The combination of lemon and capers is a family favorite. When I was growing up we loved it - and it turns out it’s genetic. This is easily a comfort dinner around our house. The sauce is perfectly pickled with the capers and a little of the caper brine and cut with the lemon zest and butter.

We are a dairy free/dairy light family so I use fake butter when I do this. And then this is a dish that would probably be epic with parmesan cheese. I’ve tried it - it is epic. But it’s not something I can serve our family. If you are a cheese family, blend a little in when you add the spinach and then top with more! You won’t regret it, unless you are dairy free and it wreaks havoc on your system!

Lemon Caper Chicken with Orzo

serves 4

4 chicken breasts, pounded to even thickness (about 2 pounds)

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons flour

1/2 cup white wine

zest of 1/2 lemon

juice of 1/2 lemon

2 tablespoons capers

1 clove garlic

1 tablespoon caper brine

1 1/2 cups chicken stock

1 cup orzo

2 cups spinach

olive oil

salt and pepper

parsley to garnish

STEP 1

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Brown the chicken on both sides and remove from pan. Don’t worry about cooking through. You’ll do that later.

STEP 2

Lower the heat and melt the butter in the pan and add the flour. Whisk until combined. Pour in the white wine. Whisk until thickened. Add the capers, lemon zest. lemon juice, and stock. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir.

STEP 3

Return chicken to the pan, keep the heat on low/medium and cover. Cook until the chicken is cooked through. It takes about 20 minutes. While that’s cooking - boil the orzo.

STEP 4

When the chicken is done, remove from the pan. Drain the orzo and toss it into the chicken pan - add the spinach and season with salt & pepper. Pour out into a serving bowl. Slice the chicken and serve it on top. Garnish with parsley freshly chopped.

*optional to top with parmesan cheese!

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Who else is craving a little summer right now?

Jalapeno Cheddar Burger

with Roasted Potato Fries

Serves 4

2 lb ground chicken

1 jalapeño, grated on a microplaner

½ cup grated cheddar cheese

1 egg

½ cup panko

4 slices of cheddar cheese

½ cup pickled jalapeño

1 head Romaine lettuce

2 sliced tomato

2 large russet potatoes

¼ cup grated parmesan cheese

salt and pepper

4 hamburger buns

STEP 1

Preheat oven to 500 degrees

In a bowl, mix together chicken, chopped jalapeño, cheese, egg and panko.  Form into patties and let rest on a piece of waxed paper.

STEP 2

Cut the potatoes into ½ inch strips. Toss potato with salt, pepper and parmesan cheese.  Pop in the oven.  Roast 20 minutes until tender.

STEP 3

Cook patties in a skillet until done all the way through.  Or carefully grill them on the barbecue.  They are a little stickier than regular beef patties!  Be sure to grease the grill first.

STEP 4

Layer patties on buns with lettuce, tomato, cheese, and pickled jalapeños.  Serve with fries.

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Comfort meals are a win for our family. I’m sure they’re a win for your family too. This is one of our favorites. I like it because I can make the meatballs ahead and warm them up with the sauce when it’s time to get dinner on the table. AND when you need late plates, this is perfect for that too!

The meatballs are obviously not traditional meatballs. I like to use ground chicken - I am constantly trying to create dinners that are a little healthier and chicken helps with that. I’m not going for authentic here - I’m going for comfort food that’s just a little healthier.

There are two ways to do the meatballs. You can pop them out of the oven and straight into the sauce. Leave them there to stay warm. Or, put the meatballs on top of the sauce when you serve - it looks a little more elegant and it shows off the crispy edges the meatballs get.

Chicken Meatballs with Cacio e Pepe Orzo

serves 4

2 lb ground chicken

1/2 cup breadcrumbs

1 egg

1/4 cup Italian seasoning mix, divided

4 cloves garlic

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 onion, chopped

1-28 ounce can diced tomatoes

1-15 ounce can tomato sauce

1 cup orzo

2 tablespoons really good olive oil

salt & pepper

grated parmesan cheese

STEP 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Begin boiling a large pot of water.

In a dutch oven, heat olive oil and cook the onions and two peeled and chopped garlic cloves in it. Cook over low-ish heat until the onions are translucent.

STEP 2

While the onions cook, combine together the meat, egg, breadcrumbs, 2 tablespoons seasoning, and the remaining cloves of garlic. If the mixture is still stiff like the raw meat, add a few tablespoons of cold water. I usually use 2-4 tablespoons of water no mater what. Form the meatballs into rounds. If the meat sticks to your hands, get your hands wet and try again.

