Redefining the Happy Meal
Fabulous Family Fare in No Time.
Your family wants it delicious. You want it healthy, simple, and fast. After all, time is at a premium these days. But as our lives get busier and more hectic, finding the time to create nutritious and satisfying meals that everyone can love becomes next to impossible.
That’s why you’ll love these simple tips and recipe ideas. With just a handful of ingredients and a few easy steps, you can happily say so long to fast food and takeout, and hello to truly happy meals that your kids will love eating, and you’ll love serving.
First things first: Plan ahead
One of the best things you can do to streamline dinner prep is to plan ahead. Create a weekly menu so you only need to go to the grocery store once a week. Buy enough produce to last seven days. And remember, a well-stocked pantry is your best friend. With the right ingredients at hand, you can create soups and casseroles in no time, and throw together a stir-fry in a snap.
Our favorite essentials include a wide variety of frozen and pre-chopped vegetables, canned beans, jarred sauces, store-bought soup stocks, rice, and of course, pasta in all shapes and sizes.
These are all ingredients that be thrown together to create an infinite variety of delicious dinners such as Easy Veggie Ziti Bake.
Go for the jump start
There’s nothing wrong with buying that freshly cooked rotisserie chicken from your favorite grocer. It’s a great option for those nights when even 30 minutes is too much to spare. Plus, it’s the perfect jump start for homemade casseroles such as Chicken Enchilada Casserole and Creamy Chicken Broccoli Skillet.
Whole is always better
For an extra nutritious punch, go for whole wheat and whole grain products whenever you can. When incorporated into delicious casseroles and dishes with plenty of savory spices and sauces, like Stovetop Black Beans and Rice or Ham and Mozzarella Quesadillas, your family shouldn’t even notice a difference.
It’s okay to wing it.
If you’re at the store and you see a great deal on fresh salmon or halibut, get it. You can create a delicious meal simply by marinating it in your favorite Italian dressing, then roasting it at high-heat it for a few minutes. As for a vegetable, simple dishes like a Roasted Vegetable Medley or Asparagus with Fresh Mozzarella can cook right along side the fish.
“But Mom, I want chicken nuggets!”
Who doesn’t love chicken nuggets? They are, in fact, the penultimate fast food.
But who says they have to be deep-fried or processed? With Parmesan Cheese Coated Chicken Strips, you can indulge your family with the treats they love, while still providing the wholesome food you want them to eat. Serve with your favorite Marinara sauce for dipping, add a Spinach Salad with Pears and Bacon and you’ve got a happy meal that everyone can love.
Don’t forget the basics.
Sometimes, on a cold winter night, nothing beats a grilled cheese sandwich and tomato soup. But it doesn’t have to be ordinary. Treat your family to Portobello Pesto Grilled Cheese Sandwiches on Whole Wheat. It’s just as easy, even more nutritious, and a lot more delicious. Serve with Fire Roasted Tomato Ricotta Soup or Tomato Basil Cream Soup.
The delicious recipes mentioned above:
Stovetop Black Beans and Rice
1½ cup Texmati, Basmati or brown rice
2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 tsp minced garlic
1 carrot, diced
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp oregano
½ tsp pepper
½ cup vegetable or chicken broth
2 15 oz cans black beans with liquid
1 cup Sorrento® Mozzarella, freshly grated
Cook rice according to directions in medium stockpot. In another stockpot or large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add all remaining ingredients except black beans and mozzarella cheese. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer covered for 10 minutes. Add beans, rice and mozzarella cheese and stir until heated through.
Serve with blue corn chips or whole wheat flour tortillas.
Easy Veggie Ziti Bake
1 16 oz. package ziti
1 26 oz jar of your favorite pasta sauce
1 cup low-fat Sorrento® Ricotta cheese
1 cup Sorrento® Mozzarella, freshly grated or chopped
1 to 2 cups chopped raw vegetables, such as peas, bell pepper, mushrooms, or zucchini.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Lightly oil large, deep casserole dish.
Cook pasta according to package directions and drain. Return pasta to pot and toss with pasta sauce, ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, and vegetables. Spread the mixture evenly in the casserole dish and top with Parmesan cheese. Bake uncovered for 20 minutes.
Creamy Chicken-Broccoli Skillet
4 skinned, boned chicken breast halves, cut into thin strips
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Salt and pepper to taste
2 (17-ounce) jars Alfredo sauce with mushrooms
2 (15-ounce) cartons Sorrento® Ricotta Cheese
6 ounces farfalle (bow tie pasta), cooked and drained
3 cups frozen broccoli florets, thawed
1/2 cup Sorrento® Parmesan Cheese
In a large skillet, cook chicken in hot oil over medium-high heat until browned. Season with salt and pepper. Combine Alfredo sauce and ricotta cheese, blend well. Add sauce mixture, pasta and broccoli to chicken in skillet and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and cook for 8-10 minutes or until done. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese before serving.
Tip: For a different taste, substitute plain Alfredo sauce for Alfredo sauce with mushrooms.
