Extending Hamburger/Tuna/Chicken Helpers

How to extend the feeding capacity of 1 box of Helper:
#1 Add two extra cups of your favorite noodles (i.e. bowties, wheels, spirals)
#2 Add a dash more of milk than it calls for (like a little less than a 1/4 cup)
#3 Add vegetables! (Last night, I put actual broccoli in what was supposed to be a creamy broccoli tuna helper but only had minuscule flecks of green. You're killing me, smalls!)

And voila! You can feed more than just two adults on one box of Helper!

P.S. If my blog and I suddenly disappear...it's because the company that makes Hamburger Helper doesn't want me to share my money-saving discovery with you!

Leftover Turkey Fajitas

Sorry for the blogging hiatus. I came down with a nasty tummy ache and wasn't up to eating, let alone cooking for a good long while. But now I'm back! So...

Wondering what to do with that leftover turkey that's still coming out of your ears? Or did you get some leftover turkey from your parents who had too much coming out of their ears? One of my favorite things around this time are turkey fajitas! And that's what we had for dinner tonight. It was quick, easy, and very tasty! (Note: chicken can be used as well.)

Ingredients:
Onion
Green pepper
Cooked turkey cut into strips or cubes
Put a little spice in your life (I used Mrs. Dash, chili powder, cumin, curry powder)

Soft tortilla shells

Toppings:
Sour cream
Salsa
Cheese
Tomato
Lettuce
Whatever else you like

Saute the onion and green pepper. Add the turkey. Season with preferred spices. Serve meat sizzling and fix up your fajita however you like it and scarf it up!

(Sorry, I'm really bad at taking pictures but it's pretty easy and looks so yummy that you'd just want to lick your computer screen anyway, and that's not a good idea so I'm saving you the hassle.)

Coming soon...the infamously delicious Mackay family recipe for Chocolate Chip Cookies...as soon as chocolate chips go on sale at the grocery store...I'm all out and dying here!

Classic Tater Tot Casserole

Here's a classic and quick casserole:

Ingredients:
Tater tots
1/2 onion
Ground beef
2 cans Cream of Mushroom soup
1/2 can of milk
Spices
Cheese

Put 1 package of tater tots into a 9x13 dish to bake at 450 degrees for a bout 15 minutes or while sauteing onions and cooking some ground beef on the stove top.

Mix two cans of cream of mushroom soup in a large bowl with 1/2 a can of milk. Add cooked meat and onions and season with your favorite spices (I used some Mrs. Dash, chili powder, garlic salt, and curry powder).

The tater tots should be nice and crispy by now to add into the bowl and mix up. Put back into the 9x13 pan and top with cheese. Bake at 350 degrees until bubbly and cheese is melted.

Serve with a side of veggies and you have a complete dinner!

A twist on apple cider

It's snowing today. I have the movie "UP" to return to redbox but don't want to go out. Perhaps I'll keep it for another day and curl up on the couch to watch it again with some of this:

Prepare a packet of apple cider as usual, then add a spoonful or two of caramel sauce, a sprinkle or two of cinnamon, and viola! Tasty caramel apple cider to curl up on the couch with on a cold day or evening.

No-Bake Cookies

One of my favorite and fairly quick cookie recipes is No-Bake Cookies. They're a relatively healthy and filling cookie due to the quick oats and are easy to pack for a school day snack for the "Hunnybun". And I curled up with one after reading Goobs a bedtime story and putting her to bed for the night. I won't tell you the nickname we've given them until after you've tried them for yourselves! This recipe comes from an old ward compassionate recipe book.

2 cups sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
1/2 cup milk
1 stick margarine
1/2 cup peanut butter (chunky or creamy is just fine)
3 cups quick oats

Combine the sugar, cocoa, milk, and margarine into a saucepan. Put on medium heat, stir often and bring to a boil. Take off of heat and stir in peanut butter and then the oats. Drop by spoonfuls onto cookie sheets covered with wax paper. Cool in refrigerator. Eat up!

Baked Potato Soup

Today was a rainy/snowy day. Poor Goobs has had a "poopy" day and dear hubby, the Biological Engineer, may be coming down for a cold. So it seemed like a good day for me, the Domestic Engineer, to try making a soup that isn't from a can.



This recipe I found on one of my favorite cooking blogs, Eat At Home, but left out the bacon because I didn't feel like getting frostbitten fingers searching for it in the freezer. I also added broccoli because my husband loves it on his baked potatoes. So put whatever you usually like on baked potatoes!

4-6 baked potatoes
1 onion, chopped
2/3 cup butter
6 cups milk
2/3 cup flour
1-2 cups cheese
Steamed Broccoli
Seasonings

Bake potatoes and scoop out the pulp. I got tired halfway through and just ended up cutting the rest into chunks instead.
Melt butter and saute onion, add milk, WHISK in flour. DO NOT BOIL!
Add potatoes, cheese, broccoli.
Season to taste with what you generally like to put on baked potatoes. We like Mrs. Dash, garlic salt, and pepper.



Mmmmm, this soup is tasty! I don't know how healthy it may be but I don't always care about that. Bad me!