Save Time in the Kitchen!

By Jill Mowser

Here are some extremely quick and easy supper ideas to help all you busy moms save time in the kitchen! These recipes are easily made with ingredients you already have in your kitchen. They are also recipes that are sure to be enjoyed by most children, and they won't break your budget! Enjoy!

Beef Stroganoff

Brown 1 lb lean ground beef.
Add 1 can cream of mushroom soup, 2 T. French onion soup mix and ½ c. sour cream.
Heat for additional 5 minutes over low heat.
Serve over cooked rice or noodles with a bagged salad and a glass of milk!

Mexican Lasagna

Layer soft tortilla shells, refried beans, salsa, canned black beans and shredded cheese in a round cake pan (or improvise with a different shape).
Make 2-3 layers, depending on depth of your pan, and ending with a cheese layer.
Bake in 350 oven for 45 minutes.
Slice, and serve with sour cream if desired.

Taco Potatoes

Bake enough potatoes for your family.
Top with fried ground beef mixed with taco seasoning, and other taco toppings such as chopped lettuce and tomatoes, olives, refried beans, salsa and sour cream.
Serve with a salad or raw veggies and dip (bagged ones for your convenience).

Beef and Beans Casserole

Brown 1 lb hamburger and 1 medium onion chopped.
Add 1/4 c. brown sugar, 2 T. molasses and 2 cans of beans.
Heat and serve over noodles.
Serve with bagged coleslaw and coleslaw dressing.

Quiche

Bake a pie shell at 450 degrees for 5 minutes.
Remove and add 1 c. shredded cheddar cheese and 1 c. shredded Swiss cheese, and 1 1/2 c. chopped ham.
Mix 3 eggs, 2 c. half and half cream, ½ t. salt, dash cayenne and dash of nutmeg.
Pour over ham and cheese and bake for 10 minutes at 450, t hen 40-50 minutes at 350.
It's done when a clean knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.
You can also substitute the ham for fried bacon, or other meat, and add chopped broccoli, sautéed onions, mushrooms, etc

Those are just a few quick and easy recipes that are sure to please your family and give you more time to focus on other important things! Some additional suggestions for quick meal ideas include:

• Shake n Bake Chicken or pork chops served with instant mashed potatoes and cooked frozen veggies.
• Fresh salmon filets, brushed with BBQ sauce (or other sauce you desire), baked until flaky, and served with a salad and buns.
• Breakfast for dinner! Bacon, eggs and toast served with fresh fruit and yogurt, or French toast with fruit. All of these are quick and easy, and if you use whole grain breads, they are very healthy as well!

It CAN be easy to cook healthy, delicious, yet quick meals for your family! Don't feel like you need to make something fancy every night. Your family will appreciate the extra time you have to spend with them!