Chef Salad

This can be more or less healthy depending on what you add to it. Serve with bread or crackers and fruit. My kids love this meal! -Julie

Chef Salad
Layer in bowls:
lettuce
onion slices or chopped green onion
diced tomato
strips of ham
strips of turkey
strips of cheddar cheese
strips of swiss cheese
Other options: hard-boiled egg, croutons, carrots, celery
Top with your favorite dressing.

Italian Muffaletta Sandwiches

This can be endlessly adapted to fit your tastes. We usually have this every week or two in the summer. It works especially well for those days when you're busy in the late afternoon, since you can make this early in the day and let it press for a few hours. -Julie

Italian Muffaletta Sandwiches
1 large oval-shaped loaf of Italian bread
deli meat - I use ham, turkey and salami or pepperoni
provolone slices
pesto (we use Trader Joe's)
Balsamic vinaigrette or Italian dressing
lettuce
thin sliced red onion or sweet onion
tomato (fresh or sundried)
Optional - roasted red peppers, fresh basil

Slice the bread in half horizontally. Tear out some of the inside of the bread to make room for all of the sandwich fixin's.
Spread pesto on bottom layer of bread. Top with meats and cheese. Add tomatoes, onions, lettuce and any other veggies. Drizzle top of bread with the balsamic vinaigrette. Replace the top of the bread. Wrap the sandwich tightly in a ziploc bag or plastic wrap. Place a cutting board on top of the sandwich and put a few food cans on top to weigh it down.
At dinnertime just unwrap and cut into slices.

Sausage Veggie Grill

The recipe is from Taste of Home magazine. I made it today with cabbage and broccoli instead of the red pepper and mushrooms, since that's what I had on hand. I also used fully cooked chicken sausage, and at 20 minutes it was done. I served it with brown rice. Very tasty! -Nancy

Sausage Veggie Grill
1 lb. Italian sausage links, cut into 1/2 inch slices
1 med. zucchini, cut into 1 inch slices
1 med. yellow summer squash, cut into 1 inch slices
1 med. sweet red pepper, sliced
1 med. onion, cut into wedges
1 cup quartered fresh mushrooms
1/4 cup olive oil
1 T. dried oregano
1 T. dried parsley flakes
1 t. garlic salt
1 t. paprika

In a large bowl, combine the first six ingredients. In a small bowl, combine the oil, oregano, parsley, garlic salt, and paprika. Pour over sausage mixture; toss to coat. Divide between two pieces of heavy-duty foil (about 14 in. x 12 in.). Fold foil around sausage mixture and seal tightly. Grill, covered, over medium heat for 25-30 minutes or until meat is no longer pink and vegetables are tender. Open foil carefully to allow steam to escape. Serves 4.

Pizzas on the Grill

You might need to see this in action to get the full affect - I think it calls for a family gathering at our house :) -Susie

I make my own pizza dough in the bread maker and then roll out individual pizzas as thin as possible, then let them rise. John adds olive oil and kosher salt to both sides and then grills them over medium heat until they brown up on either side. When he takes them off the grill he re-oils one side, flips it over (the oiled side is then the bottom of the pizza), and then I add sauce, cheese and toppings to the top. John then re-grills them on medium indirect heat until the toppings look done. Cut and serve. Delicious!!

The Infamous Barbecued Bologna

Get one whole five pound Best's Kosher bologna (low sodium/low fat is best - Caputo's)
1 large bottle of Sweet Baby Ray's regular barbecue sauce

Thread entire bologna on a rotisserie spit. Grill on indirect heat for about 20 - 40 minutes until outside of bologna is starting to split or blacken (depending on your preference). Baste with bbq sauce for the last 10 minutes or so.

If you want more bbq flavor, remove spit from grill and replace grilling racks. Grill on high heat for 3 minutes each side basting with bbq sauce.

Remove from grill and serve on either a hard roll or bun.

Black Bean, Fennel and Tomato Stew

This is a really easy recipe to make and a great way to use fennel from the vegetable box for all of you who don't like fennel like me! You wouldn't even know it is in there. Serve the stew with a good bread for soaking up the broth! (I like to make some homemade bread in my bread maker - there is nothing better than smelling the stew cooking and the bread baking). Also serve with some fruit on the side. -Susie

Black Bean, Fennel and Tomato Stew
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 bulb fennel, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 teaspoon minced garlic (about 2 cloves)
1 28 ounce can diced tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
3 cups water
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 cup uncooked brown rice
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 15ounce can black beans with their liquid
grated Parmesan cheese for serving

In a stockpot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the fennel, onion and garlic. Saute for 5 minutes.
Add tomatoes, oregano, water and brown sugar. Raise the heat and bring to a boil. Add the rice, reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover the pot and simmer the stew for 40 minutes.
Stir in the pepper and black beans and cook for a few more minutes. Serve the stew hot, topped with plenty of Parmesan cheese.

