My kids have been back to school for a couple of weeks now and and I'm pretty certain a lot of you are in the same situation as me. Are you juggling between packing school lunches and shuttling the kids to and from sports practices? And for all the stay-at-home-mamas, are you trying to complete as many chores as you can before the kids get home? What about the working mamas who are trying to get it all together and still have a job?

Regardless of what type of mother we are, we are all trying our very best! And having a quick and easy dinner recipe that is delicious is definitely a win for all! This Simple Chicken Teriyaki Stir Fry can be whipped in a matter of 15 minutes. I served it with rice, some steamed broccoli and Spinach Egg Drop Soup. Voila! Dinner is ready, family is happy and satisfied and I did not stress about it.

Here are some more of my quick and easy weeknight recipes that could be useful to you:

1. Asian Spiced Roast Chicken
2. Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry
3. Broiled Pineapple Salmon
4. Honey Ginger Lime Pork
5. Spaghetti Bolognese

Simple Chicken Teriyaki Stir Fry
by Miss Crumbs A Lot, inspired by Cooking Classy

Recipe
Ingredients
2 pieces of Chicken Breast (Boneless & skinless, cut into 1 inch cubes)
1 tbsp Olive Oil
1/4 Cup Light Soy Sauce
1/4 cup Water
2 tbsp Honey
2 tbsp Mirin
1 inch piece of Ginger (minced)
2 cloves of Garlic (minced)
2 tsp Cornstarch
Sesame Seeds & Chopped Green Onions (for garnishing)

Cooking Method
1. In a measuring cup, mix together the light soy sauce, water, honey, mirin and cornstarch.
2. Heat olive oil up in wok or frying pan, stir fry minced ginger and garlic until fragrant.
3. Add in chicken pieces and continue str frying until chicken is cooked and browned.
4. Add in sauce mixture and continue to cook, allowing the sauce to thicken.
5. Serve with white rice and garnish with sesame seeds and green onions.

Makes 4 servings

Japanese cuisine has always been very popular in Singapore and is also one of my family's favorite. The Japanese cuisine offers such a great variety of dishes and regional specialties. Needless to say, Japan is one of our favorite countries to visit.

Kian and I have visited multiples times but Bella and Jamie have yet to do so. Although, we have stopped over at Narita Airport a few times and the both of them always enjoy what ever little time they have immersing in the language, culture and of course the food. With their love for Japanese food, we think they are absolutely ready to tour the country.

I've mentioned before in my other Japanese inspired recipes, Chicken Donburi and Pork Katsu Curry, that the cuisine is more than just raw seafood and sushi. And one of my children's favorite is Chicken Karaage. This simple recipe calls for chicken thigh meat that is cut into small bite size, marinated and then coating them with corn starch prior to deep frying. An easy recipe that is so versatile, it can be served as an appetizer, side dish or as a main meal with rice or noodles.

Chicken Karaage
by Miss Crumbs A Lot, adapted from No Recipes

Recipe
Ingredients
1 1/2 lbs Chicken Thighs (skinless and boneless)
1/4 cup Soy Sauce
2 tbsp Sake or Japanese Cooking Rice Wine
2 tbsp Minced Ginger
1 cup Corn Starch
Vegetable Oil for Frying
Lemon Wedges

Cooking Method
1. Cut chicken thighs into small bite sizes. Marinate it with soy sauce, sake or Japanese cooking rice wine and minced ginger for 1 to 2 hours in the refrigerator.
2. Heat vegetable oil in wok until the oil reaches approximately 350 degrees F.
3. Dredge the chicken pieces in corn starch and coat each piece evenly.
4. Deep fry the coated chicken pieces in batches. Once the chicken is golden brown and crispy, remove from oil and allow the chicken to rest on tempura paper or paper towels for a few minutes before serving.
5. Serve with lemon wedges.

Makes 4 servings

In a blink of an eye, we have jumped right into summer! School has been out for 2 weeks now and Bella and Jamie are looking forward to their first summer camp next week. Even though it is the summer holidays, we still keep it fairly active for the kids with martial arts classes, piano and swim lessons. I may be slowing it down a little in the kitchen but we can't possibly eat out or get take out all the time. So, here's another family favorite that I'd like to share with you that is quick and easy to make with just a handful of ingredients.

