Kale Chips (like Brad's Vampire Slayer)

It's been an amazing garden year for kale in my area! Here are the basics to making Kale Chips:

-  use your hands to mix the coating onto the kale leaves to get the most uniform results

-  be sure to lay out the kale piece by piece in a single layer so none overlap

-  cook it low and slow for the crispiest chips...use your lowest oven temp or use a dehydrator

Kale Chips

A bunch of kale leaves, torn into small pieces

1/2 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese

1/4 cup Lemon Juice

3 tablespoons of Garlic Powder

3 large Cloves of Garlic, Pressed

1 tbsp Paprika

2 tbsp Parsley

1 dash Salt

2 dashes Fresh Ground Pepper

1 tbsp Cashew Butter or Almond Butter or Tahini

A dash of cayenne pepper

_________________________________________

Mix the coating, spread onto the kale, and cook at a very low temperature (or dehydrate) for 2-3 hours.

Fresh Homegrown Grits For Nearly Any Diet (Gluten Free, Organic, Vegan)

Call it what you will - cornmeal mush, polenta, or good old Southern grits - this humble little meal deserves its props.

Last summer, I chanced upon a bag of home-grown, non-GMO, home-ground, heritage cornmeal for an insanely good price sitting next to the register at a local greenhouse. I bought one bag. Of course, had I know how yummy it would be, I'd have bought a lot more.

Good coarsely ground heritage corn has a complex, nutty flavor you'll never find in a box of instant Quaker grits. They are truly two different foods; it's starkly obvious how blank processed food becomes when you compare real corn vs. fake agribusiness corn.

Last night, I cooked up a simple meal of fresh grits, Trader Joe's no-nitrate apple chicken sausage links, and french-style green beans, served with homemade yogurt and chunks of mango. The grits made the meal, and we've been enjoying them for breakfast again today.

I know home-grown local corn can be harder to find outside a rural area, particularly in the winter when Farmer's Markets are quiet, but there are a couple brands on Amazon I'd recommend. Bob's Red Mill organic cornmeal is a larger, well-known producer with low prices and large availability. Palmetto Farms is a smaller producer whose corn can offer a more unique flavor than the larger producers can.

Here's our recipe for grits.

Ingredients

8 cups water
2 cups cornmeal
salt to taste

Dinner is Upon Me and I'm Unprepared Directions (takes about 20-25 minutes until ready to eat)

Combine cold water and the cornmeal in a pan on the stove top; stir until smooth.
Cook on medium heat, stirring frequently until the mixture begins to boil.
Add a little salt. Cool a spoonful and taste. Repeat until it's salted how you like it.
Turn the heat to low and allow it to simmer until it thickens to the consistency you want. It will get thicker the longer it cooks.

I'm Actually Thinking Ahead This Morning Directions (Slow Cooker - 5 minutes of hands-on time, but takes 6-8 hours until ready to eat)

Combine warm water and the cornmeal in the slow cooker crock; stir until smooth.
Turn slow cooker on high for 1 hour, then stir. Add a little salt. Taste and repeat until it's salted how you like it.
Turn the slow cooker to low and cook for another 6-8 hours or until it's the consistency you want. It will get thicker the longer it cooks.

Some people like their grits salty (that's us!) but others swear by sweet (maybe with real maple syrup if you're into that sweet grits thing). We added a big old fat pat of butter on each bowl of grits and a little extra salt at the table. Yum!

And because this dinner was so affordable, I'm going to lay out my prices for a change. These were my prices for my family of four.

Grits - 1/10th of the $5 bag of cornmeal so 50 cents.
Butter - 1/8th of a $3 pound so 48 cents. (Homemade from skimmed cream was about the same price for me.)
Chicken sausages - all of a $5 pack, so $5.00
Green beans - all of a 80 cent scratch & dent can, so 80 cents.
Yogurt - 1/10 of a $5 gallon of milk plus a $1 yogurt starter pack, so 70 cents.
Maple syrup to sweeten the yogurt - 1/20 of a $7 bottle so 35 cents.
Two mangoes - 50 cents each at produce discount so $1.

Total meal cost for family of four (with grits left over for breakfast): $8.83 or $2.21 per person.

Not too shabby, although as you can see, the chicken sausages comprised the bulk of the cost. We had bought them as a treat a few nights ago, but normally we would have had eggs with this dinner. Our eggs are free right now - I haven't bought feed in months but we're still getting eggs daily from our free rangers (with a little feed added in that a neighbor gifted us).