Sweet and Cruncy Chinese Salad

1/2 c. red wine vinegar
1/4 c. vegetable oil
1/4 c. water
1 TB soy sauce
2 TB sugar
1/4 c. butter
2 packages (3 oz each) Ramen noodles
1/2 c. slivered almonds
1 head bok choy or romaine lettuce, or combination of the two
4 scallions, green and white parts, finely chopped
1/2 c. dried cranberries (or 1 can mandarin oranges) - I use craisins
3/4 pound cooked chicken, chopped (optional) - I don't usually add chicken (mostly because I never have any cooked ready to go)

In a medium jar with a lid, combine the vinegar, oil, water, soy sauce, and sugar. Shake thoroughly to combine and refrigerate the dressing until you're ready to use it.

In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Discard flavoring packet from ramen noodles. Break noodles into small pieces. Add noodles and almonds to skilled and saute them, stirring frequently, until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. (For a lower fat dish, brown the noodles and almonds in toaster over or conventional oven at 350 degrees). - I usually use the oven

Thoroughly chop the bok choy or lettuce and combine it with the scallions and dried cranberries in a large bowl. Toss this with the dressing (you probably won't need all of it), noodles, nuts and chicken just before serving.

Garlic-Marinated Chicken

This is the first recipe I've found for chicken breasts on the grill that I really like. The chicken is very moist and garlicky. I actually had two pounds of breasts so I doubled the recipe and marinated it all, then froze 1/2 of the marinated chicken with some of the marinade. Thaw it in the fridge overnight before grilling. -Julie

3 garlic cloves, minced
1/8 cup white-wine vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped, plus sprigs for garnish, if desired
1 tsp coarse salt
1/2 tsp ground pepper
1 pound chicken cutlets (or chicken breasts cut into thirds)

Heat grill to high; lightly oil grates.
Meanwhile, make marinade: In a large baking dish, whisk together oil, garlic, vinegar, thyme, salt, and pepper. Add chicken; turn several times to coat. Let marinate at room temperature 10 minutes and up to 30 minutes.
Lift chicken from marinade and grill until browned and cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove from grill.

Beer Can Chicken

1 large whole Chicken (4-5 pounds)
3 tablespoons dry rub (I use a mix of 3 Tbls McCormick Grill Mates Chicken Rub with 1 tsp pepper and 1 tsp salt)
1 12 oz can of beer

Remove giblets from chicken. Remove and discard the fat from the chicken. Rinse the entire chicken under cold water, then drain and blot dry, inside and out. Sprinkle 1 Tbl of rub inside the body and neck cavities, then rub 1tbs all over the skin of the bird. Rub 1/2 tbs between the flesh and the skin. Cover and refrigerate the chicken while you preheat the grill.

Grill set up:
Use indirect heat - charcoal grill have two piles of charcoal on opposite sides of the grill and cook the chicken in the middle.
For gas grills, depending on the number of burners arrange it so you don't have flames right under the bird.

Set up the grill. Pop the tab on the beer can and using a "church key" can opener punch 6 or 7 holes in the top of the can. Pour out the top inch of beer. Then spoon the remaining dry rub through the holes in the can. Holding the chicken upright (wings at top, legs at bottom) with the body of the cavity down, insert the been can into the lower cavity.

Oil the grill grate. Stand the chicken up in the center of the hot grate, over the drip pan. Spread out the legs to form a sort of tripod, to support the bird.

Cover the grill and cook until the chicken is "fall-off-the-bone" tender about 1 - 1&1/2 hours. Use a thermometer to check for doneness (180 deg in breast).
Carefully take the bird off the grill with tongs. Let stand for 5 minutes. Take the beer can out, remember it is extremely hot. I usually have two sets of tongs, one which I hold the bird with and one that I use to get the beer can out. If it get's difficult just do it over the sink and know the beer is going to spill out.

Potatoes on the Grill

I serve this with just about anything and everything (especially when you get a ton of potatoes from the farm). -Kathy

I cut up potatoes and place in the center of a large piece of heavy aluminum foil. I put olive oil, herbs (usually rosemary and thyme) and salt and pepper (to taste) on top. Mix the pile to coat throughout. I fold the aluminum foil to make a packet. Place on the grill and flip packet occasionally. Cooking time depends on the size of the potatoes. If you are cooking something on the grill that doesn't take a lot of time, cut them very small, etc.

County Fair Turkey Legs

(from Paula Dean)

2 liters lemon-lime soda
2 tbls sugar
2 tbls hot sauce
2 tbls crushed red pepper flakes
1 tbl black pepper
1 Vidalia onion, chopped
1 tablespoon House Seasoning (1c table salt, 1/4 c pepper, 1/4 cup garlic powder)
3 tbls honey
4 turkey legs

Preheat grill. Combine all ingredients, except the House Seasoning and honey, in a large stock pot and bring to a low boil. Add turkey legs and boil for 30 minutes or until the legs register 165 deg. Put turkey legs on the grill, season with House Seasoning and brush with honey. Grill over medium heat for about 15 minutes, rotating occasionally as needed. The turkey legs should be crispy and golden when done.

