The Baby & Toddler Food menus are designed for you to make life feeding your baby/toddler homemade food a little easier. We are not pediatricians, please seek counsel from them on timing, allergies and food sensitivities. These menus are simply designed for ease of parents and not necessarily adhere to dietary guidelines. If you are new and not sure how to get started we have a wonderful series starting with 5 easy steps to get you on your way to once a month cooking. Good luck!

• Below is a linked list of items we have hand selected for this menu. The links below are to the original recipe. We include these so that you can get a look at what you might be preparing and to give these wonderful blog authors some traffic (they work hard to create great recipes). However, to see our freezer cooking adaptions and to alter the servings to meet the needs of your family you will need to VIEW and PRINT the printable Toddler Food 18+ Month February 2012 Recipe Cards.
• Recipes are intended to be used by one baby or toddler on a oamc cooking day. If you are cooking for more than one toddler, download this document or make a copy for your personal use. Then indicate how many toddlers in the yellow box below to automatically adjust information the recipe cards. Do the same thing for the grocery list.
• Having trouble using the Recipe Cards or YELLOW BOX? See this post!

Mini Veggie Frittatas

Breakfasts

• No-Bake Chewy Granola Bars
• Green Supreme Smoothies
• Mini Veggie Frittatas
• Homemade Poptarts

Lunches

• St. Patrick’s Day Green Mac-n-Cheese
• Chicken Pot Pie Bundles
• Roasted Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese Croutons
• Football Turnovers
• Chicken Stix
• Spaghetti with Meatballs

Secret Ingredient Fudgy Brownies

Snacks

• Cheddar Coins (aka Healthy Cheez-Its)
• Secret Ingredient Fudgy Brownies
• Balls of Energy

Printable Toddler Food 18+ Month February 2012 Menu

Grocery List

• Included in this spreadsheet you will find a listing of all the items you will need to complete your Toddler Food 18+ Month February 2012 OAMC BIG DAY by area of the grocery store. For more instructions on how to use this, go here.
• Toddler Food 18+ Month February 2012 OAMM Grocery List

Instructions

• These are the step-by-step instructions you will need to quickly and efficiently approach your OAMC BIG DAY. After all, if you are going to be in the kitchen for awhile, you best make the most of your time.
• Toddler Food 18+ Month February 2012 OAMM Instructions

Labels

These customized labels are designed specifically for this menu. They contain the name of the dish and serving instructions for preparing the dish on your serving day. They make preparation of the dishes hassle free and staying to your eating plan a cinch.

These labels are designed to be printed on Avery 8163 or equivalent! Readers who didn’t have labels available suggested just printing them on paper and taping them.

• Toddler Food 18+ Month February 2012 Printable Labels

Pinterest:

Are you a person that likes to see the menus visually? Perhaps you should check out the Toddler Food 18+ Month February 2012 Toddler Food Menu via Pinterest to see the yummy goodness you will be cooking up on this menu. Not sure what Pinterest is all about, check out what Once A Month Mom has to say about it.

Facebook Fan Party:

OAMM Facebook Fan Page Party – February 12th 2012, 9:00 pm – 9:30 pm EST – We will be able to chat via video AND messaging during the event through FACEBOOK! How cool is that? We will be talking about the current month’s menus, answer your burning questions about freezer cooking and have fun getting to know one another. You can also see other past recordings from that tab as well. This is a great way to meet fellow Once A Month Mom’s or get your questions answered as you get started.

Instructions for viewing live-stream:

• Go to the Once A Month Mom Facebook Fan Page.
• Click on the “FB Fan Night” Tab on the left side margin.
• Hit “view live recording” – If I am live streaming it will show you what is happening in progress. If I am not live streaming at the time, you will have the option to click through other videos that I have recorded in the past.
• Enjoy!

