Main Dish

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #MoreMomentsWithExcedrin #CollectiveBias

Nothing can ruin a special moment in your life more quickly than a headache! Sometimes it seems like the more you plan and anticipate a big event the more likely it is that an ill timed headache will strike. That is why I always make sure I have Excedrin® Extra Strength (for everyday headaches) on hand, because I can trust it for fast headache relief.

This past summer my husband and I planned a special anniversary cruise. We went on a cruise once before, on our honeymoon, and had talked for years about how much we would like to cruise again. Finally our kids were old enough that we could leave them behind without (too much) worrying, and enjoy a relaxing vacation by ourselves! I spent hours planning out excursions, planning special dinners and getting advice from experienced cruisers about all the best shows and events, to make this a vacation to remember.

One of the best things about summer is all the fresh and tasty vegetables that are available. Being able to eat vegetables right after they are picked is amazing. I belong to a CSA to make sure I get plenty of fresh local vegetables every week, and a few times this summer I have received leafy green arugula, which I used to make this Arugula & Sausage Pasta Skillet.

Arugula is a leafy green vegetable with a spicy peppery taste that stands out more than the greens I usually cook with like spinach. I have tried it in salads, but I especially like it cooked, and it goes perfectly with Italian flavors like spicy sausage and tomatoes.

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This time of year I am inundated with zucchini!  So I am always trying to come up with different ways to serve zucchini, like this Zucchini Sausage Casserole.

My family and I are members of a CSA, so we get a big box of seasonal vegetable from a local farm every week.  I made this recipe by using a whole bunch of the vegetables we received, including zucchini, yellow summer squash, fennel, onions and green pepper.  I thought sausage would combine well with the flavors, and it certainly did!  I used hot Italian sausage because my family likes spicy foods, but sweet would work well too.

Burgers are a staple food in my house and many others in the summer time!  It is quick and easy to grill some up and have dinner ready, but without variety burgers can get boring.  Here is a fun variation I made this week, using a traditional Argentinian Chimichurri sauce to spice up the burgers.

Chimichurri sauce is a garlicky sauce made with fresh parsley and oregano that is very easy to make at home.  I have lots of parsley growing in pots on my deck, and Chimichurri sauce is one of my favorite ways to use it. The sauce is traditionally used on grilled steak, but it works well on burgers too!

Looking for a quick and easy family meal? This White Clam Pizza is ready in less than 15 minutes, and is a great way to add a little bit excitement to a quick family meal.

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Looking for a quick weeknight dinner? My favorite weeknight meals are ones that can be made in one pan, like this recipe for Smothered Pierogies and Kielbasa Skillet.

My mother recently gave me her old cast iron skillet, so I have been enjoying making one dish recipes. This recipe features potato filled pierogies cooked with vegetables and sausage for an all in one stove top casserole.

This post is sponsored by Marie Callender’s.

This time of year my family is very busy and we are always looking for ways to save time. It is important to my family to sit down together for a family meal most week nights, but that doesn’t mean it has to be an elaborate time consuming meal. I find that a frozen dinner is a great way to save time and still allow us to enjoy eating together. And it is fun and easy to add a little bit of a twist to the dinner to make it even more special, like I did this week when I served Marie Callender’s Cheesy Chicken and Rice in Puffed Pastry Cups.

I am participating in a VIN campaign for California Dried Plums. The opinions expressed in this post are my own. #CADriedPlums

California Dried Plums are a delicious fruit that is perfect not just for snacking, but for cooking too. I recently made this Thai Shrimp Noodle Bowl recipe from the California Dried Plums Website, and it was a tasty dinner that the entire family enjoyed.

The recipe combines the dried plums with lots of vegetables like carrots, red peppers and scallions, and tops it all off with shrimp. I shredded the carrots and zucchini and cut all the ingredients finely for an easy to eat stir fry, suitable for using chopsticks.  I served it over rice noodles, and it was delicious.

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #HouseofBBQ #CollectiveBias – This content is intended for readers who are 21 and over.

I love to cook outside on the grill whenever I can. It is less cleanup for me, and the food just tastes better cooked over an open flame – especially steak! Last week I made these Easy Steak Fajitas for a quick and delicious summer meal.

The secret ingredient in these fajitas is the marinade. I marinaded them in Redd’s Apple Ale, which gave the meat a delicious subtle flavor. The enzymes in the alcohol help break down the tough fibers in the meat, making it more tender and giving it more flavor. I picked Apple Ale for the marinade because it is one of my favorites, and the sweetness of the apple flavor makes it extra good.