Oven Roasted Potatoes

View at Picasa Greek Lemon Chicken With Artichokes – from the Mama Says, “No More Frozen Pizza!” recipe collection www.mamasays.us

Last weekend I ran into the daughter of a dear friend who is in her mid-twenties. As we caught up on her new job and recent engagement (so much excitement)…she gushed that she and her fiance enjoy making the Greek Lemon Chicken with Artichokes from the Mama Says, “No More Frozen Pizza!” recipe collection.  They make it so often that it has become one of their “dishes.”  You can only imagine how thrilled I was to hear her talking about cooking, the cookbook and glowing (most likely due to the engagement). The Mama Says recipe collection is all about encouraging busy people to get into the kitchen to cook for themselves – it’s always a plus when they find a special someone to cook with…

One of my favorite side dishes to serve with the Greek Lemon Chicken recipe is oven-roasted potatoes with lemon and oregano.

View at Picasa Greek Lemon Potatoes perfect side dish for the Greek Lemon Chicken – from the Mama Says, “No More Frozen Pizza!” recipe collection www.mamasays.us

Greek-style Lemon Potatoes

Yield: Makes 6 servings

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 450° and spray a 9- by 13-in. baking dish with cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl, toss diced potatoes with lemon juice, olive oil, oregano, lemon zest, garlic, and salt; layer slices in baking dish.
3. Pour 1 cup boiling water over the prepared potatoes and bake, uncovered, until most of the water has evaporated and potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes. Top with feta (if using) and bake until golden, about 15 minutes more.

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Note: I’ve modified the recipe to included diced potatoes and a mixture of russet and sweet potatoes, optional feta cheese and often use more lemon zest.

Recipe inspiration: Sunset, FEBRUARY 2007 Photo Credit: myrecipes.com/ Annabelle Breakey

You can purchase the Mama Says recipe collection online at Target and Amazon.

Thank you for joining us in the kitchen.

Wishing you a wonderful Father’s Day.

Help end childhood hunger by making virtual toast!

Nearly 17 million children in America – almost one in four – struggle with hunger. The families of these children have a hard time putting food on the table. The non-profit Grain Foods Foundation has teamed up with Food Network host Melissa d’Arabian and Share Our Strength®, a non-profit leading the charge to end childhood hunger in America by 2015, to help give hungry children in our country access to nutritious meals.

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Shocking. And Surprising. Thankfully, there is something you can do to help. You can participate in the Bread Art Project – from the comfort of your computer!  The Bread Art Project was created in 2009 by the Grain Foods Foundation to help increase awareness of the growing hunger problem in our country. Last year, visitors to breadartproject.com created more than 25,000 pieces of Bread Art to raise more than $25,000. This year, goal is to double that amount.

Now through June 30, 2010, you can create a personalized piece of bread art – at no cost – by uploading a favorite drawing or photo, or designing a new one using a digital slice of bread as the canvas. It’s fun. And a great project to do on your own or with a youngster.

For each piece of bread art created, the Grain Foods Foundation will donate $1 to Share Our Strength*. One dollar can help provide three nutritious meals to a hungry child; $25 can help feed one child three healthy meals every day for a month; and $100 can help provide 25 children facing hunger backpacks full of healthy food to feed them and their families over the weekend.

It’s just that simple to lend a helping hand: www.breadartproject.com

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Food Network host Melissa d’Arabian was in Atlanta last week to talk about the program. “Our children deserve healthy meals,” d’Arabian said. “As a mother of four, I understand a parent’s desire to properly nourish their children. It’s heartbreaking to know there are families in our own country struggling for the basics. Staples like bread and grains provide many essential nutrients our bodies need to stay healthy.”

For families looking for help with their own kitchen cutbacks, d’Arabian has developed recipes and tips to help us save time and money in the kitchen:

• My kids like sandwiches without crusts, so I am constantly cutting them off sliced bread. Instead of throwing them away, I save them in resealable freezer bags. I turn them into “dippers” which my kids use for dunking in jam (crusts are apparently completely delicious, just not on a sandwich when you are five), or I use the crusts to make fresh and fluffy bread crumbs.
• Keep different varieties of pasta in your pantry for weeknight meals that are as nutritious as they are quick. Your weeknight strategy: get the pasta started and while it’s cooking, pull out a large sauté pan. Add a little olive oil and then check your crisper drawer, freezer and pantry for aromatics, herbs, veggies or meats to sauté in the olive oil. You can always go simple with just minced garlic, red pepper flakes and some slivers of broccoli, for instance. Once the pasta is cooked, toss it into your sauté pan, adding a little of the pasta water and some Parmesan cheese to make a light sauce.

Mama Says: Thank you for taking a minute to create a work of art while providing nutritious meals to a hungry child. Enjoy playing with your food.

Thank you to Jennifer James of the Mom Bloggers Club for the invitation.

