After the holidays I am ready for some meals with lots of colorful vegetables! Stir-fry dinners are great because you can use your favorite vegetables, protein and sauce. Stir-fry dinners are so pretty! Just makes you want to eat a healthier!

I always cut up all my vegetables and protein before I begin. To serve 4-5 people, you need about one pound of protein and 4 cups of vegetables. Vegetables could include broccoli, carrots, mushrooms, peppers, onions, sugar snap peas, zucchini, cabbage.

Chicken is usually what I use for stir-fry dinners, but pork tenderloin, flank steak and shrimp work really well too. Begin by cooking your protein in a large skillet or wok, using about 1 tablespoon of oil. Once done, transfer to a bowl and cover to keep warm.

You can use the same skillet to cook your vegetables. Add one more tablespoon of oil to your skillet. Add your most dense or vegetables that require the most cooking first, saute about 4 minutes. Then add the remaining vegetables and cook about another 4 minutes, until the vegetables are almost done.

Add the protein back into the skillet with the vegetables. Add your sauce and cook until it is thickened, about 1-2 minutes.

Serve over rice. You can also sprinkle a few red pepper flakes on the top. My daughter gave us some delicious savory nuts for Christmas, so I chopped up a few of those and used them for a topping – so good!

Below is the website for a Chicken Stir-Fry. Just click on the link for the recipe and complete directions.

This is a good Stir-Frying guide. It gives you options for protein, vegetables, spices and sauces and how to combine them.

Enjoy!

I love it when the tomatoes begin to get ripe! The first thing to make is usually a BLT – what is better? Unless you make a BLT with guacamole instead of mayonnaise! A tomato topped with cottage cheese with a sprinkling of chives – or just salt and pepper – is so good! Love the fresh tastes of summer.

Tomatoes are such a tasty and colorful addition to your summer meals. Here are some of our favorite tomato recipes:

Enjoy the fresh tastes of summer!

What to make for dinner? What to make that is easy and nutritious? This Sheet Pan Balsamic Chicken fits the bill.

Gather the ingredients.

Clean and pat dry chicken, potatoes and mushrooms. Halve potatoes and mushrooms. Cut the onion into wedges.

Put the potatoes, mushrooms, onion and garlic in a large bowl. Add sprigs of rosemary, thyme, salt, pepper, oil and balsamic vinegar. I used some Cranberry Pear White Balsamic that we picked out when we were in Eureka Springs, but regular Balsamic vinegar is delicious too!

Mix everything well and spread the ingredients out on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet.

Mix balsamic vinegar, salad oil, salt and pepper. Mix well to coat.

Add chicken to the baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes at 450 degrees.

Clean and pat dry 1 to 1 1/2 cups of small tomatoes, set aside.

At the end of the 30 minute baking time, add the small tomatoes. Return to oven to cook for about 10 minutes.

At the end of the baking time, check the temperature of the thickest part of the thigh, it needs to register 165 degrees. If not return to oven for 5-10 minutes and check again.

Looks – and tastes so good! We added some fresh corn on the cob for a side and whole wheat rolls! Meal done! Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Sheet Pan Balsamic Chicken on the Two Peas and Their Pod blog, original recipe from Everyday Dorie by Dorie Greenspan.

Print Recipe

Sheet Pan Balsamic Chicken

Quick and Easy Weeknight Dinner made with Chicken and Vegetables

Prep Time1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Cook Time40 minutes mins

Total Time50 minutes mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Chicken, Vegetables

Servings: 4

Author: Dorie Greenspan

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds small potatoes, scrubbed and halved if large
• 1/2 pound white mushrooms, clean, trimmed and cut it half if large
• 1 medium onion, cut into 8 wedges
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled and cut in half
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 8 sprigs fresh lemon (or regular) thyme
• salt and pepper
• 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 6 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 4 chicken thighs, patted dry

Instructions

• Center a rack on the oven and preheat to 450 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil, lightly oil foil.
• Put the potatoes, mushrooms, onion and garlic in a large bowl. Toss in rosemary springs and 4 sprigs of thyme, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, 3 tablespoons of the oil and 3 tablespoons of the balsamic vinegar. Mix everything well and spread the ingredients on the prepared baking dish.
• Place the chicken thighs in a bowl and add 3 tablespoons of the oil and 2 tablespoons of the balsamic vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper. Mix well to coat the chicken.
• Add the chicken thighs to the vegetables on the baking sheet.
• Roast the chicken for 30 minutes.
• Remove baking sheet from oven and add small tomatoes, return to the oven and bake an additional 10 minutes.
• At end of baking time, check the temperature of the thickest part of the chicken thigh. Needs to register at 165 degrees. If not, return to the oven and bake 5-10 minutes more until that temperature is reached.
• After taking chicken and vegetables from oven, drizzle 1 additional tablespoon of balsamic vinegar over the top. Serve immediately. Enjoy!!!!