I don’t know anyone who doesn’t like Thai takeout. Except, of course, picky kids. My own personal picky kids were so annoying about what they would and would not eat. Especially when I will literally eat anything (almost). So I started to find ways around getting my kids to eat things that they may not otherwise eat.

Burgers are the best way to introduce more flavors! Kids can start small and then move into adding more as they realize how delicious everything really is - especially when it’s all together. But start small and put each item on their plate separately.

Thai Chicken Burgers

Serves 4

1.5 lb ground chicken

juice + zest of 1 lime

3 cloves grated garlic

¼ cup panko

2 tbs cilantro

2 tbs grated ginger

salt and pepper

brioche buns

2 carrots shredded

1 cucumber shredded

4 green onions, sliced

¼ cup peanut butter

2 tbs canola oil

1 tbs rice vinegar

1 tbs soy sauce

2 tbs chicken stock

STEP 1

Mix together chicken, lime, garlic, panko, cilantro, ginger and form into patties.

STEP 2

Whisk together peanut butter, canola oil, vinegar, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, and stock in a microwave proof bowl.  Heat in the microwave at one minute increments until peanut butter is soft and the mixture comes together easily.

STEP 3

While peanut sauce cooks, cook patties on the grill or in a grill pan.

STEP 4

Grate the carrot and cucumber into a bowl with sliced scallions.  Toss vegetables in half of the peanut sauce

STEP 5

Place patty on bun.  Top with vegetables.  Add extra peanut sauce as needed.

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Greek flavors are some of my favorite flavors. This burger is all of those flavors - literally ALL OF THEM - crammed into one burger and it is epic.

We have a food truck that comes once a week to our neighborhood - and my favorite one (ok, one of my favorite ones) is the gyro truck. I see on the schedule that he’s coming, and I make sure we preorder so I know we will get our gyro fix. You can ask for extra tzatziki - and I obviously do that - but when you make your own burger versions, you can add as much as you want. You can even dip the burger into the tzatziki for extra sauciness. I for sure make that choice.

I cannot recommend it enough.

I like to make these patties ahead and leave them raw in the fridge. Then right before it’s time to eat, I pop them on the grill. I’m also home during the day, which does create a little more time for me to prep that’s not always available to everyone. So divide the jobs up! One person makes the tzatziki, one person makes the patties, another gets all of the toppings pulled together! It comes together pretty quick when you have (make) everyone help you!

Greek Burger

Serves 4

1.5lb ground chicken

½ cup chopped fresh spinach

½ cup feta cheese

1 tsp dried oregano

salt and pepper

1 cucumber, ½ cucumber grated & ½ sliced

1 cup greek yogurt

juice of ½ lemon

1 clove grated garlic

1 beefsteak tomato, sliced

4 brioche buns

1 cup greek olives

STEP 1

In a large bowl, mix together chicken, spinach, ¼ cup feta, dried oregano. (5 mins)

STEP 2

Form into four patties.

STEP 3

Combine yogurt, grated cucumber, lemon juice and 1 clove of grated garlic.  Let rest. (5 mins)

STEP 4

Cook patties over medium heat 10-15 minutes until done all the way through.  (15 mins)

STEP 5

Serve hot patties on a hamburger bun topped with tzatziki sauce, sliced tomatoes, sliced cucumber, reserved feta, and Kalamata olives. 

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Also called a German Pancake, the Dutch Baby is a family favorite! My mom used to make it all the time when I was a kid and it always seemed so fancy. Then when I got older, I realized she made it all the time because it’s so simple. My mom’s recipe is the best one out there because it’s three ingredients. AND it’s scaleable.

When I was a kid we ate it with a dusting of powdered sugar. My oldest eats it with jam. My middle with whipped cream. And my youngest eats it with Nutella, strawberries and whipped cream. He’s extra. The best part of this super simple Dutch Baby is that you can top it with literally anything. Your favorite fruit, jam, a jammy spread, your call.

So here’s the secret to this: It’s just a 1:1:1 recipe. 1 egg is the equivalent of 1/4 cup which means for each egg, you add 1/4 cup milk and 1/4 cup flour. The recipe listed here is for a 12” skillet. If you go smaller in the skillet, then scale down. We have these tiny little skillets, so I’ll make individual Dutch Babies some mornings!

Gwen’s Classic Dutch Baby

makes one 12” pancake

3 eggs

3/4 cup milk

3/4 cup flour

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 tablespoons butter

STEP 1

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

In a blender, whiz the eggs until they are light and fluffy.

