Recipe | Cheeseburger Pasta

This recipe probably has no health value, but it's so easy. Literally only five ingredients - it's quite pathetic. But sometimes, a quick and easy meal - that makes a good amount for lunch leftovers - is just what is needed. So, in case you're ever in the situation that requires a meal with little health value, is super easy and makes a ton - here you go. You're welcome.

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef (I used venison)
• 1 can cheddar cheese soup
• 1 can tomato soup
• 1 1/2 cups of water
• 2 cups uncooked medium shell pasta

Instructions

• Cook the beef in a 10 inch skillet over medium-high heat until well browned. Pour off any fat.
• Stir the soups, water and pasta into the skillet.
• Heat to a boil. 
• Reduce the heat to medium. Cook for 10 minutes or until the pasta is tender but still firm.

There you go. Don't judge me for this recipe. I know it's lame, but seriously it was so tasty. I ate it for lunch the next day and it was still good. That's a winner in my books folks.

Recipe | Chicken and Barley Soup

So a few weeks back I fell sick, and I loathe chicken noodle soup with a passion. I often had stomach problems as a child, and I feel like I just ate it a lot and now I'm sick of it. I attempted to eat a bowl, when I was sick, and could barely stomach it. I wanted something fairly bland and easy to deal with since I was having some *ahem* stomach problems.

I fell upon this ridiculously easy soup, and I didn't take a single picture because I was sick and quite frankly...I forgot.

Ingredients

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 3/4 cup barley
• 48 oz low sodium chicken broth
• 1 16oz bag of frozen mixed veggies
• 2 tsp Italian seasoning
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

• Put everything in crockpot. Cook on low for 5-6 hours.
• Before serving, shred chicken.

That is it! If you fall ill with the stomach flu, this is a great break from traditional chicken noodle! What is your favorite thing to eat when you are sick?

Recipe | Pad Thai

So a few weeks ago, we decided that ordering in Pad Thai was ridiculous because of the cost. I assured my husband that I could find a recipe and we could make it at home way cheaper. I did just that, modified it for our preferences and shared a photo on facebook. I made it again recently, and have deemed it worthy of sharing. So here we go, some homemade Pad Thai!

 

Ingredients:

• 8 oz rice noodles, cooked according to package
• 1 boneless/skinless chicken breast, chopped into bite size pieces and cooked with salt and pepper.
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup bean sprouts
• 1/3 cup sliced green onion
• peanuts (optional)

Ingredients for sauce:

• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 4 tbsp. fish sauce
• 4 tbsp. sugar
• 2 tsp. garlic
• 2 tsp. peanut butter (creamy or chunky)
• juice of 1 lime (I just used lime juice)
• 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 tsp. soy sauce

Instructions:

• Season chicken with salt and pepper to taste. Cook chicken in a large wok or pan over medium heat, stirring until cooked through. Transfer chicken to a bowl and set aside.
• Begin cooking noodles, in a separate pot, according to package directions.
• Whisk together all sauce ingredients and set aside.
• Crack eggs over preheated pan that you cooked chicken in, and allow to fry for about a minute. Then break it up with a spoon and add the bean sprouts.
• Add in chicken, cooked noodles and sauce.
• Toss to coat the noodles in sauce. Stir in green onions.
• Garnish with peanuts if desired.

 

And that is the finished product, so good and tastes pretty darn close to our favorite takeout Thai place. Let me know if you try it and what you think!

Recipe | Slow Cooker Potato Soup

Another slow cooker recipe you say? Yes. They are my favorite, and they should be yours too. This one is absolutely delicious and this makes a TON of soup. I have been eating it for like 3 days now. 

Ingredients:

• 1 30 oz bag of frozen shedded hash browns 
• 56 oz of chicken broth (3 14 oz cans)
• 1 can of cream of chicken soup
• 1 package cream cheese (don't use fat free!)
• shredded cheddar cheese (optional)
• bacon bits (optional)

Instructions:

• In the crockpot combine hash browns, chicken broth and cream of chicken soup. Give a little mix around.

• Cook for 6-8 hours on low.
• About 1 hour before serving, add cream cheese and keep heated until melted.
• Serve with shredded cheese and bacon bits

Sour cream or green onions would be good additions to this as well. It's kind of like a baked potato so you can do a lot with the garnish to make it your own. It's also delicious just by itself. Happy eating!

Recipe | Slow Cooker Pork Chops

My husband is finishing up a dual PhD, so he often works 12-14 hour days. I am a preschool teacher, and work 8-10 hour days, so obviously by the time we get home it's really easy to just decide to eat a frozen pizza or grab take out. We are in the business of simple, yummy recipes. So nothing I share will ever be too complicated, cause I don't fly like that.

We are going to be starting off with literally the easiest recipe ever. It's like as simple as a PB & J sandwich. Seriously.

Ingredients

• 4 pork chops
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Instructions

• Place pork chops in bottom of slow cooker
• In a small bowl; mix soup, ketchup and Worcestershire sauce together until blended.
• Spread mixture over pork chops.
• Cook on High for 3-4 hours or on Low for 8-10

Pork chops with the mixture spread over it in the slow cooker

We like to serve our pork chops over egg noodles or even mashed potatoes. The sauce turns kind of into a gravy-type sauce, so we like to pour the excess over the noodles or potatoes. 

Serve with a side of veggies, and there you go. So. Simple. It's even easy to double. This will serve two very easily, if you want leftovers just double it up. Happy eating!