Delicious, filling dinners are easy and quick

Honey mustard glazed chicken is a quick, inexpensive and wholesome meal submitted by Andrea Bolden. (T-G Photo by Sadie Fowler) [Click to enlarge] [Order this photo]

Months back, I received an e-mail from Andrea Bolden of Unionville.

Having been a field editor for Taste of Home magazine for 10 years, Andrea loves to cook. She has contributed to several cookbooks -- regional, local and family -- and has also earned awards for her cooking.

"I cook and try out recipes as a hobby and have several thousand tried and true recipes," Bolden wrote in her e-mail. "I am glad to see the T-G doing the recipes again."

Andrea included a few easy, economical and family-friendly recipes in her e-mail, of which I am very thankful. As a reminder, I encourage any of you (you don't have to be a prize winning chef!) to submit your tasty favorites to me anytime for possible inclusion in our Life & Leisure section.

Unfortunately, somehow Andrea's recipes got lost in my overwhelming shuffle of paperwork here at the office, and it wasn't until a few weeks ago that I came across them. It just so happens that it was about this same time I had decided I really wanted to get busy trying out recipes I'd never cooked before.

As a soon-to-be new mom, I refuse to eat take out every night. Even though I'm super busy throughout the week, I am really striving toward making quick, yet wholesome meals during the week, in addition to the weekends, when I typically like to cook.

I carried Andrea's recipes home with me and gave them to my husband. I asked Jack to pick one of the four that sounded good to him. We would make it the following night for dinner.

I expected Jack to go for the honey mustard roasted chicken, but, much to my surprise, he chose the Polish dinner, which simply features sausage, potatoes, carrots, onions, cabbage, green beans and chicken broth. It sounded like a perfect weeknight family meal, and after making this little one-pot wonder, Jack and I were thoroughly impressed. It was cheap, hearty, wholesome and honestly, delicious! This recipe will definitely be going in my "a mother's quick fix dinners" file.

I knew after trying that recipe out I had to share it with the T-G readers because Andrea's recipes fit perfectly with the concept of Simply Delish.

Just yesterday, I decided to try out another of Andrea's recipes, this time going for the honey mustard roasted chicken, which features roasted potatoes and carrots with rosemary and olive oil topped with honey mustard-glazed chicken. Once again, quick, inexpensive and satisfying. Both recipes I've tried so far would feed about four people. Jack and I, happily, settled for eating leftovers after making both Polish dinner and the roasted chicken ... that's four meals, all for under about $20 total!

I can't wait to try out the rest of Andrea's recipes! I promise to share those with you at a later date.

Do you have an economical family favorite to share?

Honey mustard roasted chicken

1 lb. medium-sized potatoes

quartered 2 lb. chicken (use boneless breast if you prefer, although I used leg quarters)

6 carrots

olive oil

2 Tbsp. honey

3 Tbsp. mustard

2 tsp. minced garlic

1 tsp. rosemary

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a shallow pan toss potatoes, carrots, oil, rosemary, garlic, salt and pepper. Arrange chicken over top. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes. Stir together mustard and honey, spread over chicken. Stir vegetables. Return to oven and bake 20 minutes longer or until chicken and vegetables are tender.

A Polish one-pot wonder meal, great for families on the fun, was also submitted by Andrea. (T-G Photo by Sadie Fowler) [Order this photo]

Polish dinner

1 pkg. Polish sausage

4 medium potatoes

4 carrots

1 onion

4 cups chopped cabbage

1 can green beans, drained

1 can chicken broth

salt and pepper to taste

Slice sausage and put in dutch oven. Peel and slice potatoes and carrots and add. Add onion, beans, broth and cabbage. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer 45 minutes or until vegetables are tender. (Note: Do not slice potatoes too thin for this recipe).