Quick Dinners

Hamburger Vegetable Soup

October 4, 2020 by Debbie 2 Comments

Hamburger Vegetable Soup is a quick and easy meal to throw together. This hearty soup is loaded with hamburger meat , vegetables and pasta. This budget friendly meal is perfect to make any day of the week and it also freezes beautifully to have a meal ready to go . I have been making this soup for many years and it is very versatile . This is a great clean out your pantry soup and throw in any canned vegetables you have stockpiling in there. I always use pasta in this soup but potatoes could easily be a great replacement .

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Easy Fish Tacos

August 17, 2020 by Debbie 20 Comments

These Easy Fish Tacos are packed full of seasoned flaky fish in a hearty warm tortilla. They are topped with cabbage, avocado, cojita and Chipotle Crema(Don’t skip the crema), even those not too sure about fish tacos will love these . Have you ever tried fish tacos? Don’t be scared they are such a treat . I have an obsession no matter what city or restaurant I am bound to try either shrimp and grits or their fish tacos, I have an internal love for both. After trying so many I have made quite a few at home. For this recipe I used some red snapper I had on hand but basically any white flaky fish will do. For those of you that don’t like “fishy” fish white flaky fish tends to be mellow with a very mild flavor.

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Easy Baked Ziti

May 31, 2020 by Debbie 14 Comments

This Easy Baked Ziti is one of those meals all busy Moms should have on their dinner rotation. I am just like the rest of you , I’m chasing my tail trying to keep order in our crazy life. Doing all this plus put dinner on the table at the same time. I have been making this dish for many years and this is what it has evolved to. Back in the day when I had all three boys playing baseball I would make this up and instead of throwing it in the oven I would put it in the fridge. When we got home I would toss it in the oven and once everyone showered dinner was ready. No drive thru dinner but it was still fast.

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Tuna Noodle for Two

April 20, 2020 by Debbie 10 Comments

I love Tuna Casserole but my family doesn’t have the same feelings about my ultimate comfort food. I am all about using what I have on hand so I was digging around in my pantry and came up with this simple Tuna Noodle for Two. This is the perfect serving for two people or one and save a serving for later. During this stay at home order I have had this for lunch a few times and it is so comforting . This is made mostly from pantry items and the box meal can be replaced with what is on hand.

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Beef and Bean Burritos

March 29, 2020 by Debbie 1 Comment

Like most people I have been home for two weeks . All I can think about is my favorite Mexican restaurant , I just want cheese dip and margaritas! To satisfy my cravings I dug around in my pantry to see what I had and came up with these Beef and Bean Burritos . Everyone finds comfort in different food, mine is tacos and burritos . Don’t judge me , it’s a guilty pleasure LOL. Seriously , this is super simple to cook and what burritos are not eaten they can be wrapped and frozen. These Beef and bean burritos can be popped in the microwave and make the perfect lunch. If you love Mexican food check out my Easy Fresh Salsa, it is so good.

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Pantry Chicken Spaghetti

March 13, 2020 by Debbie 9 Comments

This Pantry Chicken Spaghetti is a great meal to prepare for your family and all the ingredients can be kept in the pantry. It is creamy and full of flavor and your family will love it . This is a great quick dish if you are in a pinch or trying to clean out your pantry. Necessity is the mother of invention and I have learned to keep my pantry stocked and know how to use the goods when needed. Living on the Gulf Coast my entire life and having survived a few natural disasters has taught me a lot. I always keep a rotating stock of canned goods of all varieties . This Pantry Chicken Spaghetti is a great example but another is my basic Tuna Casserole .

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Meatballs and Brown Gravy

January 26, 2020 by Debbie 27 Comments

These Meatballs and Brown Gravy is a go to dish at my house and I have been making it for years. After tweaks this is finally what has evolved . I don’t know if I have mentioned before but I have a husband and 3 teenage sons that all have hearty appetites. If it was up to them we would have large slabs of meat every night for supper, like prime rib, steaks or even several slabs of ribs . Since our budget can’t afford such luxuries on a regular basis I have come up with several tasty options that are still filling, delicious and most of all easy. I have gotten very creative with ground meat over the years from when our budget was very tight. This is still one of my family’s favorite dishes served over rice and with my Southern Smoky Green Beans.

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Leftover Steak Quesadillas

September 18, 2019 by Debbie 5 Comments

Steaks are an ultimate treat at our house , our three teenage sons are major carnivores . When they know we are grilling thick cuts of beef they will skip all other meals that day to make sure they can finish every little morsel. My husband , for the fear we won’t have enough meat ALWAYS grills at least two to three extra steaks . With my husbands phobia of not having enough meat we always have at least one whole steak leftover ,if not more. Over the years I have come up with many creative ways to use the leftover meat but these Leftover Steak Quesadillas are by far my favorite way. I have also done this with our left over holiday prime rib and they are even more fabulous.

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Tuna Casserole

July 7, 2018 by Debbie 4 Comments

I know this seems like just a plain ole tuna casserole but to me it is pure comfort food. This is exactly how I grew up eating this and it is the first dish I learned to cook. Back in the 80’s helicopter parents really didn’t exist and as a teenager I was left to fend for myself from time to time. Like most comfort foods they usually make you feel good inside and bring back good memories. This dish reminds me of a friend from my teenage years that sadly passed away June 23, 2018 from complications of diabetes at the age of 46 . My friend was a super picky eater and when we got tired of eating whatever we could pick up in a drive thru window this was our go to dish.

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Quick Weeknight Meals

April 22, 2018 by Debbie 2 Comments

I don’t know about most of you moms out there but on weeknights I need something to cook fast. No time for long drawn out dishes , I save those for the weekends. My weeknight meals need to be cooked and ready in 30-45 minutes or I have 3 hangry teenage boys on my hands. Having a son with autism I have made my weekly menu for a long time . I plan , grocery shop and have everything ready for the week. No I am not super mom , just a slave to the autism. Knowing the menu for the week is one of those little things that makes my son more calm and happy..It’s the little things that please kids on the spectrum. These are four of my favorite dishes that are easy , quick and economical.

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