I'm in a cooking rut...anyone want to join me? It's quite nice down here in the Rut since no one expects much out of me and my kitchen. I can put peanut butter and jelly, bread, and mac and cheese on the table for dinner and no one complains because they all know I'm in the Rut and that's the best they'll get from me. Lately all I have to do is pretend I'm actually opening the spice cabinet and I get applause for being creative. But then they realize I'm only reaching for vitamins, which is surely the only thing keeping us breathing lately.
What? No takers? No one wants to jump in the Rut with me? Then help me claw my way out. Please? Help?
Please post in the comments your go-to recipes, the ones you fall back on that you know your families will devour. Maybe they're just little menus you put together for easy dinners. Crockpot recipes, too! I love my crockpot but it has been neglected of late, along with my pots, pans and three drawers of utensils.
And what simple dessert ideas do you have? I don't need a chocolate cake hanging around for days (or hours, who are we kidding) but it would be nice to serve something twice a week or so that isn't a cookie. My fingers are getting blisters from opening those packages.
In addition to trying your ideas, I will be visiting sites like All Recipes and A Year of Crockpotting as well.
Thanks guys. My boys thank you, Pete thanks you (and will probably pay you).
10 comments:
I wrote about this exact thing on my blog last week, although you did a much better job than I did. Anyway, here's my go-to recipe:
Taco Soup
1 lb hamburger
1 pkg taco seasoning
2 cans kidney beans, drained
1 can black beans, drained
1 can corn, drained
1 large can (46 oz) tomato juice
Brown the hamburger. Drain grease, then add taco seasoning and water amount on the back of the package. Let simmer 5 minutes. Then dump all of the ingredients into a large pot or a crock pot and simmer. (1 hour in a large pot, all day in a crock pot) Serve with sour cream, cheddar cheese, and tortilla chips.
P.S. I don't know you, but I love your blog!
http://mommamary.blogspot.com/search/label/recipes
That is the link -- I have a GREAT dilled grilled Salmon recipe (my neighbor says it works great in the oven too), and an easy-peasy banana pie recipe (use a pre-made graham cracker crust). I have been cooking a lot more lately. Maybe I'll start posting our family favorite recipes since I've been uninspired lately!
these are some of my favorites...do not be fooled if they seem obscure/difficult - they are neither!
Chicken Sauteed with Apples:
http://food.realsimple.com/realsimple/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1116466
Spicy Coconut Noodles:
http://food.realsimple.com/realsimple/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1167909
(I did leave out the bean sprouts and scallions on this one)
And here's an easy fruit cobbler that is AWESOME...
Fill a baking pan with and combination of frozen fruit (I like to just use strawberries - berries are definitely best for this if you want fast and easy).
Top it with dry yellow cake mix until it covers fruit.
Top the cake mix with small slices of butter until it covers most all of the mix.
Bake at 350 until topping starts to brown. Let me know if you try any of these!
PS- How's Harry Potter coming? I just re-read book 6 and 7. You have GOT to finish, if only to read book 7. It's incredible and I'm mourning the fact that it is over by watching all 5 movies tonight and tomorrow while the tropical storm hits NYC.
We do fish tacos for an easy meal. My girls even it eat- Sammy said "This is the best chicken I've ever had in my life."
Here goes:
Mix sour cream, lime juice and fresh cilantro as far in advance and you think about it. put in fridge and leave there until dinner time.
Marinade Tilapia in olive oil, lime and/or lemon juice, salt pepper, cumin and chili powder- put in fridge for 8 or 2 or 1 hours 30 or 15 minutes- what ever you have time for.
Grill fish on a grill pan or skillet for about 4 minutes per side then crumble up and serve on warm corn tortillas with the sour cream, raw cabbage, onions, avacadoes, tomatoes, cheese. I usually do a can of refried beans and "taco rice" (the 7 minute kind) as well for the kids.
I'll be watching these comments we keep doing the same old same old as well.
Moira
Thanks for all these ideas so far! I'm planning to try a few and post about them later. Keep 'em coming!
Easy Crockpot Chicken for Tacos
3-4 chicken breasts
1 pkg. taco seasoning
1 can chicken broth
Put all three in a crockpot and cook on low all day.
The chicken comes out so tender you can shred it with a fork. Then you just put it in any kind of taco shell (hard, soft, corn, flour) with toppings like cheese, lettuce, picante, etc.
I like to make extra chicken and freeze it for another day.
jw
Well, jw beat me to it! I was going to suggest her taco chicken crockpot wonder. She made it for us one day and the kids loved it, so easy. I love using the crockpot.
Anyway, please, somebody else must try this recipe: Red Velvet Cake Balls. Here's the website with a mouth-watering picture:
http://bakerella.blogspot.com/2007/12/red-velvet-cake-balls.html?showComment=1202868060000
I tried these last week and somehow missed the part where it says to make them quarter size. I made mine golf-ball size. I ate one and thought I could never eat dessert again because they were so rich! At any rate, it's not a cookie, it's not a cake, it's bitesized if you read the directions (ahem), and they do freeze well. (Yes, I had leftovers, they are that rich.) And they were fun to make.
i made cake balls last week! used chocolate cake, white frosting with sprinkles and white chocolate coating. you're not kidding about them being rich.
but someone has got to come up with a new name for them. my roommates were not so excited when i asked if they wanted some cake balls (until they tasted them, that is).
They've given you some great ideas. I make the taco soup but I use chicken and also add mushrooms.
How about Cola Chicken- several boneless chicken breasts cut up, brown then in your skillet, add a can of soda (I've used Diet Coke and Diet Dr. Pepper) and one cup of catchup. I usually add salt, pepper and garlic powder too. Then let it simmer for about 10 min or so.
My boys love it!!!
Brittany,
Let's do come up with a new name for the cake balls. They are worth trying again. I'll bet yours were very pretty.
Aunt MlS
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