Is anybody else ready for sunshine, fresh fruits and veggies, and eating and cooking outside?  I kicked off this past warm-weather week by making my favorite pasta salad.  Not only is this a quick weeknight meal, it packs up well for meals on-the-go.  Early weekdays don't look so bad when you have a few lunches of this colorful and delicious pasta salad ready for the week ahead!  And it's a meal all in one- no side dishes needed.

I made this pasta salad with my sister this past Tuesday.  I packed up Reed, Oliver, and the ingredients and hauled everything over to her place, just a few miles away.  We cooked while Matt and Reed played in the yard with Oliver and Jessie's husband, Brandon.  Tired and hungry, everybody enjoyed huge second helpings and we barely had some left over for packing lunches!  The best laid plans...

Start off with four chicken breasts.  I made the chicken the night before to save some time.  I seasoned four chicken breasts with salt and pepper and baked them at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes, or until the meat thermometer read 165 degrees.  Keep the chicken in the refrigerator until you add it to the pasta salad.

Boil your pasta first.  You want to do this at the beginning so the pasta is close to room temperature when you are ready to eat.  Additionally, if it is too hot, it may wilt or cook some of your veggies.  I like to use about a half of a box of penne and a half of a box of farfalle, or bow-tie pasta.  I think any bite-sized pasta would work well.

Drain the pasta and add a few tablespoons of olive oil.  The olive oil will keep the pasta from sticking.  Stir the pasta until all of the noodles have some olive oil on them.

It's time for the veggies!  This is my favorite part of the pasta salad.  I feel like I add more vegetables every time I make it!  I used all of my favorites like broccoli, cauliflower, red onion, red bell pepper, and carrots.  Feel free to add or takeaway whatever vegetables you enjoy.  I love using all different colors and textures of vegetables.

Yes, Reed is stuffing his face with pasta salad.  And he has broccoli stuck to his chin.  Don't worry about those veggies too much; this pasta salad is kid-approved!  Reed loved the colors and getting to add his own toppings (more on that later).  Plus, cold pasta is so refreshing on a hot afternoon!

Next, cut up the chicken and the veggies.  I like to keep everything around the same size, with the exception of the red onion, which I dice pretty well.  Everything else is in small, bite-sized pieces.

Layer your veggies on top of the pasta.  You will need a gigantic bowl, and you may also want to add a bit more olive oil if the pasta begins to stick.

Now it's time to stir it up!  Sometimes the veggies will go to the bottom of the bowl, so be sure to mix everything well.

Serve it up!  Doesn't this look beautiful?

Of course we ate outside!  I grabbed some parmesan cheese and ranch dressing, and we sat out on the deck and watched the neighbors' chickens, the cars driving down the street, and Reed stuff his face.  
I like to put a little of both parmesan and ranch on my pasta salad, and Reed did, too.  Don't add parmesan and ranch to the entire bowl before serving, though.  It is best to let everyone make their own. 

Food AND outside?!  Oliver is in heaven!  He might look all cute and cuddly, but don't look too deeply into those puppy-dog eyes.  He's a master manipulator when it comes to begging for food.

Delicious!  I know you will enjoy this recipe.  Let me know if you try it out!
​

Simple Pasta Salad

Ingredients:
- 1/2 box penne
-1/2 box farfalle
-3 T olive oil
-4 chicken breasts
- 1/4 red onion
-1 sweet red pepper
- 1 cup broccoli florets, chopped
-1 cup cauliflower, chopped
-1/2 cup shredded carrot
-Parmesan cheese
-Ranch dressing

Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper.  Bake at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes, or until meat thermometer reads 165 degrees.
Boil pasta until al dente.  Drain and coat with olive oil.  Set aside to cool.
Chop all vegetables into bite-sized pieces and dice the red onion.  Chop chicken into bite-sized pieces.  Add chicken and vegetables to pasta and mix well.  Add more olive oil if needed.
Serve with parmesan cheese and ranch dressing.

