Making dinner is a family affair... so is doing the dishes!

When it comes time to fix dinner, I say, it's time to rally the troops and give everyone a job in the kitchen. The lakehouse has been the perfect place to prepare and enjoy meals together as a family. Now that my girls are getting older they are capable of doing more advanced tasks, along side my lead, in the kitchen. Using a peeler and loading the dishwasher are some of the most recent, advanced tasks they have been assigned. It is never too early to start creating a personal responsibility chart for your kids and let them take an active role in family responsibilities.

When a person gets the opportunity to be relied upon in a family they feel like they know their place in the world. Preparing meals together is also a great opportunity to bond as a family even before you sit down together.

Tonight we will all pitch in to make baked chicken, salad and roasted potatoes, I'm about to pour a glass of wine, sit back and watch while the kids do most of the prep work...

TODAY'S RECIPE:BAKED CHICKEN WITH ROASTED POTATOES AND SALAD

TODAY'S COCKTAIL: OPEN A BOTTLE OF YOUR FAVORITE WHITE WINE

Pour yourself a glass while you prepare this simple, delicious dinner...

PREHEAT OVEN TO 375'

IN A LARGE ZIP LOC BAG COMBINE

TWO CUPS OF FLOUR

ONE PACKAGE HIDDEN VALLEY RANCH SALAD DRESSING MIX

ADD 2 LARGE CHOPPED RUSSET POTATOES OR ANY OF YOUR CHOICE,

CLOSE BAG TIGHTLY AND SHAKE UNTIL POTATOES ARE COATED EVENLY. GENTLY REMOVE POTATOES WITH YOUR FINGERS AND PLACE THEM AROUND THE EDGES OF A ROASTING PAN, PRE-COATED WITH OLIVE OIL,

SPRINKLE WITH SEA SALT.

DIP SIX MEDIUM, SKINLESS BONELESS, CHICKEN BREASTS IN MILK AND THEN DROP INTO THE SAME ZIPLOC BAG. BE SURE TO COAT POTATOES FIRST BEFORE DOING CHICKEN!

CLOSE BAG TIGHTLY AND SHAKE UNTIL CHICKEN IS EVENLY COATED.

SPREAD CHICKEN BREASTS INTO THE ROASTING BAN, COATED WITH OLIVE OIL.

BRUSH TOP OF CHICKEN WITH OLIVE OIL SO THAT IT WILL BROWN EVENLY.

COVER ROASTING PAN WITH FOIL AND PLACE INTO PREHEATED OVEN

COOK FOR 45 MINUTES BEFORE REMOVING FOIL AND CONTINUE COOKING

UNCOVERED FOR 15 -20 REMAINING MINUTES.

KEEPING WITH THE 70% RAW FOODS DIET IN 2010, IT IS TIME TO GET THE KIDS BUSY PREPARING A NICE BIG SALAD, CHALKED FULL OF GREENS, NUTS AND AVOCADO.

SERVE CHICKEN WITH SALAD AND WARM BREAD AND BUTTER

NOW, POUR ANOTHER GLASS OF CLOS DU BOIS OR CHARDONNAY AND ENJOY...

NOW BEFORE ALL THE RUG RATS DISAPPEAR AND LEAVE THEIR PLATES ON THE TABLE, ENLIST THE HELP OF ALL WHO ENJOYED THE MEAL IN THE CLEAN- UP. THEN, BEFORE YOU ALL ARE SO FAST TO TURN ON THE T.V HOW ABOUT A GAME OF CONNECT FOUR OR A ROUND OF CRAZY EIGHTS? LOSER HAS TO FEED THE DOGS...