Recipe Box

I thought I'd try something new for 2012.... a recipe box so to speak. Because I know so many of us struggle with what to make for dinner, as well as having the time to actually MAKE the dinner, I thought some 4x6 recipe cards of the meals we eat as a family might be helpful. I'll share meals that are pretty easy and don't take centuries to prepare, as well as some helpful tips for time management to make dinner-making less of a dream and more of a possibility.

This was dinner for us last night:

Grilled Chicken Salad

TIME: about 35 minutes (only because of making the hard boiled eggs), otherwise, 5 minutes
TIPS: I made the chicken ahead of time... diced it and cooked it through. Then cooled it and froze it until I was ready to use it. I took about an hour on one weekend afternoon and prepped a bunch of chicken all at the same time... some diced cooked, some trimmed for chicken breasts, some trimmed for chicken fingers. Then I froze each type and labeled it for easy identification. For this meal, I took the chicken out of the freezer a day ahead and put it in the fridge. Then, just before adding it to the salad, I warmed it in a skillet (with a lid) with a bit of water and some italian seasoning. SUPER easy and quick for throwing a meal together in a hurry.I also made the eggs ahead of time and kept them in the fridge until I was ready to slice them and throw them on the salad.

Parmesan Breadsticks

TIME: 20 minutes (including oven preheat time and bake time)
TIP: I knew I wouldn't have the 20 minutes to spare for dinner time, so I made these before leaving to pick the kids up from school. Once they cooled, I but them in a container to keep them fresh, then warmed them in the microwave for just a few seconds before serving. I prefer them fresh from the oven, but this is a doable alternative when time is short.

Double Stuffed Potatoes

TIME: 15 minutes start to finish

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