Test Cooks

Each month we have some wonderful volunteers who “test” out the menu prior to publication. They do an amazing job of helping to eliminate confusion and mistakes. They may not catch everything but they sure do catch A LOT! If you are interested in test cooking, feel free to volunteer. Here is a little bit about this month’s test cooks:

• Jennifer Jordan – I’m an RN married to an Air Force dentist living in San Antonio TX. I’ve taken some time off work to be at home with my 2 year old son. Since staying at home, I’ve turned to cooking and baking as my nap time hobbies and enjoy trying new recipes and new ingredients!
• Kelli Sanders – I am wife, working mama to 4, and a quilter. School, sports, and church activities keep us very busy. High school sports and rec league sports keep us running during dinner time, so I am on the hunt for simplifying meal times. I love the ‘thaw, heat and eat’ approach… it gives me more time to spend with the kids, and more quilting time is never a bad thing! Happy MOM is the key to life, right!

Get Started

Are you new to Once A Month Mom or once a month cooking (oamc) in general? If so, you might want to spend a few minutes (or hours) on the Get Started Series. If you are in a real hurry to catch on we have written some simple steps for getting started. Welcome!

If you are feeling abundantly blessed and generous feel free to donate. And if this time frame doesn’t match up with your child, please check out our other baby and toddler food menus.

• Included in this spreadsheet you will find a listing of all the items you will need to complete your Toddler Food 18+ Month  February 2012 Once A Month (OAMC) Mom BIG DAY. You can make a copy of this list and customize it for yourself and your family or use it as is.
• Printable Toddler Food 18+ Month  February 2012 Grocery List

Having trouble using the Grocery List or YELLOW BOX? See this post!

Google Document of Instructions – TODDLER FOOD 18+ Month February 2012 OAMM Menu

Instructions

Meat used:

• Boneless, skinless chicken breast – it can be frozen beforehand if handled properly (Chicken Pot Pie Bundles, Chicken Stix)
• Canned tuna (St. Patrick’s Day Green Mac-n-Cheese)
• Lean ground beef – it can be frozen beforehand if handled properly (Football Turnovers, Spaghetti with Meatballs)

Thaw (in refrigerator)

• Boneless, skinless chicken breast – it can be frozen beforehand if handled properly (Chicken Pot Pie Bundles, Chicken Stix)
• Lean ground beef – it can be frozen beforehand if handled properly (Football Turnovers, Spaghetti with Meatballs)

Night Before:

• Optional (but HIGHLY recommended) – chop up all vegetables. (See Chopping Amounts sheet on Recipe Cards)
• SEE STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS BELOW

Day of:

Google Document of Instructions – WHOLE FOODS February 2012 OAMM Menu

Instructions

• Bacon – it can be frozen beforehand if handled properly, (Cider Stuffed Pork Chops, Chicken Asparagus Black Bean Enchiladas)
• Chicken, boneless - it can be frozen beforehand if handled properly , (Cream of Chicken Soup)
• Chicken, boneless - it can be frozen beforehand if handled properly , (Chicken Asparagus Black Bean Enchiladas)
• Flank Steak – it can be frozen beforehand if handled properly (Flank Steak with Chimichurri)
• Italian Sausage – it can be frozen beforehand if handled properly (Turkey Brown Rice Casserole)
• Pork Chops – Cannot be frozen beforehand (Cider Sauced Stuffed Pork Chops, Ranch House Slow Cooker Pork Chops)

• Bacon – it can be frozen beforehand if handled properly, (Cider Stuffed Pork Chops, Chicken Asparagus Black Bean Enchiladas)
• Chicken, boneless - it can be frozen beforehand if handled properly , (Chicken Asparagus Black Bean Enchiladas)
• Italian Sausage – it can be frozen beforehand if handled properly (Turkey Brown Rice Casserole)

• Place in chicken for (Cream of Chicken Soup) in  slow cooker and add 3 cups of water and cook for approximately 8 hours on low or until chicken is cooked through.
• Optional (but HIGHLY recommended) – chop up all vegetables. (See Chopping Amounts sheet on Recipe Cards)
• SEE STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS BELOW

Day of:

Toddler 12-18 Month Menu

• Included below are the menu items that we will be preparing as part of our Once A Month Cooking (OAMC) BIG DAY. In the printable Toddler Food 12-18 Month January 2012 Recipe Cards you can adjust the number of servings to accommodate the number of toddlers that you are cooking for. The recipes linked below are ONLY for the single batch, to see the amounts we are making on the OAMC BIG DAY you will need to visit the printable Toddler Food 12-18 Month January 2012 Recipe Cards.
• Having trouble using the Recipe Cards or YELLOW BOX? See this post!

