No Big Deal Meals

Have you ever felt like this?

I definitely have.  

The proof?  

My oldest has the above picture pinned on her Pinterest board titled "Hey Mom!".  As in, a board full of pins that remind her of me.

Here's another one she pinned in my honor:

Nice.

Basically, Ryley thinks I get tired of cooking every day and that I'd rather take a nap than almost anything else in the world.

I'd get mad but unfortunately, it's pretty true.

I would cook less and sleep more if it weren't for these pesky children running around here, demanding food and waking me up.

When Ryan and the big girls were gone for a week a while back, Lily and I happily ate cheese and crackers, cold cereal, yogurt, store bought rotisserie chicken and plain buttered noodles for supper.  I cooked one night that whole time.

And since I'm really the only person in my family with a desire to expand my palate, especially when someone else is cooking, most suppers are pretty simple around here.

No brainer dinners.

The kinds of meals where I can recite the recipe from memory and cook them practically blindfolded.  The meals my kids have had so many times that if I try to tweak something to make it a little more exciting, they proclaim, "Did you add something to this?  WHY did you change the spaghetti sauce??  It was just fine the way it's always been!"

Just fine.  The highest compliment desired by chefs worldwide.

So anyway, I've been going through my recipes trying to create a monthly menu in order to eliminate all the thousands of choices I've collected over time, per my post on the book, 7.  And 95% of the suppers making the "menu cut" are these no big deal meals.

Also, since Lily is in a phase right now where I cannot take my eyes off her when she's at home, quick and easy meals are the only way my family gets to eat supper these days.

Some of you might be in the same boat.  So I thought I'd pass along a few family favorites that just might make the cut at your house.  Then you too can cook supper on auto-pilot while chasing down a lightning fast child intent on wreaking as much havoc as possible.

Fun times.

Chicken and Veggie Gravy Over Biscuits
(adapted from Picky Palate)

1 can refrigerated biscuits, any kind
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup milk
1 can chunk white chicken, drained & shredded
1 can Veg-All mixed vegetables, drained
1/4 tsp. cajun seasoning
salt & pepper to taste
pinch of garlic salt

Preheat oven and bake biscuits.  While they're in the oven, whisk together soup and milk and pour into large skillet over medium heat.  Add chicken, veggies, and seasonings.  Cook, stirring occasionally until heated through, usually 5 or 6 minutes.

Slice biscuits in half, pour some gravy over top and serve.



Red Beans and Rice
(from Kevin and Amanda)
*I usually double this recipe*

1 cup long grain white rice
2 cups hot water
1 tsp salt
2-3 tbsp olive oil
1 pkg (14 oz) smoked sausage
1 can red beans
Creole Seasoning

Add rice, water, and salt to a lidded sauce pan.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for about 15 minutes.  Thinly slice sausage and drain red beans.  Add olive oil to large skillet and heat.  Add sausage, sprinkle with seasoning and stir occasionally for about 7 minutes or so, getting sausage cooked on both sides.  Add beans and stir til warmed through.  Add seasoning to taste while warming.  Serve red beans and sausage over rice.



Beef Tips
(from a friend of a friend)

1 pkg dry onion soup mix
1 can cream of mushroom soup
small jar sliced mushrooms
1 cup regular or diet 7-Up or Sprite
2 lbs. stew meat

Spray roasting pan with non-stick spray. Add stew meat.  Stir soups and soda together and pour over meat.  Sprinkle mushrooms over top.  Cover and bake at 275 for 4 hours - no peeking! Serve with rice, pasta, or potatoes.



And there you have it.  Easy as pie.  So kick back, relax, and still feed your family well.  Or, at least, feed your family well.  Do any of us really get to relax??