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Thank you to Hazel (MagMoment @MagMoment) for nominating Mama Says for the Life Is Good Award. As part of this award, Mama Lynn will answer the following questions that Hazel has posed, create our list of six questions and nominate six people for the award.

1. What is your favorite song and why?

Since the early ’80s I have been a huge Bruce Springsteen fan. With the release of “Working On A Dream” (2009) the voice that penned “Born to Run” and “Rosalita” took another look at relationships through the mature eyes of a boomer. The first time I heard “Kingdom of Day” it took my breath away. The author who penned and sang “Born to Run” wanted to “…. know how it feels:”

But I gotta know how it feels
I want to know if love is wild
Babe I want to know if love is real

and two decades later he has the answer to that poignant question. And his words are pure poetry.

Love is real -  so sings  The Boss.
“Kingdom Of Days” – Bruce Springsteen

With you I don’t hear the minutes ticking by
I don’t feel the hours as they fly
I don’t see the summer as it wanes
Just a subtle change of light upon your face

Walk away, walk away, walk away, walk away
This is our kingdom of days

I watched the sun as it rises and sets
I watched the moon trace its arc with no regret
My jacket ’round your shoulders, the falling leaves
The wet grass on our backs as the autumn breeze drifts through the trees

Walk away, walk away, walk away, walk away
This is our kingdom of days
This is our kingdom of days

I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you, I do
You whispered “then prove it, then prove it, then prove it, to me baby blue”

When I count my blessings and you’re mine for always
We laughed beneath the covers
and count the wrinkles and the grays

Sing away, sing away, sing away, sing away
Sing away, sing away, my darling, we’ll sing away
This is our kingdom of days (repeat 3 times)

2. How did you get involved in your work/business?
I’ve been passionate about marketing since I was a kid. For me, the best part of television is the commercials — I ponder the discussions between the client and the agency – which led to the creative development and final creative product.  Starting Mama Says was a natural extension of that curiosity  – and a chance to work with a dear friend — while encouraging healthy eating habits!

3. What makes a day really special?
Sharing smiles with those you love and people you meet along the way.

4. What do you do for exercise?
Power walking. Kick boxing (a game changer for this aging boomer). Zumba, and strength classes (weight training) – a mix of things so I can eat!

5. What is one thing that you REALLY love to do?
So many things. But, I really love creating menus and inviting friends and family over for dinner. It’s a very creative process to compile flavors, the time-in-motion of planning and making – it’s a mini production. The real reason cooking is something I LOVE to do is that my husband is my sous chef. He handling the chopping so I can assemble the pieces and dabbles with the spices.  It’s “our” time.

6. Give one art/writing tip to readers. Let it flow.

OUR NOMINATIONS: First of all we must nominate Chris at Mel Cotte (@MeleCotte) for her blog that feeds a huge appetite for cooking, The Teacher Cooks (@Theteachercooks) a Georgia teacher who loves to cook (and teaches cooking) and Ask Wifey (@AskWifey) co-owner of @TheBlogRollers who we met on the first @brokesocialite Sugar Coma tour. And my Twitter pals @suerodman and her blog Field Trips with Sue, @shelleyellen who is still standing and @a_simple_girl who blogs about photography and “writes” her camera chronicles.

If you want to participate please answer the following questions and nominate six bloggers as well. Paste the Life IS Good badge into your blog, and share! (Nominees and the rest of you, feel free to comment here with your answers or on your blog.)

1. What is your favorite song and why?
2. How did you get involved in your work/business?
3. What makes a day really special?
4. What do you do for exercise?
5. What is one thing that you REALLY love to do?
6. What is your favorite comfort food or meal?

Thank you again for joining us in the kitchen.

Make your graduation gift the one that actually gets used

View at Picasa beauty girl jumping in field under blue sky15-Jul-2006 08:47, Canon Canon EOS 350D DIGIT, 5.6, 70.0mm, 0.001 sec, ISO 100

The Mama Says, ‘No More Frozen Pizza!’ recipe kit is a unique collection of easy-to-prepare, nutritious and delicious recipes for new cooks. The easy-to-follow directions and photos of the completed dishes inspires them to turn fresh (and affordable) ingredients into healthy meals.

Help the new college grad in your life say “no” to processed food and “yes” to cooking quick and nutritious meals.

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It Only Looks Like A Pizza Box.                                           Inside are recipes for main dishes, sides and salads

Each recipe card features a photo of the dish on one side; the other side has a list of ingredients (many are pantry staples), cooking directions, and an equipment list.

Order Today. Mama Says, “No More Frozen Pizza!” is available online at Target.com and Amazon.com.

View at Picasa jumping couple in field under clouds15-Jul-2006 10:36, Canon Canon EOS 350D DIGIT, 9.0, 30.0mm, 0.002 sec, ISO 100

Give the hip gift that teaches skills for a lifetime.

Photo credits: BEAUTY GIRL JUMPING IN FIELD & JUMPING COUPLE IN FIELD UNDER CLOUDS © Anatoly Tiplyashin | Dreamstime.com