Tantalize your family’s taste buds with this one-pot culinary delight. Cheese, chicken, and pasta make this dish hearty and satisfying, while the spices, tomatoes, and mushrooms balance out the dish’s nutritional needs. Ceri Marsh from Sweet Potato Chronicles gives the details on recreating this simple meal.
Ingredients for One Pot Tomato Chicken:
1 Tbsp olive oil
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cubed
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups mushrooms, sliced
1 Tbsp fresh Thyme
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup chicken stock (or 1 cup of stock if you don’t have or feel like using wine)
1 x 28 oz can of whole tomatoes
1 cup water
225 grams of dried pasta
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup mozzarella
Method:
1. Warm up your olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Brown the chicken, you may need to work in batches. If you overcrowd the pan you’re going to boil the meat and that’s not what you want! Once all the meat is nicely browned (but don’t worry about it being cooked through), add the garlic and give it all a stir.
2. Now add the thyme and mushrooms and let them soften up and kick off their juices. Now add the wine and/or stock, water, and tomatoes. Break the tomatoes up with the back of a wooden spoon.
3. Bring the sauce to a bubbly simmer and add your pasta. As the pasta softens up in the heat, push it under the liquid. Depending on which pasta you’re using it will take about 15 to 20 minutes—it will be longer than if you were just straight up boiling the pasta in water. Give it a taste now so you know how much salt and pepper to add. Remove from the heat.
4. Top with a big handful of mozzarella and allow that to melt as you bring your yummy dinner to the table. After dinner, get someone else to wash that one pot!
Sweet Potato Chronicles focuses on children’s health and nutrition and is co-founded by fashion editors Laura Keogh and Ceri Marsh. Their site cuts through the clutter and provides parents with the most important information on cooking for kids. For more healthy eats and family fare, head on over and follow Sweet Potato Chronicles!
We couldn’t resist this simple Tomato Basil Pasta recipe from Apron Strings—it’s literally made in one pot! Even better, it’s got tons of healthy veggies, making sure your little ones get the nutrition they need. Sounds like a dinner winner. For even more easy dinner ideas, check out our collection of 30-minute meals.
Tomato Basil Pasta Recipe Ingredients:
12 ounces linguine pasta
1 can (15 ounces) diced tomatoes with liquid
1 large sweet onion, cut in julienne strips
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves
2 large sprigs basil, chopped
4 1/2 cups vegetable broth (regular broth, not low sodium)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Parmesan cheese for garnish
Cooking Method:
1. Place pasta, tomatoes, onion, garlic, and basil in a large stock pot. Pour in vegetable broth. Sprinkle on top of the pepper flakes and oregano. Drizzle top with olive oil.
2. Cover the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce to a low simmer, keep covered, and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes or so. Cook until almost all liquid has evaporated – leave about an inch of liquid in the bottom of the pot–but you can reduce as desired.
3. Season to taste with salt and pepper, stirring pasta several times to distribute the liquid in the bottom of the pot. Serve garnished with parmesan cheese.
Take advantage of the seasonal fresh tomatoes and basil with this easy recipe from Leah’s Thoughts that encourages you to toss any ingredients you have in the fridge. We suggest adding veggies or chicken to this tomato basil pasta recipe to make it a little heartier.
Ingredients for Tomato Basil Pasta Recipe:
Olive oil, roughly 1/4 cup
Fresh tomatoes, roughly 2 cups, chopped
Fresh basil, roughly 1/2 cup, chopped
Fresh garlic, roughly 2 tablespoons, chopped
Salt and pepper
Cheese (Parmesan or fresh mozzarella if you’ve got it)
Pasta (whatever you want, though Penne works well)
Method:
1. Cook your choice of pasta according to the directions on the package and set aside.
2. Heat olive oil (roughly 1/4 a cup) in a large pan over medium heat.
3. Add the chopped tomatoes, simmer for a few minutes, then add the garlic, salt and pepper.
4. Let the sauce simmer until tasty (try it). Then add the fresh basil, and pasta and top with your choice of cheese.
Leah Singer is a freelance writer and a practicing speechwriter. She shares many family-friendly recipes, as well as stories of motherhood, craft ideas, writing, and other such topics at Leah’s Thoughts. Read more about Leah at: leahsthoughts.com.
