Monday, July 18, 2011

Pan Seared Tilapia with Caramelized Onions plus Chickpea Artichoke Salad

The answer to today's question of "Hey Mom! What's for Supper?" is....


Pan Seared Tilapia with Caramelized Onions plus Chickpea Artichoke Salad
  (Trust me - it's a crowd pleaser!)


Pan Seared Tilapia with Caramelized Onions
2 large Vilalia Onions, diced or cut into strips
5 Tilapia Fillets (1 per child, 2 per adult)
Olive Oil
Salt


Place Onions in a large skillet, drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt.  Toss to coat.
Cook over medium-high heat until onions are browned and soft. (leave them alone at first to allow them to brown, toss once and let them alone again to brown the other side.  Then, add a little water to coat and stir - this quickens the softening process.  After water evaporates, you are done).
Remove Onions from the pan and set aside.
Add more olive oil to the skillet, sprinkle tilapia with salt and place in the skillet.
Cook on both sides for 2-3 minutes or until fish flakes easily.
Cover with onions to serve!


Chickpea Artichoke Salad
(Apron's Simple Meals - 2010 Publix Supermarkets, Inc.)
1/2 cup canned artichokes, finely chopped
1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
1 bag baby arugula leaves 
1/2 cup canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/3 cup oilve oil
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper


Combine arugula, chickpeas, onions and artichokes.
Whisk oil, vinegar, salt and pepper until blended; add to salad.  Toss and serve.
Use Romaine for a milder lettuce.



Friday, July 15, 2011

Pizza on the Grill - what??

  • The answer to today's question of "Hey Mom! What's for Supper?" is....



  • Grilled Pizza

  • This is a great summer meal!  It's fun for everyone to top their own!  



  • Crust Know-how!

  • Go to your Publix Deli and Purchase enough pre-made pizza dough for your family or make your own

  •   (I find that their dough makes two regular pizzas or 4 individual pizzas)

  • Mix together: 1/4 cup olive oil, 1 tablespoon Italian Seasoning, 3 gloves minced garlic



  • Lightly flour the back of a metal baking sheet or large cutting board - this is going to be your work surface and pizza paddle.  You may need to use two or three.  If you have everyone shaping their own - use a thick, folded piece of foil per person.



  • Stretch out the dough to the size of the baking sheet and place on the sheet. 



  • Brush oil seasoning onto the dough and flip dough out onto the grill. Remove baking sheet and brush oil onto the side facing up.



  • Grill over direct medium heat until the underside of the dough is marked, 1 to 3 minutes. 



  • Slide the dough onto the baking sheet (or The Pampered Chef Mega Lifter) and flip the ungrilled side onto the grill. Brush the top with more oil and continue to grill for 3 to 4 minutes.  (Do not overcook at this step - even if the dough does not look done)



  • Remove from grill and cool slightly on a cooling rack. Add toppings, return to grill, close lid and grill to desired doneness (cheese melts etc.) 



  • Topping Ideas:

  • Buffalo Chicken Pizza: Mix together shredded chicken, cheddar cheese, buffalo rub (or hot sauce) and ranch dressing.



  • Greek Pizza: Shredded Chicken, Kalamata Olives, Fresh Spinach, Feta Cheese



  • Alfredo Pizza:  Spread Crust with pre-made Alfredo Sauce.  Top with Spinach, Chicken and Mozzarella Cheese



  • Taco Pizza:  Top with leftover taco meat, salsa, chopped onions and cheddar cheese



  • Bruschetta Pizza: Layer over the crust - Sliced Tomato, Sliced Fresh Mozzarella and Fresh Basil.  Sprinkle with salt.  Drizzle with olive oil!
  • Thursday, July 14, 2011

    Quick Asian Stir-Fry

    The answer to today's question of "Hey Mom! What's for Supper?" is....


    Quick Asian Stir-Fry
    This recipe is easily doubled or tripled..
    1 pound lean pork or chicken, thinly sliced
    1/2 box mini penne pasta, cooked and drained
    1 package Bird’s Eye Steam Fresh Vegetables – Asian Medley
    2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
    2 cloves garlic, minced
    salt and pepper


    In a large skillet, place olive oil and garlic in medium high.  Salt and pepper the meat and cook thoroughly in the skillet.
    Meanwhile, place veggie bag in microwave for 8 minutes. Cook pasta!
    When meat is cooked, add in pasta and veggies.
    Stir to combine.
    Serve!

