Nonkitandoone

It’s the first week of school around here, and we are coming up from two weeks getting acquainted with daycare and the germs associated with that.  Fun times.  While all that has been happening, we haven’t managed much cooking.  Although, I did make a big batch of Pioneer Woman’s Grilled Veggie Burritos last weekend and that lasted us through the early part of the week.  Yummy! Now that school is here, I depend even more on our weekly menu to make things happen in the food department.  Since our little one is now eating solid foods (thank you, baby-led weaning), I also have to be intentional about planning sides that she can eat on her own.  So, here’s our menu: Breakfasts Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes Blueberry Banana Bread Baked Oatmeal Light Hawaiian Banana Bread Eggs and Toast Granola with fresh berries Sunday Zucchini, Ham and Rice Bake {new}, roasted vegetables To do: 2x veggies, clean green beans, make banana bread, thaw casserole Monday Unst...

Here’s an easy and healthy back-to-school snack! Crunchy Yellow Pea Poppers Ingredients 1 C yellow split peas water 1 T olive oil or butter salt and pepper, or other seasonings as desired Directions Begin by placing the split peas in a large bowl and covering them with cool water. You’ll want them to be covered by at least 1 inch of water. Allow the peas to sit, hydrating, for 4 hours.  Then, rinse and drain.  Pat the peas dry with a tea towel and then warm a skillet over medium heat.  Add the butter or olive oil and then, add the peas about 1/3 of them at a time, to the skillet.  Season with salt and pepper and sauté over medium heat for 5-7 minutes until lightly browned and crunchy.  Repeat with the remaining peas.  Cool and store in an airtight container.  Enjoy!

This chicken is outstanding.  We loved the tang and crunch, but even more so, loved the sweet tomato relish on the top.  Oh my!  Buttermilk Chicken with Sweet Tomato Relish – Adapted from Your Home Based Mom Ingredients 4 chicken breasts, or 6-8 tenders 3/4 C buttermilk 1/2 C white whole wheat flour 1/2 tsp. sea salt 1/4 tsp. pepper 1/2 T butter 3 C tomatoes (cherry, roma, beefsteak, heirloom… whatever you have!) 2 T minced onion 2 T brown sugar 2 T white sugar Directions Soak the chicken in the buttermilk for 10-15 minutes.  If you have time to plan ahead, plan for 1-2 hours of marinade time in the fridge.  I forget these things, so I went with 15 minutes in the fridge.  Then, heat 1/2 T butter in a large skillet over medium heat until melted.  Mix the flour (1/2 C) and salt and pepper together in a medium bowl.  Dunk the chicken into the bowl and coat each piece in flour.  Place the coated chicken into the warm skillet...

This dinner is simple and easy, yet the flavors combination is outstanding.  The salad pairs perfectly well with a yummy grilled pork chop.  It’s fast and easy, but fancy enough to serve for company!  Grilled Pork with Corn & Zucchini Salad Ingredients 4 pork chops, boneless Montreal Steak Seasoning 1 medium zucchini, quartered 1 large cob of sweet corn 1 sweet Vidalia onion 1 C cherry tomatoes 1 T olive oil Salt and pepper, to taste Directions Begin by seasoning the pork chops with Montreal steak seasoning and placing them on a grill over medium heat.  Cook, flipping occasionally, until internal temperature of the pork reaches 170 degrees.  Meanwhile, cut the corn off the cob and toss with chopped onions, quartered zucchini and cherry tomatoes in 1 T olive oil.  Season with salt and pepper, as desired.  Arrange the veggies on a foil-lined grill pan (alternatively you could roast these at 450 in the oven for 30 minutes).  Pl...