There are few things more comforting that a warm meal on a chilly day, but why not up that feeling in a big way? Campbell’s has partnered with CAMP and announced two limited-edition scented candles, Tomato Soup & Grilled Cheese and Chicken Noodle Soup, that will take you straight to cozy town.
Starting today, visit Camp.com/Campbells or CAMP stores in New York, New Jersey, Dallas and Connecticut to snag a limited-edition candle. Not only that, you’ll get access to a free Winter Warmup Guide that’s packed with activities for parents and kids to do together.
So what exactly do the candles smell like?
The Tomato Soup & Grilled Cheese candle boasts notes of roasted tomato, peppercorn and grilled cheese (is anyone else suddenly hungry?). The Chicken Noodle Soup candle is made up of notes of savory chicken, cloves and buttery crackers.
And bonus! Once the candles have fully burned, kids will find a miniature Snowbuddy to keep!
The candles also embrace the classic Campbell’s soup can design the world has come to know and love and take inspiration from the 2020 Snowbuddy commercial. Each one retails for $24 while supplies last, with ten percent of net proceeds helping to benefit Feeding America.
Ready for the ultimate Turkey Dog? It’s not a hot dog made with turkey, it’s a turkey with hot dog flavors! If you’re undoubtedly curious, we have the scoop on the recipes below.
Why settle for the same old boring turkey on Thanksgiving when your bird could turn into a dog? Reynolds Wrap has come up with three new styles of turkey that are inspired by hot dog styles and toppings. And yes, they involve ketchup, mustard, pickles and chili cheese:
The Chicago-Style Turkey Dog is rubbed with celery salt and ground mustard, then glazed in yellow mustard. The finished masterpiece is served over pickle spears, chopped onions, sport peppers and tomato slices.
The New York-Style Turkey Dog has a zesty onion powder rub and a bright-red ketchup glaze. It’s topped with sauerkraut, homemade onion sauce and spicy brown mustard.
The Chili Cheese Turkey Dog doesn’t have actual chili on it, but it’s coated in a chili powder rub. Once out of the oven, it’s topped with shredded cheese, onions and sliced jalapenos.
You can get the full instructions online as you prep for Turkey Day next week. Your kids will likely be excited at the prospect of a hot dog-flavored turkey, but it’s certainly unconventional. If you’re looking for something a bit more traditional, check out our list of 100+ recipes to get you ready for Thanksgiving!
Greek food is one of the most family-friendly cuisines from around the globe. Often light but filling, traditional recipes for Greek food involve flaky dough, meat and lots of citrusy lemon. If you’ve been trying to find new ways to mix up dinner, keep reading for simple kid-friendly Greek food recipes everyone will enjoy.
Before you can go any further, you have to have a good Greek Tzatziki recipe in your repertoire! This easy recipe from Jo Cooks involves everything you need to get that bright, refreshing flavor, and pairs with everything from pita to gyros.
Make that quick switch away from french fries with this zesty recipe from Super Golden Bakes. Greek lemon potatoes are light and crispy, made in a casserole dish on the stove and will quickly become a kid-friendly side.
You can skip the lettuce when preparing a traditional Greek salad. Instead, authentic versions load up on fresh, large cut veggies, kalamata olives, a huge chunk of feta and olive oil. We love the easy version over at Gimme Some Oven that's so simple, the kids can help out, too.
Lamb is a main feature in Greek cooking and these meatballs make the introduction to your kids a breeze. Kay Nutrition whips up her version with red onion and lots of other household spices, then serves with a refreshing side of tzatziki.
Skip the frozen spanakopita and make your own! This veggie-stuffed appetizer dish is actually not that difficult to make. With this recipe from Feel Good Foodie, you'll be whipping up this flaky, spinach-y snack in no time.
Move over french fries, Greek Potato Balls have arrived. This recipe from My Greek Dish turns potatoes, cheese and herbs into fluffy fried balls that you won't be able to stop eating.
A great way to hide those veggies, Greek Baked Orzo packs in the goodness easily. Pinch of Yum's recipe includes tasty food like kale, tomatoes, orzo and of course, feta cheese!
