Whatcha got cookin???
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| Opening my apron at our first Wedding Shower |
As you all know, I'm a newlywed, and I'm now cooking for two for the first time in my life. I'm learning the joys of portions and leftovers since it is so hard to cook for JUST two people! I've cooked everything for my hubby that I mastered through my college years, and we even tackled a few new dishes. I've found myself in a
cooking rut!
I've explored my cookbooks and gained a few more options I'm willing to try, but I wanna hear from you. What are some quick and easy meals YOU like to cook? How have you adapted it over the years? I'm willing to try even the quirkiest of recipes.... Budget friendly is always a plus. We can't afford duck, lamb, veal, and all that stuff you eat on a cruise ;) Let's keep it simple?
There may be a prize for the dish(es) that are chosen for tasting!
12 comments:
I've made this recipe for Mediterranean Pasta. It's delicious, easy & full of fiber. Here's the website for it: http://www.omnomicon.com/mediterranean-pasta
I hope ya'll like it!
-Molly Lowery
Easy Cinnamon Rolls
By Mama Lisa
2 packages of crescent rolls
8 oz creame cheese
1 cup powdered sugar
1T vanilla
cinnamon
Mix cheese, sugar, and vanilla together with electric mixer. Open rolls keeping 2 together (making a square) spread mixture onto the roll and sprinkle cinnamon on. roll up. Repeat on all rolls.
Frig for 1 hour, then cut in slices and bake on 350 for about 20-25 minutes....
Let cool for about 5 or so minutes and drizzle with glaze.
ENJOY!
MAMA LISA’S BASIC MEATLOAF
2 pounds ground round
1 medium onion, diced
1 large bell pepper, diced
3 eggs
2 “stacks” regular saltine crackers, crushed
1 can tomato sauce (I like the garlic one)
1 can tomato paste
1 tablespoon garlic powder (or to taste)
½ tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon pepper
2 tablespoons of Italian seasoning herbs
Cut up onion and bell pepper and put in a LARGE mixing bowl. Put in 3 raw eggs and mix with onions and bell pepper. Add tomatoes paste and sauce, all seasonings and stir. Crumble raw ground beef into bowl and MIX WITH YOUR HANDS TO COMBINE EVERYTHING, squishing everything through your fingers. Add all but a hand full of crushed crackers and mix into meat mixture with your hands. Divide in half and put in two loaf pans. Sprinkle remaining cracker crumbs over top of loafs. Bake at 350’ for ABOUT 45 to 60 minutes.
LET COOL SLIGHTLY BEFORE TRYING TO CUT into slices.
MAKES 2 MEAT LOAFS USING STANDARD 3 x 9 x 3 PANS
Eat one…Freeze the other for a night you don’t want to cook.
Easy Chicken Pot Pie (for two)
http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/easy-chicken-pot-pie-cooking-for-2/871248d5-e169-4781-bf5b-f2e92cdddcdc?WT.mc_id=taf_recipe_BC
or
Easy Baked Chicken Dinner (for two)
http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/easy-baked-chicken-and-potato-dinner-for-two/cf2490bc-2d5f-4566-ac09-1baf41dd296e?WT.mc_id=taf_recipe_BC
-Allie
A Great Appetizer!
Buffalo Dip with Tostitos Scoops
2 Large Cans of Chicken
1 Bottle Moore's Buffalo Wing Sauce
1 16oz. bottle Ranch Dressing
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Drain chicken in can and pour into an oven safe dish. Shred chicken with fork. Pour 3/4 bottle of buffalo sauce in with chicken and mix well. Layer 3/4 bottle ranch dressing on top of chicken/sauce mixture. Pour cheese on top of ranch. DO NOT MIX! Bake at 425 for 20-25 mins or until cheese is melted and bubbling. Serve Tostitos scoops chips :)
Any Fruit Cobbler
[You can use frozen strawberries, canned & drained or frozen peaches, any fruit!]
1 cup sugar
1 cup Bisquick
1 cup milk
Butter
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In medium bowl, mix sugar, bisquick and milk together until well mixed. Spray oven safe dish with cooking spray. Pour fruit of your choice into dish. Make sure if it is canned fruit, you drain it. Pour bisquick mixture over fruit. No need to mix. Take butter and "flake" it on top. Bake at 375 degrees for 25-35 minutes, or until golden brown. Enjoy!
Sausage Cream Cheese Crescents
[Great for breakfast!]
1 "tube" breakfast sausage [I use turkey sausage because it is healthier :)]
1 1/2 of 2 8oz blocks cream cheese
2 cans of crescent rolls
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook sausage. While sausage is cooking, melt 1 whole block cream cheese and 1/2 of another block of cream cheese in the microwave in a bowl. Do it in 1 minute intervals so that it won't scorch, stirring frequently. Drain and rinse sausage once it is cooked. Mix sausage and melted cream cheese in a large bowl. Seperate crescent rolls and lay crescent rolls on a greased cookie sheet. Fill crescent rolls with mixture and fold over to secure. [Kind of like you do with the taco ring if you have ever made one of those.] Bake for 13-18 mins until golden. Enjoy!
As you know I am veeery picky ;) so I like this kind of goulash instead of all the veggies and things in normal goulash!!
2-3lbs hamburger meat
1 small can tomato paste
1-2 cans tomato sauce
1 can diced tomatos
Brown ham. meat, then add the paste, sauce, and diced tomatos. Flavor with salt and pepper to your liking :)
I thought this would taste like spaghetti, but i was suprised to find it did not at all!! Hope you enjoy and I love you!!
My favorite meal to make for friends is Pork Tenderloin with sides of homemade mashed potatoes and green beans. Recipes/Instructions can be email if you want!
ALSO, on a cold wet night try Paula Deen's Taco Soup: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/taco-soup-recipe/index.html
My mom often talks of how hard it is to cook for just two people, especially after cooking for a family. :) Happy cooking!
Megan,
Congrats on the marriage!
Cooking for two (or one) can be tough, especially when you're both working full-time jobs. One of my favorite tricks is cooking on the weekend with leftovers in mind - a big pot of soup or stew will usually get better by day three. But there are other tricks like knowing it's safe to thaw a couple of chicken breasts in hot water if you cook them immediately.
I'm the About.com guide to Cooking for Two so my job is helping folks like you out. Feel free to email me (cookingfortwo.guide@about.com) any time you need some specific advice on a recipe or menu.
And BTW, I'm finishing up my 2011 Valentine's menu. You can do all the work on Sunday and then cook it with almost no hands-on effort on Valentine's day.
So when things aren't so stinking crazy...like when I am not prepping for Africa...I will get you some recipes! I do have one request though...could you french braid my hair before we leave? It makes my hair after over 16 hours of travel look so much better!
Lemon Chicken Pasta Salad
1 box Betty Crocker Suddenly Salad ranch& bacon pasta salad mix
1 cup mayo
1 tsp grated lemon peel
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 cups cubed cooked chicken
1 1/2 cups snow peas cut into 1/2 in strings removed
1/2 toasted almonds
lettuce
1. Empty pasta into 3 qt saucepan 2/3 full of boiling salt water Gently boil uncovered 12 minutes stirring occasionally
2. Drain pasta rinse in cold water Shake to drain well
3. In large bowl stir together seasoning mix, mayo, lemon peel, and lemon juice. Stir in chicken, pea pods and almonds. Serve on lettuce
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