Little Joys

2011-12-07T17:35:00.001-08:00

k

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Picture update

2011-11-21T11:52:00.001-08:00

Here we are before the chaos hit the intensity level with Molly Lou. We are at our annual Halloween trip to the mayfield farm.

Our nephews hunter And chase the cowboyand Indian.

A trip to nana and papas about month ago papa gave hayrides in a wagon behind his tractor.

A last minute birthday celebration for nephew Charlie.

Knox-the all time-entertainer.

The Coon girls (my sister and her two daughters)

Molly and Amy Kate kicking contest.

minestrone soup

2011-09-27T15:33:00.000-07:00

I love this recipe because its basically opening a bunch of cans. Which these days is about as hard as I need it to be.
I can of each:
Beef broth
Italian style tomatoes
Red beans
Navy beans
Water (I just fill up one of the above after its been poured in)

One boullion cube
One bag of wacky mac

Bring to boil and simmer for. 10 minutes

wow!

2010-08-28T10:49:00.000-07:00

I noticed it has been almost a YEAR since I published on this blog! So sorry dear followers.

Here are some recipes that hopefully will make up for such a long sabbatical.

1. Cautini

Brown 1 lb of hamburger meat. Add in 1 chopped onion and 1 chopped bell pepper. Preheat oven to 350. Boil 1 box of elbow macaroni noodles & drain. Layer a casserole dish as follows: meat mixture, noodles, a jar of pizza sauce, pepperoni, mozzarella cheese REPEAT. BAke for 30 minutes.

2. Quiche

(choose your favorite "topping"-spinach, ham, olives, tomatoes, or all of the above!)

In a blender, place 2 eggs, 2 cups of bisquick, 2 cups of milk. Blend, pour into buttered casserole dish. Add 1 cup of topping of choice and 1 cup of cheese. Press beneath egg mix with back of spoon. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

3. Frito Pie

Brown 1 lb of hamburger meat. Add in 1 jar of salsa until well warmed. Pour into a large casserole dish and top with 2 cups of mexican grated cheese and 1 bag of crushed fritos.

4. Strawberry & Chicken Spinach Salad

Note 1 chicken breast will =2 salads Marinate chicken breast in Raspberry Vinaigrette Salad Dressing ( i like Ken's) for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Preheat George Forman or standard grill. In a large bowl place 1 package of fresh baby spinach, 1 container of feta cheese, 1 bag of chopped pecans, 1 box of fresh strawberries-sliced. Toss. Serve into seperate bowls. On a cutting board use VERY sharp knife (or electric knife-my fave) and slice very thin pieces of chicken over salad fixings. Top with additional vinaigrette if you choose.

5. Not your average pot roast.

Whisk in a large bowl-one can of cream of mushroom soup, 1 cup of Dales, 1 cup of water. Cover roast with black pepper. Place roast in crock pot-pour sauce over. Add in quartered potatoes and carrots (and onion optional). Bake slowly on low for 8 hours. OR if you don't want your veggies meaty tasting-steam the carrots separately and bake the potatoes in a dish with butter and S&P-350 for 30 minutes.

1+1+1

2010-04-05T17:21:00.000-07:00

I LOVE easy recipes and decided to share some of my favorite 1 cup plus one cup recipes:

Divine Biscuits:

1 8 oz. container of sour cream

1 stick of butter

2 c. Biscuick

Fruit Crisp:

1 can of your favorite canned OR

1 package of your favorite frozen fresh fruit (defrosted)

1c. sugar

1 c. flour

1 stick of butter

Fruit Salad:

1 c. vanilla yogurt

1 can of mandarin oranges

1 can fruit cocktail

1 can crushed pineapple

(optional 1 c. marshmallows &/or 1 c. coconut)

Fruit tea:

1 c. tang

1c. lemonade

1 c. tea

(This can be increased up to a container of each. Follow directions for making each)

Stay tuned for more..i plan on looking for some links for you!!

Recipes for Meatless Meals

2010-03-23T17:37:00.000-07:00

Bean Soup:

--1 bag of beans soup mix (I used Hurst Hambeans)

--1 onion

--1 packet of onion soup mix

--4-6 cups water

Place in crock pot and cook on low all day.

