Corn and Potato Chowder - serves 6

I'm puzzled as to why I'm even fixing dinner tonight when I come home and find my house a complete wreck. I think my husband even snuck in a nap and still can't tell the kids to pick up after themselves knowing how much their mother ADORES coming home to such a mess. But, we must press on, troops. Because we can only support each other in the cause! This is an easy chowder that will have your family asking for 2nds.

1 pd small red potatoes, quartered
1 tbs salt, divided
3 tbs softened butter, divided
4 ears shucked corn
1 med onion
1/8 tsp ground red pepper
3 cups 2% reduced fat milk
1/2 cup half and half
2 thyme sprigs
3 tbs finely chopped chives
1 1/2 tsp chopped fresh time
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper

Place potatoes and 2 tsp salt in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand in hot water for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, line a baking sheet with foil. Preheat your oven to 450. Rub corn 2 tbs butter and put on baking sheet. Drain potatoes and put on the same baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, turning corn occasionally. Remove from oven and let corn cool a few minutes. Cut corn from cob saving one cob.

Melt remaining tbs butter in medium saucepan over high heat. Add onion and saute for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the saved cob, the remaining salt and red pepper and cook for 30 seconds, stirring frequently. Stir in potatoes and corn, milk, half and half, and thyme sprigs. Bring to a simmer. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. discard thyme sprigs. Stir in chives and remaining ingredients.

Tomato-Provolone Sandwiches with Pesto Mayo, serves 4

Tomotoes will be gone before you know it so this recipe is a wonderful "farewell" to summers greatest asset. This is a great weeknight meal with a great glass of chardonnay. (Leave the tomatoes off for the kids, unless they are like mine and like extra.)

3 tbs of canola mayonaise (preferably organic)
5 tbs refrigerated pesto
8 slices of sourdough bread
4 slices of provolone cheese
1 cup arugula leaves
8 (1/4' thick) tomato slices
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
1/8 tsp Kosher salt

Preheat broiler. Combine mayonaise and pesto in bowl and stir well. Arrange bread in a single layer on a baking sheet and broil for 2 minutes. Turn bread over; place 1 slice of cheese on each bread slice. Broil 1 minute until cheese starts to bubble. Spread about tsp pesto mixture over each cheesetopped bread slice. Arrange 1/2 cup arugula and 2 tomato slices over pesto mixture; sprinkle salt and pepper. Spoon remaining pesto over each slice of remaining bread slices and place over each sandwich.

My Kids Have Somesortofpracticefixsomethingquick Dinner, serves 4, with leftovers

This recipe, if thought of in advance, can be made super fast. It's also gone in an instant.

1 Rotisserie chicken (organic, if possible)
1 pkg frozen mixed Southwestern veggies
1 pkg Uncle Ben's 90 minute Spanish rice
Olive Oil
1 tsp each of Cumin, chili powder, garlic powder
Kosher salt and pepper
Large tortillas
Salsa
Sour cream

Take the skin off the chicken and shred meat. Place in bowl and set aside. Meanwhile, heat a non stick skillet and add about 3 tbs olive oil. When heated, add veggies. Add cumin, garlic powder and chili powder and mix well. Add shredded chicken. Stir until well mixed and heated through. Add rice to microwave and heat according to package directions. Wrap tortillas in a damp paper towel and heat in microwave for about 45 seconds or until warmed through.

Season chicken mixture with salt and pepper. Place in tortillas and top with salsa and sour cream.

See? Wasn't that easy?

Pizza, My Way - serves 4

Yes, we can always order from the neighborhood pizzaria or we can make our own. It's really easier than you think. I actually make my own dough mixing half unbleached flour and the other half with wheat flour. It's healthier and has more fiber, which at 40, is a good thing. I won't add that recipe in this one so just run by an upscale grocery store (or Jimmy's Italian food store in Dallas) and pick them up in the frozen section. If you want it, let me know. (So easy, my kids could do it.)

2 pre-made pizza doughs (don't use anything else other than the above)
Kosher salt
Olive oil
15 oz can of Muir Glen Organic Pizza Sauce
3 cups shredded mozzerella cheese
Toppings (optional choices or make up your own):
Fresh, sliced tomatoes, fresh basil, thyme and oregano
Thinky sliced salami/pepperoni
Meatballs, halved

Preheat oven to 400.
Sprinkle cornmeal on a flat surface and roll out out with a rolling pin until thin. If you don't have a rolling pin, a wine bottle works just as well (and the cork stays in as you roll in case a glass needs to be poured during.) Place doughs on pizza rounds sprinkled with cornmeal or a baking sheet.

Spread fingers and push outward in the dough, making light indentations to keep the dough from bubbling. Sprinkle with Kosher salt and drizzle with olive oil. Bake in oven for approximately 10 minutes.

Remove from oven, lower temperature to 350 and spread pizza sauce evenly over both doughs. Sprinkle with mozzerella cheese and desired toppings. Bake for another 8 minutes. remove pizzas and slice accordingly and serve. Enjoy!

Mahi Mahi with Mango Salsa, Roasted New Potatoes and Asparagus - Serves 4

I love fish. Mahi Mahi is one of my favorites. Other than Central Market (or any high end grocery store), Costco is the BEST for seafood. I bought this fish, serving 6 for $21. Central Market would have charged me at least $20 more.

