Na-no(u) Na-no(u)



So I think of Mork every time I think of NaNoWriMo. I've mentioned in passing that I've been wrangled into NaNo this year. I'm still clueless what I'm doing. It's a choice between 3 things. Problem is, I've no idea where any of the 3 begin, and I'm a linear gal all the way. Without a beginning, well, I'm stuck. I suppose Monday morning I'll open up Word and start typing. What comes out, will win.

I was chatting with someone the other day (hi Lola *waves*) who told me I need to get my food stocked up. Well, I make my own bread every other day. I do my own pizza and soups, too. Maybe I should have made the soups and pizza dough this past week and frozen them. Hmm. Anyway, I thought I'd offer up some of my super-quick and easy recipes (what twin mom isn't a pro at quick and easy meals?!).

Crockpot Chicken (my fave, hands down)
Bunch up 3 balls of tinfoil and toss them in the crockpot. Stick a roaster chicken in and put on whatever spices you like. (I put Adobo on everything). I also toss on some fresh basil and sage leaves. Other times, I just use lemon-pepper. Cook on low about 8 hours. When you remove the chicken it will fall apart - I use two big metal spatulas. Turn crockpot to hi and add some more spices and cornstarch to the juice. It will make an awesome gravy. It would be easy to add one of those boxed sides and a canned veggie to this.
Best Part: The leftover chicken/carcass goes into my big pot and I make a great stock for either chicken 'n dumplings or chicken soup.

Warning: I don't measure, ever. So these are my best estimates. If you find something seems dry, add more sauce/sour cream, etc..
Chicken Parm
Dump small can of tomato sauce into glass baking dish. Add chicken breasts, cover with box of stuffing (dry) and can of spaghetti sauce. Sprinkle with cheese and bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes. Serve over pasta.

Salsa Chicken Quesadillas
In baking dish, mix can of tomato soup, 1c of salsa, 1/4c shredded cheese, 1/2c sour cream, 2 large chicken breasts, cooked and shredded and 1inch strips of quesadillas. Top with shredded cheese and bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Easy Beef Stroganoff
Mix can of cream of mushroom soup, 1/2c sour cream, 1lb cooked ground meat, small can of mushroom. Bake at 350 25-30 minutes, until hot. Serve over egg noodles.

Shepherds Pie
Mix 1lb cooked ground meat, can of corn, small can mushrooms, 1c shredded or diced carrots and put into 9-inch pie crust. Top with shredded cheese, small jar of gravy then mashed potatoes (I rarely use boxed/jarred stuff, but for quickies go for it). Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes.

Okay, I probably could go one for hours, but there's a start. Happy NaNo-ing to all.

Am I the only one still clueless this Sunday evening? (And probably into Monday morning?) Hope everyone had a happy Halloween.

Comments

Old Kitty said…
GOOD LUCK with Nano!! And yes it's so Mork and Mindy isn't it really?!? LOL!

But first you must stock up on food!! That is so important!!!

Enjoy these recipes and take care
x
Unknown said…
Definitely stock up on food and good luck with Nano.
Stina said…
I make bread and soups too. And I don't measure when it comes to the soups. :)

Good luck with NaNo and coming up with a project. Hopefully you already have an idea. :D
Linda G. said…
Best of luck with NaNo! Those recipes look great. If I cooked, I might even be tempted to try them. ;)
Summer Frey said…
I never measure either!

You'll do great this month! It's a lot of fun. :)
TL said…
Thanks, everyone.

LOL Linda ;)
TL said…
Stina - There's nothing like a huge bowl of homemade soup and fresh warm bread on a cold day!
Unknown said…
Brilliant minds work alike. :-) I too always think of Mork when I hear Nano nano. Do you remember the hand actions that went with it? Awesome.
Eric W. Trant said…
Don't forget the infamous Egg Sandwich.

Use a microwavable bowl.

Spray bowl with Pam so egg won't stick.

Crack and stir one egg (or two) with a splash of milk. Milk makes it creamy.

Microwave in the bowl for 1 min per egg. E.g. 2 eggs = 2 mins, 1 egg = 1 min.

Add a slice of cheese, and if you lubbed it up right, the egg should slide out of the bowl onto the sandwich, and is a round shape about the size of a hamburger patty (much like a poached egg).

Add toppings of your choice, such as pepper and salt, guacamole, salsa, and so forth.

This is a staple at my house. The kids LOVE it, and it's something they can cook and eat FAST.

- Eric
Lola Sharp said…
*waves back*

I don't measure either...and I totes LOVE these recipes.

I had no idea you could put foil in a crackpot and make a roaster chicken! This is ground-breaking awesome news to me.

Happy Nano-ing, love.

(have you started? If so, what project came out?)

(I have not started yet. I did a post, now I'm surfing my friends on my sidebar. Soon, I shall open a doc and see what comes out.)

Thanks for the recipes! :)

Love you,
Lola
L. Diane Wolfe said…
Boo-yah! Someone else who doesn't measure.
PK HREZO said…
Oh yum! Those sound awesome.. an you make your own bread every other day??? You rock.

Thanks for stopping by today. Look forward to reading more on your NaNo adventures. Sometimes I think it's more fun when you don't know where you're going. :)
I'm good to go with my plot.
May I suggest take-out pizza for November?
Jai Joshi said…
I'm a vegetarian but I think it's so cool that you make you're own bread. I'd love to learn that at some point.

Jai
Denise Covey said…
Happy NaNo ing to you!
lotusgirl said…
Good luck with NaNo.
TL said…
Thanks for the good wishes, everyone :)
TL said…
Jai & PK - I have a bread machine, so it takes about 5 minutes of actual work from me to make ;)

Alex - We'll do take-out once in a while, but my kids aren't keen on it.
TL said…
LDiane - It never tastes as good when I measure ;)

Lola - That chicken is da bomb, lemme tell ya! I sorta started - cheating, but I'm counting my rewrite of the last chapter - which I finally effing finished yesterday!!!

Eric - Not a big egg-eating household here (or microwave users). But, I do like a good egg sandwhich once in a while.

Lois - Of course I remember the hand signs, lol :)
Lisa Gail Green said…
Yeah! I'm rooting you on for Nano. Just go with it. I love the Mork thing!!! It never occurred to me, but now I'll always think of it. LOL
Mary Aalgaard said…
The recipes look great. Hope you found a good beginning to your novel. I've thought of Mork with the na-no na-no thing, too.