Family Bites

Five-Ingredient Dinners

Last month I was tasked with putting together five-ingredient dinner recipes for SavvyMom. The planning and testing process offered up plenty of inspiration that I've been missing of late, and I love how each of the meals came together. My rule was that oils, salt and pepper, and seasonings from the spice rack weren't included in the list of five ingredients, but that everything else was to be considered. The result was four family-friendly meals we ate over course of the month, and based on the comments on my teaser pics on Instagram I can tell that there is as much outside interest in these quick-to-cook dinners as I have myself.

I can also happily report that Matthew ate each of these dinners with gusto, with the exception of the hoisin pork lettuce wraps. It's not surprising, of course, but when I swapped the lettuce wrap for some brown basmati rice and tossed it with the pork mixture, I landed on something he definitely approved of. 

Here's a look at the meals I put together:

Sick Day Soups

In the week leading up to Rob and Jackson’s birthdays, all four boys in our house fell ill. Rob was the first to succumb to the random virus that left him laid up with a fever for a week, not to mention sinus congestion, a cough and a sore throat. Ben went down next, three days later, with symptoms that mimicked those of his dad, and by the following afternoon both him and Jackson were home from school, curled up in bed with heated blankets. Less than 24 hours later, Matthew woke in the middle of the night, flushed and feverish, clearly having caught whatever it was that infected the other boys in our house.

By some sort of health-giving miracle, I didn’t catch anything from anyone. Instead, I spent the week making pots of soup for those who were sniffly and stuffed up. I tried to pack as many healing ingredients into each, and made both a hot brothy soup and a veggie purée infused with therapeutic aromatics like onion, ginger and garlic.

Lasagna Soup

Researchers at the University of Michigan have discovered that cheese can produce feelings of euphoria, not unlike the ones associated with hard drug addiction. This might explain why I’m currently obsessed with this soup. At first glance, it looks like a bowl of not much to brag about; pieces of penne pasta bathing in a tomato-y broth alongside ingredients that roughly resemble beef bolognese. Essentially, that’s exactly what it is, but what you can’t see is the magical blanket of fresh mozzarella laying on the bottom of the bowl. The one that becomes warm and melty, and infuses each bite with gooey cheese that stretches effortlessly from bowl to mouth.

As is the case with most of the meals in our house, we all ate our bowls of soup a little differently. My beloved Ben isn’t as pathologically obsessed with cheese as the rest of us (honestly, he hates the stuff unless it’s on pizza) so he ate his soup as is. Matthew munched on noodles, chunks of cheese, some of the veggies and a bit of broth, while the rest of us ate it the way it’s meant to be served. It was also dished up on a night when we were eating at different times, so I prepped the soup portion of the meal early in the day, cooked the pasta separately and tossed it with olive oil to prevent sticking, and then kept it at room temperature until it was time to eat. When we were ready, the mozzarella slices were placed in the bowl, a large handful of pasta scattered over top, and hot brothy soup ladled in to fill the bowls.

For a twist on your typical meat sauce, I started the recipe with seasoned sausage squeezed from the casings. Not only is this one of my favourite recipe shortcuts, it’s also a guaranteed way to add good, deep flavour without too many ingredients. To it, I added onions, carrots, celery and garlic, and simmered everything in some store-bought marinara (use homemade if you have it!). Finally, four cups of chicken stock were tipped into the pot, creating a rich base to spoon over the noodles and cheese.

I used penne because that’s what I had in my pantry, but if you can find it I think mafalda pasta, with its ribboned sides that closely mirror traditional lasagna noodles, would be a better option. There’s also nothing to say that you couldn’t break up those ordinary lasagna noodles into smaller pieces and use them instead. Lastly, do not be afraid to spoon a dollop of pesto or fresh ricotta on top of this soup; the result will be nothing but moan-worthy.

Lasagna Soup

Serves 4 - 6

• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 lb. Italian sausage (mild or hot), casings removed
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 small carrots, diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 3 cup marinara sauce
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 450 g penne pasta
• Fresh mozzarella cheese
• Parmesan cheese
• Optional: ricotta cheese, pesto, fresh spinach

1. In a Dutch oven or medium saucepan, heat the oil over medium to medium-high heat. Add the sausage and brown, crumbling it with the back of a wooden spoon.

