The end of the workday on Friday can be like a giant breathe of fresh air. You can’t help but suck it all in, and smile … because you have two days to relax and do something other than work. Today is like that for me.

But before I start my weekend, I wanted to pass along some new recipes from me that are appearing on Tablespoon and Betty Crocker. Enjoy!

When I made this Lemon Caper Tilapia last, Paige ate it so fast that I wasn’t sure that she didn’t have help … until she came begging for more. It’s really delicious.

Fresh, fast and easy. That’s what this Easy Bruschetta Chicken is. Perfect for a busy night’s dinner. Or whenever you don’t feel like cooking. Read the rest of this entry…

Paige and I made this today, talking about the simple ingredients that combine to make a grilled cheese sandwich. It’s a basic thing, but one of those things that everyone should be able to make. Even my 3-year-old … in theory (no, she isn’t allowed to use the stove – she’s just 3!). It wasn’t a special occasion … just something that we do.

The other day, a friend sent me a note saying that someday my kids will impress their friends with their extensive kitchen knowledge. She’d read a recent blog post and seen pictures of Paige cooking.

It really warmed my heart, especially since I hope that the lessons I teach them do stay with them forever. And I hope that someday they will come home craving something special that I make. What better compliment is there than to have someone yearn for something that you make? Read the rest of this entry…

It’s a cake! In a jar!

Desserts served in jars aren’t really something new. They’ve been long used by military families as a easy way to mail desserts to their family members overseas. Chefs in Chicago have done them (and elsewhere too, I’m sure). But I’ve just learned of them … and that you can actually bake in the jars you can in. I noticed several dessert recipes served in jars on Babble recently and was totally smitten.

Beyond being so adorably cute, I love that these desserts are served up in a single, totally controllable portion. There’s no threat of eating too much, which is awesome for those of us who try to watch what we eat. And the fact that you can look at the layers of the dessert through the glass is pretty cool too.

After thinking on desserts in jars a bit, I decided to try making a little cake with blueberries. This Blueberry Teacake in a Jar has a thick layer of lightly sweet teacake on top of blueberries. I use the frozen ones since they are so convenient and predictable, but you could use fresh as well. For a more tart blueberry layer, use wild blueberries.

See also Deep, Dark Chocolate Cake in a Jar.

Making this is pretty simple. You layer the blueberries on the bottom of the jars (the recipe makes enough for four half-pint jars), make a simple hand-stirred batter and then pour that on top.

Once they are all prepared, they go into the oven to bake for about 25 or 30 minutes. Let them cool a little before you serve them, since the glass gets hot.

Just before serving, you can top it with a swirl of whipped cream. I am absolutely addicted to Cabot’s Whipped Cream, which has only a few ingredients — and all ones that I recognize. No, they didn’t pay me to say that. I just really like it — especially when I don’t have time to make my own. But homemade whipped cream would be perfect too.

What do you think of desserts in jars?

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On Sunday, the kids and I started our day with sunnyside up eggs, toast and big bowls of homemade fruit cup. A little protein, a little grain, a lot of fruit. It was balanced.

Will’s lunch today was a roast beef and cheddar sandwich on multigrain, grape tomatoes and a no-sugar-added applesauce. He loved it, and it was balanced.

Do you see a theme here? Balance. I try to pack plenty of fruits and veggies into our days, along with moderate portions of protein, dairy and grains. And that’s my main defense to ensure that we get the right vitamins.

Today’s Eat. Live. Be. topic is vitamins and supplements. We’re supposed to share what we take, and why.

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Hungry to try something new this weekend? Try one of these delicious recipes, which I created for BettyCrocker.com and Tablespoon.com.

Peanut Butter and Jelly Crepes

Meatball Poppers
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The cabbage I grew up with was, like so many other vegetables, boiled. That rendered it translucent, shiny and limp, and it wasn’t a bad thing. I would salt it well, and eat as much as I could. Unlike other vegetables, I adore boiled cabbage. And for a long time, beyond making coleslaw, that was the only way I used cabbage.

But then, I discovered Jamie Oliver’s recipe for Braised Cabbage and I fell head over heels. It was a bit firmer than the cabbage I grew up with and so much more flavorful. I didn’t need to heavily salt it to drag out flavor, because it was already there. Front and center. That changed my whole perspective on cabbage.

So recently when I bought a cabbage, I knew I wanted to try a different preparation, something that would honor the cabbage, and develop its delicate sweetness. I remembered reading about someone roasting it and loving it, so I asked my Twitter buddies if anyone saw that recipe. Kalyn immediately sent her recipe — and that was the one.

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Everyone has their own quirky little stories about being kids, myself included. But one that always makes me smile has to do with food. When I was a really little girl, there was only one thing I wanted to eat when we’d occasionally get Burger King for lunch: a grilled cheese.

Yes, they actually made it. No, grilled cheese wasn’t on the menu. Yes, that was ridiculously picky of me. Basically, my grilled cheese at Burger King was a hamburger bun, turned inside out, and cooked with a slice of American cheese in the center. A cheeseburger, hold the burger, if you will.