Spinach Pizza:

1/4 c. olive oil

1 tsp of these spices:

crushed red pepper

black pepper

salt

(optional-garlic)

"paint" the above mixture over a precooked pizza crust.

Cover in mozzarella & provolone (or parmesan) cheeses.

Bake @ 400.

In a separate bowl-mix fresh spinach with 1 Tb of lemon juice sprinkle with salt & pepper.

Add spinach to cooked pizza as a fresh topping.

Lasagna Bake:

In one shallow pan melt 1/2 stick butter. Add 4 Tb of flour & whisk to create a 'gravy'. Slowly whisk in 3 cups of milk & 1/2 tsp of nutmeg. (yes the spice...i know sounds weird, but YUM!)

In separate pan heat 2-3 Tb of olive oil. Add one entire package of spinach to oil slowly till all is wilted.

Add to 'gravy' one box on no boil lasagna noodles. Pour half of that mixture into a square casserole dish toss in spinach, add the rest of gravy & noodles. Top with parmesan cheese (about 1 cup)

Bake @ 375 for 15 minutes.

Spaghetti Pie:

Boil Spaghetti noodles & drain. Peel, chop, boil 2-3 large carrots, and puree (in pureer or regular blender).

In large bowl mix noodles, carrot mix, 2 cups of spaghetti sauce, 1/2 tsp salt & pepper, 1 cup cottage cheese, 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese 2 Tb parmesan cheese.

Pour into a round baking dish and cover with remaining 1/2 cup of moz cheese. Bake for 20 minutes or until cheese is entirely melted.

Veggie Pasta Salad:

cooked & cooled Veggie Noodles or Wacky Mac

chopped 2-3 lg. carrots, 1/2 bag of broccoli, 1 red & green bell pepper, 1 chopped tomato,1 can black olives, sprinkle with grated parmesan.

p.s. i like this with celery & peanut butter or pimento cheese and raisins..

Meatless Meals

2010-03-23T17:23:00.000-07:00

Here is one week of meatless meals for my fellow "no meat" fans..

When my husband and I first met, I was eating NO meat at all. I think that grocery stores have a conspiracy going on against me..Here are some questions for you:

Why do they package italian sausage so that it looks like a small intestine?

Or chop the meat through GLASS windows and come out with blood on their aprons when you need to know what kind of meat you need for fajitas?

Why do all meats have a double name except chicken?

[pigs are called pork, cows are called beef, chicken-leaves NO room for you to pretend you are eating anything other than a cocky, bug eating, feathered covered bird?]

1. Bean soup

2. Spinach pizza

3. Lasagna bake

4. Spaghetti pie

5. Veggie pasta salad

Yummy Chewy Goodness

2010-02-23T16:32:00.000-08:00

Hi guys, if you are up for a little work and you love baking and the yummy results then click here to get the chewiest chocolate cookie ever. My hubby is a chewy cookie conesiuer and thought these were worthy of sharing with you. Enjoy!

One Pan Meals

2010-02-11T11:29:00.000-08:00

South of the Border Skillet:

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast

1/3 c. green onions

1 can rotel

1 can chicken broth

SPICES: (1T chli powder, 1/8 t. cumin, 1/8 t. pepper,1/4 t. garlic)

Brown chicken breast in 2t. of cooking oil on med-hi.

Remove meat from pan & cook onion & spices for 1 minute.

Add broth, rotel & 1 c. uncooked rice. Bring to boil.

Return meat to pan. Cover & simmer for 20 minutes.

Wild Rice Casserole:

1 package of wild rice mix (cooked according to microwave instructions)

2 cans of all white meat chicken (next to canned tuna in the store)

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 package of Lipton onion soup (dry) mix

salt & pepper

1 package of sliced almonds

Mix first four ingredients. Place in buttered casserole dish. Top with sliced almonds.Bake 25 minutes.

Favorite Things Recipes

2010-01-29T18:34:00.000-08:00

Potato Soup:

4-5 potatoes peeled and chopped to one inch size.

Boil til tender.

Add 1 can of cream of chicken soup + 1 can of chicken broth

1/2 stick of butter

1 t. salt and 1 t. pepper

(1/4 c. of chopped onion optional)

Bring to boil for 1 minute simmer for 8-10 minutes.

Serve with the normals-cheese, bacon, sour cream.

