slow cooker bbq chicken and roasted potatoes & beets . . . another simple Summer dinner

This simple and delicious dinner was on the heels of our potato harvest adventure last weekend.

I plan our Saturdays so that they're full of new adventures. We explore the country, visit pick-your-own farms where we harvest fruits and vegetables, visit local farms and Farmers Markets, hike trails, and visit as many Smithsonians as we can. 

We spent last Saturday harvesting potatoes and peaches. 

By the time we wrapped up at the farm, the Littles knew that potatoes grow in dirt. It was just a few days before our adventure that they told me that they were pretty sure that potatoes grew "in bushes" and "on trees." 

We were so blessed to have another cool and rainy Sunday, so I couldn't think of a better way to celebrate than with another cozy slow cooker meal. 

I'm a big fan of  Jack Daniel's barbecue sauces, and found a complete collection of them at our local market. I bought Honey Smokehouse with thoughts of using it to make another scrumptious slow cooker meal to enjoy with our potato harvest.

I paired our sweet and smokey shredded bbq chicken with fresh, creamy mozzarella and warm, tender, and slightly sweet rolls . . . a scrumptious combination! 

I love serving Sunday suppers like this atop a breadboard so that everyone can make their own sliders and dinner plate. I enjoy watching our Little ones pick and choose . . . and customize their own dinner. Everyone is most happy that way!

our simple, family-style Summer dinner

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slow cooker shredded bbq chicken

with  fresh creamy mozarella

warm, tender sweet rolls

roasted potatoes, gold beets, and sweet onions

with fresh parsley and cilantro

juicy, sweet watermelon

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Look at the gorgeous,rich color of that bbq sauce! And let me tell you . . . it did not disappoint! The sauce was sweet and smokey . . . and the chicken, tender.  We paired the chicken with fresh mozzarella and tender sweet rolls. So good!

slow cooker shredded bbq chicken 

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Season 2-3 chicken breasts with salt and pepper, both sides.

Pour a bottle of your favorite bbq sauce into a crock pot.

Add chicken breasts, and cook on High for 3 hours. 

Using two forks, shred the chicken in the sauce.

Turn crock pot onto 'keep warm.'

ENJOY!

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I was so excited to roast the potatoes that we had picked just the day before!

We were told that fresh picked potatoes taste better than the ones found in the market; and it's true!

Because roasting enhances the natural flavors found in food - I was quick to chop our potatoes, gold beets, and sweet onions for quick roast to enjoy with our meal. Again, so good!

oven-roasted

 potatoes, gold beets, and sweet onions

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Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Cut the potatoes, beets, and onions in half or quarters and place in a bowl with the olive oil, salt, and pepper;

 toss until well coated.

 Transfer to a sheet pan and spread out into 1 layer.

 Roast in the oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until browned and crisp. Flip twice with a spatula during cooking in order to ensure even browning. 

Remove from the oven, toss with parsley and cilantro, 

season to taste, and serve hot.

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Dinner just can't get more simple than this . . . crock pot chicken and roasted vegetables.

With extra time on your hands, you'll have more to spend relaxing and enjoying your family!

I hope I inspired you to find your favorite bbq sauce, dust off your crock pot . . . and slow cook your way to a simple and delicious dinner!

For more great Slow Cooker recipes, visit me on Pinterest!

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Simply Suzannes at Home

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lunch with dandelions . . . a dandelion salad

I had lunch with dandelions today.

Dandelion greens, that is.

Have you ever seen them in your market?

I've seen them at our Farmer's Market on several occasions, and think that their deep, rich green color, length, and unique shape are quite beautiful.

I even paused and thought to myself, "Aren't dandelions weeds?" 

But when they are long and graceful, as seen at the Farmer's Market, they can be so pretty that you forget that they are the weed that you curse in your garden.

At a reasonable 99 cents for a large bouquet, I thought I would buy one and bring it home.

I wasn't sure what I was going to do with them, but I felt inspired.