Bacon Wrapped Pesto Chicken
by Miss Crumbs A Lot

Recipe
Ingredients
6 Pieces of Chicken Thighs (skinned and deboned)
12 Slices of Bacon
6 tbsp Pesto Sauce
6 Slices of Mozzarella Cheese
Salt & Pepper

Cooking Method
1. Preheat oven at Convection/Roast function at 375 degrees F.
2. Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Spoon 1 tbsp of pesto sauce in each chicken thigh piece and place mozzarella cheese slice in the middle. Roll the chicken thigh up and wrap with 2 slices of bacon per chicken thigh.
3. Place on a baking tray and roast for 40 minutes. You may broil the chicken for 3-5 minutes to brown the bacon, if required.

Makes 4 servings

If there is one dish that I'd prepare for my family a lot, and I'm thinking almost on a weekly basis, it is oven roasted chicken. This is by far one of the easiest meals to prepare and clean up. It is literally a "shake and bake" situation here. Hence, they make a frequent appearance on our dinner table.

In my pantry, I do have a pretty decent spice rack that is filled with a variety of dry rub ingredients. Every other week or so, I'll try different combinations of spice powders on my chicken dinners. Needless to say, the family absolutely love it and very often request for this dish. Do not be disheartened by the long list of ingredients listed below. These spice powders are inexpensive and last for quite a while. On top of that, the flavors that they add to the meat is heavenly.

As I mentioned before, I make oven roasted chicken on a regular basis and so I have developed quite a few dry rub recipes in my arsenal, many of which have less than 5 ingredients required. And I promise I will share them soon. But for now, give this unbelievably flavorful and crispy chicken a try. I even have it such that you can prepare the dry rub once and store it in an air tight container, ready for multiple use.

It has been over 3 weeks since school started and the kids' activities are back in full swing too. I am so glad that both Bella and Jamie are having a great time learning and making new friends. However, for me, this is the time of the year that I often struggle a little to be as productive as I hope to be. While we truly enjoy the warm summer days, I always look forward to fall. Not just for the cool weather but also for the upcoming holidays. I can't help but feel that this is a very festive time of the year - with Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas coming up. So, I guess I am still pretty much on holiday mode.

But life cannot be on a standstill, especially if we have our family depending on us. So, quick and easy recipes are my go-to for week night dinners. I always try to make it a point to have warm homemade meals for the family during the week nights, despite having to run from one after school activity to another. And this Bacon Wrapped Chicken recipe is a hit with my family. It is simple to make, delicious and cleaning up after is a breeze. 

Here are more quick and easy recipes that make a frequent appearance on our dinner table:

1. Chicken Fajita Soup
2. Five Spice Bacon Wrapped Pork
3. Ginger Soy Minced Beef
4. Garlic Lemon Butter Salmon
5. Spaghetti Bolognese

Bacon Wrapped Chicken
by Miss Crumbs A Lot

Recipe
Ingredients
3 lb Boneless & Skinless Chicken Thighs
12 to 16 Slices of Bacon
2 tsp Paprika
1 tsp Garlic Powder
1 tsp Onion Powder
1/4 tsp Chili Powder (you may add more for a spicer version)
1 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Freshly Cracked Black Pepper
1 tbsp Olive Oil
2 tbsp Honey

Cooking Method
1. In a  large bowl, season the chicken thighs with 2 tsp paprika, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, 1/4 tsp chili powder, 1 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp balck pepper and 1 tbsp olive oil. Mix well and ensure that chicken is well coated with seasoning.
2. Wrap the seasoned chicken thighs with bacon slices and place it on a baking tray.
3. Brush on honey onto the bacon wrapped chicken pieces.
4. Bake at 400 degrees F for 30 min on the middle rack. And broil on medium for about 5 min or until bacon is lightly charred.

Makes 4 servings

During this past summer holiday, one particular Singapore classic food that I have been making often is Satay. These little hand held meat skewers are such a versatile dish. They are perfect for parties as an appetizer, as a tray pass food or as a light meal! I even made them for Jamie's 5th birthday pirate themed party. I called them "Pirates' Peg Legs" and not only were the guests amused, they were impressed with this quintessential Singapore street food.