Beef Burritos

You can freeze these, I've made double batches and eaten some and frozen some. For quick clean up use the disposable aluminum pans. -Kathy

Beef Burritos
Makes approximately 12 burritos.
2 tbl olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 lbs lean ground beef
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbl chili powder
1ts cumin
salt and pepper to taste
1 8oz can tomato sauce
1 31 oz can refried beans
12 large flour tortillas
cheddar cheese, grated, as much as you want or none at all.

Saute onion in oil until tender. Add beef and garlic and cook until beef is no longer pink. Drain, Add chili powder, cumin and salt and pepper. Stir in tomato sauce and simmer 5 min. Add refried beans and cook and stir until well blended. Set aside to cool completely.
Preheat oven to 359 deg. Soften tortillas, put some meat mixture on each. The original recipe doesn't call for cheese inside, but I put some cheese on top of the meat mixture before I roll them up. Roll up and arrange in a 9x13 baking dish that has been sprayed with Pam or the like. Spread cheddar cheese on top. Cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 20 minutes or until slightly browned.
If you are going to freeze them do so before cooking in the oven. To thaw, let stand in fridge for two days, or if you want quicker you can leave out on the counter.

Chili-Cornbread pie

Serve with a small salad and crushed nachos for extra kid fun! -Karen

Chili-Cornbread Pie
Cooking spray
1 chopped onion
1 can of low fat chili with beans
1 can of Mexican style corn, drained
1 cup shredded reduced-fat Mexican cheese blend
1 package of cornbread mix
2/3 cup of water

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Sauté onion with cooking spray until tender in a skillet. Add chili and corn to skillet. Once mixed well, spoon mixture into a 8 inch square pan. Sprinkle cheese over soup mixture.

In another bowl, combine corn bread mix and water until smooth. Pour batter mixture over chili mixture.

Bake at 450 for 20 minutes or until corn bread is golden brown.

Curly Noodle Dinner

I usually serve with some fruit. -Karen

Curly Noodle Dinner
1 pound of ground meat (I use turkey)
1 can of stewed tomatoes (zip it spices or by the variety your family prefers)
1 can of lo sodium kernel corn
1 – 2 packages of Ramen noodle soup

Brown the meat. Drain the fat. Put in the Ramen – I usually smack the package with a spoon before opening it to break it into smaller pieces. Throw away the flavor packet.
Dump the cans of tomatoes and corn right into the pan. DO NOT DRAIN. Let simmer 15 minutes or until noodles are tender.

Amazing Pork Tenderloin

Serve with baked or mashed potatoes, apple sauce and green beans. -Karen

Amazing Pork Tenderloin
1 large (2 pound) pork tenderloin
1 envelope of dry onion soup
1 can of lo fat chicken broth
3 tablespoons of minced garlic

Make little notches into the roast and layer mined garlic throughout. Place in crockpot. Pour all other ingredients on top of meat. Cook on low setting for four to six hours. Remove meat.

If you are a gravy lover, the liquid in the crock pot can be turned into gravy by whisking in corn starch.

Greek Chicken

Great for dinner with plenty of leftovers. Serve with peas or a sliced tomato salad drizzled with oil and vinegar. -Karen

Greek Chicken
6 medium Yukon gold potatoes, quartered
3 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breasts (you can use pieces, as well)
2 large onions, quartered
1 whole bulb of garlic, minced (I buy the jar and use the equivalent amount)
½ cup water
3 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp black pepper
1 Tbsp of olive oil

Place potatoes in the bottom of the crock pot. Add chicken, onions and garlic.
In a small bowl, mix water with oregano, salt and pepper. Then pour mixture over everything in the crock pot. Top with the oil.

Cover and cook on High for 5 -6 hours or low 9 – 10 hours.

Chicken Chilaquiles

This is adapted from this recipe from Martha Stewart. The chicken mixture keeps well for leftovers.

To make the chipotle chile puree, put one small can of chipotle chilies in adobo into the food processor and pulse until pureed. Transfer to a glass jar and keep refrigerated.

Chicken Chilaquiles
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tsp jarred crushed or minced garlic
1 can (28 ounces) chunky tomato sauce (I like Muir Glen)
1 tsp chipotle chile puree (for medium; use more or less to adjust the spiciness)
Coarse salt
3 - 4 cups shredded cooked chicken (2 large breasts or 1 small rotisserie chicken)
1/2 cup lightly packed cilantro leaves, chopped, plus 4 sprigs for garnish
4 cups (about 3 ounces) tortilla chips
1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese or crumbled feta

Directions
1. Combine oil and garlic in a large (3-to-4-quart) saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and sizzling, 1 to 2 minutes.
2. Add tomato sauce, chipotles and adobo, and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil; season with salt. Reduce heat and simmer rapidly until lightly thickened, 6 to 8 minutes.
3. Add chicken and cook, stirring, until hot, about 1 minute. Remove from heat; stir in chopped cilantro.
4. Divide chips among four shallow bowls; top with chicken mixture and sauce. Garnish with cilantro sprigs, sour cream, and cheese.

