By Heather B. of NoPasaNada

When I graduated from college my mother presented me not with a hefty envelope filled with cash or the keys to a brand new CR-V and definitely not Happy Graduation Jewelry. Instead she presented me with Suze Orman’s The Money Book for the Young, Fabulous and Broke. I had just returned - literally 36 hours prior - from a six month trip abroad where I spent every single cent to my name plus God knows how much provided by both of my parents up until the last night I was there when I was begging for more euros so I could end my trip in style: table service at a club in Madrid. So I was feeling less than fabulous, really freaking broke but less than young since I was being allowed to enter the real world without any sort of adult supervision. The only guidance provided was Suze Orman’s book and a threat to pull every single hair out of my head if I didn’t get a job.
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Every other week our awesome guest contributor, Katie Workman, shares her favorite easy recipes and cooking tips and tricks as part of our What’s for dinner? series. Katie Katie is the Editor in Chief and Chief Marketing Officer of Cookstr.com , a website devoted to great, tested recipes from chefs and cookbook authors, so she knows her way around the kitchen.

A make-ahead turkey meatloaf

by Katie Workman

Is it me, or do some of you feel like meatloaf has gotten somewhat of a bad rap?  I certainly won’t argue that it’s the sexiest main course on the block, but it just has that Rodney Dangefield “I don’t get no respect” quality to it.

Well, give it another chance.  Not only is this meatloaf just plain delicious, it’s also lighter than you’d expect (ground turkey), yet still solidly in the category of comfort food.  It’s quite large so you will almost certainly have leftovers, if you’re feeding a family of 4 or 5.  And leftover meatloaf in the fridge is one of the most soul-soothing, happy-making thoughts I know.  You may hear it calling to you, late at night…”hi…it’s me…your fabulous meatloaf…”  Or maybe that’s really just me.

The make-ahead in the title is kind of superfluous, because really all meat loaves can be made ahead of time  You just mush it all up, mold it into its loaf shape, wrap it up and tuck it in the fridge.  Then an hour before dinner you unwrap it and toss it in the oven.  Meatloaf is highly forgiving - don’t get anxious about exact quantities.  And you can really have fun by poking around your fridge and pantry for add ins: some slivered sun dried tomatoes, sliced black olives, a 1/2 teaspoon of garlic, chopped roasted peppers, fresh herbs.  You can also saute other veggies along with the onions, like chopped broccoli, celery, or fennel.

Or you can make it exactly the way it is here, and be very happy.

• 1 cup chopped yellow onions (1 large onion)
• 1/3 cup finely diced carrots
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme, rosemary, or oregano
• 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1/3 cup chicken stock
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste (see Note)
• 2 pounds ground turkey
• 3/4 cup panko or plain dried bread crumbs
• 2 extra-large eggs, beaten
• 1/3 cup ketchup (or a mixture of chili sauce and ketchup)

Preheat the oven to 350 F.
Cook the onions, olive oil, salt, pepper, and thyme in a skillet over medium low heat until translucent, approximately 15 minutes.  Stir frequently, and don’t allow them to brown.  Add the Worcestershire sauce, chicken stock, and tomato paste and mix well. Let the mixture cool to room temperature.
Combine the ground turkey, bread crumbs, eggs, and onion mixture in a large bowl. Mix well (use your hands!) and shape into a rectangular loaf on an ungreased sheet pan. Spread the ketchup evenly on top. Bake for 50-60 minutes until cooked through. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Note : This is one of my favorite cooking tips EVER. If you don’t have tomato paste, or don’t feel like opening a whole can just for 1 tablespoon, use ketchup instead.  Most of us always have an open bottle of ketchup in the fridge.  Cool, right?

It occurred to me that this blog is called Problem Solved , and that for this to be really helpful, you should tell me your problems.  Not all of your problems, good God, but the ones that have to do with cooking and food - weeknight dinner frustrations, picky kid issues, questions about “how-do-I-make this”?  And then I can do my best to find some helpful answers.  So, have at it and post your problems or questions in the comments below because I want to write on topics you really care about!

By Kami Lahti, Kami’s Khlopchyk

Going green.  It’s so trendy, even Hollywood A-listers are doing it.  It can be daunting, we hear that to save the environment we must become a vegetarian, stop driving, use cloth diapers…it’s enough to make anyone throw their hands up in the air and say, it’s too hard, I can’t do it!