Mini Cheese Scones

Breakfasts

• Mini Cheese Scones
• Peach Raspberry Muffins
• Blueberry Granola Pancakes
• French Toast Squares

Lunches

• Cheesy Potato Soup
• Whole Wheat Pizza Dough
• White Chicken Chili
• Sweet Potato & Ham Burgers
• Cheesy Tuna Mac
• Fish Stix

Toddler-ific Pizza Snack Cups

Snacks

• Pizza Snack Cups
• Cheese Twists
• Frozen Yogurt Fruit Cups

Printable Toddler Food 12-18 Month January 2012 Menu

Grocery List

• Included in this spreadsheet you will find a listing of all the items you will need to complete your January 2012 once a month cooking (OAMC) toddler food BIG DAY. For more instructions on how to use this, go here.
• Toddler Food 12-18 Month January 2012 OAMM Grocery List

Instructions

• These are the step-by-step instructions you will need to quickly and efficiently approach your once a month cooking (OAMC) baby food BIG DAY!
• Toddler Food 12-18 Month January 2012 OAMM Instructions

Labels

These customized labels are designed specifically for the January 2012 Once A Month Mom Menu. They contain not only the name of the dish but also the serving instructions for preparing the dish on your serving day. They make preparation of the dishes hassle free.

These labels are designed to be printed on Avery 8163 or equivalent! Readers who didn’t have labels available suggested just printing them on paper and taping them.

• Toddler Food 12-18 Month January 2012 Printable Labels

Pinterest:

Grocery List

• Included in this spreadsheet you will find a listing of all the items you will need to complete your TODDLER FOOD 12-18 Month January 2012 Once A Month (OAMC) Mom BIG DAY. You can make a copy of this list and customize it for yourself and your family or use it as is. For more instructions on how to use this, go here.
• Printable TODDLER FOOD 12-18 Month January 2012 Grocery List

Having trouble using the Grocery List or YELLOW BOX? See this post!

Google Document of Instructions – TODDLER FOOD 12-18 Month January 2012 OAMM Menu

Instructions

Meat used:

• Cooked chicken – it can be frozen beforehand if handled properly (White Chicken Chili)
• Cooked ham – it can be frozen beforehand if handled properly (Sweet Potato and Ham Burgers)
• Fresh tilapia fillets (Fish Stix)
• Ground beef – it can be frozen beforehand if handled properly (Pizza Snack Cups)

Thaw (in refrigerator)

• Cooked chicken – it can be frozen beforehand if handled properly (White Chicken Chili)
• Cooked ham – it can be frozen beforehand if handled properly (Sweet Potato and Ham Burgers)
• Ground beef – it can be frozen beforehand if handled properly (Pizza Snack Cups)

Night Before:

• Optional (but HIGHLY recommended) – chop up all vegetables. (See Chopping Amounts sheet on Recipe Cards)
• SEE STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS BELOW

Day of:

WHOLE FOODS January 2012 Instructions

Instructions

• Beef, ground – it can be frozen beforehand if handled properly, (Beef Chimichangas)
• Chicken, boneless - it can be frozen beforehand if handled properly  DO NOT THAW, (Cilantro Lime Chicken, Buttermilk Herb Chicken)
• Chicken, boneless - it can be frozen beforehand if handled properly , (Buffalo BBQ Pulled Chicken, BBQ Quesadillas, BBQ Chicken Pizza)
• Flank Steak – it can be frozen beforehand if handled properly DO NOT THAW (Best Flank Steak Ever)
• Turkey, ground – it can be frozen beforehand if handled properly (Spaghetti Pie)

• Beef, ground – it can be frozen beforehand if handled properly, (Beef Chimichangas)
• Turkey, ground – it can be frozen beforehand if handled properly (Spaghetti Pie)