Black Bean Enchiladas

2 cups cooked black beans or other beans
1 cup pasta sauce
1 cup tomato salsa
1 cup onions chopped
2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp each: salt, garlic powder, and ground cumin
8 whole grain corn tortillas (5"diameter)
tomato salsa, to taste
green onions sliced, to taste

1. preheat oven to 350
2. combine first 8 ingredients in pot. Simmer, 10 minutes, covered or until onions are tender, stirring occasionally.
3. To soften tortillas for easy handling, steam tortillas very briefly(about 15 seconds) or stack and wrap tortillas in foil and heat in 300 oven for 20 minutes.
4. Spread 1 cup bean mix evenly in oiled 8 or 9" square baking dish on top of bean mix.
5. To assemble enchiladas, spread about 1/4 cup bean mix in a line jus below center of each tortilla.
6. Roll up and place seam side down in baking dish on top of bean mix.
7. Evenly spread remaining bean mix over enchiladas.
8. cover wilth foil and bake 30 minutes.
9. garnish with salsa and green onions

Tortilla Casserole

1 can (15 oz) pinto or black beans, drained
1 can (11 oz) condensed tomato soup
1 can (11 oz) corn kernels, drained
1 cup mild salsa
1/2 cup low-fat milk
6 soft-taco sized flour tortillas, cut into 1-inch pieces (or use 3 cups tortilla chips)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl, mix together all the ingredients, reserving half of the cheese.

Place the mixture in a 2-quart casserole, cover it with foil, and bake if for 30 minutes. (For a crunchier top, remove the foil and broil the casserole for the final five minutes). Remove from the oven, uncover, and sprinkle the remaining cheese on top. Top it with crumbled tortilla chips if you like more crunch.

Bean Burritos

I serve with a green salad and fruit. - Nancy

Bean Burritos
1 can (16 oz.) refried beans
1 cup salsa
1 cup cooked long grain rice
2 cups (8 oz.) shredded cheddar cheese
12 flour tortillas

In a bowl, combine the beans, salsa, rice and 1 cup cheese. Spoon about 1/3 cup off-center on each tortilla. Fold the sides and ends over filling and roll up. Arrange burritos in a greased 13 x 9 baking dish. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Cover and bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until heated through.

Vegetarian Black Bean Tacos

This is a quick, Mexican recipe I got from April 29 Chicago Tribune. I served it with guacamole (avocados + seasoning packet) and chips. It was enough for the three of us, but I would probably use more black beans and cheese if I were to make it for more people. -Sheila

Vegetarian Black Bean Tacos
2 T canola oil (I used vegetable oil.)
1 small green bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1/2 C thinly sliced red onion
1/8 t crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 t salt
Freshly ground pepper
1 C canned drained black beans
1/8 t ground cumin
4 taco shells
1/3 crumbled queso fresco (This cheese was pretty expensive. I substituted queso chihuahua. You could probably use any Mexican cheese.)
1 T minced cilantro

Step 1. Heat oven to 300 F. Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the bell pepper, onion, and red pepper flakes; cook until veggies are tender, stirring occasionally, 5-7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Step 2. Meanwhile, place the black beans and cumin in a small saucepan; simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. Place taco shells on baking sheet, and bake in oven until hot, 3-5 minutes. (I didn't heat shells; it was still good.)

Step 3. Divide the beans among the 4 shells; distribute vegetables among each shell. Combine fresco and cilantro in a small bowl; spoon over the vegetables.

Shake-n-Bake

I do a shake-n-bake (either pork or chicken) and while that's cooking in the oven I use the microwave to cook the steamfresh package of veggies. You can get packages of pork chops (America's Cut) at Jewel when they are on sale and just get how many you need in each package. It's quick and easy. -Kathy

Quesadillas

My favorite quick dinner is Quesadillas. It's easy to make the same main course for everyone in the family, while making them with different fillings at the same time. Serve with fresh fruit on the side. -Susie

Quesadillas
Place one tortilla shell on a flat griddle on the stove.
Add a handful of cheddar cheese.
Add cut up fillings. (mushrooms, onions, tomatoes, chicken, corn, black beans, etc)
Add a handful of cheddar cheese.
Top with a second tortilla shell.
Cook over medium heat until the cheese melts on the bottom shell and shell is browned. Carefully flip over (the more filling, the more careful you need to be!). Cook on the second side until browned and chesse is melted.
Cool for a few minutes and cut into triangles.

Top with salsa or guacamole as desired.

