easy bbq chicken dinner

-chicken breasts
-season with a bbq rub lightly (we make our own, many variations are out there!)
-grill til done and brush with a bbq sauce (we did a famous dave's variety)

Serve with green beans and steamed broccoli and carrots and potatoes
potatoes were cut in wedges this time instead of slices...

Our younger one likes her chicken without the sauce...


another way to do the green beans...
frozen green beans laid out in lg piece of aluminum foil
sprinkle with salt, pepper, onion and garlic powders (not salt)
drizzle with honey 
seal aluminum foil and bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes

spaghetti squash

I have always wanted to try this and now wish I would have years ago...my kids even like it!  It is a good substitute...not as heavy as a noodle and really easy to do!
step one (by far the only hard part!)
carefully slice the squash in half
step two...
clean out seeds and strings with a spoon
step three...
place upside down in a casserole dish and fill half way up with water
step four...
place in microwave for 8 minutes, check and start heating again every 4 minutes until the outer part is soft to touch (pushes in)
step five...
remove and drain water...turn halves over
step six...
with a fork, pull out "spaghetti"

veggie bread!

healthy (?) and delicious, for breakfast or snack or dessert!

2 cups shredded (or pureed) zucchini and carrot
(I used 2 peeled carrots and 2 zucchini)
3 eggs (or replacer)
1 t vanilla
1 cup melted butter
1 T cinnamon
1t baking soda
1/4 t baking powder
2 cups wheat flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 t salt
1 cup crushed pecans
mix well and pour in 2 greased bread pans...bake at 350 for one hour

a quick way to do corn!

We just learned this technique from friends and have changed it a little and are so happy to have a new way to do this little side!

We pull down the husks most of the way to clean and remove silks...then put husks back up and use a small piece to tie closed.  Place in microwave (can put multiple ears in at a time) and cook 5-6 minutes an ear.  We have also done it where we season with a little sat and pepper, and butter before closing the husks and cooking.  Delicious!
(above served with grilled fish and black beans/rice, and generously buttered by one of my boys!)

Lasagna

This is such an easy way to get veggies in for kids...We have to do a small one for our dairy free girl... hers has soy or rice based cheese but other than that it has the same fixings...
1 box wheat lasagna noodles (may not use all)
1 lb ground meat
1-2 cans crushed tomatoes (or jar of fresh canned)
1 small can tom. paste
oregano
basil
sugar
salt
pepper
onion
garlic in oil
red/green peppers
sliced mushrooms
1 each sliced zuchini and squash
leaves of spinach
1 large container ricotta
1/2 cup fresh shredded parmesan
parsley
2-2 1/2 cups fresh shredded mozzerella


Boil lasagna noodles for 7 minutes... they will be firm, but continue to cook in oven.  Brown a lb of bison (or ground beef or ground turkey) with 1 cup of minced onion and peppers, a spoon of minced garlic... once browned add a large can of crushed tomatoes (we use 2 cans) a small can of tomato paste and 2 T basil, 1 T oregano, 1 tsp sugar, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp pepper...mix well.


mix ricotta, 1 T parsley and parmesan

spoon a tablespoon-ish of sauce in casserole dish, then 3 lasagna noodles, spread ricotta mix over noodles, spread mozzerella over ricotta,layer spinach leaves and mushrooms, another layer of noodles, then squash/zuchinni layer, sauce, more noodles and repeat until filled dish and top with mozzerella.  Bake 350 for 15 minutes.  IF you have picky veggie eaters, chop the veggies very small in chopper and add to meat/sauce mixture... we add carrots as well.  If veggies are steamed they mush well in sauce!

sauteed mushrooms

1 pack mushrooms, washed and dry and sliced
salt and pepper
2 T butter

place in skillet and sautee just til browned. Serve alone or on filet or chicken!