STEP 3

Pop the meatballs in to the oven and let bake about 15 minutes until they are done all the way through.

Pour tomatoes all into the onion mixture and add the remaining Italian seasoning. Cover the pot and let cook on medium until everything else is done.

STEP 4

Pour the orzo pasta into the boiling water and let cook. Drain when it’s al dente and return to the hot pan. Stir in olive oil, salt & pepper and about 1/4 cup parmesan cheese. Go heavy with all three.

STEP 5

Serve hot meatballs and sauce over the orzo. Make sure there’s more parmesan cheese on the side.

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Negroni Cocktail

Every good meal needs a good cocktail. And this dinner is so kid friendly that you can’t help but want a cocktail!

There’s a story that says Seattle is the birthplace of takeout teriyaki dinner as we all know it now. That Japanese immigrants brought some of their recipes, etc. and turned it into the take out classic we all know and love. Teriyaki arrived in the US sometime in the 1940’s but the big takeout craze came in the 1970’s - that’s the credit Seattle gets - we get the takeout craze. You’re welcome.

The best part of making your own teriyaki is that it takes less time than ordering it. And you can make a batch of the sauce and keep it for a week or so. I usually make this with chicken breast because I prefer it - I’m doing my best to eat a little healthier with small choices every day. But a classic teriyaki chicken dinner is made with chicken thighs. That’s how to go authentic. You choose what you want. It’s done the same no matter what!

Hot tip - make double the teriyaki sauce. It keeps in the fridge for about a week (or two?) and makes an even EASIER dinner down the road.

The secret to getting this dinner nailed is the side salad. It’s always a bit of iceberg lettuce, a slice of tomato and a miso ginger salad dressing. It seriously makes the entire thing work.

Teriyaki Chicken Dinner

serves 4

1/4 cup soy sauce

6 ounces pineapple juice

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 teaspoon ginger

1 tablespoon mirin

1 tablespoon sesame oil

2 tablespoons very cold water + 3 teaspoons cornstarch

2 lbs chicken breast

2 tablespoons olive oil

rice

lettuce + tomato + miso ginger dressing

STEP 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

In a sauce pan, combine soy sauce, pineapple juice, garlic, brown sugar, ginger, mirin, and sesame oil. Let is simmer gently for a few minutes.

STEP 2

While the sauce is warming, bring the oil to a medium heat and pop the chicken into the pan. Let it sit there for a few minutes until the chicken releases from the pan. Flip the chicken over and put the pan into the oven.

Bake in the oven 10-15 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.

STEP 3

Whisk together the water + cornstarch and then add it to the sauce already cooking on the stove. Whisk until it all comes together and remove from the heat. The sauce will thicken up as the cornstarch heats.

STEP 4

Remove the chicken from the oven and chop it up. Toss the chicken in the sauce and serve over rice with a salad on the side!

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Gin Rickey

A light and refreshing cocktail is perfect with the Teriyaki chicken!

If there is one dinner that my kids adore, it’s getting dinner at Chipotle. They ask for it regularly - one literally begs for it. So I started figuring out what they liked best about it and went to work.

Here’s what I learned:

• They love the rice. And it’s easy. Just add cilantro and lime to long grain rice.

• They love the seasoned chicken. There are a thousand ways to season it and some are simpler than others, I went with simple.

• They love being able to top their own bowls with their own bits. Lettuce, cheese, guacamole, salsa, you choose! Throw chips on the side and you’re really winning.

I found that I can use taco seasoning as the season on the crust of the chicken. There are fancy ways to replicate the seasoning with lots of ingredients and an overnight marinade. This does the job - and so quickly. You can buy whatever seasoning you prefer. You can also make your own taco seasoning!

For the rice, DO NOT RINSE the long grain rice. Also, don’t skip the oil step. It’s critical in making the rice not stick together. Then when you stir, use a fork only. That will loosen the grains and not make them stick together. It’s a way to ‘fluff’ the rice while adding in the seasoning.

Faux Chipotle Chicken Bowls

serves 4

2 pounds chicken breast

1 tablespoon taco seasoning

1/4 cup olive oil, divided

1 cup long grain rice

1/2 lime. zested and juiced

3 tablespoons cilantro, chopped

cheddar cheese shreds

salsa

guacamole

lettuce

beans

STEP 1

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Pat the chicken dry and pound it out slightly so there isn’t a “thick” part of the chicken, but it’s all mostly the same thickness. Coat all sides of the chicken with the taco seasoning. Let rest for a few minutes.

