A few months back, I received a request from a friend of mine. She was requesting a recipe of course, one that would solve all of her problems, one that would make her days easier and her meals more delicious, and of course it had to go in the Crock Pot. And it couldn’t be soup. “And don’t make it too fancy,” she said. “If I have to go to the grocery store to get some spice, I ...
Family Dinners
Saucy Barbecued Chicken Wings
Ladies and gentlemen, I need you to pray for us. I need you to pray that we don’t run out of food or money during the next several years of feeding the bottomless pit that has become my son. I’m not sure when it happened, or who flipped the switch that turned my sweet baby boy into an eating machine but I feel that there is no going back. There haven’t ...
“Life Changing” Harissa Chicken and White Beans
After 8 years of cooking and then writing about it, I have enough confidence in my skills to say that I am an above average home cook. I can, on a fairly consistent basis, put a meal on the table that doesn’t kill anyone. I have also been fortunate enough to produce some pretty amazing creations that have been met with rave reviews, but, until last week, I have never made ...
Make Ahead Pork Potstickers
Make Ahead Pork Potstickers are easy to make. Grab a friend and make a big batch to keep in your freezer for a lightening fast meal or appetizer that you can make right from the freezer! Make sure to read the notes to learn how to freeze potstickers for later! If you had told me 5 years ago that my kids would frequently beg me to make potstickers for dinner I would have ...
Easy Turkey Taco Soup
Time is a precious commodity at our house and squeezing in quality time at the holidays is a juggling act that I stink at. The phone is always ringing and there is always some place we have to be in an hour. My grand plans for cute little homemade gifts for everyone who has touched our lives during the year turns into me throwing a sad stack of cookies into a brown paper sack ...
Roasted Poblano and Corn Chowder
This tasty Roasted Poblano and Corn Chowder recipe is the ultimate way to jazz up corn chowder! Made with fresh ingredients like roasted poblano peppers, bacon, potatoes and of course, corn, this recipe is one you will want to make time and time again for a warm and wonderful dinner option. Corn chowder is always a welcome sight at meal time, but this recipe ...
Easy Chicken Enchiladas with Homemade Sauce
Easy Chicken Enchiladas with Homemade Sauce are a perfect weeknight meal that can be made ahead or even stashed in the freezer for busy days. Flour tortillas are stuffed with fresh chicken and cilantro and covered in a flavorful tomato and chile sauce. There are times in our lives when we come to realize just how much this “adulthood” thing really stinks. At this point in my ...
Swedish Meatballs
Swedish Meatballs is an easy weeknight dinner that kids of all ages will love! The creamy sauce is easy to put together and perfect over egg noodles with sweet peas! It seems that Back-to-School season is upon us once more. Backpacks and school supplies have been purchased and gym shoes have been procured. The kids are whipping themselves into a frenzy over the speculation ...
30 Minute Mini Meatloaves
To say that this Summer has been one of rest and relaxation would be a big, fat lie. So far, this particularly hot and muggy season has been nothing but exhausting; new job, new house, new projects, and new routines (if you can call anything in our life right now “routine”). I’m not complaining (ok, maybe a little), everything that has happened has been ...
Grilled Ribeye Steaks with Blue Cheese Butter
I would venture to say that most hard-working Dads out there don’t get all of the credit they deserve. I mean, they go to work every day to provide for their families only to be tackled by their children as soon as they walk through the door and commanded to then proceed to be the most entertaining toy in the room. My husband in particular must perform the duties of “the fun ...
Sloppy Meatball Joes
I firmly believe that the powers-that-be gave me my daughter so that I would be forced to constantly be creative (He gave me my son to force me to be patient). My young, vivacious look-a-like has some very particular ways of doing things. Ponytails are acceptable, but braids are not. Books are fun but not if Mom picks them out (she will not read A Little Princess no matter how ...
Pineapple Ginger Pork Kabobs
Pineapple Ginger Pork Kabobs is a wonderful recipe for a grilled dinner! The sweetness of the pineapple pairs perfectly with juicy pork! With the weather finally nice enough to be outside, at our house, it is time to fire up the grill! Besides the usual hamburgers, steaks, and hot dogs, kebabs are an affordable dinner option that works well with just about any kind of meat. ...
Baked Italian Sandwich
The amount of meals that we now eat somewhere other than our own house has at least doubled in the last month or so. Not only are we eating lunch like most people who work outside of the home (at our desk or otherwise) but the beautiful weather has made for a few very good excuses to soak up some sunshine while holding lunch in our lap. You won’t hear many complaints from me ...
Make Your Own Frozen Pizza
I am ashamed to say that in the last year or so, our family has adopted a nasty habit: cheap frozen pizza. It's a guilty pleasure sort of thing really. I mean, there is nothing more unhealthy than a $2 Tony's pepperoni pizza, but when you get home late with two hungry kids and no motivation to cook, the frozen cardboard with 5 pepperoni slices becomes a wonderful solution to ...
Teriyaki Turkey Meatball Stir-fry
Bring two favorites together in one dish! Meatballs and stirfry are a great way to make this healthy quick dinner even more kid friendly! I’m sure that I have mentioned this before, but I LOVE Asian food. Not only do I love how fast and fresh most Asian food can be, but I also love all of the sauces and condiments that go along with it. The Asian pantry is teeming with ...