• Place in chicken for (Buffalo BBQ Pulled Chicken, BBQ Quesadillas, BBQ Chicken Pizza) in  slow cooker and add 3 cups of water and cook for approximately 8 hours on low or until chicken is cooked through.
• Optional (but HIGHLY recommended) – chop up all vegetables. (See Chopping Amounts sheet on Recipe Cards)
• SEE STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS BELOW

Day of:

It has been a looonnnngggg, loooonnnnggg time since we have had a baby food menu around these parts. I am so glad to be able to bring you one this month. This one is actually a repeat of one that is already posted on the site but that one doesn’t have a grocery list, recipe cards or instructions. It needed some work!

This menu is perfect for the fall as you are working to introduce foods to your baby. Please note that you will need to follow pediatrician guidelines for feeding your baby. We don’t provide information on how to feed your baby, just the tools for when you begin to.

Enjoy! And look for many more menus to come in the future.

**Please note there is a Once A Month Mom Holiday eCookbook Blowout Sale on Wednesday, November 2nd starting at 9:30 Eastern Standard Time. Don’t miss out.

I hope you enjoy these meals as much as our early readers/cooks have. If you are new and not sure how to get started, read here. For frequently asked questions visit here. And there are several other helpful links under the Helpful Hints/Resources section below to help you on your cooking journey. Good luck!

• Included below are the menu items that we will be preparing as part of our Once A Month Cooking (OAMC) BIG DAY. In the printable 9-12 Month FALL 2011 Recipe Cards you can adjust the number of servings to accommodate the number of people that you are cooking for. The recipes linked below are ONLY for the single batch, to see the amounts we are making on the OAMC BIG DAY you will need to visit the printable 9-12 Month FALL 2011 Recipe Cards.
• Having trouble using the Recipe Cards or YELLOW BOX? See this post!

9-12 Month Fall Baby Food Menu

Vegetables

• Spinach and Parsnips
• Cheesy Tomato and Cauliflower Puree
• Peas Puree
• Sweet Potato Puree
• Carrot Puree
• Green Bean Puree

Fruits

• Apple, Pear, Kiwi Puree
• Peach, Apple and Strawberry Puree
• Blueberry Puree
• Avocado Puree
• Banana Puree

Meats

• Chicken with Sweet Potatoes and Apples
• Chicken and Veggies II
• Beef and Veggies
• Ham, Pineapple, Peach and Apple Puree

Printable 9-12 Month FALL 2011 Recipe Cards

Grocery List

• Included in this spreadsheet you will find a listing of all the items you will need to complete your Baby Food 9-12 Month FALL 2011 once a month cooking (OAMC) baby food BIG DAY. For more instructions on how to use this, go here.
• Baby Food 9-12 Month FALL 2011 OAMM Grocery List

Instructions

• These are the step-by-step instructions you will need to quickly and efficiently approach your once a month cooking (OAMC) baby food BIG DAY!
• Baby Food 9-12 Month FALL 2011 OAMM Instructions

Labels

These customized labels are designed specifically for the Baby Food 9-12 Month FALL 2011 Once A Month Mom Menu. They contain not only the name of the dish but also the serving instructions for preparing the dish on your serving day. They make preparation of the dishes hassle free.

These labels are designed to be printed on Avery 8163 or equivalent! Readers who didn’t have labels available suggested just printing them on paper and taping them.

• BABY FOOD 9-12 Month FALL Printable Labels

Grocery List

• Included in this spreadsheet you will find a listing of all the items you will need to complete your BABY FOOD 9-12 Month FALL 2011 Once A Month (OAMC) Mom BIG DAY. You can make a copy of this list and customize it for yourself and your family or use it as is. For more instructions on how to use this, go here.
• Printable BABY FOOD 9-12 Month FALL 2011 Grocery List

Having trouble using the Grocery List or YELLOW BOX? See this post!

