Recipe Round-up!

Solving the dinner crisis is a frequent problem in my home with some very picky palettes. We have our traditional favorites that are easy winners such as chicken spaghetti, pizza, or red beans w/ sausage over rice, but I like to mix things up from time to time. One can eat pizza just so many nights and it's good to offer variety. 

Here are some interesting recipes we have rounded up from Macaroni KID Eats and shared from other publishers if you're looking for something a little different to try.

Perfect Broccoli Salad

Ingredients:

Instructions:

1. Break up ramen noodles into a large bowl.
2. Add slaw, sliced almonds, green onions, and dried cranberries and mix all together.
3. Place all dressing ingredients in a jar and shake. Pour over the broccoli slaw and mix. 
4. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour and then serve.

This broccoli salad is a great addition to any recipe on the grill. Want to make it a one-dish meal? Simply add chicken, steak, or shrimp and — BOOM! — you have an easy, healthy, and delicious one-dish meal!

Rainbow Wraps

What you will need:

In a small bowl, combine cream cheese, taco seasoning and mashed avocado. Lay one tortilla flat and spread with the cream cheese mixture. Arrange veggies on the tortilla. Roll up the tortilla and slice in two.

For variety, add a protein such as sliced turkey, shredded chicken or black beans.

Makes 6 servings

Brown Sugar, Maple & Bourbon Cocktail Meatballs

Cocktail meatballs can be served as an appetizer, in a sandwich or as a meal with vegetables and rice.  

Ingredients

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients, except meatballs, in a medium sauce pan and bring to a simmer, stirring often. (If you are concerned with using bourbon for a family-friendly dish, the alcohol burns off while cooking. For a non-alcoholic alternative use a 1/2 measure of Bourbon Vanilla Extract: 6 Tbsp of bourbon vanilla extract to 6 Tbsp. of water to substitute the amount of bourbon the recipe calls for.) 
2. Add meatballs and stir until well coated.
3. Return sauce to simmer.
4. Cover, reduce heat and cook for 30 minutes. Stir occasionally.
5. Serve hot.

Simple Matzo Ball Soup recipe

Ingredients:

Directions:

1. Prepare the matzo ball mix according to the package directions. For most packages, mix the matzo meal with 5 beaten eggs and ¾ cup oil. Stir (I use a wooden spoon). Cover the meal and put in the fridge for 20 min. 
2. Boil a large pot of water and add the salt. Wet your hand and carefully form the matzo ball mix into 1.5-inch balls. Gently drop them into the boiling water. Put the lid on the pot and let cook for 20-25 minutes on medium.
3. In a separate pot, bring the chicken broth to a boil. Add the celery and carrots and cook for about 10 minutes. Once the matzo balls are done, add them to the pot of broth. Stir in the dill and parsley. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve soup with veggies and a few matzo balls.

Sneak in veggies for picky eaters

You can add almost any vegetable to ground meat. When making meatballs, lasagna, meatloaf, hamburgers (the list goes on!) you can dice up anything and add it in! One of our favorites is mushrooms because the color blends in well and it works as a good binder instead of bread crumbs. (Cook the meatballs in tomato sauce to really hide what is going on inside them. A great way to hide red peppers!)