Old Fashioned and Simple

 Hello to all this midweek.  Hope you are all safe and healthy, and the same for your loved ones.

It is a gloomy looking morning here.  It is in the 40's, but those temps will be slipping as the day goes on.  The wind is supposed to come back as well.  Yesterday was terribly windy, but it was sunny and warmer, if you ignored the wind!  Heck I even worked outside a bit.

Yep, that is me.  I do have tons of grandma's cast iron (a true blessing), and lots of mom's handwritten recipe cards.  

It gives me such joy when some of the younger ones in the family, want grandma's and my recipes.  When they ask HOW to do things and want to kind of go back a little in time with their ways.

Today is going to be simple - just a few pics of some of the easy meals of late.  I know we all get stuck with meal plans at times - so it always nice to get new ideas, and seeing pics helps me a lot.

You know I like simple and easy meals - I like reusing leftovers and using what I have on hand.

Seriously, I am just a simple girl - but I love to eat!  Some things may sound strange to others, but they sure taste good to me.

Here is the grilled cheese sandwich on multi-grain bread - with a nice spoonful of leftover taco meat added.  Grilled on both sides and just plain yummy!  I had this with a salad.  Easy, tasty, using up things and cost just pennies. (bread was free)

Pizza Pasta - use whatever pasta you have - add some sauce and whatever pizza toppings you like or have.  Top with mozzarella cheese (or whatever you have/like) - and you have a super easy dish that requires NO oven and tastes just like pizza (a great skillet meal).  I will bet 100% that kiddos would just love this.

Tortillas cost just pennies - filled with leftover rice and beans, added lots of shredded cheese and some salsa - rolled and grilled. Served with sour cream.  Very tasty and filling.  You could also have one with maybe refried beans or salad or even a taco.  Just use what you have and use your imagination.

Made an omelet with egg, cheese and some leftover seasoned rice.  Laid it in a tortilla (instead of using toast).  I didn't pick it up to eat, but the tortilla did add something.  I used a little Yum-Yum sauce on the omelet as well.  Cooked sausage from freezer - reheated.  This was a very tasty meals and it was pretty healthy as well.

The cheesy potato soup - used older potatoes and made a basic soup - added a can of Nacho cheese soup for the zippy cheese taste - and I cut up some jalapeno summer sausage.  You could use ham, smoked sausage or no meat - whatever you have.  Pennies and it provided me two big meals that week, and put back 2 bowls in freezer for future meals.  Just using up things that needed to be used soon.

Lastly, beef and broccoli over rice.  I had some beef pieces in the freezer (you could use canned) and a little fresh broccoli - made a simple brown gravy (using some powdered mix I have) and served over rice.  This was delish and actually felt like fine dining to me.  Kind of reminded me of a meal that mom would have served!

All meals I make for the most part, really take very little time to make.  I am all about less than 30 minutes in the kitchen.  

Now this weekend I will be utilizing the crockpots to make soup and pulled pork for company that is coming.  Those take time to do - but the crockpot really helps make life easier.

I do things very simply, and I stick with very basic and sometimes old-fashioned meals.

Hope this gives you some ideas - I am a visual person, and figure others may be as well.

You can make some wonderful meals with simple ingredients and little money - it just takes a little creative licensing!!!!!

Have a super day and SMILE - it looks pretty!