I’m just going to go ahead and tell you. I love soup. I’m so excited when it’s finally soup season! I would eat it all year long, but Barry prefers it when it’s cold outside. I caved and made this recently….and it turned out to be 90 degrees that day. By the time we were done with dinner we were sweating like pigs and had to go get the box fan. Oops? But it was worth it! Chock full of veggies and beans, it will fill your tummy up quickly and keep you nice and warm…..or nice and sweaty. [Read more…] |
Search Results for: soup
Homemade Cream of Chicken Soup
When we started out on this new journey of eating healthy, I knew a lot of things would have to change…….like canned soups.
They are chock full of MSG. I’ve known MSG wasn’t really good for you for a while. Barry’s grandmother would always get sick if she ate it.
BUT, even knowing that I held on to my little cans of condensed soup. I thought you’d have to pry them out of my cold dead hands……they are the base of so many of my recipes that I was having a very hard time parting with them.
And then, here comes Tammy with a great recipe for a homemade version. Tammy puts out some fabulous recipes and I’m thankful to her for that. After making her soup, I know I won’t look back.
It’s DELICIOUS! And easy. Have I ever told you that I like easy stuff? Bye, bye MSG. Hello creaminess. [Read more…]
Fix and Forget Friday – Crock Pot Buffalo Chicken Soup
I saw the idea for this recipe somewhere, but I didn’t really like the ingredients that it called for……so I changed them up and made this recipe mine. I don’t really mean “mine” because, in an act of graciousness, I did give a bowl to Barry and Annie. I didn’t want to, but I did it. I make sacrifices for my family. Ya know, I don’t even like hot wings – but I think it’s just because I get grossed out by meat that’s on bones. No, I have absolutely no reasoning behind that…..it’s all in my head. But this soup has no bones. It’s a winner! I love that it’s made in the crock pot, but it could easily be adapted and made on the stove. |
We need milk, cream of chicken soup, chopped cooked chicken, sour cream, wing sauce, chopped celery and onions, and bleu cheese crumbles. Notice that I don’t have fresh celery. I realized while getting my ingredients out that I didn’t have any left. Okay, so yes I did have some……but it was so limp that it looked like a wet noodle. I pulled out my dehydrated celery instead. I’m sure fresh celery would be WAY better, so don’t be like me and let your celery get limp. |
Put your chopped onions in a microwavable bowl and add a tablespoon or two of water. Nuke them for about 1 ½ minutes to get them semi-soft. Make sure it IS a microwaveable bowl, because we really don’t need any exploding dishes that contain white chocolate…..oh wait, that was the Cake Balls, nevermind. |
Put your chicken down in your crock pot and add the onions. I always make sure to have extra cooked chicken in my freezer. Sometimes I find a rotisserie chicken on a good sale and I’ll bring it home, chop up the meat and bag it in the freezer. It’s almost an instant meal. I am just full of tips up in here. |
I always make a mess mixing up my soup and milk, so I just used my onion bowl and did it that way, before adding it to the pot. I used a whisk and got everything nice and smooth. Please don’t dirty another dish for this. Thank you. |
Do you see a problem here? I do. It was at this exact moment that I realized I had chosen the wrong crock pot. Oops. I dirtied up an extra dish. Sadness. Moral of the story – use at least a 4 quart pot. |
Mix the soup mixture with the onions and chicken. Time to add the celery! If you are using regular celery, you will want to microwave it with the onions. |
Now, add the buffalo wing sauce and sour cream. You can vary the degree of hotness in this recipe by adding more or less hot sauce. I thought ½ cup was good. It was hot, but not hot enough that Annie didn’t lick her bowl clean. If you want to get heartburn and let your nose run, just add more hot sauce. Mix it all up. |
Put the lid on and let it cook for 4-5 hours on low heat. This is a great recipe if you have time early in the day, but you’re busy around dinner time. That happens to me regularly. I fixed this while Annie was down for her nap and then I had the rest of the afternoon free with her…..and Elmo. |
