I spent the past few days in Park City, Utah at EVO, a social media conference for women, and it was an amazing thing. I will tell you more about it this week with photos, etc. I realized I’m not alone being a social media junkie, addicted to twitter. Twitter is a wonderful thing (for too many reasons to mention at the moment), but every day I meet new and interesting people and find great blogs and websites. I was fortunate enough to meet Christine from http://quickmealhelp.com on twitter, and she asked me to do a guest post on my tips on how I get dinner on the table when I’m an extremely busy entrepreneur and mom with 3 children. Here are some of my favorite tips I shared with her. Check out her site (above) for 20 minute recipes and wonderful information. Here’s the link to my guest post http://www.quickmealhelp.com/blog/10062113-quick-dinner-ideas-alison-lewis-ingredients-inc http://www.quickmealhelp.com/blog/10062113-quick-dinner-ideas-alison-lewis-ingredients-inc

TOP  DINNERTIME TIPS:

1. I like to purchase chicken cutlets or thinly slices boneless pork loin chops because they cook much quicker.

2. I get my kids involved in making dinner and helping out. (See my Fresh Basil and Red Pepper Tuna Salad)

3. I like to purchase already peeled and deveined shrimp or frozen shrimp that has been peeled and deveined. (See my Shrimp-Dill Salad)

4. I love to cook with shelled edamame beans. (See my Edamame Corn Salad)

5. I use rotisserie chicken a ton when recipes call for chopped, cooked chicken. (See my Tortellini Chicken Salad)

6. I love to grill a lot. It’s quick and easy. If I can’t get outside, I love my grill pan over the stove.

7.  I used ready-made pizza crusts alot and purchase lots of fresh vegetables, good tomato sauce, pesto and fresh herbs for toppings.

8. Panini makers and slow cookers are a life saver.

9. I like to prep while my kids are at school so my nights aren’t so crazy (of course, in summer, that’s not so easy).

10. I use precut carrots and bagged, washed greens.

11. I make very organized grocery lists.

12. When I grill salmon, steak or chicken, I grill extra for a main-dish salad the next night.

13. When I purchase hamburger (beef or turkey meat), I buy extra to also make a meatloaf for another night.

I made this Lemon Chicken over Pasta for a healthy project I’ve been working on. My assistant, Alatia, loved it. She said the most difficult part of this simple recipe was squeezing the lemons. I love to use chicken cutlets, which are thinner than boneless chicken breasts, because they take less time to cook (which is great for anyone with limited time). The chicken turns out so flavorful. Be sure to use the extra marinade to pour over the noodles. This is a great weeknight recipe idea that even younger kids will love.

It means so much to me when people tell me how much they love my site (so to those of you who tell me that, thank you!) I ran into my friend, Adelaide, at my daughter’s recital a week or so ago, and she told me how she told her entire tennis team about me, and how they are all now subscribing and cooking from my blog. She even gave me an idea for a recipe that she and her good friend, Sissy Bice, had made. She showed me a photo on her phone that Sissy took of the finished dish. It seems I’m not only giving recipes and ideas, but I’m inspiring friends to be creative. I couldn’t wait to make this Tortellini, Chicken and Feta Salad for my family because these are all ingredients that they love. This recipe is so easy. Feel free to steam or blanch the asparagus and use feta or goat cheese. I love using rotisserie chicken as it makes dinner a snap. Thanks again to Adelaide and Sissy. Hope more of you will share ideas soon, Alison

This recipe was featured on NBC 13 Daytime Alabama for I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter this week. My kids love lettuce wraps so this is perfect to serve at my house and only 3.5 grams of fat. It’s also very economical, only $6.93 for the recipe or $1.73 per serving. Feel free to substitute steak, chicken or shrimp for the pork in this recipe.

My daughter, Leigh, begged me to make penne pasta salad that she saw a friend bring to school. She called to find out what was in it, and she made up this recipe herself for Balsamic Pasta Salad. This recipe is a breeze, and the kids absolutely loved it. Feel free to add chicken or turkey and top with fresh basil and Parmesan cheese.

One of my Birmingham friends, Adelaide, made my day on Sunday when she told me that she cooks her way through my blog every week. I appreciate that more than I can say, and I know since she is a mother of 4 girls, it’s not always easy to get dinner on the table. This simple recipe for Chicken with Olive Tapenade is so good and only 20 minutes start to finish. If you don’t feel like going outside to grill, use a grill pan or large skillet over the stove. My youngest son, Zachary loves olives, so this is one of his favorites. Use the leftover tapenade to top crostini, a salad or on shrimp, pork or a burger.

My kids love Thai food, and one of their favorite restaurants in Birmingham is Surin West. They love to order the Pad Thai (or Thai noodle) which is flavored to perfection. This is a light variation that is similar to their recipe. Don’t be intimidated by the long ingredient list. This recipe is low-fat and healthy and a great weeknight dinner choice.

Italian night is always a favorite at my house, and I love to use chicken cutlets for their simplicity and ease. This recipe can be made in under 30 minutes, and it’s so easy to do. It’s fresh, flavorful and is perfect for busy weeknights. I serve with whole wheat pasta for the kids, and everyone is happy.

This recipe for Moo Shu Chicken has been a hit ever since I posted it a few months ago. I will be preparing it Thursday, October 1st on NBC 13 “Daytime Alabama” at 11:30 a.m. Tune in and try this low carb awesome dish.

As fall nears, my brain goes straight to comfort foods, and one of my southern favorites is Jambalaya. With 354 calories and 10 grams of fat, this recipe can’t be beat. This recipe uses ground beef and turkey sausage to cut down on the fat. I love to use Laura’s Lean Beef for this recipe so check your local area to see if you can locate it.