SOMETHING EXCITING IS HAPPENING. A young pastor at our church asked me a question this Sunday. I say “young” because he’s the kind of guy who I used to think was, you know, just a guy. About my age. Then he said something like, “Awesome!” with just a little more pep than I expected and it took me by surprise. Just a split second. “Awesome!” But that’s all it took. Then it hit me.
He is probably 10 years younger than I am.
It’s like realizing that you are now older than every single player in major league baseball. I didn’t harbor any dreams of being the first woman pitcher for the Mariners or anything, it’s something that happens when you aren’t looking. A new group of adults is already up and running. What’s even more surprising? This recent shift makes me, of all people, ME, an experienced adult.
So, our pastor wanted to know if I would be interested in teaching a 4-6 week cooking class for both members of the church and a group of single moms who also live in our area. Our church has an amazing number of outreach programs and this is just one of them. “I’ll do that!” I blurted out, before he’d even finished talking. But I would recommend to join professional cooking classes like the italian cooking classes sydney, if you are looking to become a professional cook.
The idea is teaching a few classes on how to cook food–real food–quickly and affordably. Tricks, tips, recipes and prayers because boy, don’t we all need them.
The whole thing is only in its earliest stages now but that’s why I need your help. Let’s pour our best ideas on to these mamas. Let’s enrich them with tools, skills, confidence and support. These are young women raising babies and doing it, like some of you, all by themselves. As easy as it is for me to snap at my husband at the end of a long day, I can’t imagine that man NOT walking through the door at night. NOT coming in to help with the bath, NOT showing up to read books and NOT winning the wrestling match that is brushing teeth and combing hair before putting those kids to bed. (My husband, like some of yours, is no saint so don’t get me wrong. He is not perfect, we are not perfect. He’s muddling through like the rest of us, but he’s here, and that’s an answered prayer.)
What these moms need is food that’s easy to prepare, inexpensive, healthy and something their kids will eat at least kind of happily. Something these moms can feel good about giving them. That’s what we all want, right?
So with a few years on them and a house full of kids who I’m feeding every day (something I have mixed feelings about to be sure), I finally have a little experience I can share with these women. And so do you.
I have a few favorites — slow cooker potato soup, baked eggs and 15-minute cheesy pasta with spinach and chicken — but can you share your best FASTEST, BUDGET-FRIENDLY, CAN’T MESS THEM UP RECIPES in the comments below? What does your family LOVE, that magically requires only the basics?
red lentils and butternut squash soup + bit of cream or milk + a pinch ofground cumin if they like it, or want to try it !
Sounds delicious, Jennifer. Thanks for the idea!
This is one from the Pioneer Woman that sounds perfect, Chicken Spaghetti
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/chicken-spaghetti-recipe.html?soc=fyesocial_20141008_32947336
Your zucchini “lasagna” bake… sometimes I add a meat layer too.
But our biggest go-to cheap and easy: rice and beans (sautee some veggies before adding a drained can of beans for extra goodness) and make double the rice so you can have fried rice another night later in the week!
I am a big fan of quesadillas. They can be very simple or fancy. If I am living “high on the hog” one week I may make crabmeat, corn and jack cheese ones with some cilantro. On most of the other weeks, I make them with leftovers or with pantry items. My favorite is black bean and sweet potato. I microwave the sweet potatoes (If I have no leftovers) by piercing them with a fork and cooking for about 3.5 minutes for a regular size. (Give it a squeeze to see if it’s done) Then I scoop out the flesh, carefully-they are hot! and cut into cubes or even mash it and put it in a bowl. I then add a can of drained black beans and toss them together with chili powder and cumin. Heat up a skillet, add a little butter so it won’t stick, put in a 10″ tortilla and put shredded cheese ( I like monterey jack) and the potato/bean mixture on one half of the tortilla and then fold the other side over. Grill until brown on one side, flip and brown the other. What’s good about this recipe is that you can make them for different tastes. For example, there is no way my girls will eat black beans. I’ve tried-no dice. So, I mash the sweet potato a bit and smear some under the cheese. If you buy the orange/white mixed cheese they don’t even notice the sweet potato in it. My husband prefers all meals to have meat, so I put leftover chicken, pork or beef in them as well.
