Wondering what Mommy Homework is??? Each week you will have an “assignment” here to share in our comments here on this site. You will love this-both sharing AND enjoying answers by others. Some of them, I compile into an ebook (contributors can resell as a product of their own–be sure to submit your email and full name when you register so I can credit you appropriately!).
The result is AWESOME!
We get to know each other…we are encouraged in our journey…and we glean super ideas from other great moms!
Ready for this week’s MH? This is a good one!
Our topic this week is “Easy Meals for Busy Days”
Your Assignment This Week…
Are your days starting to speed up? Mine have! The next few weeks we have the opportunity to either get caught up in the hustle and bustle OR make the most of these precious days. It will go quick.
There is really only one way to be sure that we end this fun season with a storehouse of sweet memories. We must make the most of each and every moment. Big order, huh? Well, it begins with little things. One secret that I have found along the way is to plan easy meals during this season. It is kinda funny. The children consider our easy meals to be “traditions” that make the holidays just exactly as we want for them to be. Our Easy Meals have become part of our holiday traditions. Our kids love it-they love familiarity and tradition. And, best of all, planning Easy Meals has helped to take some of the rush out of each day.
So, this brings me to our Mommy Homework for this week…
Do you have a great meal idea that saves you time during the holiday? Maybe a crock-pot meal? Maybe a meal that is easy to make up and serve over and over? Do you have a family favorite? Well, this week, just share those here. I can’t wait to see your ideas!
Well, until then… Grab a cup of tea…settle in for a bit. You will want to dig into this one sweet friends!!
Love ya!
Cindy
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PPS! You CAN just share and not participate in Mommy Homework, BUT I would LOVE for you to get some goodies along the way!
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Deadline–Friday at midnight CST.
A favorite, that is really tasty……….
Pumpkin Cake Roll with Cream Cheese Filling
CAKE:
Powdered Sugar
3/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup pure (100%) pumpkin
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional.).
FILLING:
1 package (8 oz) softened cream cheese
1 cup sifted powdered sugar
6 tablespoons softened butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
powdered sugar
Preheat oven to 375 deg. Grease jelly-roll pan, line w/wax paper. Grease & flour paper. Sprinkle towel w/powdered sugar.
Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt in small bowl. Beat eggs and sugar in large mixer bowl until thick. Beat in pumpkin. Stir in flour mixture. Spread evenly into pan. Sprinkle w/nuts. Bake for 13 – 15 minutes or until top of cake springs back when touched. Immediately loosen and turn cake onto prepared towel. Carefully peel off paper. Roll up cake and towel together, starting with narrow end. Cool on wire rack.
Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, butter, and vanilla in small bowl until smooth. Carefully unroll cake, remove towel. Spread cream cheese mixture over cake. Re-roll cake. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least one hour. Sprinkle w/powdered sugar before serving.
This is so easy and tasty too:
Tator Tot Hotdish: Double for bigger families (feeds 6 of us nicely)
1 # burger (or ground Chix or turkey)
1/2 big onion chopped
fry up and drain the grease
add to a 9×13 pan in which you have stirred in
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
1 beef bullion dissolved (usually in just a 1/2 cup of hot water)
pepper, salt to taste
1 cup of milk or beef broth/chix broth if milk allergies
1 bag of tator tots (I have used the normal size, but the crowns are fun and the tiny tots as well)
Mix the liquid stuff first, layer 1/2 the bag of tots add meat, swoosh around to cover the meat with sauce, and top with remaining tots…if you need more liquid add as needed (like 1/2 way thru) some like it more runny others not so …personal taste really. The more you make it the more you’ll tweek it….also, I add a dash or two of italian seasonings and other times not.
My hubby and son always dash on Tabasco sauce b4 inhaling.
350 degrees for up to 45 min. when tators are brown, cruncy and it is bubbly good.
I have a meal that really turns into 2 or 3 meals, relatively cheaply and pretty easily!!
The first night, you get a big roast, big enough that you know you’ll have some leftovers. Start around 1 PM to eat about 6 or so and it will all be good. Throw it in a roaster and do the usual to it. This is different for different homes, my sister throws spices on it that I don’t. (she puts cumin on everything – we don’t like that) I splash it with soy sauce and worcestershire sauce and throw in a few cut up onions. then I pour probably 2-4 cups of water (i’ve never measured) in the roaster. If I get ambitious and have time, I throw in baby carrots or cut up peeled carrots and cut up peeled potatoes when there is about an hour or so to go before supper.
After supper, pick the roast out and cut it into little pieces about the size of playing dice. This is where you decide if you have enough for 2 or 3 meals. If you have enough for 2 more meals, separate it into 2 containers.
Leftover meal 1: spray a casserole dish with spray. Fry some chopped onion in a little oil or butter in a big frypan on your stove top until all the onions are translucent. (I cut up my onions right when I get them and store them in a pickle jar in the fridge) Throw in your meat and open a can or 2 of veggies, drain them and throw them in the pan. When everything is warm, throw it all in the casserole. You can now mix in leftover macaroni or rice and make some gravy (I make it from the packets in the store) and put it in there and top with cheese, or just add gravy and make biscuit dough from baking mix (bisquick but I use store brand) and drop that on top.