Hashbrown Casserole:

1 lb. frozen shredded potato

1 8oz. package of cheddar cheese

1/4 c. chopped onion

1 6 oz. container of sour cream (or Ricotta cheese for extra flavor) I had some left over from Manicotti

1 can of cream of chicken or mushroom

1 stick of Ritz or storebrand crackers-crushed

Mix first ingredients then add to buttered dish and sprinkle crushed crackers.

Bake 350 for 25 minutes.

Pork Bake:

Buy a one pound Pork Tenderloin and roll in 3 spices (about 1T each): parsely, garlic salt & basil.

Place in a baking dish covered in foil. Bake for 25-30 minutes at 350.

Chicken & Rice:

Spray a pan with non stick cooking spray.

Salt and pepper chicken tenderloins (or use lemon pepper seasoning-my fave)

Cook about 3 minutes on each side @ men-hi heat till no longer white inside.

(I tend to overcook so watch carefully!)

Boil 5 Minute Rice

Place in buttered casserole dish. Sprinkle again with lemon pepper or all seasoning. Bake for 15 minutes at 350.

Snow Cream:

1/2-1 c. sugar

Large bowl of snow

2 c milk

1 tsp vanilla

Snickerdoodle Cookies:

1 c. sugar

1/2 c. brown sugar

1 c. butter

2 c. all purpose flour

1/4 t. salt

1 t. baking soda

1 egg

Mix in a large bowl in that order.

Sprinkle final mixture with 1 T. cinnamon

Place on baking dish at 350.

Cook for 12 minutes.

When cookies are done-sprinkle with cinnamon/sugar and serve!

A few of my favorite things

2010-01-29T18:31:00.000-08:00

1. Potato Soup

2. Hashbrown Casserole

3. Pork Bake

4. Chicken and Rice Combo

5. Snow Cream

6. Snickerdoodle Cookies

Recipes

2009-10-17T08:38:00.000-07:00

Cornbread Supreme

Cook chicken in lg. saucepan over medium heat. Add in can of enchilada sauce, rotel, and corn. Prepare cornbread mixture in large bowl with 1 tsp. chili powder, one egg, 2/3 c. milk, 2 T of oil and a handful of Mexican cheese.

In bake-safe individual bowls, or a greased 11 by 7 baking dish, pour chicken mixture and then add proportionate cornbread mixture on top. Should make 4 soup size bowls full. Bake at 375 for 30 minutes

Manicotti

Mix 1 egg, ricotta cheese, 1 c moz cheese, 1 c. parm cheese 1 T parsley. Cook noodles according to directions, fill noodles with mixture, place in baking dish. pour pasta sauce over and bake for 30 minutes.

French Berry Chicken

In crockpot, place chicken, can of cranberry sauce, french onion mix and a can full of water.

Cook 4 hours.

Baked Chicken Parmesan
Place four FULLY COOKED and BREADED chicken breasts (you can buy in frozen food section) in a greased baking dish. Top with 2 cups of Parmesan flavored pasta sauce and sprinkle with cheese mixture of 1/4 c. Parmesan and 1 1/2 mozzarella cheese.

Chicken Marsala
Melt 1 T butter and toss 1 small can of mushrooms. Toss chicken in container of flour then place in skillet with butter and brown on both sides cooking partially. When chicken is browned add mushrooms back to skillet with 3/4 c Marsala cooking wine, 1/4 c water, 1 tsp basil. Cover and reduce heat. Simmer for 30 minutes until chicken is tender. Turn a couple of times.

Baked Apple Pork Chops
Prepare a packaged stuffing according to directions. Place pork chops in a greased baking dish. Top with apple pie filling then with stuffing. Cover with foil and bake at 375 for 40 minutes.

Spinach Pizza
One pre-made pizza crust. Top with 1-2 cups Parmesan cheese. In a seperate bowl prepare 2 cups of spinach with the juice of 1 lemon and 1 tsp of salt and pepper. Bake cheese on pizza. When melted top with UNCOOKED spinach mixture.

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup
1 package of egg noodles, 1 lb of chicken, 1 package of chopped vegetables (carrots, onions and celery)-or a cup of each, 1 can chicken broth, 1 bouillon cube. Boil chicken and noodles separately then place in a boiler of broth and 3 cups of water and bouillon cube add in vegetables and noodles.

