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Italian Chicken
Our March recipe of the month is Italian Chicken. This is a versatile recipe from beginning to end. You get to choose the number of servings, the cooking method, and how you will serve this recipe.
Lemon Chia Seed Muffins
Our May recipe of the month is Lemon Chia Seed Muffins. Since I knew this recipe was coming up, I made these for my family this weekend and they were a hit – I made them on Saturday and they were gone on Sunday.
What do I Grow?
“What do I grow?” That is a question I ask myself every year when I start thinking about my garden. And the answer is different every year. In my previous home, my garden was much larger, so I had a lot more options. Over the 11 years I worked in that garden, I planted lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, corn, broccoli, carrots, beets, kohlrabi, squash, peas, green beans, potatoes, and flowers. No two years were the same.
Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie
My children and I love making smoothies for breakfast or as a special treat to go along with supper. We do not use a recipe very often because it is fun to use what we have on hand to make something tasty. However, our June recipe of the month, Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie, is a recipe we all like.
Brown Rice “Risotto”
Our July recipe of the month is Brown Rice “Risotto”. This is not a traditional risotto recipe which slowly cooks white rice with broth. This mock risotto recipe is much quicker. It calls for instant brown rice and cooks in about 20 minutes making it ideal for someone who needs a quick meal.
Crunchy Coleslaw
Our August recipe of the month is Crunchy Coleslaw. This refreshing recipe is one of my favorites. It keeps in the refrigerator for up to four days, but I eat it for any meal or snack so it is usually gone in a day or two. To make this recipe, you break apart a package of dry ramen noodles and add them to a bowl with coleslaw mix, green onions, and a homemade dressing. This recipe is best if you let it marinate in the refrigerator for a couple of hours before serving.
Update from Justine – What do I Grow?
In early June, I wrote about how I decide what to grow in our garden. When planning out our garden this year, I asked my children what they wanted to grow. My oldest son chose to grow four different pepper plants, my daughter chose to grow romaine lettuce, and my youngest son chose to grow zinnias. These choices did not take up a lot of space, so I added two tomato plants and two acorn squash plants.
Baba Ganoush
Have you ever eaten eggplant? Many years ago, I had eggplant at a restaurant and it was not good, so I thought I must not like it. Fast forward to a few years ago, when a student in our office told me I had to try this eggplant recipe – Baba Ganoush. I knew I did not like eggplant, but she ensured me I would like this recipe. So, my children and I went to the farmers market that weekend and bought a beautiful purple and white eggplant and I made Baba Ganoush for the first time. It turns out that, although that restaurant meal was not great, I actually really like eggplant.
Sweet Potato Burritos
Our October recipe of the month is here with special thanks to Jody’s family. Usually my family has to put up with eating the same thing over and over as I test a recipe. But for Sweet Potato Burritos, Jody and her family tried them out first and then passed the recipe on to me. The first time I tried these burritos, I knew we had a winner. Sweet Potato Burritos include two of my favorite ingredients to cook with – sweet potatoes and black beans.
Check Out Science of Parenting
As many of you know, I am the parent to three children. This year they are in kindergarten, 3rd grade, and 5th grade. The start to a new school year is always a challenge with new routines, new teachers, and meeting new friends. With my youngest heading to kindergarten this year, I have been reminded of all the challenges my older two children faced when they started school. One child refused to participate in reading at school and the other would not go to the bathroom at school. All three of my children were absolutely exhausted at the end of each day of kindergarten. Exhaustion leads to tough situations at home. When I have moments where I do not know how to handle a situation, I either turn to my family or to the internet for help.
Favorite Kitchen Tool: A Student’s Perspective
This month we have each taken a turn writing about our favorite kitchen tool. My favorite is my frying pan, I use it most days of the week to make eggs, grilled cheese sandwiches, pancakes, stir fry, beans and rice, or quesadillas. However, I thought it would be fun to ask our student staff member, Maggie, about her favorite kitchen tool because a favorite kitchen tool might change depending on our life stage. I know when I was a student my favorite kitchen tool was my toaster. Here is what Maggie shared:
Pasta Fagioli Soup
Soup is one of my favorite foods and I especially love hot soup on a cold day. I often associate eating soup with family meals. For me, in the cold of winter, it is easier to slow down, make a big pot of soup and make more time for a family meal. This month, we are each going to share with you a favorite food memory. My favorite is not a single memory, but the combination of many memories throughout my life.
