We hope you all had a wonderful week! Did you make one of our delicious Mexican dishes for Cinco de Mayo? If so, send us your pictures! We love to see you making the meals we love so much.

Traegar and Staub Event

The week started with an incredible event put on by Traeger and Staub. If you have followed us for a while, you know our obsession with Staub! We have been fans for over 30 years. Pretty sure we now love them more than ever! It was such a privilege to get invited to such an amazing event.

You can't really get a better combination than Traeger and Staub. We cannot tell you how unbelievable the food was! It was honestly insane. Everything was made on the Traeger. Did you know that everything you make in your oven can be made on the Traeger? The smoke gives everything such an amazing flavor. We can't wait to get cooking with Traeger soon!

Tuesdays Live

It always feels so good to do a live after being gone for a few days! We start to miss you guys! If you missed it, you can watch it here. So for Tuesdays live, we decided to talk about Nachos. Who doesn't love some good nachos? We started off showing you an extremely easy meatless version. It uses things you most likely already have in your pantry and takes minutes to execute. There's really no excuse to not getting dinner on the table with recipes as easy as this!

Next, we showed you how to make our new Food Nanny Steak nachos. I would put these up against any other nachos out there. The combination of the steak and cheese sauce make them out of this world! This is a great way to use some of your leftover steak from grill night. We will be craving these Steak nachos till we make them again!

Draper Stake Event

To make this week even better, we had the privilege of speaking at an event with the Draper stake. We met so many wonderful Fannies and loved every second! Lizi was able to share some more about portion control and counting calories. As women, we have too much to offer the world to worry about every bite of food you eat! Don't worry, you will hear a lot more about this!

Fridays Live

We finished off the week with a live at our friend Cami's home! It was such a pleasure! Check her out on instagram @camitiffin. It was only fitting that we made the best Pina Coladas because we got this recipe from her mom! The Coco Lopez brand of cream of coconut is a game changer. You will not find better!

While sipping our drinks, Cami showed us around her incredible home. You guys, she has worked wonders! They moved into their home six year ago and have slowly been remodeling it ever since. Cami talks about how they have been able to make their home look incredible on a budget. Go give her a follow, she is a wealth of knowledge! We finished up at Cami's house and then headed over to Aimee's chicken coop. Isn't it so dreamy?

Thanks for joining us for another week! As always, follow along and cook with us this next week! Here is what's on our menu:

Monday: Chicken Rice Casserole with Almonds

Tuesday: Lasagna Soup

Wednesday: Blueberry Pancakes

Thursday: Mexican Chicken and Rice

Friday: Pizza with Mushrooms or Potatoes

Saturday: BBQ Apricot Chicken Thighs

Sunday: Rosemary Lamb Chops

xoxo!

Amazing Thailand

That’s what people know Thailand as…..Amazing Thailand…

Why? Because of its diverse Vibrant city life, Beaches, Elephants, Buddhas, Temples and smiling people. The Thai people happily work hard to please. They make their jobs look easy because they are so happy.

For me, the first time I visited Thailand and stayed in the Sheraton Hotel on the River Chao Phraya, in Bangkok, I thought, now we have come to a far off place….!! We watched as the ferry’s off loaded hundreds of people early each morning in their black skirts and white shirts, many of which were students, others on their way to work. Men and Women commuting from their homes located across the river or up or down stream. Everyone pouring into the streets of Bangkok going in every direction….That was fascinating.

It reminded me of the ferry’s that land each morning along the East or Hudson River in Manhattan where hundreds also commute into the city for work. Only this was Thailand. Maybe that's why Bangkok is referred to as the Manhattan of Asia!

The River moves natives, tourists, cargo floating markets and long tail boats all day and night long. People live along this river. Some very poor, while Opulent Grand Palaces and Temples adorn the River banks as well. The River and I connected. I found the Long Tail Boat Taxis to be a fun way to get around on the River.