Will ya look at that? Hello beautiful! It was at the moment that I lifted the lid that I realized I did NOT butter my crock. Oops. Will that goop ever come off? Yes, it did……after a little soaking. So, please don’t be a doofus like me and forget to grease your crock. |
Sprinkle each serving with bleu cheese, if you’re risky like that. I didn’t do it……I hate bleu cheese. But Barry thoroughly enjoyed his. This soup is even better the next day! |
Buffalo Chicken Soup
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Deceptively Delicious – Creamy Potato Soup
I love soup on cold, rainy days. Something about them just makes me want to indulge in a big bowl. Barry chose this recipe out of the Deceptively Delicious cookbook, so when a rainy day came along I decided to try it. Barry doesn’t really care for soup during the hot months, but I can eat it just about any time. Once I tried making a cold soup and that did NOT go over well. “What is this? It’s cold. Soup should not be cold.” So, you will not be seeing any recipes for Cucumber Soup here at Humorous Homemaking. The “deceptive” veggies in this recipe are cauliflower and butternut squash. Now, I could not taste the cauliflower, but I did taste the squash. That was okay with me because I love it! Verdict? It was very good. We all enjoyed it, even Annie. I think any kid would like it because it just tastes like a big bowl of mashed potatoes. How could that be bad? [Read more…] |
Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup
There’s just something about Chicken Noodle Soup that makes you feel good…..not sure if it’s the yummy noodles or the chunks of chicken. It’s easy to make and it’s very comforting. It’s good to eat if you’re sick! Recently we were sick and our neighbor, Jane, brought us some Chicken Noodle Soup. We got better the same day! It’s miracle soup! Okay, so not really…..but it is good to eat when you’re sick. Why? Well, I looked it up because we all know that what the internet says is true. It’s easy on your digestive system and the steam is good for your sinuses. And there you have it! Let’s get steamy. [Read more…] |
Spicy Succotash Soup
It should be no surprise to you at this point that we like spicy food…..lots of spicy food. A majority of what I cook for dinner is spicy. My favorite spice is cumin, and lots of it! This recipe from Taste of Home didn’t originally call for cumin…..but I added it. I’m sneaky like that. I love quick and easy soups that I can serve to my family. The best thing about them is that they’re actually better the next day! I love making a big pot of soup and having lunch to pack for Barry all week long – unless it’s a soup that I LOVE and then I keep it all for myself. Sharing is not caring. That’s a lie. [Read more…] |
Meal Plan
Meal Plan 7/29 to 8/4
This week all our meals were chosen from Cookin’ on the Compound Volume 3 by The Appalachian Homestead. Even if you don’t have this cookbook, you can get great ideas from the meals I’ve put together. But you can also grab your cookbooks HERE. They are available in print or digital form – I am not an affiliate, I just purchased these on my own and decided to showcase them.
Monday:
- Veggie Bake with Feta
- French bread
- Cantaloupe
- *** We aim for Meatless Monday but sometimes we miss. We do, however, try for 2-3 meatless meals each week.
Tuesday:
- Chicken Tetrazzini
- Steamed California veggies
Wednesday:
- Grilled Cube Steak with Compound Steak Seasoning
- Mashed potatoes
- Peas
Thursday:
- Chicken Stuffed Shells
- Salad
- Corn
- **This recipe is for manicotti but I had jumbo shells, so that’s what I used.
Friday:
- Pasta Salad with Chicken
- Crackers and Cheese
- Cantaloupe
Saturday:
- Sloppy Man Sandwiches on homemade buns (Bread Beckers recipe)
- Chips
- Grapes
Sunday:
- Leftovers
- *** Most of the time it’s my goal to make sure we have leftovers on Sunday night. That makes the day so much easier. It doesn’t always work out that way, but that’s always the goal.
Week of 7/22 to 7/28
This week I made all of our dinners on our Blackstone! We have the 4 burner griddle, base model. I didn’t want any extra bells or whistles. Just the larger cook surface. We purchased ours from Walmart, but you can get them lots of different places.