2. Add the onions, carrots, celery and garlic and cook until soft, about 10 minutes. Stir in the marinara sauce, reduce the heat slightly and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Add the chicken stock, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for another 10 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to package directions and drain well.

5. To serve the soup, lay slices of fresh mozzarella (as many as you like) on the bottom of the bowl and top with 3/4 cup of cooked pasta. Ladle the hot soup over top, filling the bowl. Garnish with parmesan cheese and serve.

Notes:

• Make the soup portion of the recipe on the weekend and tuck it into the fridge or freezer  for a future weeknight meal. When you’re ready to eat it, cook some pasta, heat the soup and you’ll have dinner on the table in less than 15 minutes.

Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

This soup is warm and cozy, and utterly essential for the season. It's also a tried and true family favourite recipe, beloved by all from the nine-month-old baby to the septuagenarians who come for Sunday supper each week.

I shared a version of the soup on the blog back in November 2010, but I’ve updated it over the years and I think the way we eat it now is just a little better. Also, I fear it’s been buried so deep in the archives that few of you are familiar with the recipe, so I’m bringing it back to the top of the blog so you can print it off and have it handy for December.

Why December specifically? Isn’t it funny that no matter how busy we are that month there’s still a house full of people looking for dinner each night? In between the social events, shopping, gift-wrapping, work, school concerts, cooking and baking, the people you live with still need three square meals a day, because sadly man cannot live off Toblerone alone.

This soup will be the dinner that saves you. It’s quick to prepare (then simmers for an hour or so), nourishing, and so freaking good you’ll want to eat it all winter long. It also makes ample portions, providing plenty of leftovers for the following day. If you happen to be celebrating Thanksgiving this week, your leftover turkey will make a nice substitute for the chicken in the recipe.

Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

If your family isn’t fond of spinach, you can replace it with 2 cups of frozen peas.

Serves 6-8

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 large carrots, peeled and diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 2 onions, peeled and diced
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 ½ cups wild rice, brown rice, or basmati rice (I use a wild rice blend)
• 8 cups chicken stock
• 1 - 14oz. can coconut milk
• 2 cups diced uncooked chicken breasts or thighs
• 5 oz. fresh baby spinach
• Kosher salt
• Fresh ground pepper

1. Warm the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven and sauté the onions, carrots, celery until soft, translucent and slightly brown. Add the curry and cumin, and stir to combine. 

2. Add the rice and chicken stock.  Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer.

3. Add the chicken and coconut milk.  Simmer for 1-2 hours, or until the rice is tender and the chicken is cooked. 

4. Add the baby spinach and continue cooking until wilted. Season with salt and pepper, if desired, and serve warm.

Note: If using peas instead of spinach, add them at the end of dish and cook until they are warmed through.

Smoky Cheddar, Corn and Kale Chowder

This simple seasonal soup has been buried in the blog archives for five years. First published in August 2010 - when my oldest child was still shorter than me, Will and Kate had yet to marry, and Instagram hadn’t officially launched – it was popular with both my family and favourite readers, and has remained in regular rotation around our table ever since.

This summer I’m bringing it back to the forefront for new readers and old alike, as it’s been jazzed up a bit, thanks to the addition of some colourful kale and red pepper. As you know, my kids are totally down with kale, so I add it to as many dishes as possible, especially when large leafy bunches are readily available at the farmers' market. If your family isn’t fond of it, you can replace it with spinach, or just leave out the greens altogether.

What I like best about this soup is that it’s made with a handful of basic foods you're likely to have on hand, and is infused with a just enough spice to remind us that fall really is right around the corner. The simple simmer of a few ingredients makes this a dinner that can be pulled together quickly (no long stovetop time required) using the best of the season in a fresh and fun way.

P.S. How do you feel about soup in the summer? I love it, but have to confess I'm not a fan of cold soups. To me, eating them is like downing a vegetable smoothie with a spoon and I just can't get behind the idea. I did have a chilled cantaloupe and champagne soup once, and it was tolerable, but generally speaking I like my soup hot. 

