin for this soup. This mends all of you the boiled ingredients together into a nice flavorful broth. At this point I usually add a bit of salt and pepper and also 2 scoops of sour cream before blending.

Then add additional cut up cubed peeled potatoes that will stay whole pieces in the soup.

Simmer the potatoes in the broth for another 20-25 minutes until potatoes are tender. I also add some of the leaves from the anise as well for flavor and looks.

When done, put a large hunk of 5 blend Italian shredded cheese or mozzerella in a bowl and pour soup over it.

This is the #1 must have ingredient to make this soup one of the most addicting soups I’ve ever had.

*tip, you can omit the Annatto seeds all together, or add less for less of an orange color. Also you can add some milk to the soup to adjust flavor or texture as needed.

Enjoy!

If you made it, let me know what you think!

19Jul2019

Potato Fennel Soup Recipe

Posted in Recipes by Cheryl