weeknight

Baked Chicken

Chicken pieces rolled in cream, coated in crushed Rice Krispies or corn flakes, and baked an hour and a half under melted butter.

Barbecue Sloppy Joes

Ground beef simmered down with home-canned tomatoes, vinegar and chili powder, thickened with oatmeal.

“Deb notes she uses about ¼ cup brown sugar in place of the sugar.”

Beef Barbecue

Cubed beef simmered two hours in tomato soup, Worcestershire and sugar until it stirs apart into a sandwich filling.

Brining Pork Loins or Chops

A half-hour saltwater soak — one quart water to half a cup of salt — before cooking chops or loins any way you like.

Creamy Tomato Tortellini Soup

Diced tomatoes and canned tomato soup simmered with basil and paprika, enriched with melted cream cheese, tortellini cooked in at the end.

Family Goulash

Browned beef and onion simmered with canned tomatoes, catsup and mushrooms until the uncooked noodles absorb the liquid.

French Onion Chicken

Vidalia onions caramelized with balsamic, chicken seared in the same skillet, then baked in beef gravy under grated Swiss.

Fried Rice

Day-old rice stir-fried in sesame oil with peas and carrots, onion, garlic, scrambled egg and soy sauce.

Oatmeal Bread

Bread machine loaf sweetened with molasses, everything loaded in order and run on the white bread setting.

Simple Pot Roast

Chuck roast browned, then braised in beef broth and red wine at 300 degrees for close to four hours, with the liquid reduced into a sauce.

Skillet Apple Crisp

Apples cooked on the stovetop with reduced cider in a skillet, topped with an oat-pecan crumble and finished in a hot oven.

Southwest Stir-fry

Chicken marinated in fajita seasoning, stir-fried with zucchini, peppers and onion, then finished with salsa, corn and black beans.

Stuffed Green Peppers

Peppers parboiled five minutes, then filled with ground beef simmered with rice, diced tomatoes, Worcestershire and cheddar, and baked.

Swiss Steak

Chopped steak browned, then baked slow at 300 degrees with two cans of tomato soup and onion.

Taco Beef Soup

Ground beef simmered with stewed tomatoes, kidney beans and taco seasoning, then topped at the table with avocado, cheddar, corn chips and sour cream.

Tomato Tortellini Soup

Canned tomato soup stretched with half-and-half, stock and sun-dried tomatoes, then simmered with cheese tortellini.

Whole 30 Zuppa Toscana

Bacon, potatoes, onion and garlic in chicken stock, with coconut milk standing in for the usual cream.