Smoky Cheddar, Corn and Kale Chowder

Serve 4-6

• 1 lb. new potatoes, scrubbed and quartered
• 3 cups water (or chicken or vegetable stock)
• 6-7 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 Tbsp. butter
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 large Spanish onion, finely diced
• 1 red pepper, finely diced
• ½ bunch kale, centre stems removed and leaves roughly chopped
• 4 cups corn kernels, scraped from 6-7 ears of corn
• 3 green onions, thinly sliced
• 1 cup milk
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup chicken stock (or water)
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
• Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

1. Place the potatoes in a large soup pot and cover with the water, thyme sprigs and salt. If using stock, omit the salt.

2. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, heat the butter and oil in a large skillet. Sauté the onion and red pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until softened and slightly browned. Add the kale and cook until wilted, 2-3 minutes.

4. Once the onion mixture has cooked, add them to the potatoes. Also add the corn, green onions, milk, cream and stock. Bring to a boil, lower heat slightly, and allow to bubble for 7-8 minutes.

5. Add the cumin and paprika and stir well. Lower the heat and add the cheese, allowing it to melt completely. Season well with salt and fresh ground pepper. Serve warm.

Adapted from Love Soup

The House Soup

This is the soup I make every week. When I say every week there is no exaggerating because I really do mean at least once every seven days. This meal has many merits, not the least of which is the fact that it’s the one dinner no one ever complains about. It also makes enough to feed my family twice, which, as you can imagine, is a definite added bonus. The ratio of vegetables to meat is heavily in favour of the ground-grown goods, leaving me feeling virtuous for feeding it to my family as often as I do.

As a recipe developer I spend a lot of time coming up with and cooking new creations, but there are many, many days when I prefer to turn to the dishes I know by heart. When this happens, I have a set of go-to meals that I make repeatedly, and I like to think of them as our house specials. 

You’re familiar with the term, I’m sure. In the food industry, it’s typically a dish that is the specialty of a particular chef or restaurant. It could be a salad, a drink, or even a main course. I have my own specialties, and this soup, loaded with spicy sausage, creamy beans, root vegetables and leafy greens, happens to be one of them.

I have come to believe that anyone who walks into a kitchen should know how to make soup. Very few people are immune to the seductive powers of this classic comfort food, and there is no end to the things you can put into pot of soup. Meat is nice, and so are vegetables, beans, and noodles. A garnish of grated cheese, or even better, toasted bread, can elevate the dish to something special, and the ingredients you choose allow the dish to be tailored to suit almost any season. 

Just as every cook needs to know how to make soup, every home needs a few “house specials.” These are the dishes that get you through the days when you need to make the meals that you’re most familiar with. I’m sure you have a few of your own. I like to keep my pantry and freezer well stocked with the ingredients I need to make this particular meal, as they are essential to my kitchen, just as the recipe is, and I take no shame is defaulting to this dish as often as I do.

I load this one with kale because it’s one of the few vegetables that my boys easily agree on, and lest you think I’m so very lucky to have kids that readily gobble up their greens – and I agree, it is awesome – I couldn’t get either of my boys to eat a strawberry if it was last thing I had in the fridge, and presenting mushrooms or asparagus on the plate holds about as much appeal as a night with nothing to do but homework. In essence, we all have our issues, but greens are not one of mine. I use spinach, kale and Swiss chard interchangeably, and find that removing the thick inner stalks, and cutting the leaves into thin ribbons, makes for easy eating. Please know though, it’s really the sausage that lures them to the table; I just add a bunch of good-for-you-ingredients to the mix so the kids are eating what they like as well as what I happen to like for them.

If you know of anyone that hasn’t curated their own collection of house specials, I encourage you to introduce them to this recipe to get them started. The ease with which the dish comes together will easily entice them to make it more than once, and the groans and moans of happiness from those who have the chance to taste it will clearly express the importance of adding this dish to their recipe rotation.

They can tweak it to make the recipe their own, of course. I’ve been known to use turkey sausage in place of pork when I’m looking for something a little leaner, and gnocchi in lieu of beans (add them closer to the end of the cooking time instead of at the beginning) when comfort food is craved. The dish also does well with a smidge of cream added at the end, making the meal reminiscent of the classic zuppa Toscana. The bottom line here is that recipes should be shared, and I’m hoping this one becomes a part of your repertoire, and possibly one of your own home's specialties.

