This is beginner Chicken Tikka Masala, the kind that bubbles away in the slow cooker all afternoon. That’s because my kids don’t do spicy. Actually, I don’t even like a lot of spice myself. I remember growing up and thinking most toothpaste was “too hot”. But man, do I love a nice bowl of Chicken…
Toasted Turkey, Salami & Cheese Sandwiches: Homemade Mini-Grinders
THERE WERE TWO STOPLIGHTS in the town where I grew up. And in between them was Rome Pizza. I told you about how much I loved their Hawaiian pizza when I was a kid but they also made something so mouthwatering I still remember it, all these years later. Grinders. But here’s the thing: I only…
Shortcut Swedish Meatballs: Ready in 30 Minutes
“IF YOU GUYS WILL TRY COUS COUS TONIGHT,” I heard myself bargaining, “I’ll make you pumpkin muffins for breakfast.” And with three nods we had a deal. I was desperate. I already had this delicious pot of Shortcut Swedish Meatballs simmering on the stove when I realized I’d need something to serve with them, something…
Let’s Make Mark Bittman’s Pasta with Chicken, Mushrooms, and Wine
Pasta with Chicken, Mushrooms, and Wine Excerpted with permission from HOW TO COOK EVERYTHING FAST Time: Faster (30 minutes or less) Makes: 4 to 6 servings Use red wine and this dish is hearty for the fall or winter; use white and it becomes lighter for spring or summer. You won’t go wrong either way….
Fried Cabbage with Crumbled Bacon, a Make at Nap Time Dinner
“THUMBS UP!” they all said. “To the bacon.” I made this dish for dinner last night and while all the kids (ages 2, 3 and 5) dutifully ate some cabbage, those forks seemed suspiciously bent on finding the bacon rather than full bites. And before you say, “duh!”, I say…give cabbage a try. Because it’s delicious. Fried…
Slow Cooker Potato Soup with Cheddar Cheese & Bacon
IT’S SOUP SEASON! With brisk evenings coming closer, days getting shorter and still not a full night’s sleep in sight, this new mom thought it was time to give my ol’ slow cooker another try. Inspired by 100 Days of Real Cooking, we made our own version of a thick and rich soup that our kids actually loved….
Grilled Chicken, Peanut Ginger Stir-Fry
GOT LEFTOVER CHICKEN? Looking for ways to make cooking dinner easier (an endless pursuit around here)? We grilled up half a batch of chicken earlier in the week and saved this part for another dinner tonight as part of our 2-in-1 Dinners series. We’re cooking once, eating twice. I always eat leftovers for lunch but otherwise my…
2 Dinners in 1: Grilled Chicken Becomes Creamy Lemon Pasta and Peanut Ginger Stir-Fry
MAKING DINNER EVERY NIGHT ISN’T EASY. This, we know. One of my favorite new techniques for getting food on the table is actually cooking less. Yep. By cooking one base I can make at least two meals. We’ve done it with ground beef, rice and tomatoes in Stuffed Red Peppers, which later became the base…
Simple Seafood, a recipe excerpt from “100 Days of Real Food”
{Excerpted with permission from “100 Days of Real Food” by Lisa Leake} One great thing about having fish for dinner is that it doesn’t take long at all to cook. Served with a couple easy side dishes (such as roasted veggies, a salad, and/ or baked potatoes), this dish could quickly be whipped up for…
15-Minute Homemade Macaroni & Cheese
OBVIOUS CONFESSION COMING… I’M TOTALLY OVERWHELMED. Have I mentioned that before? It turns out that managing four kids under the age of six is hard, especially when you don’t get to sleep at night. I know you know that. The silly thing is, I didn’t know that. Or, I guess somehow I thought it wouldn’t be….
easy pasta with zucchini, tomatoes & fresh mozzarella cheese
THERE ARE TIMES WHEN I NEED TO MAKE DINNER FAST. Before the Clifford video runs out. Before 2-month old Violet starts wailing for her own dinner. Before I turn from Pretty Nice Mommy into Awfully Frazzled Mommy. That’s where a quick pasta dish full of fresh vegetables like this comes in handy. There’s also the…
1 dinner 3 ways: stuffed peppers with beef, tomatoes & rice
LAST NIGHT’S DINNER WAS A DISASTER. Sometimes I use a lot of smart strategies for making dinner quickly and easily, but not last night. There I was at 5:30pm, stirring a pot on the stove to make a vaguely Mexican dish I saw somewhere online. You know, the kind that’s not too spicy for the kids but still…
oven baked barbecue chicken drumsticks
MY KIDS MAY LIVE IN THE SOUTH NOW, but they still aren’t huge fans of chicken. Not fried chicken, not BBQ chicken, not chicken in general. Chicken just isn’t nearly as big of a thing in Rome, where they were all born. Fast forward to our move to the States and these Euro-rascals, the ones…
lettuce wraps with steak & carrots
THERE ARE TIMES WHEN I JUST WANT TO TRY SOMETHING NEW. Despite how the kids might react. When I made lettuce wraps with steak and carrots, I knew there would be resistance from the knee-high critics but sometimes, every once in a while, I don’t care. If we agree that a win is when everyone tries a bit,…
shrimp, feta & corn pizza
I KNOW, I KNOW. What’s wrong with pepperoni? Not single a thing. We just happen to have a 5-year-old major shrimp lover at our house, so when I saw a similar idea in a magazine recently, I gave it a shot. As usual, the adults liked it more than the kids, except for the one, but…
sauteed swiss chard with garlic & lemon
I KNOW. YOU THINK YOU DON’T LIKE THIS. And you’re probably SURE the kids don’t. But they just might! Ours do, and I’m as amazed as you are. This Swiss chard recipe is based on one of our favorite side dishes from Italy, bitter greens sauteed in olive oil. The kids love it. Plus there’s…
15-minute cheesy pasta with chicken & spinach
THIS PASTA DISH IS A 3-BOWLER. At least it was for Phoebe, our 5-year-old. Okay, okay. I admit it. I also found myself eating at least another helping, standing next to the sink while I pretended to “clean the kitchen” after dinner. It’s just that kind of pasta dish. And there’s even better news: the recipe is…
perfectly flavored london broil (aka, meat your kids will eat!)
THE OTHER DAY I MADE CHICKEN CUTLETS for dinner and when I saw my four-year-old dunking each bite in her water glass, I had to ask… “This makes it softer on my teeth,” she told me. Note to self: Don’t overcook the chicken. My three small kids aren’t always the biggest meat fans but when it’s…
simple pasta with tomatoes, basil & mozzarella
AS PART OF OUR SEMI-DELUDED PLAN to have friends over this weekend, we served homemade rolls along with two pastas, including this one that I learned how to make when we lived in Italy. Our wonderful guests brought veggies and desserts including a chocolate layer caked called “Tall, Dark and Handsome”. And yes, we’re inviting them…
Beef & vegetable roll-ups with balsamic glaze made a little simpler
I CAN’T LIE TO YOU. THESE DELICIOUS BEEF ROLL-UPS WITH BALSAMIC GLAZE WILL NOT BECOME ONE OF YOUR GO-TO WEEKNIGHT DINNERS. But you’ll love making them once in a while. With a tangy, sweet sauce plus a built-in veggie and playful presentation, there’s a lot to like here. The only trouble is the number of steps it…