Give-Away: Homemade Convenience Foods in 15 Minutes

Cookbook Review: Homemade Convenience Foods by Marcia K. Washburn, reviewed by Molly Evert

I’m running a marathon right now.  My day starts early and ends late as I homeschool our four boys, care for our baby girl, juggle football and Boy Scout schedules for all the boys, and try to keep up with the housework and cooking.  In the fall, there are often nights when we don’t sit down to eat together until 8:30.  I hate feeding my family additive-laden frozen pizza and chicken nuggets.   A trip through the drive-thru is just as bad for their bodies, and it hurts my wallet, too!

When I heard that Marcia Washburn had developed a system to help busy moms get a homemade, nutritious dinner on the table in 15 minutes or less, I was intrigued!  She raised five boys and understands that my sons will polish off the ingredients while I cook if I can’t get the meal done fast enough.

Marcia claims that by following her Homemade Convenience Foods system you will always have the ingredients on hand to prepare at least two dozen different menus.  I read through her book in one sitting, eager to see if her program could give me some tools to feed my family lightning fast, healthy meals on a reasonable budget.  I confess that I hoped that her system was some unheard of miracle which would help me get a gourmet 15-minute meal on the table without any advance prep work at all.  I guess that was unrealistic.  The truth is, I usually can’t even find all my ingredients in 15 minutes because my pantry, refrigerator and cupboards are so disorganized.  Could Marcia’s book really come to my rescue?  I was excited to find out!

Marcia provides several lists of common ingredients you’ll want to keep on hand in your refrigerator, freezer and pantry, and she gives ideas for prepping ingredients ahead of time in order to save time later during the busy weeknight crunch.   Although I am a veteran in the kitchen, I still found several useful ideas and quick-to-make recipes in Homemade Convenience Foods. I spent a few hours shopping, organizing my pantry, and prepping my ingredients for the week, and then challenged myself to make a week’s worth of lunches and dinners in just 15 minutes or less.  Game on!

So how did the challenge go?  I think I did pretty good, and I give Marcia’s book a thumbs up.  I tried to keep lunch prep to less than 15 minutes, though dinner prep sometimes took 20 or 30 minutes from start to table when I used my own recipes.  I usually serve more than one course and I am cooking for seven every night, which may account for the extra time.  Many of Marcia’s recipes truly came in at the 15-minute mark, and using her tips I was able to get many of my own family’s favorite recipes on the table more quickly than usual.  Marcia’s tips were helpful, and even 30 minutes is an acceptable window for supper prep, in my opinion.  I often don’t think about what to make for dinner until about 4:00 pm., and her quick-fix recipes and prep tips gave me a lot more options.

My family enjoyed several of the recipes Marcia included in her book.  Better still, her systems and tips were easily adapted to my own tried and true recipes.  Some of her recipes called for either homemade or frozen bread dough, which was a pleasant surprise for me, since I bake all our bread from scratch, and I will benefit from her ideas for streamlining my bread making process.

One reader will win a free copy of Marcia’s e-book Homemade Convenience Foods.  To enter, please leave a comment about one of your cooking challenges.  For an extra entry, leave a comment with one of your own quick-fix recipes (15 minutes prep or less).  For a third entry, repost this on Facebook and leave a comment letting us know.  This contest will end at midnight on November 15^th.  The winner will be drawn using Random.org from the comments we receive.

Marcia’s e-book normally retails for $5.99, but she is graciously offering our readers a $1 discount on the e-book edition if you purchase by November 15th. Homemade Convenience Foods is also available in a comb-bound print edition for $5.99 plus $2 shipping and handling.  I received a digital copy of this book, in exchange for my honest review.

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

Last week I shared a dear friend’s Crockpot Lasagna recipe. Today allow me to introduce you to a wonderful homemade chicken noodle soup courtesy of sweet friend Lori Lauth.

My children love this soup, requesting it often. While it is not technically a crockpot recipe, it can be adapted. I made it last week in the crockpot and it turned out wonderful. This hearty soup can also be made ahead and frozen.

Lori’s Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
2 cups chopped onion
8 cups reduced-fat, low sodium chicken broth
3 minced cloves of garlic
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 large carrots thinly sliced
1/2 cup chopped celery
5 oz dried wide egg noodles
1 lb. boneless chicken breast cut into bite size pieces ( about 2 cups)
1 thinly sliced zucchini
1 seeded and chopped tomato
1 tablespoon chopped parsley

In a large pot heat oil on medium heat. Saute’ onion until softened. Stir in broth, garlic, thyme, pepper, carrots, celery, and chicken. Reduce heat to low and simmer until carrots are just tender and chicken is done. Add zucchini, tomato and parsley.