Google Document of Instructions – BABY FOOD 9-12 Month FALL 2011 OAMM Menu

Instructions

Meat used:

• Chicken, boneless – it can be frozen beforehand if handled properly (Chicken with Sweet Potatoes and Apples, Chicken and Veggies II).
• Lean Beef – it can be frozen beforehand if handled properly (Beef and Veggies)
• Cubed Ham – precooked (Ham, Pineapple, Peach and Apple Puree)

Thaw (in refrigerator)

• Chicken, boneless – it can be frozen beforehand if handled properly (Chicken with Sweet Potatoes and Apples, Chicken and Veggies II).
• Lean Beef – it can be frozen beforehand if handled properly (Beef and Veggies)

Night Before:

• Optional (but HIGHLY recommended) – chop up all vegetables. (See Chopping Amounts sheet on Recipe Cards)
• SEE STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS BELOW

Day of:

Google Document of Instructions – WHOLE FOODS November 2011 OAMM Menu

Instructions

• Chicken, boneless – it can be frozen beforehand if handled properly , (Cranberry Roast Chicken)
• Chicken – Cannot be frozen beforehand (Chicken Parmesan)
• Bacon – it can be frozen beforehand if handled properly , (Bacon Mac)
• Beef Chuck Roast – it can be frozen beforehand if handled properly ,(Crock Pot French Dip)
• Beef Round Roast – it can be frozen beforehand if handled properly , (Beef Bourginon)
• Italian Sausage  – it can be frozen beforehand if handled properly (Tahoe Brunch)
• Prosciutto – cannot be frozen beforehand. (Tomato Basil Panini)

• Bacon – it can be frozen beforehand if handled properly , (Bacon Mac)
• Beef Round Roast – it can be frozen beforehand if handled properly , (Beef Bourginon)
• Italian Sausage – it can be frozen beforehand if handled properly (Tahoe Brunch)

• Place Rice (Burlattas) into crockpot, add 2 cups water for each cup of rice, butter the sides of the crockpot and cook for 4-6 hours on low and keep warm.
• Optional (but HIGHLY recommended) – chop up all vegetables. (See Chopping Amounts sheet on Recipe Cards)
• SEE STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS BELOW

Day of:

If you are a reader of Money Saving Mom and found us through that site, WELCOME! Here are a few things that might help you to navigate easily through this site:

Each month, on the first of the month, we post a monthly menu. The menu provides two families of four with approximately 10 breakfasts, 10 lunches, and 15 dinners for each family (or 70 meals total). There are also ways to adjust the menu to suit your own family needs if you are not a family of four. We provide you with the grocery list for shopping these menu items, sales alerts for local grocery stores throughout the month, instructions for making all of the items in one day with a partner and labels with reheating instructions for each menu item. (The October & November menus are a little different as we have adjusted what is on the menu to help families prepare for the upcoming holidays).

We shop for the grocery items throughout the month and then cook all of the items in one day at the end of the month with a partner. We then eat that month’s menu items the following month. For example, right now we are shopping the first week of our November menu. They will then have the November menu items to eat in December.

In addition to a family menu plan we also publish a baby food monthly menu plan. I have a one year old and have been striving to make him wholesome homemade baby food. But I find that making it all in one afternoon saves time and money. There are several monthly menu plans based on your child’s age and stage. Our most current baby food menu is the 6-8 month FALL menu plan.

There is also a giveaway going on right now for 4 free movie tickets and a box of General Mills cereal if you are interested in entering to win.

I hope you enjoy the site and will consider joining us this month as you prepare for your #baking day.

The Once-A-Month Cooking Family Favorites: More Great Recipes That Save You Time and Money by Mimi Wilson and Mary Beth Lagerborg is a cookbook designed for the true once a month cooking (also referred to as freezer cooking, bulk cooking and oamc) with complete menus, recipes, grocery lists, instructions and more. Mimi Wilson and Mary Beth Lagerborg expand on their original cookbook, Once-A-Month Cooking, Revised and Expanded: A Proven System for Spending Less Time in the Kitchen and Enjoying Delicious, Homemade Meals Every Day, with this new cookbook full of family favorites.

With the October menu packed with so many good treats and Tweet-Up highlights, I couldn’t fit in one of Mimi and Mary Beth’s recipes. However, I can guarantee you will be seeing one or more of them very soon.