Indian Butter Chicken

I serve this over rice with some Trader Joe's Garlic Naan and a bottle of hot sauce. This "recipe" would work for any kind of simmer sauce. Just switch out the chickpeas for a different bean that fits the cuisine type (Caribean sauce + black beans; Italian sauce + cannellini beans, etc.) -Julie

Indian Butter Chicken
2-3 chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch pieces or 2 cups leftover cooked chicken, chopped
1 jar Indian simmer sauce (our favorite is Tiger Tiger Butter Chicken available at World Market, but they're starting to carry Indian sauces in the grocery stores around here now, too)
1 onion, chopped into large pieces
1 can chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans), drained

If you're using chicken breasts cook the chicken pieces in a skillet for about 5 minutes. Add onions and cook for about 5 more minutes until chicken is cooked through and onions are soft.
If you're using leftover chicken cook in a skillet with the onions for 5 minutes until onions are soft.
Add 1 jar sauce and chickpeas. (If the sauce looks very thick, I often add about 1/2 cup water at this point.) Cook for 2-3 minutes until hot.

Quesadillas

I serve with Zucchini Bake (see below). - Kelly

Quesadillas
Spread the bottom tortilla with a little salsa and a cheese mixture (monterrey, mozzerella, cheddar.) Cover with the top tortilla and bake until the cheese is melted.

Zucchini Bake
In a casserole dish layer zucchini and sprinkle with a little Tony's Creole seasoning and onions. Top with a few pats of butter and 2 TSP of water. Bake for 30 min on 375.
Can be made ahead and even served cold it is good.

English Muffin Pizzas

Well, I'm discovering that my cooking ideas are pretty limited. That probably would not be a surprise to my family. I serve this with a simple side salad and some apple sauce. -Kelly

English Muffin Pizzas
Put a layer of spaghetti sauce (we like Ragu garden variety) on the muffin.
Top with mozzarella cheese and any other toppings you like into the toaster for 5-10 minutes or until the cheese is melted nicely.

Sandwich Wraps

I probably don't need to say anymore, as I'm sure everyone is familiar with the sandwich wrap. Serve with your typical sandwich sides - fruit, chips, pasta salad, whatever. -Nancy

Sandwich Wraps
Spinach tortillas (plain flour ones for kids)
hummus or ranch dressing
deli meat - turkey or ham
spinach leaves
red or green pepper, cut into thin strips or diced
tomato, thinly sliced
shredded cheese - whatever kind I have on hand

If the tortilla is cold, microwave for 8 or 10 seconds to warm and soften it (so it rolls better). Spread a bit of hummus or ranch dressing on about half to two-thirds of the tortilla, layer on the other ingredients to your preference, and roll.

30 New Ideas

I can barely manage to make one new meal a week, but over at Cookie magazine online this mom made a new dinner each day for a whole month. Here are the recipes for her 30 new dinners. Some of them sound fairly ambitious, but there are a lot to choose from. Leave a comment if you try one!

Slow Cooker Cabbage Rolls

This is one of the ways I use the CSA cabbage. It is one of the most unattractive recipes I've ever encountered, but it tastes really good! Also, I have a pretty powerful slow cooker and cooking this for 8 to 9 hours as directed would be way too much. 6 or 7 does it for me. So you might want to keep an eye on it. And finally, I learned this year that the cabbage rolls freeze really well. I made them up to the point of putting them in the slow cooker, but put them in the freezer instead. Several months later I took them out, put them in the slow cooker (still frozen), mixed up the tomato sauce and added it, and cooked. Never would have known they'd been frozen, and they made a really nice winter meal. -Nancy

Slow Cooker Cabbage Rolls
1/2 c. uncooked white rice
12 leaves cabbage
1 egg beaten
1/4 c. milk
1/4 c. minced onion
1 lb. ground beef
1 1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/4 tsp. pepper
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
1 Tbls. brown sugar
1 Tbls. lemon juice
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

In a saucepan bring salted water to a boil. Add rice, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Boil cabbage leaves 2 minutes; drain.

In large bowl, combine 1 cup cooked rice, egg milk, onion, ground beef, salt and pepper; stir well to combine. Place about 1/4 cup of meat mixture in center of each cabbage leaf, and roll up, tucking in ends. Place rolls in slow cooker.

In small bowl, combine tomato sauce, brown sugar, lemon juice and Worcestershire. Pour over cabbage rolls. Cover and cook on low 8 to 9 hours.

Vegetable and Chickpea Curry

This recipe is from Cooking Light - I am not an avid user of my crock pot, so I went searching for something. Serve this over couscous. For my kids I would just give them couscous with some sauce and some veggies on the side. - Susie

Vegetable and Chickpea Curry
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1 cup sliced carrots (1/4 inch thick)
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon grated peeled fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 serrano chili, seeded and minced
3 cups chickpeas/garbanzo beans (cooked or canned)
1 1/2 cups cubed peeled baking potato
1 cup coarsely chopped green bell pepper
1 cup cut green beans (1 inch)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
1-14.5 oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
1-14oz can vegetable broth
3 cups fresh baby spinach
1 cup light coconut milk
lemon wedges

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and carrot, cover and cook 5 minutes or until tender. Add curry powder and next 4 ingredients, cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Place onion mixture in a 5 quart slow cooker. Stir in chickpeas and next 8 ingredients. Cover and cook on high heat setting 6 hours or until vegetables are tender. Add spinach and coconut milk, stir until spinach wilts. Serve with lemon wedges. (6 servings)

Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken

I find this to be quite wet so I drain it if I'm serving it as soft tacos. I've also used it (drained) to make chicken nachos and chicken quesadillas. The leftovers freeze well. -Julie

Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 onion, chopped
1 15-oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
3 cups jarred salsa
1 15-oz. can corn, drained
shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, cilantro for topping (optional)

Pour 1 c salsa and chopped onion in slow cooker. Add chicken, then add beans and remaining salsa. Cook on low for 6-8 hours.