At this point you can add noodles and continue cooking until the noodles are done.

Or, if you would like to freeze the soup for later, do not add the noodles. Instead, allow the soup to cool down and pour into freezer bags. Freeze. When ready to serve, simply thaw. Reheat soup by adding in noodles and cooking until noodles are done.

Crockpot Lasagna

Want a homecooked meal this week, but you’re short on time? My friend Michelle shared this recipe for crockpot lasagna some ten years ago and it’s still a family favorite to this day.

Last night while cooking supper I multi-tasked and put together crockpot lasagna in less than 30 minutes. When it was ready, I simply put the crockpot insert into the fridge. This morning I started the crockpot and for lunch we dined on homemade lasagna.

Crockpot Lasagna
1 to 1 1/2lbs of ground chuck or turkey
2 jars of spaghetti sauce
16 oz container of part skim ricotta cheese
8 oz shredded mozarella cheese
1 large box of lasagna noodles
Basil, chopped
4 cloves garlic finely chopped
Sea salt
Pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup water

Coat skillet with olive oil and sauté garlic, add in meat and basil cook until brown.  Drain meat and add in spaghetti sauce. Salt and pepper to taste.

In crockpot, layer as followed:   meat sauce,  uncooked noodles, ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese. Repeat.

Fill crockpot with layers. When complete, add one cup of water by pouring it down the sides of crockpot making sure it makes it to the bottom. The water will keep it from drying out and help cook the noodles.

I’ve made this enough times over the years to know it will burn. Everything but the noodles is basically done.  Cook on low for 6 hours.

Each Monday in Ocotber, MMCW will be sharing a crockpot recipe. Would you like to share with of your family favorites with everyone? Send your recipe to mentoringmoments@aol.com.

Grandma’s Steak & Potatoes Crockpot Casserole

Some of my earliest memories are of eating Sunday lunch with my Grandparents at May’s Restaurant in Winfield, Alabama. I always chose the same thing from the buffet line: country fried steak, mashed potatoes, English peas, and a dinner roll.

Years passed, May’s closed, and Grandma was given a steak and potato crockpot recipe that became her favorite. She loved making this casserole because she could adjust the amounts easily for her and Grandpa. If she told me once, she told me a thousand times how to make this dish–often changing the ingredients just a tad to give it a new twist.

In Grandma’s honor, I put a few of my own twists on her recipe by adding fresh garlic and baby bella mushrooms. Feel free to make it your own by adjusting amounts and ingredients. Enjoy!

Grandma’s Steak & Potato Crockpot Casserole
6 to 8 cube steaks
4 to 5 baking potatoes
3 medium onions
Carton of baby Portabella mushrooms
4 finely chopped garlic cloves
1 (26 oz) Family size cream of mushroom soup
1 cup of water (can substitute beef broth)
Sea salt & pepper to taste

In a skillet, coat bottom with Olive Oil and brown steaks. Remove and place in crockpot. Saute garlic and baby bella mushrooms in olive oil, set aside.

Layer steak, potatoes, onion, mushrooms, and soup mix in crockpot. Salt and pepper layers lightly with Sea Salt as you go.

Cook on high in the crockpot for 6 hours or low for 8 hours.  While a crockpot casserole is not the easiest to photograph, I hope you get the idea. Perfect for Sunday dinner!

Apple Bread for a Fall Day

3 eggs, beaten
1 and 1/4 cup honey
1 cup coconut oil
1 T. vanilla
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 t. baking soda
1 t. cinnamon
1 and 1/2 cups dried apple slices (lightly sprinkled with cinnamon or plain slices)
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

To rehydrate the apples, place slices in a medium bowl and pour 1 cup of boiling water over them. Let sit for 20 to 30 minutes. Proceed with recipe. Combine eggs, honey, oil, and vanilla until well mixed. Combine flour, baking soda, and cinnamon. Stir into egg mixture. Gently fold in the apples and nuts. Divide equally between two greased and floured 9×5 loaf pans. Bake at 325 degrees for one hour and 15 minutes. Makes two loaves.

from the archives of Mentoring Moments for Christian Women

Pecan-Coconut Pound Cake

Years ago, Sister Hulene brought a mouth-watering pound cake to a church fellowship. I could not believe it when she said the secret was using pecan frosting in the mix!

Let me tell you, this is the simplest and most delicious pound cake. The pecans and coconut from the frosting make it taste like it took a lot more work than emptying a frosting container. It’s even better the second day–if it lasts that long.

