Catching up with the Kelnhofers-127

In this week’s Catching up with the Kelnhofers, I’m sharing my favorite ways to warm up in this frigid winter weather….hint it involves a freezer, ha!

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It’s SO COLD here in WI. It’s been below 10 degrees all week. I opened the screen door and my it felt like my hand was 1 second away from sticking to the metal door knob. Ok, to be fair, it got a touch warmer right before writing this post, but still, cold!

So naturally, let’s talk about freezer meals (ha!) – truly though, freezer meals are a huge time saver, if it’s already in the freezer and all you have to do is cook it, a warm and comforting meal is short to follow!

Check out the latest recipes on SweetPhi.com:

• 5 Ingredient kielbasa and lentils – a cozy, winter recipe with only 5 ingredients
• Meal plan – don’t forget to easily print a grocery list from your chosen recipes
• English muffin pizzas – super fun to make with the kids (be sure to check out the animal faces we made)
• Love List – fun friends from around the web
• My cozy winter reading list – check out what I am reading this winter

This week we’re talking freezer meals and meal prep – keep reading for some of the best, easy freezer meal recipes!

• All you need is 5 ingredients to make this amazing chicken gnocchi meal, and it can be made into a meal prep or freezer meal! Recipe here  
• These 5 meals are no pre-cooking required, just prep and freeze!
• The best freezer chocolate chip cookies 
• And my all time fave – chicken enchilada casserole and chicken alfredo casserole, these ones are fully cooked and then frozen so you can just thaw and eat, they’re true favorites!!!

• Use crushed up candy canes to take these no bake healthy protein cookies to the next Don’t have collagen? Instead just sub for 1 tbs almond flour and 1 tbs flax.  You can see us making the cookies here 

• Instant Pot pork ragu – it makes a big batch, great for meals throughout the week (lunch leftovers) 

This is a great comment on my recipe for fail proof whole wheat pizza dough:

“My boyfriend and I are trying to cook more at home. I have a Ninja that has a dough “blade” and have been wanting to try it, so we made this whole wheat dough. Turned out delicious!! So filling too. Highly recommend this recipe.”

Slow cooker salsa chicken and quinoa is a great, healthy winter meal and this reader re-creation made it look tasty!

It’s sock season and these are the best!  Helping to keep me warm in this chilly weather.

I read a bunch of ‘best books I read in 2021’ posts, here are 3 that I’m going to check out in January! 

• I started White Ivy and I just want to find out what happens next, what a good story and beautifully written!
• The Soulmate Equation – “Writing duo and reigning romance queens Christina Lauren are back with The Soulmate Equation, their most ambitious book to date.” —PopSugar
• The Island of Missing Trees – A rich, magical new novel on belonging and identity, love and trauma, nature and renewal, from the Booker-shortlisted author of 10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This Strange World.
• White Ivy – “A truly addictive read” (Glamour) about how a young woman’s crush on a privileged former classmate becomes a story of love, lies, and dark obsession, offering stark insights into the immigrant experience, as it hurtles to its electrifying ending in this “twisty, unputdownable, psychological thriller” (People).”

• Princess ballerina – the big thing that happened this past week is that our Frankie started ballet. She calls it princess ballerina and it’s the cutest thing ever. She loved it and was showing us her moves. I sat in the car and watched the class via zoom, I was laughing and crying at the same time, so cute!

• Cold – burr! It’s been below 10 degrees all week! I thought it wasn’t THAT cold (the sun was out) but the second we bundled everyone up and took them outside it was too cold and we came in after 5 minutes.

• Car waffles – one of my sisters gave the kids this waffle maker for Christmas. It seems silly, but wow did they love it! We used my recipe for eggless waffles and Ben even fed one to his robot we built lol.

• Big brother – Ben is such a sweet older brother, it melts my heart every time I see him interacting with Sam. Santa brought Sam this ultra lux play mat that I cannot recommend enough. The company Lovevery also has other sensory toys and kits I have my eye on for birthdays/presents.

EAT

• This super easy pesto salmon that you only need 5 ingredients to make!

WATCH

• Currently laughing our way through The StandUps on Nextflix

PURCHASE

• If you’re constantly working from a laptop like me, I highly recommend a laptop stand, like this to help with little backaches from sitting hunched over the laptop all day.

Is it super cold where you are? How are you doing? I’d love to know, so just leave a comment below and let me know!