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Quick and Easy Meal Ideas: “Nights Off” at Home with Less Stress and Less Mess

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Freezer Meals for Nights Off

I love cooking. I mean… LOVE LOVE cooking. Everything about it. In fact, most of the time I don’t even mind the time and effort it takes to clean everything up. I figure it’s a great opportunity to use up a few of the calories I just consumed.

Yesterday, my husband and I were out of town most of the day and went to a local restaurant for supper (more about restaurants in a minute!) when we got back in town. Last night, it hit me… I missed my kitchen time!

Having said all of that, however, I find that some nights (usually once… sometimes twice a week), I just want everything to be as simple and easy as possible. I don’t want to be in the kitchen for 30 minutes to an hour making the meal, followed by another 30 cleaning it up. I want food on the table fast and dishes that can either be tossed or washed in record time. Basically, my comfortable chair in the den is calling me and I want as few obstacles as possible before I answer the call!

I call these my “nights off” because instead of the normal, full-fledge, photo-worthy meals I make, I either pull something out of the freezer I had made and frozen previously or I pull out something ready to roll, pretty much as is.

Everyone needs nights or days off, right? Can anyone who works 5 days a week imagine not having a day off?! No way. Having days or nights off keeps you sane, keeps you rested, and most definitely keeps you from burning out.

Reasons for Eating Home More and Eating Out Less

I have nothing against eating out on occasion. I mean, let’s face it, it can be fun. Letting someone else do all the work while you sit and let them bring it to you… sweet luxury!

However, eating at home is almost always healthier – especially if you have food allergies, are on a special diet, or have any of the many diseases that can be greatly effected by the wrong food. Even trace amounts of the enemy foods build up and can be very bad for you.

Add to this the fact that we are in a pandemic AND coming up on cold and flu season (not to mention all the bugs that show up as soon as the weather cools) – even the biggest fan of dining out has to admit – you are safer at home.

I honestly hate to say  it, but my experience lately is that many restaurants are “going down.” I don’t know if they’re having trouble getting or keeping good help or if cooking is a dying art but, just in the last year, four of my five favorite restaurants (two locally-owned and two chain restaurants) have gotten so bad I don’t care if I ever go back. The one of the five that’s still as good as ever is a local authentic Mexican restaurant.

Stay strong, guys, stay strong!

Another reason to keep your pantry, refrigerator, and even freezer stocked is that (as this global pandemic has taught us) you just never know what lies ahead. It’s always better to be able to take care of yourself and your family without having to count on others. You never know when their doors will close.

(Continued Below…)

 

Tips for Nights Off Meals (As Many Times a Week as You Want Them!)Frozen Meals

You may be like me and actually love to cook, but simply are human and want a night off every now and then. Or, you may be like one of my daughters who had (literally, y’all) rather go to the dentist than cook! Whichever group you fall into, the following tips and ideas will, hopefully, help you as much as they do me.

  • When you make soup, chili, or casseroles, make a little extra to freeze for a future meal. I have perfected this routine to where I always have at least two soups and one chili in the freezer and ready to go at a moment’s notice. Amazon has countless sizes and shapes of freezing containers (link to Amazon) – you’ll want to find a set with different sizes. This has been such a wonderful system for me. Soups and chili, in particular, taste like they were made that day.
  • Don’t think the freezer has to have just food you’ve made! As you can see from the sample pictures here, I’m a huge fan of Amy’s frozen meals, as well as her burritos. While I keep them on hand, primarily, for my lunches while my husband is at work, I have often fixed them for both of us on one of my luxurious “nights off.” The burritos are excellent with rice, a salad, eggs, or (simpler, still) tortilla chips and salsa. The frozen meals are even easier because the only dishes you mess up are your forks and glasses! Frozen pizzas, corndogs, fries (top with a can of heated canned chili and cheese and call it a meal)… the choices are limitless. Just be sure to always have your “night off” section of your freezer locked and loaded.
  • My favorite night off meal is actually one of my husband’s favorite meals – bacon, eggs, and a few vegetables cooked in the same pan (broccoli, zucchini, cauliflower, mushrooms, onions, bell peppers… whatever combo you like). The one pan strategy helps with clean up considerably and, let’s face it, it doesn’t get any simpler than bacon and eggs.
  •  Oatmeal or grits is another filling, warm, comforting, and delicious meal. I could eat either of these all by themselves, but my husband loves a couple of fried eggs with his.
  • Never, ever underestimate soup and sandwiches – they’re filling, healthy, and most definitely perfect for your night off.
  • When possible, keep salad makings on hand and your favorite salad dressing ready to pour. Simply adding chicken, beef, boiled eggs, or bacon to a great salad makes a healthy meal.
  • Have you seen those little packets of instant potatoes? They cook in less time than it takes to brush your teeth and, frankly, taste darn good. They come in lots of flavors and varieties and are outstanding. Keep plenty of these on hands for accompanying deli chicken or soup or chili from the freezer. Soup and chili, both are great served over these guys.