STEP 2

Slowly add the milk until incorporated. Then, with the blender going, slowly add the flour. Blend on high for two minutes until incorporated and there are no lumps. Do not over beat! Quickly stir in the vanilla.

STEP 3

Place a 12” skillet in the oven with the butter in it. Let the butter melt completely. Swirl it around and then pour in the freshly blended batter.

STEP 4

Bake 12-15 minutes until the pancake has fluffed up on the edges and is golden brown.

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Shop for supplies

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When I was growing up, this was a staple at every family gathering. Aunt Carolann always made this salad. And if she didn’t, then my mom did. It was by far the best part of a potluck buffet - and because we knew either Aunt Carolann or mom made it, then we knew it was a safe option. You never really know what’s at a potluck…

As an adult, I realized why this was at every potluck - it’s actually the easiest thing ever to make. And usually we have the ingredients in the pantry. Keep a bottle of Kalamata olives, regular pimento olives and capers in the pantry and you are ready to mix this up anytime. It has served me well when someone says at the last minute, “hey, I need to take something to school/work/party tomorrow!” Boom. Pasta Salad.

You can really use anything pickled or marinated in this salad. It’s not rocket science. The secret is to toss the hot pasta with the salad dressing. It immediately soaks it up and makes the noodles taste ‘marinated’ too. Which is critical; nothing is grosser than plain noodles in a salad.

Aunt Carolann’s Olive Bar Pasta Salad

1/2 pound dried pasta (small twisty shapes are best)

1/2 cup Italian salad dressing

1/2 cup chopped celery

1/2 cup chopped bell pepper

2 green onions, chopped

1/2 cup chopped salami

1 1/2 cup chopped olive bar bits (olives, marinated artichoke hearts, marinated garlic cloves, pickled mushrooms, marinated tomatoes, etc.)

STEP 1

Cook the pasta to package directions. Drain and immediately toss with the salad dressing. Let cool with the lid off the pan.

STEP 2

Chop all of the bits and toss them into the pasta. Let rest in the fridge for at least an hour - ideally 4-6 hours.

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another oLIve Bar FAvorite

Baking a split fryer chicken in a medley of olive bar favorites makes a fabulous dinner!

Click here for the recipe

I’m obsessed with the olive bar at the grocery store. I almost always get a container, whether we need it at home or not. We used to do a snack dinner once a week and the olive bar was the main star. Now that my teenagers are eating way more than ever before, we can’t just do a snack dinner. The kids would end up eating an entire second dinner after snack dinner.

It’s still my favorite dinner so I’m finding new ways to integrate olive bar into as many meals as possible. This is my latest favorite. You cannot beat this Olive Bar Chicken! I’m obsessed for a few reasons:

• Olive Bar is the best part of grocery shopping

• A split fryer is a cheap and easy way to feed your teenagers

• You can’t over bake the chicken when the bone is in

• Swap out what ever is your favorite on the olive bar! Some people love those marinated mushrooms and that would be perfect here too.

One of the secrets to making this dish is to use something heavy to bake it in. I love my Le Creuset because it’s thick and holds the heat nicely. You can also use a cast iron pan with a well fitting lid or lots of aluminum foil.

Olive Bar Baked Chicken

serves 4

1 split fryer chicken (that’s all the pieces, but cut into parts)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 yellow onion, chopped

1 cup marinated artichoke hearts

1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil

1 cup kalamata olives (pitted)

1/4 cup olive tapenade

1 cup chicken stock

salt & pepper

STEP 1

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In the bottom of a large dutch oven, brown the chicken in the olive oil.

STEP 2

Turn off the heat and pour in the onion and all of the olive bar bits. Pour in the chicken stock and cover.

STEP 3

Pop the pan into the oven and bake 25-40 minutes until the chicken is done. Test it with a meat thermometer. How long it takes depends on how thick your chicken pieces are. Serve with bread and pasta!

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Classic Negroni

A classic Negroni is the perfect cocktail to go with this Italian flavored dinner!

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I bought a bag of broccoli slaw on a whim one day. I don’t normally buy the pre shredded or precut items, but time is at a minimum these days and those precut bags looked really inviting. Originally I planned on just tossing it with a slaw style dressing and calling it a day. But then I looked through the fridge and started brainstorming what else could be done to make it more interesting.

