5 or Fewer

I don’t mind cooking. It’s the cleaning I don’t like but that’s for another blog! I grew up in a large family and helped in the kitchen frequently. As I’ve gotten older I’ve found that I like cooking and at times I come up with some pretty tasty noms. I’m also a fan and subscriber to Taste of Home. It never fails to inspire me and I’ve taken some great, easy recipes to potlucks and family meals. So, with a shout out to them I thought I’d share some of my favorites and a couple I created and have become staples in my kitchen. I also learned that a recipe is a guide; to be edited to your own taste.

Fake Enchiladas

(This could be my own creation but the inspiration might have come from the 5 or fewer cookbook by Taste of Home or my cousins who did the same thing but with Taquitos & green sauce)

·         1 16 oz can Red Enchilada Sauce

·         2 c grated cheese (cheddar, Monterey or Colby all work; some medium and sharp is my fav combination)

·         1 small can sliced olives

·         1 family pack Bean & Cheese burritos (my preference)

Spray a 9x13 pan with non-stick spray. Pour a little of the enchilada sauce in the bottom of the pan; just enough to cover. Place the burritos in the pan. You may not get all of them in. pour the enchilada sauce over the burritos making sure to cover all the burrito if you can. Top with grated cheese then the olive.

Bake according to the package directions for frozen or thawed burritos. You’ll want to make sure the burritos in the middle are cooked all the way through. Usually 30-40 minutes.

Top with lettuce, tomato, diced green onion and sour cream.

Quite tasty, quick and simple! It can also be modified to fit your family’s needs or picky eaters J

Easiest Cobbler you’ll ever make

(I don’t know where I got it but it’s tasty! Oh, yeah and simple!!!)

Prepare 1 yellow cake mix according to instructions and pour into 9x13 pan

spoon 1-21oz can of cherries over the top of the cake mix.

Bake 45-50 min at 350 or until cake is golden brown.

Vary the cake mix and fruit for a variety.

          Chocolate cake and cherries

          White cake  and blueberries

          Spice cake and peaches        

          Etc.

Alfredo Pork

Combine in large bowl:

·         Egg noodles, cooked

·         2 Pork chops, cooked and diced

·         Broccoli, chopped and cooked

·         1 jar Alfredo sauce

·         1 can mushrooms, sliced

Stir until mixed and Alfredo sauce is warmed through. I added a little garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste

Whatchagot Goulash

In a large sauce pan boil noodles and drain. Put back in pot, add 1 can petite diced tomatoes, 1 can slice mushrooms, 1 can tomato sauce or marinara sauce. Stir until well mixed. I usually add garlic powder, salt & pepper to taste and usually top it with grated cheddar or grated or shredded parmesan.  I also managed one time to make this with spaghetti noodles, tomato sauce, garlic powder and grated parmesan and came up with an ok imitation to spaghetti-o’s.

Dad’s garlic-y spinachy noodley stuff

Cook pasta & drain. (egg noodles)
cook 1 box frozen spinach & add it in.
½  large can olives, sliced & dump in.
stir with a bunch of olive oil, garlic powder and shredded parmesan.
taste.
add salt.
taste again.
add oil if it's dry, add garlic & parmesan if it needs.

You could also add trout, chicken or pork. I’ve had it with Steelhead and it was scrumptious! You could also add chopped artichoke hearts. Or omit the olives.

‘Killer’ mac & cheese

(“killer” because of what it does to your arteries)

·         32 oz elbow macaroni, cooked and drained

Add:

·         4 c sharp cheddar, shredded

·         4 c cheddar & mozzarella mix, shredded

·         1 stick butter or margarine

·         1 cup milk or evap milk

·         Salt and pepper to taste

Mix it all together

top with bacon strips and cracker crumbs

Bake until cheese is melted and bacon is done.

Appetizer Tortilla Pinwheels (from Taste of Home)

• 1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
• 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
• 1 can (4-1/4 ounces) chopped ripe olives
• 1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chilies, well drained
• 1 can diced pimentos
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup chopped green onions
• Garlic powder to taste
• Seasoned salt to taste
• 5 flour tortillas (10 inches), room temperature
• Fresh parsley for garnish
• Salsa

Directions

• In a large bowl, beat the first eight ingredients until blended. Spread over the tortillas; roll up tightly. Wrap each with plastic wrap, twisting ends; refrigerate for several hours.
• Unwrap; cut into 1/2-in. to 3/4-in. slices. (An electric knife works best.) Discard ends. Garnish with parsley. Serve with salsa if desired. Yield: about 4 dozen.

This is REALLY yummy! I’m going to try this again sometime for a party but without the tortillas and use it as a Mexican chip dip. 