Monday:
- Grilled Halloumi and Vegetable Wraps (https://www.marthastewart.com/1555314/grilled-halloumi-and-vegetable-wraps)
- Chips
- Peaches
- **I used the “cheese fries” you can get at Aldi in the cheese section. This is a frying style of cheese, but already cut into strips. It was just cheaper per ounce so that’s why I chose it. It’s SO GOOD.
Tuesday:
- Hibachi Chicken and Vegetables ( https://lifeloveandgoodfood.com/hibachi-chicken/)
- Rice
- **This website requires your email address to print. Which is semi-annoying. 😉 But I just put mine in and unsubscribed later on.
Wednesday:
- Buffalo Chicken Smash Burgers (https://www.nibblemethis.com/2020/12/buffalo-chicken-smash-burger.html)
- Fries
- Apples
- **I made homemade buns, as always using the Bread Becker’s Basic Dough recipe. This was a fun take on the smash burger, but we all prefer the original way, with beef and cheese.
Thursday:
- Egg Roll in a Bowl (https://thatguywhogrills.com/eggroll-in-a-bowl-on-the-blackstone-griddle/)
- Peas
- ** Highly recommend serving with any YumYum sauce you might have left over from Hibachi!
Friday:
- Grilled Cheese (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nieL3wyk7I)
- Chips
- Cantaloupe
Saturday:
- Crunchwrap Supreme (https://grillonadime.com/blackstone-crunchwrap-supreme-recipe/)
- Tortilla chips and salsa
- Cantaloupe
- ***This recipe is ALWAYS a win here. We all 6 enjoy this one immensely!
Sunday:
- Smashed Cheeseburger Tacos (https://www.thelazydish.com/smashed-cheeseburger-tacos/)
- Chips and queso
- Nectarines
- ** Listen up – do not skip the sauce. I mean it.
Meal Plan 7/15 to 7/21
This week I cooked our dinner meals from the cookbook, Cookin’ On the Compound (https://appalachianhomestead.org/products/cookin-on-the-compound-volume-2/) Volume 2. I wanted to feature the cookbook on Instagram, and you’ll find the meals and pictures below. I am not affiliated and I’m also not sponsored – just wanted to share my friend’s cookbook.
Monday:
- Crock Pot Venison
- Mashed Potatoes
- Steamed California veggies
- *** I am currently out of venison so I used cubed beef and it turned out fabulous! My husband and kids loved the “mushroom gravy” that this one made.
Tuesday:
- Chickpea Salad (https://buildyourbite.com/smashed-chickpea-salad-sandwich/) on Honey Wheat Bread
- Chips
- Apples
- ** This bread was fantastic!!! I usually stick with the same recipe so it was fun to try something new.
- ** A meal on the go for us
Wednesday:
- Veggie Burgers (Aldi) on homemade buns (https://www.breadbeckers.com/blog/basic-dough-recipe/)
- Greek Fries
- Cantaloupe
** These were so yummy!!! I cooked two full sheet pans full and added crumbled feta to one.
Thursday:
- Poor Man’s Potatoes
- Green Beans
- ** Another win! This is a great crock pot meal!!!!
Friday:
- French Toast Casserole
- Chicken breakfast sausage
- Fruit
- *** Instead of using raisins or apples in this one, I used cinnamon raisin bread from Aldi. Great leftover too!
Saturday:
- Dill Chicken Penne
- Broccoli
- ** I was home later than anticipated – so for this one we didn’t do the baking step and I just stirred the cheese right in. SO GOOD!!!!
Sunday:
- Leftovers!
- ** We had a little bit of this and that in the fridge so we just cleaned it out to prep for the upcoming week. It’s my favorite Sunday night meal.
I’ll be cooking from Volume 3 in another week!
Meal plan 7/8 to 7/14 (My Instagram friends on Stories)
Monday:
- Lentil Tacos (https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/tasty-lentil-tacos/)
- Chips
- Salad
- **Meatless Monday is always my goal. I like to have 2-3 meatless meals per week, and it doesn’t always happen on Monday, but if you’re looking to lower your budget, try it out!
