After three months of HOT summer sun, I am beyond excited to see a week full of temps in the 60’s and 70’s. I am so ready for fall – not just the sweaters, and cider, and boots – but the fall COOKING! I am all about the casseroles, pot pies, and stews. I. Cannot. Wait.
The slightly cooler weather got me in the mood for comfort food! I indulged a few times this week in things like biscuits, mashed potatoes and gravy, and pasta. #WorthIt
Monday: Chicken and Rice Casserole, Fresh Green Beans
You can’t beat a tasty home-cooked casserole. This is my mother-in-law’s recipe, and one we make often. You mix dry rice with some canned soups and dressing, lay the chicken on top and bake it all together. One pan!
Tuesday: Chili Dogs
For some reason, I found myself craving chili dogs like no tomorrow. I can’t even tell you the last time I ate a chili dog – but I really wanted one!
I popped the hot dogs in the buns, and put them in a baking dish. I poured the chili on top, sprinkled a little cheese, and baked for about 15 minutes. The cheese was melty and the buns were just a little bit crispy- so so good! Fun little indulgence.
Wednesday: Best Ever Ranch Chicken, Cauliflower Mash, Asparagus, Corn on the Cob
I had to serve a lot of veggies to make up for the chili dogs! 😉 Plus, I love all the fresh veggies available during the summer.
We call my Best Ever Ranch Chicken, “Perfect Chicken” in my house, because it turns out so well every time – (and I overcook chicken fairly regularly.) This stays moist and is packed with flavor. We love it.
Thursday: Jambalaya, Corn Bread
I love one pot meals, and jambalaya is a family favorite. My kids love the spicy rice and sausage dish.
I spent a looonnnngggg time searching for the best cornbread recipe, and kept coming back to the bulk cornbread mix found at Winco. It is hands-down my favorite cornbread. Look for it if you have a Winco near you!
Friday: Lasagna
Despite having a plethora of zucchini in my garden, I found myself wanting some serious comfort food this week, and made my lasagna with real honest-to-goodness noodles. I also used ground beef, cottage cheese(my husband prefers this to ricotta), and mozzarella cheese. Best of all? I used homemade tomato sauce with tomatoes picked in my garden that morning. Doesn’t get any fresher than that!
I have been canning like a crazy person all week. (I’m actually sitting here watching my canner as I write!) If you’ve never gotten into canning, I encourage you to try. It’s really pretty easy to get the hang of – and I love having fresh and delicious food (that I made, that only has ingredients I know about!) all year long.
Saturday: Mississippi Pot Roast, Mashed Potatoes and Gravy, Biscuits
This recipe has been sitting in my drafts for so long! It’s seriously some of the best meat I’ve ever made, and who doesn’t love the slow-cooker?!
It was also game day! Go Buckeyes!!
Sunday: Burritos
I’m not technically sure what makes a burrito a burrito – but we enjoyed our ground beef, beans, and chopped veggies inside some soft flour tortillas. We all love taco/burrito night – and I love that I don’t have to make a side dish. While I often make rice or some type of fruit, we find that the tacos/burritos are usually filling enough on their own. Yay for less cooking and less dirty dishes!
This Week’s Dessert: Soft & Chewy Reese’s Pieces Fall Cookies
These are SO soft and the fall colors will get you ready for fall!