Greek chicken souvlaki can easily become a dinner staple. The kebab-style meal uses ingredients like lemon, yogurt and olive oil to marinate the chicken, then grill to get that perfectly-charred flavor. Check out Rasa Malaysia's recipe for a simple start to souvlaki.
Greek zucchini fritters are so good, you'll want to pass up American fried zucchini forever. Fried into either balls or a latke shape, Gitanjali Roche's recipe incorporates zucchini, feta and other fresh herbs that make this dish irresistible.
Greece's most popular pie is the Tiropita, or feta cheese pie. It's similar to spanakopita, but without the spinach. To get started on this flaky dish, check out Olive Tomato's recipe that will have you rolling out phyllo stat.
No Greek meal is complete without a slice of baklava. And while the layered dessert may seem difficult, it actually requires just a few ingredients and a little patience. Kids will love the sweet flavor and counting all those layers. Check out Spatula Desserts to see how easy it is!
Getting kids involved in growing their own fruits and vegetables is one of the best ways to also get them to EAT those fruits and vegetables! But convincing kids that gardening isn’t just a chore you’re forcing them to do is another challenge entirely. One of the key strategies you can use to get kids excited about growing their own produce is choosing ones that will capture their attention.
There are four criteria you can use to help your kids choose fruits and vegetables that get them excited:
1. Quick Reward: Focus on produce that grow fairly quickly and will be ready to pick sooner rather than later
2. Kid-Friendly Picking: Focus on food that kids can pick and eat right off the plant, without too much work
3. Yummy Flavor: Choose fruits and veggies that your kids actually like to eat, or might learn to enjoy without too much fuss
4. Unique or Unusual Appearances: Choose produce that look so freaky or funny your kids can’t help but be curious
Another key to choosing which plant to grow—let them be a part of it! The more ownership your child feels over the process of picking and planting produce, the more likely they are to get invested. This is where resisting the urge to correct them or steer their decisions is going to be key. Give them some guidelines about how much space they have, how many plants will fit, and how much money they are allowed to spend. If it helps, give them some choices based on our guidance by telling them a bit about their options.
Great Produce Choices for Kids:
Cucumbers: First, cucumber seeds are recognizable right away because they look exactly like, well, cucumber seeds. Your kid will get a kick out of the fact that they recognize these seeds from when they are eating cucumbers. In addition, cucumbers are one of the fastest seeds to sprout, and they come up with determination. I am always pleasantly surprised to plant cucumbers and come back to seedlings popping up within just a few days. And lastly, cucumbers are often a favorite in kids’ vegetable choices. Consider a small snacking variety that will be ready sooner, and allows your kids to simply pick them off the vine and eat them like apples. They’ll feel like they’re doing something sneaky!
Cherry Tomatoes: There is no better vegetable to grow for snacking right off the vine than cherry tomatoes. The fun thing about this veggie is that they come in way more varieties than you’ll see at a grocery store. And, if you buy a cherry tomato seedling it will be one of the first tomato plants to produce edible fruit. Try a fun sweet variety like Sungold, or go for something dramatic like black cherry. Allow kids to plan their own cherry tomato, choose a cage to support it, and—when ready—eat to their heart’s content without making them collect or save them.
Watermelon: A little bit harder to grow because they need more space, watermelon is still a fun option to try because it makes for a more dramatic result. For quicker satisfaction go for a mini watermelon variety that will be ready a bit sooner, and buy a nice healthy start so that they aren’t waiting for something to start from seed. For best results, look for something seedless or with minimal seeds so that kids aren’t frustrated with seedy flesh. For something a bit more fun and unusual, go for the cucamelon—a fruit that looks like a tiny watermelon and tastes like a cucumber with a hint of lime. They’re tiny bite-sized fruit that kids can pop in their mouths and enjoy while walking through the garden.
Yard Long Beans: In the category of fun and unusual nothing quite beats the yard-long green bean. They grow on vines that will crawl up a trellis and, when ready, can be up to 12 inches long. Cook them without cutting them so kids can eat them with their fingers and have a little playtime at the dinner table! For added fun, plant any type of green bean on a vertical bean tower—you can literally grow the walls of a fort for the kids to play in!
