3 Ingredients - Last Minute Lunch

Don't you love it when something turns out GOOD!! I love 3 ingredient dishes!! The problem is that to taste really good - many of the 3 have 10 or 12 ingredients, like chemicals and junk. Sometimes you have to compromise. I buy the highest quality ingredients I can when I have to depend on my fast and easy arsenal of recipes.

Anyway today's experiment was a success. For my organic eating nieces, don't read this post! For the rest of you - try it you may like it.

My plan was to make meatball bombers before Larry left for work. The meatballs were thawed but when I went to get the Prego - it was gone!!

This was my solution and it was yummy!!

Last Minute Lunch
1 large can Bush's Homestyle Baked Beans
Lots of Jack Daniel's BBQ Sauce- the spicy kind-lots of kick
use the mild if you don't want the heat
Meatballs cut into 1/4's (you could also use browned beef or turkey)

Heat and serve on rolls or eat it out of a bowl!!
This concoction made me think of a blog I read lately. (What doesn't) I think it was called COWBOY COOK or something like that. I will look for it!

A woman who used to be a sushi eating, Prada wearing woman in the city is now a wife, mommy and cook for the cowboys on their ranch. She is loving every minute and her cooking and eating have changed!!

~~It was closer than I thought. Look on sidebar for Pioneer Woman Cooks.

For my favorite organic girls- here's a 3bee for you!

Turkey Salsa
1 lb free range ground turkey
1 jar organic spicy (or mild) salsa (I like the kind with corn)
salad or wraps

Brown Turkey and simmer with salsa or put in crockpot
The longer you simmer or cook the better.
I usually end up adding more salsa at the end.

You can use on salads, for wraps, taco meat or filling for ...

Now here's one for those brave of heart and stomach! A fellow teacher (thanks Kim) gave me this when we were lamenting going home to cook dinner. I said EEEWWW! BUT it is yummy. It was one of my mom's favorites and sooo easy.

Apple Pie Chicken
boneless chicken thighs or breasts cut into 2-3 inch pieces
1-2 cans apple pie filling
1 can cream of mushroom soup
(I add lots of curry- recipe did not call for it)
Put in crockpot and dinner is done when you are home!

These are my easy standbys!! In a pinch I can make them with my eyes (almost) shut!!

Jelly Chicken, Pork
Pork or chicken
Raspberry jelly or 1 can jellied cranberry sauce
Hot mustard

Mix jelly and mustard till smooth
Smush all over meat
Let sit in fridge overnight (or not)
Cook

Applesauce Pork
Pork
Natural Applesauce
Maple Mustard
Cook

Hungry Man Ham
Mustard - do you see a theme with the mustard
Can of crushed pineapple with juice
Brown sugar or maple sugar or syrup (the real thing)
Mix all together
Smush all over ham steaks
Bake or put in crockpot
You only have to bake long enough to warm the meat- I have cooked too long and it has dried out.

~~I don't eat ham or pork usually, but the way dad and Larry eat this stuff I think it is good!

Yummy Salmon
it tastes like steak for Sharon and still enough like Salmon for Larry. I don't like fishy fish- Larry LOVES any kind of fish. I searched the Internet for a marinade that would take away the fishy taste but not ruin the salmon. I found this one - it works. Don't get mixed up and use 2 parts lime juice and 1 part Worcestershire! I made that mistake once and we threw out $20 worth of salmon!!

Salmon- about an inch thick
Lime Juice - 1 part
Worcestershire Sauce - 2 parts
Minced garlic- as much as you want
Any other herbs or spices you want (I don't add any)

marinate overnight
grill or cook on med high 4 min on each side or less for really rare
or put in foil with a heap of minced herbs on top
grill until done (6-10 min)

I did not intend to list a bunch of recipes but this one just jumped into my brain.. the method is RACHEL RAY the spices are mine.

Steak in a Heartbeat!!
This is a good one if you haven't had time to marinate steaks and it's raining so you can't grill. Larry loves it when I make this at 11 o'clock at night- right before he comes home. Not good for digestion or sleeping though!!

Season Steaks
I use lots of minced garlic and LOTS of BAM - from Delmonico's - it has a bite and a "peppercorn" type flavor- you can use any spice mix you like for steak. I think this is boring without a zippy flavor but you might not.

Heat a heavy skillet on high - when hot turn to med high - add a bit of EVOO- swirl and wait till it smokes just a bit

Throw on the steaks (I put minced garlic under the steaks) season the tops, cook for 3-4 min on each side.

Let sit for 3- 5 min before cutting. ENJOY!!!

I learned this from a friend who came up with a beautiful meal in about 15 minutes when we dropped in unexpectedly and stayed way past the dinner hour!

Pantry Potatoes
1 can of whole potatoes drained - I had never used canned pot in my life but...
1 pkg Kraft Italian dressing packet (or any flavor) the kind you use to make salad dressing
A bit of EVOO

Add oil to potatoes and stir till potatoes are coated
Add packet and stir again until potatoes are evenly coated with powder

You can bake them on foil at this point
400 for 20-30 min

or put on skewers- bake at 400 for 15-20 min and then
finish on grill 5-10 minutes

they are much better finished on the grill!!

Sauce and Meatballs
Frozen meatballs from the butcher (with pork) or BJ's (no pork)
1-2 jars Prego - one of the chunky kinds
Throw in crockpot
Husbands and kids can make pasta or have meatball bombers

This last one has been a family favorite for ever!!! Some of our extended family can't understand the attraction but ... here goes - in honor of mom

Family Favorite - Glop - so named by a family member or
Hamburger Stroganoff
Brown 1 lb hamburger
Stir in 1 can cream of mushroom soup
When warm stir in
1 carton (I use large) BISONS French Onion Dip

Serve over rice, smashed potatoes, torn up bread or pasta

This is always my emergency meal. It's not the healthiest but I think it is yummy. Most comfort foodies love it. My mom always added a can of mushrooms and some extra chopped onions. I don't bother. We always had frozen peas with it. My sister and I would put the peas in the mashed potatoes and the sauce on the top. Very low brow and very yummy!!!

Enjoy!!

You can tell I have been thinking about FAST AND EASY meals to accommodate our crazy schedule once school starts. My plan is (please hold me to it) is to put in crockpot meals that dad and Larry can eat at lunch and I can heat up for dinner. We'll see how it goes when the whirlwind starts!

I would love it if you want to share some of your easy standbys!!

My next few posts will be calorie free - I promise!!

Preview: My Next Post
"Quieting the Noise" or "Editing the Choices"