Easy Summer Meals

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June 13, 2022 By Jennifer Lambert 2 Comments

It’s summer and the kids are home more – whether they’re home from public or private school, co-op, or college. Mine still take some classes and participate in various day camps – and for the first time, my middles have overnight camps!

One of my biggest concerns for summer is food.

For whatever reason, the kids seem to eat more – quantity and frequency. They’re probably growing and more active and the sunshine and warmer temps make them hungrier.

Our local libraries provides lunches for kids under 18 and I think that’s great! When my kids go to events and classes at our libraries, they are pressed upon to take the food and some of it they like.

I’m struggling to keep us in Gatorade and Body Armor in the flavors we prefer!

Since our summer schedule is a little more hectic and sporadic, I have to think about meals differently.

My 16 year old has a part time at a local grocery store and often has to take a quick lunch to eat during breaks.

My 12 year old son has elite baseball games and tournaments and we often travel and need to bring snacks and meals with us – because sometimes they’re in a cornfield in the middle of nowhere.

My kids are pretty independent and know their way around the kitchen. They can make their own healthy meals and often do so. I also want to provide easy options for when we’re in a rush or have different schedules. I’m super impressed when they make quesadillas, little pizzas, fried rice, or homemade ramen!

We love bento and other fun containers to keep foods fresh and cold for lunches and snacks on the go.

Breakfast items I’m buying:

Cereal Cups
Oatmeal cups
Grits pouches
Organic poptarts
Dinosaur eggs oatmeal
Bolthouse protein shakes
Breakfast lunchables
Croissants
so many eggs (my husband has a coworker with chickens!)
Frozen sausage links (we love the Jones brand and I stock up at the commissary.)
Frozen pancakes, waffles, French toast sticks
Nature Valley almond butter biscuits

Lunch and snack items I buy:

Tuna pouches
Annie’s mac and cheese cups
Ramen (my kids prefer organic pouches for quick and easy but often make their own homemade ramen with leftovers!)
Indian meal pouches with lentils or chickpeas
Rice and beans pouches
Canned soups and chili (Annie’s is a favorite)
Spam (we lived in Hawaii for three years)
Hillshire Farm honey ham and salami
Lunchables – Oscar Mayer uncured ham, Hillshire Farm, and Kroger Simple Truth are literally the only ones my kids will eat!
Hormel wraps
Peanut butter crackers
Protein granola bars and protein brownies – Clif, Kodiak, Luna, Kroger and Meijer brand
bananas, apples, grapes, oranges

What we make for dinner:

I try not to stress over having dinner later in the summer. I prefer we eat together as much as possible. I am often thwarted by baseball games and the kids’ other activities.

I’m making many slow cooker meals for when my son has baseball games or my daughter works late or has aerial gymnastics class. We can eat whenever we each get a chance, and often still mostly together.

We also do a lot of grilling (some favorites are burgers, tritip, and salmon) and we love big salads.

How do your meals look in summer?

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Easy Dressing Recipe

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November 23, 2021 By Jennifer Lambert 1 Comment

Jump to Recipe

I have a shortcut to make an easy and delicious dressing for Thanksgiving.

The shortcut is to use storebought cornbread and stuffing mix. I have often made my breads from scratch, but we really can’t much tell the difference and it always made way too much and I hate waste.

My mom didn’t add cornbread, but I like the mix of textures and flavors. My mom also didn’t use the sausage in her dressing recipe, but I find it adds a nice texture and flavor. Some people like oysters and chestnuts. You can make this your own, with whatever flavors you like. There are different flavors and brands of stuffing mix and I often add in some fresh herbs like sage.

I start with sausage and veggies. I saute those in butter. It smells wonderful!

I like to crumble the sausage really fine so it all melds together well.

I add in crumbled cornbread and the stuffing mix. For this recipe, I used half the square of the storebought cornbread and about half the bag of stuffing mix. Probably 2 cups of each.