    Wednesday, July 13, 2011

    Cool Summer Salad

    The answer to today's question of "Hey Mom! What's for Supper?" is....


    This Cool Summer Salad is just perfect for our HOT summer day!  It's light but filling!  Switch out ingredients to your liking!


    Cool Summer Salad
    Arugula (This is your lettuce, if you want a milder flavor use Romaine)
    1 cup fresh blueberries
    1/4 cup dried cherries
    1/2 cup pecans
    1/4 cup crumbled goat cheese (use feta, bleu or mozzarella (if you don't like soft cheeses))
    2 cups grilled chicken breasts, sliced thin


    Dressing: (Mix together the following)
    2 tablespoon rice vinegar (or white)
    2 tablespoons honey
    1/4 cup orange juice
    1/4 cup olive oil
    salt

    Tuesday, July 12, 2011

    Taco Tuesday

    The answer to today's question of "Hey Mom! What's for Supper?" is....


    Taco Tuesday ... Everybody loves it!  There's lots of great stuff to choose from and you make your own!


    Taco Tuesday 
    Lay out in order - starting with plates!
    Flour tortillas (soft taco size)
    hard taco shells
    Ground beef, cooked, drained and seasoned with taco seasoning packets
    Shredded Cheeses
    Chopped Tomatoes
    Shredded Lettuce
    Chopped Onion
    Seasoned Rice (you can buy mexican rice - we use yellow rice)
    Black Beans
    Salsa
    Sour Cream
    Cheese Sauce (We use the Frito Lay Queso in the jar)


    Ideas:
    Everyone gets pretty creative but here are some ideas
    Double Decker Taco:  Start with your favorite fillings in a hard taco.  Spread a soft tortilla with Queso Sauce and wrap around the hard taco


    Cheese Roll-Up:  Put shredded cheese on a soft tortilla.  Microwave 1 minute and roll!


    "Beefy Melt Burrito": Flour tortilla spread with Queso Sauce.  Fill with meat, rice, sour cream


    Taco Salad:  Your favorite fillings on top of lots of lettuce - no shell!



    Monday, July 11, 2011

    Roasted Chicken, Real Good Mac n' Cheese, Lima Beans, Broccoli

    The answer to today's question of "Hey Mom! What's for Supper?" is....


    Roasted Chicken, Real Good Mac n' Cheese, Lima Beans, Broccoli


    Roasted Chicken
    1 whole Chicken or 4 Breast Halves with Skin On (You can also use boneless skinless breast)
    Salt
    4 Garlic Cloves, Minced
    1 tablespoon Rosemary (I use the Pampered Chef's Rosemary Blend*)
    Olive Oil


    Combine Salt, Garlic and Rosemary.  Cover with enough olive oil to make a paste.  
    Lift the skin on the chicken and rub the garlic mixture under the skin.  Rub top of skin with leftovers.


    Cooking Options:
    Pampered Chef's Deep Covered Baker*:  Place chicken in baker.  Microwave uncovered 30 minutes
    Crock Pot: Place Chicken in Crock Pot and cook on low all day (at least 3 hours)
    Oven: Place in a pan and cook at 425 degrees.  Covered for 1 hour and then uncovered for an additional 30 minutes.




    Real Good Mac n' Cheese
    feel free to use your grandma's recipe or the "Blue Box" but my kids are fans of my creamy version
    1 box elbow noodles - cooked and drained
    1 stick butter or margarine
    1/4 cup flour
    2 teaspoons salt
    2 cups milk
    2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese


    In a medium sauce pan, melt butter.  Add salt and flour to make a pasty substance.  Cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes - stirring constantly.
    Gradually whisk in milk (the slower you add, the less likely you will get lumps)
    Bring to a boil
    Slowly whisk in cheese.  Stir constantly until melted.
    Pour cheese sauce over noodles and enjoy!


    Lima Beans
    Pick your favorite peas or beans here
    1 package frozen peas or beans
    1/2 teaspoon ham base (you can use chicken, beef or ham bouillon here)


    Place beans and seasoning in a sauce pot.  Cook on medium high heat for about 1 hour (for soft lima beans)


    Broccoli
    1 bag frozen broccoli
    Kosher Salt
    Olive Oil


    Cook broccoli by steaming or boiling, drain.
    Drizzle with olive oil and kosher salt.
    You could skip the olive oil and salt and pour some of the mac n' cheese sauce over the broccoli!




