Recipes
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients:
3 base options here depending on what’s hanging out in your pantry!
Base:
2 cans condensed cream of chicken/cream of potato/cheddar cheese soup OR...
1 cube chicken or vegetable boullion OR...
2 cups prepared chicken stock (from a can or tetra)
2 Tbs butter/margarine
1 large potato, peeled and chopped roughly
1 small onion, peeled and chopped roughly (optional)
1 clove garlic, minced (optional)
1 -2 cans flakes of ham (diced deli ham/flakes of turkey/chicken are fine, too), drained
1-2 cans creamed corn
1 cup milk
Salt, pepper and shredded cheese to taste (optional)
Instructions:
~If using onions and garlic, sweat in butter in medium saucepan over medium-low heat until soft but not browned, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Add chopped potato
~If not using onions and garlic, begin here (if using, continue here from above): In saucepan, over medium low heat, combine base ingredient chosen (PLUS 2 CUPS water if using condensed soup or boullion cube. If using prepared stock that does not require added water, do not add extra water)
~Add milk & creamed corn and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching on bottom of pot. Simmer until potatoes are tender, about 10 mins. Now, roughly mash with a potato masher. If texture of soup is too thick for your personal taste, at this point you can check for flavour and add a bit more stock/water/milk
~Add flakes of ham at the end of cooking (to avoid breaking it up too much while mashing), bring back to simmer and check for seasoning. Add salt and pepper if needed, and when serving, top with some shredded cheese/chopped green onions, etc. if desired
Serves 4 - 6
*This lasagne has no rules! Use ground or chopped meat, or eggs, or bacon or none or all! Lots of cheese or just a little or leave it out, and any canned sauce you have on hand works perfectly. No chopping veggies needed; and any shaped pasta will do!
Ingredients:
1 lb chopped or crumbled ground pork, beef, chicken, turkey, bacon or sausage, or 4-6 large eggs
1 Tbs olive/other vegetable oil
12 oz dried pasta (broken lasagne noodles or any other shape)
1/2 can diced/ground tomatoes with liquid
2 cans (14-16 oz each) pasta sauce
1/2 cup water (plus extra, if needed)
1 cup grated cheese such as mozzarella or cheddar (if unavailable, leave it out!)
*sprinkle of herbs, pepper, Parmesan, hot pepper flakes is great but not necessary!
Instructions:
~if using ground or chopped meat, season with salt and pepper, if desired and brown lightly in oil in a large, deep skillet (one that has a tight-fitting lid for later) over medium low heat until cooked through, crumbling as it cooks. *if using bacon, remove crisp, crumbled bacon at this point and set aside until end. ** if using eggs, begin at second step
~add tomato sauce, diced tomatoes and water to skillet, combine well and bring to simmer. ** if using eggs, crack in carefully, at this point, spacing a bit apart from each other, then proceed to next step
~add broken lasagne noodles/dried pasta of choice to skillet, carefully, and press noodles down gently with back of spoon to fully immerse under sauce
~cover and simmer on medium-low heat for about 10-15 mins, then check doneness of noodles with a knife. If pasta is not fully cooked yet, add 1/4 cup more water, cover and cook another 3-5 mins
~When cooked fully, remove from heat, sprinkle with grated cheese, cover and let melt about 3-5 mins then serve!
Serves 6 - 8
Ingredients:
~1 can baked beans in sauce
~1 can drained flakes of ham/turkey/chicken
~1 can condensed tomato soup
~3 cups cooked rice
~1 can corn, drained
~1/2 onion, chopped
~1 clove garlic, minced
~2 Tbsps oil, butter or margarine, divided
~1 cup shredded cheese (cheddar preferred, but any type will do - ***OR, omit cheese and sprinkle 1 cup crushed whole grain or regular tortilla or corn chips on top of casserole after uncovering for last 5 minutes of baking)
~1 tsp chopped fresh herbs, if desired (cilantro, basil or parsley are great)
Directions:
~ Preheat oven to 375 degrees
~ Grease a 9 x 13 “ casserole dish with 1 tsp oil/margarine.
