Since social distancing is becoming more and more prevalent by the hour, I found myself going out to get food less and less and preparing meals in my kitchen more. Making quick and easy meals that can last more than a day is my end goal during this time. We don’t know how long our quarantine may last and it can change any given day. If you’re cooking for yourself or your family, these tasty, quick, and easy recipes should last you atleast two days.
My grocery run list:
Fruits (raspberries, blackberries, blue berries, strawberries, grapes)
4 Canned premium chicken
Sweet Hawaiian rolls
Skinless chicken breast
Pre cut chicken strips tenderloin
Frozen broccoli
Stir fry veggies
Tomato
Italian dressing
Crackers
Triscuit garlic Parmesan
Eggs
Lunch meat
Lettuce
Meatballs (family size)
With these items, your meal prep options are ENDLESS.
Crock Pot Meatballs
First day of quarantine, I cooked meatballs. Depending on your family size you can purchase a regular sized or family sized meatballs. I threw half a pack of meatballs in a crockpot, covered it in Jack Daniels Hickory Honey BBQ sauce and two generous scoops of grape jelly. I kept the crock pot on low so the flavors took its time to marinate. After placing them in the pot, I took my dog to the park for a walk, came back and dinner was ready to be served! That’s what I love about crock pots recipes. They do the heavy lifting while you can go on about your regular schedule. For the side, you can have potato salad, coleslaw, zucchini noodles, or just plain Lays Chips. The meatballs were so delicious and they were Baylin approved 🐾 Don’t worry he had a two meatball limit. Meatballs can last your family two to three days !
Lettuce Wraps
Limiting bread can be quite a doozy! Yet lettuce is a great and healthier alternative to bread. Take your favorite lunch meat, for me I bought turkey and roast beef (more selection so I could switch up my sandwich whenever I want), add a slice of cheese , tomato, mayo, and Dijon honey mustard! Want more of a BLT? You can get fancy by spreading some avocado on and adding strips of crispy bacon!
Not a fan of lettuce, you can substitute it for a whole grain and gluten free wrap! A fruit salad would go very well with lettuce wraps! Mix all of your fruit in a bowl, add a little whip cream!
Italian Grilled Chicken
For this recipe, seasoning is what can make or break any meal. Take the chicken, sprinkle a pinch of Lawrys season salt, onion powder, minced onions (optional), and garlic powder . Pour your favorite Italian dressing in a bowl big enough to fit your chicken. Me personally I applied a generous amount of Italian dressing to the bowl. Next, place your chicken into the bowl and cover it with saran wrap. Allow it to marinate for atleast 30 minutes. While waiting as your chicken marinates, this is the best time to cut up some veggies, or in my case start boiling the water for the frozen broccoli. If you’re not a broccoli fan, their are alternatives that are just as good! Baked potato, sweet potato, asparagus . If you want to up your fiber game, Zatarans rice selections are superb! My favorites are the yellow rice ,Jambalaya , or dirty rice. They go so perfectly with your grilled chicken. Once the chicken has marinated, place it into your skillet or grill. Cook until brown , add your rice and veggies, then serve! You have a very fulfilling and tasty dinner!
Chicken salad sliders
We’re keeping it VERY simple and tasty here. You only need 6 ingredients.
2 to 3 can of premium chicken
Hellman’s Real Mayo
Seasoning salt
Garlic powder
Salt
Pepper
Dried cranberries or grapes (optional)
Get a bowl big enough to do your mixing. Take your canned chicken to pour into the bowl. Using two forks, shred your chicken. After shredding, apply your seasoning. I used lawrys season salt, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Then apply Mayo (amount based on your preference) . If you need a little crunch to your chicken salad you could add celery. For those that have a sugar tooth, adding dried cranberries or grapes gives the perfect sweet and savory combo. Then serve on a crescent roll bun or on top of an arugula salad. Your family can eat on this for two to three days.
Stir Fry
The frozen sections in grocery stores make it so easy to prepare a delicious meals within a few minutes! Apply about two teaspoons of olive oil to your skillet. Take your bag of lo me in stir fry and apply it to a skillet. Season as desired. Allow it to steam. This is great option for my vegans! For the meat eaters, you can use a separate pan to cook shrimp scampi or grilled chicken . Add a little soy sauce to your meat and serve over your lo mein and voila! You have a meal in less than 30 minutes.
Pasta Salad
If there is one dish that I could say is my specialty, it is this one!
Ingredients:
2 cucumbers
1 box of cherry tomatoes
Diced ham or mini pepperoni
1 box of Barilla rotini tri colored pasta
2 Hidden Valley Ranch dip powder packets
Italian dressing
People literally RAVE over my pasta salad and I definitely understand why! First boil your pasta salad but just enough that it still has a little crunch to it. You don’t want your pasta too soft because you will literally drown it in Italian dressing and nothing is worst than an overly cooked soggy pasta salad. Drain your pasta and pour it into your mixing bowl. Before mixing in any ingredients, allow the pasta to cook for a few minutes. During this time, start washing and cutting up your veggies. I slice my cucumbers into fourths and my cherry tomato in halves. I then add them both to my now cooked bowl of pasta. Next sprinkle 1 pack of Hidden Valley ranch dip powder packet over the pasta. I usually use two packs of the powder. Then here comes the magic. Zesty Italian dressing! When I tell you that I drown the noddles in Italian dressing, I DROWN them. The more you add the more flavors your pasta will have. But to each it’s own. I usually use a little over half a bottle of Italian dressing. Take your mixing spoon and mix everything up. Cover the bowl in Saran Wrap and allow it to marinate. My pasta salad usually last 3 days when refrigerated. This recipe will be one of the most highly requested from your family friends. Trust me.
I hope these recipes add some love and flavor to your life during these times. Remember be a help to someone! Love you lots! -B
