Speedy Gonzalez Mexican Scoops!

1 can of black beans, seasoned (it will say so on the can) (heated)
1 bag of Spanish rice (the type you nuke, not cook on stove), nuked* OR 1 pkg of Rice-a-roni Spanish Rice mix*
1 package of grilled chicken strips (thawed, chopped)**
2 tbsp Taco Seasoning
1/4 cup of mild salsa (I LOVE Jack's Wild Mild Salsa in the deli case at Kroger's)
Bag of Tostado Scoops

Optional: grated cheddar, sour cream, guacamole.

Mix all together, heat in microwave until hot (abt 3 minutes), serve with Tostado scoops. I like to line up the scoops and fill them with a tablespoon. Husband and stepson prefer scooping up their servings with the Scoops. You can top with sour cream, guacamole, or cheese. They make bite size tacos! I make a batch of my cheap Guac and heat up some cheese dip (from the Mexican Refrigerated case in Int'l Foods at Kroger), for a "balanced" (LOL) dinner.

*if you want to make the Rice-a-roni type (because it is cheaper), make sure you cook to almost dry, and only use half (unless you double the rest of the ingredients!). You'll need diced tomatoes, although I use RoTel tomatoes and chilies for the spiciness).

** you can substitute 1-2 cup of any chicken; the original recipe called for 1 lb. cubed thighs, but you have to take the time to cook it. Screw that!

I usually double this recipe, because it is even better the day after!

Mamaw's Hamburger Patties, Rice & Gravy

Take approximately 30 minutes from start to finish...

1-1.5 lbs. of ground beef (I prefer gr. sirloin), patted into small patties
2 cans of cream of mushroom soup
1 can water
.5 can of milk

sm. can sliced mushrooms (optional)
2-3 tsps of Beef bouillon granules (or more to taste)

4 cups Jasmine Rice (cooked) -- start before you start your patties and it will all be done at same time!

Pat gr. beef into small patties (about 3 oz.). If it fits inside the palm of my hand, it's the right size.

Heat large frying pan to med high heat. Spray Pam into skillet (if using extra lean gr. meat), place patties into pan and brown and cook about 5 mins each side. Season with SeasonAll or Moores Meat seasoning. After patties begin to weep blood, and if you have grease standing in skillet, remove patties and dump grease (if you use gr. sirloin or round, you most likely will not have any substantial amount of grease). If necessary, wipe out pan. Put patties back in pan on med. heat and continue to cook while making gravy.

In separate bowl, empty cans of Cream of Mushroom soup, and mix the 1.5 cans of milk and water. Stir to constitute and pour over meat patties. Add Beef Bouillon and stir. Cover, bring back to a boil, and cook for at least 10 minutes, keeping patties submerged.

Serve with Jasmine Rice and ladle gravy over all.

We serve with green beans with bacon cooked in them.

OMG, Aunt DeeDee, I'm comatose Chicken Alfredo

16 oz Alfredo sauce - roasted garlic*
32 Alfredo -- light Parmesan*
16 Alfredo sauce mushroom*
Optional: frozen peas, chopped broccoli, mushrooms, etc.
16 oz frozen grilled chicken strips, chopped into bite-size pieces
16 oz. fettucini cooked al dente, drained.

*I like to mix up the sauces, and I tend to only buy these sauces when on sale, so whichever sauce you like, use it or combine.

Dump all the sauce into a pot, heat just to simmer, dump chicken and optional vegetables in, heat back to simmer, cover, and simmer 10 minutes. Check every 2-3 minutes and stir.

Dump drained pasta into sauce, stir, back to simmer. Simmer until ready to eat.

Serve with a salad, yeast garlic rolls

Even better the next day, although you may need to add a little milk and stir -- otherwise, the pasta will soak up the remaining sauce. Even so, it is like silk.

Oh excuse me, I didn't realize I was droooooooling.

Belly Busting Crockpot Ravioli Lasagna

1 large container of spaghetti sauce (or 32 oz of your own)
1 large bag of frozen cheese ravioli
2 cups of Mozzarelli shreds
Parmesan cheese (Kraft is fine)
1/2 lb of your choice of meat (I used ground chuck, but you could use anything)

Brown ground meats, drain on paper towel, and wipe out pan. Dump drained meat back in pan and dump spaghetti sauce in. Set aside.

Use Reynolds' Wrap's crockpot liner to keep from cussing later.

Mix spaghetti sauce well, then ladle enough into large crockpot to cover bottom. Begin layering ravioli over sauce, trying to cover every bit of space (layering is okay as long as you don't over do it).

Ladle more spaghetti sauce over cheese ravioli, sprinkle with at least 1/2 cup of mozzarella, good shakes of Parmesan, and repeat, ending with Mozzarella and Parmesan.

Cover and turn on high for 4 hours or low for 8. Turn off and prepare side salad and bread while it cools down from the molten lava, stick to the roof of your mouth, and burn your tongue stage. I use the big bag of frozen Sister Shuster's yeast rolls, brushed with melted butter and garlic salt with the green flecks in it. Use whatever you like, tho, if you don't want the salt.

This is great as leftovers, but you might want to make EXTRA sauce, because when refrigerated, it sucks up whatever sauce was left, and then when rewarmed, you're going to need a little extra sauce.

Why Laissez-faire Kitchen?

I used to religiously watch the cooking shows (especially Jacque Pepin), and try to copy the recipes. Then menopause set in. Forget slaving over a hot stove with tongs in one hand and a hand towel to mop sweat in another!!! But I miss my family dinners, especially since I have two precious grandbabies that live less than 5 minutes away, and due to my work (my over-full time job and my jewelry business), and an aging father, that I rarely get to see any of them on more than a weekly basis.

So why Laissez-faire? If you look up the definition, you'll see:

1

: a doctrine opposing governmental interference in economic affairs beyond the minimum necessary for the maintenance of peace and property rights

2

: a philosophy or practice characterized by a usually deliberate abstention from direction or interference especially with individual freedom of choice and action

But my definition of laissez faire is a deliberate abstention from long, drawn out gourmet recipes! :-) Plus I like the play on words -- it sounds like Lazy (is) Fair! :-D

So lately I have been collecting really REALLY easy recipes that taste like I have slaved for ours. I picked up a few in the last couple of weeks from my family reunion. We are talking eyes rolling in back of head good and swirly brains from how simple it is to make. So the next few recipes are from the Baker Boys reunion and come from my Aunt Deedee. I certify that they are so easy and yummy that guests will not be able to tell you threw it all together!