Only going to the grocery store every 7-10 days teaches you a whole new world of cooking. How can you get the most flavor with fewest ingredients? How can you buy food that will last that long? Over the past month of Covid-19, we’ve appreciated some of our favorite family meals for new reasons and have found ways to make the most of our pantry and freezer stash.
The following recipes are family favorites. Some healthy, some hearty, some crazy simple – all delicious, easy and affordable! Most have 5 ingredients or less! I hope they spark a few meal ideas for you and your family during this season.
Chicken Fajita Soup in the Crockpot
Ingredients: 2 chicken breasts, 1 jar chipotle salsa, 1 can cream of chicken, 1 can chicken broth, 1 can black beans, 1 can whole kernel corn, toppings of choice
This is a family favorite and soooooo easy. Some days the last thing we want to do is cook, so let the crockpot do it for you. All you need is chicken plus some pantry staples. Easily modified for Whole30 and Keto diets or with other ingredients in your pantry.
Place 2 uncooked chicken breasts in crockpot. Pour in 2/3 jar of chipotle salsa and cook on low 6 hours. Once fully cooked, shred chicken with forks or these awesome claws. Add in 1 can black beans (rinsed and drained), 1 can whole kernel corn (drained), 1 can chicken broth, 1 can cream of of chicken soup. Combine well and cook for additional hour on low. Serve topped with sour cream, shredded cheese, cilantro and/or avocado!
Quarantine Tip: Buy chicken in bulk (but don’t hoard!) and freeze in plastic bags of 2 breasts each. Move to refrigerator the night before and into the crockpot the next morning
Chipotle Pork Chops
Ingredients: 4-6 boneless pork chops, 1 can coconut milk, 1 bunch cilantro, chipotle hot sauce, side of choice
This Whole30 recipe will knock your socks off. Every time we make this meal (which is a lot), we say “this is fancy enough to serve to company!” But it’s only 5 ingredients!!!
Season boneless pork chops (4-6) on both sides. I use my Mama’s Love Rub because it’s always on hand and fits this meal perfectly! Over medium high heat, sear pork chops 3-4 minutes on both sides.
Blend in food processor until smooth: one can coconut milk, 1/2 bunch cilantro with stems torn off, 2 Tbsp chipotle hot sauce, 1 tsp salt. Pour sauce over pork chops, reduce heat to low and simmer 20 minutes or until cooked through. Serve with black beans and rice – or a green vegetable to keep it Whole30 compliant!
It’s so good you’ll want to drink up the extra sauce with a spoon. I must confess… I have.
Quarantine Tip: Buy the large pork loin if available and on sale. Cut in half and place in freezer. Slice other half into 1″ sections to use for this meal. You could also use boneless chicken breasts or thighs.
Black Bean Soup
Ingredients: 2 cans black beans, 1 can chicken broth, 2 Tbsp salsa, toppings of choice
This was a quarantine win! I had 10 minutes to get dinner ready – so got creative and it paid off! (And sidenote, it only cost about $3!!)
Add 2 cans black beans (rinsed and drained), 1 cup chicken broth and 2 tablespoons salsa to saucepan. Simmer over medium low heat 5-7 minutes or until beans are softened. Using a food process or immersion blender, puree the mixture until a smooth soup forms. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add additional chicken broth to thin if necessary. Serve topped with sour cream, shredded cheese and/or more salsa. Oh and definitely tortilla chips if you have them!
This meal was a hit and something I plan to always have the makings for on hand in the future.
Red Beans & Rice with Sausage
Ingredients: Smoked sausage, yellow onion, 2 cans red or pinto beans, rice, Tony Chaceres seasoning
Another crazy quick meal that is packed full of flavor. We’re talking like 10 minutes quick!
Add 2 cans drained and rinsed red beans (pinto beans work too!) to a medium sauce pan with a couple tablespoons water. Set heat to low (4 on our stove).
Heat 1 Tbsp oil in medium skillet. Slice smoked sausage into 1/4-1/2″ sections. Chop 1/2 yellow onion. Add sausage and onion to skillet along with 1 tbsp minced garlic (I keep the jar stuff on hand to keep it easy!). Saute 7-10 minutes or until sausage starts to brown.
Season beans with a few dashes of salt and pepper and a HEAPING tablespoon of Tony Chaceres creole seasoning, or more to taste! If you don’t have it on hand, here is a recipe to make your own.
Add sausage/onions to beans and stir to combine. Serve in a bowl over white rice.
Quarantine Tip: Canned beans are cheap and keep forever… Rice is usually a pantry staple… Smoked sausage has a long expiration date. Make sure you have all of these ingredients on hand for a night when you’re in a pinch! This is our go-to back up meal!
Italian Sandwiches
Ingredients: Ciabatta or French bread, sliced provolone, sliced salami, sliced ham, pesto
Another 10 minute dinner – if that!