Sausage, Bean and Vegetable Soup

It could be argued that this soup more resembles a stew thanks to the plentiful portions of veggies. Regardless, we refer to it as soup and like to eat it topped with grated Parmesan cheese and a side of crusty bread. I buy my sausages in bulk quantities and package them up in bundles of four, which I store in the freezer until needed.

• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 Tbsp. butter
• 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 1 small onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 (about 450g) sausages, casings removed
• 1 large head kale, inner stalks removed and cut into thin ribbons
• 2 large carrots, peeled and cut into large dice
• 2 large russet potatoes, cut into large dice
• 2 cans navy beans, drained and rinsed
• ½ tsp. fresh ground nutmeg
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 2-3 cups water
• Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

Place the oil and butter in a large Dutch oven or stockpot set over medium heat. When the butter has melted add the red pepper flakes, stirring them around. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, until translucent and soft, 7-10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more.

Place the sausage in the pot, breaking it up into smaller pieces with the back of the wooden spoon. Cook until the meat is no longer pink and the pieces begins to brown. Add the kale and stir, cooking until wilted.

Dump the carrots, potatoes, and beans into the pot, and season with the nutmeg. Pour the chicken stock and water over top (use the amount required to cover the vegetables by at least one inch). Bring the soup to a boil, partially cover, and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 40-45 minutes or until the potatoes and carrots are fork tender. Taste and season to perfection with salt and pepper; serve warm. 

Slow Cooker Country Chicken Stew for Spring

In case I didn’t mention it, hockey season is almost officially over. I say almost because while there isn’t any actual playing of the game in those cold and smelly arenas, there are still meetings, parties, tryouts, and, ohwouldyoulookatthat, a spring tournament on the calendar for June.

It’s all fine. I’ve made my peace with the fact that hockey is now an eleven-month-long sport. It is what it is, and for those of you with little ones who haven’t yet reached the competitive sports years of your parenting career, consider yourself warned.

But it’s not hockey that has me wondering about family dinners these days, it’s football. Ben is playing tackle this spring and Rob and I just realized we’re going to be living out our own version of Friday Night Lights each weekend starting in May, as we travel from town to town to watch our boy play. Somehow in the midst of both of us researching the team and organization, and wondering why this kid of mine only wants to play things that involve menacing body contact (okay, I wonder that, Rob doesn’t) we missed the fact that this is a travelling sports team. That’s right. We’re not just relaxing in lawn chairs on the sidelines of a local field, but rather we’ll be dropping him off to travel by bus with his teammates to a neighbouring city, while we trail behind in the mini van. Suddenly, the shockingly high price of this spring sport makes sense.

While I was anxious to pack up the crock pot in favour of my beloved charcoal barbecue I think I’ll be leaving it out for a little bit yet. Long days away on the weekend means we either accept that there will be copious amounts of take-out, or dinner needs to cook while we’re on the road cheering on our own Matt Saracen.

I loved the look of this slow cooker country chicken stew, only in an effort to make it a more seasonal dish I swapped the carrots and sweet potatos for peas and asparagus. Because those spring vegetables don’t benefit from a long cooking time, I added them in for the last hour. If you aren’t around to do that, steam them while you’re searing the chicken and add them to the stew just before serving.

This dish was a hit with the entire family, even though two people at the table declared the asparagus intolerable and left it at the bottom of their bowls. I’m not surprised. It usually takes a few meals to get them reacquainted with a veggie they haven’t seen in nine months, but I’m confident that by the end of spring they’ll be friends with asparagus again.

Just like I’ll be used to being on the road each weekend.

P.S. If the Friday Night Lights references are lost on you, I highly recommend checking out the show.  

 

Slow Cooker Country Chicken Stew

Adapted from the Cook With Campbell’s website 

• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 2lbs. chicken thighs or breasts, boneless, skinless, cut into bite size chunks
• 2 leeks, diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups mushrooms, sliced
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• 1-900ml carton Campbell’s less sodium chicken broth
• 1 can Campbell’s condensed low-fat cream of celery soup
• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 cups chopped asparagus
• 1 cup frozen peas
• ½ cup light cream

1. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat and brown the chicken until golden brown all over, about 4-5 minutes. Do not crowd the pan, you may have to work in batches. Transfer browned chicken to the slow cooker.

