Please post a layout of the full floor plan and where all those doors lead to.

Please include the dimensions of the dining room. I think it's a bad idea to crowd out a proper sized dining room for a kitchen.

Are you willing to change the window/door configuration on the back wall?

Is the only route to the bedroom(s)/bathroom through the hallway off the side of the kitchen? or can you get to them from the living room?

Can the current large window in the dining room be switched into a glass door? Right now all the traffic going outside flows right through your kitchen. It's still an easy access to use the bbq etc.

Here is a layout of the full house. When I drew the fridge wall, I made it backwards so it should actually look like this with the cabinets being on the right of the door and and the fridge being on the left. The only access to the back bedroom is through the kitchen. The right side of the house has a driveway, so I cannot move the backdoor to that side of the house. I might be willing to move windows and doors, but there would have to be substantial benefit to justify the cost. I appreciate all the help!!

The planner tool keeps freezing up on me, so I can't give you a complete drawing with 3d to explain my suggestion, but here's as far as I got. I feel pretty strongly that you should keep the dining room intact and just widen the doorway between the dining room and kitchen. I assume the dining room window is centered on the wall and that the original proportions are pleasant.

Instead of a separate swinging door and window, I drew a 6' wide french door or slider on the back wall that references a 6' cased opening between the dining room and kitchen. Facing the hallway the fridge and a pantry are on the right side and separate upper and lower cabinet are on the left that can be used as a drop zone and/or a buffet when you entertain. Watch the sight line from the dining room toward the bathroom. If this layout allows one to see into the bathroom while seated at the dining table, I'd swap the sides.

How tall are your ceilings?

Check out carrieb's gardenweb kitchen reveal to get the gist of this idea... http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/3514091/reveal-the-door-south-philly-row

Her door is an Andersen 6' 400 series hinged patio door, with 12" transom

Thanks for you suggestion. This is so tricky. I originally wanted to add french doors on the the back but the basement steps are right to the left of the door so I wouldn't be able to widen the doorway. I love carrieb's door! I originally extended the kitchen into the dining room because we have a family of 5 and a kitchen that tiny wants to make me cry.

If the left side of the patio door is stationary and the right side slides would it work with the steps?

With a family of five, I don't think you have the luxury of an open plan; walls=storage.

What about an L + fridge and pantry? (Still having probs with the planner.)

You could line the dining/kitchen wall with shallow pantry cabinets for a lot more storage. Like so...