Showing posts with label quick and easy dinner. Show all posts
Showing posts with label quick and easy dinner. Show all posts

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

taco cups, won ton wrappers and lots of sour cream

It has been quite some time since I have written anything for this much neglected blog. If you read my other ramblings then you know why. If you don't, you can read it here, and catch up with the rest of the class. Between maddening   oh so fun toddler chaos and the new work from home job I just started two months ago I have been a little tied up. But during my unexpected hiatus I kept plugging away in the kitchen.

I have continued my on again off again quest to serve my family only home made, only healthy food. And I am proud to say that I am meeting that lofty goal at least 75% of the time. My husband has been experiencing some mysterious health issues and my youngest son is exhibiting signs of attention deficit or, at the very least, defiant behavior. So now my quest to change our diet has real tangible reasons attached to it. My research shows that many behavior and neurological issues stem from problems with our "gut". My sister in law has been feeding her family with this in mind for the past 8 years or so and the changes have been amazing. So stay tuned for adventures in gluten free living, as well as a shout out to my past way of life- a return to homeopathic and alternative medicine.

In the meantime, here is what I made for dinner:

don't they look yummy?



Straight from Pinterest these little yummies were, well, yummy. And super easy. And another great use of won ton wrappers.

1 pound ground beef  (I used ground turkey- shhh, don't tell my family.)
taco seasoning packet
water
shredded cheddar cheese
assorted taco topics- I used diced onions, sour cream, diced tomatoes, shredded lettuce

Cook the ground beef and drain. Mix in the taco seasoning mix and the water according to the package. Spray a muffin tin with non stick spray and place one won ton wrapper in each well. Place approximately 1 tablespoon of the beef mixture in each won ton. Top with cheese. Bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees for 8 minutes or so. If they don't look crispy enough for you then place under the broiler for a few minutes.


I also made little taco packets with a few of the won tons, figuring these would be easier for my little guys to pick up and eat. And I was right. The sharp corners on the little mini taco cups were a little tricky for my three year old. Who, by the way, totally did not understand dinner tonight. He ate all of his sour cream with his spoon, mixed a little bit of it in his yogurt, and then made a few passes at eating the little taco cup before I finally handed over the won ton packets, which he found much easier to eat. I know, I should have offered him one sooner, but he was just so darn fun to watch...

To make the taco packets I placed a teaspoon of the meat mixture and a little bit of the shredded cheese into the center of the packet, folded in each corner to the middle, wet the tips down to hold in place and cooked on a greased baking sheet for 10 minutes at 350 degrees.

I rounded out dinner with corn and pitted cherries and everyone was happy. Another healthy meal!
Plus, I am now filled with fun ideas of what else I can stuff into a won ton wrapper...







Friday, February 24, 2012

I love "pantry" and "fridge"...

You would think that because I work from home dinner would always be on the table right on time, right? Well, think again. Despite my best intentions to have home cooked, yummy, and healthy meals for my family to enjoy every night life seems to keep getting in the way. I plan. I shop. I prep. I start dinner hours before the family shows up at the table so that I can do a little at a time. I frequently cook extra and freeze for another day. And some days I pull it all off beautifully. Others, not so much.

So the other night I was slightly panicking at dinner time. I had defrosted pork chops but had no plan. And the boys, all three of them, would be home soon. As in SOON. I rummaged through pantry and fridge, (I LOVE Chopped, the TV show, so now I too have "pantry" and "fridge".) Anyways, I rummaged around, tossed a few items in a bowl, used my new favorite wisk and created my new favorite glaze.

Whisk together 3 parts apricot marmalade with 1 part soy sauce. Add in 1 teaspoon minced garlic and a dash of salet and pepper. Pour over pork chops during last 20 minutes of baking.

Amazing. Sweet and tangy with a little touch of salt. Husband LOVED it. Tiny Toddler LOVED it. Big Five Year Old tried it and said it was "good", which is HUGE coming from him.



This was so good and so easy that it has officially made my monthly dinner rotation.