2. In the same pan add leeks and celery and cook for 4-5 minutes or until soft. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Add the mushrooms and flour and cook 3-4 more minutes stirring to combine. Transfer contents of pan to slow cooker.

3. Add the broth, celery soup, rosemary and bay leaves to the slow cooker, stir, cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours. Add the asparagus and peas to the pot, cover and cook for another hour or until the asparagus is tender.

4. Just prior to serving, add cream to the slow cooker and cook on high setting for 10 minutes. Stir to combine, remove the bay leaves and serve.

 

This post was generously sponsored by Campbell’s, but the opinions and images are my own. For more quick and easy meals kids will love, visit cookwithcampbells.ca 

White Minestrone Soup with Roast Chicken

It’s not very often that I come across a recipe for minestrone soup that doesn’t involve the use of tomatoes. In case I haven’t mentioned it before, they are, by far, my least favourite food. Just the mere thought of them gives me a case of the heebie-jeebies, and sadly they aren’t a huge part of my cooking repertoire, although I certainly try to incorporate them when I think I can handle it, especially for Rob’s sake since he happens to love them.

All of this to say, you can imagine my delight when I came across a recipe for a white minestrone with roasted chicken soup over on the Campbell’s website. Not only was this a stew-like concoction tomato free, but it also made use of the already-cooked chicken tucked inside my fridge (side note: I never cook just enough chicken for one meal. If I’m going to go to the effort to turn on the stove I double up on my protein and store the leftovers in the fridge for a different dinner on another day).  Classic comfort food at it’s best, which, if you live anywhere near me, you know we are in need of in order to combat the wet and dreary weather of late.

Enhanced with a little crispy bacon and tender orzo, I suspected this family-friendly dish would be a hit with the kids; and I was right. As you can see in the photo below, I didn’t even get the table fully set before they started digging in. Such is the case these days with growing pre-teen boys. I ladle out the soup before setting the table so it can cool a little, and by the time I gather them up it’s the right temperature for eating. In this case, they were hovering close by and when the bowls hit the table so did they.

The original recipe called for turnip, which isn’t a favourite flavour in our house, so I swapped it out for some of the butternut squash I had hanging around. I used dried sage instead of fresh, because that’s what was available, but the soup is so forgiving it truly didn’t seen to matter. In fact, I think the overall recipe is easily adaptable. If gluten poses a challenge to someone in your home, white beans would make an excellent replacement for the pasta, and if your kids aren’t crazy about mushrooms they can be omitted without issue.

It’s very rare that I head to a corporate-run website for recipe inspiration, but in this case I’m so glad I did. Otherwise, I’d be resigned to skipping out on minestrone soup forever, thanks to those pesky tomatoes.

White Minestrone Soup with Roast Chicken

Serves 6-8

• 1 tablespoon olive/canola oil
• 2 strips bacon, diced
• 1 medium leek, white and pale green parts only, finely diced
• 1 cup button or cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 1 teaspoon dried sage
• 1 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 medium potato, diced
• 1 cup diced butternut squash
• 2 small carrots, peeled and diced
• 2 boxes Campbell’s low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 cups chopped/shredded cooked chicken
• 1 cup baby spinach
• 1 cup cooked orzo
• Optional: grated Parmesan cheese

1. Warm the oil in a Dutch oven set over medium heat and sauté the bacon for 4 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp. Add the leek and continue to cook for 2-3 minutes, or until soft.

2. Add the mushroom, sage, rosemary, and oregano, and cook for 2 minutes or until the mushrooms are soft and the herbs are fragrant. Add the potato, squash, and carrots, and sauté for 3-4 minutes or until slightly golden in colour.

3. Add the broth and bring the soup to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes.  Remove the pot from the heat and, using a hand/immersion blender, pulse the soup three or four times to slightly thicken it. Stir in the cooked chicken and baby spinach and bring to a simmer.

