Make 5 Dinners in ONE hour

Slow Cooked Honey Sesame Chicken

2012-03-08T11:01:00.000-06:00

4-6 frozen chicken breasts

¾ C. honey

¼ C. light soy sauce

½ C. frozen chopped onion

¼ C. ketchup

2 t minced garlic

¼ t red pepper flakes (optional)

2 t olive oil

4 t cornstarch

6 T water

Place first 8 ingredients in large zipper bag. Zip and squish around to mix.

Mix last 2 ingredients in a small container with lid.

When ready to cook-

Pour chicken and bag contents into slow cooker. Cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Pour cornstarch mixture into slow cooker the last 15 minutes of cook time. Stir to combine.

Sprinkle chicken with 2 T sesame seeds before serving.

I served with brown rice and broccoli. You can spoon the extra sauce over the broccoli. I think this total meal for 5 of us only cost me $8.00. Why in the world do I ever order takeout? This was so easy and cost 1/4 of Chinese takeout.

Make Ahead Breakfast

2012-03-05T15:53:00.000-06:00

This is a great make ahead breakfast sandwich recipe I found online today!

These look DELISH and so easy to make. I am trying this tomorrow!

Baked Ham & Cheese Sliders

2012-02-18T14:30:00.002-06:00

I saw this recipe on Pinterest and people were raving about it. We tried them and they are so good, I will be making about 6 trays(9x13 foil pans) of them to freeze. This will be our Saturday lunch for the next few weeks!

16 dinner rolls, cut in half (I used slider buns)

½ lb sliced deli ham

8 slices Swiss cheese

¼ C. mayonnaise (optional)

1 ½ T Dijon mustard

6 T butter

1 t onion powder

½ t Worcestershire sauce

1 T poppy seeds (optional)

¼ C. brown sugar

Line a 9x13 baking dish with bottom halves of dinner rolls. (They should fill the dish and fit snug)

Top each with ham and cheese.

Spread mayonnaise, if using, on each top half then top each sandwich. Cover with plastic wrap.

Add next 6 ingredients to a small microwave safe bowl with lid.

To bake:

Uncover sandwiches.

Warm sauce in microwave until butter is melted. Mix well and pour over sandwiches.

Bake covered with foil in 400 degree oven for 10 minutes. Uncover and bake additional 5-10 minutes or until tops are golden brown

Enjoy!

Taco Cups

2012-02-16T10:59:00.000-06:00

These are a fun variation of a taco or burrito.

2 C. cooked cubed chicken

1 T chili powder

1 t cumin

1 t onion powder

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 C. frozen corn

1 ½ C. shredded cheddar cheese

24-36 wonton wrappers (to fit in muffin cups)

Mix first 6 ingredients in a large bowl.

Spray a 12 count muffin tin with non stick spray and place two wonton wrappers in each cup pressing up the sides.

Scoop chicken mixture into each cup using an ice cream scoop. You can overfill these and pack them down some to use up all the chicken mixture.

Cover with foil until ready to cook.

Bake uncovered in a 375 degree oven for 10-12 minutes or until wontons are golden and centers are hot.

Top with avocado, sour cream or salsa.

Meal labeling

2012-02-06T13:49:00.000-06:00

Here is a quick and easy way to label your meals in the refrigerator.

After you assemble your meals for the week, cut the menu page into strips along the grid lines.

Then label each dish. (I used tape on this one. You could use a clothespin to attach to zipper bags)

Now that all meals are labeled, maybe someone else will cook tonight. ;) A girl can dream, right?

Asian Chicken Legs

2012-02-02T17:37:00.000-06:00

These are a nice change to plain chicken legs. The longer they marinate, the better they will taste!

8-10 chicken legs

½ C. balsamic vinegar

¼ C. lite soy sauce

4 t brown sugar

1 t dried ginger

3 t minced garlic

1 t red pepper flakes (opt)

Add all 7 ingredients to large zipper bag. Zip bag and squish around to mix, if making ahead.

To cook:

Bake on baking sheet lined with foil at 375 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until cooked through.

Best of 2011 menus

2012-02-01T10:17:00.001-06:00

The 2011 menus are now available for purchase at a discount.

Visit the new Make 5 dinners Store for details.

New Clean Eating ebook Coming Soon!

2012-01-26T09:24:00.001-06:00

I am currently working on a Make 5 dinners in 1 hour "Clean Eating" ebook. It will be full of recipes using whole foods and tons of vegetables!

I would love your feedback before I finalize the book. I know my current menu is pretty "clean" but it does have the occasional canned soup or packaged corn bread mix. This one will use whole foods.

Let me know what you think!

Slow Cooked Creamy Chicken Chili

2012-01-24T14:11:00.000-06:00

Oh this is a good one. I will be making it often!

1 can black beans

1 C. frozen corn

1 can mild Rotel (this must be mild or use plain diced tomatoes)

3 frozen chicken breasts

1 package ranch dressing mix (the powdered kind)

1 t cumin

1 T chili powder

1 t onion powder

8 oz cream cheese

Drain and rinse black beans in colander.

Add beans and next 8 ingredients to large zipper bag (if making ahead, then zip and squish to mix) or add to slow cooker if making now. Add 1/2 C. water and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Cilantro Lime Shrimp

2012-01-07T08:54:00.001-06:00

Cilantro Lime Shrimp & Fiesta Lime Rice

For the rice-

1 tomato

1 can black beans, rinsed

1 C. frozen corn

1 T lime juice

1 t dried cilantro or 2 T fresh

Salt to taste

Chop tomato and place in medium container with lid.

Add next 6 ingredients and mix well.

This will be added to the rice later.

*On the day you want to eat this, cook 2 bags steamers rice and mix with bean mixture. Serve warm.

For the shrimp-

2 lb peeled deveined raw shrimp

2 T olive oil

4 t minced garlic

1 T dried cilantro or ¼ C. fresh

2 T lime juice

Place shrimp and next 4 ingredients in large zipper bag.
Zip and squish around to mix.

To cook: Place shrimp on indoor grill (I used George) and cook for about 5 minutes. When shrimp turn pink and curl into a "c" shape they are ready. If they cook to an "o" shape they are overcooked.
c=cooked, o= overcooked.
These could also be cooked in a skillet flipping once.

Make your own seasonings

2012-01-05T13:58:00.000-06:00

I just found a great blog "Self-Reliance by Jamie" and thought I would share it!

She has recipes for taco seasoning, onion soup mix and ranch dressing mixes. I can't wait to make my own. No MSG allowed in my house!!

A winter favorite

2012-01-01T18:14:00.000-06:00

**This one is from the archives. Great for a cool day!

You can easily make these little sandwiches any variety you would like.

Ham & Swiss Cups with Homemade Creamy Tomato Soup!

12 ct. muffin tin
12 slices of bread
1/2 lb deli ham
3 slices of cheese

flatten each bread slice with hand and cut in half

Place 2 sliced in muffin cup in an "X" pattern.

Press to fit.

Tear ham into pieces and fill each cup evenly.

Cut each cheese slice into 4 pieces.

Top each cup with slice of cheese.

Cover with plastic wrap until ready to cook.

Bake uncovered in 450 degree oven for 12-15 minutes.

Creamy Tomato Soup

2- 14 oz cans chicken broth chicken broth

28 oz can crushed tomatoes

Salt & Pepper to taste

1 1/2 t dried basil

1 C. heavy cream

Mix first 4 ingredients in large container with lid. (if making ahead)

To cook:

Heat soup to a boil in saucepan over med/high heat. Stir in heavy cream and simmer 15 minutes. Puree soup in blender if desired or use a hand blender.

Serve with Ham & Swiss Cups.

This is a fun dinner that takes only 15 minutes on a busy weeknight.

Happy New Year!

Baked Zucchini Ziti

2011-12-09T12:52:00.001-06:00

Wow! It has been a while since I blogged. I have been working really hard on new recipes and menus. This one was from November menu and it was a hit in our house. It is a great meatless dish.

2 zucchini

28 oz jar spaghetti sauce

1 C. Ricotta or cottage cheese

1 t dried basil

1 t dried oregano

8.5 oz dried ziti noodles

1 C. water

2 C. shredded mozzarella cheese

Chop zucchini into 1 inch pieces and add to a large bowl.

Add next 6 ingredients to zucchini and mix well.

Spray a 9x13 baking dish non stick spray and layer ingredients-

½ Sauce/noodle mix

½ mozzarella cheese

Repeat ending with cheese on top. Cover with foil.

Bake covered 350 degrees for 45-55 minutes or until bubbly.

Glazed Pork Chops

2011-11-15T13:59:00.000-06:00

Another great dump in the zipper bag recipe!

5 pork chops
1/4 C. brown sugar
1/2 t cayenne pepper

1/2 t garlic powder
1/2 t paprika
salt & pepper to taste

Place all ingredients in a large zipper bag. Zip and squish around to mix. This may also be mixed and used as a dry rub. Hmmm. I think I might make a big match and store it in a jar.

Bake on a foil lined baking sheet at 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes depending on thickness of pork chops.

Stuffed Bread

2011-11-08T12:35:00.001-06:00

We love these at our house! You can put one wrapped in foil in the slow cooker to warm on a Saturday morning for a quick Saturday afternoon lunch!

Use an artisan or large rounded loaf. Make cuts down to the bottom without cutting all the way through.
They can be stuffed with your favorite sandwich ingredients, wrapped in plastic wrap and frozen for later. Make as many as you can fit in the freezer!

These are our favorites:

Ham/Cheddar

Turkey/Swiss

Pepperoni/Mozzarella

Roast Beef/Provolone

Cheddar Cheese

Cinnamon Sugar w/powdered sugar glaze

Pair one up with a few cans of healthy soup and you will be sure to stay out of the drive thru on the weekends!