Tuesday:
- Teriyaki Beef with broccoli, summer squash and zucchini (https://www.instagram.com/p/C4PKXo-rqHC/)
- Rice
- *** This isn’t really a recipe, but a method. I watched her make it and then did it myself. I used the teriyaki sauce from Aldi and sprinkled with sesame seeds.
Wednesday:
- Chicken PoBoys (https://www.lifesatomato.com/2014/09/03/grilled-chicken-po-boy/)
- Chips
- Green beans
- ** I fixed these on the griddle. I used Aldi Ciabatta.
Thursday:
- John Wayne Casserole (https://amandascookin.com/john-wayne-casserole/)
- Mixed veggies
- ****This was GREAT!!! Will definitely make again!
Friday:
- Vegan Sheet Pan Stir-Fry (https://itdoesnttastelikechicken.com/vegan-sheet-pan-stir-fry/)
- Rice
- ** If I had this to make over again, I would cook the tofu on its own in the air fryer and then toss in at the end. I prefer my tofu a little crunchy. But the flavor is great!
Saturday:
- Grilled Cheese in bulk (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nieL3wyk7I&t=22s)
- Chips
- Fruit
- **We took my 11 year old son out to dinner. This is what I left the kids and babysitter. I always make hot sandwiches in the oven. It’s so fast!
Sunday:
- Amish Casserole (https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/93223/amish-casserole/)
- Corn
- Green Beans
- *** This was probably the new recipe win of the week. ALL my kids loved this one, even my picky eater. When I find recipes like that, I rejoice!
Meal plan 7/1 to 7/7
This week I cooked all of our dinners from the cookbook Cooking on the Compound Volume 1 by Appalachian Homestead. You can find her website here: https://appalachianhomestead.org/
She has become a dear friend of mine – so I purchased all 3 of her cookbooks to support her. <3 Her cookbooks come in print or digitally. I am not an affiliate. I just share our life here with you.
If you like home-cooking, then I think you’ll enjoy her books. I’ll be featuring the other two cookbooks in upcoming weeks.
Monday:
- Soup Beans and cornbread.
- ** This is a true country meal. I don’t normally add ham to my beans, but I had some salt pork from a neighbor. I browned it and threw it in to cook with the beans.
- This is a fantastic and filling meal. Yes, my kids eat it. I like my beans with pico de gallo on top – or with chowchow if I have some.
Tuesday:
- Granny’s Biscuits
- Sausage
- Eggs
- Fruit
- **Southern cooking tip. Use White Lily flour. Yes, I grind my own wheat. But there are a few things I only use White Lily for. Biscuits, pie crust, and gravy. Amen.
Wednesday:
- Make-Do Casserole
- Steamed Broccoli
- I had quite a few people baffled with this one. “I can’t get behind this recipe. It looks weird.” But for us, it’s the HISTORY behind this meal.
- The reason it’s called Make-Do Casserole is because this recipe originates from the Virginia coal fields – where they literally had nothing. They were a scrappy lot and MADE DO with what they had. We really could learn a lot from them – the OG recipe used venison.
- My kids really enjoyed this one, despite how it looks “weird.” Eli said: mom, this is really good! Please make it again! And my picky child happily ate the meat and potatoes.
Thursday:
- Pork Sliders (I used beef)
- Corn
- Baked Beans
- **The chipotle sauce made the meal here. Do not skip it. My buns are homemade from the Basic Dough Recipe from The Bread Beckers.
Friday:
- We had a date at Huey Magoos with my 8 year old daughter. See chicken – first time eating here and it was FANTASTIC!!!!
- I left bagel bites at home with my kids and babysitter.
Saturday:
- Potato Pitas
- Steamed veggies
- **I butchered this family recipe because I didn’t even make the pita or buy Greek style pita – I just got pocket pita at Aldi. HA!!!