Cut open a loaf of ciabatta or french bread. Spread pesto on both sides. Layer provolone on one side. Add a layer of ham, then salami on the opposite side. Place under low broil for 3-5 minutes, until cheese is melted and salami starts to crisp on edges. (Watch close as ovens can vary!)
Close sandwich and cut into sections to serve. This is our favorite weekend lunch. Also a great, hearty “app” to take to parties when cut in 2″ slices!
Shepherd’s Pie
Ingredients: 1 lb ground beef, 4 medium carrots, yellow onion, 4-6 Yukon Gold potatoes, garlic, ketchup, worcestshire sauce, coconut flour, 1 can beef broth
I get so excited when I can make dinner without a written recipe… because the meal has officially become “my” recipe. My way, my measurements, my meal to pass down! This shepherd’s pie combines several recipes that we’ve tried and adjusted to fit our preference and ingredients we always have on hand! And just recently I got it down from start to serve in 45 minutes! Comfort food in less than an hour? Yes, please!!
Preheat oven to 350.
Wash 4-6 medium Yukon Gold Potatoes and cut into 1″ cubes. (You can peel if desired, but I do not to save time.) Place in saucepan and cover with water. Cook uncovered on high until boiling, then reduce to medium high and simmer 20 minutes or until potatoes can be easily pierced with fork.
Chop 4 medium carrots into 1/4″ cubes. Chop one yellow onion to same size. Cook both in medium skillet with 1 Tbsp olive oil over medium heat until slightly softened. Remove from skillet and set aside in bowl. Brown ground beef to same skillet. Once cooked, drain excess fat and return meat to skillet. Add in carrots and onion and turn heat to medium low.
Add 10 oz of beef broth to to mixture. (Hold onto the rest!) Next add 1/4 cup ketchup and 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce. Stir to mix everything together.
Add 1/4 cup coconut flour or thickener of choice. This started as a Whole30 recipe, hence the coconut flour, but I found that it adds just a tinge of sweetness that really brings it all together! Annnnd it’s healthier, so it’s what I always use – #winning.
Let simmer a few minutes until it begins to thicken. Add more flour or broth as needed. You want it to all be combined without being chalky (too much flour) or thin (too much broth). If you have the right consistency, turn heat all the way down and switch gears to make potatoes. If it still needs to thicken, continue to let it simmer while you make the potatoes. (See, I’m not cut out for this food blogger business… I’m just a mom who wings it as I go 😉 )
Make the potatoes according to your preference. Keep Whole30, use only ghee, salt and pepper. If not concerned, mash with 1/3 stick butter and 1/2 cup whole milk plus salt and pepper to taste. Either route, use a hand mixer to get them extra smooth!
Pour meat mixture into 9×9 baking dish. Carefully spread mashed potatoes on top. Add several thin slices of butter on top of potatoes and bake for 18-20 minutes.
Dish it up in a bowl and enjoy!
Quarantine Tip: We always have carrots, onions and potatoes on hand, so I’ve made it a habit to keep at least 1 pound of ground beef in the freezer. This meal lasts for days, so great for planning ahead when you know you need a quick lunch or easy leftover night!
You can also make and freeze the entire shepherd’s pie. I usually make 2 and put one in an aluminum foil pan for the freezer. (Let pie cool fully and refrigerate for an hour before freezing.) To cook from frozen, just add an extra 10 minutes of cook time at the same oven temperature!
Almond Crusted Chicken
Ingredients: Chicken breasts or cutlets, almonds, dijon mustard, salt/garlic powder/Italian seasoning, side of choice
Oh man, a family favorite that takes about 10 minutes of prep and is totally healthy! Whole30, paleo, keto, and probably whatever else you’re doing. We aren’t on a plan right now, but this is still a go-to because it’s soooooo good!
Preheat oven to 400. Line baking sheet with foil.
Make your almond crust by combining 1/2 almonds (raw, dry roasted, salted, unsalted, whatever you have on hand), 1 tsp salt (if unsalted almonds), 1 tsp garlic powder and 1 tsp Italian seasoning to food processor or Ninja single serve cup. Pulse until the consistency of bread crumbs. (If you don’t have Italian seasoning, just use a combination of oregano and parsley.
The key to cook time is thinner chicken so either purchase 4 cutlets or butterfly 2 larger breasts. I opt for the latter because it’s cheaper.
Place chicken in single layer on baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper. Portion out 4 Tbsp of dijon mustard into a small bowl. This will keep from cross contaminating! Spoon mustard over each piece of chicken and spread until the tops are fully covered.
Generously add almond mixture to fully cover each piece of chicken.
Bake in over for 18-20 minutes, until tops just begin to crisp. As ovens vary, if chicken is cooked but crust isn’t “crusty”, turn on low broil for 1-2 minutes!
Serve with…. anything! Green beans, broccoli, rice, over a salad, you name it!
Enjoy!!
There you have it! Easy, easy meals that pack the flavor and don’t break the bank. I hope these are enjoyed as family meals during this quarantine period – and maybe become staples to your rotation as well!