Leftover meal 2: Make gravy (still from the packets from the store) in a bigger pot than you need. Put your leftover meat in and kind of mash it up. Make mashed potatoes and serve the meat over the mashed potatoes. We use a side of veggies of some other sort.
Enjoy.
Elizabeth Bowen
I would like to share a yummy recipe that I recently made for the family and they loved it.. It didn’t take much time to prepare and smiles all around when it was time to eat! Hope you like it!
7 Layer Casserole
Ingredients:
Carrots
Potatoes
1 lb Ground Meat
Onion
1 cup Rice
Can of Peas
Can of Tomato Soup
Preheat oven 350 degrees
Slice Potatoes thin
Spray pan to keep the potatoes from sticking
Layer bottom of 13 X 9 in pan
Slice thin layers of onion
Layer over potatoes
Slice Carrots thin
Layer over potatoes and onions
Sprinkle rice over existing layers
Add peas over existing layers
Put meat in separate bowl
Pour tomato soup in bowl with meat and then add one can full of water to mixture
Stir together
Spread this over all layers in pan
Bake in 350 oven for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
If you slice or layer your vegetables too thick you will need more time in the oven.
Lynn Pitts
Montana
Our easiest meal is one I trained my eldest son to cook when he was 8.5yo.
Spaghetti
500g or so of minced beef (hamburger?) browned then add a 400g tin of crushed tomatoes, a spoonful of crushed garlic from a jar, a sprinkle of Italian herbs and 1/2 tin of water, simmer until liquid reduced. At this stage boil some water, cook spaghetti noodles, about 350g. When ready we strain the pasta, tip the meat sauce into the pasta pot with the pasta and stir through about a cup of grated tasty cheese. Some people add parmesan on top. Enjoy! Feeds 2 adults and 3 children.
We have even cooked the mince from frozen on those “Ooops” days.
Yes, it could be healthier with a salad and more filling with garlic bread too but you did say quick and easy. lol
Best wishes,
Jen in Oz
One of my family’s favorite meal is Cheddar Cheese Pie. It is really easy to make and quite tasty on a cold night.
Coat 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded sharp cheddar cheese with 2 tablespoons of flour. Add two eggs; 1 1/2 cups of milk; 1/4 tsp. salt; 6 slices crumpled bacon; and a dash of pepper. Pour into a 9-inch deep dish unbaked pie shell. Bake one hour at 350 degrees. It is finished when the top looks set. Garnish with parsley and pimiento strips (garnished are optional). I love to grate my own cheese for this. Plus sometimes I have added finely chopped vegetables as well.
Both my daughters really love this pie.
Lynn Perry
EASY for me is definately anything in a crockpot! HA
Roast is sooo easy and a very good and healthy meal also.
All you do is take your roast and place it into your crock pot. Pour in a can of cream of mushroom soup.
Add baby carrots, easier because you do not have to chop up carrots!, and add cut up potaotes.
Then pour in your beef broth, two or three cans, and then turn it on high for an hour and then turn it to low to cook for the rest of the day. You can keep it on high if you want it cooked faster.
This is so easy and then you have a full meal with nothing else to make and only one pot to clean up!
Enjoy,
Love, Rodna
opps, sorry Cindy-I did the Tator Tot hotdish
Sheri Hagemann
I especially try for quick lunches, so we can accomplish more school, since we have a baby “helper” and Daddy gets home early!
Favorites are:
English Muffin mini-pizzas
English muffins, toasted (otherwise the pizzas are soggy)
pizza sauce
pizza toppings, usually just pepperoni and cheese here
The kids can assemble these, then I throw them in the oven on 400 for 10-15 minutes.
Loaded Baked potatoes
I “bake” our potatoes in the microwave, as this is usually a last minute meal; I also try to have broccoli as a topping to make this a bit healthier!
Toppings: butter, sour cream, bacon bits, cheddar cheese
Taco salad is an easy meal for us, too: Lettuce & ground beef with onions
Toppings: cheese, sour cream, salsa, tortilla chips, ranch dressing
And chili, too. Cook 4 cups red beans or kidney beans in crock pot for 4-5 hours with 1T salt, 2T chili powder & 1T cumin, covered with boiling water (about 8 cups); brown hamburger (1-2 pounds) with an onion, add to cooked beans; add 1-2 quarts tomatoes and/or tomato juice. Add more chili powder and cumin to taste. Serve with crackers, corn bread and whole wheat bread and butter. Sometimes we go Mexican and have cheese, sour cream and tortilla chips.
Can’t wait to see all the ideas here!
Blessings,
Danielle Hull
On movie nights at our house, we don’t just sit and watch the flick – we have a special tradition that is known as our “Snackey Supper.” lol
We pick a movie together, and then I pop popcorn in our popper. Then I gather any food we have on hand that can be pierced with a toothpick and/or eaten with fingers. Some good examples are hot dogs, cheese slices, cucumbers, grapes, berries, string cheese cut into circles, tomatoes, crackers, fresh peas, raisins, etc. I try to have six or seven options that the majority like, usually using up leftovers in the process, and I also try to get a balance of the “food groups.”
