Whats for Dinner?

What’s for Dinner!  (or any meal!  )This past week was crazy busy. So I did meals that were quick and easy for me. Nothing new or exciting. Just good old comfort food.

 Big Breakfast  ( Sunday)

We often do a pancake or waffle meal as dinner. ( especially when all the kids are home ) This week it was pancakes, thick bacon, sausage patties, eggs, hash, and potatoes, lots of fruit choices. (Thus a big breakfast! We do not necessarily eat all of the above!) Not a “healthy “ meal but one we all enjoy.

Manicotti   ( Monday)

We enjoyed this meal again this week. We buy the cheese in bulk and do not like the texture of it when it is frozen so we always plan to have it again.  The gals made it and did a super job!  Serve with salad and French bread.

My Granola

Why make granola? Well because I have a ton of oats left over from the winter. We eat a lot of oatmeal in the winter and not so much in the spring and summer. Also because it taste good! I am not sure it is any cheaper to make than the store bought but I know what’s in it!  It is very filling and will hold you till lunch. A great source of protein and fiber.

This is a great cereal for breakfast, ( hot or cold),  topping for yoghurt or ice cream, or as a snack.

4 cups oats

½ cup wheat germ

½ cup flax seed

½ cup raisins

½ cup crasins

½ cup dried apples

½ cup dried cherries or bananas

½ cup nuts ( almonds are best )

¼ cup honey

½ cup brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla

2 Tablespoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

Mix very well. This is a dry granola…not sticky or clumpy. So its okay if it does not stick together. If you want clumpy you will have to add more honey or sugar. Bake on well oiled sheet pan 20 minutes on each side at 300. Cool completely. Store in airtight container in the fridg.

Nutrition Facts

I use a site on the web to plug in my recipes and find out the nutrition content.

Serving Size ½ cup  Makes 14 servings

 Amount Per Serving

Calories 201    Calories from Fat 54

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 6.0g 9%

Saturated Fat 0.7g 3%

Cholesterol 0mg 0%

Sodium 171mg 7%

Total Carbohydrates 32.8g 11%

Dietary Fiber 5.8g 23%

Sugars 11.6 g

Protein 6.1g

 Vitamin A 0% • Vitamin C 1%

Calcium 5% • Iron 11%

Enchiladas….again.  (Tuesday)

Because I need to use up some cheeses, sauce, and beans. We will do Crockpot Enchiladas this time so its not the same old enchiladas. They really do taste much different than regular ones. Here is the basic recipe…except I will be using leftover refried beans and chicken breast instead of hamburger and canned beans. We also use Mexican crumbly cheese with the jack and cheddar cheeses.  You can use any combo of food your family likes. The key is making sure you have enough liquid.  

1 pound lean ground beef

1 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper

1 can kidney beans, drained

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 can diced tomatoes with chilies, undrained

1/3 cup water

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin  ( I use enchilada sauce instead. I put it on top of each layer)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2 cups Monterey Jack cheese

1 dozen corn tortillas

In a skillet, cook beef, onions and green pepper until beef is browned and vegetables are tender, drain. Add next 8 ingredients, bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

In a crock-pot, layer tortillas, beef mixture and cheese. Repeat until ingredients are used. Cover and cook on low 5 to 7 hours. ( it only takes 4 hours in my crockpot. I prepare it at lunchtime)

Serve with sour cream, lettuce, tomatoes and olives.

 

Leftovers (Wednesday)

Its all in the presentation! Set the table nicely. Put the leftovers in nice serving dishes. Make sure food is up to temperature.  Add a plate of raw veggies, salad and fresh fruit. A loaf of fresh hot bread. Enjoy!!!

Hashbrown Casserole Thursday

Make your time in the kitchen count with this is a stick to your ribs comfort food! Serve with a salad and raw veggies. This is even better the next day!

Ingredients:

1 can cream of potato soup

1 can cream of mushroom soup 

1 3/4 cups milk or water or broth

1/2 cup sour cream

1/4 cup chopped onion

2 tablespoons green pepper, chopped

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

24 ounces frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed ( or you can make your own. Just cook peeled potatoes till almost fork tender and dice them when they are cool. If you dice them while hot they will not hold their shape as well.)

1 lb of lean hamburger browned ( turkey or chicken works well also)

1 cup cheddar or cheddar Colby blend cheese

1 small can frenches fried onions

Some folks like to add 1 can cream corn.

Preparation:

Mix soup, milk, sour cream, onion, green pepper, cheese, salt, and pepper; stir in potatoes and meat. Stir in half the fried onions. Pour into an ungreased baking dish. Top with remaining onions. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 50 to 60 minutes.  This can also be a crock pot meal. Just put in crock pot for at least 4 hours on low.

Leftovers again….. Friday

Hashbrown Casserole Hash, Ham Steak, and Eggs. Serve with fruit.

Hashbrown Casserole makes great hash. Just put it in a non stick type pan and fry ( no oil necessary) till brown and flip and repeat. My kids love it! Here are some sites on how to make your own hash: http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/traditional_roast_beef_hash/

http://www.cooks.com/rec/search/0,1-0,roast_beef_hash,FF.html  

Grilled Hamburgers…Saturday

Simple meal for a crazy busy day. We served with fresh strawberries!

 

We are blessed to be able to glean free foods. Our menus will reflect what we get that month or that week so sometimes it is lots of cheese, or lots of meat, ect.  This past month we were blessed with free raw veggie mix, snap peas, potatoes, canned crab meat, yoghurt, ( the awesome organic type!), Turkey Keilbasa, ground turkey, ham steak, Mexican crumbly cheese, mozzerella cheese, canned soups, and bread.