You are here: Home / Archives for parsley

Doesn’t get more local!

July 1, 2011 By Alex aka Ma, What's For Dinner 10 Comments

You hear me say it ALL. THE. TIME.

Buy Local!

Eat Local!

Well it doesn’t get any more local than this!

cooking tips Doesnt get more local!

We’ve taken to our back deck to make our own herb garden!

Now if you’ve been following along for a while now…

You know that I have green thumb issues.

But since the nice folks at my CSA keep giving me herbs I decided to get on it.

With my special helpers of course!

cooking tips Doesnt get more local!

So we are on our way to super local grown herbs.

5 steps away local.

We’ve got

Basil…

Dill…

Oregano…

Thyme…

Chives…

and Sage.

cooking tips Doesnt get more local!

Here’s to hoping I don’t kill ‘em too fast.

 

Filed Under: Cooking Tips, Featured, Getting Kids To Eat Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Light n Lively Meatballs

June 29, 2011 By Alex aka Ma, What's For Dinner 6 Comments

Ever make chicken or turkey meatballs and have them end up all dry on you?

Well check this out!

These meatballs are good for you and your waistline….

They are totally juicy and delicious.

Best part is that you cook them in their own sauce.

You’ll never eat regular meatballs again!

dinner Light n Lively Meatballs

Light n Lively Meatballs

WHAT YOU NEED:

1 pound ground chicken breast

1 small eggplant

3 T chicken stock

1/2 small onion, grated

1 clove garlic, chopped

1 egg white

1/3 cup whole wheat bread crumbs

S&P

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more for sprinkling

1 jar store bought spaghetti sauce (We use Francesco Rinaldi ToBe Healthy Tomato Basil Sauce)

1/4 cup chopped parsley

1 box whole wheat pasta cooked to al dente

WHAT TO DO:

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees and set a pot of water on high for your pasta.  Season your water with salt and cook pasta according to package directions.

Cut your eggplant in half and place on a baking sheet.  Cook on 425 for about 10 – 15 minutes until soft.  Allow to cool a bit then scrape out the yummy eggplant from it’s skin and add to a large bowl.  Knock back the heat on your oven to 375.

To the bowl with the eggplant add in your chicken, chicken stock, grated onion, chopped garlic, egg white, bread crumbs, parsley, parmesan cheese, and S&P.  Mix well to combine.

Grab a muffin pan. Yes a muffin pan!  Place a healthy spoonful of sauce into each muffin well.

dinner Light n Lively Meatballs

Next, form your meat mixture into golf sized meatballs and place on top of the sauce in the muffin wells.  The boys each took a row for themselves and made their share.

Bake at 375 for 25 minutes.  I like to flip the meatballs mid cooking process so they get all covered with sauce.

Serve on top of pasta and with a side salad and you’ve got a meal everyone will love and feel good about!

dinner Light n Lively Meatballs

 

Filed Under: Dinner Recipes For Kids, Featured, Healthy Recipes For Kids, Kid Favorite Recipes Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Bow ties with spring veggies and bacon

March 23, 2011 By Alex aka Ma, What's For Dinner 15 Comments

Happy Spring!

Though it’s snowing here today.

Anyway, this will make you feel like spring…

A delicious and quick pasta that the kids will adore!

Mom and Dad too!

Feel free to add grilled chicken or shrimp to make it a heartier dish.

dinner Bow ties with spring veggies and bacon

Bow ties with spring veggies & pancetta

WHAT YOU NEED:

1 box bow tie pasta

4 slices thick cut bacon, chopped

1 1/4 pounds asparagus, trimmed, cut on diagonal into 1-inch pieces

1 scallions, thinly sliced

8 ounces crimini mushrooms

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

1/3 cup heavy cream

3 T extra virgin olive oil

juice of 1/2 lemon

1 T lemon zest

1/4 cup italian parsley, chopped

1/4 cup basil, torn

WHAT TO DO:

Heat a large pasta pot over high heat.  When boiling add salt and cook pasta until al dente. Drain, but reserve 1 cup pasta cooking liquid. Return pasta to pot.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet cook bacon over medium heat until crispy. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels to drain. Set aside.

