Category Archives: Kid Friendly

Asian, Chicken, Dinner, Kid Friendly, Summer

Grilled Asian Drumsticks

May 18, 2011 admin Leave a comment

Sometimes when you marinate or cook with a glaze on, all the best flavor is worn off before you get to eat. But by slathering on the glaze at the very end, you end up with TONS of flavor. And this is a great one – vinegar, soy, honey and garlic – yummy !

4 servings
210 calories per serving

8 chicken drumsticks, skinned
Pam
3 T balsamic vinegar
3 T soy sauce
3 T honey
1 t garlic chili sauce (available in the Asian section of your market)

Preheat your grill and spray the rack with high heat Pam. Coat chicken with spray and grill 10 minutes then turn and cook another 10 or until done. Mix vinegar, soy, honey and chili sauce in a pan and bring to a boil. Then reduce heat and cook until reduced to 1/3 c of glaze. Put chicken on a large baking sheet and pour the glaze over the legs.

Dinner, Italian, Kid Friendly, Pasta

Baked Ravioli

May 17, 2011 admin Leave a comment

This is a rich, delicious dish. The whole ‘ravioli splitting in the boiling water’ hazard is gone and this is something you can put together ahead of time and then bake just before serving. Very easy, very convenient and very good !

8 servings
355 calories per serving

28 oz. jar marinara sauce
25 oz.package frozen cheese ravioli
2 c shredded no fat mozzarella cheese
2 T grated parmesan cheese
1 c sliced mushrooms (fresh or canned)
9 oz. frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry in a colander
½ t salt
½ t pepper
½ t garlic powder
½ t onion powder
Pam

Heat oven to 350 degrees and spray a 13×9 pan with Pam. Spread ¾ c sauce in bottom and arrange ½ the ravioli in the dish. Top with the spinach and mushrooms and then sprinkle with salt, pepper, onion powder and garlic powder. Top with half of the remaining sauce and 1 c mozzarella cheese. Add another layer of ravioli, then the rest of the sauce. Finally add the rest of the mozzarella and then sprinkle with parmesan cheese and cover and bake 40 minutes. Remove the foil and bake another 15 minutes until hot and bubbly. Then let sit 15 minute before serving.

Dessert, Fruit, Kid Friendly

Fruit and Cream

May 14, 2011 admin Leave a comment

This makes a really different dessert – instead of just pudding or just fruit – you have a creamy pudding-ish base with tons of yummy fruit thrown in. Very refreshing and very different !

16 servings
96 calories per serving

20 oz. can pineapple chunks in juice (not syrup), drained
15.25 oz. can sliced peaches in juice, drained
11 oz. can mandarin oranges, drained
4 apples, peeled and diced
1 ½ c skim milk
1/3 c orange juice concentrate
1 oz. package sugar free vanilla instant pudding mix
¾ c fat free sour cream

Mix fruit in a bowl. Whisk milk with pudding and orange juice for 2 minutes them mix in sour cream. Fold into fruit then cover and refrigerate.

Dinner, Kid Friendly, Sides

Potato Pancakes

May 12, 2011 admin Leave a comment

These are more vegetable pancakes than potato pancakes, but there’s still enough potato in there to call them ‘potato pancakes’ and hopefully get the kids to eat them 😉 They are sooooo nutritious and so good.

8 servings
148 calories per serving (1 serving = 2 pancakes)

2 large potatoes (1/5 lb.)
2 medium zucchini
2 large carrots
½ c finely chopped onion
2 eggs, lightly beaten
½ c flour
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ t salt
½ t basil flakes
½ t garlic powder
½ t onion powder
1 T oil

Coarsely shred the potatoes, zucchini and carrots and drain on paper towels. Mix ½ the potato mix with ¼ c onion in a food processor and chop finely then move to a bowl and add the eggs, flour, garlic, basil, salt, onion powder, garlic powder and rest of the onion and rest of the veggies. Heat oil in a skillet and drop batter by ¼ cupfuls and flatten then fry until golden brown turning once.

Kid Friendly, Lunch

Crunchy Matza Pizza

May 10, 2011 admin Leave a comment

Using matza as your crust is a great change up from your typical personal pizza. This one is light and crunchy and definitely something I will be making again.

1 serving
158 calories per serving

1 matza
2 T tomato paste mixed with 1 T water
3 T low fat mozzarella cheese, shredded
2 T diced green pepper
2 sliced mushrooms
1 t oregano
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spread tomato mix on matza. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, oregano. Top with cheese and veggies. Bake 10 minutes or until cheese melts.