- BUT BUT BUT they turned out fantastic! This is such af refreshing summer meal. If you want to keep the house cooler, use an air fryer and cook outside. I could easily eat this meal on a weekly basis. Don’t skip the feta.
Sunday:
- Clean out the fridge! I had a dab left of just about everything, so we just all warmed up and ate it happily. My teen ate at youth group.
Meal Plan 6/24-24 to 6/30/24
This week I prepared all our dinners from recipes I found on Instagram. It was fun to actually use the recipes I keep saving in a folder. HA!!!!
Monday:
- Cottage Cheese Pasta (https://www.instagram.com/p/C3DRawNgLuW/), Salad
- From the maker @eatingbirdfood
- Review: This was REALLY good – my kids loved it!!!! The cottage cheese gives it a really lovely creaminess. Definitely will make again.
Tuesday:
- Tortellini Casserole (https://www.instagram.com/p/C7w0sMfu23e/)
- Mixed veggies
- Carrots + ranch
- From the maker @nutritionalsarah
- Review: very similar to the dish we had on Monday. But with the twist of tortellini. It was good fresh, but we didn’t care for the leftovers as much.
Wednesday:
- I forgot my daughter wanted to go to dinner at the Chinese restaurant for her birthday. We had a lovely celebration and enjoyed a break from the kitchen!
- Note: I made this “dinner” on Thursday for lunch.
Thursday lunch:
- Cottage Cheese Alfredo (https://www.instagram.com/p/C5takN8uoIc/)
- Peas
- From the maker @the.balanced.nutritionist
- Review: This was lovely – I will definitely make again. However, I used reduced fat cottage cheese (that was what Aldi had this week) and I think it would be creamier if I used regular. This would be FANTASTIC with some blackened chicken
Thursday dinner:
- Oven Baked Chicken Tacos (https://www.instagram.com/p/C58UFBQh05s/)
- Chips + Salsa
- Broccoli
- From the maker @angiebgrubbs
- Review: I really liked this method of baking them all at one time in the oven! I loved it – my kids, not so much. The shells don’t stay crispy as well when you use juicy chicken. But I had no issues eating all the leftovers. 😉
Friday:
- Chicken Cheesesteaks on the griddle
- Chips
- Fruit
- From the maker @blackstonebetty
- Review: This was my kids FAVORITE meal of the week! They raved over it and begged me to make sure I make it again!!! Betty never lets me down. Super easy and super flavorful. Big big big win.
Saturday:
- Crispy Chicken Caesar Wraps
- Steamed mixed veggies
- From the maker @jessicas_kitchens
- Review: This was MY win of the week. It is probably one of the best things I feel like I’ve made in a long time. It was so light and refreshing. Easy to make in the air fryer!!!! Even my picky eater devoured hers. Definitely try this one!
Sunday:
- Cobb Salad Power Bowl
- From the maker @makayla_thomas_fit
- Review: We loved this one too! I used popcorn chicken from Aldi. Everyone else ate theirs hot and I had mine cold – definite win. Loved the thinned ranch with pickle juice!!!!! So so tasty! Next time I think I’ll use whole wheat pasta instead of the protein pasta.
Meal Plan week of 6/17/24 to 6/23/24
Monday:
- Veggie Burgers (Aldi)
- Roasted potatoes
- Carrots + ranch
Tuesday:
- Big Mac Salad (https://kitchenfunwithmy3sons.com/big-mac-salad/)
- This was SO SO GOOD!!!
- **Meal on the go
Wednesday:
- Mac-n-cheese (https://www.heavenlyhomemakers.com/simple-10-minute-instant-pot-mac-and-cheese)
- Broccoli
- **My 8 year old made this meal
Thursday:
- Buffalo Chicken Flatbread (https://www.tiktok.com/@nutritionalsarah/video/7356302112252251423)
- Salad
Friday:
- Pizza Sliders
- Carrots + Ranch
- Apples
- ** There is no recipe for this. Just make rolls or use rolls from the store. Slice in half. Add pizza sauce, cheese, and toppings of choice. Replace tops of rolls. Brush with butter. Sprinkle with parmesan from the can. Bake at 350 till the cheese melts.
