Meal #9 - Lemon Teriyaki Chicken

Put desired amount of frozen chicken breasts in a skillet.  Cover the chicken with teriyaki sauce - amount will vary depending on how many chicken breasts you are cooking.  Add about half the amount of lemon juice into the skillet.  The chicken should be coated with sauce, with a little bit of extra in the bottom.  Cook covered until the chicken appears to be cooked through, turning over a couple of times.  If you leave the lid off, the sauce should carmalize and leave a sticky sauce that goes great with rice.  **WARNING**If you have the heat up too high and leave the lid off too long, the sauce will cook out and the chicken will burn!

Dear H,

When I went to bring you the last meal before leaving - again, K was outside with the kids.  It's my first time meeting him.  You told me it was nice to have him there!  I hope maybe you guys had a chance to talk some things over and figure stuff out so that you can be happy!  Good luck with everything while I'm gone..

Meal #8 - Tacos

This recipe is awesome because it isn't spicy like some taco seasonings can be, and it lasts a lot longer!

1. Brown 1 lb hamburger meat in a skillet
2. Drain juice
3. Add 1 can tomatoe paste
4. Add 1 can pork and beans
5. Mix well and enjoy!

This also goes great with deep fried taco shells - just cook in hot oil so that the soft taco forms a taco shape!

Dear H,

I feel like I haven't seen you at all!  Being out of town has been exhausting, but great since it's my last chance for summer vacation.  I just found out I got a job for the 2010-2011 school year!  I'm way excited, but bummed because I won't be able to cook you as many meals as I want once school starts.  Maybe we can make a bunch of meals together on the weekends and freeze them!  That would help both of us out, I think...

Meal #7

Homemade BBQ Sauce.... I was debating whether or not to share this because it's a family recipe and it is divine!!!  I think I won't post this recipe, but I will tell you that there is a lot of simple every day ingredients inside.  The only complicated part is BBQ-ing the chicken!

Dear H,

I haven't seen you in about a week, and now I am leaving town again for another week.  I'm sorry I can't help you out more.  I should have thought ahead and frozen some meals for you so you could just pull them out while I'm gone.  You keep saying that I don't need to worry about cooking dinner for you anymore.  You said, "You've been doing this for 2 weeks!  It's more than enough, you don't have to keep doing it for me."  But you know what?  It's summer, and you're working, and I'm not.  It gives me something to do and to look forward to in the day, besides my husband coming home from work.  Tomorrow will be the last meal for about 2 weeks!  I hope you realize that I love doing this for you, and I'm not at all obligated to cook for you.  It's just something I'm learning to enjoy, and you just happen to be benefiting from it!  See you tomorrow!

Meal #7 - Chicken Roll Ups

1. Cook 4-5 Chicken Breasts in boiling water, about 30 minutes, until fully cooked.
2. Cut the chicken into cubes.  Put in mixing bowl with 1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, a tablespoon of garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
3. Roll out two packages of Pillsbury Crescent Rolls.  Spoon the chicken mixture onto the bigger part of the rolls.  Roll and pinch so that the mixture is hidden inside.  Roll the chicken roll-up in breadcrumbs, then set on cookie sheet.
4. Bake according to the directions on the crescent rolls.
5. While that is cooking, make the sauce: 1 can cream of chicken soup, milk, sour cream
6. Empty the soup into a saucepan on the stove.  Use the empty can to measure the milk: 1/2 to 3/4 of the can (depending on the thickness of sauce you want).  Add 3-4 heaping spoonfuls of sour cream.  Whisk together and heat.  Spoon on top of the Chicken Roll-ups and serve!  Goes great with corn and salad!

Dear H,

I am sorry that I haven't stayed and talked the last couple of days.  I've really wanted to, I've just been busy.  I think part of it is good that I leave so that you can enjoy a hot meal, but I also think you get sad that I can't stay and have adult conversations with you.  Since I am leaving town today, you are on your own for the rest of the week.  Hopefully you have plenty of leftovers, and I also bought you a Homestyle Bake - Lasagne box dinner that is actually pretty good and really easy to make.  I hope that you are set for the weekend.  Since I won't be home until Sunday night, we will have to figure out next week as we go.  Hopefully we can figure it out so you won't be left meal-less!  Have a great rest of the week, and I hope that everything is going okay...

