When chicken breast meals become routine in your household, try spicing them up with this uniquely delicious recipe.  The lemon juice adds just the right amount of tangy taste to this super sweet and yummy meal.  Really kid-friendly!

4 (5 oz.) chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1/3 C. lite apricot preserves
Dash ground allspice

Pat chicken dry and place on broiler rack. Broil for about 6 minutes. Brush first side with lemon juice, turn chicken over and brush with remaining juice. Broil second side 6-9 minutes or until no longer pink. Heat apricot preserves and allspice in a small saucepan. Spoon over chicken breasts and serve. Wonderful served with brown rice or wild rice.  (Serves 4)

Most kids would live on macaroni and cheese if they were allowed to.  So, how do you get them to eat their veggies?  By adding veggies to their favorite mac and cheese dish, of course.  Stick with your kids’ most favored veggies, add more cheese, and they’ll be eating their NEW Mac and Cheese now and never miss the old.

1 12oz package of shells and cheese pasta mix.
2 tablespoons Italian dressing
1 cup fresh broccoli florets, bite size
1 sweet red pepper cut into thin strips, then in bite size pieces
1 cup baby peas (frozen)
1/4 teaspoon dried basil leaves
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese

Cook shells and cheese pasta as directed on packaging.  In a large skillet, warm dressing over medium heat.  Combine broccoli and peppers in skillet.  Cook until vegetables are somewhat tender.  Add frozen peas and cook until peas are cooked through.  Mix cooked shells and cheese with basil and add to skillet.  Top with Parmesan cheese and serve warm.

This simple and easy chicken dish is perfect for kids of all ages. Even if your kids claim they don’t like broccoli, the stuffing and Parmesan cheese disguise the broccoli so well, they’ll be sold on this dish before they even can guess what’s in it.

1 16oz package chicken flavored stuffing mix
1 cup water
6 boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded thin
1 10oz package frozen chopped broccoli, thawed and drained
1 10 3/4oz can cream of chicken soup OR cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup skim milk
1 teaspoon paprika
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Combine stuffing mix and water in a large bowl.  Allow to stand for 5 minutes.  While the stuffing stands, pound chicken breast until they are approximately 1/4 inch thick.  Add broccoli to stuffing mixture and lightly stir.  Spoon stuffing mixture onto chicken, leaving approximately 1/2 of chicken edges uncovered.  Roll each breast up, starting at the short end.  Place chicken in a 9×13 inch baking dish with the seam side down.  Repeat with each chicken breast until all have been added to pan.  Sprinkle chicken with paprika and cheese.  Bake uncovered for approximately 30 minutes or until chicken is cooked completely.

I’ve turned to this special potato dish for holidays as well as everyday meals because it’s so flavorful and easy!  You can actually use this mix of herbs and flavorings on new red potatoes, as well.  Sprinkle a little snipped fresh parsley for a pretty finish when serving.

6 larger potatoes, Yukon Jack are pretty and good
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon ground thyme
1 teaspoon rosemary
3/4 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 garlic clove, minced
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Cut potatoes into wedges.  Line wedges in a 9×13 inch, ungreased glass casserole dish.  Mix all other ingredients in a small bowl and pour over potato wedges. Stir to coat potatoes well.  Place in oven uncovered and bake until potatoes are tender (approximately 45 minutes), being sure to stir every 15 minutes or so.

Oh goodness is right!  This is one zucchini bread that is so loaded with goodness, your family will never tire of it! Imagine actually being happy to see all that zucchini piling up waiting to be cooked!

3/4 cup cooked oatmeal
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup grated apple
2 cups raw, grated zucchini
1 tablespoon vanilla

3 cups whole-wheat flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large mixing bowl combine oatmeal, honey, olive oil, apple, zucchini and vanilla.  Beat ingredients until well blended.  In a separate bowl, sift flour, salt, baking soda, powder and cinnamon.  Stir both bowls of ingredients above together into a new bowl and blend well.  Pour mixture into 2 small bread pans.  Bake for 1 hour.  Allow bread to cool completely on a cooling rack before serving.

