One-pot sausage rigatoni means you don’t have to cook the pasta separately. It’s literally only one pot. Pasta, plus sauce all together. If that’s not a busy parent’s dream, I don’t know what is. Unless it’s a crowd-pleasing dinner every loves, like this one. What You Need to Make One-Pot Cheesy Sausage Rigatoni sausage (we…
One-Pot Pasta with Sausage & Spinach
When it’s time for a super easy, totally delicious pasta dish that only takes one pot, this is your new go to! This one-pot pasta with sausage and spinach is a busy parent’s dream: easy to make, nutritious enough and everybody loves it. Four thumbs up from the kids! We’ve been getting this gorgeous sausage…
Easy Pot Roast with Vegetables
This easy pot roast with vegetables comes together so quickly! I threw a giant pan brimming with fresh veggies smothering a roast underneath, then seat out with the brood for an afternoon walk. Don’t get woozy on me with images of a “perfect family” because this is the FIRST time the guy who shaves ever…
A One-Pot Dinner That’s the Best of 2 Favorite Dinners: Chili-Roni!
I’ve made this easy one-pot meal twice in the last two weeks. Because I love Chili-Roni. And so do the kids. If you’re looking for a fast and easy meal your whole family will love, add Chili-Roni to your list. Because: One pot! That means the smallest amount of cleanup possible. It’s fast. The whole…
Sausage, Sweet Potatoes & Apples: A Sheet Pan Dinner Your Kids Will Love
I’ve been trying to write this post for 2 years. Roasted sausage, sweet potatoes and apples on a sheet pan is an easy, delicious meal that everyone loves every time. That’s the problem. It’s one of my Hail Mary meals when I need dinner done fast–throwing whatever veggies I can find on a sheet pan, along with…
Slow Cooker Cheesy Rice with Beef & Beans: A One-Pot Tex-Mex Meal
WE’RE ON A BIT OF A ROLL with meals like this slow cooker rice, beef, beans and peppers. There’s been quinoa enchilada casserole, slow cooker shredded chicken Tex-Mex, and one-pot Mexican casserole–each one a total success with the munchins. I mean, I don’t want to jinx it or anything. Because if there’s a roll, I want…
Cod with Lemon Orzo & Peas: A 15-Minute, One-Pot Dinner
Two people in my house love fish. Two people in my house think they don’t like fish, then try it. Then decide they love fish. They are preschoolers and do this every time. One person may never love fish. Hint: He shaves. When it comes to seafood, my husband is in the same camp as Jim…
One-Pot Mexican Quinoa Casserole (Plus a Fancy Serving Suggestion for Kids)
THERE ARE TIMES WHEN I NEED A LITTLE HELP getting the kids to try something new. Part of my goal here is to create a great relationship between our kids and the food we eat. Part of that is nutrition, cooking fresh and healthy meals. Part of that is fun. Enter, egg cups. They’re just…
Sautéed Cabbage with Sausage, Apples & Onions
“I JUST DON’T LIKE IT” they all said. Before any of them had tried a single bite. Even I was worried. Would four kids under the age of six like sautéed cabbage and sausage with apples and, gasp, onions? But I couldn’t help myself. A dinner like this is so nutritious, so colorful and it’s even…
Kid-Friendly Chicken Tikka Masala in the Slow Cooker
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…
roasted lemon chicken with vegetables, the perfect make-at-nap-time dinner
RIGHT AROUND 5PM THINGS GET ROUGH at my house, maybe even 4. There’s too much whining and not nearly enough wine. That’s why I love to make dinner earlier in the day and let it just hang out — or in this case, roast away — until we’re ready. When the cranky hour arrives I…
healthier fish & chips for kids
THE LAST TIME I HAD FISH & CHIPS–AND THE FIRST TIME THE KIDS EVER HAD IT–WAS IN LONDON. Doesn’t that sound lovely? Except, the rest of my memories include being very, very sick. No, not food poisoning, just the flu. But the worst flu, and even worse timing. We were actually moving from Rome to…
whole wheat penne with sugar snap peas & pork
I DON’T THINK THEY HAVE SUGAR SNAP PEAS IN ITALY. And if they do, I didn’t know how to say it (surprise!) so my kids were new to peas until last week. Now to be clear, my brood is not always interested in new foods. Before a bite of anything unfamiliar ever touches her lips,…
super simple turkey pot pie (and yes, I cheated)
WHEN YOU HAVE A FRIDGE FULL OF TURKEY and a house full of guests, the best way to handle both is a big casserole of turkey pot pie, just like this one. It’s a new riff on the Barefoot Contessa’s chicken pot pie recipe we made over once (and still the number one recipe of…
one pot dinner: sauteed cabbage & chicken with dried cranberries & toasted almonds
HERE’S THE PINT-SIZED REVIEW FOR THIS ONE: “I like it a little bit.” That would be Phoebe (4) when I served this cabbage dish for dinner the other night. Estelle (2) and George (1) were equally enthusiastic. And you know what? That works for me! A few bites here, a few bites there, and pretty…
spicy pasta with chicken, spinach and goat cheese
I’M BREAKING A PRETTY BIG RULE HERE. The idea of making two meals, one for the kids and another for the adults, is just too exhausting for me to even consider on most days. But for our Halloween lunch, I decided to spare the moms those mummy turkey dogs. Instead we adapted a recipe from…
easy penne pasta with cauliflower, sausage & parmesan cheese
IT’S NOT ALWAYS EASY TO GET KIDS EATING veggies. Especially those with a funny smell when you cook ’em. That’s right cauliflower, we’re talking about you. The good news is, we’ve discovered three ways to make cauliflower an easy sell at dinner. Roasted cauliflower, baked into macaroni and cheese, and this way right here. I…
tomato, basil & spinach soup with cheese tortellini (and bat croutons)
Dear Ina Garten, you know I love you and your amazing recipes, but I can no longer spend 45 minutes roasting tomatoes BEFORE the soup making process begins. That is because there are three small crazy people living in my house now. I can however, make a simpler (and healthier) version of your wonderful Roasted Tomato…
chicken & zucchini casserole castles
“THIS IS SO AWESOME!” That’s what Phoebe said when she saw her casserole castle last night. Then she wouldn’t eat it. Instead there was lots of trying to hug it while murmuring, “I just love it so much”. So that was the down side. The good news is, the whole thing couldn’t be easier to…
Our Most Popular Casserole Recipe Ever: Sausage, Rice, Zucchini & Cheese
PHOEBE WASN’T EXACTLY PLEASED. Suddenly my four-year-old is opposed to everything being combined into a one-pot dinner. “Only one thing?”, she asks as incredulously as only a preschooler can. And to that I say (at least in my head), “When you start doing the dishes my dear, we can use all the pans for every…