by Kellene
We’ve got lots going on today and dinner is on my mind, so I’m just going to share a little tidbit with you today—not profound, or highly significant, but something to gnaw on nonetheless.
What's for dinner?
Yesterday was a very busy and draining day. I’m not ashamed to say that when it came time to cook dinner, I was not up to creating some gourmet, drool-worthy dish. I didn’t even want to go downstairs to my pantry to get some inspiration. Seriously, I didn’t want to even walk the 12 stair steps. So I decided to forage right in my immediate cabinets to see what I could make do with for dinner. Chicken in the refrigerator. Ok, so I just throw that into the pressure cooker with a couple cups of water, and presto–Dinner is served!
Dinner thoughts…
Bisquick in the cabinet. Hmmm…maybe I can make chicken and dumplings although that’s not my hubby’s favorite, it would be more for me. Mixed veggies in the freezer. Check. Hmmm maybe I could just make a chicken pot pie. Nope. Honestly I don’t even want to go downstairs to get a can of cream of chicken soup. How’s that for AWFUL!? So I find this package of “Universal Sauce” that my husband brought home for me to “experiment” with. His business had decided to carry it and he wanted my two cents. Ok. Well, no better time than when I’m lazy, right? Well guess what? It turned out so dang yummy and I ended up with a scrumptious comfort dish. When I was finished making it I took extra pleasure in knowing that everything I used could have easily come out of my pantry. That made me feel so dang good knowing that more and more of my meals are created this way. I could have used a can of mixed veggies, and some of my canned chicken and the taste would still have been enjoyable. Although I just made up this recipe on the fly, I am definitely putting all of the supplies in one of my 4 gallon square buckets and have it for the future. Yum-mee!
I’d really like to encourage you all to have more and more of your meals created this way. And I think that really great, quality products make all of the difference. Some of you are stressed about getting enough honey, wheat, and salt, etc. Yet there’s so much more to thriving amidst chaos than that. Start thinking in terms of yellow curry paste, Worchester Sauce, great seasonings, coconut milk, etc to add to your foundation items so that you can fully enjoy what you’ve got. Just focus on creating one meal at a time and build up from there. (And by the way, a lot of the Shirley J stuff like the Universal Sauce is definitely going into my pantry/dishes.) Keep experimenting. There are unlimited easy recipes that you can be prepared to make for your family with little effort, fuel, time, and energy—so even those lazy nights can still be successful.
And by the way, here’s my recipe for this yummy chicken pot pie—the herbed sauce really makes it happen!
THIS is what’s for dinner–YUM!
Easy Chicken Pot Pie:
- 2 cups of cooked chicken, diced or shredded (fresh or canned)
- 1 ½ cups of mixed veggies (frozen or canned, drained)
- ½ teaspoon of cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon of Shirley J Pizza Pasta Seasoning
-
Chicken Pot Pie
Dash of salt and pepper
- 1 ½ cups of chicken broth (I always use the broth I create when I cook the chicken, or at least the liquid from the canned chicken)
- 5 ounces of Shirley J Universal Sauce (It’s a powder that you make into a sauce. You just want the powder for this recipe)
- 1 cup of Bisquick
- ½ cup of milk
- ¼ cup of parmesan cheese
- 1 egg
In a saucepan over medium-high heat, mix the Shirley J Universal Sauce with the chicken broth. Whisk briefly until the sauce thickens.
Mix the chicken, veggies, cinnamon, salt, pepper, Pizza Pasta Seasoning and prepared sauce together in a bowl. Place it in a non-stick sprayed 9 x 13 casserole dish.
In a small bowl mix the Bisquick, milk, cheese, and egg. Beat until smooth. Pour over the chicken mixture in the casserole dish. Bake at 425 degrees for 25-30 minutes until golden brown. (The sauce and herbs definitely makes this dish!)
5 Comments
Believer · February 2, 2010 at 8:22 pm
That sounds yummie. Where do you get the Shirley J pizza sauce, and the universal sauce? I love “throw together dishes. Thanks for the recipe
I don’t know how you do all that you do. You are amazing.
Kellene · February 2, 2010 at 8:47 pm
I don’t know that I do do it all, but I’m glad you appreciate some of it. You can check out the products at fivestarpreparedness.com Notice: that is the company that my husband owns, so you may want to check elsewhere so that it doesn’t seem like I’m hocking products.
jamie · February 2, 2010 at 8:35 pm
I was doing up my shopping list, meaning buying what’s on sale if I need it. Then start thinking about what dishes to make.
What great sales on snacks and nacho fixins and stuff for the “Super Bowl” parties. Chinese New year Feb. 14 so rice and all kinds of great spices, sauces, different kinds of noodles are on sale. I saw woks on sale, these work great on a bed of charcoal as well as the stove. Get a good heavy duty one. Chinese cooking tends toward hot, fast cooking to save on fuel.
What great time to try out some new recipes. Plus saving money by making your own take out.
My lazy meal is Stir-fry, throw together of meats, vegies and rice or noodles.
No real recipe just what’s leftover or handy.
I love Chicken and Dumplings. Now I’m all hungry. 🙂
Vicki5280 · February 3, 2010 at 4:57 am
Throw together recipes are my favorite! I’ve got the Shirley J Boullion powders and Universal Sauce on my shopping list for our next available payday, and I can’t wait! I use great broths and sauces as a base for so MANY meals. Thanks for the great tip Kellene!
jamie · February 5, 2010 at 1:33 am
I know I’ve been there. Gosh I just want to let it go… Call for pizza or take out, you drive.
Now we all need that now then. But, I admire you Kellene that you still made a great meal and did not give in to that attitude.
These are what I always called “Poor Folk” Recipes. Now anyone who has gone into a store to buy ribs. They ain’t “poor folk” food anymore. Believe it or not I have seen a slab of ribs going for the same price per pound as a bone-in rib eye. Yes you have to butcher that rib-eye and some fat/suet. but good gosh almighty, did you ever think ribs would get the same price per pound as a rib-eye?
One of the best things of prepping is you have enough on hand to wait for sales. Ocean Salmon, Crab, Higher end cuts of almost any critter. Same for grains and fruits/ vegies. This is what I love about prepping, you buy low and eat high. You are ahead of the power curve even in good times.
Bread is a great example it costs me about .30 cents to make a loaf of bread.( That’s buying flour not grains) Now in grocery store It will cost you at least $1.00 per loaf(if you can find it). Now that’s not counting “artisan breads”.
I always get frustrated by folks who say they can’t do this “prepping thing”. Like I’m special, I’m not. 1-2 dollars for every loaf of bread as a premium? 5 minutes of mixing, that’s a hardship? I guess you could add more for grinding your own wheat. But it’s “whole grain” another price hike. Heck you may be raising stuff organically. Another price hike.
It’s simple economics, you don’t need to be a rocket scientist or mathematician to realize .30 cents (products invested – time) is less than $3.00.
Heck I guess I’ve always been a “wing nut”. I don’t mind, I’ve got all you folks and Kellene to give me info so I can live with some of the name calling. I’ll do what I have to do, and “let the devil take the hindmost”.
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