When I moved away from my mom's all I could make was Kraft mac n cheese and a couple of crock pot meals. Now I'm a pretty good cook, not a fancy chef or anything but good downhome food. The way I started was to use some boxed/bottled/canned stuff from the store and add some fresh veggies and meat to make it better.
CHICKEN & VEGGIE RICE PILAF - A favorite because it's so versatile. You can use any Rice a Roni flavor and veggies you want/like.
2 skinless boneless chicken breasts
1 pkg Rice a Roni Pilaf flavor (or whatever flavor you want)
½ cp frozen carrots, sliced
1 cp broccoli, chopped
½ cp frozen peas
OR
2 cps frozen mixed veggies
Trim chicken of all fat and cut into chunks. Coat a frying pan with cooking spray and fry the chicken about 15 min to cook through. Remove from pan and set aside.
If you're using frozen veggies put them in a strainer and run warm - not hot - water over them to thaw them a little bit. Let them sit awhile to drain well.
In the same pan start preparing the Rice a Roni as directed on the package. When it comes to a boil add the rice, veggies and simmer as called for on the Rice a Roni package. 5 min from the end add the chicken chunks to the pan, give it a stir and leave the lid off till the time is up.
CHICKEN POT PIE - This only has a top crust but it's delicious!! and so easy!
2 cps cooked chicken chunks (2 boneless, skinless breasts) You can cook the chicken just like directed in the recipe above.
¾ cp frozen corn
½ can green beans
¾ cp frozen sliced carrots
¼ cp frozen peas
1 jar Heinz Chicken Gravy
1 ¾ cp Bisquick
1 egg
2/3 cp milk
Preheat the oven to 375*
In a med bowl stir together the chicken chunks, corn, green beans, carrots and gravy. Set aside. 2 ½ to 3 cps of any fresh, canned or frozen veggies can be used. If using frozen they must be completely thawed and drained very well before using them.
In another bowl mix the Bisquick with the egg and milk. Stirring just till blended.
Spray a deep dish pie pan with cooking spray. (It can also be cooked in 4 smaller single serving dishes, 10-12 oz size) Spoon the chicken gravy mixture into the prepared pan. Spoon the Bisquick mixture over the filling. Spread it out as evenly as possible. Bake 25 min or until the crust is golden brown.
IMPORTANT DO NOT try to put the top crust it in the middle and spread it out. It will be way to thick in the middle to cook through. You must put spoonfuls around the edges, maybe an inch or so apart and then a spoonful or two in the middle. Spread it out as much as you can.
OVEN CHICKEN NUGGETS - These are better and healthier than anything from McDs
4 skinless boneless chicken breasts, cut into chunks
Dry Mix
1 ½ cps cereal flakes, crushed (I like Product 19 best) - 1 tsp Parsley - 1 tsp Basil - ½ tsp
oregano - Salt & Pepper
OR
1 ½ cps Sour Cream and Chive Potato Chips, crushed
Wet Mix
1 egg - 1 Tbls water
OR
1 cp Ranch dressing
Preheat oven to 350*. Trim chicken breasts of all fat and cut into chunks or strips. Place the Wet Mix in a shallow bowl. Put the cereal or chips in a blender and grind as fine as you like. Place the Dry Mix in a shallow bowl.
Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Dredge the chicken chunks in the Wet Mix and then coat them in the cereal a few at a time. Place the chicken chunks on the baking sheet. Bake 20-25 min or until chicken is done through.
MEXICAN LASAGNA - Other Mexican Lasagna recipes say to make it with corn tortillas but the corn chips are way, way better.
1 lb hamburger
1 sm onion
½ tsp garlic powder
2 cans diced tomatoes
1 can black beans - rinsed and drained
1 can whole kernel corn - drained
1 pkg Taco seasoning (mild, reg or hot)
1 ½ cp sour cream
1 ½ cp cottage cheese
4 oz can chopped green chilies (even if you like it mild use at least a few chilies)
1 bag corn chips
½ lb shredded cheddar cheese
Preheat oven to 325*. In a lrg skillet brown the hamburger, drain off the fat. Stir in the onion and garlic. Let that cook over low heat while you rinse and drain the beans and corn. Add the tomatoes to the skillet. Stir in the taco seasoning till well blended. Add beans and corn.
In a med bowl stir the sour cream, cottage cheese and green chilies together till well blended. Spray a 13”x9” oven dish with cooking spray. Spread 1/2 of the meat over the bottom of the oven dish. Layer with 1/2 of the sour cream mixture, sprinkle with corn chips and 1/2 of the cheddar cheese. Repeat layers. Slide the dish into the oven and bake 15 min to blend flavors and melt cheese.
SALSA BEEF SKILLET - My husband really loves this one.
1 pkg Kraft Deluxe Macaroni n Cheese or Velveeta Shells n Cheese
1 lb hamburger
1/2 cp salsa
1 can corn, drained
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 pkg Taco seasoning
½ cp water
½ cp shredded cheddar cheese
Brown hamburger in skillet, drain the fat off. Return to skillet. Add water, and taco seasoning, stir till well blended. Add salsa, corn, beans and simmer as the mac n cheese cooks.
Prepare Mac n cheese per pkg directions. Add it to the skillet, stir.
Top with cheese. Good served with corn bread.
CHEESY RICE QUESADILLA - I love these a lot. You can add chicken to these too but they're great without.
1 pkg Rice a Roni Spanish Rice
1 can diced tomatoes w/ chilies
1 can corn, drained
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cp chunky salsa
1 pkg corn tortillas - or other tortilla you prefer
Cheddar cheese
Sour Cream
Salsa
Prepare the Rice a Roni per instructions on the box in a skillet – for the water use the tomato juice drained off the tomatoes, add enough water to equal what the box calls for.
When it’s done stir in the tomatoes. Make sure the beans are well rinsed with water and drained. Add them to the rice along with the corn and 1 cp of salsa, cover and simmer just till it's all heated thru.
Heat a lrg skillet over med/high-heat. Lower heat to med. Spray with cooking spray, lay a tortilla in the pan and cover with the rice mixture to about 1/2" thickness. Sprinkle with cheese, lay another tortilla over top and cook till the top tortilla begins to curl at the edges. Flip it carefully with a pancake turner. Cook that side 1-2 min. Flip onto a plate and cut into quarters with a pizza cutter. Top with sour cream and salsa, serve.