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You Won’t Believe You Hadn’t Tried This Before!

Don’t you just love the colder months of the year, when you can sit back by the fireplace and have a glass of wine, while a hearty soup is simmering in the kitchen? Ok, ok – it may not always be this way… Especially here up North, where we are getting freezing cold temperatures and you can’t light a fire because you’re too cold to get out of bed! But no matter how chilly it gets, I would still make this lovely winter minestrone soup.

I used to hate minestrone soup. I’m just being honest here! They were serving it in our high school cafeteria and it was such an ugly mess that I couldn’t make myself eat it. Well, something must have changed – maybe I grew up or maybe this recipe from my sister is just so much better. Whatever the case, I am totally in love with this recipe!

I’ve made this twice already since I found this a couple of weeks ago. This recipe makes a huge batch so it’s even better – just one pot, and two days worth of dinner all in one go!

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Quick Tip: Want to make this even easier? Use leftover or rotisserie chicken!

You’ll Laugh Your Way Through Making This

Raise your hand if you’ve gotten takeout more than once this week! I’m kind of embarrassed to say I’ve reached for the takeout menu often lately. I know it’s not the best choice, whether it’s money you’re thinking about or the health aspect. But sometimes (a lot of times, actually) I’m so short on time, takeout seems to be the only option.

I decided it was time to make a change, so I’ve been trying out all kinds of new recipes that will save the day. I need recipes that are simple to put together, don’t take a lot of time to prepare and taste just as delicious as their takeout counterparts!

This slow cooker chicken teriyaki has quickly become one of my favorites. It’s inexpensive and my whole family loves it! You can serve it over rice or your favorite noodles, and you barely have to lift a finger to prepare this.

I even had my kids make this for us the other day! My two daughters, who are 11 and 12, are always excited to help out in the kitchen. I gave them instructions and they were able to put this together completely on their own. You should have seen how proud they were of themselves!

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Quick Tip: Use low-sodium soy sauce for a healthier option.

If I Was A Rich Man… I Would Still Make This Delish Casserole!

Ever since I was little, I was taught to appreciate what I have and make the most of even the little things. We were a big family and my mother was a genius when it came to making meals on the budget. It seemed as if the casseroles appeared out of nowhere; there was nothing too special in the pantry but all of a sudden she had made an amazing dinner for the whole family.

I think being able to create a grocery budget and stick to it, is a very important skill. My mother made sure we would all know by college, what it took to make your money last for a whole month. I’m very grateful for everything I learned and I think it has made my life richer in so many ways.

This stupendous casserole from Glenda, over at Busy-At-Home, made me think of my mother and everything she taught me. Food doesn’t have to be expensive to taste delicious! And this chicken, broccoli and rice casserole is here to prove it.

Recipe and image courtesy of Busy-At-Home.

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Quick Tip: No broccoli in the freezer? Use any veggies you happen to have at hand.

What A Change From Your Plain Ol’ Chicken Recipe!

Do you have Mexican Mondays at your house? We do – well, not always on Mondays but we usually have Mexican food at least once a week. What can I say; my husband and I really like the food and I guess we’ve raised our children the same way! The only issue so far has been that all of our favorite Mexican-style recipes have been filled with cheese. Lots of it.

There’s nothing wrong with cheese, of course, but when you’re trying to eat a little healthier and perhaps even shed a pound or two (or twenty, ahem) you kind of start looking at cheese in a different way. I still want to eat all that ooey-gooey goodness, but I try not to eat it every single day!

This recipe was like hitting the jackpot! It is Weight Watchers-approved, incredibly juicy and flavorful, and absolutely perfect for your Mexican meals. Try serving this with rice, potato wedges or maybe just steamed veggies, for an extra delicious and lean dinner!

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Quick Tip: Serve with rice or potato wedges.

Crispy On The Outside, Juicy And Flavorful On The Inside

It’s that time of year again, when you have a bunch of hungry monsters charging into your house every afternoon. You know, the same monsters that barely had their eyes open in the morning and wouldn’t even consider having a decent breakfast. Apparently they changed their mind about food during the day because they sure as heck want to eat now. And I do mean NOW!

It’s a good thing I’ve gathered a big pile of super easy snack recipes over the years, for moments like this. You won’t have to deal with grumpy teenagers once you’ve filled their bellies with something delicious!

These Dijon chicken tenders are great for that. They’re ready in about 30 minutes, you only need a handful of ingredients and the kids are absolutely crazy about them. I usually just double the batch because my kids often bring in friends after school, and they all love these!

My kids enjoy spicy food so I often amp it up even more, by adding a little hot sauce and mixing it into the mustard.

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Quick Tip: Use your favorite kind of mustard for this recipe.

For All You Pasta Lovers Out There – This Stuff Is To Die For

A friend of mine tried a low-carb diet for a while. She lasted for about a week and then she said she would never do anything that silly again.

She didn’t mean the diet was silly, but she said she should have known from the beginning she would never be able to live without carbs. For her it wasn’t about bread – she told me she could probably go on for a whole year without even having one slice. But she couldn’t bare the thought of not eating pasta for weeks.

I knew exactly what she was talking about… I love pasta and I am pretty much making a pasta dish every other day. I do understand the health benefits of eating less carbs, but what can I say? It is just too good!

This Italian chicken pasta is one of my new favorites. I tried it for the first time last week, and I’m already making it again tonight. This time I’m choosing wisely and using low-fat cream cheese. Yum! I can’t wait for dinner!

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Quick Tip: Use your favorite pasta noodles for this!

My husband loves a good plate of chili after a long day of work. Whether it is hot or cold outside, he will sit down and chow down two bowls full of chili. He loves the taste, texture and everything about it. When I do not feel like cooking chili, I head over to Wendy’s and pick some up for dinner (or he will bring it on his way home). We love to slice French baguette and put it in the oven until it is so toasty it is hard. Then from there, we enjoy dipping it into our chili until it is soft again. Yummy!

Well, the other day my neighbor Anne called me over to taste a new dish that she had made. Turns out she had made chili, but instead of the traditional red color full of ground beef, I found a white chili full of chicken. I was a taken aback… I had never seen anything like it! But I gave it a try and was pleasantly surprised! This was a white chicken chili that I could make at home, for sure! It was hearty, full of flavor and had chicken which was pretty cool!

Photo and recipe courtesy of The Chunky Chef.

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Quick Tip: Add in any veggies you’d like!