All-day cooking!

As a busy mom, I know how it feels to finally have a “free day”. A day off from work, school and maybe even the housework is done! What to do? Relax? If only us moms knew the meaning of that word! I know what I would do! I would cook all day!

Breakfast

First, I would start the day making my family some amazing old fashioned pancakes! Thanks to https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/21014/good-old-fashioned-pancakes/ for the recipe! My son loves bacon and sausage so both of these would be optional sides in my house!

Old fashioned pancakes

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• 1 1/4 cups milk
• 1 egg
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Make a well in the center and pour in the milk, egg and melted butter; mix until smooth.
2. Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium-high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot.

Lunch

Lunch is a great time to make something healthy and light. Having heavy meals in the middle of the day is sure to make you feel tired and cause an unproductive rest of the day. Thanks to https://www.taste.com.au/recipes/baked-fish-vegetables-low-fat/92bf40db-7bd6-4440-9cfd-14976f60e848 for this perfectly satisfying recipe!

Low-fat baked fish and vegetables

Ingredients

• 2 zucchini, cut into wedges
• 2 red onions, cut into wedges
• 3 tomatoes, cut into wedges
• 1/4 cup pitted black olives
• 1/4 cup (60ml) olive oil
• 4 x 180g thick skinless white fish fillets
• 1 small garlic clove, crushed
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1/2 cup roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C.
2. Toss the zucchini, onion, tomato and olives with 1 tablespoon of the oil in a baking dish. Brush another tablespoon of oil over the fish and place on the vegetables. Place in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes until cooked through.
3. Whisk together the garlic, lemon juice, mustard and remaining oil to make a dressing.
4. Divide the cooked vegetables among plates and top each with a piece of fish.
5. Drizzle the fish with the dressing and scatter with chopped parsley.

Dinner

Finally, we have the final meal of the day. Dinner! This is usually the best meal in my house because it’s often the only one we all get to sit down together and eat as a family. Thanks to https://cafedelites.com/easy-oven-baked-chicken-and-rice/

Oven-baked chicken and rice

Ingredients

For Chicken

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 teaspoons dried parsley
• 1 teaspoon mild sweet paprika (or hot)
• 1 teaspoon each garlic and onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper to taste
• 6 skinless chicken thighs, bone-in or out

For Rice

• 1 large onion chopped
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper
• 2 cups chicken broth (or stock)
• 3/4 cup hot water
• 1 1/2 cups long-grain white rice

For Mushrooms (OPTIONAL)

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 14 ounces (400g) button mushrooms quartered
• 1/4 cup chives, divided
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley, to garnish

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F | 180°C.
2. In a shallow bowl, mix together the olive oil, parsley, paprika, garlic powder, thyme, salt and pepper. Add the chicken and coat each piece evenly with the seasoning. Set aside, allowing the flavors to absorb into the meat.
3. Spray a large baking dish (10-inch x 15-inch or 25 x 35 cm) with nonstick cooking oil spray. Add the onion, garlic, oil, salt, pepper, broth (or stock) and water into the dish. Stir well to combine and mix in the rice.
4. Arrange thighs in the water over the rice, cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover, spray chicken with oil and bake for an additional 20-30 minutes or until the chicken is cooked right through to the bone and rice is soft. Change oven setting to broil for 2-3 minutes to brown the chicken and crisp rice.
5. Remove chicken thighs, mix the rice through, then arrange the chicken back on top of the rice. Cover and allow it to rest for 5-10 minutes to set all of the flavors in the hot dish. The rice will finish off cooking while resting.
6. While chicken is resting, prepare mushrooms (OPTIONAL):
7. Heat butter in a pan over medium-high heat. Sauté garlic until fragrant (30 seconds) and add mushrooms; cook until softened. Stir in 2 tablespoons of chives and season with salt and pepper.
8. Transfer chicken onto a plate; fluff rice with forks, then mix the mushrooms through the rice. Arrange chicken back onto the rice in the dish, garnish with remaining chives and chopped parsley. SERVE and enjoy!