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a bowl of chicken tortilla soup, garnished with chunks of avocado, tortilla chips, a lime wedge, and fresh cilantro.
Simple Chicken Tortilla Soup ChickenCold Weather ComfysSoupsSoups
September 7, 2023

Simple Chicken Tortilla Soup

We love this simple tortilla soup recipe for early fall.  It is easy yet flavorful.  Perfect for busy weeknights, to make a bit ahead and leave on the stove simmering and ready to serve as family members trickle in from various activities. Simple Chicken Tortilla Soup Ingredients The easiest way to make this simple chicken tortilla soup is to pick up a rotisserie chicken on your way home.  If you…
Barbecue ranch chicken salad mixed together in a white bowl: lettuce topped with rotisserie chicken, tomatoes, avocado chunks, corn, black beans, fried onions, with ranch dressing and barbecue sauce drizzled over the top
Barbecue Ranch Chicken Salad ChickenDinnerLight MealsMain DishesSaladsSalads
August 30, 2023

Barbecue Ranch Chicken Salad

Is it a Texas thing to love barbecue and ranch together? This barbecue ranch chicken salad combines favorite fresh ingredients with a tangy and creamy flavor that we love.  We make this for a quick and easy main course, as a weeknight meal or lunch any time. Barbecue Ranch Chicken Salad Ingredients You can really make this salad your own, but I'll share our favorite way here.  You'll need a…
Prepared orzo with sundried tomatoes, basil, and feta mixed in, on a plate with italian sausage and a side salad
Lemon Basil Orzo with Sun-Dried Tomatoes PastaStarchy SidesStarchy SidesVegetarian
August 25, 2023

Lemon Basil Orzo with Sun-Dried Tomatoes

One of our absolute favorite recipes, this flavorful side dish could outshine most main courses.  This Lemon Basil Orzo with Sun-Dried Tomatoes is  versatile, pairing well with salmon, steak, chicken, and pork.  Typically we serve this for guests (or each other) because it is most definitely enjoyed by all!   What Makes this Orzo Special: The Ingredients Find your favorite orzo brand as a start.  You will also need olive…
Criped roasted potatoes on a dinner plate
Roasted Mini Potatoes DinnerStarchy SidesVegetarian
August 25, 2023

Roasted Mini Potatoes

If you need a reliable tasty, starchy side, these roasted mini potatoes are a go to.  This is a versatile side dish, fit for your regular family dinner rotation and/ or served alongside steaks or pork when having guests. We like using a variety of potatoes for this recipe, although you could certainly just stick to the petite red or gold potatoes if you prefer those.   Ingredients This recipe…
Breakfast quesadilla laid out on a wood board with a side of avocado and a small bowl of salsa
Carolyn’s Breakfast Quesadilla BreakfastBrunchCinco de MayoKids Favorites
August 22, 2023

Carolyn’s Breakfast Quesadilla

Want to add another go to tasty breakfast recipe into the rotation?  Mix things up by trying this quick and easy recipe for what our stepmom calls the breakfast quesadilla. My son, who rarely can muscle down eggs of any style in the morning, gobbled these right up when she made them at our house recently.   Serve plain or enjoy with your choice of toppings!  This is a kid and…
2 kids preparing the crepe batter, cracking eggs into the bowl of flour
Five Great Cooking with Kids Ideas EntertainmentKids Favorites
August 11, 2023

Five Great Cooking with Kids Ideas

One of the most important Gnarly Roots philosophies is “no lonely kitchens”!  In our minds, making food is about being and sharing with others. Whether it is a holiday meal or just a Saturday morning at home, cook together. Instilling this in our kids is important to carry on this family tradition. Also, finding the just right recipes for all ages of children is critical to making it a fun…
A wooden board with one folded crepe and an open crepe with nutella, sliced bananas, and garnished with blueberries. The board is decorated with sliced strawberries.
Mamie Martine’s French Crêpes BrunchDessertsDessertsEasterKids FavoritesValentines
August 11, 2023

Mamie Martine’s French Crêpes

What do you get when your sister marries a Frenchman? Homemade French crêpes with every visit!  Without him there, it is not quite the same. But making crêpes is a family tradition we are so grateful to be adopted into.  Beth’s kids get the honor of making crêpes on a regular basis with their dad (Papa) as well as grandmother (Mamie Martine) when she visits from France.  It is a…
a muffin pan of golden brown cooked butt buns
Butt Bun Potato Rolls Baked GoodsEasterKids FavoritesThanksgiving
August 5, 2023

Butt Bun Potato Rolls

These tasty butt bun potato rolls are the perfect addition to any family feast or celebration.  These rolls affectionately received their name from my son, who was making them with Grandma.  Originally intended to be a clover shape, these rolls were formed by three balls of dough.  When you have only two remaining balls of dough, the shape is less clover and more…..well that is how the Butt Bun got…
4 pancakes with a melting pad of butter, drizzled with syrup and garnished with scattered blueberries
Grandpa Russell’s Buttermilk Pancakes BreakfastKids Favorites
August 2, 2023

Grandpa Russell’s Buttermilk Pancakes

Although there are so many easy pancake mixes out there these days, taking a little more time to make them from scratch is so worth it.   We tend to make these buttermilk pancakes on slow Sunday mornings or for a good luck breakfast before a big day.  This recipe has been in our family for generations.  And given how many my son eats in a single sitting, I safely assume…
Bowl of party mix with check mix, pretzels, m& ms, cashews, kix cereal, and marshmallows. The bowl is laid on top of some red, white, and blue party decorations.
Pickle’s Party Mix Kids Favorites
July 29, 2023

Pickle’s Party Mix

Need a fun snack for a holiday event or kid's party? This party mix is a fun, easy recipe for kids AND you can clean out reserves of cereal in the process.  My daughter and I came up with our recipe doing a pantry clean out one day.  She had a blast measuring and mixing, and she even tried a few things she had been hesitant with before. This party…