Then everyone gets a water bottle or sippy cup, and we sit on the floor in the living room. Everyone except the 2 year old (she gets a little of each on a plate) is handed a toothpick, we pray, turn the movie on, and then we make snack kabobs and eat popcorn! The kids have eaten some crazy combinations, (Raisin and tomato cracker sandwich anyone?) but it’s all in good fun. I usually have to have a limit on the good food, like fruit (6 pieces, etc.) and enforce a “must eat 2 bites of” for things like meat, which my kids aren’t fond of, so that they get what they need for the meal. But we all have a great time – even though we make a big mess – and it really breaks up the monotony. Best of all, it only takes about 10 – 15 minutes to get everything together!
I guarantee if you try this idea, even once, your kids will love it. 🙂 Who knows, you might come up with some interesting Snackey combinations yourself!
We are having one of our favorite easy meals today after a long day of running errands in town to prepare for Thanksgiving! It’s French Dip Sandwiches. I simply buy a pound of sliced or shaved Roast Beef from the deli (or in the lunch meat section if I can get a better deal) and a loaf of french bread or rolls. I make 2 cups of beef broth with 2 bullion cubes and boiling water. I heat the roast beef in the microwave and then stuff it in the bread. Each person gets their own little bowl of broth to dip it in. I usually serve it with slices of cheese, and a fruit and veggie of some sort. Everybody is full and happy- especially me since it takes about 5 minutes to prepare and tastes so good! There is something about the little bowl of broth that makes it so fun and more satisfying to eat than a regular cold sandwich!
One thing I try to do is watch for my grocery store to run their roasted whole chickens on sale or make my own. But during busy times of the year, having their already prepared rotisserie chickens (on sale) makes a big difference. I will even buy 2 depending on the price and will even freeze them for busy times when I need them.
After the first night of just eating the chicken with veggies and bread, I will then pick the meat off the bone and turn it into Homemade Chicken noodle soup, Chicken Quesadillas or Fajitas, Chicken Salad Sandwiches, Chicken Caesar Salads, Chicken Casseroles, etc. Just having that chicken already prepared and tastefully seasoned sure helps my week.
Happy Thanksgiving and may we all take time to reflect on God’s goodness this past year.
Nancy Mosley in GA
5 easy meals that can be made with Nacho Cheese Sauce. You can buy a #10 can of Nacho Cheese Sauce or Cheddar Cheese Sauce at Sam’s for about $6. You can use it for a lot of things.
Easy Hash Brown Casserole
1 bag frozen hash browns
Grated Cheese or nacho cheese sauce
1 can cr. of mushroom, chicken, or potato soup
1 med onion, chopped
Mix all ingredients together and put in a greased 9 x 13 pan and cook at 350 degrees until done in the middle and cheese looks a little hardened. Serve with any type of meat and a salad.
Bacon Mac & Cheese
Macaroni
Nacho Cheese Sauce
Real Bacon bacon bits
Cook macaroni, drain, add cheese sauce and bacon bits. Serve with salad and a vegetable. You may want to add a little milk to your cheese sauce.
Cheesy Hamburger and Rice
Brown hamburger
Cook rice
Add nacho cheese sauce
Serve with salad and vegetable
Cheesy Egg Skillet
Eggs
Your favorite breakfast meat
Green Pepper, chopped
Onion, chopped
Cooked potatoes, diced
Cook meat, peppers and onion. Then add potatoes and cook until warmed, then scrambled eggs. When eggs are cooked through, add nacho cheese sauce. Serve with toast
Cheesy Spaghetti
chopped onion, green pepper and celery
2 tbs chopped garlic
2 tbs basil
Cook all this with your hamburger. Add tomato sauce or your favoirite canned spag. sauce. Mix with cooked spaghetti. Add some nacho cheese sauce for a tangy cheesy flavor
Warning: don’t eat all five of these meals in a row or you will probably have a gallbladder attack from the fat in the cheese! But they are quick, easy meals.
Enjoy!
Linda Howard
A favorite around here, particularly when my almost 23 year old son visits, is Taco Pizza.
Brown 1# hamburger. Add taco seasoning mix and 3/4 c water. Simmer.
Meanwhile, top a large pizza crust with tomato sauce. When meat/seasoning mixture is heated through, spoon onto top of crust and sauce. Sprinkle with shredded cheddar cheese and bake.
Serve with tomato, sour cream, lettuce and crushed corn chips!
Vicki Merrill
This meal definitely qualifies for an easy one on a busy day.
Place in the crockpot several boneless, skinless chicken breasts. I put them in frozen. Add one can of cheddar cheese soup and one can of cream of chicken soup. Turn on low for approximately 4-6 hours.
Serve over rice or noodles.
