By Tammy O’Hara
Food Columnist
It’s hard to believe that school has already started. Just when you settled in to a summer routine, it’s time to change gears. While both of my children are college graduates (go Knights!) and off payroll, I remember the days of juggling my work with their multitude of activities. This month I’m sharing some ideas and recipes for meals that don’t require a lot of time before it’s time to eat. Prepping things the night before or in the morning before are timesavers. If your kids are old enough to help, they can pop dinner in the oven so it’s ready when you get home.
Cook Once, Eat Twice
This is one of the easiest ways to cut down on cooking time.
Roasted turkey tenderloin: Cook this on the weekend or a night you have a little bit more time before dinner and use the leftovers for sandwich night or it can also be used as the protein in a salad. One of my favorites is to use spinach, turkey, craisins, mandarin oranges, almonds & feta or goat cheese. Pork or beef tenderloin also work great!
Pork roast: I love to marinate a whole pork roast in mojo sauce and cook it in my crock pot or oven. The leftovers can be used to make pulled pork sandwiches, Cuban sandwiches or I even made a Cuban inspired pizza one night which was a big hit (leftover pork, diced lunchmeat ham, dill pickles, Swiss cheese & Dijonaise (mustard & mayo) as the sauce on the bottom along with a little drizzle on top when it’s done.
Meatloaf: Who doesn’t love a meatloaf sandwich (hot or cold!)? But a couple other ways to use leftover meatloaf is to smash it up and use it in one of the following ways: add to your red sauce for a quick bolognaise; reheat with extra seasonings and salsa for tacos; add to beans, tomatoes and your favorite seasonings for chili; use it in a casserole; mix with cooked rice, tomato soup, corn and seasonings for stuffed peppers. Get the idea? Very versatile!
Crock pot it!
A crock pot is one of the best secret weapons to use for a quick dinner. Put everything in before leaving for work and come home to a cooked meal. Plus, when you walk into the house after being gone all day, the smell will be fabulous! Browse crockpot recipes in cookbooks or online (one option is https://www.pamperedchef.com/pws/tammytastesandtwists -- click on recipes). The roast mentioned previously in this article can be made in the crock pot as can be the leftover ideas for the meatloaf. You’ll be working smarter, not harder and your family will certainly enjoy the results! If you don’t have a crockpot, the Pampered Chef Deluxe Multi-cooker is amazing does so much more than just slow cook.
Casseroles
Lots of flavors in one bite and all cooked in one pan. What could be better? You probably have almost everything you need to make a casserole in your pantry already. If not, a few staples to keep on hand would be rice, pasta, canned cream soups (chicken, mushroom, celery) and shredded cheese. You can find a lot of recipes online or in cookbooks but don’t be afraid to use your imagination! Start with any leftover meat (or keep it meatless for a lower priced dinner or just to have a meatless meal), add cooked rice or pasta of your choice, a can of soup (again, your choice with a “cream of” type), a little milk and cheese. Voila! It’s that simple! Change things up by adding veggies (fresh or frozen) and different spices & herbs. If you have latchkey kids that are old enough to help, have them put the casserole in the oven at 350 degrees about an hour before you get home from work. You can also encourage them (or include it in their chores!) to make a salad & set the table to help you out and save even more time.
A couple casserole favorites in our house are Mexican lasagna & chicken enchilada casserole. Both can be made by using leftover meatloaf (or just cook ground beef) and leftover chicken or turkey, respectively. I like to use flour tortillas for the lasagna and corn tortillas for the enchiladas. For the lasagna, mix the meat with a jar of your favorite salsa and simply layer tortillas, meat & cheese two or three times. For the chicken enchiladas, mix 2 cups cooked chicken, ¾ cup sour cream, 1 can cream of chicken soup, 1 small can of green chiles, a can of green enchilada sauce, ½ cup chopped onion, 1-2 tsp. cumin and minced cilantro. Layer corn tortillas with chicken mixture & divide 1-2 cups of shredded Monterey Jack cheese between layers (depends how cheesy you like it). Both casseroles bake at 350 for 30 minutes. I like to add jalapeno slices as well and you can add black or refried beans & corn to the layers or as substitutions (if you want meatless). Bake for about 30 minutes at 350.
Feel free to reach out to me with any Pampered Chef or cooking questions you might have at [email protected] or my Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/TastesandTwistswithTammy