Since broccoli is Italian and I had purchased Italian sausages…. it only seemed natural to pair it all with Italian flavors. I grabbed oregano and basil from the herb garden and added some roasted tomatoes. A little vinegar, olive oil and salt & pepper and it was a surprisingly delicious

So I made it again. And again. And again. And then I thought you might like it too! It’s the perfect side dish for Memorial Day weekend. It holds for a few hours and it’s actually better if you let it sit for 1/2 hour so the broccoli bits soften.

We’re heading up to the beach this weekend and I will for sure be making this happen. Let me know if you make it too!

Broccoli & Roasted Tomato Slaw

1 bag broccoli slaw

1 pint cherry tomatoes

2-4 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped (a small handful)

2-4 tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped (a small handful)

1/4 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

salt & pepper

STEP 1

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Pour out the tomatoes on a baking sheet and toss with 2 tablespoons olive oil and salt. Roast for about 10 minutes until the tomatoes pop.

STEP 2

Let the tomatoes cool slightly then pour over the broccoli slaw. Add vinegar and fresh herbs. Toss gently until coated in the oil. If it seems dry, add more olive oil. Season with salt & pepper.

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All Amercian Burger

The perfect burger to go with your new favorite side dish!.

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HALIBUT! Here in the Pacific Northwest, we get so excited for halibut season. We wait for this to happen. It comes in fresh from Alaska and is fished locally by friends in the San Juans. It’s unbeatable. And when it’s super fresh, it does not need a lot of seasoning to make it amazing. It actually only needs gentle cooking.

My best advice for cooking fish, is to be vigilant when it’s in the oven. Don’t let it over cook. Halibut is great for this because it’s so thick - and the butter on top helps to keep some moisture in - but if it goes over cooked, it gets dry and weird. You’re better off to pull it a little early then let it rest until it’s done. Remember, you can always pop it back into the oven, but you can’t fix overcooked fish!

This is also an easy dinner for any fish you have at the market. A thick piece of salmon is amazing in this situation!

Sheet Pan Halibut

with roasted vegetables

Serves 4

2 lb halibut

1 lb small white potatoes, cut in half

2 tbs olive oil

1 shallot, chopped

2 cloves garlic

2 lemon, 1 juiced and zested and one sliced.

1 bunch asparagus

4 tbs butter, room temperature

salt and pepper

STEP 1

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Toss potatoes in olive oil and pop into the oven.  Bake until roasted, about 15 minutes.

STEP 2

Pull potatoes out of the oven and make room in the center for fish.  Arrange fish, asparagus, and shallot on a baking sheet with the potatoes.  Top with lemon juice and zest and season with salt and pepper.  Top fish with butter and slices of lemon.

STEP 3

Place in oven and bake another 15 minutes. 

STEP 4

Remove from the oven and tent the pan with foil.  Let rest 5 minutes then serve on a big platter.

Pull it off

1.     Toss the potatoes in oil and get them into the oven.

2.     Slice the shallots and trim the asparagus.

3.     Pull the pan from the oven and arrange fish and vegetables.

4.     Pop the pan back into the oven.

5.     Set the table.

6.     Serve with white wine.

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One pot dinners are THE BEST DINNERS! It sounds like most people I know switch out the cooking duty and the cleaning duty with their partner or kids - but isn’t it still delightful when only one pan is used?

This is like a sheet pan dinner, only it’s a pot dinner. Is that a thing? Sheet pan dinners have been a hit because you pop it in the oven and walk away. Same-zies here. The chicken gets browned the sauces, vegetables and rice gets added and boom. You’re off the hook for the next 25 minutes to do homework, etc.

The secret here is harissa paste. I’m a major fan of anything that can be added and it brings literally ALL of the flavor. If it saves me time, I’m in. When you pair it with the green olives and fresh vegetables it’s suddenly an epic weeknight dinner. It’s also an amazing Sunday night dinner idea.

Harissa Baked Chicken & Rice

Serves 4

4 lb bone-in split fryer chicken

4 tbs olive oil

2 large tomatoes, cut into chunks

½  cup chopped Green Olives

1 onion, sliced

1 red bell pepper, sliced

¼ cup Harissa paste

1 cup rice

2 ¼ cups chicken stock

1 can undrained garbanzo beans

STEP 1

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Heat a large Dutch oven over high heat.  Add 2 tbs olive oil and brown the chicken, skin side down.

STEP 2

When the chicken is browned on the skin, remove from the pan and set aside.