4 6oz Mahi Mahi filets
Kosher salt
Fresh pepper
Olive Oil
1 bunch asparagus
1/2 cup sea salt (or Morton salt)
6 large new potatoes, halved, then quartered
Garlic powder
Kosher salt/pepper
1 avacado, peeled and diced
1 medium mango, peeled and diced
4 tbs of whatever salsa you have in the fridge

Preheat oven to 400. Bring pot of water to a boil, adding 1/4 cup of sea salt. Toss prepared potatoes in a large bowl with a splash of olive oil, Kosher salt, garlic powder and pepper. Spread on a foil lined baking sheet and bake 20 minutes or until done.

Add asparagus to the boiling salted water and boil for ONLY 3 minutes. Drain in colander and cover with ice. Rinse with cold water and set aside. (This is called blanching.)

Season fish with salt, pepper and olive oil. Heat non stick skillet over medium heat. Add fish and cook about 4 to 5 minutes each side. Meanwhile, mix avacado, mango and salsa in a medium bowl. Set aside.

Add drained asparagus to skillet, when fish is turned, the last 4 to 5 minutes. Remove potatoes from oven. Plate with asparagus, top with fish and add mango salsa. Serve and enjoy!

Cookies for Sunday - Chocolate Crinkles

This is my mother in-laws recipe and is a favorite of not only my husband, but my kids as well. It's always the birthday cookie that they take to their school and mysteriously disappear when all but one goes to bed. They leave a great trail for evidence. Hide them if you plan on giving them away!

1/2 cup Canola oil
4 sq. unsweetened chocolate (4oz), melted
2 cup granulated sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
2tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup confectioners sugar

Mix oil, chocolate and granulated sugar. Blend in one egg at a time until well mixed. Add vanilla. Measure flour and sift in separate bowl. Sift baking powder and salt into flour and stir into chocolate mixture. Chill several hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 350. Drop teaspoonfuls of dough into confectioners sugar. Roll in sugar; shape into balls. Place about 2' apart on greased baking sheet (or Silpat). Bake about 10 to 12 minutes. Do not overbake! Makes about 6 dozen cookies.

Recipe of the Day, Assuming You Need One

Salmon with Spicy Slaw, serves 4 - This is super fast and easy to cook. You can cook all of this while yelling at your kids to finish their homework, do one last load of laundry and give your husband the evil look of "sure, go ahead and sit on the couch while I sneak arsenic into your dinner".

4 6oz salmon filets (skins can stay on if you like or haave butcher remove)
Kosher Salt
Pepper
2Tbs Canola oil
1/4 cup orange juice
1 Tbs rice vinegar
1 Tbs balsamic vinegar
1 Tbs Olive oil
2 Tsp Sriacha (hot chili sauce found in Asian isle)
1/2 Tsp honey
1/2 cup cilantro
1 16 oz pkg of slaw
1 Tbs sesame seeds

Season salmon filets with salt and pepper. Heat non stick pan and add 2 tbs Canola Oil. Add salmon skin side down and cook 4 minutes. Turn salmon over and cook another 3 minutes. Add orange juice and cook 30 seconds or until the juice is almost evaporated.

While fish cooks, combine rice vinegar and next 5 ingredients (through honey) and stir until well mixed. Add cilantro and slaw and stir to mix. Top with cooked salmon and serve.

He's still on the couch. :)

Recipe of the Day

Roasted Chicken with Carrots Brussell Sprouts and Mashed Potatoes
serves 4

1 Whole Organic Chicken, cleaned and patted dry (3 1/2 pds)
7 sprigs fresh rosemary and 7 sprigs fresh thyme
3 cloves garlic
8 slices of bacon
5 tbs butter
4 medium carrots, peeled
One medium onion, diced
1 sack of brussel sprouts, cleaned and trimmed
1 pd white Italian potatoes, cleaned, skins on, quartered.
1 1/2 cups organic chicken stock

Stuff chicken with herbs and garlic. Truss/tie the legs to keep herbs intact. Rub one tbs of butter all over chicken, using more if needed. Wrap bacon around chicken, stretching to tie across breast. Preheat oven to 375. Meanwhile, sear chicken on all sides, 5 minutes each in shallow, stainless non stick casserole pan (not glass). Remove from heat. Add carrots, onions and brussell sprouts and place in oven, breast side down for 75 minutes, basting every 20 minutes. (You can omit the bacon entirely however, you will need to baste the bird every 10 minutes.)

The last 20 minutes, remove the bacon and baste the chicken one last time, turning breast side up. Bring water for potatoes to a boil and cook for about 25 minutes or until done. (See how to make the potatoes below.)

Remove chicken from the oven. Remove chicken to cutting board to let it rest for about 15 to 20 minutes. Meanwhile, spoon fat from sauce and discard. Remove sprouts and carrots and set aside to serve. Bring sauce to a simmer, adding the chicken stock. Add the thyme, garlic and oregano to the sauce and simmer about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Salt and pepper to taste.

Serve mashed potatoes with roasted carrots and brussell sprouts on plate. Top potatoes with chicken portion and spoon sauce over. Serve and enjoy this classic French (and easy) meal!

(Mashed potatoes)

After boiling and straining, add 4tbs butter, 2 tbs sour cream, 1/2 cup milk and mash until desired consistancy. Salt and pepper to taste.