Meal #6 - Homestyle Chicken Pot Pie

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts, trimmed
• 1 package (15 ounces) refrigerated pie crusts
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 and 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 bag (16-20 ounces) frozen peas and carrots
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tablespoon water

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 425*.  Place the chicken in a large saucepan; add enough water to cover.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until just cooked through, about 10 minutes.  Drain the chicken; let cool.  Shred the chicken using 2 forks.
2. Meanwhile, fit one piecrust into a 9-inch plate: set aside.  Roll out the remaining piecrust on a lightly floured surface.  Cut the crust into 1/2-inch-wide strips with a pastry wheel; set aside.
3. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.  Add the onion and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes.  Whisk in the flour and thyme; cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.  Add the broth and cream; whisk until thickened, 3-4 minutes longer.  Remove from heat; stir in the shredded chicken, frozen peas and carrots, salt, and pepper.
4. Spoon the filling into the prepared pie plate.  Arrange 6 of the piecrust strips in the same direction on top of the pie, twisting dough.  Arrange the remaining strips crosswise on the top; fold the edges under and crimp edge to seal.
5. Beat the egg yolk and water.  Brush the pastry with the egg mixture; place the pie on a baking sheet.  Bake the pie until the crust is golden and filling is bubbly, about 45 minutes.  Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Dear H,

Although this recipe seems complicated, it actually wasn't bad!  I cooked the chicken earlier in the day and shredded it and set it aside.  I have a freezer full of frozen onions, separated into small onions and large onions, already diced.  It made life a breeze once I started cooking the recipe.  You told me that you loved pot pies, so I hope this did the trick for you!  I didn't try it at all, so hopefully it was as good as when my mom made it for me.  I asked you to text me how you liked it, but you never text me... I hope it wasn't too sweet for you!  I hope you let me know tonight how you liked it....

You told me last night that Tator Tot Casserole was your new favorite!  YAY!  That one is super easy and pretty cheap, so that makes it a winner!

Meal #5 - Tator Tot Casserole

Preheat Oven to 350*.  On stovetop, cook 1 pound hamburger with 1 small onion.  Put into casserole dish in the following layers:

1. Hamburger and onion mix
2. 1 can Cream of Mushroom soup
3. 1/2 bag Chedder Cheese
4. 1 Can French Style Green Beans
5. The rest of the cheese
6. 1 box or 1 package of Tator Tots

Cook for 45 minutes.  Enjoy!  Goes great with dinner rolls, and ketchup on top!

Dear H,

Thank you so much for your gratitude!  It never ceases to amaze me how thankful you are each time I bring a meal over or stop by to visit.  Your words make me want to keep trying harder to be a better friend to you.  I think about calling you up and chatting, just because.  I hope we make it to that point someday.  I let you vent about K.  Even though you apologize, I understand that venting is needed and healthy.  I feel like you don't have anyone else to talk to, although there are plenty of people you mention in our daily chats.  Maybe I can be the one person who voluntarily crosses paths with you in a world full of people who feel obligated to help.

Shopping Trip

Dear H,

I was hoping that we could go grocery shopping together for your meals this week.  So I brought over my recipe books for you to flip through.  It is hard for you to pick out meals that sound good, but I brought up some of the dinners that my husband and I like.  They all sounded good to you, so I planned out the week.  I also got a list of other things you needed at the grocery store.  I am so glad that I could help you out!  You got to go to a hair appointment, which must have been so nice!  I love being pampered at the salon, and after your first week of work, I'm sure it was very needed. 

I am going out of town on Wednesday for the rest of the week.  You sound nervous to attempt to cook things on your own.  You should give yourself more credit for your abilities!  You will be fine.  I hinted to you that I was writing down these recipes for you so that you'd be able to make these meals by yourself.  From what I can gather, cooking is something that makes you uneasy.  I've never considered myself an acceptional cook.  Just a gal who is great at following directions.  That's all cooking is, you know?  Just reading the directions, acquiring the ingredients, and putting it all together.  It's sort of like life...

You told me today that you are learning from my actions.  You are becoming a better person because of me.  It reminds me of that movie, Pay It Forward.  Maybe one day, you'll be able to cook dinner for someone else in need because of my effort to help you.  I wonder how many different people would pay it forward?

We'll see if you need dinner tomorrow.  I learned that a full helping s probably too much for your family.  You still have a full pan of my Lemon Chicken, minus two chicken breasts.  But hey, we'll figure it out eventually.  "Life's a dance, you learn as you go... "

Meal #4 - Campbell's Lemon Chicken

Today's was another Crock-Pot recipe with a lot less prep, and most of the items are already in your fridge!  HOORAY!

1. 2 cans cream of chicken soup
2. 1/2 cup water
3. 1/4 cup lemon juice
4. 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
5. 1 and 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
6. 8 large carrots, thickly sliced
7. 8 boneless chicken breast halves
8. 8 cups hot cooked egg noodles
9. Mix the soup, water, lemon juice, mustard, garlic and carrots in the crock-pot.  Add chicken and turn to coat.  Cook on LOW 7-8 hours or HIGH 4-5 hours.  Serve over noodles and sprinkle with parsley.

Dear H,

Your mom and sister walked in moments before me, I think to visit you and see how the kids are doing.  I'm glad they are able to help you out.  I'm glad you have people over to help you!  Part of me wishes we could talk more.  I'm excited to go shopping for food so that I can get to know you better.  I hope your night was easier with your family there...

Meal #3 - Three-Cheese Chicken & Noodles

Although today's recipe went into the crock pot, there was a lot more prep than I am used to. It was a new recipe that sounded good, so I decided to give it a try. Luckily, most of the things that needed to be cooked and chopped before-hand were located in my freezer, so all I had to do was cook the noodes and give some ingredients a good soak in some hot water. It turned out really good, though! ENJOY!

