Spaghetti Sauce

Spaghetti is my absolute go-to meal.  It's easy, inexpensive, and you can make a huge batch and freeze it in single-meal servings in ziploc bags, saving even more via bulk purchasing, and allowing for super simple meal preparation later.

Because of this, the measurements I will be giving are relative, easily adjusted to the size batch you are making.  Just be aware so that you scale them appropriately.  I usually use a 3-lb container of ground beef, 6 jars of sauce, and about 4 large onions, for example.

For parents with vegetable-averse kids, it's easy to sneak in some extra veggies in this, too.  Just finely mince whatever veggies you like – carrots and bell peppers are great choices, for example, thanks to their nutrient contents – and add them midway through the browning of the onions.  By the time it's done cooking, they should be unidentifiable.

Cabbage and Potato Soup

This has been one of my favorite soup recipes for most of my life, slightly modified to be gluten free since we recently found out my spouse has Celiac's. (I used to thicken it with a roux, instead of cooking down some of the potatoes first.) It is always one of the first things my mind goes to when the weather starts to cool in the fall.

If you aren't as fond of garlic as we are, you can reduce it as desired – I think the original recipe called for about ¼ as much.

Slow Cooker Balsamic Garlic Beef

This was quite tasty with a very different flavor than most of the crockpot recipes we've tried.  It was right on the edge of the level of sweetness I like meat to have, which was surprising since there was nothing particularly sweet involved except a little honey.  It combined marvelously with mashed potatoes with sour cream, and brussels sprouts with butter, salt and garlic powder.

Slow Cooker Simplicity Ham and Potato Casserole

This is a slow-cooker version of one of my favorite meals as a child, my grandmother's Ham and Potato Casserole.  It's an exceedingly simple meal, more so even than the original already simple recipe, but the taste is wonderful.  Just perfect for a cold winter day!

Chocolate Chip Cookies in a Cup

I have a new passion – or perhaps it would be more accurate to say addiction – for single serve, microwave desserts in a cup.  This is absolutely the most brilliant invention ever.  It's quick - from the decision to make it, to eating is less than five minutes.  It's easy - all you need is a measuring spoon and a mug, really; and it leaves no more mess behind than that, either, and no extras to store.  And it's delicious!  It is easily as good as most storebought cookies, and better than many homemade ones I've tried.

This particular recipe is the first one I tried, and while it is not perfect, it is easy to try, and quite good enough to hook me!

Spaghetti Squash with Tomato Sauce

This is a simple, tasty, and extremely healthy side dish that goes well with almost anything.

Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore with Zuchini

As seems to be somewhat the theme of these freezer-to-crockpot meals, this one was a bit bland as I found it; I had to work with it to make it my own and suited to our tastes.  However, it's delightfully simple yet healthy, hearty, and delicious.  It would be easy to add in any additional vegetables that your family prefers or which are in season.

Slow Cooker Mongolian Beef

This was the first of my freezer-to-crockpot experiments.  With some adjustments to make it my own, I was satisfied, if not absolutely wild about it.  I don't think it will become a staple at our house, but it's quite tasty all the same.

I served it over basmati rice, the only kind I like; and alongside lightly stir-fried broccoli, carrot slices and snow peas in a little sesame oil, oyster sauce and soy sauce.

Crockpot Salsa Chicken

When I first found the base for this recipe, I was rather skeptical, as it frankly sounded too simple to really be much good.  But, I gave it a shot.  The smells as it was cooking were amazing.  As I scooped it out, I got skeptical again - it certainly didn't look appetizing.  However...  the taste absolutely won me over!  This is definitely getting added to the regular household menu, especially how easy it is to keep 'on hand'.

Beef and Leeks with Mashed Potatoes

Quick, easy, and oh-so-tasty!  You can't ask for much more from dinner.

Ingredients:

(beef and leeks)

• 1 lb. ground chuck
• 2 large leeks, washed and any 'icky' parts removed
• 1 medium onion
• 4 cloves garlic
• salt and pepper
• 1 Tbs corn starch (optional)

(mashed potatoes)

• 3-5 red potatoes (depending on size)
• 2 Tbs butter
• 1/2 c. sour cream (approx.)

Directions:

1.  Peel potatoes, then cut into 1/2-1 inch cubes.  Place them in a pot, cover with water, and add about 1/2 tsp. salt, then set aside for the moment.


2. Mince onion, slice leeks into rings about 1/4" wide, dice garlic.  



3. In a large skillet, heat 1-2 tsp vegetable oil on medium-low heat (about 4 on most stoves).


4. Add minced onion, and saute until just beginning to turn translucent at the edges.


5. Add 1/2 of the leeks (both white and green parts, but more of the white).  Saute until onion is fully translucent and beginning to brown slightly.

Pan Fried Chicken Recipe

This is an exceedingly simple recipe, but quite tasty! It's definitely a 'taste of home' for many people.

