There are two foods my kids are obsessed with right now – potatoes and rice. This is a new thing for us. And it’s keeping things interesting for me because before this obsession I really didn’t cook potatoes and rice regularly. Now I find myself bookmarking recipes like this homemade rice-a-roni from Heather because I just know it will be a hit amongst the fam.

Now if I could get sweet potatoes onto this obsession wagon I would be a very happy cooking mama. Something about the orange is making the kiddos turn away from their plate. If they only knew and remembered how much they loved that weird orange food just a couple of years ago when they ate them all the time.

Oven Roasted Potatoes

There are a million ways you can season and roast potatoes in the oven. This little roasted red potatoes with smoked paprika recipe has become quite popular on Pinterest. I’ve made it plenty of times, as I have already made this dill version a few times in the past month. I like to change up the shape of how I’m cutting them (crinkle cut is fun like in my perfectly baked Italian herb French fries) as well as the combination of spices every time I cook them.

When you are cutting your potatoes make sure you are using a strong, sharp knife (like a chef’s knife or santuko knife). If you’re looking for a crinkle cutter to change up the shape of your fries, there are some great ones out there!

You all loved these grilled bison burgers, and that made me (and my hubby) happy. We think you’ll also love these potato wedges that are perfect alongside any burger you cook up this summer.

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We’ve entered the time of year where I am seeing requests for recipes using zucchini everywhere I turn. Zucchini seems to take over gardens, farmer’s markets and produce sections for a good part of summer and I love finding new ways to incorporate it into everyday recipes to keep things interesting.

When my kids were little, I always sliced a zucchini and sprinkled it with salt to give them as a snack on the counter while I cooked dinner. They never questioned what they were eating, and they finished up their healthy raw zucchini snack without complaining every single time (this made me so happy!!). I started eating it this way with them too and over the years started adding raw zucchini (and yellow squash) into salads more regularly. I think it makes a great healthy addition to a salad, especially when you add in some crunch from nuts and sweetness from raisins like in this Zucchini and Walnut Arugula Salad.

Walnuts are one of my favorite nuts to throw into salads. They have a ton of flavor when roasted (or quickly toasted up in a skillet) but I find myself eating them raw more often due to a bit of laziness but more importantly for added health benefits. Whether they are roasted or raw, they are an absolute must in almost every salad I make, especially in the summer time!

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I shared these baked old bay fries on the blog a few years back but wanted to share the recipe again because they are one of my husband’s favorites. Before my husband and I got together, I honestly don’t think I knew what Old Bay seasoning was. My husband and his family introduced me to the world of Old Bay (through crab cakes, crab and shrimp boils, salmon cakes, shrimp salad and these fries). I’m thinking if you are from the Maryland area you are pretty familiar with it as well. 😉

The best part of these easy baked up french fries (other than the Old Bay)? The splash of malt vinegar right before serving. They make the perfect side to grilled burgers or broiled fish. Enjoy!

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We love breakfast for dinner in our house (and breakfast for breakfast of course!) so anytime I can squeeze a BFD in is good! I have always been more of a savory breakfast gal so if I had my choice of BFD foods it would definitely be eggs, a breakfast turkey sausage and some sort of potato dish…and a little fruit on the side for good measure. 🙂

Eggs are quick to whip up obviously so when we go the eggs route a hasbrown side dish recipe like these Cheesy Pepper and Onion Hashbrowns recipe is a perfect addition. All I did was quickly saute peppers and onions, then add half a package of frozen Alexia hashbrowns (this is NOT a sponsored post btw) to the mix and brown it all up. Before serving throw in some cheese and voila – you’ve got yourself a fancy hashbrown dish to eat up alongside your favorite eggs.

Don’t forget the hot sauce!

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This recipe for Whole Wheat Orzo with Spinach, Chickpea and Lemon is sponsored by Bush’s Beans.

I know a lot of moms try to stock up their freezers right before they have a baby to prepare for those first few weeks of having a newborn. I didn’t. Moving to a new house 3 weeks before Micah was born kind of kept me busy that last month so I really didn’t have the opportunity to make it happen (though, to be honest, I didn’t stock up my freezer before my other babies either…but this time my intentions were really there, I promise!). Thankfully my mom and my grandfather came to the rescue and helped me out by making a ton of meatballs and chicken cutlets to store in my freezer for quickie weeknight meals. My kids could happily eat meatballs several times a week and those chicken cutlets come in extremely handy (great in a salad at lunchtime or as quickie chicken parm for dinner).

Another way we have been enjoying those chicken cutlets for dinner is simply reheated with a squeeze of lemon (truly one of my favorite ways!). When that’s the plan all I need to really worry about at dinnertime is putting together a simple side dish that I know everyone will like. This recipe for Skillet Whole Wheat Orzo with Spinach, Chickpeas and Lemon from Bush’s Beans is my latest simple side dish and I will say it was truly enjoyed by everyone!

I love love love easy side dishes like this one. I made the orzo ahead of time to cut out a little time at dinner prep, and with a few kitchen staples like garbanzo beans, fresh spinach (I always have bags of spinach in the fridge, but you could always use frozen), lemon and feta this dish came together incredibly easy on a busy weeknight. I served it alongside my grandpa’s chicken cutlets, but it would be really great with shrimp, fish or grilled chicken too.

PS…both of my kids finally like chickpeas. You have no idea how happy that makes me. (!!!)