I started my search for the perfect baked sweet potato fry recipe last year when Reed really started eating "big boy" food.  I'm kind of a freak when it comes to Reed's eating habits; I introduce "healthy", new foods as often as possible.  Last summer we found ourselves spending a lot of time on the go, and Reed would eat these fries warm from the oven at home (yum-o!) or cold when he was teething while we were on the go (eewww).

I've perfected this recipe over the past year.  These fries are crispy, and flavorful.  We never have leftovers.  In fact, when I made them for this post, my husband didn't even get to eat any!  Sorry, honey!  I'll make more! FYI, they do have a little kick to them, so if you are making these for a really little one (like introducing solids-18 months), you may want to cut back on some of the spices.  As usual, I'll include the recipe at the end of this post.

If you have sweet potatoes at home, you probably already have everything else you need.  This recipe is really simple and easy.

Start off by trimming the ends of the sweet potatoes so they are fry-sized in length.

Next, peel the potatoes.  This is my least favorite part.  I'd make Reed do it, but that is unloving, dangerous, and negligent.  Plus, he's too busy with his "new piano".  I'm burnt toast now!  Just kidding.  Kind of.

I try to make each potato even before I slice it.  Sweet potatoes can be really weird looking sometimes.  They are not as fry-friendly as regular potatoes, when it comes to cutting them, anyway.  After trimming them, I slice them down the middle, and then slice each half again.  It helps to have a really sharp knife.

Next, cut them into fries.  Sheesh- my hands are white!!  I'll try to get a little more tan for y'all.

Time for the seasoning!  Melt a half of a stick of butter in a small bowl in the microwave.  Add your spices and the melted butter to the potatoes.  I have here (about) one teaspoon of salt, a half a teaspoon each of pepper and paprika, and a quarter teaspoon of garlic powder.  Although, I must admit I ALWAYS go a little heavier on the spices, and I rarely actually measure them.  But I did this time for you.

Stir everything around so the fries are all coated evenly.

Spray some cooking spray on a baking sheet and spread the fries out evenly.  Make sure they have plenty of room to groove- no crowding!  Bake these guys at 450 degrees for 20 minutes or so, turning them occasionally.

One of my favorite dips in the whole wide world is ketchup and tartar sauce mixed together.  Maybe a lot of people do this, maybe I'm weird, but I love this on any kind of fry.  This mixture is especially tasty with these sweet potato fries.  Our boys are totally in the dipping phase right now, too.

Well look who decided to show up!  I called in a Matt and an Oliver.  I'm telling you, kids love these fries, and they smell GOOD!  Matt is a growing boy,  Oliver is just a mooch.

We made three potatoes-worth of fries, and they were gone in five minutes.  Seriously. The boys were eating them with both hands (maybe I was, too!)  They are sweet, a little spicy, and perfectly crispy.  Plus, I like to think they are a little healthier than regular, old fries.  Let's just say they are!
Let me know if you try them!  Enjoy!

Spicy Sweet Potato Fries

Ingredients:
- Three sweet potatoes
- 4 T butter
- 1 t salt
- 1/2 t pepper
- 1/2 t paprika
- 1/4 t garlic powder

Peel and slice sweet potatoes.  Coat potatoes in melted butter and spices.  Spread evenly on a baking sheet and bake at 450 degrees for 20 minutes, turning occasionally.

 I woke up Saturday morning with a hankering for lunch meat "pinwheels"- that's what I've always called them, anyway.  Meat, cheese, and veggies wrapped up in a soft tortilla- yum! See, I eat healthy sometimes and even have a health food hankering!  Told ya.

My sister and I have a standing Saturday evening night out with our boys.  Her son, Matthew, is 18 months old; my son is not even two and a half.  She lives just a few minutes away, my mom often babysits the two while we are at work, and my sister and I are really close.  So our boys are BFFs, to put it mildly.  Whenever they see each other they start squealing and laughing and then they yell and grunt at each other.  Boys are weird.