- **Meal on the go
Saturday:
- Frozen pizza
- ** Gone for baseball. Hot and tired family = easy meal.
Sunday:
- Sloppy Joes (https://www.fivehearthome.com/homemade-sloppy-joes/)
- Carrots + ranch
- Peas
Meal Plan week of 6/10/24 to 6/16/24
Monday:
- Vegan Burritos (https://simple-veganista.com/vegan-burrito/)
- Caesar Salad
- Applesauce
- **This was a meal on the go.
Tuesday:
- Spicy Tuna Salad Sandwiches (so so so so good!!!!!) https://www.garlicandzest.com/spicy-tuna-salad/
- Chips
- Apples
- **Another meal on the go. Baseball season is almost over. <3
Wednesday:
- 3 Ingredient Baked Ravioli (https://www.thelazydish.com/lazy-lasagna-just-3-ingredients/)
- Salad
- Green Beans and Corn
Thursday:
- Refried Bean Veggie Bowl (https://cookingforpeanuts.com/high-protein-refried-bean-veggie-bowl/)
- ***This was GREAT!!! I would definitely double or triple the beans. I doubled and wish I had quadrupled the beans.
Friday:
- Southwest Cream Cheese Chicken Wraps (https://letsdishrecipes.com/southwest-cream-cheese-chicken-wraps/)
- Apples
- Chips
- ***Another meal on the go. We ate this cold and it was fantastic!!!!
Saturday:
- Tuna Pasta Salad (https://tastesbetterfromscratch.com/tuna-pasta-salad/)
- Pita Chips
- Fruit
Sunday:
- Ramen with veggies (https://thecheekychickpea.com/easy-vegan-ramen/)
- *** If you’re concerned about protein, you can cook your ramen in bone broth and drink it. I do that occasionally but we actually prefer to just use edamame and cashews and just know this is a lower protein meal for us. We make up for it later on.
Meal Plan week of 6/3/24 to 6/9/24
Monday:
- BBQ Beef Sandwiches
- Chips
- Applesauce
- ** No recipe. Crock a roast with desired seasonings 8-10 hours until it shreds easily. Shred. Stir in your favorite BBQ sauce.
- –> This was a meal on the go.
Tuesday:
- Burgers at the ball field for the end of year celebration! Players and coaches ate free. <3 <3
Wednesday:
- White Bean Alfredo (https://www.thegraciouspantry.com/white-bean-alfredo-recipe/)
- Peas
- **My 14 year old made dinner
Thursday:
- BBQ Chickpea Salad (https://runningonrealfood.com/vegan-bbq-chickpea-salad/)
- Pita Chips
- **Yes, my kids eat this. 😉
Friday:
- Burrito Bowls
- ** No recipe. Anything you’d put on a burrito, serve in a bowl over rice.
- –> This was a meal on the go.
Saturday:
- Smash Burgers on the Blackstone
- Tots
- Apple slices
- ** Yes, burgers twice this week
Sunday:
- Clean out the fridge AKA: Leftovers
Meal Plan week of 5/20/24 to 5/26/24
Monday:
- Cucumber Sandwiches (https://emilybites.com/2021/05/cucumber-sandwiches.html)
- Chips
- Applesauce
- *** This was a meal on the go for us.
- I LOVE cucumber sandwiches when it’s a hot day – they are so refreshing.
Tuesday:
- Plant Based Mac & Cheese (https://www.staceyhomemaker.com/easy-mac-and-cheese-recipe/)
- Peas
- ***This makes a lot of sauce. I hardly ever use all of it for the mac. I keep the rest in the fridge in a mason jar and use for queso and as a veggie cheese sauce.