*these can also be baked in a 400 degree oven on a baking sheet for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and bread is crisp on the outside.

Easy Desserts

2011-11-02T15:01:00.000-05:00

I love an easy dessert recipe! Here are a few that I will be making this holiday season.

2 ingredient Pumpkin Cake w/cider glaze

Making lots of these and storing in the freezer so they are ready to take

to a party!

Peanut Butter Ball

Low Fat Lemon Cake

3 ingredients and 1.5 weight watchers points a piece! 1 box lemon cake mix-mix with one 20 oz bottle of diet 7-up Bake at 350 for 30 min in 9x13 pan Cool and top with one tub of light cool whip The entire cake is 19 weight watcher points.

Mini S'more Sticks

Dip large marshmallows in melted chocolate then roll in crushed graham crackers.

Holiday Fruit Cups

Halloween Treats

2011-10-24T18:40:00.000-05:00

Here are some great treat ideas. I just love candy corn so I think I will be making the candy corn bark! YUM!

Candy Corn Bark

Caramel Apples from scratch!

Pumpkin dip

Caramelized pumpkin seeds

My two must makes are the candy corn bark and caramelized pumpkin seeds. What are your favorite treats to make for Halloween?

Flashback messy kitchen post

2011-10-16T10:00:00.000-05:00

It has been a while since I showed everyone what making 5 dinners in 1 hour does to my kitchen so here it is. Don't be scared, it is not as bad as you would think. :)

I must warn you, this is a real kitchen with real food and real kitchen tools. This is not a fancy design set where everything is staged to perfection. I am a real cook making real food which is more than obvious when you see the ~~pictures taken with my iphone because I don't have a $2,000 camera to use~~ amateur photos below.

Mess up the kitchen once a week or every day? I choose once a week!
I don't feel like I make any bigger of a mess doing all 5 dinners than if I just do one. Most utensils are reused during the assembly hour. Here is a look at an assembly session mess.

The first thing I do is get all tools out listed on the kitchen tools list. Most of the time I mix things right in the bowl or bag it is going to be stored in.

Then I get out all the ingredients and open cans and packages.

Fill one side of the sink with hot soapy water and keep a wet wash rag handy to wipe down cutting board and knife.

I mixed this pork chop recipe right in the bag.

This is everything in the sink after I finished assembling meals. I don't put anything that touched raw meat in the soapy side. I like to just quick rinse the measuring spoons and mixing spatula's right out of the soapy side so I can reuse them easier.

Most things are just rinsed and put on a towel to dry. The others are put in the dishwasher.

If I had a helper (funny how everyone seems so busy when it comes to cooking and cleaning) I would probably have them rinse things and have them on a towel ready to use. If you are lucky enough to get helping hands, your hour will be more like 40 minutes!! :)

Don't forget to kick everyone (even the pets) out of the kitchen unless they are helping. I poured sauce on the wrong recipe once because someone was talking to me and I got confused. The plus side is we have more time to talk daily because I don't have to worry about what to cook, run to the store, spend 30 minutes prepping a meal or clean a huge mess in the kitchen.

I would love to hear how your hours go! Even better email me pictures: fivedinners1hour @ yahoo.com

Here is what 5 dinners ready to refrigerate look like.

Here is 5 dinners fitting on one shelf in my very small fridge.

Saving money on side dishes

2011-10-13T10:37:00.001-05:00

How to save money on side dishes-

Vegetables- You can buy the frozen steamers kind that is listed on the grocery list. These are easy but I find the portions small and we need 2-3 to feed all 5 of us.

If you are looking to save money, you should consider buying frozen vegetables in bulk and stock up when on sale if possible. Buy the big bags and just heat up what you need. This big bag is about $4.50 at WalMart and lasts us 4 meals as a side dish.

It is so easy to add what you need to a bowl with 1/2 cup water, cover and microwave for 6-7 minutes.

Rice-

The steamers rice bag runs $1.00-$1.75 a bag. It takes at least 2 bags to feed all 5 of us at a meal.

A 2lb bag of brown rice is about $1.50 and will last 4-5 dinners. I make it in my rice cooker on the same day I assemble meals.

Here is the cost breakdown (prices may vary in your area)

Vegetables-
Steamers $2.00-3.50 per meal vs. bulk $1.12-$1.50 per meal

Rice-
Steamers $2.00-$3.50 per meal vs. bulk $.30-.38 per meal

You could easily save $10-$15 off your weekly grocery bill by buying in bulk!

Here is a great article on fresh vs. frozen fruit & vegetables.

Roasted Shrimp Tomatoes and Feta

2011-10-10T12:14:00.000-05:00

This recipe is so good I have made it 3 times in the last month!

1-2 pints cherry tomatoes or 4 chopped Roma tomatoes
3 T olive oil
1 T minced garlic
Salt & pepper to taste
2 lbs large raw shrimp (peeled, tail on ok, it adds flavor)
2 T dried parsley
1 T lemon juice
½ C. crumbled feta

Place tomatoes in 9x13 baking dish sprayed with non stick spray.
Add next 7 ingredients to baking dish and toss with hands to mix. Cover with plastic wrap (if making ahead).

Uncover and bake 450 degrees for 20 minutes or until shrimp is pink and cooked through.

I usually serve with brown rice and any steamed veggie we have on hand. This is better than shrimp scampi!

Sausage Cheese Bread

2011-10-03T12:36:00.000-05:00

I have to share my new favorite grocery find. Fully cooked sausage crumbles!!
They had me at fully cooked! Oh yeah. This is going to be a huge time saver in my kitchen.

I thought we would give the turkey version a try. This 12 oz bag was only $2.98.

Sausage Cheese Bread
3 C. Bisquick baking mix
1/2 package of cooked turkey sausage crumbles
2 C. shredded cheddar cheese
1 1/4 C. milk
1/2 t dried rosemary

Mix all ingredients and pour into a 9x13 baking dish sprayed with non stick spray. Bake 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until golden brown on top.

Cut into single serving pieces and store in a container with lid in the refrigerator. This is our quick breakfast for the week. Just grab and go or heat in the microwave until warm. It will also freeze well. Make a double or triple batch and freeze in single serve portions.

I will be using the rest of the crumbles (I have 1/2 a bag left) in scrambled eggs or breakfast burritos for breakfast this weekend.

Easy Spaghetti and Meatballs

2011-09-26T14:10:00.000-05:00

I read this recipe online and did not believe it could be done. I tried it and just learned a whole new way to make pasta without boiling water!! Oh the possibilities!

The ingredients-
1 lb frozen meatballs
12 oz dry spaghetti noodles
28 oz jar spaghetti sauce
1/2 jar (the sauce jar) of water

Break noodles and place in bottom of slow cooker. I broke mine in half.

Pour in sauce and 1/2 a jar filled with water over noodles. I added a tiny bit of olive oil to keep the noodles from sticking together.

Top with frozen meatballs.

Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours. Stir it 1/2 way through if you can but you don't have to.

By the way this is my new slow cooker and I LOVE it! It does not heat up the kitchen and the insert is metal with a non stick coating and so much easier to clean! I got it a WalMart for $39.

Here is how it turned out........

It was PERFECT!

I do recommend saving some of the sauce for serving if you like your spaghetti extra saucy. :)

All of these ingredients can be kept on hand for a quick last minute throw together dinner.

Roasted Vegetables

2011-09-20T12:58:00.000-05:00

Did you know you can use your slow cooker to roast vegetables?

I like to make a big batch of veggies to use throughout the week.

Just season any combination with olive oil, salt & pepper. Chop into bite size pieces and store in a zipper bag until ready to cook.

Here are a few good combinations-

2 zucchini
2 yellow squash
2 bell peppers (any color) keep these in large chunks or they will over cook.

*****
1-2 lbs fresh green beans
3-4 red potatoes

*****
1 lb baby carrots
2 russet potatoes
1 bunch asparagus

You can use almost any combination your family likes. Just toss in the slow cooker and cook on low for 4-6 hours or high 3-4 hours.

What are your favorite vegetables?

New Slow Cooker ebook

2011-09-10T11:56:00.001-05:00

The all new $3.00 Slow Cooker ebook is now ready!

What is included?
4 weeks of menus
4 recipes each week (3 dinners, 1 breakfast)
Each recipe includes side dish suggestions
As with all my menus, a full grocery list and kitchen tool list is included with every menu.

Assemble all 4 slow cooker recipes in about 30 minutes. Have them ready to throw in the slow cooker on busy week day mornings or use them for easy meals on the weekends.

I plan to use mine for Friday-Sunday breakfast, lunch & dinners! Hockey season has us all over town on the weekends and having hot dinner or lunch to come home to will save us from the fast food drive through!

Here is an example of what's on the menu-
Chicken Chili
BBQ Chicken
Full Steak Dinner
Hash Brown Casserole

To order click on the "order a menu" tab at the top of the page.

Mini Gyro Meatloaves

2011-09-07T14:28:00.002-05:00

1 small cucumber

1 C. Greek yogurt

1 t minced garlic

1 t lemon pepper

1 t dried dill

Pinch pepper

Coarsely chop cucumber and place in blender.

Add next 5 ingredients to blender and blend until smooth.

Mix last 7 ingredients in a large bowl. Use rubber gloves for easy clean up.

2 lbs lean ground beef

2 t minced garlic

1 t onion powder

1 ½ t oregano

Pinch of Allspice

2 T fat free half & half or milk

Salt & pepper to taste

Spray muffin tin with non stick spray.

Scoop meat with ice cream scooper into 12 count muffin tin.

Bake meatloaves uncovered 350 degrees for 25-35 minutes. Serve with yogurt sauce.