Free eggs would have brought my cost down to $3.83 for the family or 96 cents per person! It's hard to believe we can have an enjoyable, filling, well-rounded dinner for under $1.00 each, especially with all my exacting food requirements. But there it is - the humble grits. A good choice for local foodies, organic connoisseurs, frugalites, and gluten-free folks alike. Or anyone who likes to eat good real food.

**Let's talk affiliate links. The only affiliate links I have on this blog are Amazon Associates links. Amazon Associates allows me easily link to the products I want to share with you since Amazon has  nearly everything. If you happen to follow one of those links and buy the product, they give me a few cents to help me feel like my blogging is time well spent. I only suggest products I like and would recommend to you in person. Always.**

Oven Crispy Kale

Five years ago, I had never tasted kale. Add five growing seasons, 2 CSA seasons, and countless vegetarian potlucks, and kale has become one vegetable that is a staple of my kitchen garden. Why? Oven Crispy Kale. This simple side dish has to be the fastest, yummiest way to cook kale - ever. When your kids are begging for "more kale," you know the recipe is a keeper!

Ingredients

Kale
Olive oil
Sea salt
Parmesan cheese (optional)

Directions

Cut the kale into small pieces - kitchen shears work perfectly for this - and discard the stems. Lay the kale pieces on a baking tray in more or less a single layer. No need to be exact.

Drizzle generously with olive oil. Sprinkle with sea salt and parmesan cheese, if desired.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes, or until the kale become crispy. Serve and enjoy!

amish leftover oatmeal coffee cake

While I can't attest to whether or not this recipe is actually Amish in origin, I can attest that is darn good and darn useful! My children always leave some of their oatmeal in their bowls when I make it, so I love having a recipe to use up the extra.

Ingredients

2 cups leftover breakfast oatmeal
2/3 cup fruit (apples, raisins, blueberries, blackberries)
3/4 cup boiling water
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. grated nutmeg
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup brown sugar (or use my usual trick - 1 cup white sugar + 1 Tbls. molasses)
1/2 cup oil or melted butter
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla 

Directions

After water has boiled, add the fruit to the water. If using dried fruit, let the fruit sit for 10 minutes. Add the oatmeal to the water and stir until smooth.

In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Make a small well in the center. Pour in the brown sugar, oil, eggs, vanilla and oatmeal/fruit mixture. Mix just until combined.

Pour into a greased and floured 9" x 13" baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.

tomato gravy

Last week, when we were visiting Karla, my Amish friend, she mentioned that they often have tomato gravy over eggs for breakfast. This was the second time she had talked about "tomato gravy" and it sounded so interesting, I had to try it.

From what I gather, it's an Amish thing. It makes a regular appearance at meals at all times of the day, and it's quite versatile. You can serve it over eggs (which I did last Wednesday and let me just say - YUM. It's no wonder her family eats eggs every morning if she's serving tomato gravy over them!), you can serve it over rice (did that tonight), you can put it over toast, over noodles, over biscuits, over roasted chicken....and many more, I'm sure.

I'm going to give you my ingredient list, which is different from hers. Hers calls for a can of diced tomatoes (roughly 14 oz.). For mine, I used tomato juice.

Ingredients

3 Tbls. butter
3 Tbls. white flour
tomato juice (about a cup)
whole milk or cream (about a half cup)
3 Tbls. sugar
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Melt the butter over medium heat.

Whisk in the flour until it begins to brown.

Pour in the tomato juice and milk all at once.

Whisk until smooth and thickened. If it is too thick for your liking, add more tomato juice.

Stir in the sugar and salt and pepper.

Serve with a variety of side dishes or meats, but especially with eggs.

garlic and ginger black beans

Black beans and rice are staples in our pantry - we almost always have some on hand. Tonight, Sassy (my eldest daughter) asked for "plain rice with butter and salt" for supper. I put together a black bean dish to go with it that featured some of our favorite spices. Water chestnuts added the crunch that made everyone ask for seconds.

Ingredients

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 onion, finely chopped
1 bulb garlic (about 10 cloves)
1/4 cup freshly grated ginger root
1 can sliced water chestnuts, rinsed and drained
2 Tbls. salsa
oil for sauteeing
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Separate and peel the cloves of garlic. Finely chop each clove. Try the 10 second garlic peeling technique if you haven't yet. (yes, it really works)

Saute the onion, garlic, ginger and water chestnuts until the onions are soft and the water chestnuts are no longer white.

