This week, I’m trying a few recipes from a magazine that I snagged in the checkout aisle at the grocery store. Published by Better Homes & Gardens, it’s called “5 ingredient meals.” I was intrigued. There are actually several items in there I’d like to try.

Items from this magazine are in italics below.

Monday -honey chicken sandwiches
Tuesday – FFY buffet
Wednesday - chicken, basil and spinach quesadillas
Thursday – tortellini, chicken & cheese
Friday – italian cold cut calzones
Saturday – fish tacos
Sunday – beef stroganoff

For more great menu ideas, head on over to http://www.orgjunkie.com!

Will try to take pictures of the ham later on, but I’m not doing anything special. Following the package instructions for the included glaze packet and roasting some potatoes…my mother in law is bringing sweet potatoes, asparagus and dessert.
I hope you enjoy your Easter dinners as much as I will enjoy mine!

When I make lasagna, unless I’m expecting company, I make several of them at a time in the disposable aluminum bread loaf pans. I’ve found that those are the perfect size for two portions. Other than that, it’s pretty standard.

For each bread pan…
1 c. homemade marinara (recipe to come soon)
1/2 bag shredded part-skim mozzarella
lasagna noodles, uncooked
low fat ricotta cheese
italian seasoning
oregano

Preheat toaster oven to 350. (Yes, I do this in my toaster oven because I can’t see lighting my big one for one loaf pan.)

Spoon some marinara onto the bottom of the loaf pan, enough to cover it and prevent sticking. Then use two noodles to cover the bottom. The ones I buy are so long that I have to break them to get them to fit lengthwise.  Top the noodles with marinara, then I use a teaspoon to dollop ricotta onto the sauce. I use 6 tsp, one in each corner of the pan and two in the middle. Then I sprinkle mozzarella and start over again with the noodle layer. I repeat this four times.

After I’ve sprinkled the cheese on the top layer, I add the oregano and basil and bake until the cheese is bubbly and a little brown on top.

recipe courtesy Jif.com
1/2 cup Jif® Extra Crunchy Peanut Butter
1 tablespoon lime juice
1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger
1/2 tablespoon chopped cilantro
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
1 pound lean ground beef or turkey
4 hamburger buns
Thai hot sauce, if desired

Whisk together peanut butter, lime juice, soy sauce, ginger, cilantro and cayenne pepper in large bowl until well blended. Add ground meat and mix well. Form into 4 patties. Grill, broil or pan fry to desired doneness. Serve on buns with Thai hot sauce and your choice of condiments.
Yield: 4 Burgers

Basically, once a week I try to have a “FFY Buffet” day, also known as fend for yourself, or leftovers night. So, I won’t be posting a recipe that day.  Instead, lest you get bored and go elsewhere for your fix, I’ll be posting a kitchen item that I either own and love or want.

Today, it’s these collapsible measuring cups and spoons. Not only do I love the vibrant color and the cool shapes of the spoons, but the collapsible feature is really appealing. Right now, I have an obnoxious amount of storage in my kitchen but I still get annoyed with my measuring cups taking up so much room.

recipe courtesy the crockpot lady.

4 frozen chicken breast halves or thighs
1 1/2 cups of applesauce
1 T dried onion flakes, or 1 yellow onion, chopped finely (I grate mine, I’m big on grating onions these days for some reason)
1 T apple cider vinegar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

Put the frozen chicken pieces into your crockpot. Add the onion (if you are using the dried onion, wait and add it to the applesauce). In a bowl, mix the applesauce, vinegar, garlic, and spices together. Pour on top of the chicken.

Cover and cook on low for 5-7 hours, or on high for 3-4.

As a resource for MGCK’s readership, I’ll be utilizing the “tags” feature here as a searchable index of ingredients. For example, if I were to make Chicken Parmesan, I’d tag it with chicken breasts, mozzarella, tomato sauce. That way, if you’re floundering (hahaha, no pun intended, but I’m so funny) for ideas based on what you have handy, you can search and pull up things I’ve made that contain those items.

leftover chunk of crockpot roast beef, shredded (1 1/2 to 2 cups), and its juices (1 cup)
1 green chile  from can, diced finely
1/2 to 3/4 of a small onion, grated (depending on how big your leftover beef is)
1 packet taco seasoning
8 corn tortillas
1 can red enchilada sauce (we use “hot” here in these parts)
1/3 c. mexican or cheddar shredded cheese
fresh ground pepper
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed. (I usually do progresso and don’t use quite the whole thing)

Preheat oven to 350.

Drop meat, chile, onion, taco seasoning and juice into nonstick pan and saute until thickened and hot, stirring frequently.

Dampen 4 paper towels and then ring them out and wrap the stack of tortillas in them. Microwave for about 90 seconds or until soft and pliable.

Pour some enchilada sauce into a 9×13 baking dish, enough to cover the bottom to keep the enchiladas from sticking. Fill each tortilla with beef and beans and roll. When you’ve filled the dish, pour the rest of the enchilada sauce over the rolls and sprinkle the cheese on top.  Spray cooking spray onto a piece of aluminum foil and then cover the baking sheet with the foil.

Bake for 30 minutes. Serve with sour cream, if desired.

For more great menus, please visit http://www.orgjunkie.com!

Monday – marinated chicken club sandwiches

Tuesday - shredded beef enchiladas

Wednesday – crockpot applesauce chicken

Thursday – FFY buffet

Friday – thai peanut burgers

Saturday - lasagna

Sunday – happy Easter! baked ham