We put this together and put it in the crock pot on a Sunday morning. We then fill our rice cooker with a batch of brown rice. By the time we are home from church we have the meat done and we serve it over the rice. Put together a lettuce salad or other vegetable salad and you have your complete meal.
One of our favorite easy meals is
Italian chicken sandwiches
I use leftover chicken and cover it italian dressing, throw in a can of muchrooms and heat it through.
My kids prefer it grilled . I Prepare my slices of bread just like grilled cheese, and then put a scoop of the chicken mushroom mix, and some mozzarella cheese and grill. For really quick and easy we put it in hot dog buns and just sprinkle the cheese on top.
We have tried all kinds of different dressings for this and our favorite is usually the zesty italian, but this is an easy recipe to tweak to your families taste buds, try out whatever brand you like best and enjoy!
Amy Matthys posted my first choice for a quick supper but I have another that I fixed tonight in fact! It is a wonderful soup recipe from a restaurant from Eureka Springs, AR that is no longer in business.
Cream of Broccoli Soup
1 pound broccoli (fresh or frozen)
1/2 lb. butter (use the real stuff or it won’t turn out very well)
1 cup flour, sifted
1 quart chicken stock
1 quart half & half (I use Land o’ Lakes fat-free to make up for the butter)
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. white pepper
Clean broccoli, remove stems. Cut into 1/2 inch pieces. Steam in 1/2 cup water until tender. Do not drain. Set aside. Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat. Add flour to make a roux (this is the thickening for the soup). Cook for 2 to 4 minutes. Add chicken stock, stirring with a wire whip, and bring to a boil. Turn heat to low. Add broccoli, half & half, salt and pepper. Heat but do not boil. Serves 8 to 10. From the Victorian Sampler Tearoom in Eureka Springs, AR
I also serve a Carrot Spice Muffin recipe that I got from the Campbell’s Tomato Juice website.
My family loves this soup. Even my son who is a very picky eater will eat at least 2 servings of this!
Robin Billings
Amy Matthys posted my first choice for a quick supper but I have another that I fixed tonight in fact! It is a wonderful soup recipe from a restaurant from Eureka Springs, AR that is no longer in business.
Cream of Broccoli Soup
1 pound broccoli (fresh or frozen)
1/2 lb. butter (use the real stuff or it won’t turn out very well)
1 cup flour, sifted
1 quart chicken stock
1 quart half & half (I use Land o’ Lakes fat-free to make up for the butter)
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. white pepper
Clean broccoli, remove stems. Cut into 1/2 inch pieces. Steam in 1/2 cup water until tender. Do not drain. Set aside. Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat. Add flour to make a roux (this is the thickening for the soup). Cook for 2 to 4 minutes. Add chicken stock, stirring with a wire whip, and bring to a boil. Turn heat to low. Add broccoli, half & half, salt and pepper. Heat but do not boil. Serves 8 to 10. From the Victorian Sampler Tearoom in Eureka Springs, AR
I also serve a Carrot Spice Muffin recipe that I got from the Campbell’s Tomato Juice website.
My family loves this soup. Even my son who is a very picky eater will eat at least 2 servings of this!
Robin Billings
Here is our quick and easy meal –
Mexican goulash –
Brown 2lb hamburger with a chopped onion and garlic
Add:
taco seasoning mix
1 can rotel
1 package green beans.
heat thoroughly, and serve with tortilla chips.
Takes just a few minutes and my family loves it.
Oh, just one more! We love this recipe – this is a super easy soup that my family will happily eat the leftovers until they are gone!
Tex Mex Chicken Taco Soup
1/2 cup diced onions
1/2 cup diced green bell peppers
1 tablespoon minced garlic
Vegetable oil
1 pound chicken breasts, boiled and shredded
1 package taco seasoning mix
1 (8-ounce) jar salsa
1 (14-ounce) can kernel corn
1 (14-ounce) can hominy
1 (16-ounce) can ranch style beans
2 (4-ounce) cans tomato paste
2 (14-ounce) cans chicken broth
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese
Saute onions, green bell peppers, and garlic in a small amount of vegetable oil. Add chicken, taco seasoning mix, salsa, vegetables, beans, tomato paste, and chicken broth. Adjust liquid to your liking. Bring to a slow simmer and simmer for 20 minutes. Place cream cheese in a separate bowl. Using a measuring cup, take some of the hot liquid from the soup and pour over cream cheese to melt and then add back to the soup. Simmer on low for another 10 minutes. Serve with tortilla chips and grated Monterey jack cheese.
Also, great on the second day over rice.
Trish Bevill
I have 3 favorite fast meals this time of year. Taco Soup, Enchillada Soup, and Chilli. What I do is make up a huge batch of each. I use my crockpot, my roaster and a stock pot (gumbo pot) when I do this, it makes a mess and there is some clean up, but I get several lunches and 2-3 dinners from each batch. I just double or triple my recipe for each and freeze in quart or gallon size baggies.
Taco Soup
Ground beef (brown, with dried onions & bell peppers, drain add Taco Season)
2lg Cans Diced tomatoes
1 can Rotel
1 Can Cream Corn
Black Olives, diced or slice your own.
