Don’t you think that if you presented this heart toast to your kids on Monday morning then you could check off the how-to-make-this-day-special box on your Good Parent List and be done with it? Anyway, I think we have the girls covered, but what about you guys? I’m loving the comment boards these days (thank you to anyone and everyone who has weighed in) and decided that it may be time for another giveaway. Perhaps you are in the market for some modern furniture? Some table linens for the dinner table? Some sleek Alessi glassware from which you may sip your Manhattans a la Andy? Allmodern.com has graciously offered DALS readers the chance to win a $75 gift certificate to their site. All you have to do is send me one of your tried-and-true go-to weeknight family dinner recipes — the dinner that is so easy you can tell me how to make it in just about the same amount of words as a tweet. The reader who turns in a recipe that passes the litmus test (i.e. one my daughters select and — here’s the hard part — enjoy the most) wins. As always, you can send me the recipe in the comment fields below, post on the DALS facebook page (please start your post there with “CONTEST ENTRY”) or email me directly (jenny AT dinneralovestory DOT com.). Winner and recipe to be announced on March 2. Thanks all and Happy Valentine’s Day!
Another reason I love Trader Joe’s! Their Canadian White Bread practically comes in a heart shape. All you have to do is cut off the sides. No cursed cookie cutter required.
Quiche! Trader Joe’s pie crust, 6 eggs, one cup of cream, salt pepper, nutmeg and whatever protein, cheese and herb I have. My favorite: ham, swiss and green onion. Husband’s favorite: bacon, cheddar and mushroom. Can’t screw this up and it’s always possible with what’s on hand. 375 for 40 minutes.
Lemon chicken…preheat oven to 400. In 9x 13 pyrex, lay bone in, skin on, chicken breasts, thighs, legs or any combination. We do thighs. Combine juice of one lemon with 1/4 cup olive oil and pour over chicken. Sprinkle generously with kosher salt and pepper and about 1/2 tablespoon of dried oregano. Cook for 35 minutes or until skin is golden brown and crispy. Serve with cous cous and some kind of green vegetable steamed quickly.
Rotisserie chicken + veggies from freezer + homemade mashed potatoes=Happy Meal
Italian Fusilli
12 oz dried Long Fusilli pasta
½ lb Turkey or chicken Italian Sausage
2 cans (14 oz each) stewed Italian tomatoes
2 tsp fennel seed, crushed
1 cup chopped basil leaves
salt and pepper
grated asiago or parmesan
Cook pasta. Squeeze sausage from casings, break into chunks and brown. Stir in tomatoes and fennel. Simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in chopped basil. Drain pasta and return to pan. Add tomato mixture and toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add cheese.
“Cheesy Peasy Pasta”
– Cook 1 lb. pasta (aim for different types of pasta each time you serve this up to keep the kids interested)
– Save some of the boiled water to steam 2 cups frozen peas
– Mix pasta and peas together and add cheese (feta has been a big hit lately)
There you go–cheesy peasy pasta.
Sesame Chicken & Broccoli
Cut 1.5 lb chicken breasts into 2 inch chunks
-whisk two egg whites and 1/4 c cornstarch
– add chicken, S&P, toss to coat
Sautee with vegetable oil 6 – 8 minutes (in two batches)
Meanwhile, make sauce:
-3tbsp honey
-2 tbsp sesame seeds
-2 tbsp soy sauce
-1 minced garlic clove
Toss cooked chicken with sauce and return to pan
Steam cut-up broccoli, 4 – 6 minutes (or bok choy)
Serve with rice
Pork loin, can root beer in slow cooker. 8 hrs low. Dump root beer out. Shred. Add favorite BBQ sauce. Serve.
(You did say it should fit in a tweet!). Can’t remember where this came from…but we use it regularly during the winter…varying the types of BBQ sauce depending on our mood.
Pork loin, can root beer in slow cooker. 8 hrs low. Dump root beer out. Shred. Add favorite BBQ sauce. Serve.
(You did say it should fit in a tweet!). Can’t remember where this came from…but we use it regularly during the winter…varying the types of BBQ sauce depending on our mood.