Some people think certain foods are only “acceptable” for breakfast or lunch and wouldn’t consider them for supper. They’re nuts! Breakfast suppers are downright addictive and traditional “lunch” suppers are right there with them.

I have seen some people schedule these types of nights and call them things like “cheat nights” or “lazy nights” – and scheduling them is certainly an option. For me, personally, however – I never know quite when the “My chair is calling me and I don’t want to be on my feet another minute!” mood is going to hit until it does… so, I simply have my options on stand by.

One final word about restaurants…

I actually put this post together because of something that I experienced last night at what was once a favorite chain restaurant. I ordered the grilled catfish as I normally do (along with greens and pinto beans). I took a bite of the catfish from the end… all seemed normal… ate some of the greens and beans… then picked up my fork and knife and tried to cut into the catfish. It would not cut… it was completely undercooked. I literally could not cut through it.

Undercooked meats can host a whole world of trouble for a person – salmonella, food poisoning… and if you’ve ever been on the receiving end of either of these, you know how horribly sick they make you. I am very, very lucky that I only took a small bite of this fish that was all but flopping around on my plate.

Now I know for certain that, in the future, whenever I order meat, I will never again assume that restaurant cooks use food thermometers as I do in my own kitchen. I’ll also cut into the middle of the meat before even thinking about taking a bite.

As I said before, I don’t know why it is but a lot of restaurants are, collectively, getting worse. You just can’t be too careful – certainly not when it comes to your health!

Stay safe and stay well!

~ Joi (“Joy”)

Amy's Burritos

The Best Honey Mustard Salad Dressing… Easy and So Much Better Than Store-Bought

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Honey Mustard Dressing and Salad

Honey Mustard Dressing

I am an absolute salad fanatic and feel there is no hope for me to be anything else. When we go to restaurants (when there isn’t a global pandemic, of course), I give one extra points for a great salad. If they bring out a salad that obviously came from a bag, it doesn’t much matter what else they do to try to impress me, they’ve already lost me.

And salad bars…..  holy cats do I ever love those?!

Tossing modesty aside, though, none of them can beat the salads I make at home. There are several reasons, I suppose, but one is I get crazy creative and experiment, not only with different vegetables, but also different greens (and combinations of greens), cheeses, seeds, herbs, and other fun additions like real bacon bits, baby corn, dried cranberries, etc.

Another special touch that turns an average salad into a delicious experience is a great salad dressing.

I prefer to make the salad dressings we use for several reasons:

  1. Since the pandemic, I find that the more things I can make at home, the fewer things we run out of and have to go get. I always have the staples on hand for my favorite dressings (French, Honey Mustard, Ranch, and Vinaigrette), so having my favorites in a rotation simplifies my life and keeps me out of stores!
  2. You can control the amount of sugar and/or salt in your dressings. Some of us like things a little less sweet than others or a little less salty. When you make the dressings, yourself, you have full control over what’s added.
  3. I love the idea of avoiding additives!
  4. I have to eat gluten-free (health reasons) and anything I can make, myself, gives me more peace of mind.
  5. Most importantly…. they simply taste A LOT better. Even if there weren’t a 1, 2, 3, and 4 above – I’d still make my own salad dressings for reason 5 alone. I mean, come on… taste trumps everything else!

The easy recipe, below, is in my opinion the absolute best honey mustard dressing recipe you’ll find. This is my go-to dressing for grilled chicken salads and I also love it on a great chef salad.

Obviously, adjust the amount of honey to suit your own tastes – Dijon mustard too, as far as that goes. However, I would suggest starting with this combination first – this way you can tell if you, personally, want less (or more… I won’t judge!) honey.

Tangy Southern Coleslaw: Fast, Easy, and Oh So Delicious!