This past Saturday, the Saturday upon which I had a hankering for health food, we planned to take the boys to a nearby natural playscape after their naps.  It is at Rowe Woods, part of the Cincinnati Nature Center.  My sister is a pass-holder and I had never been to the PlayScape.  Well, I take that back.  I went once but my car broke down on the way and so I made it there (rolling in) and had to call someone to come get me.  So that doesn't count.

Ok- so the pinwheels.  These little things are so yummy and perfect for a picnic at the park.  I placed Reed on his usual spot on the counter-top and made these babies in just a couple of minutes.  Super fun, easy, and healthy!

The ingredients are pretty simple, and you could definitely add or take away according to your tastes.  I chose plain flour tortillas, thinly sliced ham, thinly sliced swiss cheese, lettuce, tomato, and this nifty chive-flavored cream cheese.  

Start by dicing a tomato and cutting the lettuce.  I chose to slice the lettuce in long strips to make it easier to lay on the tortilla.

Next, scoop about about 2 tablespoons of cream cheese and spread it evenly across the tortilla.

Well thanks, Reed.

Told you this cream cheese is good!  And, yes, he used the same spoon to continue spreading the cheese.  We faithfully double dip in this household, too.

Okay!  Next, lay out the lunch meat on the tortilla.  I left about an inch on the edges because the meat will shift when you roll it.  I really loved how Reed could make this with me.  I try to get him involved in the kitchen as much as possible.  It never fails- if he makes it, he will try it and probably like it.

Then layer on the cheese. I chose Swiss because I am obsessed with Swiss cheese above all other cheeses, and that is a very high compliment. I think cheddar would be great, too. You really can't go wrong with cheese in my world.

See how there is a space along this edge?  That is so important to have or you will have lunch meat and cheese hanging out of the roll up. 

Go ahead and add your other ingredients.  I laid out the lettuce in a single layer and sprinkled the lettuce with tomato.  Delish!  Time to roll up!

Make sure you roll as tightly as possible. Then, if you have time, wrap the rolled tortilla in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for an hour or so. This makes everything stick together and helps the tortilla get nice and soft from the cream cheese.

When you are ready to slice, cut off the ends first so all of your pinwheels are even and pretty.  Slice along the roll-up around every inch or so.

Ta-da!  Beautiful pinwheels!  I made some veggie-free ones in case the boys decided to be picky on our picnic.  Toddlers...

We packed them up and headed to the natural PlayScape!  We ate as soon as we arrived so the boys would be able to play uninterrupted.  As you can see by Reed's trademark stuffed face, these were successful.  That face gives me such satisfaction.

Once we finished eating, we set the boys loose in the PlayScape.  It was creatively designed and I think Matt and Reed felt like they were on an adventure or quest or something.  There were tunnels, bridges, rocks, sticks, and little hidden play areas everywhere.

Little explorers!

After they played for a while, we went outside of the PlayScape to Matt's pond, a boardwalk/nature area where you can see all kinds of animals.  On the way there are little nature education stops that I found really interesting.  I know Reed will love these kinds of things too once he gets older.  They had everything from leaves, to fossils, to composting, and everything in between.  But for now, the boys ran past the educational parts screaming as loud as they could, chasing each other and disturbing all nearby wildlife.  What else do adventurers do in the wild?

The pond was definitely my favorite part.  We saw a turtle and a goose.  It took Reed a while to figure out what we were doing because he really wanted to swim.  But once he realized I was not going to let him swim in the cold, muddy pond and disturb all of the wildlife and break all of the rules, he was cool and was really excited about all of the things he saw.  The boardwalk is literally right on the water and it is so serene and beautiful.  This goose kind of freaked him out though- they literally swim right along the boardwalk!  Boy won't forget what a goose looks like now!  Ha.

Our pinwheets and playscape outing was a big success.  The boys were not only completely worn out by the time we got home (mission accomplished) but I really think they learned a lot, too!  You can check out the Rowe Woods playscape and other information about the Cincinnati Nature Center here.