Ham and Mozzarella Quesadillas
1 jar of your favorite salsa
½ cup fresh cilantro
4 cups diced ham
8 8-inch whole wheat tortillas
¾ freshly shredded Sorrento® Mozzarella Cheese
2½ tbsp canola oil
Preheat oven to 375. Place ½ cup diced ham on bottom half of each tortilla. Top each one with ¼ cup of the salsa and 2 tablespoons of the mozzarella. Fold tortillas in half to form half moons. Place quesadillas on baking sheet and brush tops with canola oil. Bake for 10 minutes or until cheese melts. Spoon remaining salsa over quesadillas, or serve additional salsa on the side, and serve immediately.
Roasted Vegetable Medley
2 yellow zucchini
2 eggplants
2 green zucchini
1 red pepper
1 small onion
½ tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
¼ cup Sorrento® Parmesan Cheese (optional)
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Mix salt, pepper, olive oil and vegetables.
Arrange on non-stick baking sheet or sheet sprayed with olive oil.
Bake for 20 minutes.
Remove from oven and sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan cheese, if desired.
Grilled Portobello and Pesto Cheese Sandwich
8 slices French country bread
4 tbsp butter
4 tbsp jarred pesto
4 slices Sorrento® Mozzarella Cheese
2 large Portobello mushrooms, sliced
Spread one side of each bread slice with softened butter. Spread other side of bread slices with pesto. Divide Portobello mushrooms evenly on pesto side of four bread slices. Cover with cheese slices.
Prepare and preheat two-sided grill. Grill sandwiches for 2-3 minutes, until bread is golden brown and cheese is melted.
Fire Roasted Tomato Ricotta Soup
1 tbsp butter
1 large onion, chopped (1 cup)
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 cans (14.5 oz each) fire roasted diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (14 oz) chicken broth or vegetable broth
2 tbsp chopped fresh basil, cilantro or Italian flat-leaf parsley
1 tsp sugar
½ cup Sorrento® Ricotta
In 3-quart saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Cook onion and garlic in butter 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly, until onion is crisp-tender. Stir in tomatoes, broth, 1 tablespoon of the basil and the sugar. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 15 minutes. Remove from heat; uncover and cool slightly, about 5 minutes.
Gently scatter ricotta on top. (Do not stir in.)
Tomato and Basil Cream Soup
3 cups Sorrento® Mozzarella Cheese with Tomato and Basil
1 cup chicken broth
3 cups heavy cream
1 cup tomatoes, diced
1 cup croutons
In a large saucepan, combine cheese and chicken broth; over low heat, melt cheese, stirring frequently. Slowly stir in heavy cream; add tomatoes and simmer 10 minutes. Spoon into soup bowls and garnish with croutons.
Chicken Parmesan Fingers
2 tbsp olive oil
1 lb. chicken tenderloin strips
1 tsp garlic powder
salt to taste
½ cup Sorrento® Parmesan cheese
Oregano
1 cup seasoned bread crumbs
Preheat oven to 350. Mix bread crumbs, oregano, garlic powder, Parmesan and salt in bowl. Coat chicken strips in olive oil then dredge in breadcrumb Parmesan mixture on all sides. Bake strips 10 to 12 minutes, then turn for 10 to 12 more, or until medium golden brown.
Chicken Enchilada Casserole
2 cans red or green enchilada sauce
1 cup sour cream
1 can chopped green chilies
2 cups Sorrento® Mozzarella, freshly shredded
1 cup Cheddar Cheese, freshly grated
½ cup diced onion
2 cups cooked chicken, cubed
18 corn tortillas
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil a 9 x 13 baking dish. In medium bowl, combine 1 can enchilada sauce, sour cream and chilies. In separate bowl, combine 1 cup cheese, onions and chicken.
Spread 3 tablespoons of sauce mixture in bottom of pan. Cover with 6 tortillas, overlapping if necessary, and 1/3 of chicken mixture. Continue layering ending with soup mixture on top.
Top with remaining cheese and bake uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes.
Spinach Salad with Pears and Bacon
8oz. Sorrento® Fresh Mozzarella, diced
4 cups Spinach leaves, washed and dried
2 ripe Pears, washed, cored and sliced
4 strips of Bacon, cooked and diced (pork or turkey)
Dressing:
1/4 cup Olive Oil
2 Tbsp. Balsamic Vinegar
1 Tbsp. Red Wine Vinegar
1/2 Tsp. Dry Mustard
1/4 Tsp. Salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Mix vinegars, mustard, salt, and pepper together. Add oil and whisk until blended. Put spinach leaves, pears, bacon, and cheese in a bowl. Toss with dressing.
Asparagus with Fresh Mozzarella
8oz. Sorrento® Fresh Mozzarella, sliced
1 lb. Fresh asparagus, trimmed
1 tbsp. Olive oil
Pinch of salt
2 Tbsp. Grated parmesan cheese
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Toss asparagus in oil, salt and pepper. Place in roasting pan, with spears facing in the same direction. Roast in over for 10 min. Take pan from oven and arrange fresh mozzarella over asparagus. Sprinkle with parmesan and return to oven for 2 minutes or until cheese melts. Serve immediately. |
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