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. If you use a high quality taco seasoning, you can toss it with that and a little oil.

• 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 usually use chicken thighs when I make this because it’s the most flavorful. If you use thighs, then it’s best to grill them. If you have a flat top grill, then you’ll completely replicate Chipotle! I have a standard grill, which I might actually like better because you get those little crispy corners on the chicken which are delicious!!

I love using regular taco seasoning - I use one I make myself so I know what’s in it. But yours won’t turn out just like mine unless we’re using the same seasoning. There are fancy ways to replicate the seasoning with lots of ingredients and an overnight marinade. But I found a short cut that we will all agree is perfect and delicious and so so simple.

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 or thighs

1/2 cup olive oil

1 tablespoon lime juice

1 teaspoon cumin

2 tablespoons chili powder

1 teaspoon oregano

2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

*

1 cup long grain rice

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 lime. zested and juiced

3 tablespoons cilantro, chopped

*

cheddar cheese shreds

salsa

guacamole

lettuce

beans

STEP 1

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a large bowl, mix together 1/2 cup olive oil, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, oregano, salt and pepper. set aside.

STEP 2

Pat the chicken dry. If you’re using the breasts, pound it out slightly so there isn’t a “thick” part of the chicken, but it’s all mostly the same thickness. Toss the chicken into the bowl with the marinade and let it rest for a few minutes.

STEP 3

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 4

GRILL: Heat your grill to 400 degrees. Sear the chicken on each side then reduce the heat to 300 degrees. Make sure your grill comes down. The chicken needs to cook through completely and that takes a few minutes. If you’re using the thighs, you want them to render off the fat. It takes about 20 minutes to properly cook the thighs. For the chicken breasts, it will take a little less time, but use a meat thermometer to make sure they are cooked at the thickest part. Let the chicken rest about 10 minutes when it comes of the grill.

STOVE: 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 5

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

STEP 6

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.

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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For a while, Ikea meatballs were a regular in the freezer and a quick dinner on nights I couldn’t think of what else to do. It made such a simple dinner AND they sell little packets of gravy so it’s so stinking simple!

I haven’t talked about it a lot, but there are twelve allergies in my family. TWELVE. Some are normal (hazelnuts) and some are weird (yeast) but all make for weird cooking patterns. If you notice on this blog, I tend to cook dinners that are healthy, dairy free or dairy light, and filled with good ingredients. The reason is simple, we can’t eat out a lot.

Ikea meatballs contain yeast, a nutritional yeast that boosts the flavor - vegans use it all the time to replace cheese - it’s totally normal, unless you have an allergy. So we had to scrap the freezer full of meatballs and if we wanted them, I need to make them myself.

Obviously, I’m cool with that. I love the challenge of making things myself. So here they are! My hot tip for them is to bake until they get a little crispy on the edges. I love that little crunch and I know you will too!

If you throw a pan of little chopped potatoes into the oven at the same time, then you have a dinner on the table in literally half an hour. I’ve done mashed potatoes too - but really the key is any kind of a potato. Oh, and the lingonberries. You can’t skip the lingonberries - buy a jar at Ikea and keep it on the shelf.

Swedish Meatballs

serves 4

1 pound ground pork

1 pound ground beef

1 cup panko breadcrumbs

1/2 onion, grated

1 clove garlic

1 egg, beaten

1/4 teaspoon allspice

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon oregano

1 cup water

salt & pepper

STEP 1

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

In a mixing bowl combine all of the ingredients and stir to combine. I use my hands because that’s easier, but some people are grossed out by that.

STEP 2

Form the meat into balls. I use a scoop to get the right size, then make them look nicer with my hands. If your hands are damp, the meat won’t stick to you.

STEP 3

Pop the meatballs in the oven and bake 15-20 minutes until cooked through. Serve with potatoes, lingonberries, and a vegetable.

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Thom Collins

A refreshing cocktail on the side is perfect! If you add a 1/2 shot of Elderflower liquor, it becomes a little bit Scandinavian.

Clam Chowder is literally my favorite soup ever. We took a roadtrip several years ago down highway 101 which goes down the coast of Washington, Oregon and California (at some point it turns to Highway 1 but I can never remember where that happens). Every restaurant that we stepped into, I got clam chowder. Some were great. Some were gloopy. Some had too much dill. Some had too many potatoes. One was even red which is the most dreadful thing you can do to chowder.

Clam Chowder

Serves 4

4 strips bacon, chopped

1 small onion, finely chopped

4 stalks celery, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic

¼ lb potatoes, finely chopped

1 can clams

8 oz clam nectar/ clam juice

4 cups seafood stock

1 bay leaf

1 cup half and half

¼ cup flour

2 tbs parsley, chopped

1 bag oyster crackers

STEP 1

In a large pot, cook bacon until browned.

STEP 2

Add onion, celery, potatoes, and garlic. Cook until onions and celery are softened. Stir regularly.

STEP 3

Pour in stock and clams. Don’t drain the clams before – pour the liquid into the pot. Add the bay leaf. Cover and cook 20 minutes.

STEP 4

Whisk together half and half with the flour. Very slowly whisk in 1 cup of the hot soup broth.

STEP 5

Pour flour mixture into the soup pot and stir until incorporated.

STEP 6

Serve with fresh parsley and oyster crackers on top.

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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