Pour off all but 1 teaspoon drippings from skillet. Add mushrooms to the drippings.  Cook for 3 minutes.  Add asparagus, scallions, and garlic to the mushrooms in skillet and cook for 3 more minutes minutes.  Remove from heat.

Add veggies, 1/2 cup pasta cooking liquid, 1/2 cup Parmesan, cream, olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, parsley, basil, and S&P to pasta.

Mix well.  Add more pasta water if necessary.  Sprinkle with bacon and more cheese if desired.

Tasty Tidbit – Kids not asparagus fans?  Try this dish with frozen peas!

Filed Under: Dinner Recipes For Kids, Featured, Kid Favorite Recipes, Lunch Ideas For Kids, Recipes For Kids Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Baked Eggs

February 18, 2011 By Alex aka Ma, What's For Dinner 6 Comments

Sometimes you just have to throw logic out the window.

Today is one of those days.

It’s a breakfast for dinner kind of day.

This is a great and delicious recipe for breakfast or dinner.

The kids like to crack the eggs into little ramekins to make their own.

And they love to dip the bread!
breakfasts Baked Eggs

Serves 4  Prep Time: 5 minutes  Cook Time: 10 minutes

WHAT YOU NEED:

½ t minced fresh garlic

½ t minced fresh thyme leaves

½ t minced fresh rosemary leaves

½ t minced fresh oregano leaves

2 T minced fresh parsley

2 T freshly grated Parmesan

8 extra-large eggs

4 T heavy cream

2 T unsalted butter

S&P

Whole Wheat Toast for dipping

WHAT TO DO:

Preheat the broiler for 5 minutes and place the oven rack 6 inches below the heat.

Combine the garlic, thyme, rosemary, oregano, parsley and Parmesan and set aside. Carefully crack 2 eggs into each of 4 small bowls or teacups without breaking the yolks.  You aren’t going to bake them in these, you just want to have them ready to go.

Place 4 individual gratin dishes on a baking sheet. Place 1 tablespoon of cream and 1/2 tablespoon of butter in each dish and place under the broiler for about 3 minutes, until hot and bubbly. Quickly, but carefully, pour 2 eggs into each gratin dish and sprinkle evenly with the herb mixture, breakfasts Baked Eggsthen sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Place back under the broiler for 5 to 6 minutes, until the whites of the eggs are almost cooked. (Rotate the baking sheet once if they aren’t cooking evenly.) The eggs will continue to cook after you take them out of the oven. Allow to cool a bit and serve hot with toasted bread.

Noteworthy Nugget:  I leave off the herbs for my pickiest eater.  I give him extra cheese.  You could make this with cheddar cheese too or any other kind of cheese your kids really like!

These are an ode to a recipe I made with my mom when I was a kid out of my favorite kids cookbook.  Walt Disney’s Mickey Mouse Cookbook.  These were sort of like Smee’s Baked Eggs.  I think I made everything in that book when I was a kid.  Wish I could find it!

It’s been a rough week around here for us.  I promise to be back on schedule next week.  Be sure to enter our Disney Princess – Ariel contest by midnight tonight.  Winners of this and the Cinderella contest announced next week!

Filed Under: Breakfast Recipes For Kids, Kid Favorite Recipes, Recipes For Kids, Vegetarian Recipes For Kids Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Turkey Saltimbocca

August 26, 2010 By Alex aka Ma, What's For Dinner 8 Comments

This is a version of a recipe that I saw on America’s Test Kitchen.

I switched out chicken (or veal) cutlets for turkey cutlets instead, hey turkey cutlets were on sale at the store…can’t pass up a bargain!

I doctored up the sauce a bit as you all know I can’t follow a recipe to save my life what with my recipe OCD and all.

I like this dish because the kids can help with the prep and it’s a great light and easy meal.

Perfect for the end of summer.

