Have you ever bought a bunch of bananas thinking that your family will eat them before the week is over, just to find them languishing on the counter turning brown because no one felt like having a banana that week? Once I introduced my oldest son to banana bread, I never worried about letting the bananas turn brown.  In fact, I often buy extra just so that I can make a few loaves of bread to store in the freezer. Even if you can't get into the kitchen to bake right away, put those bananas in a freezer bag and freeze them until do you have time.  When you are ready to use the bananas, let …

School starts soon, which means it's time for new school supplies and a plan for packing healthy lunches. If you have a plan in place and are organized, sending your kids to school with a healthy lunch can be one of the easier parts of your morning routine.  This is true especially if you prepare most of it the night before while cleaning the dinner dishes.  While each lunchbox typically holds a sandwich with either cold cuts or peanut butter and jelly (for those who are not at a nut-free school), there are other options to consider.  Instead of a sandwich, perhaps a lettuce, turkey and …

If you have been to a local farmers market, you can't miss the gorgeous tomatoes in season right now.  Going home with a bag full of juicy, red tomatoes is a given, but what to do with them? You could start simply by slicing the tomatoes and layering them with fresh mozzarella cheese slices.  Top with a drizzle of olive oil and a chiffonade of fresh basil to create a simple caprese salad. I know some who prefer to keep things even simpler by slicing and adding nothing more than a sprinkle of salt before serving.  My family looks forward to fresh tomatoes every summer so that we can enjoy …

When it's hot outside, what do you do to stay cool? Do you head to the local mall for some air-conditioned shopping? Perhaps you head to the local ice cream shop for some cool refreshments?  My family enjoys making ice-cold smoothies for afternoon treats or as something sweet to end the evening. You can enjoy your own frozen treats at home, and you don't even need an ice cream maker.  With some simple ingredients that you can pick up at one of our local grocery stores, you'll have a healthy summertime treat within minutes. One of the great things about smoothies is that they are also healthy…

To impart flavor into meat, many swear by marinades.  I have found that a really good dry rub will do the same as I shared a few weeks ago.  Of course, a simple marinade will do wonders to tenderize a piece of meat or just to add another twist of flavor. You can always play around with the various ready-made marinades you will find in the grocery store.  Most take no more than 30 minutes to do the trick. For those of us who don't mind spending a few minutes in the kitchen putting together our own marinades, there is a simple formula I found that can be used when creating using items from your…

There was a request in comments last time for quick and easy marinades for grilling different types of meats.  While I do plan to address that specific question next time, I'd like to suggest another way to impart wonderful flavor in a short amout of time—dry rubs. What is a dry rub?  It is a combination of spices that are mixed together, then rubbed into the meat of your choice.  I've used a few diferent rubs with great success, a favorite was from Costco that was already pre-mixed.  One that we made last year and enjoyed many times was a rub we used on our smoked ribs - Memphis Dust from …

The weather lately has been perfect for getting the grill going so that the house can stay cool.  So, what do you do when you want to serve a refreshing desert on a warm summer night?  Make dessert on the grill! It's such a simple idea that when I finally tried it last year, I fell in love with grilling fruit.  The summer months are a perfect time to give this a try since farmers markets will be fully stocked with amazing fruit to enjoy.  Ideally, you want to choose a firm, stone fruit.  Peaches, nectarines and apricots are just a few examples of fruit varieties that grill nicely. Once you …

Quick and easy dinners are often the reason there is a line at the drive-thru in the evening.  With a few simple ingredients, you can skip the drive-thru and make dinner at home. Tacos can be made in many different variations. You choose the protein that suits your mood—chicken, steak, shrimp or ground beef.  Season it according to your tastes, make it spicy if you enjoy heat, or keep it mild and pile on various toppings.  The great thing about the different protein options is that you can select what is on sale so that you can keep your grocery bill within budget and serve a healthy meal to …

Patsy Kreitman will bring you ideas every other week on simple meals that you can make at home and enjoy with your family at The Kitchen Table. There seems to be a love/hate relationship with vegetables. In general, we love vegetables for the nutritional powerhouses that they are, but not necessarily the taste of them. It's often recommended to try different ways of preparing foods when you have picky eaters in the house (and that goes for children and adults). About a year ago, I discovered an incredible way to prepare cauliflower so that my family would all enjoy it. Roasting is a simple …