I pour just enough chicken stock (you could use turkey stock, vegetable stock, or homemade stock) until it’s wet and well-mixed.

It should be cool enough to add in the eggs. We don’t want those to scramble!

I spray my 8×8 pan with olive oil. I actually like to cover my pan in the fridge for overnight.

Ready for the oven!

This was always my favorite dish on Thanksgiving. It’s actually simple and so flavorful and makes great leftovers.

Easy Dressing

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Servings 8

Ingredients

1/2 tube breakfast sausage
1 carrot peeled and chopped
1/2 onion chopped
5 celery stalks chopped
2 T butter
2 cups cornbread
2 cups herb stuffing mix
1-1.5 cups chicken stock
2 eggs

Instructions

Sauté sausage and vegetables in butter until cooked through.
Crumble in cornbread and add bread mix.
Pour in chicken stock and mix. This should be cool enough to add in eggs so they don't scramble! If not, wait until cooled.
Mix in eggs. It should be quite wet.
Pour into greased 8×8 pan. Cover in fridge for overnight.
Bake 350* for about an hour or until firm and browned on top. Serve warm or room temperature.

What’s your favorite Thanksgiving food?

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Slow Cooker Meals

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September 27, 2021 By Jennifer Lambert 17 Comments

With autumn and cooler temperatures, we also tend to be busier with fall activities.

Slow cooker meals are a staple at least once a week so we have a nice hot meal that anyone can eat when they’re ready for their dinner on busy nights.

I really do love to cook, so I don’t use many appliances that do the job for me. I don’t have any of the trendy tools that the pandemic made even more popular. I am kind of a snob in the kitchen and a bit old-fashioned.

I have had our slow cooker since I received it as a wedding gift and it’s lovely. I use it mainly to roast meats and make stews.

I also like to make meat stock for the freezer, and we often can applesauce and marinara sauce.

Our favorite slow cooker meals

Asian Pork Ribs

We like to buy meaty country ribs for easy Asian pork ribs. I serve with rice and a vegetable, sometimes salad too.

Pulled Pork

I buy a small pork butt, bone in, and cook it long on low, for about 12 hours. Sometimes, I do the Dr. Pepper recipe, but often, I just cover with our special dry BBQ seasoning and liquid smoke. We pull it apart and serve on wheat buns with cheese and sides like fries, cole slaw, baked beans.

Stewed Pork

Chile verde: Cube pork tenderloin. Sear in fat. Add carrots and onions, a can of jalapeno peppers or chopped fresh jalapeno peppers, and a jar of salsa verde. Cook on low for about 6 hours. Great in tortillas or as a stew.

Taco Chicken

Boneless chicken parts with a jar of salsa, cooked for about 5 hours on low. Sometimes, I add a can of corn and a can of beans. This can easily turn into a lovely soup with some chicken stock. I usually serve over rice or with tortillas or as taco salad. It’s versatile and a crowd favorite.

Whole Roast Chicken

It’s easy to roast a chicken in a slow cooker! I usually place breast down so it stays moist. Season with garlic and salt or lemon pepper. I don’t add any liquid. I cook on high for about 4 hours or until thermometer reads 165. Sometimes, I broil it in the oven to crisp up the skin. The leftover liquid makes a lovely gravy.

Chicago Beef

A chuck roast goes a long way with some Italian seasoning, cooked about 6 hours on low. I don’t even add any liquid except maybe a dash of Worcestershire sauce. Chopped or pulled on wheat hoagie rolls with cheese and sautéed veggies, this is a family favorite.

Pot Roast

My husband grew up with a simple pot roast using onion soup mix and I often make this. Other times, I make the sauce from scratch with fresh herbs and a dark beer. I love lots of root veggies. Makes a great leftover minestrone soup with beans and noodles! I usually buy a lovely chuck roast at our local butcher or the commissary.

I set it on low for about 6 hours. I usually have to thicken the gravy on the stovetop.

Stewed Beef

I have a few ways I make stewed beef.