And they are easy to prepare too, although one should plan ahead of time for marinating and cooking. I typically marinate the meat the night before and skewer the meat the next day before grilling them over my Satay grill, which is a long rectangular grill using charcoals. But you can grill them over any type of grill or even bake them in your oven if a grill is not available. The skewers are flipped frequently to ensure even cooking while basting it with a mixture of coconut milk and vegetable oil. Boldly seasoned and lightly charred over the grill, these Satays are so flavorful and delicous. Definitely one of my family's favorite recipe that I have made so far!

Satays are typically served with cucumber, shallots, ketupat (a type of Malay style rice dumpling packed in a diamond shaped woven palm leaf pouch) and a peanut sauce in Singapore. Unfortunately, Bella is allergic to peanuts and so we usually do not have it with peanut sauce. However, I do have a bottle of a store bought Satay peanut sauce that I'd let friends sample with the Satay if they wish to. The sauce is readily available in the Asian supermarkets. So, if you are thinking of grilling this weekend or on Labor Day here in the US, perhaps you might want to shake things up with this favorite Singaporean hawker food!

Singapore Satay
by Miss Crumbs A Lot

Recipe
Satay Ingredients
3 1/2 lbs Beef Filet Mignon or Chicken Thighs
8 oz Shallots
6 cloves Garlic
1 1/2 inch slice of Turmeric
1/4 inch slice of Galangal 
4 1/2 stalk of Lemongrass (white portion, sliced thinly)
1 1/2 tbsp Coriander Powder
1 1/2 tsp Cumin Powder
1 1/2 tbsp Tamarind Extract
1 1.2 tsp Anise Seeds
6 tbsp Sugar
3 tsp Salt
6 tbsp Vegetable Oil
Skewers (soaked in water for 20 min)

Basting Sauce Ingredients
1/3 cup Coconut Milk
4 1/2 tbsp Vegetable Oil

Cooking Method
1. Cut beef and/or chicken into small 1/4 inch cubes and set aside.
2. In a food processor, blend the shallots, garlic, turmeric, galangal, lemongrass, coriander powder, cumin powder, tamarind extract, anise seeds, sugar, salt and vegetable oil until a smooth paste is formed. 
3. Mix the marinade with the meat and allow it to marinate for 3 -4 hours or overnight if time permits.
4. Prepare the charcoal grill, use charcoal sparingly as too much heat will burn the Satay easily.
5. Skewer the marinated meat and prepare the basting sauce by mixing the coconut milk and vegetable oil together.
6. Cook the Satay over the grill, flipping frequently to ensure even cooking and baste it with the coconut milk and oil mixture. Lightly char it, if desired.

Makes approximately 200 Satays

Wow! What a month February has been and now we're in March! I cannot believe how quickly we are approaching the end of the first quarter of the year already. But first, a deep breath after the whirlwind of the last 2 months.

My family who visited from Singapore left mid of January along with Kian jetting off to London and Singapore for work for more than 2 weeks. That left me caring for the kids and household all by myself. Shortly after he returned, I plunged straight into preparing for Chinese New Year. We did all that while still maintaining after school activities. To add on to our busy schedules, Bella is also in a competitive team for the Destination Imagination Tournament that has been working on and practicing their challenges since October. With the upcoming competition this weekend, they have been practicing more frequently this couple of weeks. She is really excited about it. 

With such an active schedule, one tray bake meals are my go to for dinners. They are quick and easy to prepare, I can set them on the oven timer and have a hot, delicious meal ready for when my hungry and tired family get home after a long day.

I derived this Soy Chicken and Chinese 5-Spice Vegetable one tray bake recipe from a popular Singapore hawker food, Soy Chicken. It is usually served with rice or noodles. One Singapore hawker even earned a Michelin-star with this dish. Read more about it here. With this one tray bake recipe, a few simple ingredients are tossed with seasoning and then baked on a tray. 

