main courses
30 Minute Corn & Black Bean Chili {Recipe}
It’s MAY! With Cinco de Mayo just a few short days away, I thought it would be fun to share my new favorite chili recipe. This super easy meal whips up in less than 30 minutes using basic pantry staples. The key to the super fresh flavor is the green verde chili, so don’t skip that part! As usual, I used vegetarian protein crumbles instead of ground beef, but those of you who prefer REAL meat could substitute a pound of ground beef or turkey instead. Although I personally prefer things a little spicier, I make this version fairly mild so that it is still kid friendly. (My kids absolutely ... read more
Easy Eggplant Parmesan {Recipe}
I absolutely adore eggplant parmesan. All that ooey gooey cheesy saucy comfort food deliciousness…..what’s not to love? Eggplants used to intimidate me until I discovered the secret to good eggplant texture. Do you want to know what it is? Salt. Lots and lots and lots of salt. Weird, huh? I know. But it works. And while eggplant parmesan might seem like a complicated dish, this version is pretty darn easy thanks to a not-quite-from-scratch sauce. I promise it is SO much better than the frozen stuff! Here is what you need: 3 medium eggplants 4 eggs 3-4 cups seasoned dry bread crumbs olive oil cooking spray 1 jar spaghetti sauce ... read more
Fresh Lemon & Sage Veggie Pasta {Recipe}
After almost two full seasons of Worden Farm veggie goodness, my kids have (thankfully) gone from literally freaking out at the site of anything green to actually asking for more vegetables on a regular basis. It’s a transformation I never expected, but I am definitely not complaining! Even so, their all-time favorite food is still (and may always be) pasta, especially “butterfly noodles” (farfalle), as they call it. This yummy recipe found a way to combine all the fresh veggie goodness of Worden Farm with their favorite pasta, and even threw in a little cheese (yum!) and fresh-squeezed lemon (from our lemon tree) for good measure. It was a fabulous ... read more
Irish Pub Pasties {Recipe}
We have a great little Irish pub in my town called The Celtic Ray, and as St. Patrick’s Day approaches I thought it might be fun to come up with my own interpretation of one of my favorite items on their menu–the Pub Pasty (pronounced PAH-STEE). For those of you not familiar with this yummy little treat, a pasty is a hand-held pie filled with savory meat or vegetables & spices. The traditional pub version is usually dipped in batter, then deep fried. My home version uses ready-made rolled pie crusts which makes them super easy (and a lot less messy!) They were an across-the-board hit with the whole family, ... read more
Cream of Cabbage Soup {Recipe}
It is Worden Farm time for us again which means lots & lots of yummy fresh veggies all season long. This year I opted for on-farm pickup rather than box delivery. I love able to choose, and the girls absolutely adore going out to the farm. It is quite a drive which means we don’t usually make it out there every single week. However, that just means we get double the number of vegetables the following week! If you are not currently part of a local farm co-op, I highly recommend it. (Here in SW Florida, check out the Worden Farm membership options; otherwise check out LocalHarvest.org to find a farm ... read more
Spicy African Sweet Potato & Peanut Butter Soup {Recipe}
When it comes to soup, I just love unique flavor combinations. I first tried a version of this African sweet potato & peanut soup many, many years ago out of this Vegetarian Times Low Fat & Fast recipe book, which was–back when I still used actual cookbooks instead of the internet–my very favorite cookbook ever. This slightly more dressed-up version uses fresh sweet potatoes and tomatoes instead of canned and also adds the rich flavor of coconut milk and chipotle peppers. The combination of sweet and spicy is so good! (Printable version of this recipe available at the bottom of this post) Ingredients: 2 pounds sweet potatoes 8 plum ... read more
Easy Cinnamon Roll Waffles {with Creamy Maple Glaze}
I had a totally different recipe planned to share with you this week, but then I made these cinnamon roll waffles on Saturday and I knew I had to share them with y’all ASAP! I honestly don’t think I have ever seen my kids eat so fast or so much for breakfast! Healthy, they are not, but isn’t that what Saturday morning breakfasts are for? The best thing about them (besides the utter yumminess) is that they are SO easy. I can barely even call it a recipe, but since there was a small amount of mixing and measuring involved, I guess it counts. (Printable version of this recipe ... read more
Roasted Veggie “Cupcakes” {Recipe}