Decorative Gourds: Another fun one in the looks category are decorative gourds. Basically, like a little pumpkin or squash that has all sorts of bumps and warts, these gourds aren’t usually edible but they are a fun addition to the garden and can be used to decorate at Halloween or Thanksgiving. There are a ton of varieties, or mixed blends of seeds to add diversity to the results.
No matter what you grow, the important thing is to give your child a section of the garden, let them make some choices and gently guide them toward success. Remind them to water and weed when needed so that they don’t lose their veggies entirely, but try not to do it for them.
Carrie Williams Howe is the Executive Director of an educational non-profit by day, and parent, writer, and aspiring homesteader by night and weekend. She lives in Williston, VT with her husband, two young children, and a rambunctious border collie. Carrie writes about family, food, parenting, and homesteading.
Calling all taco lovers! If your mini me loves whipping up play creations, then they’ll love this absolutely adorable Fill & Fold Taco and Tortilla Set from Melissa and Doug.
The taco-tastic kit comes with everything kiddos need to host their own Taco Tuesday. Use the skillet, knife and wooden spoon to cook up chicken, shrimp, beef, tomato, onion, avocado, pepper, shredded cheese, pinto beans and crema before topping off with hot sauce!
photo: Courtesy of Melissa & Doug
The set comes with a foldable tortilla, hard-shelled taco and menu cards so your chef can craft fajitas, burritos or tacos to order. The set is for kids three and older and even comes with a hinged container for easy storage.
Pool parties, BBQ’s, reunions, oh my! There are plenty of gatherings that hopefully await us all this summer.
To celebrate, Lay’s is releasing three new limited edition flavors that will be available this week. Get ready for Chile Mango, Wavy Jerk Chicken and Summer BLT!
photo: Courtesy of Lay’s
When it comes to flavors, Lay’s has outdone itself this time. The Chile Mango contains mango and chili peppers, the Wavy Jerk Chicken is made with traditional spicy, sweet and smoky jerk flavor and Summer BLT tastes like sinking your teeth into lettuce, tomato and bacon.
To jump start the warm weather fun, you can join in on Frito-Lay’s “Let’s Summer” campaign. Head to chipsnsips.com for the chance to win summer-themed prizes that include a telescope, outdoor pop-up cinema screen, theater projector and more.
Shop these limited edition flavors at retailers nationwide for $3.79 until supplies last.
Your hungry little sidekick is known to belt out Old MacDonald during dinner. Hey, in terms of bringing farm to table, it’s a start. Take things a big step further by signing up for one of our favorite Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) programs. Some these programs will deliver a CSA box to your doorstep, too.
Benefits of a CSA Not all of us have the green space, or the thumb, to grow our own healthy harvest. That's where these food delivery services come in. CSAs connect their members straight to farmers, who offer a prime array of local, organic ingredients that are often plucked from the field just hours before you lay hands (and teeth) on them. Shares (which come in the form of boxed veggies, fruits and eggs) can be delivered to your door or picked up at a nearby location.
New to CSAs? Dip your toe into the CSA pond by trying a half share, which arrives every other week or contains a smaller amount of goods, depending on the farm. As a guideline, a full share typically feeds two people on a vegetarian diet or four people on a mixed diet.
The Chicago area has plenty of CSA options. As of press time, these favorites still had openings, but all CSAs tend to fill up faster than you can say "E-I-E-I-O."
Angelic Organics
Angelic Organics
One of the largest CSAs in the U.S. was one of Chicago’s first when it began in 1991. Two years later this farming community adopted a biodynamic philosophy — a holistic mindset that emphasizes the interrelationships of soil, plants and animals as a self-sustaining system. Founder Farmer John is the subject of the award-winning film, The Real Dirt on Farmer John, which follows his personal journey through the farm debt crisis of the 1980s, which temporarily shut down operations, to the creation of Angelic Organics. Farmer John was inspired to create a CSA program because he believed it brought farming back to its roots, when farmers had a direct relationship with the people that ate the food.
Via the CSAware Platform, you can customize your shares or let Angelic Organics pick your shares.