Next, visited Puckett and enjoyed the Beaches near there, with Riley Beach being our favorite. We took Elephant rides and feasted on fresh Papaya Salad, Mango Sticky Rice, and fresh fruit every day. We also enjoyed great weather. Not too hot or not too cold. Just right.

When our daughter and son in law moved to Bangkok we had ample opportunities to go back and revisit many times. Katie and Colin shared their love of the City with all of us and now we love to come and go as often as we can.

I especially love the “Foot Massage.” Our favorite place in the world is Nuch Massage: 1/8 Soi Sukhumvit 24, across from the Emporium mall. You can get this amazing spa treatment done for one-hour costing $6 American dollars. Now that’s a deal and another reason we love Bangkok!

Their money which is called Bot goes a long way for us Americans in most places in Thailand. Of course, fancy Steak Houses, and Gourmet Chinese meal, or Thai Food Restaurants can be pricy. The daily fare in a moderate restaurant, however, is very inexpensive. You can spend as little or as much as you like in Thailand.

We can't miss Chatuchak Market…better known to locals as JJ’s Market on the weekends. Here you can buy anything. Love this place. Great restaurants there too. Ask the locals where to eat.

China town is fun to visit too. We had great street food there!!! Very clean and delicious! We actually took a Street food tour of China Town and I definitely recommend it.

Something else we love is to eat at the Navy Club Restaurant sitting outside along the River. www.kruakhunkung.com This time we ate our usual Cashew Chicken (the best in the world) and the Sea Bass. There fruit drinks are amazing as well.

On this trip, we stayed at the Sheraton Grand Sukhumvit which we would recommend to anyone. The BEST!!! Great location as well.

They have the best staff and wonderful food!! (Just ask my Sisters, they ordered room-service a couple of times of day) haha!

The Bangkok Malls are some of the finest in the World. Just to name my favorites: The Emporium, Siam Paragan Mall, Central Department Store Food Court, Central World for the movie theatres in the 7^thfloor and best dessert just next door to the theatre is called Kakigori which is a Japanese shaved ice dessert..TDF! Best dumplings are Din Tai Fung…..Try them !!

India

Our quick trip to New Deli India was also great! We enjoyed New Deli, found it mostly to be rough is spots but very interesting. The driving is utterly insane and I cannot imagine how they get along driving so crazy all day long !

We drove with a guide to Agra where the Taj Mahal was located. That was a dream to see. All that ornate in-lay with real stones covering the entire structure was breathtaking. Beautiful! It took 22 years to build and 20 thousand workers.

It was a very interesting 4 hour drive to the Taj. We saw grass huts, white horses, sprawling countryside, and village after village. We even stopped at a Starbucks early in the morning for a hot chocolate and croissant. We visited Rug stores and had lunch at the Marriott Hotel. It was delicious.

We stayed at the Sheraton in New Deli, which was off, but nice. If you get a chance to go to India don’t stay at a chain Hotel. Do some research and get a nice Indian ran hotel. You will save hundreds of dollars and will get a chance to get the real experience of India. It would have been fun to see the Tigers, but we did not have time this trip.

France

And for my next stop, it was back to France. We again visited Paris, La Baule and Guerande. This time in Paris we stayed at the Marriott Renaissance Republica, which we loved. The location is right in the heart of Paris. Loved everything about the location and enjoyed the Hotel very much. Great 5 Star Hotel with beautiful rooms, and a wonderful staff.

For our next stop in LaBaule we stayed at the Hotel Saint Christophe. This Hotel is simply dreamy in every way. Now we have two favorite Hotels in La Baule. The Barrie Hermitage Hotel and the Saint Chrisophe. Soon we will be taking our Fannies to the 5 star Hermitage which is unforgettable. It is worth traveling to La Baule just to stay in either of these Hotels, both of which have incredible restaurants.