Pecan-Coconut Pound Cake
Hulene Smith

1 box butter pecan or yellow cake mix
1 can coconut pecan icing
3/4 cup oil
4 eggs
1 cup water

Mix all ingredients together with mixer. Grease tube or bundt pan and dust with 1/3 cup powdered sugar. Pour batter into pan and bake at 350 degrees for one hour. Cook cake in pan for 10 minutes.

Hulene shares in the church cookbook two great options for frosting are either cream cheese or an additional can of coconut pecan icing. Personally, Hulene is like me and prefers the cake as is with no icing since it is so moist.

Do you have a favorite church pound cake recipe you would like to share? Send me your recipe and a photo and you’ll featured here on MMCW’s blog!

Dream Cake

This recipe was one of my mom’s favorites. I don’t recall it ever having a proper name so I have decided to call it Summer Dream Cake. It’s easy, peasy and still perfect right now with early fall weather.

1 large Angel food Cake

2 envelopes of Kraft Dream Whip topping

4 Crispy Crunch chocolate bars (Heath or Twix bars work too)

 

~ Split the angel food cake in half, creating two layers…

 

~ Crush the chocolate bars (fun). I use a heavy Ziploc bag and my rolling pin. I also put the bag in the freezer  afterwards, then none of the chocolate sticks to the bag, and you don’t lose any of the crunchy goodness!

~ Prepare the whip topping according to directions…

 

~ Fold the crushed chocolate bars into the whipped topping…

 

~ Frost like a regular layer cake…and yes, I filled in the hole!

~ Refrigerate for a couple of hours before serving.  I do have to note you can probably make this with two chocolate bars and one envelope of dream whip. I do not think they are making the cakes as big as they used to, but nobody complained about too much frosting.

Katharine is mom to four incredible kids and wife to the best husband on the planet. Visit her blog…

Romano-Lime Potatoes

Lime on anything is wonderful–including potatoes. Really.

A few weeks back I shared my family’s latest drumstick recipe, Raspberry BBQ Drumsticks. For that meal I made Zucchini Pie paired and Romano-Lime potatoes. It was a simple, economical meal to serve and best of all, the kiddos loved it. The recipe was adapted from a 2003 Taste of Home Quick Cooking cookbook recipe.

This week if you’re looking for a fun alternative to the usual potato dish, give this flavorful recipe a try!

Romano-Lime Potato Wedges
1/4 cup melted butter or margarine
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 teaspoon lime zest
1 teaspoon dried thyme
4 large potatoes
1/4 cup grated Romano cheese
1/2 teaspoon smoky paprika
Sea Salt to taste preference

Combine butter, lime juice, zest, and thyme. Cut potatoes into wedges (about 3 to 4 per potato). Add to butter mixture and coat. On a greased cookie / baking sheet place wedges skin side down. Mix remaining ingredients and sprinkle over potato wedges.

Bake at 400 degrees until tender and cooked through–about 25 minutes.

 

 

Gluten-free Thai Noodle Salad with Chicken

Finding healthy recipes my four children will eat is more than a challenge, sometimes it seems impossible. When I came across Thai Noodle Salad with Chicken over on Stacy McDonald’s Your Sacred Calling blog it seemed like a fun one-bowl dinner my young’uns just might enjoy.

Not only are my kiddos in love, we are having it again for dinner this week. Stacy’s recipe calls for serrano peppers in the sauce, which I left out the first time.  I was surprised when all four children commented on how they would have liked it spicy. This week it will be!

This recipe fed my family of six for dinner with leftovers for lunch the following day.

Gluten Free Thai Noodle Salad with Chicken
7 oz dried, thin-ribbon rice noodles
2 1/2 cups cooked slicked chicken (can use steak or shrimp too)
3 cups finely shredded napa cabbage
1 cup shredded carrot
2 cups thinly sliced English cucumbers, cut in half
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onion
3/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
Thai lime vinaigrette
salted dry-roasted peanuts, sunflower seeds, or cashews (optional)

Boil a pot of water and turn off heat. Soak noodles for 8-10 minutes, covered, in steaming water. Drain and rinse under cold water immediately. Drain well.

Place in a large bowl: noodles, chicken, cabbage, carrot, cucumber, green onion, cilantro, basil, and mint. Pour vinaigrette over the top and toss well. Garnish with chopped nuts.

Thai Lime Vinaigrette
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
3 tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
2 tablespoon brown sugar
1-2 teaspoons Serrano chili (or jalapeno will work)
2 teaspoons garlic powder

Whisk together lime juice, fish sauce, vinegar, sugar, chili, and garlic. Whisk until sugar dissolves. Let stand for 10 minutes. Makes 3/4 cup.

Like my red plate?  It’s a special one. Rhonda Ellis describes it beautiful in Power in a Special Plate.

 

 

 

Raspberry BBQ Chicken

 

 

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