Grilled Chicken and Veggie Kabobs

The little ones and I just returned this afternoon from a wonderful weekend along the Mississippi river. My parents have a little getaway place up there and go pretty much every weekend from April through mid October.  The hubby and oldest were in Chicago the last few days, so instead of them getting to have all the fun; we had some of our own.

The girls spent plenty of time fishing with papa. The weather was a little weird yesterday, overcast and sprinkling so we weren't able to make it out on the boat this time.

But they had plenty of fun running through the sprinkler instead, when it did finally warm up and the sun came out.

We also had lots of good food. Friday evening we tried grilling pizza for the first time. They turned out fabulous!

Last night we grilled kabobs for dinner.  We picked up a few veggies at the market Friday night, from the only produce vendor to be exact. That's how small this little town is. They turned out awesome though. I'm pretty lucky to have parents that are great cooks, each specializing in their own thing.

Kabobs are great for summer, you can make tons of variations. And whatever you should choose will work, for the most part. Potatoes are really one of the only  veggies I wouldn't recommend grilling. They take much longer to cook through compared to everything else. Other than that, anything else should be fair game!

We stuck with a simple seasoning mix of Lawry's and black pepper. Feel free to marinate your meat in Italian dressing or your own fave mixture. I really enjoy the flavor of fresh, seasonal veggies and like to let them shine through. They're my favorite addition to the kabob!

Grilled Chicken and Veggie Kabobs

Ingredients:
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1  medium zucchini
1 medium summer squash
1 bell pepper
1 pint cherry tomatoes
fresh, chopped pineapple
Lawry's seasoning and black pepper

Directions:
Using kitchen shears, cut chicken into small cubes. Season with Lawry's and pepper and set aside.

Chop all veggies, besides tomatoes into medium size chunks. You'll want squash to be somewhat thick.

Using metal skewers, thread chicken and veggies/fruit on, making sure to alternate veggies. Season veggies if desired.

Grill for about 17-20 minutes, until chicken is cooked through. Remove from grill and serve with favorite side dishes, Makes enough for 8 kabobs.


Here are a couple salads we served up with our meal, they're always a favorite in our family:

Mom's asian coleslaw
Broccoli salad

Chicken Bacon Ranch Quesadilla

We love quesadillas in our house, they're quick, easy and so versatile. Heck, you can even make them for breakfast. It's also a great way to get in some extra veggies!

I've been thinking of this particular combination for awhile so it was about time to give it a whirl. Everyone was able to help assemble their own, picking and choosing their fillings. They turned out great; ultimately I went with a pepper jack cheese, spinach, bell pepper,  chicken and bacon filling. All topped with fresh tomato and served up with a little ranch and salsa. It was certainly delicious!

I'll list all the necessary ingredients below but honestly, no specific measurements are needed. Feel free to make them your own!

Chicken Bacon Ranch Quesadilla

Ingredients:
2 cups shredded, cooked chicken
6 slices cooked bacon
fresh spinach
diced bell pepper
diced tomato
grated pepper jack cheese (or cheddar)
Flour tortilla shells
ranch dressing, for serving
salsa, for serving

Directions:
Heat a medium size skillet over medium heat. Lay one tortilla in bottom of skillet.  Layer chicken, crumbled bacon, spinach, pepper and cheese onto tortilla. Top with one more tortilla.

Let cook for a couple minutes, just until lightly browned and flip over to brown the other side. Remove from skillet and repeat with remaining ingredients.

Cut into triangles using a pizza cutter. Add diced tomato on top. Serve with ranch and salsa if desired.

Egg Salad

These are the days of late night baseball games or whatever other activity you have on the calendar.  I remember many nights packing simple meals of sandwiches, chips and fruit to take with us to the ball diamonds.

Then there's also those extremely hot evenings when nothing remotely warm sounds good. Sandwiches like egg salad will do the trick. Simple, yet filling, and they pack well if you're on the go.

I like a little crunch in mine, so I make sure to dice up celery and dill pickle. And if you're not feeling like a sandwich, serve this mixture along with crackers such as Triscuits.

Egg Salad

Ingredients:
6 hard boiled eggs
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 celery stalk, diced
1 dill pickle spear, diced
Pinch of salt and black pepper
fresh dill

Directions:
Peel and chop eggs. Add to a small bowl. Mix in remaining ingredients, stir to combine.

Chill in fridge until ready to serve. Spoon over choice of bread or serve with crackers. Makes 4 sandwiches.

Chicken Parmesan Bake

It's been a busy week in our house, mainly just for myself. Summer school started this week, it's been good to be back in more of a routine and see some of our preschool kiddos. I'm also finishing up my last couple weeks of a class I'm taking, so some days I have felt overwhelmed by everything on my to-do list. Thankfully I have the weekend to look forward to. The little ones and myself are heading up to my parent's cabin on the river while the hubby and oldest are in Chicago for a youth bowling tournament. We're looking forward to relaxing on the boat, doing a little fishing and just getting away!

Last night I was planning to be gone, so instead of leaving the hubby with scrounging up dinner by himself, I was nice and made a nice casserole for him and the girls to enjoy. Our weather here in Iowa has been very mild lately. We haven't needed the air conditioner running and the evenings have been almost chilly. That's why I didn't feel bad about turning the oven on and making a comforting casserole.

