Dinner in a Pinch

Get your Crock Pot Ready, this was one I found on Pinterest, I made some changes, because I don't use "Cream of" anything, I think its always good to have Stock or Broth of all kinds on hand, even Bullion Cubes.

Set it and Forget it !!!

What you will need to get started:

Crock Pot

3 Large Diced Potatoes, I use Yukon Gold 

1 pkg frozen mixed vegetables

1-2 pkgs Smoked sausage or Kielbasa

2 cans Vegetable Broth 

1 can Chicken Broth 

Tbsp Crushed Garlic

3 good shakes Vegetable seasoning

Instructions

Dice potatoes add to crock pot

slice sausage and add to crock pot

add all remaining ingredients 

cook on low for 6 hours 

You can brown the sausage first, even if you have some time sautee it with some onion and bell pepper before adding it to the crock pot, then add to the crock pot and let cook.

Yes the recipe says 6 hours, I just ask someone who gets home before me to stir it and turn it to the "warm" setting.

Now this is a complete meal, so add a nice green salad to go with it, make your own Vinaigrette, add some feta or blue cheese crumbles and a nice glass of water, or wine, if you really have to have bread take the time to make some "Drop Biscuits", they are quick and easy, they bake up while you're setting the table.

Drop Biscuits 

2 cups flour, ( I use coconut flour because I can't have the other)

1 tbsp Baking Powder

2 tsp Sugar

1/2 tsp cream of tartar

1/4 tsp salt 

1/2 cup melted butter

1 cup milk 

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
2. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, sugar, cream of tartar and salt. Stir in butter and milk just until moistened. Drop batter on a lightly greased cookie sheet by the tablespoon.
3. Bake in preheated oven until golden on the edges, about 8 to 12 minutes. Serve warm.

Goes great with Honey Butter, gravy, jelly 

My Seasoning Staples and a Little Extra

Whats in my pantry??? Well I love garlic, so I just buy a huge jar of minced and keep it in the fridge, I've actually cut out salt so I have a grinder of Pink Himalayan Sea Salt, IT'S PINK DUH. I get creative with some things too, for my Lemon Chicken I always have Lemon Zinger tea on hand so I put 4 tea bags in the crock pot.

   

I use my rice cooker to cook my Quinoa, I don't thaw my chicken before I put it in the crock pot, cus I'm as rebel, lol, frozen veggies I really like to have on hand, only because I have an extra freezer to keep it in. My husband goes Tuna fishing once a year so I also have a ton of fresh tuna on hand, buy your meats on sale when you can.

I buy and freeze sticks of unsalted butter when it's on sale, real butter, well it's real, I'm no Paula D, lol, it's all in moderation.

It's so easy to make any sauce once you get the basics down. Google or use Pinterest to find yummy healthy Quinoa recipes, I'm glad I did, now I just create what I want from it.

Here is a simply yummy sauce I learned from my Grandma Faye, Mustard Butter Sauce, I added my own flair of course, but hey she gave me the base to start with. It goes great over veggies, and Chicken Fajitas.

Mustard Butter Sauce 

2 tbsp Real Butter unsalted 

1/4 cup any Mustard, yellow is yummy, but I like the spicy kind

1 tsp minced garlic

Place it in a microwave safe bowl, cover and put in the microwave until butter melts, whisk together and pour over your veggies

 Favorites soon to come:

Zucchini Lasagna (co-workers beg for this every potluck)
Chile Verde (crock pot style)
Green Chicken Enchiladas (freezes great)
Chicken Alfredo (Mikey's Fav)
Breakfast Muffins
Chicken and Gravy over Quinoa
Beef Stroganoff (childhood fav)
Bacon Cheddar Potato Soup
Beef Stew
Meatloaf and Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Sweet Potatoes for the Week
Frittata
Crock Pot Freezer Meals
Fajitas
Tuna Cakes
Tuna Tacos
Chili Lime Tuna
Chili Lime Chicken
Carrrrrrniitas!!!!! mmmm
I hope these help and I'd love to know what the family thinks of the meals, now when I cook I also cook a pretty large amount, you never know when company may come over, extra kids, even just a poor week to come and you have it in the freezer

    

Albondigas and Swedish Meatballs

Yep, 2 dinners at once, why? Well I wanted soup for dinner and lunch for work tomorrow.
Monday nights I cook, and I cook a lot for most of the week. I had a huge batch of Quinoa I wanted to use, but I also wanted a healthy meatball for my dinner.
This is a multi use meatball, when you get brave add your flair to it.