STEP 2

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large dutch oven and add rice. Stir to coat completely. Add two cups of water and bring to a boil. Let rice boil until most of the water has been absorbed. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook about 20 minutes.

STEP 3

Heat remaining oil in an oven proof skillet. Sear chicken on both sides until it’s brown and crispy on the edges. Pop the skillet into the oven and cook another 10 minutes (or so) until the chicken is cooked through. I use a meat thermometer and make sure I’m close to 150 degrees. Remove the pan from the oven and let the chicken rest in the pan for another 10 minutes.

STEP 4

Fluff the rice with a fork and stir in the lime zest, lime juice, and cilantro. Chop the chicken into bite sized pieces.

STEP 5

I like to serve everything like a buffet and let my kids choose what they want to put on their bowl. The options are limitless!

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Let’s have a Margarita

How about a cocktail on the side? These are the best margaritas you can make - and super simple.

I love cooking bone in chicken. It doesn’t dry out like a chicken breast so you can forget a little bit and not have to worry. That’s a great thing with this dish because sometimes the potatoes aren’t quite done but if you had boneless chicken - then it would be super tough and gross when the potatoes were finally done.

Make sure you use some sweet apples for this recipe too - I prefer Honeycrisp apples because they have the best flavor of all the apples. Cosmic Crisp are a close second. I don’t recommend Granny Smith’s, they are way too bitter.

I love this for a weeknight dinner. You can get it started and help with homework while it finishes cooking. And you can let it sit too - we’ve done this dinner when we know we have ‘late plates’ for kids at activities. It’s just as delicious several hours later!

Apple Roasted Chicken

with bacon and potatoes

Serves 4

4 lb bone in chicken breasts

1 onion, sliced

4 strips bacon, chopped

2 large honeycrisp apples, sliced

2 cups chopped baby potatoes

4 sprigs fresh thyme

1 cup white wine

STEP 1

Preheat oven to 425

In a large pan, cook onion and bacon together until onions are translucent.

STEP 2

Place chicken, bone side up, in the pan and let sizzle until browned.  Flip over and season with salt & pepper.

STEP 3

Pour in white wine and top with apples, thyme, and potatoes.

STEP 4

Bake 20-25 minutes until a thermometer reads 160 when inserted into the meat.

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I’ve been making this chili for an eternity. It is literally the oldest recipe in my entire collection which is why I was shocked that I hadn’t already posted it! If you’ve been around a while and have my book - then you’ve seen it in there.

Otherwise, here’s her debut! The relaunch of an old favorite. It’s that recipe that you completely forgot about and then when you see it again, you’re beyond excited. This is that one. It’s so simple because I just cook the chicken in the broth. Let it go as long as you want, it will just shred easier.

Need a short cut? Buy rotisserie chicken and shred that. Buy the already shredded version. You do you. Just don’t leave out the sour cream topping. It’s the perfect creamy contrast. If you are non-dairy (we are here!) then just use the non-dairy sour cream. Yes, there’s a weird flavor sometimes - no worries. You’re adding cilantro and lime which will cover up any odd flavor. I’ve found the sour cream made from tofu seems to do the best with these sauces.

White Chicken Chili

Serves 4

1 tablespoon butter

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 jalapeno, seeded and diced

1 clove garlic, chopped

½ onion, finely diced

1 tbs cumin

1 tsp oregano

6 cups chicken stock

1 - 15 oz can garbanzo beans

1 – 15 oz can cannellini beans

1 pound chicken breasts

8oz sour cream

1 lime, zested and juiced

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

STEP 1

In a large stock-pot cook jalapeno, garlic, and onion in butter and olive oil.  Cook until soft.  Add cumin and oregano, cooking until fragrant – about a minute.

STEP 2

Pour in stock and both cans of beans – undrained.  Bring to a boil and add chicken.  Cook on medium/low for about 30 minutes until chicken is cooked through.

STEP 3

In a blender, combine sour cream, lime zest, juice, and cilantro.  Pulse until combined.

STEP 4

Before serving, shred chicken with two forks.  Serve with cilantro cream.