Burgundy beef tips: I season the meat and dredge in flour and sear in fat with onions, celery, and carrots. I pour in some red wine and beef stock and simmer on low for about 5 hours. This is great over noodles or rice.

Traditional beef stew: I season and flour the beef and sear in fat. I pour in a dark beer with root veggies and set it on low for 6 hours and forget it.

Stroganoff is easy! I just add sour cream or cream cheese to the beef stew gravy.

Goulash: I add tomatoes, tomato sauce, and paprika.

Asian beef: I add soy sauce, brown sugar, mirin, black pepper, garlic, ginger, onions, and a little bit of sesame oil with cornstarch and cook on low for about 5 hours. I serve over rice with veggies.

Irish Stew

We love Irish stew all year long. Cubed lamb dredged in flour and sugar, seared in fat, then I pour in a Guinness or red wine with herbs. I add root veggies and cook on low for about 6 hours. I sometimes have to thicken the gravy.

Swiss Steak

I love Swiss steak, but my husband does not. I like to dredge in flour and sear round steak and smother in onions, bell peppers, and tomatoes. Cook on low for about 6 hours.

Roast Ham

This is a great way to free up oven space during holiday times too!

I pour cola or Riesling wine over the ham and glaze with mustard, brown sugar or maple syrup, and pumpkin pie spices. Cook on low about 6 hours or until thermometer says 145.

My favorite tools:

In the past, I have made breakfast casserole and bread pudding in my slow cooker for breakfasts. It’s really very versatile, especially when feeding a crowd or when the oven and stovetop is needed or when I’m very busy or away from home.

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What are your favorite slow cooker foods?

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Garlic Knots

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March 8, 2021 By Jennifer Lambert 8 Comments

We have pizza night every week, usually on Fridays.

We make our own pizza dough.

We often make our own marinara sauce.

We each have our favorite toppings.

Lately, we’ve been making these amazing garlic knots.

We keep one of our pizza doughs separate and cut it into slices.

One of my kids rolls each slice into a string and braids it into these gorgeous knots!

They’re like little baskets of delicious.

A brush of egg white makes them crispy and shiny.

They puff up just right and are chewy inside while crispy outside.

I think we might put some cheese inside to see how that turns out.

A brush of garlic butter after they bake makes the whole kitchen smell amazing.

These garlic knots are great with a sprinkle of herbs and Parmesan and served with warm marinara sauce.

This is our favorite pizza dough recipe for these garlic knots.

Garlic Knots

Ingredients

1 pizza dough https://www.jenniferalambert.com/homemade-pizza/

Instructions

Cut pizza dough into 16-18 slices and roll into long strings
braid, twist, or spiral into roll shapes and place on baking sheet
brush with egg white
10 minutes in 500* degree oven
Brush with garlic butter after baking and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese
Serve hot with marinara sauce

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Rosemary Lemon Turkey Meatballs

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February 15, 2021 By Jennifer Lambert 3 Comments

One of my family’s favorite meals is turkey meatballs. It seems light but filling. One pack of turkey is barely enough for 5 people these days! There are no leftovers.

It’s a forgiving recipe and you could mix up the seasoning for different combinations. You could also use the prepared Italian bread crumbs to save time. Gluten free options like almond flour would surely substitute fine in this recipe.

I use dried onions because they all but disintegrate, leaving flavor but almost undetectable by picky eaters. You could also grate or chop fresh onion.

If the lemon is too strong, you could serve the meatballs with plain gravy.

I use a ice cream scoop to measure out the meat mixture and roll them in wet hands to form balls. Flouring the meatballs gives them a nice crispy texture.

The lemon gravy is super simple and my family loves it!

This is a simple meal on busy nights. I can have it on the table in about 30 minutes if I form the meatballs earlier in the day and store in the fridge.

I usually serve these delicious rosemary lemon turkey meatballs with broccoli and noodles.

