July is here!
Cooking and sharing a meal over the dinner table was a huge part of my life growing up.
I want to share with you some great recipes that will make your ordinary dinners into EXTRAORDINARY gatherings.
Enjoy!
Hawaiian Haystacks
Recipe by picky-palate.com
Yummy Slow Cooker Chicken Cordon Bleu
Recipe by justgetoffyourbuttandbake.com
Taisty Warm Potato Salad
Yum!
recipe by addapinch.com
The Best Best Barbecue Chicken Wings EVER
recipe by me HERE
Grilled Samon with Avocade Sauce
Recipe by laylita.com
Chicken & Cream Cheese Taquitos
with Avocado Dipping Sauce
Recipe by mommyimhungry.blogspot.com
Baked Potato Soup
Recipe by thecurvycarrot.com
Power Spinach Salad with Chicken Avocado and Cheese
Recipe by recipegirl.com
Chicken Cordon Bleu Pasta
Recipe by chef-in-training.com
BBQ Chicken Salad
Recipe by Jamielyn over at iheartnaptime.net
Chicken Fajitas with Guacamole
and Homemade Fresh Salsa
Recipe HERE
Breakfast for Dinner:
Potato Bacon Breakfast Casserole.
Recipe by nestleusa.wordpress.com
Slow Cooker Sweet Teriyaki Chicken
Recipe over at sixsistersstuff.com
Bean and Beef Enchilada Casserole
Recipe over at recipe.com
Chinese Chicken Salad
Recipe over at foodiecrush.com
Cheesy Macaroni & Cheese
recipe over at mommyimhungry.blogspot.com
Loaded Baked Potato Salad
recipe over at dishingwithleslie.blogspot.com
Southwestern Stuffed Peppers
Recipe over at simplylovefood.blog.com
Slow-cooker Greek Chicken Pita Folds
Recipe over at ldsliving.com
Summer Corn, Bacon and Potato Chowder
recipe over at weightwatchers.com
The INSPIRATION behind this POST.
I really believe that magic happens when a family takes the time to sit together and share a meal.
“Sitting down to a meal together draws a line around us.
It encloses us and, for a brief time, strengthens the bonds that connect us with other members of our self-defined clan,
shutting out the rest of the world.”
{ By Miriam Weinstein, author of The Surprising Power of Family Meals.}
I was born and raised in Spain, in The Canary Islands.
There… food and family go together.
One of the first questions people ask you when you visit their home is “Have you eaten?”
If your answer is yes then the mom of the family will come back with a plate of nuts, cookies, olives and something to drink.
If your answer is no be ready to eat whatever they have.
Over there life happens around a dining table.
{ Picture of my family. All the kids are my brothers, sisters and cousins! }
This month my personal goal as a mother is to bring that magical feeling that I grew up with back to my own home.
I really believe that strong families are built upon a foundation of healthy memories.
My goal in July is to bring REAL food back to our table regularly.
Dinners that fill not just my families bellies but more importantly food that will fill their hearts.
I hope these recipes inspire all of us to spend at least two or three days of our busy weeks sitting together,
eating together, talking to each other, laughing, sharing everyday moments, and having a blast while we prepare, cook and eat a meal.
picture via fairlyhappy.com
I found this amazing article called Why Mealtime Matters that taught me and reminded me a lot about the importance of dinner time.
Did you know that…
19% of teens who have fewer than three family dinners per week report that there is a great deal of tension or stress between family members, compared to 7% of teens who have at least five family dinners per week.
Did you know that…
More mealtime at home was the single strongest factor in better achievement scores and fewer behavioral problems in children all ages. More meals at home also resulted in less obesity.
Did you know that…
More than a decade of research by The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University has found that the more often kids eat dinner with their families, the less like they are to smoke, drink or use drugs.
Pretty amazing stuff!
I encourage you all to take a minute and read the rest of the article, Why Mealtime Matters.
Often my children ask me where did I learn to cook.
My response is I learned while being with my mama in the kitchen.
I clearly remember her giving me the task of cleaning lentils and peeling garlic.
I clearly remember the comfort of coming back home from school and smelling my mom’s cooking as I approached our door.
I clearly recall the unforgettable sound of laughter and conversations around the dining table.
I remember the countless gatherings with friends, neighbors and family sharing meals.
The tables did not look perfect, the silverware didn’t match but the relationships were what made those moments simply perfect.
{ Having dinner with a family that I love while serving my LDS Mission. }
I learned how to pray and thank God for what we had around a dining table.
I learned how to have manners, to be polite, to excuse myself, to share with others and to be thankful around our family dining table.
Now it is my turn to pass on this legacy of making memories to my own family
and I feel a deep gratitude for the great examples I had before me.
A few weeks ago I asked on The 36th AVENUE Facebook Page a question:
What is your favorite dish from your childhood?
You can see all of the answers HERE. It was so cute the warm feeling behind each comment.
What about you?
Did your family have a favorite meal growing up?
Did you guys have a tradition that involved food?
Would you share it with me?
Thank you all for the visit!
Happy Monday My Friends!
Besos!
Desirée
If you are new to my blog I want to welcome you!
I hope you stay in touch and Subscribe to The 36th Avenue via Readers.
See You Later!
I’m SOOO hungry now. Great selection!
This post really hit home for me. As a child, we always had a sit down meal in the evening and later as a parent raising 3 boys I continued this. I think it’s an important part of being a family……listening, sharing, laughing or just eating quietly enjoying the gift of a good meal together. Family mealtime really does make a difference so thanks for sharing this Desiree! Let’s start an “Occupy the Dinner Table” movement…..our world needs more of this!
I am with you Wendy. Thank you so much for sharing a little piece of your life with me. Have a wonderful 4th of July!