Cream of Mushroom Chicken and Rice Recipe

 This is an extremely easy meal, and quite inexpensive, but healthful and very tasty!  This is easily enough for six generous servings.  This lovely chicken recipe was a fond memory from my childhood, one of my favorite dinners growing up; now that I am the one cooking, I can understand why my mother was happy about that.

Simple Stovetop Healthy Popcorn Recipe

With all of the hype recently about the health benefits of popcorn, it is increasingly obvious why people love and crave popcorn so much.  Of course, without a doubt, the healthiest popcorn to eat is air-popped, with no toppings.  However, let’s face it: air-popped popcorn, with no oil, butter, or salt, is not very appetizing.

So what is the best compromise between “naked” popcorn and the butter-laden salty kernels from the movie theater?  Stove top popped popcorn.

Made with a little thought, it can be made with a minimum of unhealthy aspects while still being tasty.  You can also add a wide variety of flavorings that are both delicious and still healthy — most cooking spices, like chili powder, cumin, curry powder, garlic powder, Cajun spice, garam masala, or even combinations of spices are wonderful ideas.

Stovetop popcorn is a wonderful compromise between healthy and tasty

Cheater Microwave Raspberry Cake Recipe

Easy Dessert Recipes Perfect for Dorm or College Food, or Any Time

This easy cake recipe using fruit preserves is quick and simple, but can be modified to fit any taste for sweets.

This super easy cake recipe is perfect for satisfying a sweet tooth without lots of preparation and mess, or a lot of technical know-how, as with most baking recipes. This makes it ideal as a beginner college recipe for a young adult just off on their own and living in the dorms, or any time you have limited space or equipment for baking. No oven or specialized equipment is necessary, just a couple of bowls, a glass or ceramic dish, and a microwave. It is also very quick to make, so can be easily used to just throw together if you decide at the last minute that a meal just has to have a dessert, or whenever you don't have the time to deal with the mess that most baking results in.

Try experimenting with different preserves, in addition to the recommended raspberry. Apricot, blackberry, plum, strawberry or even apple would probably be wonderful. Just be sure to use the seedless preserves, not jams with the seeds, nor jellies, as these are likely to give the finished cake undesirable tastes or textures. Above all, have fun with it! Try combining different flavors in the cake and the frosting, like apricot in the cake and plum in the frosting. Or try a triple-berry cake, with raspberry, blackberry and strawberry. With a recipe this easy to put together, it isn't hard to get creative.

Cauliflower with White Sauce and Cheese

This is a rather simple but very delicious recipe for cauliflower.  Many people dislike cauliflower for its mushy texture and bland taste, but the combination with the white sauce and cheese give it a delicate combination of flavors that go well with almost any main dish.

Ingredients:

• 1 whole cauliflower
• 1 Tbs. butter
• 1 Tbs. flour
• 1 cup milk (approximate)
• 1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• salt & pepper to taste

Caramelized Onions

Caramelized onions and browned onions are often used as interchangeable terms, and although they are related, they are not precisely the same thing.  Caramelized onions are cooked significantly longer, until the natural sugars in the onions are, well, caramelized.  Caramel is in essence simply browned sugar, and despite the bite onions have, they are very sweet as well, which means they are full of natural sugars.

Many recipes, especially those which will feature the onions directly, such as fajitas, call for caramelized onions; cooking onions this way breaks down the compounds which give onions their bite, and leaves them rich and sweet tasting.  Properly caramelized onions are sufficient as a side dish all by themselves, or feature well with other sauteed vegetables, like mushrooms, peppers, squashes, tomatoes, and more.

Making Fresh Whipped Cream

Is it very simple to make fresh whipped cream; it takes only a minute or two, easy enough anyone can do it, and the taste is far superior to anything you can buy in a can.

Simply take the desired amount of heavy whipping cream — one cup is plenty for most needs — and put it in a mixing bowl. Remember that it will increase in size considerably, so use an appropriately larger bowl.

Making a Simple Rue

The basis to many recipes, especially (but not limited to) anything with a ‘white’ or cream sauce, is a simple rue (or roux). Most simply put, it is flour, to thicken the sauce, which has been sautéed in butter to get rid of the ‘floury’ taste that it would give the food if you added it directly.
When making a rue sauce, the general rule of thumb is 1 tablespoon of flour and 1 tablespoon of butter (or other oil for the calorie-conscious) for every cup of liquid. This makes a fairly thick sauce, just about perfect for brown gravy. Use a higher or lower rue-to-liquid ratio as needed.

Savory Indian Yogurt

This is (currently) one of my favorite recipes. A bit of this mixed with unsweetened oat cereal (generic cheerios work wonderfully) is quite delicious, and very healthy!

Based on the recipe 'Quinoa Yogurt Salad'.