Lemon Dill Couscous

Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 5 minutes
Yield: 2 servings

3/4 cup uncooked plain couscous
3-1/4 teaspoons lemon juice
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon dill weed

Follow couscous package directions for 2 servings, adding salt to the water and omitting the oil or butter from the first step. Stir in the couscous, lemon juice and dill. Cover and remove from the heat; let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

Tips and Tricks
This recipe can be easily doubled or tripled to feed larger families. If using fresh dill, increase the amount.
Make It Healthier
Use whole wheat couscous.
How Kids Can Help
Measure ingredients. Fluff with fork.

Nutrition Facts
1 cup equals 249 calories, 1 g fat (trace saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 302 mg sodium, 53 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 10 g protein

Garlic Chicken

With only three ingredients, this moist and yummy chicken dish will be on your dinner table in no time flat!

Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Yield: 2 servings

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 envelope garlic and herb or Italian salad dressing mix
2 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (6 ounces each)

In a large resealable plastic bag, combine Parmesan cheese and dressing mix. Add chicken; shake to coat.

Place chicken in a greased baking dish. Bake, uncovered, at 400° for 20-25 minutes or until juices run clear.

Tips and Tricks
I used about a pound a half of chicken, so I added 3/4 cup of plain breadcrumbs to the salad dressing/cheese mix. Use whatever kind of cheese you have on hand. Use the fine side of the cheese grater for better results.
Make It Healthier
Use reduced-fat cheese. Trim fat from chicken.
How Kids Can Help
Shake bag to coat chicken. Older kids can grate cheese.

Busy Day Round Steak

Prep: 10 minutes
Yield: 8 Servings

2 lbs round steak, cut up
1 can cream of celery or mushroom soup
1 pkg Lipton onion soup mix
3/4 cup water
1/2 bag southern style hash brown potatoes

Place potatoes on bottom of a 9x13 baking dish. Layer steak over potatoes. Combine soup & water, pour over meat in pan, sprinkle dry onion soup over the top. Cover with foil & bake in oven for 3 hours at 300 degrees.

Tips & Tricks:
This can be made in the crock pot as well. You can use fresh cut up potatoes in place of hash browns, or you can omit the potatoes & serve over rice.

Spotlight On Produce: Blueberries

One of my favorite seasonal fruits to eat is the blueberry, and I look forward to having them fresh in my cereal all year long. I also love blueberry muffins, or mixed with yogurt, or eaten plain.

Blueberries are the fruits of a shrub and are related to cranberries, as well as azalea, mountain laurel and rhododendron. Blueberries grow in clusters and range from pea-sized to marble-sized. They are deep in color, ranging from blue to maroon to purple-black. Blueberries are available frozen all year long, but are at their best during the growing season of May through October.

Blueberries are a nutritional powerhouse, fairly bursting with nutrients for very few calories. Blueberries are packed with antioxidants and are a good source of Vitamin C, manganese and dietary fiber.

When choosing blueberries, look for fruit with a bright, uniform hue. Shake the container; if the berries do not move freely, this may be an indication that they are soft and damaged or moldy. Avoid berries that appear dull in color or are soft and watery in texture. When purchasing frozen berries, shake the bag gently to ensure that the berries move freely and are not clumped together, which may suggest that they have been thawed and refrozen. Fresh blueberries can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week. Don't wash the berries until right before you eat them, as washing and storing can remove the protective film on the surface of the fruit and speed spoilage.

What are some of your favorite ways to enjoy blueberries?

Seasoned Croutons

Prep: 20 minutes

Bake: 10 minutes

Yield: 12 servings/3 cups

2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
Pinch salt
6 slices day-old bread, cubed

In an ungreased baking pan, combine the butter, oil and seasonings. Heat in a 300° oven until butter is melted. Remove from the oven; stir to combine.

Add bread cubes and toss to coat. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring frequently. Cool. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

Tips and Tricks

Make sure the bread is dry enough. I first tried this recipe with bread that was still quite moist, and it didn't turn out.

Make It Healthier

Use unsalted butter or trans-fat free spread. Use whole grain bread.

How Kids Can Help

Measure seasonings. Cube bread. Toss to coat.