Albondigas

Swedish Meatballs

Meatballs First

1 cup cooked Quinoa 
1 lb hamburger 
1 tbsp Crushed or minced garlic
2 eggs ( I beat mine first)
1/2 sleeve crushed saltines,(it's what was in the cupboard),  seasoned bread crumbs
Dash salt (sea salt)
Sprinkle Garlic pepper
Shake, shake, shake, Montreal Steak Seasoning
Mix it all together really well, I put on gloves and use my hands
Form your balls, you be the judge, mine are small because I wanted to have more than one
cover and set aside

Soup

2 Beef Bullion Cubes
6 potatoes, peeled and cut up
4 carrots what!!dang it I didn't have any, I can't digest raw ones, there for I don't buy them
now here is where I had nothing I needed, YEAH FREEZER!!!! 
1 pkg frozen mixed veggies
1 onion diced, what ever size you want, or none at all
Grab a big pot, throw in all your stuff, cover with 8 cups of water
bring pot to a boil, once boiling add your meatballs, if you have made a lot save at least 10 for your next dish

Swedish Meatball Sauce 

1 bouillon cube or 1 cup beef broth
1 onion
1 tbsp minced or chopped garlic
Dash of sea salt
3 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
Tsp Coconut Oil
2 tbsp Cornstarch
1/4 cup water

In a saucepan cook onion and garlic until fragrant, I use a little bit of coconut oil, (it keeps you from using butter)
slowly add the broth or bouillon, let it come to a boil on medium heat
Whisk together the water and cornstarch slowly add to boiling mixture, turn down heat and stir until thick, add meatballs to gravy and let them simmer about 10-15 minutes.

There you have it, 2 dinners at once enjoy

Hello and Welcome

Hi, for those of you that don't know me, I'm Shannan, I have been married for 19 years to a wonderful man, who I consider my best friend, he is a Firefighter so there are many nights and weeks I have to go it alone, but we have a great agreement, he stays out of the kitchen, I swear it's a good thing.
We have 2 beautiful children, our son is 19 and daughter is 15, oh lets not forget the third child, he's furry with 4 legs, our Buddy boy and kitchen helper, he's 7 and a great judge of all things "dog edible".
 I have been involved with sports since the kids realized they wanted to play, soccer, football, baseball, softball, thats age 5-6 here where we live, the blessing is they are 4 years apart, so the chaos didn't commence until she realized she wanted to play soccer, soccer practice is at one end of town, while Youth Football practice is at the other end of town, um AT THE SAME TIME! ugh, but you gotta love the mom network we were always on time, and as we were taught by a now great coach and teacher, who was just an amazing big brother back when all the kids were little, it's always better to be on "Bearcat Time", what's that you ask? Well thats 20 minutes before you even need to be there.

Lets just face it, we all have crazy busy lives, who has time to cook, or even cook healthy. The best and worst part about being a mom are all the activities your kids are involved in, you love it, you cheer, you help create and you wipe the tears, but what's for dinner? I have battled with my weight for about 18 years, I always wanted to and meant to eat healthy, but when the practice ends at 7:30, 40 minutes from home, lets face it fast food is always the easy answer, they have homework to do and showers to take all while getting to bed at a decent time, UGH, don't you wish there was a magic wand, just wooosh and all is done, Well I'm not giving you a wand but I can help with some recipes I've tried and my family loved, even after I made my adjustments to it so I can eat it. I have had Gastric Bypass Surgery and there are many things I can no longer eat and I really don't miss either, but I don't make my family suffer, most dinners my husband will ask, "are you sure you can eat this?" He doesn't realize and neither do the kids that is 100% ok for me and very good for them.
I am guilty of making three different dinners at one time because my son doesn't like vegetables or any traces of green, "OMG YOUR TRYING TO KILL ME" he'll yell out, it's so funny, he's so dramatic, and I don't think there is enough Ranch Dressing that can change his mind either.
 I can't have pasta or rice so I make Quinoa instead, I will still make the noodles and rice though for my honey and my daughter, (they come over to the darkside though, they eat the quinoa) bwahahahaha my evil plan is working, it all stores well for meals during the week, so don't think it's a waste that will turn green and furry in the back of the refrigerator.
So welcome, I hope these help calm some chaos, oh and don't be afraid of the crock pot or the rice cooker, bust those bad boys out!