Mix all together, simmer a few hours, serve one meal, allow rest to cool to room temp, bag & freeze. For lunches I use quart size, for dinner gallon size. We sprinkle shredded cheese on top and serve with homemade taco chips. Sometimes I throw in some velveeta in the mix while simmering-depends.
Enchillada Soup
Leftover chicken
1 Can Enchillada soup
2 lg Can Diced Tomatoes
1 Can Rotel
1 Can Cream Corn
Cheese Soup
Black Olives
Mix all and simmer for a few hours. Serve with sprinkled Chives, Shredded Cheese and taco chips.
Chili
Just make up your favorite recipe, double or tripple. When cool, bag and freeze.
These 3 have been a real life saver when mom runs errends, or mom and dad are late getting home from Christmas shopping, kids can easily take out, defrost and serve. These are great for lunch on busy school days too. The gallon bags can easiy be dumped in a crock pot, simmered, and the house smells like you have been cooking all day. Most of your recipies can be doubled or trippled and then frozen.
Valerie Neal
My favorite busy day meals are my crock pot meals. I have a spaghetti sauce recipe that is absolutely wonderful! On nights that I have company, this is usually what is served because it is so easy and all of my guests so far love it!
Here’s my recipe:
Slow n Savory Spaghetti Sauce
Use a 7 Quart Slow Cooker
Olive Oil
1 lb ground Turkey
1 lb ground Turkey Sausage
2 large onions or 3 medium onions finely diced (I love my Pampered Chef Food Chopper for this!)
4-5 cloves garlic, minced
3 28 oz cans diced/petite diced tomatoes
2 28 oz cans crushed tomatoes
2 Tblspn basil
Salt and Pepper to taste
1/4 to 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese (based on what you like, for me the more the better!)
Turn slow cooker on to start warming it up 🙂
Warm up a skillet on the stove top, and put 1-2 tspns of oil. With a pastry basting brush coat the bottom of the skillet with the oil.
Brown ground turkey and turkey sausage in skillet. When almost done, add diced onion and garlic.
While the meat is browning, place all diced tomatoes and crushed tomatoes in slow cooker.
When turkey is completely brown, dump the whole skillet full into the crock pot. Turkey is generally lean so you shouldn’t have to drain off any liquid, just add it to the sauce.
Add Basil, salt and pepper, and Parmesan cheese.
Give it a good 2-3 stirs with a spatula to incorporate everything together.
Cover slow cooker.
Cook on low all day, or on high 3-4 hours. During the last hour vent the lid a bit to let the sauce breathe.
Freeze any leftover sauce for later, or use it for mannacotti, ziti, meatloaf, or mini pizza breads. My hubby really likes the leftover sauce on his eggs in the morning.
Enjoy.
One of our quick favorites – because I can keep all of the ingredients on hand in my pantry / freezer – is a quick potato/corn chowder.
Dump into your crock pot:
Equal number of cans of cream of potato soup and cream style corn (my crock pot is huge, so I use 6 of each)
Add 1 bag “seasoning mix” – this is a mixture of onions, bell peppers, and celery already chopped and found in the freezer section of the grocery store. If you can’t find it just substitute a chopped onion, chopped bell pepper, and a couple of ribs of celery chopped.
Cook on low until heated through and veggies are tender (6-8 hours or more – I put this on after breakfast and let it cook until dinner time usually)
To serve, ladle soup into bowls (bread bowls are fun if you have them!), top with shredded cheddar cheese, bacon bits, chives, etc.. (any toppings you like with potatoes).
Another good old Tennessee favorite is Ham and Biscuits.
We save our leftover ham from Thanksgiving and serve it hot in biscuits or dinner rolls. These are great served with soup and/or fruit salad. Wonderful for a quick lunch or light dinner. Often we have this for Thanksgiving evening – we even add leftover cranberry sauce to the sandwiches if we have some. Yum!!!
My Hubby’s favorite, I generally make extra and freeze some for a later date…
Enchilada Casserole
1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup
1 can Cream of Chicken Soup
1 can hot or mild Enchilada Sauce
1 small can of Chopped Green Chilies
1 cup milk
Heat above ingredients together on stove. While heathing brown 1 pound Hamburger and 1 medium onion (diced). Then add to soup mixture.
You also need 1 large bag of Plain Doritoes and 1 lb. of Velveeta Cheese
Layer in 9×13 greased pan:
Doritoes
Sauce
Doritoes
Sauce
Top with Sliced cheese.
Bake at 350 for 25 minutes
Top with salsa when you serve if you like,
Enjoy!
Lori Duncan
For a quick and yummy meal, I cook a 1lb box of rotini noodles (actually have started buying Ronzoni Smart Taste and it’s only 14.5oz, but it doesn’t change the recipe for me) I pour the cooked noodles into a corningware casserole dish, add two jars of Prego, mix well, top with 8oz of shredded mozzerella or Italian blend cheese, and bake in the oven (350 degrees) until the cheese is bubbly- about 25 minutes or so. When my meat loving hubby is home I add a pound of ground beef, turkey, or italian sausage when I add the spaghetti sauce. (The meat needs to be cooked already).