Nutrition Facts

1/4 cup equals 61 calories, 3 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 5 mg cholesterol, 99 mg sodium, 6 g carbohydrate, trace fiber, 1 g protein

Saving Time & Money: Uses for Stale Bread

As I was looking through the refrigerator tonight, I realized there was a full loaf of bread that isn't fresh-rather, it's actually quite dry. Since trans fat free, high fructose corn syrup free, whole wheat bread is anything but cheap, I started mentally compiling a list of ways to use stale bread, assuming it has not acquired off odors or flavors from being in the fridge or bread box too long. What are some of your favorite ways to use up bread?

Here are some of my favorite ways to use up bread without my meal suffering taste or quality:

Meatloaf
Most meatloaf recipes call for either bread or a grain component, you can omit that in place of a few slices of stale bread. Nearly any meatloaf recipe can be modified to use 2 slices of bread per pound and a half of meat, in place of the bread crumbs or grains called for in the recipe. Or, try soaking a few slices of bread in water until soggy, bread blends well with ground meat. When the bread & meat are well blended, stir in an egg or two, 1/4 cup of milk, tomato sauce & your favorite seasonings.

Meatballs
As with meat loaf, homemade meatballs usually call for bread crumbs or water sodden bread. To turn stale bread into bread crumbs, broil for a few minutes until toasted, flip & broil on the opposite side. Crush & continue with recipe directions. Or if your recipe calls for bread soaked in water, stale bread works as well as fresh, just follow the directions for soaking the bread, and possibly add a tablespoon of extra water.

French Toast
Make your french toast as usual, only soaking in your egg/milk mixture slightly longer until bread is sodden.

Chicken Dinner Casserole and other recipes that call for soft or dry bread crumbs work well with stale bread as well. Try modifying any recipe that calls for dried stuffing mix by adding your favorite herb seasonings or a bit of powdered boullion in place of chicken or turkey flavoring.

Casserole Toppings
Top your favorite casserole with bread crumbs. Simply toast stale bread under your broiler & crush, then spread evenly on top of your casserole. It adds a boost of whole grain, and saves you money as pre-made bread crumbs can be pricey. After you crush your bread crumbs, they can be stored in the freezer until you are ready to use them.

French Onion Soup or other recipes that call for toasted bread can be easily made with stale bread. Just toast your bread in the toaster and follow the recipes.

Of course, if all else fails and the bread is stale beyond use, it may be time to plan a date with your kids to the marina or lake where they can feed the ducks. Bring your camera and enjoy the time with your children. It will be worth the money "wasted" on bread not used up.

Spinach Souffle'

Prep: 50 minutes, including baking
Yield: 4-6 servings

1 10 oz pkg frozen chopped spinach, thawed & drained
1 egg lightly beaten
2 tbs minced onions
1/2 cup herbed seasoning stuffing mix
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/4 cup melted butter
1/2 cup parmesean cheese

Mix all together except cheese in a bowl, pour into 1 1/2 quart baking dish. Top with cheese and bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees.

Make it Healthier:
Butter can be reduced to 2 tbs with good results.

Peanut Chicken Stirfry

Prep: 15 minutes

Cook: 15 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

2 teaspoons cornstarch
3/4 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1-1/4 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
3 teaspoons olive oil, divided
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup thinly sliced green pepper
1 cup thinly sliced sweet red pepper
1-1/2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
1 teaspoon minced garlic
Hot cooked rice

In a small bowl, combine the first six ingredients until smooth; set aside. In a large skillet or wok, stir-fry chicken in 1-1/2 teaspoons oil for 3-4 minutes or until no longer pink. Remove with a slotted spoon and keep warm.

Stir-fry onion and peppers in remaining oil for 3 minutes. Add mushrooms and garlic; stir-fry 3-4 minutes longer or until vegetables are crisp-tender.

Stir cornstarch mixture and add to the pan. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Add chicken; heat through. Serve with rice.

Tips and Tricks

Substitute any veggies to suit the tastes of your family. Buy frozen pepper slices to save time. Buy pre-sliced mushrooms to save time. Can also be served over angel hair pasta instead of rice. Cook rice in microwave to avoid excessive heat in the kitchen.