STEP 3

Add the remaining olive oil to the pan and cook onions and bell pepper until soft.  Stir in harissa to coat.

STEP 4

Pour in rice, top with chicken, stock, tomatoes, garbanzo beans and olives.  Cover and pop into the oven.

STEP 5

Bake in the oven for 25 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 160 when inserted. 

 How to pull it off

1.     Preheat the oven and start chopping vegetables.

2.     Brown the chicken.

3.     While the chicken is browning, measure out the rice and chicken stock.

4.     Add the harissa, vegetables, stock, olives, and beans.

5.     Cover and pop into the oven.

6.     Set the table and pour a glass of wine.

7.     Serve hot straight from the pot!

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Grapefruit Rose Seltzer

The perfect inspired mocktail for a harrisa dinner.

My kids call this spider eggs. But I can’t tell you how much I like it. It’s also really good for you. Chia is packed with fiber so it helps with digestion and keeps you filling fuller longer. Fiber is also supposed to do amazing things for your heart and what not too. Bottom line, nothing but good news when you eat chia seeds. Unless, of course, your children call them spider eggs in which case it makes them a little less appealing.

I’ve never talked about my daily eating pattern before because it seems really boring to me - but I do get asked questions so here goes…

I take a handful of supplements in the morning - for my hair, my stress, and a probiotic - but I cannot tolerate anything in my stomach without food in there too. So I have a bowl full of chia pudding with my supplements. This time of year I mix in fresh strawberries to jazz things up a bit. Plain old chia seeds are not delicious. In a few weeks I’ll switch to raspberries but for now - strawberries are the best.

I like to go with chia pudding first thing because I know it will fill my stomach, give the supplements something land on, and give the probiotics something to work with. It’s also a healthy start to the day and if I start healthy, I find I do better throughout the rest of the day. Or I at least know I started healthy so if things fall off, then I at least tried.

Strawberry Chia Pudding

1 1/2 cups milk alternative

1/2 cup chia seeds

1/4 cup smashed strawberries

1 teaspoon vanilla

STEP 1

Smash the strawberries in a large measuring cup or a small bowl.

STEP 2

Add the milk alternative and vanilla and stir.

STEP 3

Stir in the chia seeds and refrigerate at least one hour but ideally overnight. Stir every 15 minutes for the first hour. Serve with sliced strawberries and granola.

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I’ve been marinading chicken thighs in the morning and then cooking them in time for dinner. Sometimes I’ll cook them around noon and pop the chicken in the fridge. Then at dinner I can just slice it. Especially on something like this. This is totally something you can serve up cold or hot.

Which does mean you could make it for baseball night! It’s a perfect dinner to have in the bleachers. Or if you’ve made the chicken ahead, you can whip up the rest as soon as you walk in the door. Sometimes you just want to eat at home - even after a long baseball game, sometimes especially after a long baseball game.

I’m kind of obsessed with this dinner right now. I even made it for Mr. Hedin’s lunches this week. I think you’ll love it too. Adding the sriracha on the side is a perfect way to zip up dinner for the grown ups.

Fresh Thai Inspired Chicken & Noodles

serves 4

For the marinade:

2 pounds chicken thighs

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons sesame oil

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

1 tablespoon fish sauce

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated

1 jalapeño, sliced

For the noodles:

7 ounces rice noodles

2 tablespoons sesame oil

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon sriracha

2 tablespoons reserved pasta water

1 cucumber, thinly sliced

1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

STEP 1

Mix all marinade ingredients into a shallow dish and pop the chicken on top. Flip the chicken around in the marinade to really coat it. Let it rest about one hour or up to overnight.

STEP 2

Preheat the barbecue to medium heat - no hotter than 300 degrees. Pop the chicken on the grill and let it cook slowly. Flip occasionally cooking until it’s done throughout. It takes about 20 minutes.

STEP 3

While the chicken cooks, bring water to a boil. In a small bowl, mix together the sauces for the noodles. Cook the noodles then toss them in the sauce in the bowl. Add the pasta water as needed to keep the noodles from sticking together. I use tongs to pull the noodles out of the pasta water and then I can use them to toss the noodles around. Add the vegetables and toss them in too.

STEP 4

Divide the noodles among four bowls and top with chopped chicken. Sprinkle basil and cilantro across the top. Serve with extra sriracha.

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Basil Martini

Toast your dinner night with a perfectly basil martini - it’s so simple because you barely need any ingredients!