{Recipe} Mushroom and Zucchini Penne with Roasted Tomato Cream Sauce + a giveaway!

I received a sampler of Daregal Gourmet fresh frozen herbs to review as a part of a Blog Friendly PR campaign. All opinions are my own and no compensation was received.

I've gotten to the point that I can't seem to follow recipes exactly anymore. In fact, I've started playing around with combinations and flavors to create fun new dishes for my family. It keeps dinner interesting!

This is one of our new meals. I've made it a couple of times, and love the way the flavors play together, along with the fact that my kiddos eat it! I've also just discovered Daregal Fresh Frozen Herbs. I love, love, love working fresh herbs into my dishes because it adds so much flavor, but hardly any calories. It's takes dinner to the next level. Unfortunately, I have a hard time rationalizing the cost of fresh herbs as they are pricey and I can't use them before they go bad. When Daregal asked me to try their fresh herbs that are flash frozen in a bottle that lets you shake out exactly the amount needed, I thought it was a great way to keep from wasting money, but still turn delicious dishes out of my kitchen. Sure enough! It streamlined dinner prep and the extra herbs are sitting in my freezer with no rush to use them before they turn. Brilliant!

Want to see how I use them in our Mushroom and Zucchini Penne with Roasted Tomato Cream Sauce? I thought you'd never ask!

Lemon Peel, Basil, Mint, Dill, and Parsley

Don't let the ingredient list overwhelm you. It's pretty easy to put together and the pay off is SO tasty!

Rinse your cherry tomatoes and zucchini. Slice the zucchini and toss the veggies with a little drizzle of olive oil. Pop in the oven on broil for about 10 minutes, or until the cherry tomatoes start to brown.

Meanwhile, add a drizzle of olive oil to your pot. When it's hot, add your chopped onion and minced garlic. Cook over medium for 3-4 minutes or until the onions start to soften.

Add the chopped mushrooms to the pot, and continue to cook over medium for another 5 minutes.

Add both cans of tomatoes.

And the parsley, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper. Stir everything together, turn the heat to low, and let it simmer for at least 20 minutes. The longer the better!

As soon as your veggies are roasted, add those to the pot of sauce. You want it to simmer together with everything else.

At the very end of your simmering, boil the penne until al dente. When you drain it, make sure you reserve about a cup of pasta water in case you need it later on.

While the pasta is boiling, turn off your brain for this next step. Don't think. Just pour. Calories don't exist in this space. Seriously, if you want the rest of the recipe, you have to play by my rules. Ready? When your sauce is done simmering, add the heavy whipping cream. Trust me on this one. It makes it soooo good!

Stir the whipping cream in and you'll watch your sauce turn almost orange with a delicious, thick consistency. If it is too thick, you can certainly add up to one cup of reserved pasta water to thin it out slightly.

This recipe makes a big batch of sauce. I get enough for two meals from it. Ladle the sauce into the pot with the pasta, and toss to coat. Freeze the rest of the sauce for a quick dinner another night. Between the roasted veggies and the fresh frozen herbs that make the sauce quick and easy to throw together, this meal is a new favorite at our house! Interested in trying the herbs I used in this recipe? You can pick them up on Amazon or in the Northeast at Stop n Shop, Giant Landover, and Shaws!

Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, and serve with fresh garlic bread made with the same fresh frozen herbs. Perfection!

Mushroom and Zucchini Penne with Roasted Tomato Cream Sauce

Serves 6-8

• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 1 Onion, Chopped
• 8oz Mushrooms, Chopped
• 4 Cloves Garlic, Minced
• 1 can (28oz) Crushed Tomatoes
• 1 can (28oz) Tomato Sauce
• 1 Large or 2 Small Zucchini, Sliced
• 2 Pints Cherry Tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon Daregal Fresh Frozen Basil
• 1 teaspoon Daregal Fresh Frozen Parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon Dried Oregano
• Salt to Taste
• Pepper to Taste
• 1 cup Whipping Cream
• Parmesan Cheese for Garnish

1. Broil sliced zucchini and cherry tomatoes in the oven for 10 minutes or until they start to brown.
2. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a pot. Add onions and garlic. Cook over medium for 3-4 minutes.
3. Add mushrooms to pot. Continue to cook over medium for 5 minutes.
4. Add crushed tomatoes and tomato sauce, basil, parsley, oregano, salt, and pepper. Stir through and simmer over low for at least 20 minutes (longer is better!)
5. Add the broiled veggies as soon as they come out of the over to the simmering sauce.
6. Add whipping cream, stir through.
7. Ladle hot cream sauce over fresh pasta. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, and serve with garlic bread.

