I threw it all away ... and I don't feel guilty!

I am one who has trouble with waste. I HATE just tossing things in the trash. You know what helps you get over that? No automatic dishwasher and having four children. I'm not joking. So when I got the chance to try out Reynolds' products and see how well they work for parties, I was all over it.

House Party sent me a kit that included:

• Tote bags


• Reynolds Apron


• Reynolds Oven Mitt


• Recipe Cards


• Coupons


• Oven Bags


• Slow Cooker Liners


• Parchment Paper


• Pre-cut Oven Sheets

I was absolutely BLOWN away by everything that was included. They even gave us a guide that included our shopping list. Seriously. Awesome.

Unfortunately ... our party had a flaw ... a HUGE flaw. It was supposed to be last week but Peanut and I contracted strep. Not only did I get strep ... but I ended up with an abscess on my tonsil. We pushed the party back to this weekend, but strep is a scary thing. My kids did not complain that they were the party guests. Why? Because they got seconds ... on EVERYTHING. That is very rare in our house because I only spend $100/wk on groceries. However ... we still got the table set up and they really enjoyed that.

Let's talk about the food, shall we? I am sure that is why you are here visiting ... right? It's okay to admit it. It's all my kids are after too. It's ALL about the food in this house.

Game Day Chili

• 1 pound ground beef


• 1 medium green bell pepper, chopped


• 1 small onion, chopped


• 2 cans kidney beans, undrained


• ONE package of chili seasoning mix (it calls for 2 but we all agree it was a touch too spicy)


• 1 can tomato sauce (15oz)


• 1 can diced tomatoes (you can use the ones with green chilis if desired)


• Toppings (cheese, sour cream, jalepenos

1. Brown ground beef, bell pepper, and onion in a large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the beef is no longer pink. Drain well.


2. Place beef mixture into slow cooker. Combine remaining ingredients in a medium bowl. Pour over beef mixture; gently stir with wooden spoon to combine. Place lid on cooker.


3. Cook on HIGH for 3 hours.

I used a slow cooker liner ... it made clean-up SO easy. Cool completely and then toss the liner. Forgetaboutit! No problem ... no guilt.

Easy Baked Mushroom & Onion Risotto

• 1 TBS flour


• 1 tsp salt


• 1 tsp pepper


• 1 c chopped Baby Bella mushrooms


• 1 c Arborio rice (holy crap this rice is pricey!)


• 1 finely chopped onion


• 2 TBS butter, divided


• 1 c water


• 1 c chicken broth


• 1/3 c shredded Parmesan Cheese

1. Preheat oven to 400-degrees Fahrenheit. Open a Reynolds' Oven Bag and roll down the top a few times so it stays open. Place the bag in a 9x13 baking pan. Spray the inside of the bag with a non-stick cooking spray (spray it real good or the rice WILL stick). Add flour, salt and pepper to the bag. Blend the ingredients by squooshing the bag around.


2. Add onion, mushrooms, rice, and 1 TBS butter to the bag. Turn the bag several times to make sure the ingredients are mixed well. Set the bag back in the pan.


3. Microwave the water and chicken broth in a microwave-safe bowl for 3 minutes. Carefully pour the liquid over the ingredients in the bag. Unroll the bag and tie closed. (they claim to use a nylon tie but there were no ties in the box ... so I hand tied it shut) Cut six 1/2-inch slits in the top to vent.


4. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes and then let stand five minutes. Carefully cut the top of the bag open. Place the rice into a serving bowl and add butter and Parmesan cheese.

The dinner was a huge success. House Party and Reynolds suggest using a sugar cookie dough loaf but honestly, with all the time I saved ... I was able to make cookies by hand ... so I did!

Sugar Cookies

• 2 3/4 c flour


• 1 tsp baking soda


• 1/2 tsp baking powder


• 1 c softened butter


• 1 1/2 c white sugar


• 1 egg


• 1 tsp vanilla


• 2 to 3 TBS milk

1. Stir flour, baking soda, and baking powder in a small bowl and set aside.


2. Cream butter and sugar. Beat in egg and vanilla.


3. Slowly add dry ingredients.


4. Add ONLY enough milk to moisten.


5. Bake at 375-degrees Fahrenheit for 8 to 10 minutes.

I used the precut oven sheets for this so that the clean-up was a breeze. I think I'm in love. I have a few dishes to do, but that's it! Oh, and those dishes were for serving and eating off of. Yup, life has been made MUCH easier thanks to Reynolds. They offer TONS of recipes on their Pinterest page, but they are also on Facebook and Twitter.

As I said ... my kids thought it was a hit. I liked the minimal clean-up so it was a parent's win as well. Yeah, I know I'm throwing away and adding to the landfill but in this case ... I just don't feel guilty. What tricks do you use around the kitchen to make life easier for you? Have you tried Reynolds when it comes to food prep? Let me know in the comments below!