I have some big news. Very big news!!! For those of you who have not heard, I am working on a cookbook, and the manuscript is due September 15th. It is more work than I ever imagined, and I can’t thank my kids, family and friends enough for their understanding during this busy time.

It is a very “big” book. When I say “big”, I mean it. 400 recipes. The book will be out spring 2011.  It is a very exciting time, and I couldn’t have done any of this everyone’s awesome support. I cannot thank you enough.

I will blog more about it in the coming months.  Stay tuned . . .

Since summer began, things seem (and are) busier than ever. Trying to work at home with 3 kids is always a challenge. Some days, dinnertime becomes a last minute thought. This recipe for Steak Fajita Salad is one of my “in a pinch” recipes. My kids love these, and they wrap the steak and vegetables in flour tortillas. I serve mine over lettuce (trying to skip the carbs). I dollop mine with nonfat Greek yogurt for some extra protein and a great substitute for sour cream.

Note: for the Fajitas seasoning, I used McCormick.

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.

I love Curry Chicken Salad, and this is one of my favorites. It’s really quick and easy because I like to use rotisserie chicken to simplify things. The combination of chutney, white wine, curry, cranberries and nuts flavor it to perfection. This recipe will be featured on Tuesday on NBC 13 “Daytime Alabama” at 11:30 a.m central time along with a few other wonderful spring salads. Take a look or check the website for the video.

I’ve had several requests for spinach dip recipes, and this Southwestern Spinach Dip is one with a twist just in time for Cinco De Mayo. Use Pepper Jack cheese, green chiles and fresh tomatoes to flavor this wonderful appetizer. Just beware! It’s very addictive so purchase plenty of chips. Happy Cinco De Mayo!

When I was asked to come up with a unique grilled cheese recipe for the Wisconsin Milk and Marketing Board and their “Grilled Cheese Academy“, I thought, why not take my spring favorite salad and make it a grilled cheese. Caprese Grilled Cheese is the simple combination of tomatoes, mozzarella, basil, balsamic vinegar and olive oil. I added avocado to mine. Feel free to use your favorite bread and any other ingredients you like.

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.