I’m better about it than I used to be, but occasionally I find myself buying odd ingredients just because they are on sale and I have a great coupon and it is just such a “good deal” that I can’t pass it up. Does that ever happen to you? Most of the time I try to buy food and pantry staples that I know we will actually use and eat, but a few months ago at Publix I came across a BOGO sale on Progresso Recipe starters that just happened to correspond with a high value $1.00 off coupon (the coupons for new products are always the best), which made ... read more
the very best fish recipe ever {stockpile meals}
I was always intimidated by fish until I stumbled upon this amazing recipe, and I have been meaning to share it for ages. I got the original version from my dear friend Jenny during a mom’s night out recipe swap back when we both lived in Seattle. We were so chatty that night that I only ended up writing down two recipes, but this was one of them. In the years since, I have tweaked it just a bit. It is one of my family’s very favorite meals and it is also a fantastic–and super easy–dish to serve guests, provided they eat seafood. The really great thing about this ... read more
Dutch Babies {Recipe}
Oh, Dutch Babies….how do I love thee? All that buttery goodness, clumps of powdered sugar, crispy crust and light-but-dense center, drizzled with real maple syrup and oozing with down-home goodness. Honestly, although my family likes a lot of different things, there is truly only one dish that can make all four of us downright giddy in anticipation. It is the one dish that we always make for special occasions, for guests, birthdays, & holidays. It is hands down my family’s favorite breakfast. So what are they? I’m not really sure how to even describe it–a cross between a baked pancake and a soufflé, I suppose, but with none of the ... read more
Taco Casserole {Recipe}
We are a full two weeks into our one-month spending freeze and so far, so good. I thought for sure we would run out of food in a week but at this point both our freezer and pantry are still brimming, which makes me think a.) we may have had too much stuff and b.) we could probably extend our spending freeze for another month without even coming close to running out of food. In all honesty, the hardest part about figuring out what to cook is the mental block of thinking there is nothing to make, when in fact there are all sorts of ingredients to choose from. The ... read more
Simple Vegetable Frittata {Recipe}
I’ve been slightly obsessed with frittatas lately, one of my favorite budget meals. Have you ever made one? They are the perfect last-minute-oh-crap-it-is-5:30-and-I-have-no-idea-what-to-make-for-dinner meal. As long as you’ve got eggs, cheese, and a little milk or cream (or even evaporated milk in a pinch) you can whip one together and throw in whatever items happen to be taking up space in your fridge. With all those Worden Farm veggies we’ve been getting lately, our fridge is always full of a random assortment and this is my absolute favorite way to use them up. Simple Vegetable Frittata 1 small head broccoli, cut into bite-sized pieces 1 small zucchini, cut into bite-sized ... read more
Creamy Dill Vegetable Soup {Recipe}
There is something about soup that is just good for the soul. I made this soup last week Sunday after a very rough mommy day. I don’t even remember now what I was all atwitter about, but I was stressed and crabby, with too much to do and not enough time to get it done, and in-general, not very fun to be around. Husband spent the day playing with the girls and I did my own thing, finally realizing that I had been a jerk. This soup, and a nice family dinner to go with it, was my peace offering. Luckily for me my family is very forgiving. But the ... read more
Easy Vegetarian Goulash {Recipe}
My wonderful sister gets all the credit for this major family-pleaser! She has been making a meaty version of this recipe for years–it is her family’s absolute favorite meal–and I finally got her to share it with me! My whole family went crazy for it too, so of I’m doing the only logical thing and sharing this vegetarian version with all of you. Thanks Beth! This is one of those go-to recipes that is pretty much impossible to screw up, and you can modify it to fit whatever you happen to have on hand. I happened to have a lot of absolutely gorgeous fresh tomatoes on hand from our Worden ... read more
Cheesy Cream of Broccoli Soup {Recipe}
First of all, I just have to say a huge thank you to all of you for being so incredibly sweet and encouraging and well, just plain wonderful in response to Wedneday’s post. I was overwhelmed and deeply touched by all your kind comments. You guys are the best and after a few days of wallowing, I am feeling much better. So mwah! But now, on to happier things (like soup!) There is nothing better than a big bowl of homemade soup, especially one full of good wholesome ingredients like fresh locally grown organic broccoli from Worden Farm, butter and heavy cream and cheese and….did I mention butter? Lots of ... read more