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Tangy Southern Coleslaw

Tangy Southern Coleslaw

One of my biggest culinary obsessions is coleslaw – it goes with so many things.. and those few things it doesn’t conceivably go with?

I make it go!

The only drawback to loving a particular food so much is it makes you hyper picky when you order it in restaurants (or, worse yet, when a family member makes some and it tastes like a movie prop!). Let’s be honest, really truly wonderful coleslaw is a work of art and not many people pass for artists.

This particular easy, but delicious southern coleslaw is spot on – a work of art that’ll make you a Picasso.

My personal favorite coleslaw is usually vinegar-based, but I wanted to add some creamy tanginess to the mix (literally), so  I opted to sort of combine a creamy coleslaw and a vinegar coleslaw. That’s where the buttermilk comes into play. It may sound unusual, but it really does make things interesting.

And delicious!

Notes:

  • I specify Duke’s Mayonnaise simply because it’s the one I always buy and use in my recipes. I simply think it’s the best. However, using Hellman’s will not alter the recipe. In fact, it’s pretty much the same… don’t tell my beloved Duke’s that though.
  • This is outrageously delicious on or beside a chili dog or pork sandwich.
  • One of the things that makes “Southern Coleslaw” in fact “Southern Coleslaw” is the sweetness. Our capacity to eat sweet food is unequaled. If you want to add a little less sugar, feel free to cut back a tad. However, a certain amount is very, very necessary to balance the acidity of the vinegar.


“Candy Cookies” – No Bake Peanut Butter and Oatmeal Cookies (With Gluten-Free Option)

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Candy Cookies or No Bake Peanut Butter Cookies

Over the years, I have baked, sliced, cut, and molded every kind of cookie imaginable. Given that I am the human equivalent of Cookie Monster who also happens to love to bake – this is completely understandable. Expected, even.

What isn’t understandable or expected, however, is the fact that one of my absolute favorite cookies is one of the simplest.

What’s more, it doesn’t even have to be baked. No need to turn the oven on for these guys!

Most people refer to this type of cookie as “No Bake Peanut Butter and Oatmeal Cookies” or “Haystacks.” When my daughters were little, I would actually shape them into little haystacks because they got such a kick out of how they looked.

Today, however, I just drop them by a tablespoon onto parchment paper and allow them to spread. I have always referred to them as “Cookies that are Really Candy,” I recently began calling them Candy Cookies. By gosh… that’s what they are after all!

Below is the easy as it gets recipe.

Notes:

  • For gluten-free cookies, use gluten-free oats. I use Quaker Gluten-Free 1 Minute Quick Oats… available online or in just about any store.
  • If you want “haystacks,” use a teaspoon when you drop onto the paper. As the mixture cools, shape the cookies into cute little haystacks.
  • For the “Candy Cookies” pictured here, use a tablespoon to drop the mixture onto the parchment paper.
  • Keeping the ingredients for these cookies on hand at all times is always the right thing to do – especially during the months leading up to Christmas. You never know when you’ll need to whip up a batch of something delicious to give as a “Well.. of course I got you something too!” gift. Been there, cooked that.

I preach a lot about parchment paper and it’s many, many, many, many wonders but, when it comes to candy and cookies, it is all but downright necessary. I give a lot of my candy and cookies to family members and having parchment paper on hand to put between layers makes my life easier and everything neater for those who dive right in!

Seriously, once you start using parchment paper regularly, you’ll wonder how in the world you ever got along without it.

Easy Christmas Cookies

Gluten-Free Bean Burritos, Enchilada-Style!

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Refried Bean Burritos Enchilada Style.

Refried Bean Burritos Enchilada Style

Needless to say, even though these Enchilada-Style Refried Bean Burritos are gluten-free, you can certainly make them with all the gluten your heart desires. Simply replace the gluten-free flour tortillas with regular tortillas (when you do, you’ll certainly save money!).

These bean burritos are delicious, as well as quick and easy to make. You can customize them to suit your family’s taste, of course. They’re wonderful topped with chopped avocado, chopped green onions, and/or cilantro – I kept them simple in the picture at the top because I was making them for a group of family members and you know how that goes – this one doesn’t like onion, that one doesn’t like avocado, the other one (silly goose) thinks cilantro tastes like soap.

He’s wrong, of course!