Soy Chicken and Chinese 5-Spice Vegetables
by Miss Crumbs A Lot

Recipe
Ingredients
4 to 5 lbs Chicken Thighs (about 8 pieces)
1 tbsp Olive Oil
1 tbsp Light Soy Sauce
1 tbsp Dark Soy Sauce
1/2 tsp Sesame Oil
Dash of White Pepper Powder
1 lb Brussel Sprouts (washed and cut into halves)
5 Carrots (cut diagonally)
1 tbsp Honey
1 tbsp Olive Oil
1/2 Tsp Sesame Oil
1 tsp Chinese 5-Spice Powder

Cooking Method
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Marinate chicken thighs with 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp light soy sauce, 1 tbsp dark soy sauce, 1/2 tsp sesame oil and a dash of white pepper powder. Set aside.
3. Toss brussel sprouts and carrots with 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp honey, 1/2 tsp sesame oil and 1 tsp Chinese 5-spice powder. Mix well to evenly coat and place them onto a baking tray.
4. Place marinated chicken thighs onto tray as well.
5. Bake at 375 degrees F on the middle rack for 30 minutes.
6. Broil on medium for 10 minutes on the 2nd top rack to brown the chicken before serving.

Makes 4 to 6 servings

It has been two and a half weeks since Kian has been away, traveling for work. And he is finally coming home tomorrow! The kids and I are excited to have him home and join us at the dinner table again. Dinners are always a special time for us, even on week nights when it seems like there is a ton of chores to complete.

We'd play music on the background at dinner time, eat and talk about our day. And I'd always attempt to make a nice dinner too. With the right recipes and tools, dinners can be simple & uncomplicated to make and yet still tasty and special.

This Slow Cooker Cilantro Lime Chicken is the perfect dinner for our family. And I hope it will be for your  family too. Bella and Jamie absolutely enjoyed the chicken. To be compliant with a low carb diet, I prepared a side of oven roasted broccoli and some Flourless Almond Butter Bread. Using only 4 basic ingredients (salt and pepper not included), and a slow cooker, I was able to prepare the meal in less than 10 minutes, turn on the slow cooker and dinner is sorted. With that taken care of, I could take Bella to her Kids' Yoga class and with Jamie playing at the gym's Child Center, I was even able to squeeze in a short workout myself.

When we got home, I simply popped the chicken in the oven and broiled it for a few minutes (because we like it that way, this step is optional if you do not have time for it) and there you have it, it is time to gather around the dinner table and share our stories of the day.

Slow Cooker Cilantro Lime Chicken
by Miss Crumbs A Lot, adapted from Life Tastes Good

Recipe
Ingredients
4 lbs Chicken Drumsticks
2 Small Limes
1/4 cup Cilantro (chopped)
4 cloves Garlic (chopped)
1 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Black Pepper Powder

Cooking Method
1. Mix the juice of 2 small limes, 1/4 cup chopped cilantro, 4 cloves chopped garlic, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper powder in a small bowl.
2. Place the chicken drumsticks in a large zip lock bag and add in the cilantro lim marinade. Close the bag and mix the bag of chicken around, ensuring that the marinade coats all of the chicken drumsticks evenly. Set aside or refrigerate if using later.
3. Place marinated chicken in the slow cooker and cook on high for 2 1/2 hours.
4. Once cooked, place chicken drumsticks on a baking tray and boil on the second highest rack on medium for 10 minutes, turn over and broil for another 10 minutes or until it is golden brown.
5. Serve with the sauce from the slow cooker, if desired.

Makes 4 servings

This week is the second week since Kian had been away traveling for work. And we have another week to go before he comes home. Friends have been really sweet, checking in on us and asking if I am managing well alone with the kids. Honestly, it has not been that bad. With a little bit of planning ahead, I have been managing really well. Getting the kids to school on time, to their after school activities & birthday parties and of course, making dinners.

I have said it many times before that the slow cooker is one of my favorite equipment in the house. And this week, it has proven to be really helpful with my dinners. Earlier this week, I decided to make chicken noodle soup for the kids. It is easy to make, it is tasty and my kids love chicken noodle soup.  I had to be a little bit creative with the ingredients because while Bella and Jamie do eat their vegetables, it is only these few vegetables that they'll eat; broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, spinach and some other leafy vegetables that are stir fried.

