Family life can always feel hectic, but with the holidays approaching, we all know things are about to get silly busy! We hope you won't lose sight of the importance of eating a family meal - together! Or even the importance of eating a meal that is NOT dripping in a holiday sauce! So we are here to save the day - yet again, lol, by sharing with you a favorite family-friendly dish that looks super fancy but is super easy! And of course loved by everyone.
And who better to share it but our fellow Houstonian, dear friend and avid Sweet & Sudsy shopper, Lyndsy Walters, aka @stayathomelyndsy Lyndsy has an amazing story about how she began to "document" her family meals on IG and her journey as a mother. Let's go!
Recently when Lyndsy was asked what she likes to do for fun, she found herself at a loss.
"I literally didn’t have an answer. After 9 years of being home with my children, I found myself not really knowing what I liked doing anymore. It truly bothered me that I didn’t have an answer to this question, because honestly I had not given it much thought through the never ending days of parks, naps, snack making, and Daniel Tiger episodes."
So many of us can relate to this feeling! Perhaps your youngest is finally at school full-time, a career has come to a halt, a business has been sold or perhaps your children are going off to college! Regardless of the phase of life you are in, I'm certain that everyone can remember a time in their lives when things had changed and we realized that we may have lost sight of ourselves along the way! For Lyndsy, she saw this change and embraced it!
"I had come to the conclusion that I truly loved being a mom and a homemaker. That IS what I like to do for fun. I love cooking for my children, I love making their snacks, and I love family meal time. I love to see their faces when they find out I’m making something they enjoy. And I love the sense of calm in our home while they play knowing mom is in the kitchen."
Even though Lyndsy attended culinary school and could most likely dish out some super sophisticated meals, she has found new space in documenting what brings joy to her kitchen!
So on to the food! Yes - perhaps you forgot that's why we are here! Lyndsy has shared with us three ways to make super easy and super delicious puff pastries for the family.
"I wanted to share a family meal that is super versatile and that my kiddos seem to enjoy. When I was thinking of something fun for the family, puff pastry came to mind. It’s easy to use, looks impressive (even though it’s not) and you can have fun changing the toppings. It’s easy for a family meal, or a party . We’ve all used it before, but sometimes it’s nice to remember the classics and put them to good use. Below is the “puffy taco” recipe with a few other topping/dinner ideas to follow using the puff pastry. Puff pastry three ways…"
Pastry Puff Tacos!
By Lyndsy Walters
Ingredients:
1 box of puff pastry
1 lb ground beef
1 cup of Monterey Jack cheese
Chopped tomatoes
Chopped iceberg lettuce
Sour cream
Salsa
Parchment paper
Set the oven temperature to 375*
Brown the ground beef with the taco seasoning and set to the side.
Place parchment paper on top of sheet pan, I try to make it the same size as the pan.
Roll out the creases and folds of the puff pastry. It should be the shape of a rectangle or square.
Move the puff pastry to the sheet pan and fold all of the corners and edges over to catch any of the filling once it all bakes together.
Pierce holes all over the center of the puff pastry as you would the circle of a pie dough.
Bake the puff pastry for 5-10 minutes until the center and edges get a little crisp and start to puff.
Take out of the oven and place the taco meat all over the “inside” of the puff pastry square.
Sprinkle with shredded cheese and place back into the oven for about 15-20 minutes or until the pastry is a deep golden color and is puffy. Don’t undercook or the pastry will fall flat once it’s out of the oven.
Once it’s taken out of the oven let your family place whatever taco topping they prefer on top, cut it into slices and dig in! Have fun with it!
Love your pastries? Try them with other variations (see below) or go with some desserts. Lyndsy suggests butter, cinnamon sugar topped with chocolate chips, or Nutella and strawberries!
Made a mess?!! Of course! We have the perfect kitchen soap bars for you! Sweet & Sudsy citrus slices go sooo well next to a kitchen sink. Use coupon code PastryPuff to get 20% off your next order and be sure to include a citrus slice bar for your next cooking adventure or just for everyday clean fun! Available in lemon, lime and orange. Coupon Valid Until 10/9.
Good luck on whatever you might decide to cook up this week. Try to take time to embrace where you are today and I bet you will see more smiles at home; AKA - this cutie on the right munching on his mom's (Lyndsy) yummy puff pastry!
Be sure to check out Lyndsy’s social media page for delectable food for everyone!