Grocery List

2009-10-17T07:40:00.000-07:00

Mexican Cornbread Mix ($.73 per package!)

1 can enchilada sauce

1 can Rotel with lime and cilantro

2 cans of kernel corn

eggs

3 1 lb. pkg chicken

1 lb porkchops

apple pie filling

stovetop stuffing

french onion soup mix

1 can whole cranberry sauce

1 pkg egg noodles

1 pkg manicotti shells

1 jar of pasta sauce (if not a stock item)

premade pizza crust

spinach

1 lemon

1 pkg mixed fresh vegetables (onion, carrots, celery) or buy them separate

ricotta cheese

Parmesan cheese

mozzarella cheese

Mexican cheese blend

Marsala cooking wine

1 small can of mushrooms

Long Awaited Update

2009-10-17T07:29:00.000-07:00

I am sorry that its been so long since I last posted..For a family update visit www.littlejoys-joy.blogspot.com.

Here is another week's menu:

Day 1: Cornbread Supreme

Day 2:Baked Apple Pork Chops

Day 3: French Berry Chicken

Day 4: Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

Day 5: Chicken Marsala

Day 6: Spinach Pizza

Day 7: Manicotti

Recipes Week 2

2009-08-07T19:04:00.000-07:00

1. Chicken Subs

Cook chicken in skillet with butter and Tony's. Melt cheese on sub buns in toaster oven, place chicken on top. Serve with chips and pickles.

2. Penne Pasta Pie

Boil penne pasta (I use half a box) according to directions. Drain. Pour in casserole dish. Stir in a jar of pizza or pasta sauce of choice. Add in pepperoni (I use half a bag) and black olives (half an 8 oz can). Sprinkle with cheese. Bake on 350 for 20 minutes top rack.

3. Easy Pizza

Use remaining jar of pizza sauce (about 3-4 T) to cover crust. Add pepperoni and any veggies. (I use fresh green pepper from my garden, onion and tomato). Cover with cheese. Bake at 400 for 25-20 minutes.

3. Cheeseburger Pasta

Brown 1 lb of beef. Boil half a box of rotini. Preheat oven to 350. When meat is brown, add can of cheddar soup and tomato sauce. Stir into noodles and add to casserole dish. I like to add in fresh tomatoes if I have them and sprinkle extra cheese on top..

4. Salsa chicken

Place 1 lb. of chicken in glass dish with lid. Cover with 1/2 to 1 full jar of salsa. Bake at 300 for 2 hours or use crockpot on low for 4 hours. I serve with corn on the cob & cornbread.

5. Enchilada Casserole

Brown 1 lb. of beef. Add one jar of enchilada sauce and remaining half can of olives to cooked meat. pour in casserole dish and cover with crescent rolls unrolled. Sprinkle with cheese (optional).

6. White bean Chili

Boil chicken. Add can of beans and Rotel once chicken is cooked thoroughly. Add to taste: Tabasco ( I use two drops), salt and pepper, oregano and basil. Allow to boil and then simmer for 10-20 minutes.

7. Caesar Wraps:

Grill chicken ( I use my George Foreman grill). To tortillas add caesar dressing, croutons, chicken, cheese, lettuce and bacon (crushed)

8. Creamy Chicken

In casserole dish, arrange breasts or tenders. Cover with sliced cheese. In separate bowl mix 1/4 c. white wine, 1.4 c. butter, 1 can of cream of chicken soup. Crush croutons in a ziplock. Cover chicken and cheese with mixture. Top with crushed croutons.

Grocery List #2

2009-08-07T18:48:00.001-07:00

Lettuce (you may have plenty left from last week)

Sub rolls

(2 packs) 1 lb. ground beef

(4 packs) 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken fingers or breasts

Tony's seasoning (if not a stock item for you)

Provolone cheese (or cheese of choice)

grated cheese (I use the store brand of blended cheeses)

1 pack of crescent rolls

Tabasco (again, may be a stock item for you)

1 can Rotel (or store brand)

1 large can of black olives

1 can of enchilada sauce (its safe to use store brand)

1 can of northern beans

1 can of cream of chicken soup (if not a stock item)

