Well everyone, I have had a good day. Here is a list of what I have made for this week. Started by scrubbing some big potatoes, poking them and putting them in the oven. While they were cooking, I put some ground beef in a skillet to cook. Next I began my chopping routine and cut up onions and garlic, carrots, celery, and onions.
Then I started the spaghetti sauce. Once that was going I drained the fat off the ground beef and added the taco seasoning. Took it off the heat to cool. Next I started the meatballs. While they were in the skillet, I took the potatoes out of the oven to cool and put the taco meat in containers and into the freezer.
Now I spend some time flipping the meatballs and getting them into the sauce. I defrost two boxes of frozen spinach. Now I am ready for those potatoes. I slice them all in half and scoop the insides into a bowl. I add the other ingredients for my twice baked potatoes. Scoop the filling back into the empty potato skins and top with cheddar and pop them into the oven. Now I spend some time cleaning up. Are you counting? We are up to three and it's not even lunch time yet!
I take a break, eat something, run to my neighbor's to help her fix a bobbin on her sewing machine and take a few phone calls. Back to work.
Spaghetti sauce and meatballs are simmering on the back burner and I am ready for the next two meals. I put water on to boil for pastina. On Wednesday when I was home, I cooked a pot of chicken soup. I used a package of thighs and legs I had. I pulled all the meat from the bones strained the broth and froze both. I am now using this for my next two meals. This is a recipe a friend just gave me and I am giving it a try. Using no boil lasagna noodles I layer them with the shredded chicken, spinach, artichoke hearts and three kinds of cheese - mozzarella, provolone, and parm. Instead of sauce I added some of the chicken broth. Cover with foil and pop in the oven. Out come the potatoes. There is another meal done!
Finally, I add the remaining chicken to the remaining broth. Add some carrots, celery and peas. Simmer until the veggies are done. Will add the pastina when its done and I will have chicken vegetable soup. . As soon s I get off the computer, I will throw some bread into the bread machine. That takes all of ten minutes. I have pesto in the freezer , and I have tomatoes and mozzarella in the fridge. Everything I need for paninis. So there you have it. five meals and one quickie panini meal.
I know, what about breakfast and lunch you say? I usually eat a container of Greek yogurt at work for breakfast. Lunch is sometimes a sandwich, but more often leftovers from the night before. I have no problem eating the same thing twice, so this works for me!
Anxious to see how the chicken lasagna thing turns out. I hope I didn't put too much broth and make it all soggy. We will see! I am concerned because my friend didn't give me an actual recipe, she told me over the phone what she did. She tends to cook like I do--no measuring. I suppose if I am going to share recipes with you I will have to start measuring. Might be good to write things down. My grandmother never did and many of her wonderful recipes are lost to us.
Off to put the ingredients into the bread machine and put cooled sauce into containers for the freezer.
See you soon and happy cooking!
Carol