~ Sauté onion and garlic in remainder of oil/margarine in medium saucepan over medium-low heat until soft but not browned.
~ once softened, mix in condensed tomato soup until well incorporated, then gently mix in drained corn, ham & baked beans and stir frequently until hot. Remove from heat.
~ Layer cooked rice in bottom of casserole.
~ Evenly spoon all of hot bean mixture over corn layer and then top with all of the shredded cheese.
~ Cover with foil (do not let cheese touch foil!) and bake in middle of oven for about 30 mins or until very centre of casserole is melty and hot throughout. Bake additional 5 mins uncovered, to brown cheese a bit. Garnish with fresh herbs, if desired
Serves 4
Ingredients:
1 large potato (any type, well-scrubbed but unpeeled for maximum nutrition ... skin-on gives a great dose of vitamin C!), sliced into very thin rounds
1 tbsp olive (or other) oil
Salt and pepper to taste
6 large eggs
1/4 cup milk
1 slice of buttered, whole grain toast (optional but delicious!) cooled, and cut into medium -sized cubes
1 can flakes of ham/chicken/turkey, very well drained
1 can mushrooms (any cut, drained and blotted dry with paper towel)
1/2 cup cheese, any type (optional)
Instructions:
~ preheat oven to 400 degrees, rack in lower-middle position
~ place medium (8-10”) cast-iron or other oven-proof skillet on burner set to medium-low heat. Once hot, drizzle in oil
~ evenly lay sliced potatoes in bottom of pan and about 1/2 inch up side, overlapping a bit if necessary, to use all of potatoes
~ season with sprinkling of salt and pepper
~ beat eggs, milk, cheese (if using) and generous pinches of salt and pepper. Allow to brown slightly, about 5 minutes
~ slowly pour beaten egg mixture over cooking potatoes, taking care not to cause potatoes to become pulled away from surface of pan
~ cook partially, stovetop, until about 1 “ of egg around edge of pan is set
~ sprinkle in drained ham, diced buttered toast (if using) and mushrooms. Place pan in oven and bake about 10-15 mins/until eggs are just set in middle. Slice & serve
** reheat cold leftovers in microwave briefly and then stovetop in pan to re-crisp potato crust
Quick make-ahead side:
Marinated veggie salad
Combine 1 can drained green/yellow beans and 1 can drained mixed veggies with 1/4 cup Italian dressing OR 1 Tbs vinegar (wine/balsamic vinegar are best) and 3 Tbs Olive (or other) oil plus a pinch of salt and pepper. Mix and let marinate while you prepare your frittata. Serve on the side of any meal.
Makes 12 Bars
Ingredients:
~4 cups dry breakfast cereal (something not too sweet and preferably whole-grain for the most protein and fibre - but anything works!)
~1 cup peanut butter (or alternative nut butter/spread)
~3/4 cup maple syrup (recommended) OR honey OR a simple syrup made by heating 1/3 cup water and 1/3 cup sugar in microwave for about 30 seconds/until fully dissolved
~1/2 cup add-ins, if desired, such as raisins, chopped nuts, dark chocolate, coconut, trail mix, etc (not necessary - they are terrific plain!)
Directions:
~ If using simple syrup instead of maple syrup/honey, begin with that step (see ingredients)
~ Line an 8x8 baking dish/pan with parchment paper
~ Measure out cereal into a large bowl
~ In saucepan, melt peanut butter over medium-low heat, stirring frequently. When melted, add maple syrup/honey/simple syrup and combine well. Remove mixture from heat and allow to cool slightly
~ Pour mixture over cereal and add-ins (if using) and stir gently to combine without crushing cereal
~ Pour into lined pan and firmly press into place using water-dampened hands
~ Place in fridge for 30-60 mins to firm up, then slice into 12 bars and store tightly wrapped (at room temp for gooey bars, in fridge for firmer bars)