Setting Up Your Kitchen for Success - Part 2

In a previous post, Setting Up Your Kitchen for Success, we discussed stocking your kitchen with core items you use regularly, as well as, cooking your proteins in advance and prepping your veggies. Once you've done that you have lots of options for what you can fix quickly. You may have made these few simple changes and found that you're off and running, great! But if you're not, we're here to help. Let's say you don't cook much at all and you're looking for where to start. Here are ten items we make around our house on a regular basis. If these sound good to you, throw together a quick grocery list and get cooking. If you're in a pinch, grab a rotisserie chicken to use for a day or two. You'll be amazed how much easier meal time is when you've prepared a little in advance. Hopefully you'll be inspired by these ideas.

Speaking of inspiration, it gets really exciting as we near our next shopping trip -- we have to get creative with what we have left. You know those things that beckon to you from the pantry, "use me, use me, use me?" Well now's your chance. Pull those things out, take a look in the fridge to see what else you have on hand and let the creative juices flow. Honestly, we've had a few duds, but more often than not, we're amazed at what we've come up with and how far we've stretched our grocery budget.

Today is grocery shopping day for us. Wahoo! fresh food. We went early this morning and got our core ingredients and then when the little one was down for her nap I got busy. We're having Chicken Tortilla Soup tonight, so I got started on that right away. My chicken was already cooked, so I diced it and threw it in the pot. Once the soup was put together and cooking (about 5 minutes later) I made our fresh salsa and grated the cheese we would need for the soup. When those were done I focused on cleaning and prepping additional veggies for the next few days. I cooked half a spaghetti squash, chopped red and green bell peppers, and chopped mustard and turnip greens. Ah, I feel better knowing that food is in the fridge ready to go. So here are those ideas I mentioned.

Chicken Tacos with Black Bean & Pineapple Salsa
Asian Chicken Salad
Chicken & Cheese Quesadillas with Guacamole
Chicken and Black Bean (or white bean) Chili
Hamburger Steaks with Mushrooms and Swiss Cheese
Italian Meat Sauce with Veggies
Ham with Sweet Potatoes and Greens
Black Bean & Sweet Potato Chili
Steak & Pepper Medley Quesadillas
Chicken & Sausage Jambalaya

Are you inspired? Watch for these recipes and others in the next few days.

Jack Johnson makes me smile and dance while prepping.