Real Really Simple Recipes

First off, let's get one thing straight. I am not a chef. But I do cook, and I do prepare most meals for my family for dinner time. Often, I will see a book or a website that has “really quick and simple recipes”. Most often, that is a lie.

For someone who enjoys buying and using lots of herbs and spices, who enjoys mixing and rolling out dough and stewing sauces, I am sure these recipes are very simple. For me and my family, however, we prefer things even simpler.

I decided to share with you a week's worth of the REAL Really Simple Recipes I make, which my family enjoys and asks for time and again. To me, that is the true gauge of whether something is good or not.

Enjoy these recipes with your family and friends, and enjoy the free time even more!

Turkey/Chicken Divan

This is a real simple one-dish recipe. Prep time is about 10 minutes, Cook time about 30 minutes.

Ingredients

• 1 ¼ cups HOT water
• 2 tbsp. margarine, cut into pieces
• 1 pkg. (about 6 oz.) of stuffing mix (Stove Top or even store brand)
• 1 can of peas (or green beans or whatever vegetable your family prefers)
• 2 cups cubed cooked turkey or chicken (which is sold in supermarkets now, making it even easier)
• 1 can (10 ¾ oz.) Cream of Chicken soup (Campbell's or store brand)
• ½ cup milk
• ½ cup to 1 cup of shredded cheese (mozzarella is good, but use whatever you prefer)

Directions

1. First, mix water and margarine in casserole dish.
2. Add stuffing, let stand 2 minutes, then mix lightly and flatten gently in dish.
3. Pour can of veggies over this, spreading around, and then add chicken or turkey over that.
4. In a separate dish, mix soup and milk, then pour this over the veggies and chicken atop of the stuffing.
5. Sprinkle the cheese over the top.
6. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes. Serves 6. Delicious!

Meatloaf Muffins

Another family favorite, my kids love seeing these on their plates.

Ingredients

• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 cup water
• 2 lbs. lean ground beef
• 1 pkg. (about 6 oz.) stuffing mix (Stove Top or store brand, whatever flavor you prefer)
• ½ cup BBQ sauce or ketchup
• 1 jar of beef gravy, optional

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. In bowl with beaten eggs, add all other ingredients and half of BBQ sauce. If mix seems too damp, you can add some bread crumbs until the consistency is to your liking.
3. Spray two muffin tins with cooking spray, and scoop mix into each cup, a little over the top of each cup. When all are full, if there is mix left, add it to the cups, trying to keep them all even. With a spoon, put a little bit of the leftover BBQ on the top of each muffin.
4. Bake about ½ hour, until the meat is cooked. You may have to split one open to be sure.
5. Warm gravy and spoon onto muffins, if using the gravy.

Makes 12- 24 muffins, depending on the size of the muffins. YUMMY!

Shepherd's Pie

A super-easy family favorite.

Ingredients

• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1 can of whole kernel corn
• ¼ cup diced onion (if preferred, we don't use it)
• Mashed potatoes

Directions

1. First off, you have to have some mashed potatoes ready. You can do this by hand with real potatoes, or use a mix from the store, which are super-easy to make.
2. Second, fry the ground beef until brown. Drain, and layer into a baking dish. Add the diced onion on top, if you are using any. Then layer the drained can of corn on top of this. Top with the mashed potatoes, smoothing out the top.
3. You can then sprinkle some paprika or pepper on top of this.
4. Bake at 300 degrees for about 20 minutes. Enjoy!

Homemade Mac & Cheese

Ingredients

• 1 pkg. 32 oz. Velveeta Cheese (you can use whichever flavor you prefer)
• ½ to 1 cup of milk
• 1 tbsp. of mustard
• 2 16 oz. boxes of your favorite pasta (we use fusilli or something with lots of curves, to better hold the cheese)

Directions

1. In one pan, boil water to make the pasta. When water boils, add pasta and cook for 8 minutes. Drain when done and return to pan.
2. In a second pan, on low to medium, add in the Velveeta, cut into 1 inch cubes. Add milk and mustard to this, frequently stirring to avoid burning. You want all the ingredients to melt into a smooth yet thick cheese sauce. When sauce is to your liking, add it to the pan with the drained pasta, mixing well. Server and enjoy!

Mexican Dip For Dinner