1. 3 cups chopped cooked chicken
2. 1.5 cups Cottage Cheese
3. 1 can condensed Cream of Chicken Soup
4. 1 package (8 ounces) wide egg noodles, cooked and drained
5. 1 cup diced green and/or red bell pepper
6. 1 cup grated Monteray Jack cheese
7. 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
8. 1/2 cup diced celery
9. 1/2 cup diced onion
10. 1/2 cup Chicken Broth
11. 1 can (4 ounces) sliced mushrooms, drained
12. 2 tablespoons of butter, melted
13. 1/2 teaspoon Dried Thyme
14. Combine all ingredients in crock-pot. Stir to coat evenly. Cover and cook on LOW 6-10 hours or HIGH 3-4 hours

I actually substituted the can of sliced mushrooms for fresh mushrooms and then cooked them in some vegetable oil before adding it to the mix.

Dear H,

When we walked over your meal to you, I was a little frustrated with myself. Why can't I bring dinner on time? I feel like here I am, trying to do this nice thing for you and your family, and I can't even get it to you when I say I will. I promise, it is always cooked and ready to go 15-20 minutes before 5:45. I just can't get out the door. I guess a 4-month old will do that to you... how do you manage to do anything with 3 of them? I started thinking about you and your family, and almost instantly, my frustration was gone. O was asleep on your sister-in-law's lap when I got there, and A must have been sleeping, too, because I only saw K (or is it C?) there before leaving. Today's visit was quick because I had my husband and baby with me. I hope you know I'm here for you if you ever need anything. You seemed tired today, so I'm glad you had help from family and from the sleepy fairy. I hope you have a good night! The week is almost over...hang in there, H!

Meal #2 - Apricot Chicken

1. Preheat oven to 350*.
2. Mix a jar of Apricot Jam with a small bottle of Russian Salad Dressing on the stove. The heat will blend the two ingredients together to make a thin sauce.
3. Pour the sauce over 6 Frozen Chicken Breasts.
4. Cover with Tin Foil and cook for 1 Hour.
5. Goes great with Rice!

Today when I took dinner over, the two little munchkins answered the door while H sat on the couch feeding her youngest. My plan was just to drop off the meal and leave so they could eat it while it was hot. Isn't it funny how nothing ever goes as planned?

Dear H,

You are such an inspiration to me. I cannot believe that you are dealing with everything you are right now - a new job, taking the kids to day care, being a mom to three kids under the age of 3 - and yet you are not a mess. You are getting through it. I loved that you opened up to me and talked about how you are really doing right now. I'm not sure if you feel close to me or if I was just there to listen, but either way, I am so glad I could help. Even if it was just for those short 20 minutes. I hope the kids like the Apricot Chicken, and I hope that you know that I'm not the one helping you out by making dinners... you are helping me by showing me what life is really all about. I can't wait to get to know you better. In all honesty, I look forward to starting dinner now!

I hope you realize how truly special you are. I pray for you always.

Meal #1 - Spaghetti!

My neighbor started a full time job yesterday. She had to put all three of her kids into day care, which she swore she would never do. But, with her optimistic attitude, she just said, "You do what you have to do."

I text her and asked if she would like dinner that night. "How do your kids like spaghetti?" I figured spaghetti was a safe, easy meal that most kids don't mind. I figured it would be the first step in the right direction.

I decided to make Mom's Parmesan Toast to go with it:

1. Butter desired pieces of bread
2. Sprinkle Parmesan Cheese on top
3. Set on cooking pan
4. Bake in oven on BROIL until the edges of the bread become toasted

Super easy, and delicious! I drove over to her house and knocked on the door. The 3-year old opened the door and let me in. Her brown curly hair was in a disheveled pony tail. She seemed excited and nervous to see me at the same time.

I set the meal on the table and started talking to H. I asked if I could make her something tonight, but she said they could have the leftover spaghetti. She didn't want me to get burned out with having to cook for her and her family. I couldn't believe that she was worried about me in all of this...

We'll see if I can take meal #2 over tonight.

A Little Bit About Me

Let me start by stating some important facts about me: I am not a chef. I hardly even cook for my husband. When I do cook, the meals are simple and easy to make - we're talking less than an hour unless it's in a crock pot. I am currently a stay-at-home mom to a 4-month old baby. Needless to say, I haven't had to deal with picky eaters quite yet. Hopefully, this project will be a success and I will be able to find meals that even 3-year olds won't mind.

The reason I am writing this blog is because I have recently started cooking dinner for a 20-year old single mom of three.

I want to record the easy, kid-friendly, yet adult appropriate recipes I find and attempt to create. I want to post everything I learn from this optimistic woman who amazes me with her drive for life. I want to help a friend in need. Hopefully, with a little humor and inspiration, this project can be a success and teach me as much about cooking as it can about the meaning of life.