Homepage: Practical Takeaways for Families

Sheet Pan Butternut Squash Dinner

Sheet pan butternut squash is a quick vegetarian main – made with squash, red onions, pine nuts, tahini yogurt sauce, za’atar, and cilantro!

Smartphones & Kids – A discussion of The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt

A discussion of Jonathan Haidt’s The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt, addressing the risks of smart phone use to kids and adolescents. Also, what parents can do to mitigate those risks.
Sharing at Home: Takeaways from The Second Shift by Arlie Russell Hochschild

A discussion of Arlie Russel Hochschild’s The Second Shift, addressing how various working couples share the work at home (and a critique, because I can’t help myself).

Crispy Mushroom Salad

I love eating crispy mushroom tacos with our family. One night I accidentally made a delicious crispy mushroom salad, complete with turmeric yogurt, feta, corn and caramelized onions, and cilantro. Tacos are a popular family meal over here. Especially our crispy mushroom and steak tacos with turmeric yogurt. They’re ready in under 30 minutes, and…
White Ragu (Pasta Abruzzese with pork sausage and fennel)

White ragu over pasta is a quick Friday night dinner that makes both the adults and the kids happy. Plus, multiple easy variations for those who like red sauce or don’t eat pasta.
Abruzzese Meatballs (tiny meatballs)

These tiny Abruzzese-style meatballs are cooked in a lemony white wine sauce – they’re super yummy tossed with pasta! They’re a great choice if your kids don’t like red sauce but do like tiny meatballs + pasta.

Whole Chicken Roasted in Maple Rosemary Butter

Just in time for fall, this roasted chicken with maple rosemary butter makes our whole house smell amazing . . . For spring, I use thyme!
Sheet Pan Butternut Squash Dinner

Sheet pan butternut squash is a quick vegetarian main – made with squash, red onions, pine nuts, tahini yogurt sauce, za’atar, and cilantro!
Lemony Wild Rice with Saffron and Fresh Tomatoes

This lemony wild rice with tomatoes is easy to make ahead of time and keeps well so that you can enjoy it again and again throughout the week . . .
Greek Lemon Chicken and Potatoes (or Celery Root) with Spinach

This Greek lemon chicken is roasted over potatoes – or, even better if you can find it, celery root. The chicken fat combines with lemon and oregano to roast the potatoes / celery root and doubles as a sauce for spinach, making this a true one-pot meal.

White Ragu (Pasta Abruzzese with pork sausage and fennel)

White ragu over pasta is a quick Friday night dinner that makes both the adults and the kids happy. Plus, multiple easy variations for those who like red sauce or don’t eat pasta.
Simple Sweet Potato Pancakes

Basic and very easy recipe for sweet potato pancakes that is very popular with my kids . . .
Pearl Couscous with Spinach, Lemon, Tomatoes, Fresh Mozzarella, Basil, and Olives

This lemony pearl couscous with spinach, tomatoes, mozzarella, and olives (in our house, creatively dubbed, “The Couscous Dish”) is a delicious and quick vegetarian one-dish meal that works for the whole family.
Orange-Scented Cranberry and Carrot Muffins

These cranberry and carrot muffins smell like sweet oranges and are filled with pops of tart fresh cranberry . . .

Orange Fennel Chicken Breakfast Sausages

These orange fennel chicken breakfast sausages are sweetened with chopped dates and caramelized fennel and flavored with a hint of orange and nutmeg.
All-Apple Butter (no sugar apple butter)

Delicious, sweet, no-sugar apple butter. No sweeteners of any kind needed – just apples and spices.
Buttermilk Cornbread Pancakes

This recipe makes a fluffy, delicately crispy, and comforting cornbread pancake. My ideal pre-Thanksgiving pancake (but we also eat them in summer with fresh peaches, whipped ricotta, and maple syrup!)
Ginger Apple Bran Muffins

If you could put an apple crisp into a muffin, these ginger apple bran muffins would be how . . .These are relatively healthy, super-fiber apple and bran muffins. Because they are made with apple, dates, and bran, they are packed with nutrients and natural sweetness (no refined sugars in the recipe!), making them both…