French Dip

½ lb. sliced deli roast beef
Sliced Swiss cheese
1 packet prepared Schillings AuJus sauce
Hogi rolls

 Prepare AuJus sauce as directed on the packet.  Put meat in sauce to warm up.  Butter the top of the bun.  Put the meat and cheese on the bottom bun.  Place buns in the oven to brown and melt cheese.  Put together and enjoy.  You can dip the sandwiches in the remaining sauce.

Easy Chicken Wrap

⅓ cup mayonnaise

4 whole wheat tortillas
2 cups cooked chicken Breast (I like mine shredded)
¼ cup roasted sweet red peppers
¼ cup crumbled feta cheese
¼ cup sliced Basil leaves

Warm tortilla and chicken.  Spread Mayonnaise on tortilla and top with chicken and remaining ingredients.

*With this recipe I like to boil a split chicken breast (the bone-in kind...remove the skin) ahead of time.  Bone-in chicken tends to be cheaper, so its a good way to save money.  Boil the chicken until its done then remove and cool.  When chicken is cool, remove from the bone and set aside.  You can do this a day or so in advance or earlier in the day, which will make this a quick meal when you're ready to eat.  I like to plan this meal around another meal involving boiled chicken, because then I can do it all at once and utilize the chicken in several meals.

Cream Tuna on Toast

2 TBSP butter
2 TBSP flour
¼ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon pepper
1 ½ cups milk
1 can tuna

Melt butter over low heat in 1 ½ quart saucepan.  Add flour, salt and pepper.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth and bubbly; remove from heat.  Gradually stir in milk.  Heat to boiling, stirring constantly.  Boil and stir 1 minute.  Add tuna.  Serve over toast.

I grew up with this one.  If I had to describe my mom's cooking it would be "Create what you can out of what is available then add a can of corn."  My mom says she hates cooking and is a terrible cook...I loved her cooking.  True, the same meal usually didn't turn out the same way twice, and my mom does have a knack for going one step too far, but I love her cooking!  Except she does like to cook in leftover bacon fat...and I just can't dig that.  Anyways, this is one of her creations I grew up with.  It was one of the few things I could make in college.  Honestly it isn't my husband's cup of tea, but the girls eat it and so do I.  Since my husband isn't a fan we don't eat it often.  It's quick though and easy!

Tilapia with Homemade Pesto

Source

1 ½ cups fresh basil (lightly packed)

4 ounces toasted pine nuts
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 pieces (6 ounces) fresh tilapia
1 TBSP olive oil

Preheat broiler.  Grind the basil, pine nuts and grated Parmesan cheese with a blender or food processor until a smooth paste forms.  Slowly add ¼ cup of olive oil, grinding until a smooth sauce forms.  Season the pesto to taste with salt and pepper.  Season the tilapia with salt and pepper on both sides.  Heat a large pan over medium-high heat.  Add the oil and cook the fish for 1 to 2 minutes on the flesh side or until it turns light golden brown.  Flip the fish over and spoon the pesto generously over the fish.  Transfer pan to the broiler for 2 to 3 minutes or until the fish is cooked through.  Remove fish from broiler and allow to rest on a plate.  Serve fish hot.

Fast, Fast, Fast.  Tasty too.  Our children like fish, so this is always a good one when we're crunched for time.  Especially since the Pesto lasts for a bit when refrigerated.

Broiled Tilapia Parmesan

I think this is the original recipe

½ cup Parmesan cheese
¼ cup butter, softened
3 TBSP mayonnaise
2 TBSP lemon juice
¼ teaspoon dried basil
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
⅛ teaspoon onion powder
⅛ teaspoon celery salt
2 lbs. tilapia fillets

Preheat your oven's broiler. Grease a broiling pan or line pan with aluminum foil.   In a small bowl, mix together the Parmesan cheese, butter, mayonnaise and lemon juice. Season with dried basil, pepper, onion powder and celery salt. Mix well and set aside.   Arrange fillets in a single layer on the prepared pan. Broil a few inches from the heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Flip the fillets over and broil for a couple more minutes. Remove the fillets from the oven and cover them with the Parmesan cheese mixture on the top side. Broil for 2 more minutes or until the topping is browned and fish flakes easily with a fork. Be careful not to over cook the fish.

Another fast and easy one.  I like this one a lot.  The mayo mixture lasts for a while in the refrigerator, so it can be used again and again.  Just be sure not to double dip when spreading the mayo mixture on the fish...that way the mixture doesn't get...fishy.

Tostada's

⅛-¼ cup oil

1 heaping teaspoon chili powder

½ teaspoon cumin

6 flour tortillas

1 can refried beans, heated

Toppings:
Cheddar cheese, shredded

2 sliced avocados
Shredded lettuce

Chopped tomatoes

Green Onions

Picante Sauce

Sour Cream

Preheat oven to 350°.  Mix first 3 ingredients and brush on both sides of the tortillas.  Bake on cookie sheet for 4-5 minutes on each side or until tortillas are crisp, not floppy.  Turn oven off.  Spread heated beans on hot tortillas.  Top with cheese.  Return to oven until cheese is slightly melted (1 minute).  Remove from oven and let everyone top their own tostada.

 

These are SOOOO good.  This is my mom’s favorite and a favorite all around at our house.  Be warned though, they are messy!  But as my mom always told me growing up, the messier the better!

Not-So-Sloppy Joes

Source: I got this recipe from a friend years ago, and she got it somewhere online but I couldn't find the link.  If I find it I'll add it!

1 TBSP olive oil
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 lb. ground beef
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
1 ½ teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
⅛ teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon kosher salt
4 hamburger buns, toasted
½ cup grated Cheddar
½ cup sour cream

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and red pepper. Sauté until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add the ground beef and brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, black pepper, cinnamon, and salt. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened slightly, about 12 minutes. Spoon onto the buns, sprinkle with the Cheddar, and top each sandwich with a dollop of the sour cream.

Yield: Makes 4 servings

After giving birth to my second daughter a friend brought a meal over for us...and this was it!  I loved them so much.  I think these are so much more flavorful than regular boring sloppy joes.  Our children really love these too.  Its one of those fail safe meals we can put on the table and have them gobble up.  It is also an easy, quick meal.  I use my little food processor to chop up the onion, garlic and red pepper.