During last half hour, add corn.

When ready to eat, remove chicken from slow cooker and shred it with two forks. Put shredded chicken back in slow cooker and stir well.

Serve in bowls over rice or as tacos with soft tortillas. Offer shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream and cilantro as toppings.

Corn Chowder with Shrimp and Cilantro

Corn Chowder with Shrimp and Cilantro
1 T butter
1/4 pound peeled, cooked small shrimp (tails removed)
1 C diced red bell pepper
1 C frozen corn
2 18 1/2 ounce cans Progresso Southwestern-Style Corn Chowder
1 4 oz can diced green chilies
4 T minced fresh cilantro
2 dashes Tabasco sauce


1. Melt butter in medium skilllet over medium heat. Add shrimp, bell pepper, and corn, and stir 3 minutes to heat through. Set aside.
2. Add soup to large sauce pan and heat over medium heat. Stir in shrimp mixture, along with chilies, 3 T cilantro, and Tabasco. Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with remaining minced cilantro and serve.

Quick Chicken-Corn Chowder

This is a really fast soup. It's a great use for leftover chicken, but if you don't have any just cook chicken pieces as the first step before adding the onion, celery and jalapeño. You can find the recipe and nutritional info at Cooking Light here. -Julie

Quick Chicken-Corn Chowder
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped celery
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 cups 2% reduced-fat milk
2 cups chopped roasted skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 2 breast halves)
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels (about 3 ears)
1 teaspoon chopped fresh or 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 (14 3/4-ounce) can cream-style corn

Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, celery, and jalapeño; cook for 3 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently. Add flour; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in milk and remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil; cook until thick (about 5 minutes).

Cheese Chicken and Rice Casserole

This one came out of a cooking magazine and we tried it just the other day. SUPER EASY! We really liked it. -Kathy

Cheese Chicken and Rice Casserole from Campbell's
1 can (10 3/4 oz) Campbell's Cream of Chicken Soup (we used cream of mushroom)
1 1/3 cup water
3/4 cup uncooked regular long grain white rice
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
2 cups frozen mixed veggies (we used 1c broccoli and 1 c carrots)
4 skinless, boneless chick breast halves
1/2 c shredded Cheddar cheese

1. Stir soup, water, rice, onion powder, black pepper and veggies in 11 x 8" (2qt) shallow baking dish.
2. Top with chicken. Season chicken as desired. Cover (yeah - just realized I didn't do this and it still turned out good.)
3. Bake at 375 F for 50 min. or until chicken and rice are done. (timing worked for me) Top with cheese. Let casserole stand. Stir rice before serving. (I did this in the dish around the chicken).

Vegetarian Chili with Avocado Salsa

My kids love chili, as long as it isn't too spicy, so I just keep a bottle of hot sauce at hand for my husband. I love all the healthy parts of this chili, and the girls don't always realize what they are eating! This already has some extras as part of the recipe, but I usually serve some kind of fruit, like mangos, kiwis or pineapples to go along as well. -Susie

Vegetarian Chili with Avocado Salsa
cooking time: 30 minutes, serves 6

2 tsp canola oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped red pepper
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried oregano
3 garlic cloves, minced
4.5 oz can chopped green chilies
2/3 cup quick-cooking barley
1/4 cup water
15 oz can drained black beans
14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
14.5 oz can vegie broth
3 TB fresh cilantro
6 TB reduced fat sour cream
6 lime wedges
18 baked Tortilla chips
Avocado Salsa (see below)

Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add onion and pepper, saute 3 min. Add chili powder through chilies, cook 1 minute. Stir in barley though broth, bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes, until barley is tender. Stir in cilantro. Serve with sour cream, lime wedges, chips and avocado salsa. Store chili in airtight container in fridge for up to two days.

Avocado Salsa
1/2 cup finely chipped, peeled avocado
1/3 cup chopped seeded tomato
2 TB finely chopped onlon
1 TB chopped fresh cilantro
1 TB fresh lime juice
1/8 tsp salt

Basil Tortellini Soup

Here's another from my "really simple" file. Honestly, I'm usually too lazy to serve anything with my soups, but if I were going to, I'd probably go with bread and a fruit salad with this one. -Nancy

Basil Tortellini Soup
4 1/2 c. chicken broth
1 pkg. (9 oz.) cheese tortellini
15 oz. white kidney or cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 c. chopped fresh tomato
1/3 to 1/2 c. shredded fresh basil
1 to 2 tbls. balsamic vinegar
1/4 t. salt
1/8 to 1/4 t. pepper
1/3 c. shredded Parmesan cheese

In a large sauce pan, bring broth to a boil. Add tortellini; cook until tender, about 6 minutes. Stir in the beans, tomato, and basil. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered, for 5 minutes. Add the vinegar, salt and pepper. Serve with cheese.