Make It Healthier

Serve over brown rice. Use low-sodium soy sauce, low-sodium broth and natural peanut butter.

How Kids Can Help

Measure ingredients. Push buttons on microwave.

Beef and Spinach Lasagna

Prep: 10 minutes

Cook: 40 minutes

Yield: 12 servings

1 pound ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
2 jars (26 ounces each) meatless spaghetti sauce
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
2 cups ricotta cheese
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided
9 no-cook lasagna noodles

In a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the spaghetti sauce, garlic, basil and oregano. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10 minutes. In a bowl, combine the spinach, ricotta and 1 cup mozzarella until combined. Spread 1-1/2 cups meat sauce into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dish. Top with three noodles. Spread 1-1/2 cups sauce to edges of noodles. Top with half of the spinach mixture. Repeat layers. Top with remaining noodles, sauce and mozzarella. Cover and bake at 375° for 30 minutes. Uncover; bake 10-15 minutes longer or until bubbly. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting.

Tips and Tricks

Using no-cook noodles significantly cuts down on the prep time. This recipe freezes well. I prefer Barilla lasagna noodles, but you can use any brand and add 1/2 cup water to the sauce. I also use less garlic. This dish can also be prepared ahead of time and refrigerated. If you have a small family, eat half and freeze the other half for another meal.

Make It Healthier

Use part-skim ricotta cheese. Increase the amount of spinach. Use lean ground beef and rinse it in a colander before adding to the filling. Check the ingredients list on your pasta sauce and use only brands that contain little added sugar or salt.

How Kids Can Help

Measure ingredients. Layer noodles in pan. Older kids can shred cheese.

Suggested Sides

green salad, garlic bread

Nutrition Facts

1 piece (prepared with lean ground beef) equals 281 calories, 11 g fat (6 g saturated fat), 50 mg cholesterol, 702 mg sodium, 26 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 20 g protein

Chicken Enchiladas

Prep: 20 minutes, plus baking
Yield: 12 Servings

4 chicken breasts, cooked & cubed
1 bunch green onions, chopped.
2 cans chopped green chilies (mild)
1 pint sour cream
2 cans cream of chicken soup
3/4 pound cheddar cheese, grated
3/4 pound monterey jack cheese, grated
12 8 inch flour tortillas

Combine chicken & chopped onions. In separate bowl combine soup, sour cream, & chilis.

Build enchiladas by placing 3-4 tablespoons of soup mixture in bottom of greased 9x13 pan. Place heaping tablespoons of chicken mixture down center of each tortilla. Top with spoonful of soup mixture and sprinkle with cheese. Roll tightly and place in pan, seam side down. When all enchiladas are rolled, top with remaining soup mixture & cheese Bake covered at 375 degrees for 30 minutes or until heated through. Remove cover for last 10 minutes of baking.

Tips & Tricks:
To save money & make it healthier, I use less cheese & less sour cream with good results. If I don't have monterey jack cheese, I just use cheddar or even mozzarella. Instead of cubing chicken, I chop it finely using my pampered chef chopper-to save money you can get by using less chicken this way. If you don't have green onions, you can use finely chopped yellow or white onion, or onion powder/onion flakes. In a pinch, cream of mushroom soup can be used in place of cream of chicken. Since there are only four in my family, I make this with 8 tortillas, 2 chicken breasts, and cut the rest of the ingredients in half. Then we have leftovers for lunch the next day. To save money use less expensive cuts of chicken, or use leftover cooked chicken from another meal.

Make it Healthier:
Use reduced fat sour cream, less cheese than suggested (I use about 1/2 lb total of cheese.) Use reduced sodium soup & chilis.

Ham With Mustard Cream Sauce

Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

4 individual boneless fully cooked ham steaks (about 5 ounces each)
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup honey mustard
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions

Place ham steaks in a large skillet. In a small bowl, combine water and mustard; pour over ham. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10 minutes, turning once. Remove from the heat; stir in sour cream and onions.

Tips and Tricks
I didn't have honey mustard, so I mixed bold and spicy mustard with a teaspoon of honey to make my own. I also cut the sauce ingredients in half and made one large ham steak.
Make It Healthier
Use reduced-fat sour cream.
How Kids Can Help
Measure ingredients. Older kids can use kitchen shears to cut the green onions.