~ lunch with dandelions ~

I added them to one of my sunflower bouquets.

Displayed a small bunch in one of my favorite Anthropologie mugs.

And even made a simple, light and delicious dandelion salad.

a fresh Dandelion Salad

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bunch of dandelion leaves

bunch of romaine leaves

cherry heirloom tomatoes

shaved Parmesan

pinch of salt & pepper

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Toss with Lemon Mustard Vinaigrette 

Enjoy!

 Lemon Mustard Vinaigrette

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2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

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Combine all ingredients in a small jar with a tight fitting lid. 

Shake vigorously for 30 seconds until emulsified.

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Dress your salad . . . and

Enjoy!

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Simply Suzannes at Home

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lemon crinkle cookies

Lemon Crinkle Cookies are the lemon version of the super delicious Chocolate Crinkle Cookie often seen around Christmas time at Cookie Exchanges. 

Have your heard of them? Better yet, have you tried them?

I hadn't heard of Lemon Crinkle Cookies until my husband told me that he saw them featured in an on-line magazine, and that they looked amazing.

So, I did a little research and found that there are a few different Lemon Crinkle Cookie recipes out there.

Although the differences in the recipes are quite subtle, they yield very different cookies! Either moist and chewy, or cakey.

I don't know about you, but we prefer moist, chewy cookies over cakey ones.

And of all the recipes I sampled over the week, this one yields the most moist, chewy Lemon Crinkle Cookie. YUM!

So grab a lemon at the market this week, 

and bake a batch of these Summer-time treats!

Here's what you'll need . . .

½ cups butter, room temperature

1 cup sugar

½ teaspoons vanilla extract

1 egg

Zest of 1 medium lemon

1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice

¼ teaspoons salt

¼ teaspoons baking powder

⅛ teaspoons baking soda

1-½ cup all-purpose flour

½ cups powdered sugar

**If you like a more cakey cookie, then add 1/2 cup more flour and 1 more egg to the recipe above.

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Whip in vanilla, egg, lemon zest and juice. Scrape sides and mix again. 

Stir in all dry ingredients slowly until just combined, excluding the powdered sugar. Scrape sides of bowl and mix again briefly. 

Pour powdered sugar onto a large plate. Roll a heaping teaspoon of dough into a ball and roll in powdered sugar. Place on baking sheet, slightly flatten with your fingers making a flattened top, and then repeat with remaining dough.

Bake for 9-11 minutes or until bottoms begin to barely brown and cookies look matte {not melty or shiny}. Remove from oven and cool cookies about 3 minutes before transferring to cooling rack.

**If using a non stick darker baking tray, reduce baking time by about 2 minutes.

bon appetit!

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white peonies and seagrass . . . easy Summer entertaining

My favorite seasons to use baskets when entertaining are Summer and Fall. 

They add a kind of charm to your table, whether you use traditional baskets for bread, dishes, or silverware  . . . or beautifully weaved chargers or glass caddies . . . they give a 'warm' welcome to any setting. 

I love using my seagrass chargers, vases, and baskets when entertaining during the Summer months.

Seagrass is usually a thicker, chunkier weave; and it's blonde color is beautiful paired with fresh Summer colors, like pinks, red, blues, and greens. Seagrass can easily be 'dressed up' or 'dressed down' . . . and that's one of the big reasons that I love bringing my pieces out during the Summer months. They'll fit just about any occasion.

For me, I like keeping our home casual through the Summer months. 

Casual entertaining and light menus mean I can spend more time with my family and friends, which is what celebrating Summer is all about, right!?

celebrating Summer in our home

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seagrass

garden flowers in bud vases
casual linens

cool colors ~ blues & greens

al fresco dining

salads!

berries! berries! berries!

vegetables

Summer vegetable frittatas
light & flavorful pasta dishes
family style meals

fresh lemonades
garden tomatoes
and backyard picnics!
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Simply Suzannes at Home 

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