Slow Cooked Steak Soup

2011-09-01T12:44:00.000-05:00

Slow cooking is hot right now. I thought I would bring back on of our favorites. These are all items you can keep on hand for an easy meal any night of the week!

1 lb boneless round steak
1 jar/can chunky vegetable spaghetti sauce
1/2 package frozen cheese filled ravioli
2 1/2 cups water
Parmesan cheese

Cut steak into bite size pieces and bag in zipper bag (if making ahead) or place in slow cooker.
Almost any steak will work. Get what is on sale! I used Eye of Round steak, it was on mark down that day.

Add spaghetti sauce and water. Cook on low 8 hours. I use Hunts in a can. I can get it for $1.00 at WalMart.

Add frozen ravioli the last 45 minutes of cooking. This soup is really good. It is reminds me of a beef stew.

Serve with Parmesan cheese if desired.

Apron Winner

2011-09-01T09:17:00.000-05:00

And the winner is....

Anonymous said...: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1016992109 I posted your blog on my facebook. You have given me the time to cook again. I get home from work very late and having a meal ready to go is a lifesaver. Thank you!!! tori0299@hotmail.com; August 28, 2011 7:24 PM

Congrats! I will be sending you an email with details. :)

Slow Cooked Chicken Dinner

2011-08-31T09:43:00.000-05:00

Easy one pot meal that is not a casserole!

16 oz bag frozen chopped squash

1 pint cherry tomatoes

16 oz bag frozen green beans

4 t olive oil

1 t dried thyme

1 T dried parsley

½ C. frozen chopped onion

Salt & pepper to taste

5 boneless chicken breasts

To make ahead:

Add all 9 ingredients to a large zipper bag. Zip and squish around to mix. Refrigerate until ready to cook.

To cook:
Pour chicken and vegetables into slow cooker add ½ C. water and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

It's a Contest

2011-08-23T12:51:00.000-05:00

I am giving away one of my new aprons to one lucky winner!

Here are the entry rules:

1. post on your Facebook, Twitter or Blog-

     A. something you like about Make 5 dinners in 1 hour and include a link to my blog.

     B. Pictures and/or comments about your dinners or lunches made from my menu along with a link to my blog.

2. Enter as many times as you like. For every online "shout out" you do, cut and paste it (or the link to it) in the comments section of this post. Make sure to use one per comment so you will be entered for each one.

3. Contest starts now and ends on August 31, 2011. Winner will be announced on Thursday September 1st.

Good Luck!

Lunches are ready

2011-08-21T10:40:00.001-05:00

I just spent about 20 minutes making a week of lunches for 6.

Roast beef as far as the eye can see....

The lunch shelf is FULL!

We only need lunches for 5 but I made enough for 6 because the extras will get consumed between after school activities (games & practices) and dinner.

I plan to place a basket on the counter to store the dry goods (chips, pretzels, etc). Everyone can just grab what they need as they pack their lunch. I am thinking I will need 2 baskets. One for "lunches only" and one for "anytime snacks". If I don't lay down the law, all the chips for the week will be gone by Tuesday. LOL!

Brown Bag Lunch Menu

2011-08-18T19:26:00.000-05:00

The Brown Bag Lunch Menu is ready! Available on the "order a menu" page.

Includes:

4 weeks of menus
grocery quantities for 2, 4 or 6 people (5 lunches each)
variety of family friendly foods
Easy assembly directions to make all lunches at once.

Fill your refrigerator with a full week of healthy lunch options!

Example menu:
Monday/Wednesday/Friday
Build your own pizza bagels
Pineapple bites
Trail mix

Tuesday/Thursday
Turkey Cheese Roll Up
Strawberries w/chocolate dip
Chips

The daily menus are just suggestions. Feel free to mix it up however you like! :)

Organizing

2011-08-17T15:06:00.000-05:00

Peek into a very organized kitchen!

Wow! I wish my kitchen was this organized!! Jenn over at I Heart Organizing has let us peek into her cabinets. I am not sure I would ever let ya'll peek into mine. I have kids that empty the dishwasher and put things wherever they can balance them and still shut the door. Sometimes I need a helmet to get a coffee mug out. :) Jenn ROCKS!

New Lunch ebook

2011-08-16T13:00:00.000-05:00

The New Brown Bag Lunch ebook will be ready later this week. Just in time for back to school.

It has ingredient lists for 2, 4 or 6 people with rotating main dish and sides. I can't wait to have lunches organized and planned each week.

Lunch Time

2011-08-13T12:37:00.004-05:00

It is back to school time at our house.

Is everyone ready? I am ready for the heat wave to be over but not quite ready for setting the alarm so early every day. :)

Here is my sack lunch plan for the first week of school. This plan feeds 3 at my house. My kids do not require a different lunch every day. They are happy with a small variety so this works for us.

Click here to see more on how I make lunches once a week.

Items to Assemble

9 Ham & Cheese Sandwiches

6 Roast Beef Roll Ups

9 bags mandarin oranges

9 bags of grapes

Prepackaged Items

(I priced this a while back and it is the same price as buying bulk and bagging my own. Save yourself the hassle and buy several packages when it is on sale)

9 cheese sticks

6 bags pretzels

9 bags chips

9 bottles of water*

*Most of the time they take refillable water bottles

Grocery List

1/2-3/4 lb deli sliced ham

1 lb deli sliced roast beef

1 loaf whole grain bread

6 whole grain tortillas

1 lb grapes

1 package cheese sticks
9 slices cheddar cheese (real cheese not processed)

4 oz cream cheese

1/2 bag salad greens

6 single serve bags of pretzels

9 single serve bags of chips

2 large cans of mandarin oranges

1 case of bottled water (this will last a few weeks)

You can find individual mustard and mayonnaise packets here. We just ask for extra when we get fast food and save them for lunches.

Assembly
Lay out 9 sandwich bags on counter

Place one piece of bread on each sandwich bag. Top with ham, cheese and bread. Place in baggies.

Place 6 tortillas on cutting board or counter.

Spread cream cheese on each tortilla.

Top with roast beef slices and lettuce.

Roll up, cut in half and place each in a sandwich bag.

Drain mandarin oranges in colander and spoon into 9 snack size bags.
Pluck grapes from stems, wash & dry and scoop into 9 snack size bags.

Clean off a shelf in the refrigerator and load it up with ready made items.

Hopefully it will look something like this...

Smile! You now have an extra 5-10 minutes each morning because lunches are done!

**Update** I forgot to say how much this all costs. It is about $25 which works out to $1.66 a lunch not including water or drink. That is less than a sodium packed lunchable and far more filling!

Eating out on a budget

2011-08-11T12:42:00.000-05:00

Eating at home 5 days a week deserves a splurge every now and then!

I cook at home as much as possible for many reasons, health, money, calories, carbs, etc. I love to eat out and with a family of 5 that can be really expensive, we are talking at least $50 or more. That is until I found Restaurant.com! You can get gift certificates to restaurants in your area for just a few bucks!

With these gift certificates we can usually eat out at a real restaurant ranging from $12-$20!!

Check out their site and use code HOT to score an extra 80% off gift certificates!!

Use these for Friday or Saturday night dinners and still stay within a reasonable budget.

Another inexpensive dinner out is the Chili's "kids eat free" nights. Sign up for their emails. I have used them several times. You get 2 free kids meals with every adult meal purchased and you can use multiple deals per table. On Monday (when the stove broke) we were able to get 4 kids meals and 2 adult meals for $17.00! I used the extra kids meal for my lunch the next day. BTW- the kids grilled chicken is the same size as the adult portion. :)

Greek Steak & Salad

2011-08-03T15:10:00.000-05:00

This is a low carb, low fat meal that is one of my top favorites!

½ C. olive oil

3 T lemon juice

3 t dried oregano

Salt & pepper to taste

3 tomatoes

1 cucumber

1 small red onion

4 oz feta cheese

½ C. black olives

1 ½ lbs sirloin steak

Mix first 4 ingredients in small bowl.

Add steak to large zipper bag. Pour ½ marinade over steak. Zip and squish around to mix. (Reserve remaining marinade for salad)

Chop tomatoes, cucumber and onion into bite size pieces.

Add to large bowl with lid.

Pour remaining marinade over salad.

Top with feta and olives.

Cover.

Grill steak on indoor or outdoor grill until desired doneness. May also be broiled in the oven. That is how I had to cook it since my outdoor grill broke and my George is worn out. Broiling is really fast so keep an eye on it. Mine only took 8 minutes!

Serve with salad.

Cute Eggs

2011-08-01T18:49:00.000-05:00

Look at these super cute egg molds. Mold your hard boiled egg into fun shapes.

They are only 99 cents at Amazon.com

What a great protein option for school lunches!

Fundraising

2011-07-27T14:41:00.001-05:00

Calling all Sports teams, Dance teams, PTA's, Youth groups, Preschools, Moms groups and Cheer squads!

Need a unique fundraising opportunity?

I am putting together a fundraising plan that can earn your group 50% on subscriptions! This could mean recurring earnings for your group. WOW! Not many fundraisers do that.

The best part is there is no door to door selling. Everything is done on the Internet.

Use your Facebook, email and Twitter to spread the word and sell all over the country without leaving your computer.

Email me if you are interested in hearing more details or want to get started. FYI- I will have a fall ebook available as an option to the recurring subscription.

More Options

2011-07-26T12:32:00.000-05:00

I love all of the comments! Keep them coming. One thing I keep hearing is "want less of this....more of that"

I have changed the tips & tricks box to the "options" box. This will help all of you who want to tweak the menu to better fit your family.

Too much seafood or don't eat pork? No problem. The options box will have alternatives listed.
Want more beef? There are options for that too.
Low fat options will also be in this box.

This new feature will be on the August menu.

Online System

2011-07-25T08:44:00.000-05:00

I am thinking about switching to an online menu system. Before I do, I want to know how many of you would use it. :)

Some of its features would be-

Custom menu plans- you select your weekly menu from a list of recipes and it will generate the grocery and tool list.
If you select multiple meals for freezer meals it will add those items to your grocery list.

It would be simple to use and not take more than a minute or two for you to select your menu and print.

Please share your comments and even any requests. If you like it the way it is, then let me know!

The August menu will be mailing out on Friday!
It will now feature Lower fat options for most recipes that are not already low fat.

Freezer Meals Made Easy

2011-07-24T19:14:00.000-05:00

Looking for easy freezer meals?

I am all about time saving and doing my regular cooking hour is all I can squeeze into a busy week. I do not want to add another few hours to make freezer meals but I love having them on hand.  The easiest way I can fill my freezer without doing alot of extra work is to make more of what I am already making.

Here is the part I think you will like.....

The August menu has several new features. One of them is the new freezer meal option. Each weekly menu will now have at least one meal marked "freezable".   Since you will already be making your 5 dinners in 1 hour, it will be super easy to just double (or triple) the "freezable" recipes during your cooking hour.

Just by doubling(or tripling) the ingredients for the freezable meals, you get the best of both worlds. Assembling 4-5 more dinners will only add 5-10 more minutes to your cooking hour.  After a few weeks you will have a well stocked freezer!

Maybe something like this one..........ahhhhh isn't she beautiful?

You could get really ambitious and make 5 of each freezable recipe. You won't have to cook on the weekends ever again!!

To adjust your grocery list for more ingredients just mark or highlight the items you need to buy double or triple of. This will be quick and easy at the grocery store. Anything marked or highlighted, buy double!

Be sure to buy extra freezer bags and disposable 9x13 aluminum pans. You will also need a sharpie to label the containers.

I can't wait to hear how this works for you all! The August menu will be ready on Friday so clean out the freezer and make room for some super easy dinners!

Mini Pizza Meatloaves

2011-07-19T12:10:00.000-05:00

This is a kid favorite!

1 1/2 lbs lean ground beef or 93/7 turkey
1 egg
1/2 C. pizza sauce
1/4 C. Italian bread crumbs or whole wheat crumbs
1/2 t Italian seasoning
1 1/2 C. shredded mozzarella cheese

1/2 C. pizza sauce for glaze

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Wear rubber gloves for easy clean up.

Use an ice cream scooper to scoop into 12 ct. muffin tin. Top with pizza sauce.

Bake in 375 degree oven for 25-30 minutes or until meat is cooked through.

Serve with salad and bread sticks.

Remember to fill half your plate with salad and you have a well rounded meal according to the new food plate guidelines.

Feedback winners

2011-07-18T14:52:00.000-05:00

And the winners are.....

Renee M said...

Have only received one plan, but from it,

1) Veggie and fruit sides that are seasonal (doesn't need a recipe, just something to assist with rounding out the meals -- i.e. summer and/or zucchini squash & watermelon for, say, July; butternut squash and apples for the fall, etc). Also like to see more fish / kid-friendly vegetarian options.

2) Less meat

3) Kid-friendly and variety (feel you do a great job at timesaving already!).

AND

July 13, 2011 10:54 AM

Shirley said...

1. What would you like to see more of? Maybe a meatless option.

2. What would you like to see less of? I don't think there is anything I would like to see less of. Your meals are fast, easy and light on the processed foods! I love it.

3. What is more important to you? Time saving, kid friendly, or variety of recipes? I think that variety of recipes would have to be most important for me. My kids will pretty much try anything so its more important that they don't get bored.

5. Any comments you would like to share with me?
Should there be a number 4?

Please email me so I can set you up for your 6 months of free menus!! Congrats!!

Thank you to all who participated. I will take all feedback into consideration for future menus.

Plate or Pyramid

2011-07-17T12:00:00.000-05:00

Check out the new food pyramid or should I say "food plate guidelines". It says make half your plate vegetables and make half your grains whole grains. That sounds so much easier to follow than the old pyramid model.

You can check out more on the USDA website.

What do you all think of this new guideline?

Feedback

2011-07-13T09:36:00.001-05:00

Want a chance to win 6 months of free menus? Two lucky people will win 6 months of free menus just by leaving me some feedback on my service.

Fall is just around the corner and that means busy after school/evening activities. I want to make sure you dinner time is stress free so I need to know what I can do to improve my service for you!

I would love to know the following while planning Fall menus.......

1. What would you like to see more of?

2. What would you like to see less of?

3. What is more important to you? Time saving, kid friendly, or variety of recipes?

5. Any comments you would like to share with me?

Here are the RULES...

Leave a comment below with your answers numbered accordingly.

Only one entry per person. 2 winners will be selected by Random.org on Monday July 18th.

Thank You and Good Luck!

Slow Cooked Beef Rolls

2011-07-11T17:06:00.001-05:00

I love using this beef (eye of round steak) in almost all my slow cooker meals. It is inexpensive, lean and already cut into portions!

It seems like Albertsons and Walmart almost always have some on markdown too.

2 lbs round steak
1/4 C. dijon mustard
5 slices of bacon sliced in 3rds

Spread each steak with dijon mustard and lay a slice of bacon on top. Roll up and place in large zipper bag.

For sauce:
1 can beef or chicken broth
1/3 C. flour
1/2 C. water
1 T parsley flakes
2 T worcestershire sauce
1 C. frozen chopped onion

Mix in a medium bowl with lid.

To cook:

Place steak rolls in slow cooker.

Pour sauce over and cook on low for 6 hours. The longer it cooks, the better it gets. The sauce can be used for a gravy. It is not super thick but has good flavor.

It is fork tender!

Grocery Shrink

2011-07-04T09:47:00.000-05:00

Many of you have expressed to me that your budget is very tight. I thought I would share with you one of my favorite sites for money saving ideas and tips.

The Grocery Shrink is a great site full of ways to help save money. Angela, who writes the
Grocery Shrink also has a blog with lessons in frugality and an ebook that teaches her method to feed her family of 5 for $200 a month without using coupons!

She even teachees you how to make your own laundry soap. I use Ivory bar soap in place of the Fels-Naptha. It works great and if you watch for sales on the Ivory soap you can make detergent that costs .01 a load!!

Ham Roll Ups

2011-06-21T15:03:00.000-05:00

My kids actually loved these! Make them even if you don't think your kids will like them. They are really good!

Ham Asparagus Roll Ups

1 lb deli ham
4 oz whipped cream cheese
1 bunch pencil thin asparagus

Trim woody ends off asparagus.

Spread cream cheese on half the ham slice and roll up an asparagus spear.

Line up in baking dish and bake 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

Enjoy!

Where to get

2011-06-17T14:05:00.001-05:00

A few of you have asked me where to get these little cups I use in the school lunches. I get them on ebay (that is the cheapest) They are 2 oz. souffle cups. I buy 100 at a time for around $10.00 so they last a school year or two.

Summer Lunch Menu

2011-06-13T15:06:00.000-05:00

The Summer Lunch Menu is now available!

If you are like me and have kids home for summer eating everything in sight, then this menu is for you.

Each lunch serves 4. One recipe each week is portable. ie: pack and take to the pool, zoo, water park, etc.

The price is $7.50 for 4 weeks of lunch menus. Just click on the "Order a subscription" page and scroll down until you see the "Buy Now" button.

Here is a peek of what is on the menu:
Mexican Pizza
Loaded Baked Potatoes
Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Roast Beef Wheels
Italian Subs

Just like the dinner menus, each has a detailed grocery list and kitchen tools list to help you make 5 lunches in 1 hour (or less).

Cute Lunch Ideas

2011-06-10T17:02:00.000-05:00

My lunch menu plan is almost ready. Until then, check out this super cute blog Muffin Tin Mom. These are some of the cutest lunch ideas I have ever seen. This is a great way to get small kids to eat new foods, especially veggies!

Via

and this one using shaped muffin pan. Super cute!

Chicken Lettuce Wrap

2011-06-06T15:36:00.000-05:00

A cool recipe from the archives for this steamy hot Texas day!

Chicken lettuce wraps with easy Asian rice.

A light meal to enjoy after all the heavy holiday meals. :)

1 deli roasted chicken

1 red bell pepper (optional)

1/4 C. water chestnuts

1/4 C. Hoison sauce (found in the Asian isle)

3 green onions

sauce

4 T soy sauce

2 t sesame oil

2 t minced ginger

2 t minced garlic

8-12 lettuce leaves

2 bags steamers rice/peas/carrots blend

Heat rice in microwave according to package directions.

Shred chicken and dice bell pepper, green onion & water chestnuts.

Mix next 4 sauce ingredients in a medium bowl. Pour 1/2 on chicken mixture and 1/2 over rice mixture.

If making ahead, store in containers with lids.

To serve: warm rice in microwave. Scoop chicken mixture (can be served warm or cold) onto lettuce leaves.

Serve with fortune cookies.

This would make a great lunch also.

Comments

2011-05-29T11:24:00.001-05:00

For some reason Blogger won't let me comment on my own blog. :) I am reading all of your comments and want to respond but it will not let me. As soon as it is fixed I will be responding. :)

BBQ Tacos

2011-05-23T14:59:00.000-05:00

A kid friendly recipe from the archives-

BBQ Chicken Tacos!

Here is the make ahead version-

2 plum tomatoes
3 C. shredded cooked chicken (deli roasted chicken works well)

1/3 C. barbecue sauce

Chop tomatoes into bite size pieces and add large storage container.

Add next 2 ingredients to tomatoes in large storage container.

(I like to seed my tomatoes so they are not so wet)

To serve-

10 taco size flour tortillas

Warm chicken in microwave until heated through.

Serve with shredded lettuce, sour cream, cheese and squeeze of lime (optional).

Serve with corn or Mexicorn, extra BBQ sauce and baked beans OR that new frozen corn/black bean/tomato blend I found in the freezer section.

Make several batches and freeze. You can freeze the chicken, tortillas, shredded cheese all separately for an easy weekend lunch.

Menu Organization

2011-05-17T13:43:00.000-05:00

Check out how Athena organizes her menus. What a great idea to put them in a binder with sheet protectors!

PB&J Pancakes

2011-05-15T15:05:00.000-05:00

1 C. flour
1 T baking powder
1/2 t salt
2 T sugar
1 egg
1 C. milk
1/2 C. creamy peanut butter (I think crunchy would be good too)

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Store in refrigerator until ready to use.

Ladle batter onto large skillet or griddle and cook.

Warm 1 C. jelly (your favorite flavor) in the microwave until pourable.

These also tasted good with regular syrup!

Slow Cooked Stir Fry

2011-05-06T10:07:00.003-05:00

All the flavors of stir fry from the slow cooker!

3 lbs chicken breasts

3 T soy sauce

3 T brown sugar

2 t crushed garlic

2 t ground ginger

½ C. water

Place all ingredients in a large zipper bag. Zip and squish around to mix.

1/4 C. slivered almonds (optional)

16 oz frozen stir fry vegetables

Cook on low 6-7 hours. Add frozen vegetables last 30 minutes of cook time.

Mindy

2011-04-30T11:00:00.002-05:00

I got this sweet email from Mindy and she has an awesome idea! She trades off cooking/shopping with her nanny. You could easily do this with a friend or neighbor.

You could even do your cooking hour with a friend!

Hi Michelle,

I just wanted to take a second to tell you how much we love your meals! I’m a working mom to 3 yr old twins – my husband works full time as well as we were in such a rut w/ meals when I found your blog. When the twins were babies I nursed them until they were about 14 mos old, I made almost all of their baby food and what I didn’t I bought all organic…nutrition has always been so important to me yet as the kids were getting bigger and eating more ‘meals’ I just didn’t feel like I was feeding them (or us) like I wanted to! There were just too many nights where we’d go out or pop a pizza in the over or give them chicken nuggets or spaghetti…it was awful! I dreaded the nightly ‘what are we doing for dinner’ conversation.

Then I found your blog and I have to say we LOVE it. My nanny and I decided to try the trial and that was back in January – after one week we were hooked. We take turns cooking and shopping so one week I do all the shopping and cooking and the following week she does it. We just double the meals so that we have enough for both of our families and it doesn’t take that much longer to do. It’s so easy to make substitutions where we need to (fresh veg for frozen, pasta for rice, etc) and almost every night after dinner we text each other saying how good whatever meal we made was…our husbands love it too and we have enough leftovers for them to have lunches prepared for the week too.

I feel like a walking ad for you b/c I have told so many people about it. It sounds kind of silly but it has truly been a lifesaver. I have more time with the kids at night b/c dinner is already ready to go, we eat earlier, its saved us money b/c we only buy what we need.

Just had to say THANK YOU!! I hope you keep this blog going for a long time!

Thanks!

Mindy

Thanks Mindy!!

For those of you who really want to get crazy, ask 4 friends to select one recipe off the menu then shop for and make 5 of that recipe. Then get together to swap so everyone has one of each recipe. This would make it more like Make 5 dinners in 15 minutes!! Have everyone bring their receipts, add them all up, divide by 5 and see if anyone owes or is owed money. This would work more like a cooking co-op. It would be great for neighbors, bible study groups or MOPS.

If anyone does this...I want pictures! :)
Be watching for some new recipes on the blog later this week! It is getting warmer down here in Texas and it is time to take the heat out of the kitchen and get it outside on the grill!

Healthy Food Made Easy

2011-04-18T11:29:00.000-05:00

Make 5 dinners in ONE hour helps you feed your family healthy whole foods.

Lean meats, whole grains and tons of veggies are the main ingredients on my menus! Very few processed foods are used. Packaged foods are used to help save time but they are not processed foods. Read more here on the packaged foods used.

These recipes are kid tested and mom approved! In just ONE hour (or less) you can prep 5 family dinners ready to heat and eat later in the week. Some meals take as little as 10 minutes from fridge to table. You can't beat that on a busy weeknight.

Sweet & Sour Meatballs

Easy Spinach Quiche

Roasted Sausage Peppers & Onions

Kid Favorite Baked Bow Ties

Jerky Turkey Burgers w/Sweet Potato Fries

Greek Grilled Chicken Tenders

This is just a small sample of menus. You can also check out what Barb, Jen, and Holly have to say about about Make 5 dinners in One hour.

Tech issues

2011-04-07T11:56:00.003-05:00

~~Please excuse all my smashed together sentences in the right column. We are working to get this fixed.~~
All fixed now. Thank you for your patience.

Make Ahead Lunches

2011-04-07T11:45:00.001-05:00

I get many requests for lunch menus so I thought I would re-post my make ahead lunch plan.
**I also now have an ebook available on the "order a menu page"

Two of my kids take their lunch to school every day and EVERY morning I make them. Well now that does not make much sense does it? I make all our dinners at once, why am I making 2 lunches every morning???

I spent 15 minutes and here is what I have ready for the rest of the week.

6 ham & cheese sandwiches
4 PB & J sandwiches
9 baggies of sliced oranges
10 baggies of grapes
10 cheese sticks
10 prepackaged bags of pretzels

Here is how I did it in 15 minutes-

I got out 10 baggies and 10 pieces of bread

then layered with sliced ham & cheese. Spread PB on 4 slices.

I put jelly on the second slice for the PB & J. Topped the ham & cheese with bread. Zipped up the bags.

Line them up in a plastic container. (This is a clear shoe box)

Sliced oranges into half moons. Plucked grapes off stems and bagged both in zipper bags.

The cheese comes individually wrapped so no prep there.

I am keeping everything in the refrigerator but the sandwiches can be frozen.

We have extra mustard and mayo packets from fast food places that I toss in if they want it.

Pretzels came individually packaged.

My kids like water in their lunches so I keep small water bottles on hand.

Ahhhh. Isn't she beautiful? I am so excited, I may get to sleep an extra 5 minutes or maybe I will put on real clothes to take the kids to school instead of my pajamas! LOL!

This could all be tossed in a crisper drawer for easy reach for little ones.

More Ideas

These are foods my kids like and I know they will eat. It took 30 minutes to prep which I feel is so worth it to not have to do it each morning. I know I could have bought most of this already packaged in single serving sizes. I am just a little too frugal for that. :)

Some of the ingredients. I did not use the salad.

Tropical trail mix

I scooped the trail mix with 1/4 cup measuring cup. The bag said it has 25- 1/4 C. servings. I only ended up with 22. Mine must have been heaping 1/4 cups.

Apples with caramel dip for a fun seasonal treat.

Aren't we all craving caramel apples this time of year? The price difference on pre cut apples and caramel dip was really big. The pre cut apples were $2.68 a bag and had about 4-5 servings. The caramel dip came in an 8 pack for $3.68.

My apples with caramel dip: Apples 2 lbs @.49 lb, caramel ice cream topping in a jar $1.98. That is pineapple juice in the bowl. I could not find fruit fresh at any store. I had canned pineapple so I used the juice to keep the apples from turning brown.

I spent $3.00 and got 13 baggies of caramel apples and still have 1 apple left over.

I bought the plastic souffle cups with lids here.

We use them for caramel, hummus, salad dressing, ranch dip, salsa, etc. I think these were the 2 oz size.

The sausage is precooked but I still microwaved it in 1/2 inch of water for 5 minutes to make sure.

I cut the sausage and cheese into bite size pieces and bagged together with a toothpick. The block of cheese was cheaper than the already cubed kind and made more.

Here is the variety they have to pick from. They can mix and match this week.
Sausage & cheese
PB & J
(The sandwich in the pic is ham & cheese. I had some left over)
apples with caramel dip
trail mix
chips
crackers

FYI- I bought big bags of chips and divided them up myself. I did the cost comparison and I only saved .50 by doing it myself. I am buying the individual sized next time. It is worth 50 cents!

This side dish is their favorite!
The fun lunch side this week is strawberries with chocolate dip! YUM! Syrup is less than half the price of the dip found by the fruit. Chocolate is chocolate as far as I am concerned. :)

Are you interested in more lunch ideas? Would you be interested in a lunch menu ebook? I would love to hear your thoughts! :)

Potatoes

2011-04-07T11:35:00.001-05:00

OreIda steam n mash potatoes are on sale at Target again. $2.49 each Buy two get one free! There are also coupons out there. Check out Totally Target for great printable coupons to make it an even better deal.

I bought 6 bags yesterday and will go back for more before the sale is over! I have seen these for up to $3.99 a bag at local stores. Be sure to stock up at this great price

Traci

2011-04-02T10:13:00.002-05:00

Hop over to Traci's blog and read about her 5 dinners in 1 hour experience. Thanks Traci for sharing your experience!

P.S. She also rated the recipes and found that many were Weight Watchers friendly!

Gluten Free

2011-04-01T14:18:00.000-05:00

I am getting a big response on providing a GF menu. I am working on it right now so I can get it out very soon. :)

I need to know a few things:
Do you already buy GF products like tortillas, bread and bottled sauces like BBQ sauce and soy sauce?

I know Kroger has a good GF selection. Do you all rely on grocery stores or go to Whole Foods and Sprouts type markets?

I want to make sure the menu has easy to find ingredients for you all.

Gluten Free

2011-03-30T13:53:00.000-05:00

Is anyone interested in Gluten Free? I have made a GF April menu that I can send out. Please let me know if this is something you all are interested in.

Quick Tip

2011-03-28T14:11:00.000-05:00

Check out this awesome time saving idea from Renee over at Living, Laughing & Loving. She has found a way to store the slow cooker liner in the zipper bag so all you do is plop it into the slow cooker and turn it on! Brilliant!

Barb

2011-03-28T14:01:00.000-05:00

Are you wondering if Make 5 dinners in 1 hour really works?? Well check out what Barb has to say about her experience over at Mother May I Musings!

Thanks for sharing Barb!

Green Eggs and Ham

2011-03-23T17:13:00.000-05:00

Would you eat them in a box?
Would you eat them with a fox?

These cute green eggs & ham cups may get your kids to eat their spinach!

5 oz box frozen creamed spinach, thawed

12 thin slices deli ham

12 medium eggs (large eggs are too big)

Place one ham slice into each muffin cup.

Scoop a spoon full of thawed spinach into each ham cup.

Crack one egg into each cup and bake in a 375 degree oven for 14-17 minutes or until desired doneness.

You can even scramble the eggs before pouring into ham cups if you prefer.

Serve with fruit of choice.

I was feeling extra silly when I put this plate together. :)

Jen

2011-03-18T17:26:00.000-05:00

I just love to hear stories about how my plan helps others. Check out Jen's story here on her blog! And those cutie patootie kiddos of hers. :)

Panko Crumbs

2011-03-14T16:49:00.000-05:00

I know some of you are not familiar with Panko bread crumbs. I have found them on the Asian food isle of the grocery store near the soy sauce. Sometimes you can find them with plain bread crumbs. I shop at Kroger, Alberstons and WalMart and have found them at all 3 of those stores. I am in Texas.

I like the Panko because they keep food crunchy when baked unlike plain bread crumbs that are only crunchy if you fry them.

Please comment and let us know where you find Panko in your region.

BBQ Chicken

2011-03-12T10:24:00.000-06:00

Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken Dinner

5 boneless chicken breasts

1 C. bottled BBQ sauce

2 T brown sugar

1 T Worcestershire sauce

5 mini corn cobs

foil

Mix all ingredients in large zipper bag. Zip and squish around to mix.

Wrap each corn cob in foil. Dab with butter first if desired.

Pour chicken mixture into slow cooker.

Cover with foil and lay corn cobs over foil. Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours.

Serve with canned baked beans if desired. You can also shred the chicken for sandwiches.

Need containers?

2011-03-10T11:03:00.000-06:00

WalMart online is has a great deal on storage containers.

Check out the WalMart site for more information.

These are perfect for storing prepped meals.

Steak on Tuesday

2011-03-08T18:53:00.002-06:00

Steak dinner on a Tuesday in just 12 minutes.....yes, please!

Broiled Steak Bites

2 1/2-3 lbs sirloin steak (remember to buy in bulk when on sale. I paid $7.45 for 2 1/2 lbs)
1/4 C. worcestershire sauce
1/2 C. Italian salad dressing
1 T Montreal steak seasoning
1/2 C. bottled BBQ sauce

5 large baking potatoes
Steamer veggie of choice

Assembly directions-
Slice steak into strips about 1 inch thick and place in large zipper bag.
Add next 4 ingredients to steak. Zip and squish around to mix.

Wrap each potato in foil and store in refrigerator.

When ready to cook-
Place potatoes in slow cooker and cook on low 4-6 hours.

Place steak strips on foil lined baking sheet sprayed with non stick spray. Disguard marinade.
Broil 8-10 minutes then flip steak strips and broil another 2-4 minutes or until desired doneness.

Cook steamer veggie as directed on package. Serve baked potatoes with butter, sour cream and cheese (or your favorite toppings)

I roasted the asparagus in the oven on the lower rack while the steak broiled. Just tossed it in some olive oil, salt & pepper. As easy as steamers!! :)

A note from Holly

2011-03-06T08:41:00.000-06:00

I just received this in my inbox. Holly would like to share her thoughts about Make 5 dinners in 1 hour.

I'm so excited about my meals for this coming week. Let me explain. My family is picky. Very picky. Everyone I know takes pity on me when they hear the horror stories of the nightly battles I have to face with all of them, including my husband. I, admittedly, am not a great cook so that does not help matters. When I discovered Michelle's plan for five meals in one hour, I was ready to try anything to give me some kind of boost of confidence. I subscribed and have used many of her menus and recipes. I enjoy the assembly process because it is quick and efficient but I especially love to have a fridge full of meals ready to cook.

To be honest, not all of her meals satisfy my picky eaters. However, some of them do and that's a huge step forward for me. What I have done is have my family rate each meal as we eat them. Then I cut out the meals that my family will eat and save them to cook again. The reason I am so excited about this coming week is that I have put together five of Michelle's meals that I know my family will enjoy. I practically danced down the isles of the grocery store as I imagined first, my fridge full with meals ready, and second, my picky eaters eating them!

Holly

Thanks for sharing Holly! I am so happy your family is enjoying the meals and it is making dinner easier for you! :)

Packaged Foods

2011-02-28T12:52:00.000-06:00

I get by with a little help from my friends.......
packaged meal helpers that is.

I am often asked if my menus include packaged foods. The answer is yes, they do. I am not sure if anyone without magical powers could make 5 dinners from scratch in just one hour.

Before you turn your nose up, let me explain.....

A few of my favorite packaged foods are....
Frozen chopped onions. No tears and they actually cost less than a full onion. The only ingredient in this package. ONIONS!

Most canned fruits contain the fruit and natural juices. Be sure to read the labels. You can always substitute with frozen fruit.
Steamers mashed potatoes- do have a preservative but the steamers sweet potatoes do not and they are much healthier than white potatoes. When a recipe calls for Steamers mashed potatoes you can always use the sweet potatoes if you are avoiding preservatives.

Steamers vegetables- I only buy these on sale and I buy tons of them. The only ingredient in the bag is the vegetable unless you get the kind in sauce. Albertsons and Kroger often have them for $1.00 a bag. The fresh are more expensive and so is the bulk frozen bag.

fresh $1.88 lb or .12 per oz

Bulk bag $5.98 for 3 lbs or .12 per oz

Steamers bag $1.00 for 14 oz or .07 per oz

Most of the menus will have ingredients like soy sauce, brown sugar, ketchup, mustard, canned pineapple, Worcestershire sauce, jarred spaghetti sauce, canned diced tomatoes, etc. These are all considered packaged foods and most can be found in a healthy and even organic version at the local grocery store. Sometimes a recipe will call for a canned cream soup which they do sell in healthier versions.

We try to eat as "clean" as possible but clean eating does not mean you cannot eat from a package. I read labels and try to buy organic when I can.

Another question I am often asked is how much I spend weekly on the 5 meals. This question is not exactly black and white. Depending on where you shop and prices in your area, it can range from $50-$75

I am a bargain shopper and use coupons! I have a stockpile of items I buy when they are on sale. My weekly average is around $35-$40 for all 5 meals. There have even been weeks when all I had to buy was the meat because I had everything else on hand from buying during a sale. Watch those meat sales too. If you really want to save then stock up during a meat sale and freeze it.

My new friend Angela aka The Grocery Shrink has tons of great money saving tips and recipes on her blog and in her ebook. Check it out. I am learning so much from her. She is a pro!

Winners

2011-02-27T16:55:00.001-06:00

And the winners are.....

Amber

Randi

Vanessa

Kelly

Rhiannon

Congrats! Watch your inbox for emails from Toni for your addresses. Thank you for participating in the giveaway!

Crispy Pork Chops

2011-02-25T12:50:00.001-06:00

These are so good I wish I would have made double!

1 1/2 C. Panko bread crumbs
3 T Dijon mustard
5 boneless pork loin chops (or bone in of your choice, this is just what we like)

Pour Panko crumbs onto a paper plate.

Brush pork chops with mustard and coat with Panko crumbs.

Place in large storage container with lid. Use wax paper between layers. (if making ahead)

To cook:

I made steamers broccoli in cheese sauce and steamers mashed potatoes to go along with it. YUM!

Place pork chops on foil lined baking

sheet.

Bake 425 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until pork is cooked through.

Shaklee Giveaway

2011-02-24T11:35:00.000-06:00

I am Cleaning Green with A Bowl Full of Lemons and so can You!

My new friend Toni over at A Bowl Full of Lemons introduced me to Shaklee products. She was so kind to send me an awesome package of Shaklee Basic H2 super concentrated cleaning solution and spray bottles.

I am so excited about this product because I am trying to eliminate as many toxins from our home as I can. I have seen "clean" cleaning products but never really thought they were affordable. I made my own window cleaner with rubbing alcohol and vinegar. It works but the smell can take over the house. That can't be good for us to breath in.

My package from Toni included a bottle of Shaklee Basic H2 and 3 spray bottles for Windows, All purpose Cleaner and Degreaser. This one bottle of H2 is super concentrated and will probably last me a long time. And get this......the 16 oz bottle will make 48 gallons!!!

These are not just any spray bottles. They have the directions right on them so you do not have to remember any special formulas. I also like that my kids and husband can figure out which cleaner to use without asking me. Not that they ever clean but just in case. :)

Yep, you read it right, only 2 drops of the H2 in the window cleaner. I quickly tested this cleaner because, well my homemade stinky alcohol/vinegar window cleaner really works good even though it stinks. I did not think there was any way that 2 drops in that 16 oz bottle would get anything clean. I was wrong! I cleaned half of my big mirror in my living room with the Shaklee and asked my husband which side was cleaner (he did not see me clean with the Shaklee) and by far the Shaklee was clearer and brighter. I had no idea my stinky cleaner was streaking. I also put it to the big test of cleaning my laminate floors. I am telling you, NOTHING gets these floors clean without streaking.....until NOW!

I put the degreaser to the test on my slow cooker that sometimes gets all spattered with grease and grime.

I sprayed the degreaser and let it set for a minute or two.

That was cooked on grease and it came right off!!

It even worked on my white fridge handles that I can never seem to get clean.

I went to town on my baseboards with the All Purpose Cleaner. I use that one for the counters and my white cabinets which seem to attract EVERYTHING.

Gross, I know.

So much better after I used the All Purpose Cleaner. These cabinets are painted and it did not harm the paint at all.

Toni is offering a free sample of the Basic H2 to 5 of you!!

To enter:
*leave a comment telling me what Shaklee product most interests you AND
*your email (put some spaces in there so you don't get spammed).
*only one entry per person
*Open to US & Canada residents

Giveaway is open until Sunday, February 27th. Winners will be chosen by Random.org. Good Luck!

I am so excited to now have a cleaning solution that is free of harmful chemicals. Thank you, Toni!

You can read more about The H2 and other Shaklee products on Toni's blog.

Jennifer H

2011-02-18T08:20:00.000-06:00

Here is a sweet email I got from a subscriber, Jennifer.

I just finished my first week of your menus and LOVED it. They were so easy to put together and cook. And this was the first weekend the family had home cooked meals everyday! No eating out, no takeout, no pizza! I could not wait to head to the store and get the items for week two! And I feel like we are getting a variety of foods too – Healthy food – And it was so easy to put together on a busy weeknight!

Thanks so much~~Keep up the great work

Jennifer H.

PS - Since having a plan to cook at home - I have lost 14lbs since Jan 1st (I am following weight watchers and just buy the low fat/fat free versions of some things but since most of your recipes include veggies and fruit and lean meats it has been really easy!)

Jennifer's food on the counter after 1 hour prep time.

Looks like all her meals fit on one shelf too. :)

Thanks so much for sharing Jennifer!

I have had several people ask if I offer low fat versions of my menu but as you can see by Jennifer's testimonial, most recipes are easily adaptable to lower fat version if they are not already.

Cobb Salad

2011-02-16T17:35:00.000-06:00

Cooking at home saves money and can still be FUN!

We really like the Cobb salad at Chili's but it is $8.79 plus tax and tip and serves one person. I gave myself a challenge to see if I can make one as good as Chili's that can feed all 5 of us and for less money.

Here are my ingredients-

1/2 lb bacon                 $1.50
1 head Romaine lettuce $1.99
4 eggs                              .25
4 chicken breasts        $3.00
2 avocados                $1.38
ranch dressing                 .25 (we always have it on hand though)

Total:                           $8.91

I used a big platter to serve it on. You know the kind you only use for parties?? Something about food that looks good always seems to taste better. LOL!
It was good and I am really excited to know I can feed all 5 of us the Chili's Cobb Salad for only $8.91.

and the winner is

2011-02-12T10:00:00.000-06:00

Winner of the Clean Mama Gift Certificate....

Sara said...

I would use the EVERYTHING Kit the most! I did the Jan Cleaning Month with Clean Mama and saw how helpful her stuff could be!

February 9, 2011 5:36 PM

Sara, for some reason I do not have your email on your entry. Send me an email so I can send it to Becky at Clean Mama! :)

Calling all Subscribers

2011-02-10T12:00:00.000-06:00

I am looking for users of my "Make 5 dinners in 1 hour" plan to share their cooking stories. If you are using my plan and would like to share how it has helped you, please send me an email at fivedinners1hour (at) yahoo.com. I would like to see stories that have pictures so start taking pictures of your happily fed family, your fridge stuffed with meals ready to heat and eat, your kids helping you cook, etc.

I would like to feature one story each week here on the blog.

Happy Cooking!

A Giveaway

2011-02-09T11:17:00.000-06:00

Clean Mama blog has offered a giveaway to my readers, that is YOU!

I just started using her forms and LOVE them! I am not organized when it comes to cleaning and these keep me on track.

Clean Mama Printables is an Etsy shop started by work-at-home mom, Becky that keeps it "all" together with a cup of strong coffee and a checklist. She's a former art teacher with a flair for graphic design. After making her own personal printables for years, she decided to open up an Etsy shop last March to showcase a different type of printable. Her printables focus on homekeeping, organizing and all things clean. Buy them to organize your life and make things a little bit simpler (and cuter).

Becky has put together Kits to make everyday tasks a little more fun: The Busy Mama Homekeeping Kit (18 documents), is a complete kit to keep your homekeeping manageable and on-track. The Busy Mama Kit is designed in fun fonts and colors and is meant to be used month after month, year after year. It has documents that every homekeeping binder needs - a variety of lists, perpetual calendars, a deep cleaning checklist, a medical information sheet, daily and weekly planner pages...

The Cleaning Kit (her bestseller and my favorite!), lists a combination of all the tasks that should be done in homes in an attractive, easy to use format that will work beautifully for you and your busy family. The lists are designed to be used together - one for rotating tasks to do year round and one for weekly tasks.

The Organized Kitchen Label Kit is 11 documents in an easy to use, print and label format - the ideas are endless. Get ready to label your entire kitchen - canisters, spice jars, dry storage containers - and with plenty blank labels, you can label other things in your home as well. You can print the labels on clear label sheets, vinyl, white sticker paper, colored paper, printed scrapbook paper......

The Everything Kit bundles 4 of her best-selling kits (31 documents) - The Busy Mama Kit, The Cleaning Kit, The Vertical Weekly Docket, The Meal Planning Kit, and the Christmas Planning Kit (the Christmas Planning Kit can be switched out for any other kit with 5 or less documents). This kit is perfect for someone just getting a homekeeping notebook started.

One of Becky's newest printables is The Resolution Kit. This kit helps you start the New Year off right and tackle your resolutions once and for all. The Resolution Kit bundles three separate kits together - The Cleaning Kit, The Bill Pay and Budget Kit and the Weight Loss and Fitness Kit. Try this attractive and simple method of tracking your bills and payments, cleaning and housekeeping and fitness to stay on track.

In addition to the printable kits, she also carries individual documents. All printables are in PDF file format so once your order is finalized, you can print the digital files as many times as you like for your own personal use. Becky can create a document just for you - she loves special orders, so if you have something in mind but don't see it, just ask!

Here's a list of all the printables in the Clean Mama Printables Etsy Shop:

February Cleaning Schedule

The Blogging Kit

The Grocery Shopping Kit

The Everything Kit

The Resolution Kit

Busy Mama Kit

Pick 5 Kit (from the Busy Mama Kit)

Cleaning Kit

Fitness and Weight Loss Kit

Bill Pay and Budget Kit

The Organized Kitchen Label Kit

Vacation Planning Kit

Meal Planning Kit

Weekly Docket

Horizontal Weekly Docket

Christmas Planning Kit

Clean Mama Printables is giving away a $50 Gift Certificate! To enter this giveaway, leave a comment at the bottom of this post and tell us what Clean Mama product you would use the most! A winner will be chosen by random.org on Saturday, February 12th.

As an extra special treat, Clean Mama Printables (here) is offering all 5 Dinners One Hour readers 20% off your entire order through February 16th! Just use the coupon code 205DINNERS at checkout!

Becky can also be found blogging at Clean Mama - where she blogs about all things clean and organized and other homey things in between.

Good Luck!

Sweet & Sour Meatballs

2011-02-09T10:12:00.000-06:00

Slow Cooked Sweet & Sour Meatballs

1 large green bell pepper

1 20 oz can pineapple chunks

3 T vinegar

1 T soy sauce

½ C. brown sugar

3 T cornstarch

1 lb frozen meatballs

Chop bell pepper into bite size pieces and place in large zipper bag.
Pour pineapple chunks into bag with pepper. (I only had a can of crushed and it still came out great....use what you have)

Mix next 5 ingredients in small bowl and pour over pineapple and pepper.

I use my measuring cup and spoon so there is less to clean up.

To cook:
Pour meatballs into slow cooker. Pour pineapple mixture over meatballs and mix.
Cook on low 4 hours. Serve over rice. Sorry my finger made an appearance in this picture. :)

For a healthier version use Turkey meatballs and fresh or frozen pineapple chunks.

Good Read

2011-02-08T14:05:00.002-06:00

Check out this good read I saw on HERE on Yahoo today. Lots of great tips to keep food fresh longer.

Newbies

2011-02-04T10:55:00.000-06:00

If you are new to Make 5 dinners, here is a snapshot of what a menu looks like.

The menus are very easy to follow and all of them come with a detailed grocery list and kitchen tool list. All the hard work is done for you!

BBQ Tacos

2011-01-31T13:01:00.001-06:00

BBQ Chicken Tacos!

Here is the make ahead version-

2 plum tomatoes

3 C. shredded cooked chicken

1/3 C. barbecue sauce

Chop tomatoes into bite size pieces and add large storage container.

Add next 2 ingredients to tomatoes in large storage container.

(I like to seed my tomatoes so they are not so wet)

To serve-

10 taco size flour tortillas

Warm chicken in microwave until heated through.

Serve with shredded lettuce, sour cream, cheese and squeeze of lime (optional).

Serve with corn or Mexicorn, extra BBQ sauce and baked beans OR that new frozen corn/black bean/tomato blend I found in the freezer section.

Make several batches and freeze. You can freeze the chicken, tortillas, shredded cheese all separately for an easy weekend lunch.

Frozen helpers

2011-01-24T13:44:00.000-06:00

Look what I found in the frozen vegetable section today!

I can't wait to use this in a vegetable soup!

Oh and we know how I love black beans and corn!!

Slow Cooked Steak Soup

2011-01-24T13:37:00.000-06:00

1 lb boneless round steak
1 jar/can chunky vegetable spaghetti sauce
1/2 package frozen cheese filled ravioli
2 1/2 cups water
Parmesan cheese

Cut steak into bite size pieces and bag in zipper bag (if making ahead) or place in slow cooker.
Almost any steak will work. Get what is on sale! I used Eye of Round steak, it was on mark down that day.

Add spaghetti sauce and water. Cook on low 8 hours. I use Hunts in a can. I can get it for $1.00 at WalMart.

Add frozen ravioli the last 45 minutes of cooking. This soup is really good. It is reminds me of a beef stew.

Serve with Parmesan cheese if desired.

Saving time & money

2011-01-20T09:55:00.000-06:00

I am not sure how many of you use coupons but I thought I would share some of my favorite sites that help me save TONS of money at the grocery store. Because I use coupons and stockpile products when they are a great price, my shopping list for a typical cooking hour is minimal.

Here are my favorites that I read DAILY!

If you are like me then you dread going to the grocery store every week. An easy way to make your weekly grocery trips even easier is to buy all the non perishable items for the whole month on your first shopping trip of the month. Just like cooking once, shopping once may take a few minutes longer on the first trip but will save you time later in the month. You are already there, you might as well get as much as you can so all you have left is a quick stop for the perishable items you need each week. You can freeze meats & cheeses so get those on that first trip too, especially if they are on sale.

Don't forget your can freeze those lunch sandwiches too.

Orange Chipotle Shrimp

2011-01-18T14:54:00.000-06:00

Orange Chipotle Shrimp & Steamed Rice

1/4 C. orange marmalade
1 T chopped chipotle in adobo
1 1/2 lb raw peeled shrimp (tails on ok. I used 41-60 ct shrimp. You can use any size)

You can find chipotle in adobo on the Mexican food isle. Freeze the leftovers in a zipper bag. Be careful, this stuff is SPICY!

Mix first 2 ingredients and store in small container with lid.
Rinse shrimp and store in large zipper bag.

2 T Italian salad dressing
2 bags steamers rice
2 bags steamers broccoli

To cook:
Pour 2 T Italian salad dressing in skillet over medium/high heat. Add shrimp and cook until pink. Add orange chipotle sauce and mix well. Remove from heat.

Pour any extra sauce over the broccoli for extra flavor. The shrimp cooked in just 6 minutes!

Southwest Taco Salad

2011-01-15T15:16:00.000-06:00

Still keeping it light with this super easy and healthy Southwest Taco Salad!

2 bags salad greens or 1 large head of romaine/green leaf lettuce
2 cans black beans
1 can whole kernel corn

1/2 C. salsa
2 avocados
1 C. crushed tortilla chips
Ranch dressing

Drain and rinse black beans and corn.
Pour lettuce into extra large container with lid.
Top with beans and corn. Cover

To serve:
Chop avocado. Serve salad topped with avocado, salsa, crushed chips and ranch dressing.

Tip: We also love Catalina dressing on our taco salad instead of ranch.

Use fat free dressing and you have a super low calorie dinner!

Greek Chicken

2011-01-10T13:42:00.000-06:00

Another easy & light recipe.

Greek Chicken

12 chicken tenderloins
2 T olive oil
salt & pepper to taste

Add chicken and next 2 ingredients to large zipper bag. Zip and squish around to coat.

1 pint cherry tomatoes
1 C. black olives
4 oz feta cheese

Slice tomatoes in half and add to bowl with next 2 ingredients.

To cook:
Grill chicken on indoor grill or in skillet until done. Top with tomato mixture and serve with a salad.

I made a light dressing with olive oil, lemon juice and salt& pepper.

Jerky Turkey

2011-01-05T17:02:00.000-06:00

Jerky Turkey Burgers

5 Turkey burger patties (I love the Jenni-O brand)
1 t jerk seasoning
1 can pineapple slices
lettuce
buns (optional)
1 package of frozen sweet potato fries.

Grill pineapple rings on indoor grill or skillet until warm.

Sprinkle jerk seasoning on burger patties. Careful this can be spicy. Grill.

Cook fries in oven per package directions. Make sure to spray pan with nonstick spray.

Chicken Lettuce Wraps

2011-01-01T12:49:00.000-06:00

Chicken lettuce wraps with easy Asian rice.

A light meal to enjoy after all the heavy holiday meals. :)

1 deli roasted chicken

1 red bell pepper (optional)

1/4 C. water chestnuts

1/4 C. Hoison sauce (found in the Asian isle)

3 green onions

sauce

4 T soy sauce

2 t sesame oil

2 t minced ginger

2 t minced garlic

8-12 lettuce leaves

2 bags steamers rice/peas/carrots blend

Heat rice in microwave according to package directions.

Shred chicken and dice bell pepper, green onion & water chestnuts.

Mix next 4 sauce ingredients in a medium bowl. Pour 1/2 on chicken mixture and 1/2 over rice mixture.

If making ahead, store in containers with lids.

To serve: warm rice in microwave. Scoop chicken mixture (can be served warm or cold) onto lettuce leaves.

Serve with fortune cookies.

Happy New Year!

January Menu

2010-12-27T13:07:00.000-06:00

Subscribers:
Watch your inbox on Thursday for the January Menu. If for any reason you do not receive your menu, please email me right away so I can get it to you.
I hope you all had a wonderful holiday!

Busy Busy

2010-12-22T15:43:00.000-06:00

Let the festivities begin......but we still need to eat!

Our holiday festivities/activities begin tomorrow. Thank goodness I have dinners already prepped and ready to heat and eat. I just made 22 mini sub sandwiches for quick lunches or snacks.

1 6ct package of sub sandwich rolls
1 lb deli meat ( I used chicken)
1 package of sliced provolone cheese
lettuce

Slice the sub rolls in half and start an assembly line of sandwich making.

Slice into 3 smaller sandwiches.

I wrapped mine in sandwich baggies and piled all 22 of them in a big bowl to store in the refrigerator.

If you have company staying at your house for the holidays this could really come in handy and at a fraction of the cost of a deli tray.

You could easily make ahead pancakes and sausage for a quick breakfast too. Just stack the pancakes between wax paper to keep from sticking.

Less time in the kitchen = more time for Holiday FUN! :)

Happy Holidays Everyone!

Ham & Cheese Cups

2010-12-16T14:12:00.002-06:00

You can easily make these little sandwiches any variety you would like.

Ham & Swiss Cups with Homemade Creamy Tomato Soup!

12 ct. muffin tin
12 slices of bread
1/2 lb deli ham
3 slices of cheese

flatten each bread slice with hand and cut in half

Place 2 sliced in muffin cup in an "X" pattern.

Press to fit.

Tear ham into pieces and fill each cup evenly.

Cut each cheese slice into 4 pieces.

Top each cup with slice of cheese.

Cover with plastic wrap until ready to cook.

Bake uncovered in 450 degree oven for 12-15 minutes.

Creamy Tomato Soup

2- 14 oz cans chicken broth chicken broth

28 oz can crushed tomatoes

Salt & Pepper to taste

1 1/2 t dried basil

1 C. heavy cream

Mix first 4 ingredients in large container with lid. (if making ahead)

To cook:

Heat soup to a boil in saucepan over med/high heat. Stir in heavy cream and simmer 15 minutes. Puree soup in blender if desired or use a hand blender.

Serve with Ham & Swiss Cups.

This is a fun dinner that takes only 15 minutes on a busy weeknight.

BBQ Cornbread

2010-12-13T14:08:00.000-06:00

This is a "make it fast, cook it slow" kind of Monday!

Slow Cooked BBQ Beef Cornbread Casserole

2 lbs stew meat (yes, stew meat....trust me on this)
1 C. frozen bell peppers & onions
10 oz can corn, drained
1/2 C. BBQ sauce
14 oz can diced tomatoes

Mix first 5 ingredients in large zipper bag. Zip and squish around to mix.

2- 8oz boxes corn muffin/bread mix (I use Jiffy)
2 eggs
2/3 C. milk

Mix last 3 ingredients in small container with lid. Cover.

When ready to cook:
Pour meat mixture into slow cooker.
Pour cornbread mix over top of meat and spread.
Cook on low 6 hours

The cornbread bakes right over the top of the meat. There is more liquid when you first cut into it. This was what was left and after it sat it the liquid sauce absorbed into the cornbread (BTW....it was not soggy at all).

Serve with additional BBQ sauce if desired. So easy and so good!

Make and freeze

2010-12-10T09:11:00.000-06:00

I just love a quick throw together meal I can freeze for fast weekend lunches or dinners.

For some reason quesadillas are a family favoite in our house right now. My kids LOVE the black bean and corn quesadillas found on the free trial week menu and I love that they are so fast and easy to make.

Here is a new recipe for shrimp quesadillas. You can make a triple batch (or even more if you are feeling adventurous) and freeze.

1 lb small cooked shrimp (I found frozen for $4.00 lb at Target)
1 T fajita seasoning (you know, the kind in the packet)
2 C. Monterrey jack cheese

10 taco sized flour tortillas

Mix first 3 ingredients. Store in large freezer zipper bag. Freeze along with a package of tortillas until ready to use.

The fajita seasoning really gives these a good flavor.

To cook: Thaw all ingredients. I like to thaw my shrimp mixture in a colander to drain extra liquid.

Scoop mixture evenly onto tortillas
top with second tortilla or fold in half
brush with canola oil or spray with cooking spray
brown in skillet or bake in oven at 400 degrees for 15 minutes or until golden brown.