So, I made the chicken noodle soup in the slow cooker and gave it a slight Asian twist. I had my bowl without the noodles but with some lentils instead for a low carb version. Making a large batch also meant school lunches were sorted for the next day and I even had some leftover for myself.

​Ginger Chicken Noodle Soup
by Miss Crumbs A Lot

Recipe
Ingredients
2 1/2 lb Boneless & Skinless Chicken Thighs (cut into 1" cubes)
6 Carrots (cut diagonally)
2 oz Ginger (skinned and sliced)
1 Onion (cut into wedges)
4 to 6 oz Spinach
2 Qt. Chicken Stock
2 Bay Leaves
2 tbsp Goji Berries
1/2 tsp Sesame Oil
1/2 tsp Light Soy Sauce
Salt
Pepper
Extra Wide Egg Noodles or Lentils (for a low carb version)

Cooking Method
1. Place cut chicken thighs in the slow cooker and season with salt and pepper.
2. Add in cut carrots, onions, sliced ginger and 2 bay leaves. Pour in 2 Qt chicken stock, cover and cook on low for 6 hours.
3. Cook the egg noodles or lentils according to instructions. Set aside for later use.
4. Before serving, add spinach into the slow cooker and allow it to blanch cook in the hot broth.
5. Add in goji berries and season with 1/2 tsp sesame oil and 1/2 tsp light soy sauce. Stir well.
6. Serve hot with egg noodles or lentils.

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Here is a fantastic recipe that is not only healthy & delicious but also so quick & easy to prepare. And the best part about it is that cleaning up after would be breeze! Just your baking tray, cutting board and knife. Have I got your attention yet? And I believe this recipe (that is gluten-free & dairy-free) is Whole30 and SCD (Slow Carb Diet) compliant too.

As much as I love to cook, I often feel bad that I am spending my time in the kitchen preparing dinners when the kids are home from school. Sometimes, all they want is for me to play a board game with them or just make slime!

With this one tray bake recipe, I spend about 15 to 20 minutes before the kids get home from school to cut up the meat and vegetables, marinate them real quick and then onto the baking tray they go. And because I can get lose track of time easily, I pop the tray into the oven and set it on a timer for it to be cooked by dinner time. The kids and I get to spend time together and dinner is ready on time! I even have plenty left for the entire family's lunch the next day.

Balsamic Chicken and Vegetables One Tray Bake
by Miss Crumbs A Lot, adapted from The Real Food Dietitians

Recipe
Ingredients
​2 to 2 1/2 lbs Chicken Breast (boneless and skinless)
1 lb Broccoli Florets
3 Carrots (cut diagonally)
8 oz Mushrooms (sliced thickly)
1 Red Onion (finely diced)
8 oz Cherry Tomatoes
1/3 cup Balsamic Vinegar
1/4 cup Olive Oil
4 Garlic Cloves (minced)
1 1/3 oz Fresh Basil (I used 2 packets of HEB Organics that is 2/3 oz per packet) (chopped and divided)
1/2 tsp Dried Thyme
1/2 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Black Pepper

Cooking Method
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line baking tray with aluminum foil or parchment paper.
2. Tenderize chicken breast by placing them between plastic wrap and pounding it gently with the flat size of the meat tenderizer hammer.
3. Cut each tenderized chicken breast into 3 to 4 pieces and place them into a ziplock bag.
4, In a bowl, combine 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar, 1/4 cup olive oil, minced garlic, 3/4 portion of the chopped basil, 1/2 tsp dried thyme, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper to make the marinade.
5. Use 1/3 cup of the marinade to marinate the chicken pieces in the ziplock bag.
6. Place broccoli florets, cut carrots, sliced mushrooms and diced red onion onto the baking tray. Pour the remaining marinade over the vegetables and toss to coat.
7. Placed marinated chicken pieces on top of the vegetables on the tray. Bake on 400 degrees F for 15 minutes. 
8. After 15 minutes, add cherry tomatoes and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.
9. Garnish with remaining chopped basil and freshly cracked black pepper.

Makes 4 to 6 servings