Tasty Tuesday! #QuickFixCasserole {Perfect for Back-to-School}

First of all--I have to give a shout out to my dad today!!

HAPPY 70th BIRTHDAY DAD!! LOVE YOU!

Okay, now onto the today's Tasty Tuesday! Kids are back to school, after school activities are in full swing, so how in the world do we get dinner on the table? After working all day, the last thing I want to do is spend a long time in the kitchen! I've got a few quick tips that make dinner time a snap!

1. Plan ahead. I make a menu up for the week when I go grocery shopping. This helps our family tremendously. And it saves us lots of time and money, too. Too often we wouldn't take something out of the freezer to thaw which meant we'd hit the take-out menu folder!
2. Prepare in advance. If I am grilling chicken for dinner, I usually throw on a few extras for another meal later in the week or for lunches. Why cook twice? Same thing goes for ground beef--if I'm browning it for one meal, why not for another. It freezes up nicely and is a breeze to thaw and toss into a casserole or for something quick like tacos.
3. Rotisserie chicken is a mom's best friend. You can do so much with these bad boys! I'll share a recipe with you today. Not only can it be dinner the day you pick it up, but you can shred it for later in the week, cube it up and freeze it. The options are endless.
4. There are a ton of recipes that can be put together in 30 minutes or less. I've got Back to School board on Pinterest with a few ideas. You can also check out Country Crock's Pinterest Boards or their website for tasty solutions, too. I'm sharing another one with you today.

Here's a casserole that will get to your table speedy quick thanks to rotisserie chicken!


Chicken & Rice Casserole
(adapted from Food Network Magazine, March 2013 issue)

Ingredients
2 Tbls. Country Crock Butter
1 Clove Garlic, chopped
4 Green Onions, sliced
2 cups broccoli, chopped (fresh)
2 cups Shredded Rotisserie Chicken (skin removed)
1 cup brown rice (fast-cooking)
1 small tomato, chopped
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup sour cream
4 oz dill havarti cheese, diced
1 oz parmesan cheese, shredded
salt & pepper as desired



Directions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Melt the butter in a large ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and most of the green onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft (about 2 minutes). Add the broccoli, chicken, rice, tomato, salt & pepper to taste; stir to combine.
Whisk the broth and sour cream together and pour into skillet and bring to a simmer. Stir in half of both cheeses. Cover skillet tightly with lid or foil and transfer to oven. Bake until the rice is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes.
Turn on the broiler. Uncover the skillet and sprinkle with the remaining cheeses, broil until golden (about 2 minutes). Sprinkle with the reserved green onions. Serve.

Here are a few reasons I enjoy using Country Crock Spread:

• It has 0g trans fat per serving
• It contains no partially hydrogenated oils
• Is has no cholesterol
• It has 70% less fat than butter per serving
• And it has 30% fewer calories than butter per serving

Check out Country Crock's Facebook page for some great recipe ideas and product updates and information.

Do you have any other suggestions on how to get dinner to the table on hectic school nights? If so, please share!

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Who wants $500 cash???

 I'm so excited to announce this HUGE giveaway! If you are a regular follower, you know by now that I am celebrating my 1 Year Blogiversary! Yippee! What better way to celebrate than to give away some CASH! Yep--we can all use that! How sweet is this? Please, spread the word and share the news about the give-away!! I will keep my fingers crossed that you are the winner!

 

Welcome to the $500 Back to School Cash Giveaway!

We've joined forces with a great group of bloggers to bring you this fabulous giveaway. 

One lucky person will win $500 cash.

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Enter to win $500 cash via PayPal.

Complete the tasks below to earn entries into this giveaway.

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Open Worldwide.

Ends at 11:59pm EST on September 1st, 2013.

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This giveaway was coordinated by Giveaway Promote.

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Hurry up! This giveaway ends soon! And, since this is my first giveaway, would you mind leaving me a comment when you've entered? Thanks!

 

Back-to-School Time

Ok, so yes, I'm jumping for joy that today is the 1st day back to school. Why? Mainly because I think our kids have had too much "togetherness" this summer. That 2 week vacation really tested the sibling love! But seriously, I think I crave the routine the most. The kids are both excited to start the new school year.

We visited their schools on Monday night. Met their teachers, dropped off their (bags) of school supplies and figured out their new schedules. Ugh, my daughter is now in middle school. I can hardly wait for the drama that will occur this year. (I'm joking!)

When we stopped by my son's classroom (he's in 2nd grade now), his teacher gave each student something to take home with them to have before them come to school on the first day. I thought this was genius (and I knew right from that moment, that I was really going to like this teacher!). This was his gift:

Jitter Juice: Guaranteed to reduce first day butterflies. Kid tested, Teacher approved. How cute!!

If you follow me on Instagram, you are sure to see the First Day of School pics! (if you aren't following me yet, click here and then click FOLLOW!)

Here are some ideas to make your First Day of School special for your family!

Start the day out right with these:
Melt in Your Mouth Blueberry Pancakes

Pack them a lunch that includes these:
DIY Uncrustables

Let them know you are thinking about them during the school day with these:
Lunchbox Notes

Greet them at the door or bus stop with these:
Mint Chocolate Chip Brownies

End the day with a kid friendly dinner:
Pizza Muffins








 



Happy Wednesday! If your kids aren't back to school yet, when is their first day?