Make an Impact at the Dinner Table Tonight

Here's my challenge: Have dinner together 3 times this week. I feel like I live in my car, and although the kids are getting older and can help more in the kitchen, their schedules are also filling up. As our children grow there are more schedules to juggle. It becomes an increasingly difficult task—finding time to have dinner on the table, homework done and everyone present. Having dinner together has a positive influence on children and family unity. Children who have regular family meals are 50% less likely to try drugs and alcohol (www.parentsempowered.org).  Family mealtime is an opportunity to connect with each family member, discuss family plans and have FUN. 

Often we ask our kids, “What was your favorite part of the day?” Sometimes their answers surprise us! Here's an easy way to get started on your Family Dinner Conversations this week. Try printing these conversation starters out, cutting them into strips and placing them in a bowl or jar; at dinner each person can draw a question to ask others, or you can all answer the same question; make up your own rules and just HAVE FUN. 

1.     If you were given $10,000 what would you do or buy with it?

2.    Tell one positive thing about yourself.

3.    What country would you like to visit and why?

4.    Tell about what you would like to do on a rainy day.

5.    Who is the person you most admire, why?

6.    Tell about your favorite vacation.

7.    What qualities are important to you in a spouse?

8.    If you were on an island what 3 modern conveniences would you have to have with you?

9.    If you could choose to have a new talent what would it be?

10.  What famous person would you like to have lunch with?

11.  Describe a perfect evening.

12.  What do you like about your life?

13. What did you learn today?

14.  What’s is the funniest thing that has happened to you?

15.  What is the house of your dreams?

16.  If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?

17.  Give one word that describes each family member.

18.  Which fairy tale character are you most like?

19.  What do you want to be when you grow up?

20.How do you handle a tough situation?

21.  Complete this sentence “I hope……”

22. If you could change your name, what would it be?

23. What is your least favorite chore? Most favorite?

24. Would you rather leave to age 35 as a millionaire, or age 85 with meager means?

25. What is your favorite birthday memory?

26. Would you acknowledge your faith in God if it meant you’d be arrested and imprisoned for 5 years? Explain

27. If you were an animal instead of a person, what animal would you be? Why?

28. If you could double your beauty, but it would cost you half your intelligence, would you do it? Why?

Freezer Meals Cookbook

I'm off on a new adventure! As you know, writing is a passion of mine, and if you love something, and you can make money doing it, shouldn't you combine those things for awesomeness?

I will be pursuing a few new writing gigs this year, and trying to help out our family budget too. We really need a vacation this year--like really, a lot, badly need one. So off I go to find something to do that will maybe earn me a little cash on the side. More on that later.

Since our lives (everyone, not just me) are so busy, I have revived an old cooking method--Freezer Meals. And since I also read other awesome websites, I have linked you to a great cookbook from Jordan at "Fun,Cheap or Free" You can find her blog here.

You can also Sign Up Here for Cookbook. The cookbook is done in conjunction with "Deals to Meals" which is another great website.

I am endorsing both these ladies and their sites, just because I like them. They did not compensate me. And of course I am attempting, as always, to make your life, and mine a bit easier.

Enjoy

Crockpot Honey Sesame Chicken

This is one of the easiest, go-to meals I have. It uses stuff I have on hand, and only takes a few minutes to put into the crockpot. With the busy life we are leading (seriously haven't a weekend to myself since before Thanksgiving) this is nutritious, easy and delicious. Let me know what you think!

Honey Sesame Chicken
6- 8 small chicken breasts (about 2-3 lbs)

Sauce
1 c. honey
1/2 c. BBQ sauce (I love Original Sweet Baby Ray's)
2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
2 Tbsp. minced onion (dried works too)
1/2 c. soy sauce (low salt works great!)
1/2 tsp. Sesame oil
1 1/2 tsp. garlic, minced
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes (opt.)

Other Ingredients
2-3 green onions, chopped
1-2 Tbsp. Sesame seeds
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
6 Tbsp. water

Place chicken in lined or sprayed crockpot. Mix sauce ingredients together and pour over chicken and stir until chicken is covered in sauce.
Cook on LOW for 6 hours. Take chicken out of crockpot and shred into chunks, reserve the sauce. Pour sauce into small sauce pan.
In a separate bowl, mix the water and cornstarch together into a runny sauce. Add it to the sauce from the crockpot. Cook on Medium heat until thick.
When sauce thickens (3-5 minutes) turn off heat, and pour sauce over shredded chicken.
Top with Sesame seeds and green onion and serve over rice.