Give this a whirl…you’ll be glad you did.

dinner Turkey Saltimbocca

Serves: 4  Prep Time: 10 minutes  Cook Time: 15 minutes

1 1/2 pounds turkey cutlets

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1 T garlic powder

1/2 t ground black pepper

16 sage leaves, divided (8 minced, 8 whole)

8 slices thin prosciutto

3 T olive oil

1 cup dry white wine

1 large shallot, chopped fine

2 t lemon juice

3 T butter

1 T chopped parsley

Pat cutlets dry with paper towels. In a large bowl combine flour, garlic powder and pepper.  Dredge turkey cutlets in flour mixture, shaking off any excess. Lay cutlets flat and sprinkle evenly with minced sage. Place 1 prosciutto slice on top of each cutlet.   (These are great steps for the kids to help with, just be sure they wash their hands after handling the raw poultry!)

Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add whole sage leaves and cook for about 15 to 20 seconds. Using slotted spoon, remove sage to paper towel-lined plate and set aside for garnish later. Add half of cutlets to pan, prosciutto-side down, and cook until light golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip and cook on other side until light golden brown, about 2 minutes more. Transfer to a plate and keep warm under some aluminum foil. Repeat with remaining cutlets.

dinner Turkey Saltimbocca

Pour off excess fat from skillet, reserving about 1 Tablespoon. Add you shallots and cook until they begin to soften, about 4 minutes.  Add in you wine to deglaze your pan being sure to scrape up any browned bits on the bottom.  Simmer until reduced to about 1/3 cup, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in lemon juice. Turn heat to low and whisk in butter, 1 tablespoon at a time. Off heat, stir in parsley and season with salt and pepper. Pour over turkey and top with fried sage leaves and extra parsley.

dinner Turkey Saltimbocca

dinner Turkey Saltimbocca

Filed Under: Dinner Recipes For Kids, Recipes For Kids Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Chicken and spinach lasagna cupcakes

August 19, 2010 By Alex aka Ma, What's For Dinner 13 Comments

Ok, so this was a recipe I found on a great foodie website, The Ungourmet .  Her site is amazing and her photography…oh, well let’s just say I worship at the altar of her awesomeness!

As many of you may know, I am not a lasagna fan.

GASP!

Yes, it’s true…

I don’t do ricotta.

And before you say it, yes I’ve had lasagna without ricotta and still, it doesn’t work for me.

It makes no sense.  I like everything in there, but alas, I can’t do it.

BUT…

I kinda liked this one.

AND my family LOVES lasagna, like most normal human beings in the world.

Not to mention the fact that the boys had  a BLAST helping me construct these little towers of yummyness.

They are a much healthier alternative to the kind your granny made so give these a whirl…

You’ll be glad you did.

dinner Chicken and spinach lasagna cupcakes

Serves: 4   Prep Time: 25 minutes  Cook time: 40 minutes

1 lb ground chickendinner Chicken and spinach lasagna cupcakes

2 cloves minced garlic

8 oz canned petite diced tomatoes undrained

8 oz canned tomato sauce

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp dried basil

1/2 tsp cracked pepperdinner Chicken and spinach lasagna cupcakes

8 lasagna noodles, cooked al dente

1 beaten egg

2 cups ricotta cheese

1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1 cup frozen spinach, thawed and well drained

dinner Chicken and spinach lasagna cupcakes

2 cups shredded mozzarella

1 tbsp dried parsley

1/4 cup shredded or grated Parmesan

Thoroughly cook the ground chicken in a large skillet. Add the tomatoes, sauce, garlic, spices, salt and pepper. Cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes.

Combine the egg, ricotta, and parmesan.dinner Chicken and spinach lasagna cupcakes

Using a glass or cookie cutter that is close to the size of the muffin cups, cut 3 circles out of each noodle for a total of 24 circles.

Place 1 noodle circle in each muffin cup. Layer meat sauce, ricotta mixture, and shredded mozzarella. Repeat. Top with a bit of parsley and grated Parmesan.

dinner Chicken and spinach lasagna cupcakesCover loosely with a piece of foil that has been sprayed with oil and bake at 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 5 minutes to brown on top.dinner Chicken and spinach lasagna cupcakes

Let the “cupcakes” sit for at least 10 minutes for easier removal.

Filed Under: Dinner Recipes For Kids, Healthy Recipes For Kids, Kid Favorite Recipes, Recipes For Kids Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,
« Older Posts
Improve Your Life, Go The myEASY Way™