Oh, by the way, you not only get a recipe in the post, you also get a chance to win your own Daregal Gourmet Herb Sampler!

~Giveaway!~

All you have to do is enter below for your chance to win! The first two tasks are not optional and must be completed to qualify for this giveaway. The additional entry tasks are optional. Winning entries will be validated prior to announcing the winner with an alternate drawn if the entries cannot be verified.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
The contest ends at 11:59pm on Tuesday, October 1st. The winner(s) will be randomly chosen and contacted by email on Wednesday, October 2nd. The winner(s) will have 48 hours to respond to the email with their information so that the prize can be forwarded to them. A Beautiful Ruckus is not responsible for the delivery of the prize and is not responsible if the sponsor does not deliver. This giveaway is open to residents of the United States. A Beautiful Ruckus received a complimentary Daregal Gourmet Herb Sampler in exchange for hosting this giveaway. No other compensation was provided. This post may contain affiliate links. For more info, please see my disclaimer page.

I received a sampler of Daregal Gourmet fresh frozen herbs to review as a part of a Blog Friendly PR campaign. All opinions are my own and no compensation was received.

I've gotten to the point that I can't seem to follow recipes exactly anymore. In fact, I've started playing around with combinations and flavors to create fun new dishes for my family. It keeps dinner interesting!

This is one of our new meals. I've made it a couple of times, and love the way the flavors play together, along with the fact that my kiddos eat it! I've also just discovered Daregal Fresh Frozen Herbs. I love, love, love working fresh herbs into my dishes because it adds so much flavor, but hardly any calories. It's takes dinner to the next level. Unfortunately, I have a hard time rationalizing the cost of fresh herbs as they are pricey and I can't use them before they go bad. When Daregal asked me to try their fresh herbs that are flash frozen in a bottle that lets you shake out exactly the amount needed, I thought it was a great way to keep from wasting money, but still turn delicious dishes out of my kitchen. Sure enough! It streamlined dinner prep and the extra herbs are sitting in my freezer with no rush to use them before they turn. Brilliant!

Want to see how I use them in our Mushroom and Zucchini Penne with Roasted Tomato Cream Sauce? I thought you'd never ask!

Lemon Peel, Basil, Mint, Dill, and Parsley

Don't let the ingredient list overwhelm you. It's pretty easy to put together and the pay off is SO tasty!

Rinse your cherry tomatoes and zucchini. Slice the zucchini and toss the veggies with a little drizzle of olive oil. Pop in the oven on broil for about 10 minutes, or until the cherry tomatoes start to brown.

Meanwhile, add a drizzle of olive oil to your pot. When it's hot, add your chopped onion and minced garlic. Cook over medium for 3-4 minutes or until the onions start to soften.

Add the chopped mushrooms to the pot, and continue to cook over medium for another 5 minutes.

Add both cans of tomatoes.

And the parsley, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper. Stir everything together, turn the heat to low, and let it simmer for at least 20 minutes. The longer the better!

As soon as your veggies are roasted, add those to the pot of sauce. You want it to simmer together with everything else.

At the very end of your simmering, boil the penne until al dente. When you drain it, make sure you reserve about a cup of pasta water in case you need it later on.

While the pasta is boiling, turn off your brain for this next step. Don't think. Just pour. Calories don't exist in this space. Seriously, if you want the rest of the recipe, you have to play by my rules. Ready? When your sauce is done simmering, add the heavy whipping cream. Trust me on this one. It makes it soooo good!

Stir the whipping cream in and you'll watch your sauce turn almost orange with a delicious, thick consistency. If it is too thick, you can certainly add up to one cup of reserved pasta water to thin it out slightly.

This recipe makes a big batch of sauce. I get enough for two meals from it. Ladle the sauce into the pot with the pasta, and toss to coat. Freeze the rest of the sauce for a quick dinner another night. Between the roasted veggies and the fresh frozen herbs that make the sauce quick and easy to throw together, this meal is a new favorite at our house! Interested in trying the herbs I used in this recipe? You can pick them up on Amazon or in the Northeast at Stop n Shop, Giant Landover, and Shaws!

Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, and serve with fresh garlic bread made with the same fresh frozen herbs. Perfection!