I buy ground meat on sale, bring it home and brown it all, drain, cool, and baggie in about 3/4 lb batches and freeze it. Then it is ready to be thawed and tossed into just about anything- spaghetti, tacos, chili, nachos, even soup. This saves me a lot of time! If I am tossing it in soup or spaghetti I usually don’t even thaw it first!!
Rae Poe
Pasta dishes seem to be one of the easier meals to do. Maybe it’s my half Italian blood shining through :o)
Here are a few made in our house:
Macaroni and Peas
box of elbow macaroni
one or two cans of sweet baby peas
butter or butter sprinkles (to coat pasta)
diced onions (if desired)
At our house, we cook the pasta, cover it with butter sprinkles, toss in the can or two of peas and then add sprinkle cheese as desired. My mom makes the same dish, but cooks a little onion in olive oil to toss in the mix. My younger boys beg me to make this for lunches or dinners when hubby and eldest son are gone.
Tuna and Spaghetti
box of spaghetti (or other long pasta)
one or two cans of tuna (we prefer albacore)
can of tomato sauce (15 oz.)
can of tomato paste (small size) – enough to thicken, so you might have some left
couple of garlic cloves, crushed or diced
olive oil
Italian seasoning
While the pasta is cooking, coat a medium saucepan bottom with olive oil. Add garlic to lightly brown, then add tuna. Stir frequently and after about a minute, add the tomato sauce, tomato paste and seasoning to taste. Cover and let simmer until past is done. After draining the pasta, coat it with the sauce. Good either with or without sprinkle cheese.
Pasta and Bean Toss (this one is good hot OR cold as a pasta salad)
box of elbow macaroni or small shells
can of diced tomatoes (large or 2 small sized works)
can of corn
can of cannelini beans
olive oil
diced or minced garlic (2 or 3 cloves worth)
Italian seasoning to taste
Cook the pasta according to box directions. While the pasta is cooking, sautee the garlic in olive oil until lightly browned. Add the can of tomatoes, drained corn and drained beans. Season to taste. After draining pasta, toss with the topping. Sprinkle with cheese as desired.
Laura O’Neill
One of the easiest meals I know (and the family enjoys) is
Alfredo Chicken Tortellini
Boil 3-4 boneless chicken breasts until done – drain and cool
Cook a package of cheese tortellini (I get in bulk) – drain
Cut up the chicken into cubes, put into the tortellini, add a jar
of alfredo sauce. Mix it all together and reheat. Mix with california
vegies, mushrooms, peppers, etc.
Very easy and very good.
Enjoy
Katy Horn
A busy time of the year but a great fun and loving time of the year.
I love to put a pot of brown beans in my crock pot and put together a loaf of bread in my bread maker. Then I don’t have to worry about supper that night or 2-3 meals afterward.
Beans
1 small bag of brown beans or 1/2 a bag of the bigger bags
2 tablespoons of salt
chop ham pieces up into the pot, to like
Make sure to wash the beans before using and then put the above into crock pot. Fill the crock pot up with water about 2-3 inches below the top of the pot. Set it on high and let it simmer all day.
White Bread
1 1/3 cups water
4 tsps butter
2 tsps salt
4 cups flour
4 tsps dry milk
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tsps active dry yeast
Place everything into the bread maker (I love mine), close the lid and choose the Basic Setting and the color of crust you want and push start. Ready to eat with the beans.
Another quick meal I fix is biscuits and gravy.
Gravy
1/2 lb sausage
1/2 cup of flour
4 cups of milk
Salt and Pepper to taste
Brown sausage in skillet. Do not drain. Add rest of ingredients to skillet. Bring to rapid boil, constantly stirring with a whip/spoon. Gravy will thicken as it boils. Thicken to like. I use a whip to stir mine so my gravy doesn’t have flour lumps.
Best Biscuits Ever
2 cups flour
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
4 tblsp shortening
2/3 cups milk
Sift flour, baking powder and salt. Cut in shortening, and add milk. Mix lightly to make soft dough. Turn out immediately on well-floured board, and knead until it is well mixed and pliable. Roll dough out to the desired thickness and cut using a biscuit/donut cutter and bake for 12 minutes in a 450-500 degrees oven.
I look forward to reading the rest of this weeks recipes!
Orilla Crider
I’ve got two favorite EASY meals, although I’m finding that if I can stand one NOT SO EASY day of shopping/freezing, I can end up with a whole freezer full of easy meals. But anyway, here are two of my favorites:
Chicken Soup Dump:
Line 9×12 baking dish with foil. Put in 4-6 servings of uncooked rice (I use Uncle Ben’s Success Brown Rice) and about 3/4 the amount of water recommended on the package for the amount you use. Drain a can of green beans and spread over top. Layer 4-6 boneless chicken breasts on top of the beans/rice. In a small bowl, dilute a can of Cream of Something soup (we use chicken, I know a lot of people use mushoom, Campbell’s cheddar is also good) with about half a can of water. Spread over chicken. Bake for about 45 minutes at 350 and serve.
