What do you find is the most difficult thing to get done in your day? If you asked most people, many would answer: mealtime. From deciding what to cook, shopping for the ingredients, prepping, cooking, and finally, cleaning up, it can all seem so overwhelming. That is one of the reasons why we all have become dependent on take-out and fast food. Dial-up delivery is no longer a treat, but a mainstay in many homes.

Mix and place in a 9 1/2 inch baking dish. Bake in 350 degrees oven - until bubbly - about 45 minutes. Serve with chips. Appetizer for 10-12 people.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients together (except for paprika) and spread in a shallow baking dish. Sprinkle paprika on top. Bake for 30 minutes until bubbly and top is golden brown. Serve with water crackers, tortilla chips or veggies!

Ingredients

2 cans artichoke hearts, rained and chopped 1/2 cup mayonnaise 1 1/4 cups Parmesan cheese 1 small can of diced green chilis Paprika to sprinkle on top

Saute onions and garlic in olive oil until translucent. Add tomatoes, stock, herbs, salt and pepper. Cooke on low 20-30 minutes. Blend in blender in small batches to avoid splatter. Serve! Add chopped carrots for more veggies impact!

What do you find the most difficult to get done in your day? If you asked most people, many would answer: mealtime. From deciding what to cook, shopping for the ingredients, prepping, cooking, and finally, cleaning up, it can all seem so overwhelming. That is one of the reasons why we all have become dependent on take-out and fast food. Dial-up delivery is no longer a treat, but a mainstay in many homes. If you’re working full time, it’s easy to let yourself off the hook, but it’s not that hard to prepare a simple, healthy, and inexpensive meal for your family.

The perfect barbecue rib is one of the most sought-after delicacies by connoisseurs as well as backyard chefs. Contestants in barbecue cook-offs around the country prepare secret recipes in hopes of taking home the grand prize for the best ribs, so there may be as many recipes in these competitions as there are contestants. However, the secret of great ribs is not only in the ingredients, but it is also in the method of preparation. In his book, "Barbecue! The Bible," Steven Raichlen emphasizes the importance of slow cooking, noting that Kansas City's KC Masterpiece Restaurant slow cooks its baby back ribs for 12 hours.

The combination of smoke from the grill and a tangy, slightly sweet barbecue sauce often make grilled BBQ pork chops worth the time and effort. If you want pork chops that truly stand out, you're better off using your own homemade sauce rather than a bottle of store-bought sauce, which is often overly sweet. Use wood chips on the grill to saturate the chops with the flavor of smoke.

Barbecued sausage can be a versatile dish. You can slice the grilled sausage and serve it with pasta and sautéed peppers for an Italian-inspired dish or you can place the cooked sausage on a bun as you would a hot dog. Pair the sausage with chunks of pineapple for a dish with a tropical flair or with roasted potatoes for a down-home, meat and potatoes meal. If you don't have a grill, you can cook the meat in a cast iron skillet or in the oven.

Add a touch of sweetness to grilled chicken by coating it in a thick, delicious, homemade honey barbecue sauce. If you like your food to be a bit spicy, add a dash of cayenne pepper or hot sauce to the barbecue sauce for a pleasant sweet and spicy contrast. If you have leftover sauce, use it to coat grilled vegetables or to garnish the cooked chicken.

The sweet and smokey flavor of BBQ sauce delights many taste buds. Make getting your kids to eat their protein a bit easier by preparing a whole BBQ chicken as your main meal component. Preparation of a barbecued chicken takes little time and even less skill. Even the most inexperienced chef should be able to prepare it.