Wednesday:
- Chicken Burritos (https://www.mynourishedhome.com/15-minute-chicken-burrito-recipe/)
- Spanish Rice (from Kids Cook Solo class https://sl290.isrefer.com/go/vip/humoroushomemaking/)
- Tomatoes and cucumbers
- ** My 9 year old made this meal after taking Kids Cook Solo
Thursday:
- Crock Pot Roast (https://dontwastethecrumbs.com/classic-slow-cooker-pot-roast/)
- Roasted Potatoes and Carrots
- ** I roast at 400 degrees until veggies are browned.
Friday:
- Mashed Potato Bowls (https://www.budgetbytes.com/loaded-mashed-potato-bowls/)
- ** This was a meal on the go.
- ** I don’t really use a recipe for this – I just linked it because people ask. I mostly use this meal as a way to clean out the fridge and sock BBQ sauce on top. 😉
Saturday:
- Leftovers/snacks!
- ** We had a family event at 2pm, so most of us weren’t hungry for dinner. We cleaned out some things and ate snacks.
Sunday:
- Grilled Chicken Salad
- ** No recipe! But you MUST make with the best ranch ever from Venison for Dinner (https://venisonfordinner.com/ranch-dip-mix/)
Meal Plan week of 5/13/24 to 5/19/24
Monday:
- Veggie Burgers (Aldi) on homemade buns (Bread Beckers Basic Dough https://www.breadbeckers.com/blog/basic-dough-recipe/)
- Chips
- Applesauce
- **This was an on-the-go meal for baseball!
Tuesday:
- One Pot Spaghetti https://www.humoroushomemaking.com/one-pot-spaghetti
- Steamed broccoli
- *** These days I double this recipe with all ingredients except keep it to 1 lb meat.
Wednesday:
- Baked Gnocchi https://www.saltandlavender.com/baked-gnocchi/
- Salad
- Steamed veggies
Thursday:
- Pork Loin (Smithfield that a neighbor gave us when she moved)
- Mashed Potatoes
- Peas
Friday:
- BBQ Beef Tips (recipe from Great Food Fast by Bob Warden)
- Rice
- Cheesy Veggies
- *** My kids made the rice and veggies + sauce from their Kids Cook Solo class!
Saturday:
- Ravioli (Aldi frozen)
- Tomato Basil Sauce (Aldi)
- Salad
- Green Beans
Sunday:
- Ramen with veggies https://thecheekychickpea.com/easy-vegan-ramen/
- *** We had some leftover pork, so a few folks added that to their ramen. I love this recipe because everyone can add their own toppings!
Meal Plan week of 5/6/24 to 5/12/24
Monday:
- Waffles with scrambled eggs and fried apples
- **Fried apples are seasonal at Aldi. They usually come out in August/Sept and last at my local store until around January. I stock up.
Tuesday:
- Chickpea Salad Sandwiches (https://buildyourbite.com/smashed-chickpea-salad-sandwich/)
- Chips
- Applesauce
- ** My bread is always Bread Beckers Basic Dough (https://www.breadbeckers.com/blog/basic-dough-recipe/)
- ** This was a dinner on the go at the ballfield.
Wednesday:
- Burgers on the griddle
- Homemade buns (same bread recipe)
- Baked fries
- Fresh pineapple
Thursday:
- Tomato Soup
- Bread (yup. same recipe)
- Apples (yes, again)
- ** This was Pacific brand soup I found at Ollie’s SO GOOD.
Friday:
- Husband not home!
- Dino Nuggets
- Salad
Saturday:
- Pancakes (https://tastykitchen.com/recipes/breakfastbrunch/pancakeswaffles/pancakes-e280a6-that-will-melt-in-your-mouth/)
- Bacon
- Applesauce
- *** Yes, we did have breakfast for dinner twice. No complaints.
Sunday:
- Lentil Soup
- Crackers
- Pineapple
- **This was a clearance find at Kroger. VERY good!!!