Mushroom and Zucchini Penne with Roasted Tomato Cream Sauce

Serves 6-8

• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 1 Onion, Chopped
• 8oz Mushrooms, Chopped
• 4 Cloves Garlic, Minced
• 1 can (28oz) Crushed Tomatoes
• 1 can (28oz) Tomato Sauce
• 1 Large or 2 Small Zucchini, Sliced
• 2 Pints Cherry Tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon Daregal Fresh Frozen Basil
• 1 teaspoon Daregal Fresh Frozen Parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon Dried Oregano
• Salt to Taste
• Pepper to Taste
• 1 cup Whipping Cream
• Parmesan Cheese for Garnish

1. Broil sliced zucchini and cherry tomatoes in the oven for 10 minutes or until they start to brown.
2. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a pot. Add onions and garlic. Cook over medium for 3-4 minutes.
3. Add mushrooms to pot. Continue to cook over medium for 5 minutes.
4. Add crushed tomatoes and tomato sauce, basil, parsley, oregano, salt, and pepper. Stir through and simmer over low for at least 20 minutes (longer is better!)
5. Add the broiled veggies as soon as they come out of the over to the simmering sauce.
6. Add whipping cream, stir through.
7. Ladle hot cream sauce over fresh pasta. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, and serve with garlic bread.

Oh, by the way, you not only get a recipe in the post, you also get a chance to win your own Daregal Gourmet Herb Sampler!

~Giveaway!~

All you have to do is enter below for your chance to win! The first two tasks are not optional and must be completed to qualify for this giveaway. The additional entry tasks are optional. Winning entries will be validated prior to announcing the winner with an alternate drawn if the entries cannot be verified.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
The contest ends at 11:59pm on Tuesday, October 1st. The winner(s) will be randomly chosen and contacted by email on Wednesday, October 2nd. The winner(s) will have 48 hours to respond to the email with their information so that the prize can be forwarded to them. A Beautiful Ruckus is not responsible for the delivery of the prize and is not responsible if the sponsor does not deliver. This giveaway is open to residents of the United States. A Beautiful Ruckus received a complimentary Daregal Gourmet Herb Sampler in exchange for hosting this giveaway. No other compensation was provided. This post may contain affiliate links. For more info, please see my disclaimer page.

{Recipe} White Bean Chicken Corn Chili

One of my favorite soups of all time is a good chicken chili. Last year, I finally sat down and created a version that had all of my favorite flavors in it. It's a hearty chili that only improves if you have leftovers. Trust me, I always make a BIG batch so that I can eat on it for a few days. While the ingredient list seems a little long, this recipe actually goes together in a snap by using canned items where possible. Quick and easy is a must in our household! Since everyone who has eaten it has asked for the recipe, I thought I'd share it with you as well!

Saute a bit of onion and garlic together in a large pot until the onion starts to soften. 

As I've said before, I think garlic is one of the most fabulous flavors on the planet. I'm always very generous with my garlic. So, so good! But don't worry! It's not overwhelming in this dish. It just adds to it!

Stir in your Green Chili and Beans.

When I was putting together the chili the day that I made this recipe, guess what I realized after I had started cooking? If you guessed that I didn't have the right beans in my pantry, you would be correct. But it ended up being a happy accident because now I can vouch for the fact that this recipe works just fine with other types of beans (in this case: 1 can of pinto, 1 can of great northern, and 1 can of navy).

Pour in the Chicken Broth.

I like to use homemade stock if I have it, but if not, I try to go with the lower sodium broth. If it looks a bit more soupy than you'd like, than you are on the right track! It will thicken up as we go. 

Add in all of the Spices, plus the Tomatoes, Corn, and Chicken. Stir it all up.

Let it simmer for at least 15 minutes so that all of the ingredients heat through, and the flavors start to meld.

Meanwhile, stir together the Cornmeal and Milk in a separate bowl.

This is a nifty little trick to thicken up the chili and add a bit more flavor in the process!

After it has simmered, pour the Cornmeal and Milk mixture into the pot and stir.

Let that simmer for at least 10 more minutes. The beautiful thing about chili is that it is very forgiving on the timing. As long as you give it a stir every now and then, you can get sidetracked with other things. Yes, that has been well tested by my quadruplets. :)

Right before you are ready to serve it, add in the last of your flavors:

Fresh Cilantro....

 Fresh Squeezed Lime...

And, of course, Cheese!

Ladle into bowls and add a dollop of sour cream on top. If you are a go-all-out type of person, you might even try adding some crispy tortilla strips on top!

How do I eat it? With the sour cream on top, and a couple of slices of fresh Italian bread drizzled with honey on the side. Simple, easy, and delicious!

Don't forget to pin this recipe! 

White Bean Chicken Corn Chili

Serves 8 

• ·       1 whole medium Onion, diced
• ·       6 whole cloves of Garlic, minced
• ·       4 oz can + 7 oz can Green Chilies, chopped
• ·       3 - 15 oz cans of Great Northern Beans, rinsed and drained
• ·       8-10 cups of Chicken Broth (try for low sodium if possible)
• ·      1 ½ Tablespoons Ground Cumin
• ·       ½ Teaspoon Paprika
• ·       ½ Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
• ·       Salt
• ·       Pepper
• ·       2 ½ cups of cooked, shredded Chicken
• ·       1 ½ cups of Corn, frozen
• ·       15 oz can of Diced Tomatoes
• ·       1 cup of Milk
• ·       2 Tablespoons of Cornmeal
• ·       1 cup of Mexican or Fiesta Style Cheese, shredded
• ·       ¼ cup of Fresh Cilantro, chopped
• ·       1 Lime, juiced
• ·       Extra Cheese and Sour Cream for serving!

1. In a large pot, heat oil. Add onion and garlic and sauté until onion starts to soften.

2. Add green chilies and beans. Stir.

3. Add the chicken broth. Add enough to where it is slightly more soupy than you want the end product to be.

4. Add cumin, paprika, cayenne pepper, salt, pepper, chicken, frozen corn, and diced tomatoes. Stir.

5. Allow to boil gently for 15 minutes while stirring occasionally.

6. In a separate bowl, mix the milk and cornmeal together. Add to the pot of chili and stir through.

7. Allow to simmer for an additional 10 minutes.

8. Stir in cheese, cilantro, and lime juice just before serving.

Don't forget to pin this recipe! 

One of my favorite soups of all time is a good chicken chili. Last year, I finally sat down and created a version that had all of my favorite flavors in it. It's a hearty chili that only improves if you have leftovers. Trust me, I always make a BIG batch so that I can eat on it for a few days. While the ingredient list seems a little long, this recipe actually goes together in a snap by using canned items where possible. Quick and easy is a must in our household! Since everyone who has eaten it has asked for the recipe, I thought I'd share it with you as well!

Saute a bit of onion and garlic together in a large pot until the onion starts to soften. 

As I've said before, I think garlic is one of the most fabulous flavors on the planet. I'm always very generous with my garlic. So, so good! But don't worry! It's not overwhelming in this dish. It just adds to it!

Stir in your Green Chili and Beans.

When I was putting together the chili the day that I made this recipe, guess what I realized after I had started cooking? If you guessed that I didn't have the right beans in my pantry, you would be correct. But it ended up being a happy accident because now I can vouch for the fact that this recipe works just fine with other types of beans (in this case: 1 can of pinto, 1 can of great northern, and 1 can of navy).

Pour in the Chicken Broth.

I like to use homemade stock if I have it, but if not, I try to go with the lower sodium broth. If it looks a bit more soupy than you'd like, than you are on the right track! It will thicken up as we go. 

Add in all of the Spices, plus the Tomatoes, Corn, and Chicken. Stir it all up.

Let it simmer for at least 15 minutes so that all of the ingredients heat through, and the flavors start to meld.

Meanwhile, stir together the Cornmeal and Milk in a separate bowl.

This is a nifty little trick to thicken up the chili and add a bit more flavor in the process!

After it has simmered, pour the Cornmeal and Milk mixture into the pot and stir.

Let that simmer for at least 10 more minutes. The beautiful thing about chili is that it is very forgiving on the timing. As long as you give it a stir every now and then, you can get sidetracked with other things. Yes, that has been well tested by my quadruplets. :)

Right before you are ready to serve it, add in the last of your flavors:

Fresh Cilantro....

 Fresh Squeezed Lime...

And, of course, Cheese!

Ladle into bowls and add a dollop of sour cream on top. If you are a go-all-out type of person, you might even try adding some crispy tortilla strips on top!

How do I eat it? With the sour cream on top, and a couple of slices of fresh Italian bread drizzled with honey on the side. Simple, easy, and delicious!

Don't forget to pin this recipe! 

White Bean Chicken Corn Chili

Serves 8 

• ·       1 whole medium Onion, diced
• ·       6 whole cloves of Garlic, minced
• ·       4 oz can + 7 oz can Green Chilies, chopped
• ·       3 - 15 oz cans of Great Northern Beans, rinsed and drained
• ·       8-10 cups of Chicken Broth (try for low sodium if possible)
• ·      1 ½ Tablespoons Ground Cumin
• ·       ½ Teaspoon Paprika
• ·       ½ Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
• ·       Salt
• ·       Pepper
• ·       2 ½ cups of cooked, shredded Chicken
• ·       1 ½ cups of Corn, frozen
• ·       15 oz can of Diced Tomatoes
• ·       1 cup of Milk
• ·       2 Tablespoons of Cornmeal
• ·       1 cup of Mexican or Fiesta Style Cheese, shredded
• ·       ¼ cup of Fresh Cilantro, chopped
• ·       1 Lime, juiced
• ·       Extra Cheese and Sour Cream for serving!

1. In a large pot, heat oil. Add onion and garlic and sauté until onion starts to soften.

2. Add green chilies and beans. Stir.

3. Add the chicken broth. Add enough to where it is slightly more soupy than you want the end product to be.

4. Add cumin, paprika, cayenne pepper, salt, pepper, chicken, frozen corn, and diced tomatoes. Stir.

5. Allow to boil gently for 15 minutes while stirring occasionally.

6. In a separate bowl, mix the milk and cornmeal together. Add to the pot of chili and stir through.

7. Allow to simmer for an additional 10 minutes.

8. Stir in cheese, cilantro, and lime juice just before serving.

Don't forget to pin this recipe! 

Meal Tip #1: EMeals + A Giveaway!

As I start working my way through all of the questions that were left on the survey, I've realized that some of the answers will most definitely take more than just one post. I'm actually finding it quite exciting to start writing my way through everything! (Yes, I'm a nerd.)

One of the questions that showed up several times was how we do meals at our house. Sheesh, having a suddenly big family definitely makes one grasp for any shortcuts, money saving tips, and kid-friendly meals they can find. I have several tips that I'd like to pass on, but today I'm excited to share my favorite one that we've adopted since our kids came home. And unless you absolutely love planning meals and making grocery lists, I'm going to be your new best friend in about five minutes.

Oh, and if you think this tip only applies to big families, I think you will be pleasantly surprised how well this will work for singles, newlyweds, seniors...well, just about anyone. I only wish that we had found this before kids. We would have saved so much money!

Ready for my best mealtime tip??

One of the ladies who came to help when our quadruplets first came home saw me struggling with needing to care for preemies on medical equipment, manage 28 feedings a day, and still have the energy to plan and cook meals. She suggested that I check out a meal planning service called eMeals. I'm a very self-sufficient person in general, but I was desperate for something to make that portion of my day easier. So I checked into it, and loved what I found.

I loved it so much that we are still members a year and a half later!

EMeals started off by offering subscriptions to weekly dinner menus with matching grocery lists. Over the time that we've been members, they've added additional menu-types, more grocery stores, and new options for breakfast and lunch.

My first concern whenever looking at something like this is always about the cost. Money is very tight at our house, and expenses are cut wherever we possibly can. My concern was that we would be paying out money and it wouldn't be worth the savings. After 18 months using the service, I can still say that it is most definitely worth it!

Let's be honest though, I love saving money and there are a lot of meal planning services out there. When my subscription was up for renewal after the first six months, I did look through several of them to see if they would offer the same level of service for free as what I was used to. I quickly realized that eMeals is in a league of it's own and headed straight back. No one else could offer the level of customization that eMeals does:

• Subscriptions are $7 per month, but if you choose a longer subscription term, the price drops!
• Menus include seven nights of quick and easy entrees and side dishes.
• 10 different meal plans including Classic, Gluten-Free, Clean Eating, Paleo, Organic, Vegetarian, and more. Plus they let you switch meal plans once a month if you would like to try something else!
• Weekly recipes and grocery lists for two people or a family of four-six. Plus, all items on the grocery list are numbered to correspond with the correct recipe. If you decide you don't want to cook meal #3, you can easily go through the grocery list and cross off anything with a "3" next to it. Brilliant!
• Your choice of store that you would like the recipes and grocery lists tailored for. They check sales and build the recipes around those items every week!
• Each grocery list gives the specific amount of food needed to make the recipes. That means no overbuying and throwing food out at the end of the week. That was a major problem for me prior to eMeals. It used to drive Sean nuts!

