Still working on cleaning out my pantry and fridge and today was a really good exercise in self-control (in other words, not running to Chick-Fil-A).
For breakfast we had scrambled eggs with shredded Parmesan and whole wheat toast. For lunch we ate up whatever leftovers we had in the fridge, different kinds of chicken, sliced tomato, pickles, carrots and ranch. For dinner the first of the three recipes.
I was cleaning out the outside fridge when I discovered all the leftover ham from a couple of weeks ago. Mom assured me that ham lasts for quite a while, so after both of us smelling it to be sure, we concluded that it was indeed safe for people.
Anyway I cut this up into bite size pieces. Then in a large stock pot, I dumped every kind of canned bean that I had on hand (not green beans of course). My personal favorites are black, northern, and pinto. I really don't care a fig for kidney beans. To dense for my taste buds. I didn't have enough black beans today so I added a can of chili beans as well. Then I dump in all the ham, and add onion (dried or fresh) salt and pepper, and enough water to make a nice soup. My favorite thing about this recipe is that I put it on in the morning, and it simmers all day long christening the house with it's flavorful aroma and giving me the peace of mind that dinner is taken care of. I just add water every couple of hours. Trust me, even if your family doesn't care for beans, they will love this recipe. It is one of my family's favorites. Tonight I made a pot of brown rice (not instant) and poured the bean soup over that. It was amazing!! Not to mention easy and cheap! In my opinion easy, cheap, and delicious is the magic combination in the life of every mom.
The other two recipes I tried for the first time last week, and they were both quite amazing, not to mention quick and easy.
The corn recipe is from allrecipes.com
Corn Casserole II
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 8 x 12 casserole dish. In a mixing bowl combine 1 can cream style corn, 1 can niblet style corn (I used regular) drained, 2 eggs, 1 cup sour cream, 1 (8.5 ounce) box dry corn bread (Jiffy was perfect), and 1/2 cup melted butter. Pour into prepared dish. Bake for 30 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese. Return to oven and bake for 15 more minutes or until center is firm.
Now a few weeks back, I told you about a corn pudding that I tried that was rather nasty. This wasn't like that at all. It was more like a really moist cornbread casserole. One of my favorite casseroles that I've ever made.
Crunchy Baked Chicken
In a shallow bowl, whisk 1 egg and 1 tablespoon of milk. In another shallow bowl, combine 1 (2.8 ounce) can french-fried onions, 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, 1/4 cup dry breadcrumbs, 1 tsp paprika, 1/2 tsp salt, and dash of pepper. Pound 3 to 4 pounds chicken breasts until nice and flat. Dip in egg mixture then in onion mixture. Place in a greased 13 x 9" baking dish. Drizzle with 1/4 cup melted butter. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes or until juices run clear.
Now you may be wondering what happened to eating healthy. Well this chicken was my version of healthy. My original thought was "Baked has to be better then fried!"
That was before I got to the "drizzle with butter" part.
By that time, I was in too deep. I will tell you that it was amazing! So tender and flavorful and didn't take any time at all to prepare. This meal was also very cheap for me given that I keep these things in my pantry at all times. The french-fried onions are actually kind of a funny story. Right after I started couponing, I discovered that Dillon's had French's Fried Onions on clearance. So I ran for my coupon folder and discovered that I had twelve coupons for $1 off. So I bought twelve large cans of French's Fried Onions and now, one year later, am still trying to find good uses for these things!
Hope these great recipes work out for you and that you enjoy the thrill of making something new!
No comments:
Post a Comment