For a deeper glimpse into the book and authors you can go to the following links:

• Once-a-Month Cooking cookbook website
• A free one-week menu plan for sampling
• A listing of ALL of the meal plans included in the Once-A-Month Cooking Family Favorites Cookbook
• Once-A-Month Cooking Family Favorites Facebook Fan Page

About the Authors:

Mary Beth Lagerborg and Mimi Wilson’s original bestseller Once-a-Month Cooking™ started the bulk freezer cooking phenomenon from recipes made for their own families. Both live in Colorado and continue to share a passion to help today’s cooks save time and money while building family relationships over delicious meals.

Mary Beth is the creator of the website dwellingspace.com, providing tools on creating a home full of acceptance and creativity. She is also the former media director for MOPS International (Mothers of Preschoolers). Mimi travels extensively to regions like Jordan, Ecuador, and Rwanda, and teaches Once-a-Month Cooking principles and benefits internationally.

Entering the Contest:

You may enter up to 7 times. PLEASE remember to leave a separate comment for EACH entry, otherwise it won’t get counted as multiple entries.

1. Comment - What is your favorite thing about once-a-month cooking? Haven’t started – why not?

Additional ways to enter:

2. Tweet or Facebook this contest (if you look below the title of this post you will find a short url for easier posting). Make sure to use @onceamonthmom and  in your Tweet or Facebook status. And don’t forget to leave a comment below stating you have done so.

3. RSVP for the Once A Month Mom Tweet-Up (in-house or online), you know the one where I am giving away over $3,000 in prizes/giveaways! Please only RSVP if you are REALLY planning on attending. Leave a comment below that you RSVP’ed or have RSVP’ed prior to now.

4. Add the Once A Month Mom Tweet-Up Badge to your website/blog (Code found in the right side bar). Leave a comment below that you added the badge or have done so previously.

5. Join the Once-A-Month Cooking Family Favorites Facebook Fan Page. Leave a comment below if you joined or are already a member.

7. Subscribe to the blog via RSS or email. Let us know that you have done so. Of course, if you are already subscriber make sure you leave that too.

This giveaway ends Friday, October 9th  at midnight. Winner will be chosen by random using random.org.

used with permission, Flickr Creative Commons, picture by Tasslehoff Burrfoot

As a huge fan of Once A Month Mom (and of Tricia!) I have noticed that many of you are a little skittish about beginning your once a month cooking journey because you feel you are just too busy, especially if you work outside the home. Work schedules, and now school schedules can definitely make us feel as though our off-work schedules are nothing but “crunch-time” to get things done, whether it’s around the house, attending school activities, or just trying to get everyone to bed! I work full-time as well as work part-time online in the evenings. Our family schedule is extremely tight and I (like so many of you) was wondering how in the world participating in once a month cooking would help with this without using up my precious time??? Was it really worth it??

The answer is a definite YES! I finally got the guts to call up my sister one day and ask her if she would cook an entire menu with me just to “try it out” to see if we could really save time on work-night evenings and even save a little money in the process. She agreed, she LOVES to cook, much to my delight! You see, while my sister and I are very close, we really do not have all that much in common. Cooking has been the thing that has always brought us together – so I was thrilled that we would be in THIS together!

Anyway, so we went for it and survived our first big cooking day. My sister works the night-shift in a sleep lab and it was hard to get our schedules to mesh at first. So I decided to take vacation time in order to cook on a weekday. The day was not without frustration, tiredness and sore feet – but we honestly had a blast spending time cooking together! After lugging all of my meals home that evening; I really had my doubts as to whether or not our efforts would be worth it or not. But you know what? The time I saved each night was TOTALLY WORTH THAT ONE DAY OF SORENESS AND MORE! (And I mean it!) Instead of spending 30 minutes to an hour each night after work preparing dinner I could just pop something into the oven or the microwave and spend the extra time with my family; and when you only have three hours to spend with your children each day before bedtime, an hour each day is an excellent reward my friends! I have seen a dramatic difference in the temperament of my two-year-old son because of this extra time as well. He is not as clingy to me as he used to be and thus has actually started spending a lot more time with his father, something that he hesitated to do simply because he craved alone time with me so much.