We ate at Nina a la plague on the Beach this time in La Baule. The Best Steak and Sauce we have ever eaten in France. We also ate the best French Fries we have ever eaten in a tiny village along the road side. We ate the finest pastries at the oldest Bakery in Paris, the Bouingerie Stohrer. Louis the 15^th wife started this Bakery. Her name is Marie de Lezincka ,the first Pastry Chef in Paris is what we were told. This is located on Montorgueil Street, my favorite street in all of Paris!

We visited the Paris Market the Les Pules De St Ouen. Wonderful for antiques of every kind and old Paris wears. Love to shop at Mora for Kitchen things and E. Dehillerin (Julia Childs favorite). It is magical.

Love Paris, Love everything French!!!

xoxoxoxo

What a week! It was pretty jam packed between a cooking class, three lives, and an amazing birthday party. It was good to be back in the swing of things.

Don't forget to stop by our Warehouse for all of your Food Nanny needs. And we are so excited that our new Kamut Pick Up locations should be up and running this week! We will keep you updated.

MONDAY

We started off the week with an unbelievable birthday lunch. On Monday, we were invited to attend a lunch hosted by Traeger for Kristin Andrus and Shannon from cleaneats_clean treats. We were amazed at all the wonderful and talented women there. It was such a privelege just being invited! And you can't have a birthday party with a bunch of foodies without delicious food!

TUESDAY

Then on Tuesday, we had our first live of the week. And it was a good one! We were so lucky to have Kristen from @buonaforchettaut cooking with us. She made her amazing gnocchi and shared with us some of her tips and tricks. She makes Italian food just about every night! Kristen used Kamut this time, and it turned out perfectly. We aren't lying to you, it really does make everything better!

It was a blast cooking along side Kristen, but also amazing sharing part of her story. She has struggled with Epilepsy and eventually depression as a result. Through the hard days, she turned to cooking and bonding with her family. Kristen truly is an inspiration to us all.

WEDNESDAY

Next, for Wednesdays live, we decided to sit down and just talk with you guys! When we skip a couple lives, we start to miss our fannies. Food Nanny Sr. talked all about her amazing travels around the world. She spent time in Thailand, India, and France over the last month. We will go into more detail in a later post, but it was a blast reading about things she loves, things she ate, and things she purchased.

One of our favorite purchases from traveling has to be our copper pots! This is something that can be passed on to future generations and definitely worth the investment. We found some for you at a killer price! It comes in both a 3 Liter and 4 Liter size. We have the 4 liter and love it, but the 3 Liter is great as well. The 3 Liter size is actually supposed to be a thicker copper!

You can find more incredible copper pots, but you will pay for it! And if you decide to go too cheap, it simply will not last. This really is a killer deal! Think of it as kitchen art, and something your family will enjoy long after you are gone.

FRIDAY

Then, this week was make extra special with a third live! We just wanted to make up for missing the week before. For our final live of the week, we decided to show you how to make our Dippy Eggs and French Baguettes.

In fact, we have decided to make the dippy eggs for Easter breakfast! They are easy, but so fun and healthy for the whole family. Kids love the idea of dipping with the toast, and adults can't get enough of the flavor. So start a new tradition, and enjoy this on Easter morning with us!

And if you have been a follower of ours for a while, you know about our French Baguettes. We make them all the time because they are just that good! They taste amazing, and take less than an hour start to finish. You won't find bread that is this easy and delicious anywhere else! And the best part? It goes with just about anything! The baguettes work on sandwiches, or on the side of a salad. We even love serving it on Italian night.

SATURDAY

To conclude, we finished off our crazy week with another amazing class at Orson Gygi. It was so much fun getting to cook right along those of you that were there! If you live near us, make sure and catch one of our upcoming classes.

MEAL PLAN

If you would like to cook along side us this week, here what's on the menu! Have a great week!

Monday: Crunchy Parmesan Baked Chicken

Tuesday: Red and White Mostoccioli

Wednesday: Blueberry Croissant French Toast

Thursday: Texas Style Beef Tacos

Friday: Fresh Tomato Pizza

Saturday: Grilled Jalapeno Burgers

Sunday: Easy Chicken Cordon Bleu

It was another great week over here! While Food Nanny Sr. has been having a blast in Thailand, Food Nanny Jr. has been here holding down the fort.