There really is no comparison!

And I feel like I definitely need to make a comment on the dishes themselves. We really, really enjoy these meals...even the kids! So far, we've tried Classic for Two, Low-Fat for Two, Low-Fat for a Family, and Clean Eating for a Family. Yep, I like to keep it interesting over here! We found that the Low-Fat plans were our favorite because of it's emphasis on herbs and seasonings for flavor and all of the veggies included. We just switched to the Clean Eating plan last week because I thought it would be interesting to try it. I've looked at the Clean Eating concept before, but it was overwhelming...until I saw that they recently added this plan. Now I just let the meal planning service do the work for me, and so far we are enjoying it as well! These are easy & delicious dinner ideas for busy families on a budget!

Here are a couple of meals we've had recently. If you're following me on Instagram, you've probably already seen them come through!

So here's the deal, I emailed the eMeals people and told them how much I enjoyed their service and wanted to be able to pass it on to other multiples parents, newlyweds, frazzled moms, and anyone else who needs to take something off of their plate. They were kind enough to let me pass two different special offers to you!

First, if you want to give the eMeals meal service a try (which I can't recommend enough!), they would like to extend a 15% discount to you with the code NEWYOU. Jump on this people. You won't be sorry! And like I said above, I will be your new best friend! Click this link to sign up!

Second, they have offered to giveaway a 3 month subscription to their meal planning service to one reader! You will get to choose your meal plan, meal size (2 people or a family), and store and then let them do the work! On top of that, they will also include a 3 month breakfast and lunch meal plan for you to try! That's 3 whole months of no planning. Just print, shop, and cook the easy and delicious meals!

I've had several people mention to me that they would really enjoy participating in the giveaways if I would offer something that isn't limited to Kansas City. I've also had people say that they don't have little kids or multiples so they would like something that would pertain to them. This is it, folks! It's open to anyone in the US and anyone from a single living on their own, to a family with kids, to a senior couple can benefit from this one. I hope you will take a moment to enter.

If I sound like I'm really excited about this, it's because I am. EMeals literally saved my sanity during those first hard months with the kids...and now? Why stop a good thing, right?

Enter below!
Please use the Rafflecopter giveaway below to enter. The first two tasks are not optional and must be completed to qualify for this giveaway. If you choose the "anonymous option" to comment, please at least include your first name and first letter of your last name. It's next to impossible to verify comment entries without names! The additional entry tasks are optional. Winning entries will be validated prior to announcing the winner with an alternate drawn if the entries cannot be verified.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The contest ends at 11:59pm on Monday, January 14th. The winner will be announced and contacted by email on Tuesday, January 15th. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to the email with their information so that the prize can be forwarded to them. A Beautiful Ruckus is not responsible for the delivery of the prize and is not responsible if the sponsor does not deliver. This giveaway is open to residents of the United States. A Beautiful Ruckus received no compensation for hosting this giveaway, however this post does contain my affiliate links. For more info, please see my disclaimer page.

As I start working my way through all of the questions that were left on the survey, I've realized that some of the answers will most definitely take more than just one post. I'm actually finding it quite exciting to start writing my way through everything! (Yes, I'm a nerd.)

One of the questions that showed up several times was how we do meals at our house. Sheesh, having a suddenly big family definitely makes one grasp for any shortcuts, money saving tips, and kid-friendly meals they can find. I have several tips that I'd like to pass on, but today I'm excited to share my favorite one that we've adopted since our kids came home. And unless you absolutely love planning meals and making grocery lists, I'm going to be your new best friend in about five minutes.

Oh, and if you think this tip only applies to big families, I think you will be pleasantly surprised how well this will work for singles, newlyweds, seniors...well, just about anyone. I only wish that we had found this before kids. We would have saved so much money!

Ready for my best mealtime tip??

One of the ladies who came to help when our quadruplets first came home saw me struggling with needing to care for preemies on medical equipment, manage 28 feedings a day, and still have the energy to plan and cook meals. She suggested that I check out a meal planning service called eMeals. I'm a very self-sufficient person in general, but I was desperate for something to make that portion of my day easier. So I checked into it, and loved what I found.

I loved it so much that we are still members a year and a half later!

EMeals started off by offering subscriptions to weekly dinner menus with matching grocery lists. Over the time that we've been members, they've added additional menu-types, more grocery stores, and new options for breakfast and lunch.