I like to serve these with mini bowls of

Best Fudgy Brownie Frosting Recipe – You’ll Want to Eat it Straight Out of the Pan

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Brownies Baked in a Pie Plate with Fudgy Brownie Frosting

Brownies, Baked in Pie Plates and Frosted with a Fudgy Frosting

A few weeks ago, a familiar mood hit me… an “I MUST MAKE SOMETHING CHOCOLATE!” mood that has come to define me. I mulled over the usual cast of chocolate characters – chocolate cupcakes, chocolate cake, cookies, brownies, and fudge. Brownies won and I started rounding up the needed ingredients.

I found that I didn’t have any walnuts, but decided to forge right ahead in spite of the absence of a favorite brownie ingredient. I decided (as I always do when my brownies won’t have nuts) that I’d simply make a fudgy chocolate frosting for the brownies and the absence of walnuts wouldn’t even be missed.

I was right.

As I was mentally dreading the all too familiar brownie-baking-battle (trying to get the center SET without the corners becoming so hard they could knock out a mouse), I had an idea. Why not divide the brownie batter in two and bake them in pie plates?

I didn’t know of any mice who needed konking, so I grabbed a couple of glass pie plates, greased them, and proceeded just as I would if I’d been using a square pan.

I seriously doubt I’ll ever bake brownies in a square pan again.

Brownies Baked in a Pie Plate with Fudgy Brownie Frosting

Pie Plates Keep The Crusty Corners Out of the Picture!

The outside, smaller cuts were triangular (a small price to pay for having the outside of brownies that are just as moist and delicious as the center pieces) but the rest were able to be cut into squares – you’d never know they were baked in a pie dish.

I made my favorite Fudgy Brownie Frosting and iced them once they cooled off. They were outstanding.

If you attempt the pie plates method with your favorite brownie recipe (or mix), just be sure to start checking on them before the traditional time limit. They tend to cook a little faster when they’re divided into two separate dishes.

I made a single batch of the Fudgy Brownie Frosting and it was just enough for the two pie plates of deliciousness. If you’re making a large batch of brownies, you might want to double the recipe. This is chocolate deliciousness at it’s finest!

 

 

Cream Cheese, Green Chiles, and Jalapneo Dip (And Spread for the Next Day)

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Cream Cheese, Green Chiles, and Jalapeno Dip

This dip (which makes any game, movie, or History Channel show even better – this isn’t conjecture, I’ve done the studies) combines some of my favorite things in the culinary world: Cream Cheese, Green Chiles, and Jalapenos.

Hook. Line. Sinker.

Serve with tortilla chips and lose yourself in the yumminess.

If there are leftovers, refrigerate them. The next morning, spread on bagels, toast, or English muffins – you will NOT believe how incredible it is. Again. I did the studies. Anything for you.

Greek Fries, Using Frozen Fries (Because Who Wants to Complicate Things?)

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Quick and Easy Greek Fries

Greek Fries Using Frozen Fries

Before I had to give up gluten (health reasons), I used to enjoy a lot of different restaurants and and an unlimited array of foods. Going gluten-free forces you to give up a lot of things… let’s go ahead and make that  A LOT OF THINGS.  Fortunately, I’ve found that things I once enjoyed can (with a little elbow grease and creativity) be recreated, in my own kitchen, and they’re just as delicious.

Actually, I suppose you could say they’re even more delicious (to me) because I’m able to add more of the ingredients that float my boat and less of the ones that do absolutely nothing for my boat.

One of our favorite restaurants is in the tiny town of Draffenville, Kentucky (they don’t even have a post office… that’ll tell you how small the community is). It’s called The Majestic and it’s extraordinary. They serve pizza, steak, chicken, burgers, have an awesome buffet, and one of the best salad bars I’ve ever trolled. As a salad fanatic, I am completely familiar with salad bars and this one is a perfect 10 out of 10.

Before I had to give up gluten, I would practically throw myself on their pizza as soon as it came to our table. I had to give that up, which totally sucked… but the thing that hurt me EVEN worse was giving up one of their wonderful appetizers, Greek Fries. I’ve found a way to recreate them at home, however, so I no longer have to grieve over them.

I have made Greek Fries using cut potatoes and frozen fries and… while I’m as fond of cooking from scratch as anyone… I honestly find the frozen fries to be just as good. It didn’t take long for my brain to process the ridiculousness of spending more time and effort on something that doesn’t taste better.

I had always used crinkle cut fries for Greek Fries but, this most recent time, I used regular fries.  I honestly don’t prefer one over the other – they both look beautiful and taste delicious. As a matter of fact, Greek Tots (using, obviously, Tater Tots) is also a lip-smacking possibility.