baked green beans

1 large bag frozen(thawed) green beans, or 4 cans (drained) or a bag of fresh
4 slices of uncooked bacon cut in 1 inch or so squares
3 T. sliced butter
salt and pepper
1 T onion powder
1 T garlic powder
2 T brown sugar
put bacon pieces in glass rectangular casserole dish and bake at 350 for 5-8 minutes, take dish out of oven and add remaining ingredients, tossing with a fork to coat green beans.  Return to oven and continue baking at 350 for 10 minutes, stir/toss and bake 10 more minutes until bacon is done.

roasted asparagus

EASY and quick side!
1 bunch asparagus washed and dry.  Break off ends where they naturally snap!
place on baking sheet
drizzle with olive oil or butter
salt and pepper
place in 350 oven for 10 minutes, drizzle with oil/butter again and serve!

roasted potatoes...with a twist!

sweet potatoes
melted butter (1/4 cup, depending on # potatoes)
kosher salt
cayenne pepper/ regular black pepper


wash and slice sweet potatoes.  Place on parchment paper lined pan.  Brush with melted butter (or olive oil).  Sprinkle with salt and pepper of choice, flip over and repeat.  Bake/roast at 400 for 30 minutes. 

smashed potatoes

8-10 yukon gold potatoes, peeled (we peel half)
cut up and boiled in pot of water until firmly soft.  Drain water and add...
1/2-1 cup soy or almond unsweetened milk
1/4 cup soy sour cream
1-2 tsp salt
2 T. veg based butter
sprinkle (1 T.) parsley 
2 pods roasted garlic
Mash until blended
Variation...add sharp cheddar or crumbled blue cheese to hot potato mixture.

baked beans

In a dutch oven...
sautee:
8 strips sliced bacon... then add and sautee
onion chopped
1/2 c roasted red peppers
1 T red wine vinegar
add...
6 cans drained navy beans
2 cups water (add more to desired consistency)
1 T brown sugar
1/4 c real maple syrup
1/4 c ketchup
1 tsp dry mustard
2 T bbq rub
1 tsp mustard
small can tomato paste
Bring to a boil and shut off. Place on green egg (or in oven) at 350 for 1-1 1/2 hours.
Big enough to take as a side dish to a cookout, or have at home with a couple of meals.

roasted potatoes

yukon gold potatoes (washed and dried)...we use at least one potato per person
salt and pepper
olive oil
parchment paper

Heat oven to 400... slice potatoes in circles, about 1/2 inch thick and place in bowl of water. After slicing all, remove from water and pat dry and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Use a pastry brush and dip in a bowl of olive oil (probably 2 tbs) and brush on each side of potato slices. Salt and pepper top side. Bake 20-30 minutes or until slightly brown... golden. We have a convection oven and do not flip the slices and may take longer in another oven. ALL of my kids love these and we eat them as a side with many dishes! Leftovers can be sent in lunches or cut up and used in soups, like I did the italian vegetable soup. Other potatoes could be used but we prefer the flavor of the yukons, not as starchy!

Red Beans and Rice

This is a meal that we eat at least once a month and all of the family likes it! We have made it the hard way (dried red beans, soak them over night, rinse, simmer all day...) and below... the EASY way! This is a recipe that we make for friends often and I have shared with anyone I can because it is so simple!

4 cans of red beans (drained and rinsed)

1 tsp garlic in oil

1 package new orleans style andouille smoked sausage (sliced)

1 cup water

1 bay leaf
serve with white rice

Sautee the sliced andouille sausage over low heat with garlic in oil until starts to darken. Add red beans and water and simmer 20 minutes or more. Serve over rice. This can also be prepared and put in the crock pot on low all day. sautee meat and then add it and beans and water to crokpot, use 2 cups water if cooking all day. Or prepare in dutch oven and place in oven or warming drawer on warm while at practices/games. We eat this with a salad and french bread (make or buy). Leftover rice can be saved to add to another meal (if a small amount, save for soup).

Serves a family of 6...prep/cook time- about 40 minutes