Chocolate Swirl Delight (from Taste of Home)

• 2-3/4 cups cold milk
• 2 packages (3.9 ounces each) instant chocolate fudge pudding mix
• 2 cups whipped topping

Directions

• Cut each cake roll into eight slices; set aside any chocolate coating that separates from rolls for garnish. Line a 9-in. springform pan with cake slices, completely covering the bottom and sides.
• In a small bowl, whisk milk and pudding mixes for 2 minutes. Let stand for 2 minutes or until soft-set. Pour over cake. Spread with whipped topping; sprinkle with any reserved chocolate coating.

• Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving. Yield: 12 servings.

Day 72

Update:

At the beginning of the year I had five goals for this year:

Get a passport, participate in a 5k, pay down debt and start saving, weight loss and get a new job. Here’s where I’m at so far…

I don’t have my passport yet but I do have a certified copy of my birth certificate hot off the press from the state of Arizona. I’ll need a certified copy in a couple years when my driver’s license expires and I don’t know where mine is; probably in a box somewhere.

I have been lax in training for the 5k. I have the registration printed out. It’s April 16^th. One week before my 41^st birthday. I’ll participate still. I have two goals for it. First, to not finish dead last and second, to finish in less than 90 minutes. That's about a 30 minute mile and seems well within my ability.

I discovered a wonderful website called SmartyPig. It’s an amazing tool for those of us who struggle to put money away and then not touch it when needed or when in need of a retail therapy day. You create goals and set a time frame in which you want to achieve them. They take the money out of your account and apply it to your goals. The nice thing about this is that even though the money isn’t readily accessible you can get to it if you need to and will only take a few days to get back to your checking or savings account. You also have the option of having the funds put on a card. That’s not a good option for me since cards are tempting for me to use. I currently have two goals set up. One is for Christmas and the other is for a house down payment. You can even have others donate to your goals. Pretty nifty site overall! I heard about it through Utah Saves and also through Debt Proof Living. If Mary Hunt likes it then it is probably a good idea! With my tax return I was able to pay off two of my four cards and eliminate my credit card debt by almost 2/3^rd. Woo hoo! Since they’re automotive cards and I have a new car I’m not likely to use them in the near future which decreases my debt to income ratio.

Weight loss is always a tricky one. Medication changes sometimes wreck havoc with our best laid plans. In other cases they help. I was on one and lost 12 pounds in 10 days. Yee haw!!! Then I went on a binger and had salty foods for about a week. All the weight came back. Darn you Chili’s and Taco Bell(fav is the 7 layer burrito). Mexican food is my go to food when I’m happy, sad, stressed, PMS-ing, in general whenever or if I need a meal, chances are its Mexican drive-thru fare. My wallet and the scale can attest to that weakness.

I did however rejoin Curves. Truthfully I do get bored with it sometimes. It’s the same thing over and over. BUT it works for my body so that's why I stay. My abs and my back side are where I usually see the biggest difference. But it is also good for your heart which makes my dr happyJ I also like that they do a monthly weigh and measure. It is a good barometer to see where you’re at and sometimes the smallest achievements feel huge! Plus exercising is good for your endorphins. It is truly a mood booster. I feel better, more relaxed and handle stress easier when my muscles are all warm and stretched out after I’ve been sitting on my bum all day.

Along those same lines I want to get outside more this year and am planning on buying a pair of rollerblades and fixing my bike. There are plenty of trails throughout the Salt Lake Valley that are begging to be explored. I am also getting a Kinect. The games are like a workout and video game all in one. I’m super excited!  The other cool thing is that our family is working collectively to lose weight. So far this year we've lost just over 90 pounds between 11 of us. Way to go family! Weekly weights are emailed to my BIL and he has this nifty spreadsheet that tracks us week to week. It is a fairly good barometer since I want to do well.

I interviewed for a new position within the company. It seemed like a decent idea and it’s never a bad idea to pass up an opportunity to freshen up your interview skills. It’s a Monday – Friday job. Salaried. Management. PERFECT! I can quit working two jobs 7 days a week. Alas, the job went to another person. I do honestly believe she was the better person for the position but it sure would have been nice to try something new. I guess this is where school comes in. I’m about half done. I graduate in June with an AS in Medical Specialties and am pursuing a job in the medical billing and coding field once I graduate. So if I just have a couple more months to go it seemed silly to take a new position that I would have worked my hardest at but would have seemed like a waste of schooling for the time being. …once I have enjoyed my summer off and hopefully have found a new job in my new field then I’m going back to get my BS in Hospital Administration which will take another 18 months or so. Then I will be able to cross that off my bucket list. Bachelors Degree, check.

Hmmm… my sister did a blog of what some things on her bucket list are…maybe I’ll do the same one day.