What's Cookin' Good Lookin'?

I know what you are thinking.  You are thinking, " You have been on your own for 1 year, how much could your cooking have evolved?" Okay, maybe you aren't thinking that.  Perhaps you don't even care.  Either way, I am going to tell you allll about it! =)

When I first got married I was the definition of a pinterest chef.  Every meal was an hour long ordeal, using ingredients I had never heard of, only to serve the meal to a husband who probably would have been just fine with plain old chicken.  This lasted for a couple months until Summer hit.  We were barely home and also becoming more conscious of our spending.  The thing with extravagant pinterest meals is that while they are great, they can call for ingredients that aren't readily available in my pantry and don't have long shelf-time.  Our grocery bills were way higher then they had to be, so I decided to simplify my cooking a bit and save my "pinterest meals" for 1-2 days a week.  I enjoyed cooking, I enjoyed taking a risk and trying something new and didn't want to give that up.

Well, summer winded down, the school year started up, and our grocery bill was still high.  I didn't get it.  Sean would tell me simple meals were fine, but I thought I WAS making simple meals.  It took almost 8 months for me to grasp what simple really was.  I realized I didn't have to be a pinterest chef.  I didn't have to be the wife who made elaborate fancy meals every night or even once or twice a week.  Sean was okay with simple, I was okay with simple, and our budget was really okay with simple.  Now, I save a fancy new recipe, for maybe once a month.  I have NOTHING against people who make elaborate meals often.  If you are able, more power to ya! It just isn't for me.  I still enjoy cooking, I still enjoy taking risks, but I use that to find SIMPLE recipes that fit what we want.  Sean and I try and be conscious of our calorie intake so I am constantly on the lookout for "skinny" versions of food and substitutes to make food even healthier and less calories.  I enjoy trying to find the cheapest, simplest, lowest calorie version of something.  As for our grocery budget, it is still higher then we'd like.  I am working on using coupons more, buying generic, and stretching the food that we have out for longer periods of time.  We eat a lot of chicken, a lot of broccoli, and a lot of noodles.  But we enjoy that and it works for us.

I have developed some easy staple meals.  These meals are quick to prepare quickly after getting home from work.  They are also SO SIMPLE!  I am not creating anything new, I am not a 5 star chef, I am just a wife trying to work with a budget and desire to simplify.  

Some of our staple dinner meals:

• Barbecue Chicken: Season chicken, put in crock pot with your favorite BBQ sauce (we use Open Pit) on high for 2 hours.  I usually pair it with baked broccoli and egg noodles.
• Buffalo Chicken: same as above but with Frank's Buffalo Sauce.
• Spaghetti with Homemade Sauce ( I use my parents recipe):  The sauce consists of tomato sauce, paste, water, and seasoning.  EASY! I cook it in the crockpot on low for AT LEAST an hour.
• Pepperoni Pizza Melts : I used to make these using Pilsbury Big and Flaky Biscuits, but recently figured out a much easier, and less calorie alternative: Orowheat Sandwich thins.  We buy the multigrain ones- YUMMY!  Use 1/4 cup of pizza sauce, then a layer of about 5 slices of pepperoni, and a layer of cheese.  The recipe calls for shredded cheese but I use a slice of skim milk craft cheese which is only 25 calories.  Butter each side of the bread and make in a George Foreman, panini maker, or cook as if its a grilled cheese. 
• Buffalo Chicken Stir Fry: Heat 2 tbsp oil in skillet, cook chicken in skillet.  I cook rotini noodles while the chicken is cooking as well as whatever veggies I want to add (usually broccoli, carrots, and sugar snap peas) When chicken is done cooking add veggies and buffalo sauce.  Saute for about 5 minutes.  Finally, add noodles.  DONE, EASY, DELICIOUS!
• Grilled Cheese Chicken: Bake or grill chicken, place on a sandwich thin or the bread of your choice, add a slice of cheese, and bake like a grilled cheese.  I add some avocado or guacamole to mine after it's done cooking.
• Brown Sugar Chicken: Mix brown sugar and 1 packet of Italian dressing mix in a bowl (I also add some minced garlic).  Coat chicken with mixture, bake in oven at 350 until chicken is done.)

I linked some of the recipes.  I by no means am claiming ownership to these.

What recipes are staples in your home?  Are there any simple, low calorie meals that you enjoy? 

Comment below, I'd love to read what meals are made in your home!