Chicken Parmesan isn't a dish we typically make too often, but it's certainly delicious. I love throwing everything together in a pan for the sake of simplicity. The crunchy panko crumbs on top along with fresh basil from the garden make for an awesome finish.

You'll love the minimal prep work in this dish also. The chicken and pasta cook while baking in the oven, nothing needs to be prepared ahead of time. How awesome is that?! So while you're left waiting for the casserole to bake, you can take a moment to relax after your long day. You deserve it!

Chicken Parmesan Bake

Ingredients:
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into small pieces
12 oz. cavatappi pasta {or any shape}
1/2 tsp both black pepper and salt
1 tbsp Italian seasoning
24 oz. spaghetti sauce
2 cups chicken broth
8 oz. mozzarella cheese, grated
1 cup panko crumbs
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
small handful fresh basil, chopped

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly oil a 9x13 inch baking dish and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine together chicken pieces, uncooked pasta, seasonings, spaghetti sauce and chicken broth. Dump all into the prepared baking dish. Cover with foil and bake in oven for 45 minutes.

Remove from oven, stir pasta and chicken. Top with mozzarella cheese. In a small bowl, mix together panko crumbs, shredded Parmesan cheese and chopped basil. Sprinkle topping over pasta. Return to oven for 15 more minutes, just until cheese is melted and topping is browned.

Remove from oven, let cool for a few minutes and then serve.

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

Pulled pork is one of my favorite meals. It's one I like to make at home and also order from a restaurant when we get the chance to go out. During the winter when I am looking to warm up the house, and have several hours where we'll be at home; I don't mind cooking in the dutch oven. But for the summer and busy evenings, the crock pot it is.

This is the absolute perfect meal for days when you are gone for a long time. The longer you can slow cook the meat, the better. Ten hours and it's so tender.

I generally prepare my pork with a few seasonings and that's it. Liquid is not necessary, because as it cooks there will be plenty of juices from the meat. Not everyone likes barbecue sauce, so I like to mix that in separately as we're preparing sandwiches.  Plus if there's leftovers,  and there almost always are, you have more versatility with plain meat.

And of course, these are perfect for feeding a crowd. That family reunion coming up, go ahead and add pulled pork to your menu. It's a definite crowd pleaser!

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

Ingredients:
2-3 lbs. pork roast
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp Lawry's seasoning salt
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp thyme

Directions:
Place pork roast in slow cooker. Sprinkle all seasonings over top of meat. Cover with lid and let cook on low for 8-10 hours.

When ready to serve, remove pork from slow cooker and set on a large plate or platter. Shred using two forks.  Serve with desired sauces on buns.

Shrimp and Veggie Skillet

I happen to love seafood, obviously living in the Midwest we don't have access to the freshest varieties but that's where our freezer aisles at the store come in handy. Shrimp is one that I will purchase the most often and probably my favorite. I've finally gotten the hubby and oldest liking it, but still working on the youngest two.

Now papa's breaded fish, that's a different story. They'll eat that right up. But who doesn't love a good fish fry?

For a simple meal, I combined some thawed shrimp with a few of our favorite summer vegetables.  It was light and the perfect combination. You can add some linguine or even rice for something a little more filling. Or just round out your meal with a salad and some fruit for good measure.

As for the seasoning, I like using the Spike brand of an all-purpose blend. If you don't have anything like that on hand, feel free to combine your own favorite herbs. Black pepper, basil, dill, thyme, paprika or oregano are all great options.


Shrimp and Veggie Skillet

Ingredients:
8 oz. shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 tbsp olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 medium zucchini, chopped
1 medium summer squash, chopped
1 small bunch asparagus, cut into small pieces
1 tbsp all-purpose seasoning, such as Spike
cooked pasta or rice to serve with, if desired

Directions:
In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add in garlic and let cook for one minute. Toss in chopped veggies along with seasoning. Let cook for five minutes, until veggies start to soften.

Add in shrimp and let cook for another 4-5 minutes. Serve immediately as is, or with pasta for a more hearty meal.

Spaghetti w/simple Tomato Sauce

We probably make spaghetti in our house one-two times each month. It's quick and something that everyone will willingly eat. But it's generally topped with a hearty meat sauce, a little too heavy sometimes for summer.

I've got a good veggie filled freezer sauce I love, but not necessarily everyone else. Dare I say I think this one is even better?

It's true, I have fallen in love with this sauce and just how easy it is. I expect to be incorporating this meal into our menu plan until the very last of our tomatoes!

You can use any sort of tomatoes you have on hand, I do like cherry or grape for this recipe but of course I'll most likely be experimenting with bigger ones when they're ready in the garden. Also make sure to reserve one half cup of pasta water as you're cooking, it's the perfect finish to this sauce.


Spaghetti w/simple Tomato Sauce

Ingredients:
8 oz. spaghetti
1 tbsp olive oil
sea salt
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
handful of chopped fresh basil
1/2 cup pasta water

Directions:
Prepare pasta according to package instructions. Be sure to reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water after finished cooking.

While pasta is cooking, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic in and let cook for one minute. Add in tomatoes and let cook for about five more minutes. Then add in reserved pasta water, let cook for another 3 minutes until sauce is slightly reduced.

Remove from heat and stir in cheese, red pepper flakes and basil. Taste sauce and season with additional salt or black pepper if needed. Once pasta is done and drained, add that in and toss all ingredients together using tongs.

Serve pasta with a nice salad and crusty bread.