1 can of tomato sauce

1 can of cheddar cheese soup

white cooking wine (again a stock item for some)

1 pack of penne pasta

1 pack of rotini pasta

pepperoni

croutons

caesar dressing

tortillas (you may have plenty left from last week)

bacon

*make sure you have plenty butter also

Meal Plan Week 2

2009-08-07T18:43:00.000-07:00

Super Easy:

1. Chicken Subs

2. Penne Pasta Pie

3. Easy pizza

4. Cheeseburger Pasta

5. Salsa chicken

A Little More work, but still easy:

6. Enchilada casserole

7. Creamy Chicken + veggies

8. White Bean Chili

9. Caesar Wraps

Still more subs..

2009-07-29T12:26:00.000-07:00

These are MOST helpful to me:

1 can tomatoes (like you buy at the store) use 2 c. FRESH tomatoes chopped

1 can beans- use 3/4 dry beans or 2 c. cooked beans

1 T. FRESH HERBS-use 1/2 t. DRY HERBS (like the ones suggested in On-Hand Essentials)

1 large garlic clove-use 1/4 t. garlic powder

Milk Product Subs

2009-07-29T12:19:00.000-07:00

These subs are not things that I always have on hand, but I felt would be useful to know:

1 c. fresh milk-use 1/4 c. nonfat dry milk powder + 1 c. water (my Meme always had this dry milk stuff on hand for cooking in case she ran out!)

1 c. cream (i.e. heavy cream)- use 3/4 c. milk + 3 T. butter

1 c. sour cream-use 1 c. cottage cheese blended w/ 1/4 c. yogurt or buttermilk

Substitutes

2009-07-29T12:03:00.000-07:00

Most times when I was first beginning to cook, I would be out of at least one of the ingredients in a recipe and had to call my mom to see what to use as a substitute. So the next couple of post will be on substitutes to use when cooking.

FOR BAKING:

to replace

1 c. white flour -use 1 c. minus 2 T. of wheat flour and reduce oil by 1 T.(if recipe calls for oil)

1 c. sugar- use 3/4 c. honey and decrease liquid by 1/4 c. (or if recipe doesn't call for liquid add 1/4 c. flour and reduce baking temp by 25 degrees)

1 c. butter- use 1 c. shortening or 7/8 cup of vegetable oil

1 c. milk- use 1 c. yogurt or buttermilk and eliminate baking powder (if called for) and add 1/2 t. baking soda

1 whole egg- use 2 egg whites

1 c. powdered sugar- use 1 c. granulated sugar blended with 1 T. cornstarch

Cornstarch would be one of those things my mom considers a staple in the pantry along with baking powder, grits and rice.. So if you want to add those to the list of on-hand essentials you are welcome to..

Recipes for Week 1

2009-07-22T08:16:00.000-07:00

1. Hot Dogs/Corn on the Cob

Boil both for about 20 minutes. Serve in a bun with condiments.

2. Monte Cristos

Heat med size skillet with a T. of butter. In shallow dish crack and stir 2 eggs. Dip sandwich bread in egg and place in skillet. Get out turkey meat and sandwich cheese. After flipping bread, melt cheese on bread and add turkey to skillet to heat. Remove bread with cheese and turkey. Place second piece in egg batter and cook (flipping both sides. Assemble sandwich and sprinkle with conf. sugar. Dip in honey mustard (optional)

3. Chicken Salad

Salt and Pepper chicken breast. Place on George Forman Grill or in skillet for 5-10 minutes. Chop lettuce, tomato, pepper and other salad mix ins. Add chicken with favorite dressing. Assemble, sprinkle with cheese.

4. Spaghetti

Brown beef in large skillet. Boil noodles according to directions. After meat is browned, add jar of sauce, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp basil (for homemade taste). Assemble and serve

5. Red Beans and Rice (follow box directions)

Chop italian sausage, cook in skillet or grill. Add to mix for last 5-10 minutes

6. Steak Fajitas

Chop flank steak, onion and pepper. Cook meat according to directions on packet. Stir fry veggies in skillet with T of oil. Heat shells according to directions. Assemble and serve with chips and salsa

7. Chicken Pot Pie

Boil chicken for 20 minutes, then chop or shred to bite size. Allow pie crusts to defrost. Cook gravy according to packet. Mix all ingredients in pan with chicken. Pour into pie crust. Place second crust on top. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

8. Fool Proof Lasagna

Brown beef (optional: with 1/4 chopped onion and 1/4 c. chopped pepper) and boil noodles. Preheat oven to 350. After meat is done, add jar of spaghetti sauce, 1 t. cinnamon, 1 t. oregano. Simmer for 5-10 minutes. Chop 1 lb of cheddar cheese. Layer your casserole dish (9 by 11) in this order: noodles, meat, cheese-twice. Sprinkle with grated cheese. Bake 20-25 minutes.