    ** The Magic Pot and Rosemary Blend are products of The Pampered Chef, ltd.  To purchase these products, please contact your personal Pampered Chef Consultant.  If you do not have one, I will be glad to help.

    Friday, July 8, 2011

    Spaghetti with Meat Sauce, Caesar Salad, Garlic Bread

    The answer to today's question of "Hey Mom! What's for Supper?" is....


    Spaghetti with Meat Sauce, Caesar Salad, Garlic Bread


    I'm headed to Publix in a few to pick up my groceries!  I love making the sauce in the morning and letting it cook all day.  I also cut up the lettuce ahead of time, too!  This way if we have a busy day, supper is only 10 - 15 minutes away from ready!


    Spaghetti with Meat Sauce (The easy way)
    Brown Ground Beef and Drain  (you can easily substitute ground turkey or shredded chicken)
    Mix in one envelope of dry spaghetti sauce seasoning mix
    Mix in two jars of your favorite pre-made sauce


    Cook on low for at least 30 minutes or place in a crock-pot on low all day
    adding the dry sauce packet allows you to give the pre-made sauce a real burst of flavor


    Serve with your favorite pasta cooked according to package directions


    Caesar Salad
    2-3 Romaine Hearts, cut into small pieces
    Croutons
    Marie's Creamy Caesar Dressing
    Fresh Shaved Parmesan Cheese


    Mix first 3 ingredients and top with shaved Parmesan


    Buy a block of fresh Parmesan and shave it with your vegetable peeler.  Much cheaper than buying it already shaved




    Garlic Bread
    My family is a huge fan of Cole's Garlic Bread so that's what we do!!




    I always reserve a little sauce without meat for my picky eaters and also some salad with no dressing!



    Thursday, July 7, 2011

    Grilled Tilapia with Nectarine Salsa, Rice and Garlic Broccoli

    The answer to today's question of "Hey Mom! What's for Supper?" is....


    Grilled Tilapia with Nectarine Salsa, Rice and Garlic Broccoli


    Grilled Tilapia (or any mild white fish)
    Purchase two fillets per person
    Season with Salt and your favorite seasoning, then drizzle with olive oil
    Grill on an indoor grill pan for 2 minutes on each side


    TIPS:
    For seasoning, I often use Old Bay but my favorite is a Citrus & Basil Rub that I get from The Pampered Chef


    For fish, always season first then add the oil or all of your seasoning slides off


    If you don't have an indoor grill pan, use a large skillet or bake on a stone bar pan* in the oven (350 degrees for 10 minutes)


    Nectarine Salsa
    2 nectarines, cut into bite-sized pieces (peaches or pineapple are a great substitute)
    3 slices of roasted red peppers, drained and diced (found in a jar near the pickles and olives)
    1/4 small red onion, diced
    1/4 cup fresh cilantro, diced
    Juice of 1 lime
    sprinkle of salt


    Combine all ingredients and place in fridge while the fish cooks


    Garlic Broccoli
    Steam as much fresh broccoli to feed your family, drain
    Mix together:
    2 cloves minced garlic, juice of 1 lemon, olive oil equal to amount of lemon juice, salt
    Pour garlic mixture over broccoli and serve
    When lemons are really large, you may only need to use 1/2


    Rice
    My family loves yellow rice but sometimes I use a pilaf mix.  Just pick the boxed or bagged blend that your family will eat.


    For picky eaters or non-fish fans..
    I usually have extra rice and a vegetable or two that my non-fish fans love.  


    This is a great way to serve fish if you are new to fish and really want to add it into your diet





    Wednesday, July 6, 2011

    Chopped Salad plus HELP for Picky Eaters

    The answer to today's question of "Hey Mom! What's for Supper?" is....


    Chopped Salad and Bread-sticks ...
                       plus something the picky ones will eat (without making a separate meal) 


    Chopped Salad is a meal in a bowl.  Just chop up your favorite salad ingredients into pieces that you could scoop up with a spoon.  This one has chicken and pasta to keep you full.


    Chopped Salad
    2 Romaine Lettuce Hearts
    1 pint grape tomatoes
    2 small cucumbers
    1 cup baby carrots
    1 bunch green onions (both green and white parts)
    1 (8 oz) block Monterrey Jack Cheese (experiment with Feta or Bleu Cheese)
    3 chicken breasts (grilled or baked)
    1 package center-cut bacon cooked crisp, drained and crumbled
    1 box small pasta (ditalini, small shells), cooked, drained and cooled
    1 small bottle of your favorite Italian Dressing


    Chop, Cut or Dice all ingredients into similar size pieces and mix together in a large bowl.  Cover with dressing.  Stir and Serve.