Going green isn’t a destination; it’s a journey, each stop taking you further away from a giant environmental footprint.  Every little bit helps and if you start small and slowly it becomes a way of life.

 Here are some quick and easy tips to start you out:
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I’m on a kick to introduce new ingredients into our family’s meals (quinoa has become a regular), so this week I thought I’d share some bok choy recipes I’m going to try out. I have to confess that I’ve never cooked bok choy until yesterday, when I made a very tasty miso salmon and bok choy dinner (recipe below). It was a hit and so here are a few more recipes I’m planning to test out:

Steamy Kitchen : Bok choy stir fry recipe .

Cooking by the seat of my Pants : Soy glazed salmon with sesame noodles and bok choy .

pink of perfection: Rice bowl with baby bok choy .

By Traci Feit Love, The Breadwinner Mom

If you’ve recently become the sole or primary breadwinner in your family, you’re probably a little nervous and/or worried.  That’s to be expected.  But don’t panic - you can do this.

Here are my top 5 tips for surviving (and even thriving!) as a breadwinner mom:

1. Find a caregiver you trust.  Maybe it’s your husband, maybe it’s your mom, maybe it’s a paid caregiver. No matter who it is, the key is that you can trust that your kids are in good hands.  If you’re worried about the kids, you won’t be able to focus on your work.
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We’re so excited to welcome Katie Workman as our new regular contributor to our What’s for dinner? series on Problem Solved. Katie is the Editor in Chief and Chief Marketing Officer of Cookstr.com , a website devoted to great, tested recipes from chefs and cookbook authors. She lives in New York City with her husband and two sons, ages 6 and 8. Katie will be blogging at Problem Solved twice a month, offering up quick cooking techniques, easy recipes, and some tricks to make cooking quicker and tastier. Welcome Katie!

Homemade Vinaigrette (aka salad dressing)

Salad dressing is somewhat of a hot button for many of us.  We either have a little fear of it, and keep hitting the bottle (bottled dressing, of course), which is often pretty gross, or if we do make our own we get stuck in that one-dressing rut.

But it’s all good news!

For those of us who are scared of vinaigrettes (just a French word for oil and vinegar), this basic recipe lets you have make you own dressing in 2 minutes.  Then for all of us, becoming a salad dressing master is one of the easiest things to conquer in the kitchen.

Ok, here’s the basic recipe.  I like it a little vinegary.  If you don’t, use less vinegar (yes, it is that simple).

Basic Vinaigrette:
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By Busy Mom

Few kids like homework, and there are days when it’s really hard for everyone, but it has to be done anyway.

No matter the homework routine, I think it’s vital to establish the amount of homework the child has as soon as possible after school in order to plan the rest of the day and evening and teach them some time management skills, particularly if they are involved in a sport or other extra-curricular activity.

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I had no idea what quinoa was or even how to pronounce it until recently. As a treat after a hectic day I went to the overpriced Whole Foods salad bar and a quinoa salad with parsley, feta, olives, and tomatoes caught my eye. It was delicious and when I came home I Googled quinoa and learned all about the health benefits of this superfood . It’s kind of like cous cous, actually, and even my daughter says she likes it (as long as I call it pasta, of course.)

Here are some quinoa recipes to try:

The Perfect Pantry : Quinoa salad with feta, parsley, and tomatoes .

Epicurious : Black bean and tomatoe quinoa.

Karina’s Kitchen : Lime quinoa salad with mint .

From Cool Mom Picks

Considering the first day of Spring has just passed, we’re anxious to retire our sweaters and socks and show a little (tanned) ankle. Since we’re not dropping as much cash as we might have in past seasons, we’ve been on the lookout for fun accessories that will help keep last year’s spring threads fresh. And since trends are pointing to bold statements made with vibrant splashes of color, who are we to argue?

Here you’ll find five accessory picks for spring, all under $50, to help you feel like you’ve hop ped off the pages of a magazine–without burning a whole in your wallet the size of those nursing bras.

1. DV by Dolce Vita Purple Sandals
If you’re generally a neutral shoe gal, take a risk this season with some of the gorgeous, saturated colors on the shelves. We’re loving these awesome purple (yes, purple) sandals which add a lot of personality to even a basic outfit without you having to think; always helpful when you’re running on no sleep. ($50 at Piperlime)
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