This red wine marinade truly brings out the best flank steak has to offer.  Be sure to use a good, drinkable red wine.  After all, when the steak is placed under the broiler, the flavors will intensify, so the wine should be tasty.  The freshly minced garlic really adds to the savory flavor, too.  I like to serve the sliced steak on top of a salad made with baby spinach, dressed with a lemony viniagrette, for a real contrast of textures.  Delicious!

1 ½ lb. lean beef flank steak
¾ C. dry red wine
1 ½ teaspoons lemon pepper
½ teaspoon minced garlic
Cooking spray

Combine wine, garlic, and lemon pepper. Pour over steak, cover and marinate in refrigerator over night. Coat broiler rack with cooking spray and place steak on rack. Broil 4 inches from heat for 6 minutes on each side. Slice steak into small strips (across grain) to serve.  (Serves 6)

This is by no means a fancy meal, but it sure does satisfy!  Just as soon as you see those onions start to come up in the garden or appear in the farmer’s markets, get out your best skillet and get your family up to the table.  No one goes away hungry!

1 Tablespoon all purpose flour
1 teaspoon dried parsley
4 (4 oz.) lean beef steaks, cubed
½ C. chopped spring onions
1 C. shredded carrots
1 C. chopped celery
1 (15 oz.) can chunky tomato sauce
1 (10 ¾ oz.) can cream of mushroom soup
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
¼ C. water
cooking spray
hot cooked egg noodles

Combine flour and parsley flakes. Coat beef cubes with mixture. Spray a large skillet with cooking spray and lightly brown meat on both sides. Sprinkle onion, carrots, and celery over meat. Combine tomato sauce, mushroom soup, Worcestershire sauce, and water in a small bowl, mix well. Spoon mixture over vegetables and meat. Lower heat, cover and simmer about 20 to 30 minutes or until vegetables and meat are tender.  Serve over noodles.  (Serves 4)

How do you turn carrots and peas into a full meal?  Mix in a bit of extra flavor and stir it all into a batch of delicious nutty brown rice.  This simple dish is about as kid-friendly as you can get!

3 C. cooked brown rice
1 teaspoon dried minced onions
1 (9 oz.) can peas and carrots, drained
2 Tablespoons parsley
2 Tablespoons low-fat margarine

Cook minced onions with brown rice (according to directions on package.) Combine rice, peas, carrots, parsley, and margarine in medium saucepan. Mix well. Heat mixture until warmed through. (Serves 6)

There are times when a nice piece of cake after dinner just seems like the perfect end to your day.  If you’re counting calories, or trying to eliminate as much fat from your diet as possible, this tasty apple cake may just fit the bill in your plans for dessert tonight!

1 ½ C. all-purpose flour
¾ C. sugar substitute
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon apple pie spice
¾ C. raisins
½ C. fat-free mayonnaise
¼ C. plain fat-free yogurt
1 C. unsweetened apple juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Butter flavored cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray an 8 x 8 inch baking dish with cooking spray. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar substitute, baking soda, and apple pie spice. Stir in raisins. Add mayonnaise, yogurt, apple juice, and vanilla extract. Mix well and spread into baking dish.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool and cut.

If you’re in charge of bringing the baked beans for a family picnic this year, surprise them with this unusual dish.  When your dish is uncovered at the picnic, watch the faces as everyone tries to take in all the variety of beans.  This baked bean dish is as colorful as it is delicious.

1 16oz can butter beans
1 16oz can, great northern beans
1 16oz can garbanzo beans
1 16oz can black beans
1 16oz can pinto beans
1 16oz can kidney beans

2 cups tomato sauce
1 onion, chopped and sautéed
2 Tablespoons mustard
1 Tablespoon barbecue sauce of your choice
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 cup brown sugar (if desired)

Open beans and drain well.  Combine all beans in a large bowl. In another bowl mix all other ingredients.  Stir mixture into bowl containing the beans and mix slowly.  Pour mixture into a 9×13 inch baking dish.  Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 60 minutes.

Tip:  This dish can be served hot or chilled and served cold after baking.  You can also use any variety of beans you like.