One of the beautiful things about a pantry challenge (from 2 weeks ago!) is that you unearth treasures from the depths of your freezer. And one of those treasures for me was a 20 oz. package of chorizo links. (Score!) I knew right away that I could pull off another 'pantry challenge meal' with the chorizo, along with some rice and other goodies in the pantry. Plus a lone … [Read more...]
Andouille Creole Skillet Dinner
Y'all...if I ever write a 'feeding teenage boys on a budget' cookbook or satire in the future, this will be the headline recipe. It's super filling, super delicious, and super budget friendly. Whenever I use a more expensive ingredient, in this case andouille sausage, I work hard to come up with or find a recipe that calls for other inexpensive ingredients to keep it balanced … [Read more...]
Cast Iron Chicken Enchiladas & How to Make Homemade Red Enchilada Sauce
This recipe is featured in the 21 Freezer Cooking Recipes from Costco Meal Plan #5. "Mom, that says my name." "You're right buddy...that does say "T" for Tyler!!!" My sweet 4 year old was outside with me, 'helping' me take the photos of these enchiladas. He took one look inside the pan and got so excited and declared that he can't wait to eat these. (Or the dairy … [Read more...]
Moroccan Homemade Hamburger Helper
The other day, I had a delicious lamb tagine. It was a lovingly made, braised dish that took the chef hours to prepare. Though I generally dislike lamb, the chef used Australian lamb (which is a bit less game) and added enough wonderful Moroccan flavours, that I thoroughly enjoyed the dish. Regardless of how delicious I found it, I knew that it would never appeal to my picky … [Read more...]
Quinoa with Pan Roasted Brussels Sprouts
So this dish I made with the intention of my husband and I eating for lunch. But it could certainly be a main dish in and of itself, or a delicious side dish with some grilled chicken or steaks. The reason I made this as a "lunch dish," is the Brussels sprouts. My kiddos are fantastic eaters, they love most green vegetables, but 2 out of the 3 of them "draw the line" at … [Read more...]
Chicken and Summer Squash Skillet
The inspiration for this recipe is extreme fatigue. My family was craving a home-cooked meal and I really wanted to make them one. I went so far as to plan on making garlic chicken and sauteed squash. But as I started cutting up squash in preparation for dinner, I began to wonder if I could get away with combining the ingredients from the two recipes and quickly cooking the … [Read more...]
Allergy Free Garlic Chicken Skillet
This my friends is a deceptively simple, knock your socks off dinner. It's a new favorite of my husband's and is super simple to make as allergy friendly as you need it to be. Here you see I have it served on pasta but you could just as easily serve it on a bed of brown rice or a gluten free pasta of your choice. Allergy Free Garlic Chicken Skillet A simple … [Read more...]
Sweet Kielbasa Skillet
Winner winner sausage dinner! When I told my husband I was making turkey kielbasa for dinner, he wasn't thrilled. Once he tasted it, he went back 3 times! This is a great basic summertime recipe, because you can add anything from the garden to it. Throw in different veggies each time you make it and it'll never get boring! This can add a little to the cost if you don't have … [Read more...]
Southwest Pasta Skillet
This quick and easy recipe was inspired by mushy salad greens. I had plans to make taco salad and had already started browning the hamburger when I pulled the lettuce out of the refrigerator and discovered it had turned. I didn't have a lot of time to come up with a new dinner plan. I surveyed the cupboards and fridge and decided to use the beans and tomatoes that I was going … [Read more...]
Tomato Eggplant Frittata
As we head into this holiday weekend, I thought I'd leave you with a simple breakfast for dinner recipe. Or it would be perfect for breakfast this weekend, as you hang out with family and friends! This may in fact be the most flavorful frittata that I've ever made. This is not to put a damper on the other frittata recipes featured here or in my Breakfast and Lunch cookbook. … [Read more...]