We all have them!  And not just one, but several!  Every realtor on the face of this earth sends out those magnetic tablets.  We receive them as gifts, too.   Most of us rip the magnet off and use the paper wherever we need it.  But guess what?  They actually come in handy right in the kitchen, as intended!  Go ahead, take one of them and hang it on the refrigerator, and leave a pen nearby.  (If your house is like this one, that in itself will be a near-impossible task).  When you run out of or are getting low on those odds and ends in the kitchen, immediately write it on the list.  On grocery shopping day, make a list of the items you will need for your meals, and also grab the sheet from the refrigerator tablet.   You’ll never again forget those items you run out of during the week, but would never remember to put on the list the day you are grocery shopping.  How many of us have gone to bake a cake and realized that we ran out of vanilla extract 6 months ago?   Nothing is more frustrating!  Now, you won’t ever forget those odd items….as long as you can handle looking at the picture on the tablet!   : )  Easy enough!

I have learned that easy meals that taste great are keepers in my arsenal of dinner recipes.  Although they can sometimes be hard to find, easy recipes that the whole family likes can be like a day off from cooking without the guilt.

My family loves home-cooked meals and like everyone else, sometimes I just don’t feel like cooking.  I have gotten really good at meal planning and it has saved me tons of money, especially since I was shocked to see the price of a pizza (including delivery & tip) was almost $25.00.  And that was for 1 large pizza with extra cheese.  

This easy Caesar Chicken is excellent and quick.  Use it in Melissa’s salad or roast some potatoes sprinkled with olive oil and seasonings and a green veggie.

EASY CHICKEN CAESAR

1/2 lbs. boneless chicken breasts, pounded thin
1 cup of creamy Caesar dressing (I use Ken’s)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2-3 teaspoons minced garlic (in the jar)
2 teaspoons prepared yellow mustard

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix dressing, soy sauce, garlic, and mustard in a medium bowl.  Marinate chicken in this for at least 1/2 hour.  (Longer if you have time.)  Spray a casserole dish with cooking spray and place chicken in the dish.  Brush any leftover marinade over each piece of chicken.  Bake uncovered for 30 minutes.  If you are serving with romaine lettuce, pour some of the hot marinade over the lettuce before serving.  (the warm sauce is excellent over cold lettuce.)  Slice the chicken over top of the lettuce, and serve immediately.