9. Shish Kabobs

Arrange the following on roasting sticks:

Chopped chicken, pineapple, tomato, pepper, onion. repeat. Grill for 10 minutes or until meat cuts done.

Mashed potatoes: chop potatoes into eighths and boil for 15-20 minutes. (usually a potato per person) Drain and add 1/4-1/2 c. of milk. 1/4 stick of butter, 1 T of sour cream (optional) salt & pepper to taste. Mix on med high for 2-5 minutes.

Serve with a veggie of choice or salad.

10. Lemon Pepper Chicken

1 c. lemon juice, 2 T. lemon pepper. Pour over defrosted chicken. Allow to sit for 20 minutes for best flavor. Grill or bake.

Serve with veggies of choice or salad.

Meal Plan Week 1

2009-07-22T08:10:00.000-07:00

Super easy:

1. Hotdogs serve in bun with condiments and corn on the cob (or Mac n Cheese if you keep it)

2. Monte Cristos

3. Chicken Salad

4. Spaghetti

5. Red beans and Rice

A Little More Work:

6. Steak Fajitas with chips and salsa

7. Chicken Pot Pie

8. Lasagna

9. Shish Cabobs

10. Lemon Pepper Chicken with Cream Potatoes

List #1

2009-07-22T07:53:00.000-07:00

Here is the 1st grocery list that will coincide with meal plan week 1. (next post)

Groceries:(I list in the order things are in my grocery store)

lettuce

tomatoes

pepper (I actually didn't have to buy these 2 items, my plants in the backyard produced enough!)

strawberries (my strawberry plant didn't do as well)

potatoes

bread

hot dog buns

cheese for sandwiches

grated cheese

deli turkey

Boxed Red Beans and Rice

canned mixed veggies

canned pineapple

spaghetti noodles

lasagna noodles

jar of spaghetti sauce (ran out of all-usually in pantry)

fajita seasoning packet

chicken gravy packet

turkey bratwurst/Italian sausage

3 boneless/skinless 1 lb chicken breast

(2) 1 lb. 93% lean ground beef

1 flank cut steak

pie shells (2)

flour tortillas

corn on the cob

eggs

Meal Planning and Grocery Lists

2009-07-19T16:36:00.000-07:00

After an unsuccessful year of cooking my first year, I was determined not to give up. I made a list of 25 things I could cook and let my husband choose the five meals for each week. When those ran out; I started over.

This got old after the second year and I began exploring cookbooks. This gave me further frustration. I google recipes and asked friends what they were cooking. It all ended hopelessly and I never came back from the grocery with everything I needed.

After seeking advice, I was encouraged to plan out my meals by ingredients and make my grocery list from that. (I know, I know, novel idea...)

So that is what I have been doing now for about 2 years and it has been extremely beneficial. Maybe you want to start the same way, by making a list of meals you feel confident with-even if its just 5! I will help you by giving you one meal today and the list of ingredients needed.

On a weekly basis, I plan to post a grocery list for a week worth of meals.

PLEASE KEEP IN MIND THE PREVIOUS POSTS WHEN REVIEWING MY WEEKLY LISTS!

I won't always list ALL the ingredients, if they are "staples" that are kept in the pantry, then they may not appear on the list.

EXAMPLE:

Day One:

Meatball Subs (serve with chips or side of choice)

Grocery List:

93% lean beef ( I always by 93% lean, there are less expensive cuts, most use 80-85% lean)

Sub rolls (check your grocery brand, they are usually less expensive)

Onion (this may be one of the veggies you choose to keep in your fridge)

Croutons

Sliced Cheese

Recipe:

Mix 1 raw egg, 1 c. of crushed croutons, 1/2 finely chopped onion, 1/2 t. crushed red pepper, 2 T Worcestershire with one lb. of meat. Roll into balls and bake @450 for 12 minutes. Place on sub rolls with Pizza sauce and cheese of choice. (I like to use provolone with this sandwich).

