“I can’t believe you just made up this recipe,” she squealed. “It’s so good!” That was my third grader last time I made this smokey pasta with turkey sausage and zucchini. No big deal. Your kids say that all the time, right? Ha! Me neither. That’s why I decided this one was a keeper. With…
The Instant Pot Italian Beef Sandwiches My 8-Year-Old Can’t Get Enough Of
“Are there any more?” That’s the only question my third grader has when I make these Instant Pot Italian Beef Sandwiches for dinner. Lucky for her, this recipe makes enough to feed our family of 6 at LEAST twice. If you’re cooking for a crowd without spending a fortune–or want to freeze leftovers for an instant dinner…
Easy Sour Chicken Kids Love: A Takeout Recipe Makeover!
My kids love sweet and sour chicken–and this recipe is easy. You get easy sweet and sour chicken that’s also healthier than takeout! Every time we order Chinese, sweet and sour chicken is our kids’ go-to request. But all that deep fried chicken and food coloring isn’t my favorite thing to serve for dinner, so…
Kid-Friendly Slow Cooker Chicken Chili
This kid-friendly slow cooker chicken chili is one of the easiest dinners I’ve ever made. But it didn’t start out that way. Back when this chicken chili was a Barefoot Contessa recipe, there were more steps, fewer veggies and certainly more spices. But this DELICIOUS version couldn’t be simpler, or a bigger hit with my whole…
Corn Chowder with a Healthy Twist: Our Kids Call it “Rainbow Chowder”
That’s right, a healthier version of corn chowder with all the creamy goodness, plus a ton of fresh vegetables. What’s special about this corn chowder with a healthy twist Instead of cups of cream, we use chicken stock plus a cup of milk. But don’t worry! It’s still really creamy, thanks to those naturally starchy…
Make-Ahead Turkey Pesto Meatball Pockets
As the mom of four kids, here is one thing I believe: Making dinner doesn’t always have to be so hard. Because sometimes it is. So hard. The problem with managing a household full of four small kids is that I have all these Pinterest-y ideas about how our lives should work. I picture it…
Sheet Pan Pork Tenderloin with Roasted Vegetables: A 25-Minute Meal Full of Flavor
Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Smithfield® Marinated Fresh Pork. The opinions and text are all mine. You know those videos that kept popping up on Facebook a while ago? The ones with hearty European kids racing through the woods during a whole day spent outside with axes? Everyone has ruddy cheeks and…
Magical Mac & Cheese With Hidden Veggies in a Creamy Cheese Sauce
This is the best mac and cheese I’ve ever made. Kids love it. Parents feel good about serving it. And for those two reasons, I call it magical. With just a handful of ingredients, it’s possible to whip up a comfort food favorite like mac and cheese that just happens to be full of vegetables….
Sheet Pan Lemon Chicken with Potatoes & Asparagus
We flew to Denver to visit my mom’s family when I was 10. My aunt made lemon chicken and I thought I’d never tasted anything so delicious. Juicy. Tangy. Since when do we put fruit on chicken? What is even happening? And why can’t I stop eating it? Today’s recipe is a riff on that…
Cheesy Summer Squash Tart with Sun Dried Tomatoes
This cheesy summer squash tart with sun dried tomatoes is my eight-year-old’s favorite way to eat summer squash. Full of eggs, cheese, fresh basil and plenty of salt and pepper, the creamy filling pairs perfectly with puff pastry. (Because, what doesn’t, right?) Plus it’s a make-ahead dream. Put your cheesy summer squash tart together earlier…
Taco Squash Boats
If you’re looking for a way to get your kids eating more vegetables, boats are the thing. We’ve made Italian Zucchini Boats and I’m thrilled to say two things about it: They used a lot of zucchini (a perk because I love actually using produce from our overflowing garden). They were a huge hit with…
Homemade Sloppy Joes
When my soon to be 8-year-old asked for Homemade Sloppy Joes as her birthday dinner, I knew we had a hit! You know that very distinctive flavor of a good Sloppy Joe? The one I remember as a kid came out of a can, but man I loved that stuff. It turns out that you…
Simple sausage and peppers sliders: A wholesome 15-minute dinner kids love
I discovered these simple sausage and pepper sliders a few months ago when I was at the grocery store with two of my girls. They’re five and seven and this was a slow moving day. Unfortunately it turned out to be the kind where you suddenly notice that your kids’ hair isn’t really brushed until you’re…
Zucchini boats: An easy way to use zucchini kids love
If you have tons of zucchini, this is the recipe for you. Actually, let’s not sell these zucchini boats short. If you have even a few zucchini, this may very well be the recipe for you! I’ve made zucchini boats for my family no less than six times this summer. In the span of one zucchini…
Chicken & White Bean Chili with Swiss Chard: My 4 Kids’ Favorite Way to Eat Swiss Chard
I did it again. With the Swiss chard in the garden. It always starts so small, this Swiss chard project. Just a handful of tiny seeds, some dirt that I bought dirt from a farmer down the road who swears it’s organic and more than a little hope. (Honestly, buying dirt? That’s when you know your farming dream has gotten…
Taco Soup: a Fresh Take on a Family Favorite, Done in 20 Minutes
Here comes another fast dinner idea! In just 20 minutes you’ll have a fresh spin on the one dinner nearly every family loves (no, we’re not talking about you, pizza, so please calm down): This is taco soup. Taco soup has all the yummy flavors of tacos served in a refreshing new way AND there are…
Dairy-Free Creamy Tomato Soup with a Surprising Source of Protein: White Beans!
You’ll never guess the hard-working ingredient in our creamy tomato soup…white beans. Yep, a simple can of white beans brings protein to a meal that you wouldn’t usually call hearty. And since there’s no dairy, you might not guess creamy. But that’s what this soup is. It’s also delicious. My first grader sure thinks so. I…
My Favorite Pasta Recipe I Learned Living in Italy: Amatriciana
If you came to visit me when we lived in Rome, I would’ve made you this pasta. That’s because it’s my favorite pasta recipe I learned living in Italy: Amatriciana. Like many of the world’s most delicious recipes Italian recipes are awfully easy, this one begins with bacon. Except in Rome it’s pancetta. That smokey flavor…
Your Secret Weapon for an Instant Dinner: DIY Rotisserie Chicken Sandwiches
Sometimes a dinner is so fast it makes itself. That’s the case with one of our favorite ways to use rotisserie chicken: DIY rotisserie chicken sandwiches served along with raw veggies. And for that last part, we like to make things interesting. But still it is not like the one we get in the popular…
2 Minutes to Gooey & Amazing: Why You’ll Want To Make Apple-Jack Sandwiches for Dinner Tonight
A few weeks ago I asked you guys, “What do you make for dinner when you’re in a hurry after work?” Here’s what one smart mom said: Apple-Jack Sandwiches. A fast, easy, satisfying dinner with a deliciously new combination of flavors. (Flavors our kids already know, only not in this formation. Horizons, prepare to be broadened.) And…