Here's a quick fix for a hot summer night. We are getting 2 or 3 tomatoes from our garden right now, and this dish is a great way to eat them. Our basil plant is also starting to produce enough leaves for homemade pesto. Add some pasta and chicken and this is a winner! Enjoy! Pesto Chicken Pasta Easy summer dinner recipe Pesto Sauce2 Cups fresh Basil leaves (packed)2 Cloves Garlic1/4 Cup Pine Nuts2/3 Cup Olive Oil (divided)1/2 Cup Parmesan (fresh grated)Salt and Pepper ( to taste)Pasta16 ounces Penne Pasta1 1/2 Cups tomatoes (sliced)1 Cup Rotisserie Chicken (cooked)1/2 Cup Parmesan

This was one of my favorite Sunday evening desserts Mom would throw in the oven after church. Now that I am a busy mom myself, I understand why she loved this cake. It is a quick fix with a moist sponge, crunchy walnuts (only on half the cake, because every family has nut-haters, right?), and smooth chocolate chips. You have to eat this cake warm with a glass of milk to get the best experience. Enjoy! Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cake Moist sponge, crunchy walnuts and chocolate chips 1 ¾ cups boiling water1 cup oatmeal (instant)1 cup brown sugar1 cup white

At first glance, my kids wanted nothing to do with this new smoothie. It was an unfamiliar color, and they didn't know what to expect from it. After explaining it was full of their favorite tropical fruits--mango, pineapple, strawberries, and banana--they gave it a taste. And they LOVED it! Tropical Green Smoothie mango, strawberry, banana, pineapple, spinach 2 cups spinach (fresh)1 1/2 cups unsweetened almond milk1 1/2 cups mango chunks (fresh or frozen)1 small banana (fresh or frozen)1 cup fresh pineapple (or frozen)3/4 cup frozen strawberries1 cup ice cubes2 teaspoons frozen orange juice concentrate In the order above, blend ingredients

This is a great side salad for rounding out curries, tikka masala, fried rice, and other Asian foods. Mandarin Side Salad Fresh green salad for Asian Night Salad6 Cups Kale (loosely packed)2 Cups Romaine Lettuce1 1/2 Cups Shredded carrots3/4 Cup Red Bell Peppers (chopped)1/4 Cup Green Onions (sliced small)10.5 ounce can Mandarin Oranges (drained)1/2 Cup Chow Mein Noodles (Omit for gluten-free option)1/4 Cup Toasted Almonds (sliced)Dressing2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce (See Notes)3 Tablespoons Rice Vinegar1 teaspoon fresh Ginger zested2 Tablespoons Olive Oil1 teaspoon Sesame Oil1/2 teaspoon Sriracha Sauce* (See notes)1 clove Garlic finely minced1 Tablespoon Honey Combine all dressing ingredients into

Ya know it's a winner when there are no leftovers. Apple Bacon Kale Salad with Poppy seed Dressing side dish for steak, chicken or pork Poppyseed Dressing1/3 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar1 Cup Vegetable Oil1/2 Cup Honey1/2 Cup Yellow Onion chopped1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard1 teaspoon salt1 1/2 tablespoon poppy seedsSalad6 cups kale (loosely packed)1 large fugi apple1/2 cup real bacon pieces1/4 cup dried cranberries Mix 1/4 Cup dressing with kale and massage into the leaves for about 60 seconds. Top with remaining salad ingredients. Drizzle another tablespoon of dressing over top.Poppyseed DressingIn a blender, add all dressing ingredients EXCEPT poppy seeds

This flavorful fruit salsa is a fresh treat or appetizer to bring to your next barbecue or dessert night with friends. It comes together really fast if you use a chopper tool (aff. link) to make the salsa. For my gluten-free friends: be sure to use certified gluten-free corn tortillas to make your cinnamon chips and you are golden. Enjoy! Tropical Fruit Salsa with Cinnamon Tortilla Chips Fresh fruit salsa with homemade cinnamon sugar tortilla chips 1 cup strawberries (chopped small)2 large kiwifruit (chopped small)1 small mango (chopped small)1 navel orange (peeled and chopped)1/2 cup fresh pineapple (or 8 oz

Trying to mix things up one night during quarantine, I did some research on basic Indian dishes. I found a recipe for Red Lentil Dal and made do with the ingredients I had on hand. I served it with Coconut Jasmine Rice. It may not be as authentic as possible, but it turned out SO GOOD! It was a great addition to Chicken Tikka Masala, and I rounded it out with a side of Curried Sweet Potatoes and Cauliflower (Aloo Gobi). Sweet Coconut Red Lentil Dal coconut, Indian spices and red lentils for a side or main dish 2 tablespoon

There's something so delicious about adding cinnamon to sliced apples. We eat these as a side dish for breakfast or a game snack at night. It's like eating apple pie but without the crust, and sugar...and ice cream. So it's not like pie at all but it's a great way to eat a lot of apples. Enjoy! Sliced Cinnamon Apples healthy, sweet snack 6 large honeycrisp apples (sliced)1 teaspoon ground cinnamon Toss sliced apples with ground cinnamon and serve immediately. Any apple variety will do. Heavy Duty Apple Slicer

This is dang good. My kids did a happy dance when I served this for breakfast last week. Hearty Buttermilk Biscuits and Sausage Gravy Homemade buttermilk drop biscuits smothered in sausage gravy Buttermilk Drop Biscuits2 1/4 Cups Whole Wheat Flour2 1/4 Cups All-Purpose Flour2 tablespoons baking powder1 1/2 teaspoon salt1 1/8 teaspoon Cream of Tartar1 1/8 Cup Butter (cold but not frozen)2 1/4 Cups Buttermilk (or plain kefir)Sausage Gravy1/2 pound Ground sausage1 cup red bell pepper (diced small)2/3 cup all-purpose flour2 1/2 Cups Milk1/2 teaspoon ground peppersalt (to taste) Buttermilk Drop BiscuitsPreheat the oven to 425 degrees. In a large

I feel so grateful that I stocked up on wheat berries before the panic of COVID-19 began. Flour sure is hard to come by right now! I grind my wheat berries into flour 2-3 times a week lately for bread, pancakes, muffins, and cornbread. Our latest favorite whole wheat side dish is this delicious and super-easy drop biscuit. It's soft, buttery, and melts in your mouth. You can use buttermilk, but I always have kefir that needs to be used up, so that is what I use. These are a great side to any dish. This week I am making