Pre-children: I used my recipe box religiously. The best and most loved cards had stains galore on them and stuck to each other often. My husband and I had subscriptions to Food and Wine, Bon Appetit and Cooking Light. Between then and now, we had two children, purchased an iPad, discovered Pinterest and put all of our cookbooks on a shelf in the garage. One might think that our meal repertoire has expanded dramatically given the resources available (the internet!) but such is not the case. Here are some staple meals that we keep “on repeat” in our household each week. The tried and true favorites for us. Enjoy!
Homemade Granola: (Disclaimer: This is from my cousin’s amazing food blog!)
I love this recipe because it’s pretty easy to follow, makes a bunch at a time, and you can tailor it to whatever you have lying around the house. Our current batch has chocolate chips, pumpkin seeds, cashews, and some dried fruit pieces. With some yogurt and fresh fruit, it’s a perfect breakfast. Or, you can not break it apart as thoroughly and it makes granola bars! I’m actually munching on one right now.
Protein Pancakes:
My two boys (4 and 1) are not real carnivores and I worry about them getting the necessary protein every day. This recipe is fantastic because it combines eggs and cottage cheese (protein-packed!) while maintaining a pancake consistency. I use gluten-free flour and add some cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice. We eat them a few times a week. They also freeze and reheat incredibly well!
Cheddar Broccoli Soup:
Think Panera, except you know exactly what goes into it. Both of my kids devour this and the baby has been known to lick a bowl of it clean. It’s really easy to make, especially if you buy pre-shredded carrots and onion. I also use half whole milk and half skim. It makes me feel better. Again, it freezes well so make a big batch!
Crock Pot Chili:
My 4 year old still doesn’t realize this has ground turkey as a main staple. Let’s keep it that way, okay? Thanks.
Ingredients:
1 lb ground turkey (I usually opt for the 92/8)
Two cans of beans (black, red, kidney, whatever you can find), washed and drained
2 cups of chicken stock
Packet of chili seasoning
We make it tomato-free due to food sensitivities, but a can of diced tomatoes would add some depth to the flavor. I’ve also thrown in frozen corn, celery, onion, and sweet potato (cut finely). You can’t really overcook it, just stir whenever you’re around. Nothing like a crockpot meal midweek to save some time. Serve with shredded cheese and Greek yogurt (Which he still thinks is sour cream. Gosh, I sound like a culinary liar!).
And when all else fails, we eat whatever Blue Apron decides to send us!
My husband’s New Years Resolution was to cook more. (Double win for me!) So, I signed up for Blue Apron. (For those who don’t know, it’s a food delivery service. They send the ingredients you need in just the amounts needed and super easy-to-follow recipe cards.) Since some nights all the kids want is buttered pasta and applesauce, Blue Apron has been a nice change to our routine without having to put too much thought into our meals! 
Maybe one day, I’ll crack out the old recipe box (for more than just a photo) and get back to all of those complex culinary masterpieces…
What are your family favorite recipes?