Stir in the drained and rinsed black beans and the salsa. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve with rice or tortilla chips.

granola bars

I have found it hard to make a tasty but easy granola bar. I think I've finally found a recipe I like, and wanted to share, since so many of my taste testers liked it too. :-)

Ingredients

4 cups rolled oats
3 cups almond flour (we get ours at Trader Joe's under the name "Almond Meal")
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup raisins, chocolate chips, or chopped walnuts (optional)
1 cup honey
1 cup coconut oil
2 egg yolks
4 tsp vanilla extract

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease (2) 9 x 13 inch baking pans
2. Melt the coconut oil if needed. In a large bowl, mix together the oats, almond flour, cinnamon, salt & optional ingredients (raisins, choc chips or walnuts). Make a well in the center, and pour in the honey, egg yolks, oil & vanilla. Mix well with your hands or use a stand mixer for the whole process.
3. Pat the mixture evenly into your two prepared pans. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the bars begin to turn golden at the edges. Do not overbake! Cool thoroughly before cutting into bars.

A note to my taste testers this weekend: I was able to cut the sugar entirely & just go with the honey and still have sweet results. It's not too sweet anymore, so I really wouldn't suggest cutting down the honey at all, unless you're super sensitive to sweets. If you want the granola bar sweeter, add 1/2 cup of sugar to achieve a more store-bought kind of taste, like what I brought with me.

A note about gluten-free oats: I tagged this post with the GF label because oats are one of those controversial GF items - are they or aren't they? I've heard that they are usually contaminated during processing & I've heard an alternate theory that if they are grown too close to wheat, they will be contaminated with gluten from the wheat (cross-pollination I guess?). At any rate, there are GF oats widely available, so as far as I'm concerned, this recipe still fits the label.

And finally, a note about the eggs: my recipe contains only the egg yolks because my youngest daughter can't have egg whites. The original recipe I worked off of called for 2 whole eggs, so there's no reason for non-sensitive people to waste their egg whites. In fact, your bars will probably hold together even better than mine. :-)

power balls

I've played around with this recipe for quite some time and the more I make these, the more I love them. They are high in protein, as low in sugar as you'd like, easy, and very versatile. There are so many options in the ingredients that you can use whatever you have on hand and they will still turn out great. You don't have to cook them, you can mix them all in one bowl, most sick pregnant mamas can handle them, and you can hide things in there that you want your kids to have. What's not to like?

Ingredients

1 cup of any or all of the following:

nuts (walnuts, pecans, almonds, cashews, whatever you have on hand)
seeds (sunflower seeds, flax seeds, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds)
shredded unsweetened coconut
dried fruit

1/2 cup grain (wheat germ, dry oats, puffed rice cereal, granola, not plain flour...only use what you would take a bite of straight)

1 cup nut butter

honey, 3 Tbls. to start

optional: health food additions (bee pollen, 2 tsp. raw butter, probiotic powder, 2 tsp. wheat germ oil, 2 tsp. flax seed oil, blackstrap molasses)

optional: cocoa powder and/or chocolate chips

Directions

In your food processor, finely process any large nuts, seeds, & dried fruit. If you don't have a food processor, you can finely chop them, it will just extend the preparation time. Grind the flax seeds, if using, in a separate grinder. (Grinding the flax seeds before using them allows your body to digest them more fully.)

In a large mixing bowl (your counter-top mixer if you have one), use a wooden spoon (or mixer paddle on a counter-top mixer) to mix together the chopped nuts, seeds & fruit, grain, nut butter, honey & any of the optional ingredients.

Test for sweetness. Add more honey if desired.

You should have a "dough" that will cling together on its own. If not, add a little more honey and/or nut butter to achieve this consistency.

Roll into balls, about 1-inch in diameter, and store in the refrigerator.

Egg Rolls

Wow, time flies. My last post was in March? What happened? Well...pregnancy, that's what. As much as I wanted nutritious supper in 10 minutes or less hands-on time, my stomach wasn't feeling very creative.

But, here's a new one thanks to a wonderful homeschooling mom friend who also happens to facilitate the delivery of our real milk lifeline each week.