Not only have I saved time in the evenings by not having to slave over the stove forever, my sister and I also found that we were saving roughly $250-300 per month by participating in once a month cooking! For a family that operates on a strict budget, this can make a huge difference.

Now, because I have two children that are slowly turning into finicky eaters, I have had a few issues with the kiddos wanting to even “touch” a few of the food items. But I think I have solved the issue by only picking recipes off of each of the monthly menus that I think will be “kid-friendly” for our family. I also keep past recipes that were a big hit with everyone’s tummies and plan to re-cook some of them when needed.

Believe me when I tell you that OAMC works for the working momma – it truly does!

**If you are looking to find out more about getting started with once a month cooking or want to meet other working moms that are already doing it, plan to join us on October 10th for the Once A Month Mom Tweet-Up.

Jamie is a wife to Alan, mom to kindergartner Marissa & 2 year old “monther” Jacob, and works full-time (well, maybe a little more than full-time) as a Family & Consumer Sciences/4-H Youth Development Program Assistant for The Ohio State University Extension in Miami County, Ohio.  She dishes out information focusing on family finances, parenting, nutrition, healthy living, etc on her working blogs which are tied to the Ohio State University, www.parentsinaction.wordpress.com.  She also blogs about trying to keep up with work, kids, home, and family life in general at her family blog: www.segermoments.blogspot.com.

However, right under the July radar, Amy and I managed to knock out a “mini” session, complete with vlogging! Yep, the swag bag I received at the Social Luxe party at Blogher contained a Kodak Zi6 Pocket HD Camcorder. AWESOME (Thanks Kodak)! You folks are in for some real treats; starting with this month’s cooking session.

We didn’t start cooking until 3:30 pm so I was able to spend some time while my little one was napping getting all of the veggies chopped up. As I mentioned before, we did a bit of a mini session so I didn’t have quite so many vegetables as most of you did.

Of course, it is important to start your cooking day on the right “foot”, so we have a great video about “preparing” for your day. And no, I didn’t put on any makeup (Jenny will likely be appalled volunteer to come over before my next cooking session) but I find it usually melts off my face during the day anyway. So here is how we got started:

[There is a video that cannot be displayed in this feed. Visit the blog entry to see the video.]

(Crocs Rock! Tayga has the cutest aprons. Be sure to check out both of their sites)

The day was largely uneventful (in the whole kitchen catastrophe kind of way). Here we are halfway through with Amy working on the Chicken Rice Casserole:

[There is a video that cannot be displayed in this feed. Visit the blog entry to see the video.]

We had a lot of fun and managed to finish in a little over five hours. WOW! That was some quick work. We made 9 of the 15 listed recipes and went home with 16 meals each for a total of 32 meals. We spent $117.81 ($58.91/person; $3.68/meal). Pretty good I would say. I am SUPER happy to have food in my freezer again and to be working my way towards the August menu.

Here is our closing video (beware: lots of unsolicited props for the Swiffer):

[There is a video that cannot be displayed in this feed. Visit the blog entry to see the video.]

Of course, you don’t think that I would leave you with a monthly cooking post without some great pictures, do you? No way! Here are a few of my favorites from the day. Remember that clicking on them will allow you to see a bigger version as well as to scroll through them.

I hope you participated in the July menu and we look forward to hearing your stories as well. Until next month . . .

I am actually doing a July “mini” session this afternoon with Amy. Our hope is to vlog some of it so we should have some great footage for you. The vlogging (and my pregnant state) is the reason for the “mini” session. We’ll see how it goes.

In the meantime, did you cook the July menu this month? If so, feel free to tell us about it below. If you wrote a post about it on your site simply leave a link to the post below. Others love to hear your stories.

So, this week our poll is, “What has kept you or is keeping you from doing a once a month cooking day?” Unlike our other polls, you can actually choose more than one answer to this question. If you choose the “other, not listed” option please consider taking a few moments to leave a comment below to tell me what “other” option I didn’t list.

Thanks!