4. Place a spoonful or two of pasta in each bowl and ladle the hot soup over the top. Garnish with Parmesan cheese, if desired.

 

Campbell’s generously sponsored this post, but the opinions and images are my own. For more quick and easy meals kids will love, visit CookwithCampbells.ca.

 

 

Jackson's Chinese Chicken Soup

Jackson found this soup in Mark Bittman’s How to Cook Everything two weekends ago, and we’ve eaten it three times since. It’s the kind of meal that warms you up from the top of your head to the tips of your toes, and tastes mighty fine while doing so.

It’s also the kind of meal that’s perfect for right now; the chicken and vegetables are just what we need to combat the negative effects of our daily pilfering of the shortbread from the oversized cookie tin (you’re doing it too, right?); I’m convinced that the garlic, ginger, and hot sauce are the magic elixir that’s protecting my kids from this weird winter flu that’s invaded almost every household we know; and the fact that the meal comes together in less than half an hour is a holiday gift to whoever is in charge of getting something decent on the dinner table this week.

The first time we ate this Jackson made it on his own, although I confess to sneaking in and taking a few liberties with the seasonings. The original recipe just calls for soy sauce, but I think this slightly jazzed up version tastes even better. However, feel free to play with the flavours that suit your family’s tastes – I think it would be practically impossible to mess this thing up. 

 

Jackson's Chinese Chicken Soup

Adapted from Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything

Serves 6

• 6 cups chicken stock (homemade or store-bought)
• 1/2 cup long grain rice
• 1 teaspoon minced ginger
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 carrot, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 celery stalk, trimmed and thinly sliced
• 1-2 cups raw or cooked chopped boneless skinless chicken
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoons sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 1 teaspoon sriracha hot sauce
• Fresh ground pepper
• Sliced green onions

1. Put the stock in a large, deep pot set over medium high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low so that it's barely boiling and add the rice, ginger, garlic, carrot and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until the rice is tender, about 20 minutes. 

2. Stir in the chicken. If it's raw cook for 8-10 minutes. If it's cooked, cook for 2-3 minutes, until it is heated through. 

3. Add the peas in the last minute of cooking. Season with the soy sauce, sesame oil, fish sauce, hot sauce and lots of fresh ground pepper. 

4. Ladle into bowls and garnish with sliced green onions. 

I've Got Your Back (Recipe for Ravioli Soup)

Those of us with kids in Grades 1-12 know that June is a month unlike any other. If your kids are wee ones toddling around the house right now, consider yourself warned. There are school projects, speeches and assignments due. There might even be exams. There are end of year concerts, field trips, parties and social gatherings, and chances are some of you have graduations and proms marked on the calendar, too.

You likely know someone getting married this month. Father's Day is a few weeks away. Your husband might be in a golf tournament. If you work, there are projects to finalize before summer vacation.

You're busy thinking about all the ways you hope to keep you kids entertained for ten whole weeks this summer. You could be securing a family vacation, or trying to pack for one. Your kids are still playing baseball, soccer and football a few evenings a week, and if you're lucky there might even be a few hockey events nestled in there, too.

Your kids might find the last few weeks of school overwhelming, they may even a cry a little here and there, reminding you that you also need to buy a gift for the teacher(s) before the last day of school. 

I'm willing to bet you've volunteered to send in the snacks for a classroom party, and you may even be helping out on Play Day, or that field trip previously mentioned. 

Amidst it all, you’ve been trying to take advantage of the stunning weather that comes with June, working on your garden, planning a party or two, making some jam, picking some strawberries and possibly even building a table.

Don’t worry, I’ve got your back. Moms of school-aged children, this dinner is for you. 

 

Ravioli Soup

• 10 cups chicken or veggie stock
• 1-700g package of cheese ravioli
• 2 cups frozen peas
• 4-6 large handfuls of spinach
• Juice of 1/2 lemon (about 2 Tbsp.)
• Fresh ground pepper

Pour the stock into a large pot or Dutch oven and bring it to a boil. Lower the heat to medium, add the ravioli and cook for 4 minutes.

Add the peas, spinach and lemon juice.  Cook for another 4-5 minutes, or until the peas are warmed through and the pasta is tender.

Season with fresh ground pepper and serve hot.