About Widow

Large Handbag Collector. Obscenely Expensive Shoe & Handbag Lover. Blonde. Redhead. Brunette. Breastfeeder. Pug-fox terrier belly scratcher. Drunken Break Dancer. Bartender of the stars. Semi Conscious Writer. Earth loving. Tori Amos Listening. Loud Mouth. Chef Loving Lady...

Wednesday’s are a wee bit tricky for me. I usually work at one of the restaurants till about 3. After work, I race home, pick up Biggie, make a quick dinner, help the boy off the bus, feed both kids, drive to Solon for ballet & Kumon, and drive home after dark. Yes, I totally am a soccer mom.

That quick dinner I spoke of is a super serious quick dinner. I normally have about 30 minutes to prep, cook, & feed. Today I was perusing my fridge and saw some broccoli that was getting a little close to be unusable. I steamed it, boiled some pasta, added some already cooked chicken from Trader Joe’s, & VOILA, dinner was served and my kids liked it.

For all of you who left me comments on how you can’t possibly have enough time to NOT microwave your kids dinner every night, this one’s for you.

Broccoli & Chicken Pasta

Chicken & Broccoli Pasta is my go to when I know my day is full and my time to cook the kids dinner is limited. I cheat on this one usually because I use Trader Joe’s already cooked chicken breast. I like to keep a package of this in my fridge for quick dinner moments like these.

This recipe is crazy easy and so not gourmet. But it’s healthy, the kids like it and eat it all, and it’s quick. All three requriments for my crazy Wednesday are met.

• Whole Wheat Pasta (3/4 box if dry)
• Head of Broccoli
• 2 Cloves of Garlic micro-planed
• 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
• Chicken Breast (I use about four strips of chicken breast, but you can alter this amount to what your children prefer. If you go to low you can always add more especially if you are using Trader Joe’s cooked chix.
• Salt & Pepper
• Dash of milk or water
• Parmesan cheese

 

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine stock, butter, and milk in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add flour and cheeses to thicken. Reduce heat to medium, simmer for about 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir to combine. Set aside or freeze for later use. We make a huge batch of this cheese sauce and freeze it. Every time we want mac & cheese all we have to do is boil the noodles, add the sauce, and bake.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil; add salt. Add noodles; cook until al dente, according to package instructions, about 8 minutes. Drain, and transfer to a large bowl; stir in sauce and 2 tablespoons Parmesan.
• Lightly coat a 9-inch-square baking dish with cooking spray. Transfer noodle mixture to dish. In a small bowl, combine breadcrumbs, the remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan, and oil; sprinkle evenly over noodle mixture.
• Cover with aluminum foil, and bake 20 minutes. Remove foil, and continue baking until lightly browned and crisp on top. Serve immediately.

This week’s installment of Family Dinner is Garlic Herb Polenta w/ braised kale and red bell pepper. I made this tonight for the mini’s and they. went. to. town. The boy had two servings and even asked me to save him some for breakfast! This recipe is hella easy to make and is high in protein, beta carotene, vitamin K, vitamin C, and super rich in calcium.

Bon Appetit!

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After my kids menus post I received quite a few comments and emails regarding WHAT I actually cook for my family. I received so many inquiries that I have decided to do a weekly family dinner post. Once a week I will post an actual meal that I actually cook that my kids actually eat.

Let’s do this yo. This is a quicky, easy, and HEALTHY dinner that shows up on our plates frequently. We love us some lentils. Hope you enjoy our Family Dinner #1:

Carrots & Lentils

1c Lentils

4c Sliced Carrots

3 Tbsp Olive Oil

tt Salt

1 Tspn Suga’

2 Cloves of Garlic Minced

1 Half of an Onion Chopped

1/2 Tspn Coriander

1 Tbsp Tomato Paste mixed with 1 Tbsp H20

Vinegar (optional)

1. Cook lentils. Set aside lentils and 1c of lentil water.
2. In a large pan heat olive oil and coriander seeds on medium high heat.
3. Add chopped onion and minced garlic. Cook until tender.
4. Add sliced carrots. Cook for 5-7 minutes until soft.
5. Add tomato paste mixture, sugar, and lentils.
6. Add lentil water to cover lentils.
7. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for about 10 minutes or until all water is gone.
8. Add salt to taste.
9. If so inclined, add vinegar once served.
10. Eat & Enjoy!!

This recipe was adapted for my kids. The original recipe called for 4 cloves of garlic, more coriander, and a large onion. I know what the mini’s like so I modify what I cook for them. Hence less garlic and coriander. I encourage all parents to do the same with their own children!