Dinner and Dinner For Littles

Stuffed bell peppers and pasta.
I did a two for dinner plan tonight. Weather was perfect to cook in the oven and heat up my little casa.

Browned ground turkey meat and added seasoning, basil, lemon pepper,oregano. While the meat was browning I started noodles and chopped down veggies... Mushrooms , carrots ,red onion and broccoli. After meat had started cooking and was finishing up I added the chopped down veggies. While all if this was simmering and smelling yum I chopped off the tops if three green bell peppers and gutted them.

After turkey meat and veggies were cooked I preheated the oven to 350 . Spooned out some turkey filling and spooned into the peppers. Topped them with cheese. Placed them in baking dish.

On to the pasta. After draining the noodles I mixed the noodles turkey meat and veggies and pasta sauce together. I filled up a large baking dish with the mixed up pasta and then topped with shredded cheese.



















I of course forgot to take a picture of the finished product but it was both yummy and nice looking. Thus was my first attempt at stuffing peppers. They came out really good. This one night of cooking will stretch the next couple of days.

Peppers and salad
Pasta and salad
ok not that many days but one less night I have to cook right? Works for me.


And the littles what did they eat...






Pasta with bananas and carrot pick up dips. Served with a favorite of theirs hummus with shredded cheese

What the heck is a pick up dips ?Chopped whatever in this case bananas and baby carrots.

Other choices:
String cheese
Bread sticks
Cubes of bread or slices
Slices of apples
Sliced up waffles

Serve a dippable in the plate. I serve our pickup dips in mini silicone cupcake liners and other bento box bits and bobs I have found along the way.

Ideas for dips

Hummus
Peanut butter
Salsa
Nutella
Almond butter
Pumpkin butter
Marinara sauce

Then serve with a pick up . My littles love cheese but other ideas are:

Shredded cheese
Raisins
Crushed pumpkin seeds
Any other seeds you may fancy
Chopped up dried fruit
Cheerios
Gerber puffs
Chocolate chips

The idea is to take the "stick" dip it in your dip and pick up the pick ups . The littles LOVE this. We have some kind of pick up dips a lot in this house. Why? Because it's fun and I have found that the funner I make a meal or snack the more likely they are to eat it.














Sample pickup dips
Cheese stick trader joes
Papaya mango salsa trader joes
Shredded cheese
Yum!

CV fab mama/curlie girlie gone mobile!