Oh-I forgot! Then there are the condiments! Sour cream, shredded lettuce, chopped tomato, cilantro…if you have them. I don’t always have fresh herbs. If you mix salsa and sour cream together it makes a great dip for the quesadillas. Guacomole is also delicious on top.
Now I’m hungry.
Your slow cooker shredded chicken Tex Mex recipe is really easy and yummy!
Make your own pizzas. Muffins. And slow-cooker three bean veggie chili–I have a WW recipe I love:
1 large onion, minced
1 medium clove garlic, minced
30 oz canned black beans, rinsed and drained
30 oz canned kidney beans, rinsed and drained
30 oz canned pinto beans, rinsed and drained
30 oz canned diced tomatoes with chilies
15 oz canned tomato sauce
1 1/4 oz chili seasoning mix
14 oz frozen corn kernels
1 Tbsp fresh lime juice, to taste
1/2 cup fresh, minced cilantro
Combine onion, garlic, beans, tomatoes, tomato sauce, and seasoning mix in a slow cooker. Cover and cook on high heat for 2 to 3 hours (or low heat for 4 to 6 hours). Add frozen corn during last hour of cooking. Stir in lime juice and cilantro just before serving
White Chicken Chili
Boil 2-3 Chicken breasts in water until cooked. Chop, shred, or blend into whatever size you’d like. We like to put it in the mini food processor so it’s “easy to chew.” In a large pot, add 2 cans (drained) of Great Northern Beans, and 1 jar of Taco Sauce. Add your shredded/blended cooked chicken. Add 1/2-1 1/2 cups of chicken broth to get the consistency you want (I use the water I boiled the chicken in.) Mix and heat through. Serve with shredded cheese of choice (we like a colby/jack mix), a dollop of sour cream, and Tostidos Scoops chips.
That is all. Also great cold as a dip, which we discovered one night when we were having leftovers and were too busy serving the kids to actually warm a bowl for us. The grown ups like to chop some peppers & onions in too. But heaven forbid the kids see a green thing in there. 🙂
steak and kidney casserole with dumplings.
Slow cooking so put in the oven and forget about it. If you’re not fan of kidneys, leave them out or put button mushrooms instead. A large pot can be frozen for late minute dinner.S
Here’s the recipe I use
http://www.deliaonline.com/recipes/main-ingredient/meat/offal/steak-and-kidney-hot-pot-with-crusted-dumplings.html
My family LOVES taco night! We usually use ground turkey and I put the ‘fix ins’ in separate bowls for them to make their own. I julienne spinach instead of lettuce. I throw tons of veggies at them, shredded carrots, corn, all different kinds of beans, shredded cheese (they go nuts but hey…), anything we have in the fridge or pantry. My youngest has food allergies so I make a side of brown rice and omit the dairy (cheese too, poor thing) and she makes taco bowls with a hard taco broken up. They can be conventional or not, whatever your family likes. I also discovered soft taco bowls and my older two love taco night that much more! I only put out sour cream and salsa if it’s on sale and/or I’ve made it (salsa) because ,y husband is really the only one who eats them which is way cheaper.
For a class like this, I think it can really helpful to share information on freezing foods (like pancakes that can be toasted later), substituting spices and common ingredients in recipes (not everyone has a full spice rack), helping their kids to be independent in the kitchen, eating seasonally which can help mitigate the cost of produce, and determining what items can be made at home that are less expensive than a named brand. Personally I like how easy it is to roast veggies in the oven – easy and hands off.
Italian Sausage Soup (so good, everyone in my family loves this)– I think I originally found it on AllRecipes.com.