4 from 1 vote

Rosemary Lemon Turkey Meatballs

Course Main Dish

Servings 12 meatballs

Ingredients

1 package ground turkey
1 egg
1/4 cup panko
1 t dried onions
1/2 t crushed rosemary
1/2 t lemon peel
1/2 t garlic
salt and pepper

Lemon Sauce

1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
splash sherry
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup lemon juice
garlic, rosemary, salt, pepper

Instructions

Mix meatballs and let sit covered in refrigerator for at least an hour.
Flour meatballs and let sit until absorbed. Flour again.
Fry meatballs in oil on medium heat until cooked through – about 5-8 minutes each side. Or place in a muffin tin with oil and roast for 20 minutes at 375*, turning once.
Keep meatballs warm while you make sauce and sides.
For optional sauce, melt 1/4 cup butter and add equal amount of flour and whisk until paste. Do not allow it to brown. Add a splash of sherry, 1/2 cup chicken stock, juice of one lemon. Add rosemary, garlic, salt, pepper. Whisk and simmer until thick. Strain. Serve sauce with meatballs and noodles. We like steamed broccoli too.

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Lamb Stew

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March 10, 2020 By Jennifer Lambert Leave a Comment

I love lamb, but it’s pretty expensive in the USA, so my kids get very excited when I find it on sale.

We often make the lamb stew with leftover roast lamb from Easter dinner or “on sale” fresh chopped lamb.

This stew can be made two ways and both are rich and full.

My kids prefer the stew with Guinness instead of red wine. It makes the gravy less sweet.

It’s like most stews – onions, carrots, and potatoes. You can add celery root, turnips, parsnips, rutabagas, or other savory veg.

I dredge the lamb in raw sugar, seasonings like rosemary, and flour. Then I sear it in fat.

I add the beer or wine and beef stock, some Worcestershire, and bring to a boil to make gravy. Then I slow cook for about six hours.

I love my slow cooker so I can fix it and forget it, but the house smells so amazing all day long!

I often add some peas at the very end or as a side dish.

We like to serve this with fresh bread machine soda bread.

Lamb Stew

Course Main Course

Ingredients

1 lb lamb, cubed
1-2 T sugar
2-3 T flour
2 T olive oil
2 T butter
1 bottle dark beer or 1 cup dry red wine
1 box beef stock or about 3 cups
1 T Worcestershire sauce
1-2 t salt
1-2 t dried thyme
1/2 t coarse black pepper
1 small onion diced, chopped, sliced – however you like it
2-3 carrots peeled and sliced
1 lb small red potatoes
1 T parsley chopped, fresh for garnish

Instructions

Sprinkle lamb with sugar and dredge in flour.
Sear lamb in olive oil. Remove to a plate to make roux.
Add butter to remaining oil and more flour if needed to make a roux.
Add beer or wine and scrape pot. Add beef stock and bring to boil.
Return lamb, spices, and vegetables to pot.
Simmer on low for about two hours or set slow cooker to low 4-6 hours.
If gravy is too thin, add some water thickened with cornstarch. Sprinkle with fresh parsley.
Serve hot stew with soda bread and salad.

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I’ve never liked corned beef and it’s not traditionally served on St. Patrick’s Day in Ireland. It’s more of a New England immigrant food.

Some other fun traditional Irish recipes:

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Soda Bread

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March 9, 2020 By Jennifer Lambert 8 Comments

Sometimes, I just want a very simple bread that doesn’t take all day to make.

Soda bread is versatile, delicious, and quick in the bread machine.

The sides and bottom of the loaf are crispy and firm. The top steamed a bit. The middle is soft and crumbly.

We prefer our soda bread without fruit, seeds, or nuts. It’s delicious either way, I’m sure.

We serve this with soups, for snacks, for breakfasts. It goes great with our lamb stew!

My bread machine completes this quick bread cycle in about 1.5 hours.

Soda bread isn’t just for Saint Patrick’s Day!

5 from 2 votes

Soda Bread

Ingredients

1/2 c water
1 c buttermilk +2T
2 eggs, slightly beaten
2 T unsalted butter
2 T molasses
1 c whole wheat flour
2 c bread or cake flour
1/2 t baking soda
1 1/2 t kosher or sea salt
2 t yeast
2 t caraway seeds optional
1 c currants and/or raisins optional

Instructions

Place all ingredients in the bread machine in order – liquid ingredients at the bottom and dry ingredients on top. I like to put the yeast in last, making a little divet in the center of the flour.
Set bread machine to "Quick" cycle. Go live your life for a couple hours.
When the bread machine beeps, you can add seeds and fruit to the cycle if using.
Allow bread to set for 10 minutes before removing it from the bread machine. It'll steam a bit and be softer.
Serve sliced warm with salted Irish butter and/or jam.

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Some other fun traditional Irish recipes:

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Favorite Soups

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January 31, 2020 By Jennifer Lambert 18 Comments

Winter is the perfect time for warm and filling soups.

January is National Soup Month!

These recipes are great for busy weeknights or using up leftovers.

With a salad and homemade bread, these soups are perfect on cold and dreary winter evenings.

They freeze beautifully and are welcome staples at potlucks. They’re great for lunches the next day too!

Our favorite soups:

What’s your favorite soup?

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Cockaleekie Soup

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January 31, 2020 By Jennifer Lambert 1 Comment

A quick and easy meal for weeknights is cockaleekie or chicken and leek soup.

Leeks are typically a spring vegetable. They’re lighter and sweeter than onions.

They look like giant green onions or chives.

I love having leftover chicken in the freezer and chicken stock on hand for easy meals like this one.

I chop up celery and carrots. I clean and slice up the leeks.

Sauteed in butter or oil, they smell heavenly.

I add herbs, black pepper, chicken stock, and chopped cooked chicken.

It’s ready in fewer than 30 minutes!

With a salad and some 1-hour bread machine soda bread, it’s a hearty meal for a cold night.

Cockaleekie Soup

Course Soup

Ingredients

1 c sliced leeks
1 carrot, peeled and sliced
1 stalk celery, diced
1-2 T butter, oil, or bacon grease
1-2 T white wine or sherry
3 c chicken stock
1 c cooked chicken
1 T black pepper
1 T thyme leaves
1 c cooked brown rice

Instructions

Saute vegetables in fat for about 5 minutes. Splash with wine.
Add stock and chicken. Heat to boiling.
Add seasoning and rice. Serve warm with soda bread.

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Cheesy Potato Soup

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January 30, 2020 By Jennifer Lambert Leave a Comment

Potato soup is a family favorite.

We typically have two kinds of potato soup: creamy or chunky cheesy.

Sautéing up a mirepoix, making a roux, and adding parcooked potatoes is super easy.

I often use leftover potatoes. If not, I boil them separately while I saute up the veggies and make the roux, then the cheese sauce.

I add in the potatoes and make some yummy toppings and it’s like a loaded baked potato in a bowl.

Look at gorgeous this creamy cheesy soup looks!

Cheesy Potato Soup

Course Soup

Ingredients

5 medium potatoes, peeled and parcooked
1-2 stalks celery, minced
1/2 onion, diced
1/4 c butter
1/4 c AP flour
3 c half and half
3 c chicken stock
16 oz Velveeta, cubed
1-2 t garlic powder
salt and white pepper
4 strips bacon, chopped and fried crisp for topping
1 c shredded Colby Jack or Cheddar for topping
1/4 c chopped parsley for topping
1/4 c chopped chives and/or green onions for topping

Instructions

Boil peeled and chopped potatoes if not already cooked.
Saute celery and onion in butter for a few minutes.
Sprinkle with flour and add the chicken stock and bring to boil. Add half and half and turn down heat to make a thick sauce. Do not boil.
Add potatoes to soup.
Add cubed Velveeta until melted and creamy. Do not boil.
Season with garlic, salt, and pepper.
Ladle into bowls and toppings. Enjoy!

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