Crock BBQ Chicken
In a zip-loc bag, combine 6-8 boneless chicken thighs, about 3/4 of a bottle of your favorite bbq sauce, and some sliced onions. Squish around a bit, pour into crock pot, and cook on low 7-8 hours. In the summer I add corn on the cob & salad, in the winter, baked potatoes and a veggie.
Cari
This is a yummy soup that the whole family loves (even my children who are 7 and 4) — plus it’s healthy and hearty . . . we often have this with some homemade bread or biscuits:
Red Lentil and Vegetable Soup
olive oil
4 med. carrots, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 t. ground cumin
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
1 can (14 oz) vegetable broth (I often use chicken broth because that’s what I usually have)
1 c. dried red lentils
1/4 t. salt
1/8 t. black pepper
1 bag (5 oz) fresh baby spinach
In a 4-quart saucepan, heat oil on medium heat. Add carrots and onion; cook 6-8 minutes or until lightly browned and tender (but not mushy). Stir in cumin and cook for one minute.
Add tomatoes, broth, lentils, 2 c. water, salt and pepper; cover and heat to boiling on high. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, 8-10 minutes or until lentils are tender. Stir in spinach until wilted. Makes about 7 1/2 cups soup.
Tastes great fresh, but also yummy as leftovers! Enjoy!
Hi Cindy!
Our family loves Hasbrown Casserole! This is easy to make and also very forgiving recipe, I just use what I have on hand.
1st: Cook Meat (I use ground turkey or hamburger meat, I also like to cut an onion with the meat but not necessary!) and place on bottom of casserole dish. 2nd: Large pkg. hashbrowns (I defrost these in the microwave to cut down on oven time) add to large mixing bowl. 3rd: Add 1 can of cream of chicken soup (I have used cream of mushroom or celery) with the hashbrowns. 4th:Add sour cream to mixture ( 12oz. more or less whatever you have!) 5th: Add cheddar cheese (usually about 2 cups, but to your taste). I season with salt & pepper, mix these ingredients and spoon over meat. Next, melt 1/2 stick of margarine and mix with crushed corn flakes or ritz crackers and top casserole. Bake at 375 until cheese is melted and toppi ng is lightly brown! I also like to freeze this casserole, just leave off the topping until you are ready to heat it. I know this is not a good exact recipe but it is easy and my family loves it. The kids top it off with ketchup! Thanks Tina
There are several things I like to do to be prepared for those busy times. Often, I will buy lots of ground beef, then go ahead and brown it with onions, drain, and package it for the freezer to save time when I need quick ground beef. It thaws quickly when packages by 2-3 cup portions in quart sized freezer bags. I also use by crockpot A LOT! Here are several recipes I use with that pre-cooked beef.
CHEESEBURGER PIE
1 lb lean ground beef
1 large onion, chopped (1 cup)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (4 oz)
1/2 cup baking mix (like Bisquick or homemade)
~ ketchup, mustard, and Worcestershire sauce to taste
1 cup milk
2 eggs
DIRECTIONS:
1. Heat oven to 400°F. Spray 9-inch glass pie plate with cooking spray.
2. In 10-inch skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beef is brown; drain. Or use pre-cooked thawed hamburger from freezer. Stir in salt, ketchup, mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Spread in pie plate. Sprinkle with cheese.
3. In small bowl, stir remaining ingredients with fork or wire whisk until blended. Pour into pie plate.
4. Bake about 25 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.
UPSIDE DOWN PIZZA
2 lb. hamburger, browned with 1/2 c. onion
1 pkg. spaghetti mix
1 c. tomato sauce (16 oz.)
1 sm. carton sour cream
1 can crescent rolls
2 c. mozzarella cheese
Cook hamburger and onions; drain. Add spaghetti mix and sauce to beef mixture. Spread in bottom of oiled casserole dish. Spread sour cream on top of this mixture. Add mozzarella cheese. Top with 1 can crescent rolls. Lay the rolls crosswise on the pan mixture. Brush rolls with melted butter and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake at 375 degrees for 1/2 hour in a 9 x 13 inch pan.
AMY’S CHILI ( We like it sweeter than lots of folks)
1 pound ground beef cooked with onions and drained
2 (14 oz) cans tomato sauce
2 cans dark red kidney beans, undrained
1 pkg. dry onion soup mix
brown sugar to taste (I usually add at least 1/4 to 1/2 cup)
salt/pepper to taste
chili powder ( to taste…about 3 tsp)
Mix all together and simmer until done. Many times, I make this ahead and keep warm in my crockpot. Serve with sour cream, corn chips, and cheese!
TACO CRESCENT RING
2 pkgs. crescent rolls
1 pound ground beef
1 envelope taco seasoning mix
1 cup grated cheese
shredded lettuce
chopped tomatoes
green onions
1 cup sour cream
salsa
Brown and drain ground beef. Add taco seasoning and follow packet directions. Unroll crescent rolls. On cookie sheet or baking stone, place crescent wedges in a circle with triangle ends hanging over edges of pan….wide ends go the inside and overlap. Press slightly. Add cheese to taco mixture and stir. Place the ground beef mixture along the wide (pressed) edges of the crescent rolls and wrap the pointed edges around the meat until it forms a ring. Bake at 375 degrees for 12 minutes.