On Tuesday, we had such a fun live with our sister Aimee all about St. Patricks Day. If you watched it, isn't Aimee just the best? We have too much fun together. We showed you guys how to make our fruit tart St. Patricks Day style, and how to make our sugar cookie bars. You can get both recipes here. Oh my gosh these are both amazing. You guys have been making both desserts up a storm this week, and we love seeing them! If you weren't able to make them for St. Patrick's Day, don't worry! Make either of these any time! Just switch up the frosting color, fruit used, sprinkles, whatever! Thats what makes these so amazing.

And then on Friday we had the best live with Courtney from cakebycourtney. You guys, we can't get over how talented she is! We just love her. We make some pretty amazing cakes, but decorating them really isn't our specialty. But we are trying! Courtney really does make it look so easy and her tools make such a difference. You can shop all of her amazing products here. Now we just need her to create a Kamut cake!

Does this not look unbelievable? We made her new Lemon Bar cake and wow it was yummy. It's all about practice, so don't get discouraged when it doesn't look like this the first few tries. Here are some tips to help:

• Work on chilled cake! Make it ahead of time, wrap, and place in the freezer. This will help keep the crumbs in place.
• Use cold butter!
• First do a crumb coat, and then put it in the freezer for about 10 minutes. Once you pull it out, then its time to use the acrylic disk!
• You can drive yourself CRAZY trying to make it perfect. So don't! Work till you have one good side and then call it good.
• Use the danish dough whisk. We promise, you NEED this! And Courtney even uses the same jars we do! Filled with flour, sugar, powdered sugar, you name it!
• Courtney has the best tips and tutorials! Make sure you are following her.

We have another great week ahead, so stay tuned! And here's what we are serving:

Monday: Chicken Tenders with green chili sauce

Tuesday: Spaghetti and Meat Sauce

Wednesday: Monte Cristo Sandwich

Thursday: Beef and Bacon Taco Soup

Friday: Choose a Flavor Pizza!

Saturday: Grilled Salmon

Sunday: Chinese Sundaes Kids will Love

It was another great week over here! Here's some things we have been up to.

On Tuesday, we had such a great live. We talked about one of our favorite books, Home Sweet Maison: The French Art of Making a Home. We are proud Americans over here, but we love sharing different things we love about other cultures! Thanks to Mr. Food Nanny being a pilot, we have been blessed to see so much of the world. It's no surprise that France has always been one of our favorite places to visit. We love the food, the culture, and just the way they live! If you tuned in for the live, you saw us make a new favorite dessert, fondant au chocolat. It is AMAZING! And uses ingredients we always have on hand. Here is the recipe, tweeked a little to be our own!

As of this week, our Amazon favorites list is ready to shop. We have been gathering a list of our favorite things for sometime now, and are so happy to finally have it available for you! To get there, either click on the link on our instagram profile, and select Amazon Favorites, or go to: https://www.amazon.com/shop/thefoodnanny . We hope you are as excited as we are about this!

And then for our Friday live, we let you decide between a bread and pizza. The people voted, and Bread it was! We decided to show you our delicious Hearth bread. Food Nanny Jr. almost didn't make it thanks to a crazy snow storm but luckily it all worked out. The Kamut in the bread makes it next level! It is dense, but has such a simple and delicious flavor. You need this in your life, especially if you love a good country white bread.

Thanks for joining us for another great week! Even though Food Nanny Sr. will be off on an amazing adventure, Food Nanny Jr. will be holding down the fort for us this week. We have some fun things planned, so stay tuned! And here's what we will be cooking:

Monday: 3 Bean Chili with Corn Bread

Tuesday: Pasta with Hot Italian Sausage

Wednesday: Fish Tacos

Thursday: Chicken Fajita Soup

Friday: Authentic Margherita Pizza

Saturday: Grilled Chicken Tenders with Brown Rice

Sunday: Tri Tip Roast with Red Potatoes

And remember... Keep Cooking, Your Family is Worth It!