Cream of Asparagus Soup

I love this recipe. It is a creamy soup made from rolled oats!! Healthy! You must like asparagus or don't bother. Sometimes I add cut up pork chop to it to make my husband happy. It freezes well too. I use chicken broth and it is fine without the lemon and dill. Don't forget to let it cool a little before you blend it if you have a glass blender. Yes, I learned the hard way. -Ailey

Cream of Asparagus Soup
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 bunch asparagus, washed and trimmed
5 cups of stock or water
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2teaspoon sea salt
Freshly squeezed lemon juice

Garnish
Fresh dill (or dried)

Heat oil in pot. Add oniion and saute until soft. Cut asparagus into small pices. Add to onion and suate a few more minutes. Add stock, oatmeal and salt. Bring to boil. Simmer 15 minutes. Transfer to blender and puree. Reheat if neccessary. Add some fresh lemon juice to taste and serve with garnished dill. Makes 6 servings.

Beef Stroganoff

I serve this with some kind of steamed veggies--butternut squash or zucchini. -Kelly

Beef Stroganoff
1T. plus 1 tsp safflower oil
1 1/2 onions, thinly sliced
1 1/4 pounds beef sirlion cut into 1/2"x 1/4" strips
2 T. plus 1 tsp. all purpose flour
2 C. sodium free beef broth
1/4 C plain yogurt
3 T. chopped parsley
3/4 pound broad egg noodles
2 tsp. unsalted butter
1/4 tsp. dried tarragon

Heat the 1 T. safflower oil in a large skillet over medium heat.Add onions, lower heat and cook until brown. Remove onions and set aside. Add beef to the pan and saute until browned all over (about 2 min. per side) Remove meat from the pan and add to the onions. Add the remaining tsp. oil to the pan and heat. Add the flour and whisk to blend. Gradually add the beef broth. Whisk continually until the broth thickens, about 5 minutes. Return the beef and onions to the sauce. Cook until heated through.
Remove the skillet from heat, stir in the yogurt, and sprinkle with the chopped parsley over the top. Toss the noodles with the butter and tarragon. Arrange them on a platter and spoon the beef over the noodles.

Quick Vegetable Couscous

I recommend Trader Joe's Whole Wheat couscous, very high in fiber and yummy. I follow the directions on the box and add it to the recipe. Also I took a class on how to cook and use tofu. The instructor recommends that you always boil your tofu for 5-10 minutes before use. It tastes much better and is safer to consume. You could always add chicken too! I separate the couscous from the vegetable for my pickiest daughter. --Ailey

Quick Vegetable Couscous
1 bouillon cube
12 oz water
1 cup couscous, uncooked
cooking oil spray
2 zucchini
1, 1-inch cube ginger root
6 scallions
2 red peppers
12 oz tofu or chicken
2 garlic cloves

Dissolve bouillon cube in 12 oz boiling water. place couscous in medium-size bowl and pour bouillon liquid over it. Leave until couscous has absorbed all the liquid. Spray wok with a little oil, over medium heat. Slice zucchini crosswise add to wok and stir-fry for 5 minutes. Grate ginger, slice scallions and red pepper, cube tofu, cush garlic and add to wok. Stir-fry for another 5 minutes. Remove from wok and mix in couscous.

Orange Pork Chops

Making sure the rice is cooked is the key to this. If you don't have a pan that can go into the oven then technically it's a two dish meal - I hope I'm not thrown out for that. - Kathy

Orange Pork Chops
Pork chops
1 cup rice
1 can beef bouillon
1 small can mandarin oranges

Preheat oven to 350. Brown the pork chops. Pour one cup of uncooked rice in a pan. Place the browned pork chops on top of the rice. Pour the beef bouillon and the mandarin oranges (with juice) on top of the rice and pork chops. Cook, covered, for 20-25 minutes, until rice is cooked.

Soupy Chicken

My children love it and think it is fun that we are eating soupy chicken. -Beth

Soupy Chicken
4 Chicken Breast cut up in 1 inch squares or if you want you can keep whole
2 cans of Cream of Broccoli Soup
1 Tablespoon of Lemon juice
1 Can of Milk or cream which ever you like

Cook the chicken a little before on 375 degrees and then put the soup on and
continue to cook for 20 minutes.

We add Broccoli and Rice.