Quick and Easy Greek Fries

This is one of those “recipes” that isn’t exactly a recipe – it’s more of a technique. Below are the steps – but, step carefully, it’s pretty complicated (sarcasm).

  • Bake fries as directed.
  • Sprinkle the baked fries liberally with Cavenders Greek Seasoning (Or whatever Greek Seasoning blend you can get your hands on – I use Cavenders, pictured below. In fact, it’s so darn good, I refuse to run out of it. Seriously, it’s out of this world good.)
  • Top with Crumbled Feta Cheese (trust me on this one.. even if you think you don’t like Feta, use Feta, because you’re going to love Feta in this role), salt, and chopped fresh parsley. The tastes go together beautifully. When the Feta starts to melt on the hot fries… it’s just a beautiful experience, y’all.
  • Optional: I’d say I do this every other time – sprinkle a little fresh lemon juice over the whole shebang. It brings the flavors all together while giving it a little extra kick.

These Greek Fries don’t even need a dip of any type, but feel free to dip them into ranch or even a “lemony mayo” (mayo with a little lemon juice and grated lemon peel).

P.S. Use the Feta….

Cavenders Greek Seasoning

Cavenders Greek Seasoning

 

 

Balsamic Mushroom-Pepper Steaks: Easy Recipe for Busy Cooks

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Balsamic Mushroom Pepper Steaks

I love to cook like some people love to go out to eat. It is relaxing, fun, enjoyable, and simply a part of who I am. Having said that… if we’re being honest here… during the Christmas season, one of the last places I want to be is in the kitchen cooking meals! If it doesn’t involve making candy, cookies, pies, cakes, and edible gifts, I’m just not that interested.

Not when I could be shopping on Amazon, browsing Target’s aisles, or watching It’s a Wonderful Life for, like, the gazillionth time!

The beautiful meal above would be perfect for any busy December night and it’s so stunning, I could even see it as the perfect Christmas Eve meal.

To see how it all comes together see Balsamic Mushroom-Pepper Steaks.

Photo Credit: Terra’s Kitchen


Latte Pops with Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk

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Latte Pops with Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk

All cooks have their favorite, “go to” ingredients – many of us actually share a lot of the same faves:

  • butter
  • garlic
  • freshly cracked black pepper
  • Kosher salt
  • cumin
  • cayenne pepper
  • garlic powder
  • vanilla extract
  • EVOO
  • etc.

Then there are those of us who have our own unique favorites that we wouldn’t dream of EVER running low on, let alone out of.

In addition to those above, a few of mine are:

Yes, sweetened condensed milk and yes, it must be Eagle Brand. It’s simply better, period.

I use sweetened condensed milk in so many different ways, a good 3 cans has to be in the pantry at all times. If it got under 2, I’m pretty sure a culinary nervous breakdown wouldn’t be far away.

Three of the ways I use Eagle Brand the most are…

  1. I add a can to cake mix batter – it makes the cake more moist and (as you’d expect) richer. Gluten-free cakes tend to dry out sooner than other cakes and Eagle Brand keeps this from happening. Magic!
  2. I also use Eagle Brand often… make that OFTEN… when making “Coffeehouse” type fraps and lattes. There isn’t any need to add sugar, obviously. Just combine the sweetened condensed milk and coffee (hot or iced) in a blender and you’re set.
  3. Eagle Brand makes the best pies of all time, including my personal favorite Sweet Potato Pie recipe. Trust me, save this one for Autumn. You’ll want it for Thanksgiving as well as the days leading up to it!

This summer I came up with another favorite way to put this particular favorite ingredient to use – Frozen Latte Pops. Again, as is the case with anything you make with Eagle Brand, it couldn’t be simpler.

I pour iced coffee and Eagle Brand into frozen Popsicle molds and freeze them until solid. It doesn’t get any easier than that, right? Sometimes I add a splash of Vanilla Syrup along with the “magic” and coffee, but it isn’t necessary.

These pops taste Heavenly and I get a giddy kick out of the white stripe at the bottom. That white stripe is pure deliciousness.

If you don’t have Popsicle molds, fill an ice cube tray up with the combination and freeze. When solid, crush the yumminess up with a spoon and…. well, you know what to do at this point.

For wonderful Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk Recipes, visit their website.

Latte Pops with Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk