Recipes

Looking for name change advice or some tips for newlywed life? The MissNowMrs experts have created state-specific name change articles and checklists for you. We’ve chronicled our recommendations for how to travel while changing your name AND how to handle voting during the transition.

We’ve also compiled our best guidance for how to handle difficult sister in laws, holidays as newlyweds, the ever-annoying baby questions, and much more. Why? Because, while we are name change experts, we’re also newlywed wives, moms, and sisters.

We hope our name change advice articles help smooth your transition to your new name, and a whole new phase of life. Congratulations and best wishes from the entire MissNowMrs team!

3 Dessert Recipes that Guarantee a Fantastic Fourth of July!

Looking for Fourth of July dessert recipes? One of my all-time favorite holidays is the Fourth of July! No major family expectations to live up to as newlyweds (like Thanksgiving or Christmas), just fun with friends celebrating our country’s independence with food and fireworks. Whether you’re throwing your first BBQ as newlyweds or attending someone else’s shin-dig, here are 3 awesome recipes for Fourth of July treats!

Quick & Easy – Jello Fire Cracker Shots are tiny red white and blue mouthfuls of fun…with or without alcohol. If you’re stumped on what to bring to a friend’s BBQ, you honestly can’t go wrong with this recipe. It took me all of 30 minutes to complete and they look exactly like the photo on the recipe. P.S. they’re also incredibly budget friendly (2 boxes of jello, milk and an envelope of unflavored gelatin)!

Ready to Impress – Are you confident in the kitchen and looking for the ultimate Fourth of July dessert to wow guests? This American Flag Cake looks amazing and difficult, but if you study the recipe it all comes down to how you layer colored cakes to make every slice a piece of patriot pride (seriously…every slice looks like an American flag…check out the photo above)!

Healthy Choice – Trying to avoid gaining the newlywed 15? This recipe for an angel food cake layered with lemon curd and berries is low in calories but high in taste. It’s also quick to assemble and can even be done with a store-bought cake!

However you spend Fourth of July this year, count yourself blessed to be celebrating independence with the person you chose to love and marry! What dessert recipes will you be using? Please share in a comment!

Newlyweds, Time to Brunch it Up!

Are you ready to brunch is up as a newlywed? Easter and Passover are coming soon, making it the perfect time to host a brunch for your families or friends. As newlyweds, you probably now have enough plates to serve a medium to large group and plenty of kitchen gadgets to try out! I thought I’d share a few of my favorite brunch recipes to make the planning process easier.

If you’re hosting a combined family meal, consider dietary restrictions. Is anyone allergic to nuts or keeping kosher for the holiday? If you’re hosting friends, you’ll need to juggle everyone else’s family obligations and meal times.

Once those details are understood you can start planning your menu. I am a huge fan of frittatas to feed a group. They’re fun, fancy and not very hard to make. Here are a few links to my top 3 frittata recipes: Baked Potato Frittata, Leek Potato & Gruyere Frittata, and a Spring Pea Frittata.

Not feeling the frittata? My other suggestion would be an Egg and Wild Mushroom Tart or a Strata. The advantage of these is that you can prep most of their components the night before.

Once you select a main recipe, you will need fruit (I suggest raspberries and black berries in a bowl) and a bread of some sort to round out your menu. Muffins, a coffee cake or croissants are great choices. Add a pitcher of juice and or mimosas and you’re brunch is ready for rave reviews from family and friends!

Are you hosting a holiday brunch for the first time as a newlywed? What’s on your mind and menu?

Newlywed Chicken: 3 Totally Different Meals Fast

You’ve heard of engagement chicken, but what about newlywed chicken? Did you envision preparing elaborate and elegant meals when you got married? Thought you’d give Martha a run for her money? Me too.

In reality, it can be very stressful to figure out what you and your spouse will eat every night all week/all month/all year. Here’s an idea that can jump-start your planning this week or rescue you when you feel uninspired or overwhelmed. A chicken is my solution. Yes, a whole roaster chicken cooked on Sunday so you have time to prepare it.

Meal 1: Roasted Chicken with Mashed Potatoes and Veggies

Roast* your chicken in the oven for the amount of time specified on the label. I suggest liberally shaking kosher salt on the inside and outside first. You can also mix crushed garlic and herbs ,such as sage and thyme, with a tablespoon of butter and slide this under the upper skin of the chicken (it’s sort of like giving it implants). This ensure a moist well-flavored chicken. While it roasts you can whip up mashed potatoes and any vegetable you have on hand. Have you heard the expression “winner winner chicken dinner”? That is how your spouse is going to feel about this classic home cooked meal!

*If you’re too busy to roast a chicken, you can put it in your crockpot for 4 hours. Just add 1 cup of chicken broth so it doesn’t stick to the bottom.

Meal 2: Layered Chicken Enchilada Bake

Shred ½ of the remaining chicken and make this quick layered chicken three cheese enchilada recipe. It takes 10 minutes to assemble and 30 minutes to bake. Blend some margaritas while it’s cooking and you’ll have an instant fiesta dinner!

Meal 3: Spicy Asian Chicken Noodle Soup

Shred the remaining newlywed chicken and use it to make Asian chicken noodle soup. If your spouse is like mine, soup doesn’t count as dinner, so you may want to make this for both of you for lunch. Here’s the recipe adapted from The Londoner Blog:
Ingredients:
Splash of sesame oil
1 garlic clove, crushed
4 spring onions, chopped
2 handfuls of shredded chicken
2.5 cups chicken stock
1 cup boiling water
Piece of ginger about the size of your thumb, thickly sliced
3/4 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp of soy sauce
1 handful fresh cilantro, chopped
1 red chili, chopped
1 can of sweet corn
1 big handful of thin noodles (I use somen noodles..but any will work)

Directions:
Put a saucepan onto medium heat and add a few splashes of sesame oil, add your garlic until it starts to sizzle. Stir it around a bit & add your spring onions. Fry until they start to soften.
Toss in the chicken and stir to make sure it gets nicely coated in the oil & garlic. Pour in your stock & boiling water. Add your ginger slices, fish sauce, soy sauce, coriander & chili. Just before it comes to the boil add your sweet corn & noodles. Boil 2 more minutes and serve immediately.

So, from one newlywed chicken on Sunday you ended up with 3 completely diffent meals for the two of you. Not a bad way to begin the week! It took me longer than I care to admit to figure out how to utilize one ingredient a few different ways to make quick and interesting dinners for 2. I also thew out a lot of leftovers and felt badly about it.

I hope you and your spouse enjoy these dishes and that he washes them!

Recipes to Help You Make a Great Impression (& Pie) this Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is almost upon us and that means getting together with family and celebrating all of the things you are thankful for with a ton of food. It’s also a great time to showcase your personality and abilities to the family you married into. Whether it’s pumpkin, chocolate meringue, apple or berry; a fabulous slice of pie is the best way to top off a great meal. As the newlywed addition to your spouse’s family, what better thing to bring to the meal, but a homemade pie?
Here a few recipes to help you make a great impression (and pie) this Thanksgiving:

For the Traditionalist: If you and Martha Steward are BFFs make a classic dessert to add to the feast. Here are a few great recipes for pumpkin pie, apple pie and berry cobbler. Your new family is certainly in for a treat!

For the Foodie: Are you the gracious gourmet? Flaunt your skills and great taste with a Pear Tarte Tatin or, if the oven is in over-drive, why not make a festive frozen treat? You’ll have more than a few family fans after making a Pumpkin Ice Cream Pie for dessert.

For the Frazzled: Want to bring something to add to dinner, but are short on time? Here are two great ideas that take an hour or less: whip up a Blackberry Pear Pie or try this Pecan Caramel Tart Recipe. These recipes may be short on prep time but they sure aren’t lacking in flavor or presentation. No one needs to know that you made them in a matter of minutes!

For the Innovator: Are you the edgy interesting person that loves a new flavor combination? Show off your taste for adventure with Pear Soup with Pancetta & Blue Cheese. I know it’s not pie…but it’s too amazing not to mention! You could also make a Banana Rum Cream Pie that will have your in-laws drooling!

For the Health Conscious: Challenged by the invitation to bring something “sweet but healthy” to dinner? Instantly ingratiate yourself with any children in the family by bringing Caramel Apples or Cranberry Pineapple Minis!
Do you have a signature pie recipe that you plan to make this Thanksgiving? Please share it with us!

Fabulous Fall Entertaining

With the crisp cool air it’s time get ready for Fall entertaining. Celebrating with seasonal foods/cocktails and friends is a great way to make sure you take a moment to enjoy the world and weather around you. Whether you’re new to marriage and new to cooking for a group or if you’re an old pro at both…we’ve got some great ideas for you!

Set the Tone – Pick up some festive plates or get creative with one of these fall displays for your home (we especially love the acorns in the glass column). Lighting a fall scented candle can also immediately put guests in a festive mood.

Create a Seasonal Cocktail (or 2) – Signature cocktails easily elevate an event from a gathering to a party! Consider a this simple yet amazing vanilla pumpkin pie martini for the ladies and some autumn flavored ale for the gentlemen attending. Here’s a top 10 list of pumpkin beers to point you in the right direction!

Surprise Appetizers – Who doesn’t love an out of the ordinary appetizer?! Soup shooters are one of the easiest unconventional appetizers. We suggest this seasonal roasted carrot soup served in fun colored coffee or demitasse cups. The soup is warming, has a festive fall flavor and is even orange.

Pot Luck – It might sound old fashioned, but having each guest or couple bringing a component of the meal has tremendous upside (especially if they’re good cooks). You as the hostess get to focus on details like decorating or a fabulous cocktail instead of being overwhelmed…and your guests get to bring something that shows off their talents. It’s a good idea to create a theme so the recipes gel into a meal.

Pears – Pears are in season and make an outstanding end to any meal. Consider serving simple poached pears with vanilla ice cream or a pear tart with caramelized pistachios.
Whatever you decide to make, taking time to enjoy Fall with friend and family will end well.

Do you have a favorite Fall entertaining idea you’d like to share with our readers? We’d love for you to leave a comment.