Chicken, Kid Friendly, Lunch, Soups

Chicken and Rice Soup

May 5, 2011 admin Leave a comment

The egg in this soup makes for a super rich and creamy broth – this is kinda high cal for soup, but it is satisfying, filling and so worth it. Sometimes I just crave a soup rich with rice and chicken (and devoid of any veggies!) and this is it. It really hits the spot 🙂

4 servings
353 calories per serving

7 cups fat free chicken broth
¾ lb. boneless skinless chicken breast
1 c long grain white rice
3 large eggs
1/3 c lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste

Mix broth and chicken in a pot and bring to a simmer on medium heat. Lower heat a bit and continue cooking until chicken is done, about 15 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove chicken to a plate and when cool, shred into bite sized pieces. Bring broth back to a good simmer and add rice and cook about 18 minutes and then put chicken back in the pot. Whisk eggs until frothy and then whisk in the lemon juice. While continuing to whisk, add 1 c hot broth to the egg mix. Then whisk the egg and lemon mix into the large pot. Add salt and pepper and serve immediately.

Chicken, Crock pot, Dinner, Kid Friendly, Soups

Roasted Chicken Noodle Soup (Crock Pot)

May 1, 2011 admin Leave a comment

I just found a new favorite chicken soup ! For years I have made ‘my chicken soup’ more often than any other recipe. But this one just takes the cake and this is my new ‘go to’ recipe. It combines home cooked goodness with just a little something extra…the evaporated milk makes the broth become such a mellow base and the roasted chicken has such a great texture – very different from your traditional soup where you cook the chicken in the broth. Give it a try !!

6 servings
373 calories per serving

1 c onions, chopped
1 c carrots, chopped
1 c celery, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 t oil
¼ t flour
½ t oregano flakes
¼ t onion powder
¼ t garlic powder
6 c fat free chicken broth
2 c water
4 c diced potatoes (I used canned)
1 t salt
2 c skinless roasted chicken, diced (Perdue Shortcuts work great here!)
2 c wide egg noodles
1 c fat free evaporated milk

Heat a skillet and add oil and brown onions, carrots, celery and garlic. Stir in flour, oregano, garlic powder and onion powder and then pour into crock and mix in broth, water, potatoes and salt. Cover and cook on low 5-6 hours. Add chicken, noodles and milk and cook until noodles are tender, about ½ hour. If you don’t have a crock pot, you can easily do this stove top. Just let it simmer for an hour or 2 at very low temperature for the first step, then add the chicken, noodles and milk and let cook another 15 minutes or so.

Beef, Dinner, Kid Friendly

Beef and Broccoli Casserole

April 27, 2011 admin Leave a comment

Make this casserole and watch it disappear ! The is good old all American food and it feeds a crowd !

8 servings
351 calories per serving

24 oz. broccoli, cut into small florets (about 6 cups)
2 T oil
1 1/2 pounds extra lean ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
2 T Worcestershire sauce
1 t garlic powder
1 t onion powder
Salt and pepper to taste
4 c skim milk
1/3 c cornstarch
2 c shredded low fat sharp Cheddar cheese
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
4 c frozen hash browns or precooked shredded potatoes
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 t pepper
Pam
1/4 t paprika

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Mix broccoli florets with 1 T oil and toss to coat them lay on a baking sheet and cook 15 minutes, stirring once halfway through. Heat 1 T oil in a skillet and add onion and sauté 3 minutes then add beef and cook 10 minutes or until beef is browned. Be sure to break up the clumps of beef as it cooks. Add Worchestershire, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper and spoon into a 9×13 baking dish then top with the broccoli.

Whikh milk and starch and bring to a boil on medium high heat. Cook until bubbly and thick, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat and add in cheese, salt and turmeric. Pour over the beef and broccoli.

Mix potatoes, egg, salt and pepper and spoon over casserole. Spray the top with a bit of Pam so it will brown nicely and bake 45 minutes or until brown. Sprinkle with paprika and serve.

Breakfast, Kid Friendly

Spiced French Toast

April 25, 2011 admin Leave a comment

The ginger in this recipe is a nice unexpected flavor that makes it just perfect. This works just as well with regular bread and with a quick dip rather than chilling over night.

2 servings
352 calories per serving (1 serving = 3 slices)

2 eggs
2 egg whites
¾ c skim milk
1 T sugar
1 T molasses
¼ t ground ginger
¼ t ground allspice
1/8 t salt
6 slices French bread (3/4 inch thick)
2 t butter

Mix eggs, whites, milk, sugar, molasses, ginger, allspice and salt. Place bread in a 13×9 baking sheet and out the egg mix over it and refrigerate overnight. Heat butter on a griddle and cool bread 3 minutes each side.

Dinner, Kid Friendly, Sides, Vegetables

Potatoes in Foil

April 22, 2011 admin Leave a comment

These potatoes come out so tender and the spritz of citrus at the end gives them a great flavor !

4 servings
167 calories per serving

1 ½ lb. new potatoes, halved
4 garlic cloves
1 T oil
Kosher salt to taste
Pepper to taste
¼ c cilantro leaves or basil leaves
Lemon or Lime wedges

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Make a large double layer square of foil and place potatoes and garlic on it and drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Close up tightly and grill, rotating packet often, 25 minutes or until done. Before serving, add in cilantro, extra salt and pepper, and spritz with lime.