On Hand Essentials Non-edible

2009-07-17T08:41:00.000-07:00

Here are some non-edible products to keep on hand for your happy kitchen:

Paper Products only have to be bought once a month and newspapers often have coupons for these items. Or you can check online coupon sources such as www.smartsource.com or anything recommended through www.couponmom.com

paper plates (this can really help you save on the dishwasher bill)
paper towels
napkins
toilet paper

Other non-edible items that should be bought on a bi-monthly basis to have in stock are:

dishwasher soap
clorox clean up spray or wipes (to disinfect counters after raw meat)
Joy dish soap (it really is the best for grease!)

I also use a scrub brush with a handle on it for baked on food pre-dishwasher scrubs. These need to be ran through the dishwasher weekly and replaced every 3 months or so. Rubber gloves (if you use these for washing dishes or any other cleaning job) can last up to 6 months.

On Hand Essentials For the Fridge

2009-07-16T16:41:00.000-07:00

Here are some basics to keep in the fridge. Most of these are a given, but for those of you like me, nothing is truly "a given"

milk
eggs
butter
juice (I keep orange juice, cranberry is recommended by some, for medicinal purposes)
condiments (mayo, ketchup, mustard etc)
salad dressings
Worcestershire sauce
barbecue sauce
Pickles
relish (for chicken & tuna salads or hot dogs)
Jelly (you can't beat PB&J somedays)

Some other things that I PREFER to have in the fridge at all times are:

salsa
applesauce or yogurt
one vegetable (for a quick and healthy snack-i.e. carrots, celery, broccoli)
one fruit (same as above, for a snack-apples, or grapes)

On Hand Essentials Part Two

2009-07-16T16:31:00.000-07:00

Here are some canned foods that are good to have in stock:

have these veggies on hand to serve as sides:

baked beans (to serve with barbecue)
black beans (to serve with Mexican meals)
corn
green beans

have these on hand as ready ingredients for quick recipes:

chicken noodle soup
cream of chicken
chicken broth
tomato paste
diced tomatoes
a jar of spaghetti sauce
a jar of pizza sauce

I like to make easy fruit pies to make for a quick dessert when guest are over, so I keep these as well:

canned peaches
canned apples
canned pineapple

I always like to have chicken noodle soup and veg-all on hand. You never know when you might get a cold and want some soul food.

On Hand Essentials Part One

2009-07-15T07:32:00.001-07:00

Here are some spices that should be kept on hand for quick cooking:

salt
pepper
oregano
garlic
basil
paprika
parsley
chili powder
lemon pepper
cinnamon

If you want to go beyond simple spices try also having an all purpose seasoning like Tony's or Mrs. Dash. Often there are store brand all purpose seasonings that are great.

Here are some items to keep in the pantry for baking:

white (granulated) sugar
brown sugar
confectioners sugar
self rising flour
corn meal
Bisquick

Stay tuned for tomorrow's post on canned food to keep in stock!

About LJK

2009-07-14T13:06:00.000-07:00

When I first got married I had no idea what items I needed to have "on hand" in my kitchen at all times. I didn't know what "staples" to buy each time I went to the grocery. And on more than one occasion my husband came home to me sitting on the kitchen floor crying because I didn't know what to cook for dinner.

I was highly intimidated by all the fancy cookbooks I had received as wedding presents and I NEVER had all those ingredients. To add to my frustration, my mother had always had dinner on the table when my dad arrive home from work and all the dishes were always "done" at the same time.

I knew how to cook about three things and every time I tried something new, it had a pretty major flaw.

This site is dedicated to newly married couples searching for easy meals and moms who are ultra busy and need some quick meals. Every time I have googled or searched for "easy" meals, I think to myself "easy for who?" and "who has these ingredients lying around?"

So a few things about this site:

the goal is to have a happy cook and a happy kitchen..
the meals posted here will always be simple
the posts are to be helpful and give tips to beginner kitchens
this site hopes to address questions and give solutions to everyday living in the kitchen