My first concern whenever looking at something like this is always about the cost. Money is very tight at our house, and expenses are cut wherever we possibly can. My concern was that we would be paying out money and it wouldn't be worth the savings. After 18 months using the service, I can still say that it is most definitely worth it!

Let's be honest though, I love saving money and there are a lot of meal planning services out there. When my subscription was up for renewal after the first six months, I did look through several of them to see if they would offer the same level of service for free as what I was used to. I quickly realized that eMeals is in a league of it's own and headed straight back. No one else could offer the level of customization that eMeals does:

• Subscriptions are $7 per month, but if you choose a longer subscription term, the price drops!
• Menus include seven nights of quick and easy entrees and side dishes.
• 10 different meal plans including Classic, Gluten-Free, Clean Eating, Paleo, Organic, Vegetarian, and more. Plus they let you switch meal plans once a month if you would like to try something else!
• Weekly recipes and grocery lists for two people or a family of four-six. Plus, all items on the grocery list are numbered to correspond with the correct recipe. If you decide you don't want to cook meal #3, you can easily go through the grocery list and cross off anything with a "3" next to it. Brilliant!
• Your choice of store that you would like the recipes and grocery lists tailored for. They check sales and build the recipes around those items every week!
• Each grocery list gives the specific amount of food needed to make the recipes. That means no overbuying and throwing food out at the end of the week. That was a major problem for me prior to eMeals. It used to drive Sean nuts!

There really is no comparison!

And I feel like I definitely need to make a comment on the dishes themselves. We really, really enjoy these meals...even the kids! So far, we've tried Classic for Two, Low-Fat for Two, Low-Fat for a Family, and Clean Eating for a Family. Yep, I like to keep it interesting over here! We found that the Low-Fat plans were our favorite because of it's emphasis on herbs and seasonings for flavor and all of the veggies included. We just switched to the Clean Eating plan last week because I thought it would be interesting to try it. I've looked at the Clean Eating concept before, but it was overwhelming...until I saw that they recently added this plan. Now I just let the meal planning service do the work for me, and so far we are enjoying it as well! These are easy & delicious dinner ideas for busy families on a budget!

Here are a couple of meals we've had recently. If you're following me on Instagram, you've probably already seen them come through!

So here's the deal, I emailed the eMeals people and told them how much I enjoyed their service and wanted to be able to pass it on to other multiples parents, newlyweds, frazzled moms, and anyone else who needs to take something off of their plate. They were kind enough to let me pass two different special offers to you!

First, if you want to give the eMeals meal service a try (which I can't recommend enough!), they would like to extend a 15% discount to you with the code NEWYOU. Jump on this people. You won't be sorry! And like I said above, I will be your new best friend! Click this link to sign up!

Second, they have offered to giveaway a 3 month subscription to their meal planning service to one reader! You will get to choose your meal plan, meal size (2 people or a family), and store and then let them do the work! On top of that, they will also include a 3 month breakfast and lunch meal plan for you to try! That's 3 whole months of no planning. Just print, shop, and cook the easy and delicious meals!

I've had several people mention to me that they would really enjoy participating in the giveaways if I would offer something that isn't limited to Kansas City. I've also had people say that they don't have little kids or multiples so they would like something that would pertain to them. This is it, folks! It's open to anyone in the US and anyone from a single living on their own, to a family with kids, to a senior couple can benefit from this one. I hope you will take a moment to enter.

If I sound like I'm really excited about this, it's because I am. EMeals literally saved my sanity during those first hard months with the kids...and now? Why stop a good thing, right?

Enter below!
Please use the Rafflecopter giveaway below to enter. The first two tasks are not optional and must be completed to qualify for this giveaway. If you choose the "anonymous option" to comment, please at least include your first name and first letter of your last name. It's next to impossible to verify comment entries without names! The additional entry tasks are optional. Winning entries will be validated prior to announcing the winner with an alternate drawn if the entries cannot be verified.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The contest ends at 11:59pm on Monday, January 14th. The winner will be announced and contacted by email on Tuesday, January 15th. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to the email with their information so that the prize can be forwarded to them. A Beautiful Ruckus is not responsible for the delivery of the prize and is not responsible if the sponsor does not deliver. This giveaway is open to residents of the United States. A Beautiful Ruckus received no compensation for hosting this giveaway, however this post does contain my affiliate links. For more info, please see my disclaimer page.