Here's another great way to use one of those rotisserie chickens sold at the deli in your favorite grocery. I love lettuce wraps; they're like egg rolls without all the extra fat and calories. I'm lucky enough to have kids that will eat lettuce, among lots of other veggies, so these are great for us. I like using the rotisserie chicken since it's already cooked and more tender than other pre-cooked chicken products. It's also pretty straight-forward without extra preservatives and junk added. The sesame slaw is fast and full of flavor and pairs perfectly with the lettuce wraps. Having similar ingredients in both recipes speeds prep-time, as well.

Lettuce Wraps

Hands-On Time: 15 minutes
Ready In: 20 minutes
Yield: 4 -6 servings

Ingredients:

1 Teriyaki flavored rotisserie chicken
1/4 cup red pepper - diced small
1/4 cup water chestnuts - diced small
1/4 cup bamboo shoots - diced small
2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onion
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I think pasta is one of those great discoveries (inventions?) that the world wouldn't continue turning without. Ravioli is one of my favorite types of pasta. We've had it straight up with tomato based sauces and Alfredo, to a casserole made with layers of ravioli, cheese and sauce. While we most often have it for dinner, I also like to make a quick and different appetizer with it. I tried to do a no-bake version of this, but the result was… Read More

Edamame (ed-ah-MAH-may) are boiled green soybeans commonly served as an appetizer in Japanese restaurants. They have become more common in Western culture in recent years. Most often sold in the U.S. frozen in shelled or unshelled form, they are packed with vitamin C, vitamin A, iron, calcium, protein and fiber. They're crunchy and mild without tasting like a bean at all. My kids love them straight from the shell. They especially like them paired with two… Read More

This is one of those desserts that kids and moms alike enjoy. Few ingredients and ease of preparation put it high on my list of stand-bys. The strawberries can easily be substituted with any other berry or even chocolate pudding. Make sure the angel food cake you get is a 10 inch size - any smaller and you'll have leftover filling. This can also be made in a 9x13 inch cake pan in a single layer. Any way you … Read More

Cannelloni is a lovely stuffed pasta dish very popular in Italian cuisine. Usually pasta sheets or cannelloni shells are used. Both are hard to find where I live, so I improvised and used egg roll wrappers. Egg roll wrappers are a pasta, but a very thin and delicate one, which just adds to the appeal of this dish. Egg roll wrappers are also far easier to stuff and roll than cooked pasta shells, which can be slippery and messy. The… Read More

I think every parent hates to hear, "Ew! I'm not eating that!" or, "I don't like that. Can I have PB&J?" at dinnertime. My kids like this next recipe so much that just last night I heard, "Mom, dinner was really good. Can we have it again tomorrow night?" Now, that works for me!

The original recipe was one I threw together right after my last baby was born. It was a desperation dinner and nothing I felt spectacular… Read More