Easy stuff for weeknights / leftover uses

Sometimes the best recipes are the easiest!

Today I am going to share 3 that I do that are quick & everyone loves them. If you are looking for fast AND easy, try this: Buy family packs of meat & cook it in a crock pot all day. Then you will have cooked meat to use all week long, in all kinds of recipes.  Also these recipes make enough to freeze & really save time later. Don’t bother measuring – it doesn’t really matter!

#1: Stuffed shells or manicotti

Boil water & cook pasta as directed on package. Be sure not to overcook! In the meantime, Combine 1 container of ricotta and 2 cups cooked shredded chicken (or any meat). From there you can go to next step, or you can get creative. Sometimes I’ll throw in a handful of any of the following:

cheese

spinach (fresh - cut up, frozen - thaw & squeeze)

herbs, either dry or fresh

veggies

Whatever you want to do. Make use of leftovers or trick the kids into eating veggies! Speaking of kids, they like to help with this next part.

Then you can use your hands (especially if you’re making shells) or fill a Ziploc baggie with the mixture, snip off a corner & pipe it into manicotti. Lay these in a greased baking dish as you fill them. After you get them all filled, crack open any jar sauce you like (marinara, alfredo, pizza, cheese) and pour over the stuffed pasta. Sprinkle with some more cheese if you want. Then heat until warm, about 20 minutes at 400⁰. (If baking from frozen, it will take longer to heat, but since the meat was previously cooked, just watch for the cheese to melt and it’s done.) Sometimes I end up with more filling than I have pasta – in this case, just freeze it for later.

#2 Chicken Pot Pie

I know, 2 chickens in a row…but any meat really would work here.

You need two pie shells. If using homemade or refrigerated, just put one in a pie pan. If using frozen shells, just thaw both.         In a bowl, combine your choice of the following:

Shredded chicken, turkey, pork, beef, sausage, or hamburger meat (cooked)

Any “Cream of ____” condensed soup, like cream of chicken, mushroom, or celery

Veggies, such as carrots*, celery, peas, potatoes*, mushrooms (canned or frozen), etc

(*Tip: pre-cook hard stuff like raw taters or carrots for a few minutes in microwave.)

Once you mix your filings, pour into one of the pie shells. If using frozen pie shells, loosen the edges of the un-filled pie shell before the next step. Wet the filled pie’s edges with water. Flip the other pie shell on top of the filled pie. Don’t worry about it if it breaks. If it didn’t break, poke some holes in the top anyway to vent. Press the two shells together at the edges by pressing with your fingers. Bake it until the top shell is nice and brown. 350⁰, about 30 minutes.

#3 Enchiladas

DEEElicious! In a greased baking dish, set up your tortillas. Flour or corn torts can be used. Bend them in half “taco style” so they are open for fillings, but kind of support each other. Now fill with any of the following (I like to do it assembly-line style):

Spanish rice or any cooked rice

Beans, either black, pinto, or refried

Cheese, especially a little strip of Velveeta, or use some leftover cheese dip! Even shredded is good

Meat, like cooked ground beef or turkey, chicken, pork, brisket, or deer, or crumbled sausage

Onions, bell peppers, corn

Now fold the tops down so that the fillings are covered. (Sometimes you have to use toothpicks to curb fly aways – just remember to remove before eating!) Now pour enchilada sauce over them, and sprinkle with cheese if you want. When you serve them, you can top with black olives, sour cream, and jalapenos.  Then heat until warm, about 20 minutes at 400⁰. (If baking from frozen, it will take longer to heat, but since the meat was previously cooked, just watch for the cheese to melt and its done.)

If you’d like me to keep posting about easy meals, please let me know!