Nutrition Facts
1 serving (5 ounces) equals 154 calories, 9 g fat (5 g saturated fat), 39 mg cholesterol, 596 mg sodium, 10 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 8 g protein

Chicken Dinner Casserole

Prep: 20 minutes plus 40 minutes baking
Yield: 4 Servings

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cooked & cubed
3 cups soft bread crumbs
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 1/2 cups milk
3 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup melted butter

Whisk together soup & milk. Add eggs, bread crumbs, butter, cheese & chicken. Pour into 8x8 baking dish & bake at 350 for 40 minutes.

Tips & Tricks:
Use 1 box of stuffing mix in place of bread crumbs, let mixture stand 5 minutes before baking so it gets soft. For budget meal, use leftover chicken or less expensive cuts of chicken and reduce the amount of cheese.

Watermelon Ice

Prep/Total Time: 15 minutes + freezing
Yield: 6 servings

6 cups watermelon, seeds and rind removed and coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon lemon juice

In a blender, puree watermelon and lemon juice, adding watermelon pieces in batches if necessary. Pour into a square baking dish and smooth the top.

Cover and freeze for at least 3 hours. Use an ice cream scoop to serve.

Tips and Tricks
Buy seedless watermelon to eliminate removing the seeds. A glass baking pan works better than metal.
Make It Healthier
This recipe contains no additional sugar or salt. It doesn't get any healthier!
How Kids Can Help
Add watermelon to blender. Push buttons on blender. Smooth top on mixture in baking pan.

Toasted Granola

This homemade granola is perfect mixed with yogurt, or topped with milk and eaten as cereal.

Prep: 20 minutes

Bake: 75 minutes

Yield: 21 servings

1 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup water
4 cups old-fashioned oats
2 cups bran flakes
1 jar (12 ounces) toasted wheat germ
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup canola oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

In a large saucepan, bring brown sugar and water to a boil. Cook and stir until sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat; set aside. In a large bowl, combine the oats, bran flakes, wheat germ, flour and salt. Stir oil and vanilla into sugar mixture; pour over oat mixture and toss to coat.

Transfer to two 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pans coated with nonstick cooking spray. Bake at 250° for 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 hours or until dry and lightly browned, stirring every 15 minutes. Cool completely on wire racks. Store in an airtight container.

Tips and Tricks

Granulated brown sugar works just as well as packed. Be sure to read the ingredient list on the bran flakes, some brands contain artificial sugars.

Make It Healthier

Omit the salt.

How Kids Can Help

Measure ingredients. Toss to coat.

Nutrition Facts

1/2 cup equals 202 calories, 6 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 118 mg sodium, 32 g carbohydrate, 4 g fiber, 8 g protein

Diabetic Exchanges

2 starch, 1 fat

Chicken Cacciatora

Prep: 50 minutes
Yield: 8 Servings

2 lbs chicken pieces, skinned, boned & cooked
2 medium onions, sliced in thick slices
2 garlic cloves, minced
4-5 large, blanched & peeled tomatoes
8 oz tomato sauce
1/2 cup water
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp celery seed
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp basil
2 bay leaves
8 oz package spaghetti
1 tbs extra virgin olive oil

Cook onions & garlic in olive oil until clear. Combine remaining ingredients, except pasta. Heat & cover, simmer for 45 minutes. Just before sauce is done, cook pasta according to package directions. Drain & serve pasta topped with chicken & sauce.

Tips & Tricks:
Canned tomatoes can be used in place of fresh. Make ahead extra chicken & reserve to use in this recipe the following day. The chicken & sauce can be prepared & frozen for future use. Simply cook pasta & thaw sauce on the day you plan to serve. You can also prepare this in a crock pot: rather than sauteing onions & garlic, omit oil & combine all ingredients, including raw (skinned & boned) chicken pieces in crock pot on low heat all day.

Make it Healthier:
Use chicken breast meat. Use reduced sodium tomato sauce & omit salt. Steam onions & garlic in microwave with water & omit olive oil. Serve with whole wheat pasta.