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A perfect addition to your plate!

I absolutely cherish my time at home with my family on the weekends. My husband’s work schedule can be demanding, so the weekends have always been time to really reconnect the family unit and basically “chill out”. Our favorite kind of weekend day is what we declare “pool day!” where we get what needs to be done done, then get in our suits, turn on some music and bust out the blender for some frosty drinks (that has actually been put on hold for now obviously) poolside. Those are the days we usually grill out too, which is always a win.

Due to a bit of a crazy season my family’s been in lately, our “pool days” seem to have become far and few between. It happens, so when we actually get a free day to just chill, it’s extra special and definitely appreciated.

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Nothing makes me happier than a well made salad. If you’ve been reading this blog for some time, then you probably already know this. Fresh greens paired up with some extras and drizzled in a little dressing, well, it doesn’t take all that much to make me excited about eating salad. Call me weird, I know.

On our little staycation last week we ate out one night at a pizza place and of course started the meal with one of their salads on the menu. I chose the house salad which included shaved fennel, arugula, radicchio, Parmesan and lemon. Wowzers, this salad nailed it for me. It was SO fresh and flavorful, yet so simple. I think it was a little too lemony for my husband and daughter (my son doesn’t partake in salad eating just yet), but I was happy to finish what they didn’t want to eat.

Arugula salads have always been one of my favorites. I adore the light peppery bite from such a delicate green. With the addition of thinly sliced fennel, radicchio and good Parmesan cheese, this salad recipe was about to become one of my go to recipes this summer, I just know it.

I knew when I got home I was going to have to recreate this simple little plate of greens for myself.

So I did.

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Did all the moms out there have a great Mother’s Day? I know I did. My husband and kids treated me with a relaxing day that started with a delicious French toast and fresh fruit breakfast. The rest of the day was very low key and poolside, my favorite kind. I actually got a ton of reading in, which is what I was hoping for, finally finishing up a book I had been reading for a couple of weeks and starting up a new one. And I didn’t have to wash one dish all day. 😉

(me with the little guy who first made me a Mom…at his 2nd grade class’s Mother’s Day Muffin Breakfast on Friday – it was honestly the sweetest thing ever)

I almost didn’t post this recipe for you, because it’s embarrassingly simple. For me, “simple” seems to be becoming a reoccurring theme in the kitchen – and really, sometimes it’s hard to mess up simple when you have good fresh ingredients like this. Let’s face it, that kind of simple just tastes GOOD.

I had a pile of produce that had to be used up the other night. When I mean pile, I mean random stuff like a whole jicama, some carrots, a mango and limes. There were probably a few other friends in this random pile, but these guys jumped out at me when I was struggling with what to put on the side of some bean and cheese quesadillas I was making for dinner. Well, the answer was right in front of me – and this fresh little salad happened.

I think you’ll love it.

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I really can’t believe we are in the month of May already. The kids have started their countdown until summer vacation starts, and to be honest so have I. It’s always bittersweet ending another school year and watching your kids grow up right before your eyes – but I truly look forward to not having to set an alarm clock or pack lunches or being on any kind of schedule for a couple of months. Lazy days ahead!!

Warm weather dinners, the kind where most of your food is cooked out on the grill or prepped ahead of time and served chilled, are my favorite. I love the early evenings of summer where the kids are jumping into the pool while I’m getting the grill ready for dinner. We had one of those nights recently, though it was a school night it felt like a carefree summer night. The kids were getting into the pool to swim for the first time this season, and although the water was still a little chilly, they hung in there for a good hour or so going back and forth to the hot tub to warm up every now and then. Seeing them outside having so much fun instantly put me into that summer mood…the one where if I wasn’t pregnant I would have poured myself a glass of chilled white wine or made myself a Captain & (diet) Coke with extra lime and sat in the lounger to watch them play. I settled for a glass of ice water instead. 😉

Grilled chicken (like this Italian Herb Grilled Chicken) and veggies always come into play when that summer mood hits and it just happened to be on the menu that night. That and this unbelievably fresh and delicious Herbed Wild Rice Salad. I actually prepped it earlier in the day while the kids were still at school using leftover rice from the night before’s dinner (glad I made a double batch!) and fresh herbs from my little garden. I swear, I could not stop eating this stuff. It’s dressed very simply with a good drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of coarse salt and pepper. But the toasted pine nuts paired with the fresh herbs put this leftover rice over the top.

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I experienced a bit of a meal plan fail this week (nothing new, really). I had good intentions going into the week, stocking up the fridge with fresh fruits and veggies for lunches and dinners like I normally do, with a loose plan. But as the week went on, nothing I had planned sounded good anymore or fit into our evening schedule. As I saw this all unfolding, I had to regroup – and make something out of the packed veggie drawer that was easy and easy to eat within our schedule.

It doesn’t get easier than pasta salad in my opinion.

It took a little prep, yes – but I spent a few minutes yesterday afternoon chopping up the three packages of asparagus, zucchini and squash that I was afraid would go to waste if I didn’t do something about immediately. I tossed them in a little olive oil, salt and pepper and filled two baking trays to roast up. I didn’t fuss over any special vinaigrette – though I did start to brainstorm for another time – instead just simply using balsamic vinegar and olive oil and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese to dress the pasta and veggies once everything cooled down. Oh my goodness, this turned out so delicious.

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