When baked, remove from cookie sheet or baking stone and place ring on a platter. On the inside of the ring, place lettuce, tomatoes, and green onions. Serve with sour cream and salsa in bowls on the side. Cut into wedges and serve.
I also cook lots of chicken at a time and do the same thing by bagging and freezing it. Then when I’m in a hurry and need cooked chicken…it doesn’t take long to thaw and use. I’m a big believer in cooking ahead as much as possible…especially when I know I’m going to be pressed for time!
Blessings,
Amy O.
This is a quick hotdish my mom made when I was little and I’ve made it for my kids.
1 – 1 1/2 lb. hamburger
instant rice
water
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of celery soup
1 can vegetable beef soup
1 can vegetarian vege. soup
Brown hamburger then add the other ingredients. I don’t measure the rice, just make sure to put enough in along with the soups and water (at least a soup can full) . Cook til rice is done. Can throw some chow mein noodles on top.
Another quick meal that my son made twice last week cause he liked it so much was something like a chicken pot pie. He grilled 3-4 chicken breasts on the George Foreman grill then cut them up and added them in a 9 x 13 dish with cream of chicken (or mushroom) soup and whatever frozen veges we had in the freezer. One time it was broccoli and carrots the other time it was cauliflower, green beans and peas. I think he threw in a can of mushrooms too. You can make corn bread or biscuits to go along with it
A snack my 10 year old makes is tortilla chips with shredded cheese and pepperoni on top. Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes.
And an even quicker meal is grilled cheese and soup, which is what we’re having tonight! 🙂
Katie Anderson
Hi Cindy,
I hope this works. I couldn’t figure out how to add my real name. 🙂 Anywhoo…
For an easy meal I like:
`Ham hocks & Cabbage`
3-4 meaty ham hocks Pepper (to taste)
1 head cabbage (cut in chunks)
chopped onion Garlic Powder
cocktail smokies (sausage links) red pepper flakes
(I add ingredients according to my liking)
*Put ham hocks in a large kettle, cover with water.
Bring to boil, reduce heat & simmer til meat starts falling off bone. Remove ham hocks and cool.
Add remaining ingredients to water, make sure cabbage is covered with water. Simmer til cabbage is tender. When ham hocks are cool enough – cut meat off the hocks and add to kettle with cabbage.
Serve.
Michelle Fitzgerald
I have two ideas that are lifesavers for me all year! The first is to make a whole chicken (or two) with plenty of side dishes on a day when you have time for a big meal. When you are done, take all of the leftover meat off and make stock from the bones. You can use the stock to make soup. Depending on how much meat you have leftover you can make one to three meals from the already cooked chicken.
Another great idea is to make pizzas. I like to make a big batch of pizza dough and stick them in the freezer. Then on pizza day I pull out the dough and thaw. Then we can top it with whatever we have on hand. It doesn’t have to be marinara sauce and pepperonis. We can use alfredo sauce, ranch dressing, or bbq sauce. We can top it with an assortment of meats and veggies, using leftovers from other days or what we have on hand in the fridge. It is quick and easy and always provides a variety.
Thanks for all the ideas!
Dawn Spice
A quick meal we use often is Oregano Chicken made in the crockpot.
family pack of chicken thighs
3 large cans of tomato sauce
1-2Tbsp oregano
garlic powder
Put the tomato sauce in the crockpot. Stir in oregano and garlic powder to taste. Take the skin off the chicken thighs and add them to the crockpot. Make sure to push the chicken under the sauce. Cook on low for six hours. Serve over rice or pasta.
Melinda Sullivan
Veg-Head Three-Bean Chili
2 tblsp olive oil
1 medium yellow skinned onion chopped
1 lg red pepper seeded and chopped
1 lg green pepper seeded and chopped
4 cloves garlic crushed and chopped
1 cup broth
1 (32oz) can crushed tomatoes
1 (14 oz) can black beans
1 (14 oz) can dark red kidney beans
1 (14 oz) can red kidney beans
2 (14oz) can refried beans
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cayenne hot pepper sauce several drops
1 small jar salsa
Extras you might want to have on hand
8 oz shredded cheese (Monterey jack, cheddar)
chopped scallions
diced fresh seeded plum tomato
corn chips
Over moderate heat, add oil to a deep pot and combine onion, peppers and garlic. Sauté for 3 to 5 minutes to soften vegetables. Deglaze pan with broth, add tomatoes, black beans and both red beans. Stir to combine
Season chili with cumin, chili powder, hot sauce, salt and salsa. Thicken chili by stirring in refried beans (use 1 or 2 cans to your preferred thickness). Simmer over low heat about 5 to 10 minutes longer. Serve bowls of chili topped with your desired extras. Use chips for dipping.