Since it’s National Grilled Cheese Month, this seemed like the perfect time to share a fabulous grown-up grilled cheese recipe, made with a technique from that special grilled cheese of my childhood. Out is the plain roll in favor of an onion roll. Out is the American cheese, in favor of sharp white cheddar cheese. And in is a little ham.

Like that grilled cheese of my childhood, I sliced open the onion roll, flipped it inside out to make the sandwich. Then I cooked it like any other delicious grilled cheese. It was amazing … sweet bits of onion, sharp melted cheddar cheese and a little hearty, sweet ham.

It’s so simple, yet so good. And by using the onion roll, it’s as if I caramelized some onions to include in this too. Score!

So, tell me what childhood quirks you had?

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Last week, I asked on the Sarah’s Cucina Bella Facebook page if anyone would be interested in my ultra-fast recipe for homemade macaroni and cheese that takes about 15 minutes to make. The answer was a swift and resounding “Yes!”

I loved the response. I loved knowing that this is something that people want to hear about. And I love sharing it because it is so freakin’ easy.

This recipe is something I have worked on and honed over the last few months. I started making it one snowy night when Shawn and I were trying to decide what to make as a side dish for dinner. We were out of the boxed mac and cheese, but it seemed like the perfect accompaniment for the chicken he was making. So, I tossed together a quick roux (that’s just a fancy word for a butter and flour mixture), added whatever milk and cream I could find in the fridge and tossed in cheese.

It worked. In fact, it worked so well that I made it again shortly after. It’s become a staple for us because it’s fast (10 minutes of active cooking!) and made from ingredients that I always have on hand: butter, flour, milk, cheddar, dry mustard and salt.

A note on the dry mustard: I hate mustard. But this spice (it’s a powder, found in the seasonings aisle at the grocery store) is absolutely essential to a great cheese sauce. It really brings out the flavor of the cheddar cheese.

The recipe is below, but I wanted to give you three really clear steps on how to do this so it takes 10 minutes to cook (Note: total time is slightly longer if you add in the 5-10 minutes it takes to get the water to boil).

Step 1: Fill up the pot of water and get it going on the stove. It’s going to take a little while to start boiling, so do this first.

Step 2: Gather and measure the ingredients. I cannot stress how important this is. Once you start making the sauce, you need to move fast so having everything measured and ready to go is essential. Do this while you are waiting for the water to boil. Also, you will need a wire whisk and a rubber spatula or a spoon with a long handle.

Step 3: Cook everything.
Alright, this is crunch time. But if your ingredients are all ready, it’s a cinch. Toss the pasta in the water, then start cooking the sauce. But make sure you time it so that the pasta and sauce are done at about the same time. How?

It’s easy. The sauce takes about 10 minutes to make. So, depending on how long it takes to cook your pasta to al dente (these small shells took 10 minutes), you may start making it at the same time as the pasta goes in the water or you may wait a few minutes.

Making the sauce will be an intense 10 minutes. You really need to stay there, stirring a lot. But once the cheese sauce is done, the whole dish is done. You toss the sauce with the pasta and voila! You’ve made macaroni and cheese, no package of powdered cheese required.

That’s it.

See also Slow-Cooker Macaroni and Cheese. Read the rest of this entry…

Before I spotted Will on the school bus this afternoon, I spotted his two tall white bunny ears. And even though I didn’t send him off to school wearing those ears, I knew it was him. No, I couldn’t see his little joyful face through the darkened bus windows, but I just knew. Maybe it’s a mother thing. Maybe it’s that he was sitting in the front seat of the bus where he often sits. Maybe it was a combination.

When his bus driver pulled the lever to open the door, she smiled brightly. “I don’t have a Will on the bus today, but I do have this bunny,” she yelled to me over the roar of the school bus engine. I laughed, and said I would take him – ears and all.

My little bunny bounded off the bus and off we went, down the winding driveway to our house.

Whenever I hear the phrase “eat your rainbow,” I think of my kids. They do, and not because I force them to, but because they want to. Fruit makes a regular appearance at breakfast (strawberries this morning for Will, grapes for Paige and I), and Will’s lunchbox always has at least one — often two — fruits or veggies in it. Bananas, apples, pears, grapes, berries … they love ‘em all.

When it comes to working five fruits and veggies into our daily diet, it’s pretty easy. When these are a regular part of your meal, like it is for my kids, then it’s simple to get all the servings in.

Here are a few ways that I ensure that we get enough “color” in our diets:

• Fruity pancakes are a breakfast favorite around here. In fact, pancakes rarely make an appearance without some sort of fruit cooked into it — raspberries, blueberries and bananas are all favorites. Grated apples can be a delicious addition too. If we are cooking with fresh berries, then raw ones are served alongside the pancakes as well. Read the rest of this entry…

Happy Friday, everyone!

If you are looking for a fast, fresh and delicious meatless meal today, try this ultra simple Asparagus, Shrimp and Mushroom Pasta. The veggies and shrimp are roasted in the oven before being toss with the pasta and a bit of pasta water. Seasoned simply with garlic, salt, pepper and a drizzle of lemon juice, if desired, this is too good not to share.

This was so good that it totally disappeared when I make it. Seriously. I expected there to be enough leftovers that Will could take it for lunch to school the next day. No such luck. The kids and I devoured the dish. Every. Last. Bite.

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