Easy Ham and Cheese Pinwheels
Makes 4 servings

Ingredients
- 4 flour tortillas
- 8 slices of Swiss cheese
- 12 slices of deli ham
- Chive or Garden Veggie cream cheese
- Lettuce
- Tomato

Spread about 2 tablespoons of cream cheese evenly over each tortilla.  Layer ham, cheese, lettuce, and tomato.  Roll tightly.  Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1-2 hours.
Remove plastic wrap and slice rolls every inch.  Refrigerate until you are ready to eat.  Enjoy!

Busy peeps- take note!  I so know the feeling of just being plain worn out on weeknights.  It is amazing how quickly the time flies by.  Most nights I feel like by the time I make dinner and clean up, it is time for bed!  So, I have brought in the real cook of our home and I have his permission to share his easy chicken sandwich recipe.  Whenever Jacob has a night off, I beg him to cook dinner for a few reasons:
1. So I don't have to.
2. He is an amazing cook.
3. So I don't have to.

Seriously though, Jacob is an expert in the kitchen, especially when it comes to seasoning and meats.  So I bowed to his expertise this week, gladly relinquished the stove, and contented myself with taking pictures of my handsome man's cooking.  It's a rough life.

Note: Jacob hates hates hates getting his pictures taken.  So for the sake of marital harmony, there are no pics of my husband cooking.... for now.  He he he.

Start these sandwiches off by frying a half a pack or so of bacon on medium heat.  Yum-O!  Maybe we can just have bacon for dinner.  No?  Okay...  

Don't let the bacon get crispy in the pan because you will cook it a little more later.

Add a little butter to the bacon grease in the pan and increase the heat to medium-high.  This recipe requires quite a bit of butter.  We eat healthy around here every once in a while- I promise!

While the butter is melting, pound your chicken breasts pretty thinly.  We used three chicken breasts to make four sandwiches.  This was enough for dinner plus lunch the next day- we didn't eat two sandwiches each for dinner (even though I wanted to).

Season the chicken liberally with salt and pepper on both sides.

Throw them in the frying pan!  We can only fry two at a time because of the size of our pan.  Once one side is nice and brown, flip it to cook the other side.  Add more butter if you need to.  These babies cook pretty quickly.

Look who decided to show up!  He was laying on the couch watching the Opening Day Reds game with TLO.  It's starting to smell pretty good.  

Meanwhile, set the oven to broil and compile the rest of your ingredients.  It's pretty simple: provolone cheese and some sub buns.  Hamburger buns work just fine, too.

Lay out the sub buns on a baking sheet or stone.  Spread butter across the subs, and then layer on your chicken.  Please try to ignore how well-loved my baking stone is.

Lay slices of provolone cheese over the chicken and sprinkle again with salt and pepper.  You really want to make sure you season these well.

Finally, pile on the bacon.  Pop these in the oven for a couple of minutes, or until the cheese is melted.

Now I know I should've stopped here and added some healthy things to my sandwich like lettuce, tomato, onion, and avocado.  But I didn't.  Maybe next time.  These are just so yummy on their own!

Serve 'em up!  We like to eat ours with some fruit, or I sometimes eat them with a salad.  Sweet potato fries are pretty good with them as well- I'll post that recipe next week.  More weeknight dinners to come, too- and I'll try to make them a little more healthy.  Probably.  Maybe.  

Thanks for stopping by!  Recipe below....

Easy Chicken Club Sandwiches
Makes 4 sandwiches

- 3 large chicken breasts
- 6 slices of bacon
- 1/2 stick butter
- 4 sub/hoagie buns or hamburger buns
- 8 slices provolone cheese
- salt to taste
- pepper to taste

Fry bacon over medium heat in skillet.  Set aside and raise heat to medium-high.  Add 1 T of butter to bacon grease.  Pound chicken breasts to about 1/2 inch thickness.  Salt and pepper both sides of chicken and fry for a couple of minutes on each side, until golden brown, adding butter as needed.
Set oven to broil.  Butter inside of sub/hoagie buns generously.  Layer chicken, provolone, salt, pepper, and bacon.  Broil until cheese is melted.  Enjoy!