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This time of year we are ridiculously busy. Between baseball games, tournaments, practices, robotics, scouting, and just trying to survive - dinner starts to take a back seat. I start relying on sheet pan dinners more and more and this one is a great spring time option. We don’t eat a lot of dairy at our house so I often use vegan pesto instead of traditional pesto and let the kids add their own parmesan cheese. I also HIGHLY suggest picking up the pesto at Costco. It’s not expensive and it tastes great - especially if you are baking it anyway.

Sheet Pan Pesto Chicken

serves 4

2 lb chicken breast, cut into strips

1 bunch asparagus, chopped

2 medium zucchini, chopped

2 cups cherry tomatoes

1 onion, sliced

½ cup pesto

¼ cup fresh basil

½ cup grated parmesan

salt and pepper

STEP 1

Preheat oven to 450.

 Toss asparagus and zucchini with half of the pesto. 

STEP 2

Place chicken breasts on a sheet pan and pour pesto vegetables around them. 

STEP 3

Sprinkle the top of the vegetables with onion and tomatoes.

STEP 4

Spread the top of each chicken breast with the remaining pesto.

STEP 5

Sprinkle half of the parmesan over the top of everything and pop into the oven for 15-20 minutes until thermometer reads 160 degrees.  Serve with extra cheese.

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This goes perfectly with…

A lemon infused vodka soda that you are going to LOVE! Click here for the recipe.

I have been super interested in the Banza noodles - they are made with chickpeas instead of regular flour - which means they are packed with protein, fiber and have less carbs. There are definitely a few applications where these noodles aren’t exactly like their wheat filled counterparts, but when they are cooked in the sauce, they are perfect!

This soup is one of those dinners that I make when I have no idea what I’m doing for dinner. I almost always have carrots, celery and onion in the house. This goes even faster if you use a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store and shred it. I’ve gone that route before too as well and it’s just as delicious. And it cuts out about 10 minutes - which when you’re talking about 30 minutes total - that’s quite a bit of time.

Serve it with a big green salad, bread if you have teenagers, and enjoy!

One Pot Chicken Soup with Banza

serves 4

3 carrots, chopped

4 stalks celery, chopped

1 onion, chopped

4 cups chicken stock

1 bouillon cube

1/2 lb chicken breast, sliced

1 - 8oz box Banza cavatappi noodles

2 cups water

salt & pepper to taste

STEP 1

In a large stock pot, cook down carrots, celery and onion until soft. Season with salt and pepper.

STEP 2

Pour in chicken stock and stir in the bouillon cube (or equivalent - I like the paste version). Bring to a boil.

STEP 3

Add the chicken and cook until done. Then add noodles + 2 cups water. Bring to a boil and cook until the noodles are done. Season with salt & pepper.

Serve hot with a big salad.

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I cannot believe I haven’t shared these tots before! I am obsessed with tater tots AND obsessed with buffalo wings. It’s the perfect football snack - and this weekend the Seahawks have a very big game so you’ll need something to eat. Here it is. This is the best mash up of football snacks ever.

Pearl and I devoured this batch of them as soon as I made them. The real trick is to get the tots extra crispy. If you have an air fryer, use that! If you don’t, make sure our tots are on one even layer when you put them in the oven- and make sure your oven is extra hot (like 450 degrees). The crispier the tots, the longer you have with these being delicious. If your tots are soggy to start, then they will only get mushier as you serve them.

These are so great on a football game day because they take almost no time to pull together. I started at Town & Country stores for the groceries - it’s one of my favorite new stores.

I am obsessed with grocery stores. It’s actually my favorite activity when we’re on vacation, in a new city, or if I have time to kill. I love to see what other cities have on their shelves. I love to see local products. I love the adventure of finding new things.

Town & Country does not disappoint. It’s such a great store!

It’s also really fun in this big city we live in to travel across town and see the store that is totally different from the store down the block. I found a few things at Town & Country that I now exclusively drive across town to find! Let me know what your favorite grocery store find is and where you find it!

Buffalo Chicken Tots

1/2 cup buffalo wing sauce (I use Frank’s)

1/2 cup butter

2 cups shredded chicken (I buy rotisserie and shred it)

2 celery stalks, chopped

2 green onions, chopped

Blue cheese dressing

Blue cheese crumbles

STEP 1

Cook the tots in the air fryer until very crispy but not burned.

STEP 2

Melt together butter and wing sauce in a large pan. Toss in shredded chicken and cook until warmed.

STEP 3

Spread the tots out on a serving platter. Top with the chicken and pour any extra sauce on top. Sprinkle over celery, onion, and blue cheese crumbles. Drizzle blue cheese dressing on top and serve hot!

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