Cost Customized shares are available as either 20 weekly or 10 bi-weekly (every other week), from early June through late October, at $40/box. You can also add a 10-week fruit share for an additional $50/box.
Extras Farmer John created Angelic Organics Learning Center as a way to help educate and mentor others with dreams of farming and provide fun learning experiences for the public. It offers day camps for kids where they help care for baby goats, tend to farm animals by brushing the horses or gathering eggs and learn about farming through fun games. Check the schedule for fun family days.
This is Chicago’s first and only USDA-certified organic, high-production urban farm. Farmers are motivated by their belief that organic agriculture can serve as a vehicle for job training, employment and community development, especially for those motivated to re-enter the workforce and rebuild their lives after incarceration, homelessness or substance dependence. Through these farms, they provide transitional employment, skills training and interpersonal development to their participants and are an invaluable resource to the local families they serve.
Pickup Green City Market, 1790 N. Clark St., Saturdays, 7 a.m.-1 p.m. Logan Square, Logan Square Blvd between Milwaukee and Whipple, Sundays, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Wood Street Urban Farm, 5814 S. Wood St., Thursdays, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Iman's Fresh Beats & Eats, 2744 W. 63rd St., Fridays, 2 p.m.-6 p.m.
Certified organic with a zero-carbon footprint, Tomato Mountain feeds Chicago via their home delivery subscription box filled with fresh produce grown at their farm in Brooklyn, WI. What you receive in your box varies by the season, and you can add various a la carte produce, dairy and pantry items sourced from local farmers to your weekly box. You'll receive a list of what to expect the weekend before your upcoming delivery.
Their year is 43 weeks long and they deliver weekly in the spring, summer and fall and bi-weekly in the winter.
Pickup They deliver! The day of the week you receive your box varies by the delivery zone in which you reside.
Cost There are several options for membership, including monthly, seasonal and annual. You can also vary the size of your box: solo, small, medium and large.
Fresh Picks' mission is to get nutrient-rich food grown in the local community into Chicago households. For them, their work isn't just about promoting the health of our bodies, it's about supporting the local community in creating new jobs and breathing new life into rural communities.
Family can choose what's best for them from a full selection of locally sourced fruit, vegetables, eggs, grass-fed meats and baked goods with zero stipulations in order size, money spent or frequency.
Pickup Your selections are mailed directly to your home.
Cost You manage the cost based on your family's needs and budget.
Patchwork has not updated their information for the 2021 season, so keep an eye on their website. Below is information from the 2020 CSA season for reference.
Patchwork Farms is a bit unique in the world of CSAs as they remediate vacant land in economically deprived and environmentally distressed neighborhoods on Chicago's south and west sides, providing space for outdoor gatherings, native pollinator habitat and food crops. This allows them to improve accessibility of healthy food for their neighbors. Along with their extensive variety of veggies, they produce eggs, medicinal herbs, preserved foods, honey, cut flowers, and a run a compost drop-off program.
Pickup Members pick up their veggies at the Humboldt Park plot (2825 W. Chicago Ave.) or The Plant (1400 W. 46th St.). Pickups are Sat., Thurs., or Wed., but you are asked to commit to one of those pickup days for the entire season.
Cost Their 50-member CSA runs on a sliding scale, with a suggested price range of $135-$225 for the 9-week spring season, May. 13-Jul. 8 and $320-$560 for the 16-week summer season, Jul. 15-Oct. 31. They also have an unlimited CSA option where members have unlimited access to produce from May-Thanksgiving, which runs $1,500.
The Urban Canopy is a local unified CSA, which means they partner with other family farms in order to provide you the most diverse box possible. Not only will you receive produce from their farm in Englewood, your box will include produce from other farms, beverages from their neighbor-brewers at The Plant, coffee from a neighboring roaster and breads from local bakers. You can also add pork, beef, chicken and extra eggs to your order.
Pickup Deliveries occur on Wednesdays and are available in zones that include Edgewater, Hyde Park, Lincoln Park, Logan Square, Loop, Portage Park, Rogers Park, Roscoe Village, Southwest and suburbs, West Side and Wicker Park.
Cost Distribution begins May 13 and you can select between 22 distributions for $1,056 or 11 distributions for $572.