Taco Pie

Taco Pie
1 lb ground beef
1 med onion
1 pkg taco seasoning
8 oz can tomoato sauce
refrigerated crescent rolls
crushed taco chips
4 oz sour cream
4 oz shredded cheddar cheese

Heat oven to 350.
Brown beef and onion. Drain
Stir in taco seasoning and tomato sauce.
Unroll crescent roll, break apart and press into a 9 inch pie pan to make crust.
Sprinkle crust with chips.
Spread beef mixture over chips and bake for 15 minutes.
Add sour cream, cheese and some more crushed chips.
Bake 15 more minutes or until crust is brown.

Potato Sausage Medley

I usually serve this with some kind of fruit (applesauce, mandarin oranges, etc.) and with green beans because my daughter will not eat the peppers. Enjoy! -Karen

Potato Sausage Medley
1 - 2 packages of smoked sausage ( I use the Ekrich turkey sausage and no one notices)
5 large yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 large onion, chopped
2 red peppers (you can substitute green or a combo), seeded and sliced into strips
ground pepper
1 c water

Spray a large skillet or Dutch oven with non stick cooking spray. Brown the sausage until it is brown to your liking. Remove from pan and set aside.
In the skillet, add onions and peppers and saute in the sausage drippings until they are browned or carmelized. Add in the potatoes and the water. Stir mixture, sprinkle with ground pepper and lay sausages on top of the mixture. Bring to a boil.
Cover the skillet and simmer for 20 minutes or until potatoes are cooked to your liking.

Italian Macaroni Skillet

I found this recipe in the newspaper when we lived in Wisconsin and it became battered and stained from use. I finally started organizing recipes (still a long way to go) and it finally made it to a recipe book. It is a great pantry-friendly recipe! - Susie

Italian Macaroni Skillet
serves 4, cooks in 20 minutes

1 tsp. olive oil
1 c. chopped onion
1 pound ground beef
1 medium green pepper (3/4 cup chopped)
2 tsp bottled minced garlic
1 can chicken broth (14 ½ oz)
2 cups spaghetti sauce
8 oz. macaroni pasta
¼ c. parmesan cheese

Heat oil over medium-high heat in large skillet. Add onion. Add beef and increase heat to high. Cook, stirring frequently, until browned, about 5 minutes.

Add green pepper and garlic. Stir.

Add broth, sauce and macaroni. Stir until well-mixed. Cover and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat to medium and cook at moderate boil, stirring occasionally, until macaroni is cooked, about 10-12 minutes.

Serve at once topped with 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese.

Skillet Chicken, Broccoli, Ziti, and Asiago

This takes me closer to 45 minutes, but it's worth it. I've used whole milk instead of cream and it's still good - not quite as rich, but still good. Serve with crusty bread and apple slices for the kids. - Julie

Skillet Chicken, Broccoli, Ziti, and Asiago
from America's Test Kitchen

This recipe also works well with 8 ounces of penne. Parmesan cheese can be substituted for the Asiago.

Serves 4 Time: 30 minutes
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts , cut into 1-inch squares
Table salt and ground black pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil (or olive oil)
1 medium onion , minced (about 1 cup)
3 medium cloves garlic , minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 1 tablespoon)
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
8 ounces ziti (2 /12 cups)
2 3/4 cups water
1 2/3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
12 ounces broccoli florets (4 cups)
1/4 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes , rinsed and chopped coarse
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 ounce grated Asiago cheese (1/2 cup), plus extra for serving
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add the chicken in a single layer and cook for 1 minute without stirring. Stir the chicken and continue to cook until most, but not all, of the pink color has disappeared and the chicken is lightly browned around the edges, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Transfer the chicken to a clean bowl and set aside.
2. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil, onion, and 1/2 teaspoon salt to the skillet. Return the skillet to medium-high heat and cook, stirring often, until the onion is softened, 2 to 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, oregano, and pepper flakes, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
3. Add the ziti, 2 cups of the water, and the broth. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook until the liquid is very thick and syrupy and almost completely absorbed, 12 to 15 minutes.
4. Add the broccoli, sun-dried tomatoes, and the remaining 3/4 cup water. Cover, reduce the heat to medium, and cook until the broccoli turns bright green and is almost tender, 3 to 5 minutes.
5. Uncover and return the heat to high. Stir in the cream, Asiago, and reserved chicken with any accumulated juices and continue to simmer, uncovered, until the sauce is thickened and the chicken is cooked and heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Off the heat, stir in the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve, passing more grated Asiago at the table, if desired.

One Skillet Spaghetti

This is one of my winter staples. Simple and really yummy! I often serve it with some fruit since I know my daughter will eat fruit. But any of your standard Italian sides would be great: lettuce salad, garlic bread, etc. - Nancy

One Skillet Spaghetti

1 lb. ground beef
2 small to medium onions, chopped
7 oz. spaghetti
28 oz. can diced tomatoes, undrained
3/4 c. chopped green pepper
1/2 c. water
1 t. chili powder
1 t. dried oregano
1 t. sugar
1 t. salt
1 c. shredded cheddar

In a large skillet, brown beef and onions; drain. Stir in uncooked spaghetti and the next 7 ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until the spaghetti is tender. Sprinkle with cheese; cover and heat until melted.