Why dinnertime?

Food is an integral part of our lives, so why not make it as important as it should be. Dinnertime was the foundation of my day when I was raising my family. First thing in the morning, I made sure that all the ingredients I needed for my meal that evening were at hand. Doing this ensured that preparing dinner would go a lot smoother and make the whole process more enjoyable.

The Beauty of Meal Planning

My philosophy on dinnertime has truly shaped a lifestyle for me and my family. I mentioned meal planning a few times above because it makes all the difference! When I sit down every two weeks to make a meal plan, I follow my “Theme Nights” to keep things simple, stress free, healthy and happy. It has liberated me from stressing about dinnertime. As a mother of seven children, I couldn’t ask for anything more. Believe it or not, meal planning made dinner prep fun! I’ve always said that when you make dinner happen everyone wins! I have a variety of tools to help you get started meal planning. First off you can download my Two Week Meal Plan Template by clicking here. Don’t want to have to think of your own recipes? No problem! Every two weeks I post the meal plan I use on my website. You are welcome to use that one and cook along with me. Also, don’t forget to tune in to watch our Live Videos on Instagram & Facebook, where we often show how to make the meals on our Meal Plan. All the best to all of you care-givers wherever you may be. Putting dinner on the table for my family on a consistent basis was the one most fulfilling things I ever did! It was so gratifying to see how much everyone appreciated a good hot meal and how it has bonded our family forever. xoxo The Food Nanny

This year Emaly and Dave hosted Thanksgiving. Emaly made her first Turkey all by herself! She followed my Delicious Moist Turkey Every Time in Book 2 on page 189. She said “Mom, it was so easy and it turned out perfect”. So moist and delicious.We love all the traditional recipes we cook each year. We bake the same ones because they are soooooo amazing and we never tire of them. For Thanksgiving we do our Turkey Rolls in Book 2 page 251. We do these for the kids. We also do the Crescent for all the rest of us. Our Swiss Green Beans in Book 1 on page 206 are such a favorite. So is our Parmesan-Topped Creamed Corn, Book 1, page 206. We love our Caramelized Sweet Potatoes or Yams in Book 1, page 216. We never tire of eating these sides. Another favorite is our Cheesy Broccoli Rice Bake Book 1, page 208. TDF. We die over our Stuffing…Both the Cornbread and the Traditional in Book 1 on pages 214-215. Try our French Mashed Potatoes in Book 2, page 199 starting with number 8. Lizi can’t get enough of our Pecan Bars in Book 2 page 301! We think these bars are even better than any Pecan Pie!!!! Hope you enjoy looking at some of our pics from Thanksgiving 2018! Xo Liz and Lizi

We are wanting to catch you all up on what we have been up to the last couple of months...It was so great to be with family in Hawaii! We had a blast together and also a food related highlight was a delicious pineapple sandwich that we knew we would want to recreate when we got home. It’s fun to go on vacation and it’s also great to come home. We love home. We love our kitchen, our wonderful food, warm cozy fires, hot chocolate family and friends. There truly is no place like home! The absolute highlight of the month was being able to do the wedding for our dear friends, Ashley and Audy. We are not caterers but we sure do love a party...and what a party this was! It was held at Katherine Heigle's Barn. Yes, Katherine from the hit TV show Suits! Her husband, Josh Kelly, who is a pop rock artist also sang with his guitar which was the absolute highlight of the evening! What a great nice guy!!! We did our classic cheese boards that we are known for, with our veggies and Charcuterie boards. Our Mexican Hot Chocolate stole the show….along with Lizi’s to die for cakes. She made 10 cakes total….all were a labor of love. They taste like none other and were such a hit….Lizi is our little in house baker from heaven! Be sure to check out our Mexican Hot Chocolate recipe here and look in Book 2 for the Strawberry and Chocolate Gnache Cakes. xoxo Liz & Lizi