Easy Meals

I don't like to cook. It's not that I can't cook. Whenever I do cook, it always comes out very good. But I don't enjoy cooking. I'm tired when I get home and the last thing I want to do is slave over a hot stove :) So I've been looking for some easy dinner ideas. I got these recipes from two of my co-workers. I tried them out last week, and I can tell you they are yumm-ee! I thought I'd share them with you. So here they are:

Baked Spaghetti

3/4 of a pound of spaghetti. I used wheat spaghetti. Almost a one pound package.
1 Can cream of Mushroom soup
Milk(to prepare soup)
1 Can petite diced tomatoes
1 Can sliced olives
1 Onion
1 Bell Pepper
1 pound ground beef(we don't eat beef at my house, so I substituted ground turkey)
Italian Seasoning
Cheese-Mozzarella, Parmesan, and mild cheddar-grated. I buy mine already grated because I am that lazy.

Cook Spaghetti according to package directions
While spaghetti is cooking, saute Onion and Bell pepper in large skillet. Add Ground beef(or turkey), and brown. Add Italian seasonings to meat. When meat is browned, add can of tomatoes(drained) and stir.

In 9 X 13 inch pan, layer spaghetti, meat, cheese, and olives.
Repeat layers two more times.
In a bowl whisk cream of mushroom soup and 1 Can milk until blended. Pour evenly over spaghetti mixture.
Top with more cheese and remaining olives.
Bake in 375 degree oven for fifteen to twenty minutes, or until cheese bubbles.
Serve with salad and garlic bread.


Dump Chili


My co-worker calls this "dump chili" because you literally just dump everything into a crock pot or large stock pot. It is so easy and sooooooo good! Perfect for a cold winter night.
Beware: This recipe makes a ton of chili!

2 cans pinto beans
1 can kidney beans
1 can black beans
1 can white beans
1 can of your favorite canned chili(I used turkey chili)
1 large jar of your favorite salsa. I used Pace.
1 pound ground beef(I used turkey)
1 Onion
1 clove garlic
1 Kielbasa

Chop onion and garlic and saute. Add ground beef and cook until browned. Dump into crock pot or large stock pot on stove. If I am making it ahead of time, I use the Crock pot and let it simmer for several hours. If I am in a hurry I do it on the stove and only let it simmer an hour. Both ways turn out fine.

Cut Kielbasa into small pieces and add to meat mixture in pot

Drain all beans except Pinto. Pour into pot
Dump Pinto beans into pot, juice and all
Add jar of salsa

Stir ingredients until they are mixed well
Simmer in crock pot for three hours, stirring occasionally
or for 45 min- 1 hour on stove at medium heat, stirring occasionally

Garnish with sour cream, chopped onions, and grated cheddar cheese.
Also good with tortilla chips broken over the top
I always serve mine with cornbread.


I just made both of these dishes in less than forty five minutes, and now dinner is done for tonight and tomorrow. Plus, we'll have leftovers for days. Sometimes I'll serve the chili the next night over baked potatoes. Yum! I love easy! Pictures to come.



Oh, and that ticker at the top finally changed. We have been logged in for four months! Woo Hoo! I can honestly say that they flew by. Hopefully the next bazillion will too :)