INGREDIENTS

• Egg Roll Wrappers (found in the refrigerated produce section in our Kroger)
• Bag pre-chopped cole slaw, fresh
• Additions, such as:
fresh mushrooms
purple cabbage
onions
green onions
chopped chicken
• Garlic, ginger, salt & pepper, to taste
• Oil for frying
• Sauce for dipping (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Gently saute over low heat cole slaw, additions (I get my additions from the salad bar at our Kroger for super-fast, dump-it-in-the-pan preparation) & spices in a little oil. When vegetables begin to soften (after 4-5 minutes), turn off heat, cover & let sit until ready to wrap. Veggies will continue to soften as they sit covered. (2 minutes hands-on)

Pour a generous amount of oil in a frying pan & turn on medium heat. Wrap 2-3 Tbls. of vegetable mixture in each egg roll wrapper, seal, & place in hot oil. See back of egg roll wrapper package for instructions on how to fold the wrapper. (Be sure to moisten the last flap you fold to attach the rolls together.) Flip egg rolls when they are brown & crispy on one side; fry the other side until brown & crispy. In medium-hot oil, each side will take 3-4 minutes. (7 minutes)

Put on a plate, sprinkles with salt & serve with a dipping sauce, if desired.

Caroline has told me that her mom used to serve these when she was growing up. They were never part of grandma's dinner repertoire, so I am loving them! We needed something different. Plus, I've always loved egg rolls but will never allow myself to eat them in the Chinese restaurant because of the MSG content.

Yum!

Optional Ginger Peanut Dipping Sauce

1/2 cup raisins, soaked in 1 cup hot water for 15 minutes or more
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 clove raw garlic
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. mustard
1/4 tsp. salt

Drain raisins after soaking but reserve soak water. Add 1/4 cup soak water to all other ingredients (including raisins) in a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth. Add more of the soak water if needed to achieve desired consistency.

wraps!

Wraps are so versatile, it's amazingly easy to whip up a breakfast, lunch or dinner that will look luxurious to your friends, but takes less than 10 minutes to make.

Ingredients
Whole wheat or white flour tortillas (1-2 per person)
Fillings (see below)

Filling Suggestions
avocado, lettuce, tomatoes, bleu cheese dressing
sharp cheddar cheese, tomatillos, lettuce, onion, honey mustard dressing
provolone cheese, chopped turkey, gravy, onion, hot sauce
chicken salad, dried cranberries, chopped grapes, yogurt
tuna salad, pineapple, drizzle of honey
cream cheese and sliced peaches, kiwi, or mangoes
colby cheese, eggs & meat or meat substitute
peanut butter, banana, granola & drizzle of honey

Directions
If any ingredients are spreadable, spread evenly across each tortilla. (4 minutes hands-on prep)
Add remaining ingredients and roll tightly. (3 minutes hands-on prep)
Stick toothpick in center of each wrap. (1 minute hands-on prep)

Serving suggestions
Serve with side of chips, veggies, salad, or soup. Try serving bento-style for a fun variation. If using toothpicks in the center to hold together, teach kids to eat toward the toothpick from one side, turn around & eat from the other side & finish with the bite between the toothpick.

Peanut Butter Bananas

Here's another breakfast or late-night snack idea. It couldn't be simpler -- so simple, in fact, that you might overlook it in search of something more exotic. Don't! No whole-foods, sugar-free snack will so successfully tame a sweets craving as this one. Definitely try it before you toss it aside.

Ingredients
Bananas*
Natural peanut butter, no sugar added
Unsweetened shredded coconut

*Bananas should be firm, not over-ripe, and preferably yellow but still green on the edges. If you have them, use bananas that have been chilled in the refrigerator for this recipe.

Directions
Cut bananas into three even sections. Then, cut each section in half and place each half section on a plate. (3 minutes hands-on prep)
Spread each piece with peanut butter. (3 minutes hands-on prep)
Top each piece with shredded coconut. (1 minute hands-on prep)

Sweet & Salty Apple Salad

I've decided to expand the original scope of Supper In Seconds to include breakfast foods, late-night snacks & desserts, that can all be prepared in 10 minutes of less.

The Sweet & Salty Apple Salad actually can be served for any of those purposes. It is especially great as a late-night snack when you're looking for something sweet and crunchy. It also fits the bill for a breakfast when you want something that will stick with you longer than a bagel. And although it might not be everyone's idea of "dessert," it's nice to have options for sweet after dinner treats that do not have sugar as an ingredient.

Ingredients
1 apple, roughly chopped
1 oz. sharp cheese (cheddar, parmesan, swiss, asiago), shredded or diced
1 handful nuts

Directions
Combine in a bowl. Enjoy. (2 minutes hands-on prep)

Baked Brie

Again, thanks to Willow for another yummy recipe.