    Cook's Tips:
    You will want to chop or cut up each ingredient with a knife, food chopper* or salad chopper*.  I don't recommend anything electrical because the pieces that result are often unpredictable.


    Cook pasta and drain.  Place in a bowl and stir in 1/2 of the dressing.  This keeps the pasta from sticking while it cools.


    Before cooking, cut the bacon into small pieces with scissors.  Then, stir fry in the pan til crisp.  No need to stand and flip bacon forever.  This method is quick and easy.


    For a quick cook, I cook my chicken in the Magic Pot* and it's done in 15 minutes.


    This recipe makes a lot so I usually add lettuce into half of the mixture and then we often have the other half for the next day and add more lettuce then.  


    For the picky ones...
    Even the pickiest eaters like this salad.  Things are chopped up so small it's hard to tell what you are eating (well, almost!).  


    What I do for my picky children, the ones who can't let anything touch, is this...
    1) For any new meal they must have a "No, Thank You" spoonful.  They have to try it and then say "No, Thank You" to get other food.  If they whine, complain, act rude... They go to bed!


    2) For this meal, I save out some chicken, pasta and lettuce.  My daughter loves to put her chicken in a lettuce boat and eat it that way.  She also loves her pasta with olive oil and salt but my son loves just plain Ragu sauce.  Raw carrots are always a hit with them both.  


    It's easy to hold off on putting some of the items in the salad that I know they will eat if separated.  I don't make totally different food (unless they are under the age of 3 - that's the rule in our house).


    * The Magic Pot, Food Chopper and Salad Chopper are all workhorses in my kitchen.  All are products of The Pampered Chef, ltd.  To purchase these products, please contact your personal Pampered Chef Consultant.  If you do not have one, I will be glad to help.

    Tuesday, July 5, 2011

    Easy Ribs, Smashed Potatoes, Zuchini

    The "I Don't Know How to Cook" Book: 300 Great Recipes You Can't Mess Up!The answer to today's question of "Hey Mom! What's for Supper?" is.....

    Easy Ribs, Smashed Potatoes, Roasted Zucchini, Rolls, Baby Carrots

    Doesn't it feel great to have an answer to the question that goes through our minds every day!  Even better, isn't it great to be able to answer our kids when they ask (even at 10 o'clock in the morning)?

    So, how do you make this supper and how to you make it EASY!

    Prepare the ribs in the morning.  Prep and cook the potatoes and zucchini while the sauce warms on the ribs!

    Easy Ribs:
    This week I have pork spare ribs (on sale at Publix for $1.99/pound)

    Sprinkle ribs with salt and garlic powder
    Stand ribs up in your crock pot or Magic Pot*
    Cook on low all day (or at least 4 hours)
    Drain the juices, pour on your favorite BBQ sauce and replace the lid
    Let the sauce warm for about 30 minutes and serve

    Smashed Potatoes
    Buy a bag of red potatoes
    Wash in cold water
    place in a large pot and cover with water
    boil on medium-high until you can easily stick a fork into the potatoes
    Drain potatoes and place back in the pot
    Drizzle olive oil over the potatoes, put in about 4 tablespoons butter or spread, 2 tablespoons salt and 2 tablespoons dill weed
    Smash all of this together until potatoes are chunky and covered with seasonings (taste and add more if needed)

    Roasted Zucchini
    Cut the ends off zucchini and wash - pat dry  (Zucchini, on sale at Publix this week)
    slice lengthwise into 4 spears
    Rub with olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt
    place on sheet pan or stone bar pan*
    Cook on 450 degrees for 30 minutes

    Carrots
    I serve raw carrots with ranch dressing because I know that my picky eaters will eat them.  This is just a quick, no fuss add-on that I use.  Use any one of your child's favorite fruits or veggies here to know that there is one thing that you can get down them if they decide to rebel on the reset of the meal :)

    Rolls
    For this meal I used King's Hawaiian Rolls.  (also, on sale at Publix this week)

    * The Magic Pot and Stone Bar Pan are two of the workhorses in my kitchen.  Both are products of The Pampered Chef, ltd.  To purchase these products, please contact your personal Pampered Chef Consultant.  If you do not have one, please let me know.