Meal Plan week of 4/29/24 to 5/5/24
Monday:
- Veggie Stir-Fry with rice (https://plantifulkiki.com/chinese-vegetables-and-rice/)
- ** I use this as a base recipe – I add peanuts to the top, extra teriyaki sauce, cilantro and sesame seeds
Tuesday:
- Chicken Tacos with chips & salsa
- *** The recipe for this is simple. Around 2lb chicken thighs in the crock pot. Sprinkle with one pack of taco seasoning or use 2 tablespoons homemade (https://humoroushomemaking.com/freecontent/taco-seasoning.pdf). Dump one 16oz jar salsa on top. Cook on low for 6-8 hours and then shred. Use as a taco filling.
Wednesday:
- Lazy Lasagna (https://www.instagram.com/p/C4srh5CsnL0/)
- Mixed Veggies
- ** I used a whole 12oz box of the chickpea pasta at Aldi and an entire jar. Who is measuring that stuff out anyway? LOL I didn’t have zucchini so I used some chopped peppers.
Thursday:
- Pizza Bowls
- Salad
- ** Cooked noodles in the bottom. Marinara mixed with cooked ground beef. Layer in a bowl with other pizza toppings of choice and top with mozzarella cheese.
Friday:
- Thai Noodle Salad (https://www.twospoons.ca/vegan-thai-noodle-salad-with-peanut-sauce/)
- Peas
Saturday:
- Caesar Pasta Salad (https://www.instagram.com/p/C5i7KQFLeKL/)
- *** This was new to us and a HUGE win!!! Will definitely make again!!!
Sunday:
- Pizza Party at church.
Crock Pot Corn Chowder
The idea for this crock pot corn chowder recipe came from a church cookbook. Seeing as how I have about 20-30 of them, I get lots of ideas there. 🙂 Some of the ideas turn out good. Some of them don’t turn out at all and I have to scrape them out with the assistance of a chisel and a sledgehammer.
I used to feel bad about this fact – until I read that most great chefs get their groundbreaking ideas from something they see somewhere else. They just put their spin on it, add something new, or use a different technique. So, if a chef can do it, so can I! Take a seat, Chef Boyardee! After all, no recipe will ever come out that hasn’t been made before. I just have to “Stacify” them.
[Read more…]Chocolate Chip Banana Snack Cake
Kitchen Therapy
Getting in the kitchen and baking/cooking is therapy to me. Well, up to a point. When I happen to be worried about something or I’m just out of sorts, getting my hands into flour and batter just really helps me – and it’s cheaper than a therapist. But then there are those times when getting the kitchen makes me feel like I NEED A THERAPIST. I burn everything and throw a hissy fit. The smoke alarm goes off (again). I get mad and throw a dish. Annie says, “what is THAT?” So, yeah. But baking is still cheaper than a therapist. A chocolate chip banana cake to therapy session is about to begin!
I wish I could explain to you the deep satisfaction that I get when I take a conventional recipe and turn it into something healthy (or healthy-ish). It’s a deep sense of calm. There’s a deep sense of pride. It’s a deep sense of humility – because the next time I try to do it, it tastes like sandpaper and you can’t even choke it down. But, I would have to say that about 75% of the time, making a recipe healthy turns out well – and I can suffer through the other 25% that it doesn’t. I’m SURE Barry is going to remind me of that the next time I sit in the floor, crying, rocking, and holding on to a pan of sawdust cake.
[Read more…]Crock Pot vs. Instant Pot
When the Instant Pot became all the rage, a lot of my friends get rid of their slow cookers because they didn’t think they would ever use them again. It became a Crock Pot vs. Instant Pot “thing” for some reason. But they’re both pretty amazing in their own ways.
Nothing New Under the Sun
Pressure cookers are nothing new – they’ve been around for a long, long time. I had already been using a stove-top pressure cooker for about two years when Instant Pots became popular, and yet I still had my Crock Pots. Why? Because I used (and still use) both.
While the Instant Pot (or other like versions) do offer the slow cooker option, a lot of times (from what I have read), they don’t work as well as a “real” slow cooker and have a tendency to burn food. I know that’s likely not the case for ALL Instant Pots; however, I think it makes sense for me to have both and I’m going to tell you why.
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