Ingredients
8 oz brie
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup chopped nuts
2 tsp. dijon mustard

Directions
Slice brie in half & turn top half over to stack onto a baking dish. It should appear from the baking dish up as follows: white rind, brie cheese, white rind, brie cheese. (1 minute hands-on prep)
In a bowl, combine brown sugar, nuts & mustard. Spoon on top of brie. (3 minutes hands-on prep)
Bake in a 425 degree oven for 8-10 minutes. (1 minute hands-on prep)

Variations & Serving Suggestions
Try cream cheese instead of brie. Serve with thinly sliced apples or pears, crackers, or bread.

Cheesy Vegetables

I created this dish out of desperation over what to do with some goat cheese that needed to be used. I loved the result & it became a summer mainstay for us.

I've labeled it as dairy-free because if you use the goat cheese & the feta, there would be no cow's milk in the dish. If you need to avoid all dairy, regardless of the source, you can disregard the label.

Ingredients

1 12 oz. bag frozen green beans
1 12 oz. bag frozen corn
Half of a 12 oz. bag frozen peas
4 oz. Goat cheese (creamy) or Cream cheese
2 oz. Sharp cheese of any kind (cheddar, parmesan, asiago, swiss, bleu, feta), diced or shredded
Salt & pepper to taste

Directions
Boil water for vegetables. (1 minute hands-on prep)
Dice or shred cheese if necessary. (2 minutes hands-on prep)
When boiling, add veggies & simmer until tender & cooked through. (2 mintues hands-on prep)
Drain veggies, put in large serving bowl, & stir in goat cheese (or cream cheese) until well mixed. (1 minute hands-on prep)
Stir in sharp cheese while veggies are still warm. Add salt & pepper to taste. (2 minutes hands-on prep)

Serving Suggetsions
Serve with chicken breasts, fish, burgers or veggie burgers.

Couscous & Veggies

Thanks, Willow, for the couscous suggestions. It got me thinking about that quick little side dish, which hadn't been a pantry staple since college. As a bonus, my daughter calls it, "little tiny baby spaghetti" & thus, eats it all up.

Ingredients for 4 servings
Couscous (plain)
Water
2 Tbls. butter or margarine
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. onion powder
10-12 leaves fresh basil or 1/2 tsp dried basil
Salt & pepper to taste
1/2-1 cup frozen grean beans, frozen peas, frozen corn, fresh diced carrots, and/or fresh spinach (don't use more than a cup total of veggies, but you can mix & match in any combination)

Directions
Measure water according to instructions on box of couscous & heat to boiling. (1 minute hands-on prep)
Meanwhile, heat to boiling water for veggies in a separate pot. (1 minute hands-on prep)
When couscous water boils, measure couscous according to instructions on box & mix into water. (1 minute hands-on prep)
Add butter & spices (but not veggies). Cover & let sit at least 5 minutes or until couscous is soft. (2 minutes hands-on prep)
When veggie water boils, add veggies & simmer until soft & heated through. (1 minute hands-on prep)
Add cooked veggies to finished couscous & stir. (1 minute hands-on prep)

Serving Suggestions
Serve with meat, fish, poultry or a grilled cheese sandwich. Stay within the 10-minute total prep time by putting frozen fish fillets on a baking sheet in a 400 degree preheated oven. Drizzle olive oil & lemon or lime juice on top & sprinkle with seasoning salt. Bake uncovered until tender & flaky (about 20 minutes, depending on fillet size).

Spaghetti Dinner

A pasta dinner for four at home costs $5 - $10, depending on whether you buy all organic pasta & sauce. At the Italian restaurant -- even the "fast food" type -- you'll be paying $20 -$30. If you find a quality pasta sauce that you like, don't turn your back on the good old spaghetti dinner. Instead, try the garlic bread ideas below sent in by Lara (thanks, Lara!) to turn it into something special.

Ingredients
Spaghetti
Jar of sauce
Bread
Butter
Garlic powder
Cheese (optional)

Instructions
Bring large saucepan of water to a boil. (1 minute hands-on prep)
Drop in spaghetti & turn heat to low. Cook until done the way you like it. (2 minutes hands-on prep)
While spaghetti is cooking, butter several slices of bread & sprinkle them with garlic powder. (3 minutes hands-on prep)
Top with sliced cheese if desired & toast them in the broiler for 2-3 minutes or the toaster oven for 5-10 minutes. (2 minutes hands-on prep)
Drain spaghetti when it's done & return to the hot pan. Mix in sauce. (2 minutes hands-on prep)

Variations
Any pasta can be used in place of the spaghetti. The sauce can be meaty or vegetarian.