1 1/2 pounds sweet Italian sausage (the ground kind, not the links)
2 cloves garlic, minced (or throw in some garlic powder, or pre-minced garlic, whatever)
2 small onions, chopped
2 (16 oz) cans whole peeled tomatoes
1 1/4 cups red wine
5 cups beef broth
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried oregano
2 zucchini, sliced
1 bell pepper, whatever color you want, chopped
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (or the dried stuff if you want)
1 (16 oz) package your favorite pasta (to add later)
salt and pepper to taste
Directions
1. In a large pan (or a large soup pot if you want to make this on the stove instead of the slow cooker), cook sausage over medium heat until brown. Remove with a slotted spoon, and drain on paper towels. Drain fat from pan, reserving 3 tablespoons. (I don’t usually bother draining it and instead just leave it in the pan, but I’m sure it would be a bit healthier if I took that extra step.)
2. Cook garlic and onion in reserved fat for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, wine, broth, basil, and oregano. Transfer to a slow cooker (or just leave it in the pot if you’re cooking on the stove) and stir in sausage, zucchini, bell pepper, and parsley.
3. Cover, and cook on Low for 4 to 6 hours in the slow cooker, or simmer on low for 3-4-ish hours on the stove– honestly, it doesn’t matter, it’s soup, cook it as long as you want.
4. Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook pasta in boiling water until al dente according to the package directions. Drain water, and add pasta to the slow cooker (or soup pot). Simmer for a few minutes, and season with salt and pepper before serving.
Beans in the crockpot, I like to do them with a smoked ham hock and chicken broth, but the variations are unlimited. I do not presoak them anymore, I pick through the beans, rinse in a colander, and put them in crock pot with plenty of liquid, and I cook them on high. Thanks for your blog, I love it and my kids are all grown up and married with kids of their own.
My favourite economizing things are to replace some of the meat with veggies, i.e. finely diced mushrooms in burgers, or in spaghetti. Also, cook a whole chicken, then make stew, sandwiches or some other casserole. In terms of recipes, you have so many awesome quickies … we love your meatloaf, cheesy pasta … AND eggs are a great cheap food, that I think people tend to forget.
Natty D’s Pasta
1 lb. of Whole Wheat Pasta
3 Garlic Cloves (peeled)
1 (12oz.) Jar of Roasted Red Peppers
1/2 Cup Shredded Rotisserie Chicken (dark meat preferred)
2 Tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon of Fresh Ground Pepper
1 Tablespoon of Parmesan Reggiano Grated Cheese
Extra Virgin Olive Oil for Drizzling
Directions:
Cook the pasta according to directions and drain well
In the meantime place garlic cloves and roasted red peppers (with the juice)
In a food processor/blender and process or blend on slow until garlic and peppers are minced
In a small skillet, heat Extra Virgin Olive Oil and season with pepper
Add chicken and garlic/pepper mixture to skillet and cook till warmed
Toss mixture with hot pasta and drizzle with Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Top with cheese
Serve alongside a garden salad
Peanut noodles are always a win for us. 1/2 lb spaghetti or linguine, 1/3 cup water, 1/3 cup peanut butter, a couple tbs soy sauce and rice vinegar, a tsp or so of chili garlic sauce or sriracha (depending on how much you like spice). You can toss in whatever veggies you want too – we tend to throw in whatever we have in the fridge or freezer that goes well w/those flavors – squash, bok choy, edamame, etc. It’s cost effective and quick – can also be made ahead – it tastes better after a day or two as well!
We frequently make your tacos and use the leftovers for your tex-mex rice. We like your baked BBQ drumstick recipe. I tried it once in the crockpot and it turned out well .
We have made a version of this slow cooker recipe countless times since our twins were born and we go for anything easy, good and inexpensive. http://paleomg.com/sweet-potato-basil-soup/. I almost always trlple the potatoes (ours are small) and double everything else but the basil. I use almond milk because we prefer it over coconut. I tried cow’s milk once and it curdled.
For dessert we LOVE frozen whipped banana. Freeze bananas in one inch chunks. Throw them in the food processor for several minutes until they look like soft serve ice cream.. Add other frozen berries or peanut butter if you like.
Good luck with the class!