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The recipes are set up the way they are to keep the meals nutritious as well as easy to prepare.  So by you changing it takes away the benefit of it being a quick easy meal.  What should have taken 30 minutes or less, now has taken over an hour.  You have lost time with your family or those precious extra minutes to yourself.  So follow the given recipe and experiment on it later when you find some extra time…which we all know is quite rare. 

With that being said, I have jotted down some recipes that I use quite regularly with my family.  Because my time with them is more valuable than standing in a kitchen cooking while they are talking with each other about their day and I only catch little of the conversations. 

Jambalaya From a Box

Sometimes I want something with a little spice but not too complicated to cook. Zataran’s makes Jambalaya in a box that works great for a quick easy meal. But being Southern, we always like to add our own flare to any recipe. This is no exception. So below you will find my extra add ins to this already simple meal.

Ingredients:

1. 1 Box of Zataran’s Jambalaya mix
2. 16 oz can of stewed tomatoes
3. 1 medium onion chopped
4. A 1/2 cup of parboiled rice
5. A packet of chili seasoning
6. 16 oz can of black beans
7. 1 8 oz jar of medium salsa and a cup of water
8. 2 lbs of meat, your choice. Hamburger, steak, chicken or shrimp.

Now comes the fun part. Brown your meat in a sauce pan. If you are cooking for one or two people, then after the meat is browned add all the other ingredients to the pan. Follow the instruction of the box mix. Add an additional 5 -8 minutes for the added rice. However, if you a using whole recipe, then after meat is browned, transfer to a 5-8 qt pot and follow instruction on box, but adding an additional 5-8 minutes for added rice.

Pasta Salad – Quick easy meals 

I make this all the time.  It is one of my comfort meals.  So easy and adjustable.  You can add just about anything you want to it and make it work for your tastes. 

Ingredients:

1. Use 1-box of your favorite pasta – Adjust portions to the amount of people you are feeding. 
2. 1 or 2- can(s) of beans – black beans, red kidney beans, pintos 
3. This is optional but I like them – 1 – jar of olives – black or green – your choice
4. For just a bit of spice – 1 – can of Rotella’s diced tomatoes with green onions
5. 1 – 16 or 32 oz bottle of zesty Italian salad dressing 
6. Meat adds your protein for healthy meal planning.  Add one of these to your dish – 1 lbs of diced cooked chicken or any type of meat you want to use, shrimp, beef, bacon, ham, pepperoni
7. 1 serving of grape tomatoes
8. 1/2 cup of seedless grapes
9. 1/2 chopped nuts
10. 1 cup of each steamed – broccoli florets, diced carrots, sweet peas
11. 2 – cucumbers diced
12. 1/2 cup – chopped onion, bell pepper

Don’t forget this!!! Makes your quick easy meals very tasty!!

1 1/2 cups of white wine – used to marinate noodles and chicken – I use Big Ripper from my wine club – makes the food tastes delicious!!!

salt and pepper to taste

1 cup of shredded cheese

Dry chives to accent and flavor

Directions: 

Boil the chicken in water and add 1/2 cup of white wine until done.  Dice or shred chicken. Meantime, cook pasta according to directions on the packaging substituting 1 cup of the water for 1 full cup of white wine.  When finished drain and run under cool water to reduce the heat.  Set aside to cool completely.  In a separate microwavable dish, add broccoli, carrots, beans, peas, and drained Rotella diced tomatoes.  Microwave for 2 minutes. Remove and set aside. 

In a large bowl, add diced onions, your choice meat, peppers, cucumbers, grape tomatoes, nuts, diced seedless grapes, and olives. Stir.   Add pasta and mix.  Then add the steamed bowl of veggies to the mix and stir.  Next, add the Zesty Italian dressing and toss until coated with Salt and pepper to taste.  Serve on a cool plate.  Garnish with shredded cheese, bacon bits and dried chives.  Pair this dish with a great red wine or Lazy Lab Rose. 

Total prep time about 30 minutes. 

CROCK POT RECIPES 

Sometimes you do have extra time for cooking.  Then there are those times where you know your schedule does not allow for any extra time to do much of any thing.  Those are the times a good crock pot recipe comes in handy, along with a good crock pot.  

 

The night before I get all my ingredients together and place them in the frig.  Then the next morning, I include prep and fill with my morning routine.  One of my favorite recipes for a crock pot is chili bean stew.  A little variation of chili beans.  The good thing about this recipe is that it can be frozen for later meals or refrigerated for a couple of days to enjoy.  Left overs also works well as a topping for stuffed baked potatoes.  I call it mexican baked potatoes.  No baking involved with potato.  MICROWAVE your potatoes.  Five to six minutes for an average size potato.  Depending on your microwave wattage, you may need to adjust the time. 

 

 

CHILI BEAN STEW RECIPE – QUICK EASY MEALS

This is one of my family favorites.  Goes great while watching football or after playing in the snow. 

INGREDIENTS: 

• 2 pounds of hamburger meat.  You can chose which meat you want to add.
• 1 package of smoked sausage links
• 1 whole chopped onion
• 4 whole chopped bell peppers- 1 red, 1 yellow, 1 red and 1 green
• 2 cans of stewed tomatoes
• 1 small jalapeno pepper – optional for spicy flavor
• 3 cans of beans – 1 black bean, 1 kidney bean, 1 pinto bean or 1 bag of your favorite dried beans.  If using dried beans, let them soak over night in cold water.  This helps release the gas within the bean. 
• 4 good sized potatoes
• 2 cans of corn
• 1 bag of baby carrots
• 2 celery stalks
• 1 cup of red wine – not sweet
• 3 tablespoons of chili powder or to taste
• 1 tablespoon of brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon of crushed red peppers – if you opt not to use Jalapenos. 
• salt and pepper to taste 
• water to cover

This is already making my mouth water!!! I hope it gets cold enough to cook this soon.

DIRECTIONS: 

Here is the easy part of this.  You will get all this together the night before.  Put your meat in the frig, chop up your veggies and place in baggie or container.  Then in the morning, dump everything into your crock pot, add red wine and dry ingredients.  Stir.  Then fill with water.

It is that simple!!! If you are working a full day set on medium and go.  If you use dry beans, set on high.  This usually will take about 8 hours to cook in a crock pot.  If you use canned beans, use the medium or low setting as they will not as long to cook.  

You can also use this recipe and cook in a regular stew pot on the stove.  Use low to medium heat and stir occasionally to keep the tomatoes from sticking.  

Saltines or cornbread along with a great red wine pairs really well with this meal.  So enjoy!!

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ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS TO COOKING – HAVE MEAL DELIVERED

With time seeming to slip away from us so quickly, the more we can save the better.  Staying out of the kitchen to be able to spend time with our family or just relax and have some downtime.  There are several companies out there who will deliver full meals to your door.