Serving Suggestions
Serve with a salad if you have lettuce on hand. Or, try green veggies on the side, like peas or broccoli. The bread has a wonderful "Texas Toast" flavor, but is much healthier than the frozen boxed garlic bread.

Cheesy Beans and Rice

Wow -- I must have beans on the mind (or menu) lately. Here is a very fast recipe for beans and rice, flavored with plenty of cheddar cheese.

Ingredients
I can red beans or black beans, undrained
1 cup instant rice
1 cup water
4 oz. shredded cheddar or colby cheese
1 tsp. chili powder

Instructions
Combine water & rice in saucepan, bring to boil & simmer for 5-10 minutes, depending on whether you have white or brown instant rice. (3 minutes hands-on prep)
Stir in beans, cheese & chili powder until well combined. (3 minutes hands-on prep)
Although it might look messy, it tastes great & is usually a big hit with the kids.

Serving Suggestions
Serve by itself with a salad on the side. Or, make a burrito by rolling mixture up in a tortilla & topping with sour cream & salsa.

Quiche

Quiche is the quintessential quick meal. (How often can you use a "QU" word three times in the same sentence?) It's extremely versatile & can be padded with last night's leftovers.

Ingredients
4 eggs
1 1/4 cup whole milk
unbaked pie crust
1/4 tsp. salt
anything else you like (think veggies, cheese, cooked meat)

Directions
Line a baking dish with the unbaked pie crust. (1 minute hands-on prep)
In a separate bowl, add milk & salt to beaten eggs. You can use an electric mixer or just a fork, if you prefer. (2 minutes hands-on prep)
Stir in your additions. One of my favorites is sharp cheddar cheese, shredded or in chunks, a handful of spinach, & chopped onion and/or chives. (5 minutes hands-on prep, leaving time for chopping)
Bake in a 375 oven for 30-45 minutes or until middle is firm & a knife comes out clean.

Variations
Try different combinations for a breakfast quiche or a dinner quiche. Try a crustless quiche or an unconventional crust, like a tortilla, cheese, or sticky cooked rice.

Serving Suggestions
For dinner, we enjoy serving quiche with a salad or by itself with a nourishing dessert, like real strawberry shortcake or honey baked cinnamon apples.

Fettucine Alfredo

This was my college recipe for the dish, born out of both the desire for a quick meal and a usually empty cupboard. It was surprisingly good, thoroughly simple, and a favorite for many years.

Ingredients
Fettucine
Evaporated milk
Grated parmesan cheese
Butter

Directions
Immerse fettucine in boiling water & simmer until tender. (2 minutes hands-on prep)
Strain noodles when finished & return to the hot pan. (1 minute hands-on prep)
Add 2 Tbls of butter. When butter is melted, add 1/4 can evaporated milk & 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese. Stir until well-mixed. Add more evaporated milk and/or parmesan and/or cheese to taste. (4 minutes hands-on prep)

Variations
I often added frozen chopped broccoli to the water as I was bringing it to a boil so it would cook along with the fettucine. You can also top the fettucine with chicken or beef, making it an excellent dish for using up last night's leftovers. And of course, most noodles will work in place of the fettucine, like spaghetti, macaroni, linguine, rotini, etc.

Crockpot Cabbage & Potatoes

Typically, Supper in Seconds should save you from a restaurant bill at the last minute, when you're already tired, haven't planned anything for dinner & are trying to pull out just a few more minutes of reserves to put something together. But sometimes, you have enough time to plan earlier in the day -- just no time to put the plan into action. On these days, a crockpot meal that can be thrown together in the requisite 5-10 minutes can be a perfect choice. Here's one of ours.

Ingredients
1 head of cabbage, roughly chopped cabbage (approximately 1 inch squares)
about 10 small red potatoes
2 Tbls. butter
2 tsp. salt
Water

Directions
Put your potatoes in a sink full of cold water to soak while you chop the cabbage. (1 minute hands-on prep)
Chop the cabbage. (3 minutes hands-on prep)
Put in crockpot with about 10 small red potatoes (fewer if the potatoes are larger), the butter & the salt (2 minutes hands-on prep)
Fill with water to an inch from the top. (1 minute hands-on prep)
Cook on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 4-5 hours.

We serve with apple cider vinegar. Meat eaters often serve this meal with sausage.