Recipes

Fall Dessert Recipes

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“In November, the smell of food is different. It is an orange smell. A squash and pumpkin smell. It tastes like cinnamon and can fill up a house in the morning, can pull everyone from bed in a fog. Food is better in November than any other time of the year.”
― Cynthia Rylant, In November

Now that Halloween is over and we all have Election Feelings to deal with, we should talk about dessert! The holiday season is here and we’re all looking for ways to celebrate and create wonderful memories in spite of literally everything. Today I’m sharing some of my favorite fall dessert recipes that would be a wonderful addition to any Thanksgiving table and welcome little helpers to the kitchen. Food creates the coziest atmosphere that can transcend any heaviness that may accompany your holiday season. (We just won’t worry about the heaviness it may cause!)

No-Bake Pumpkin Ginger Cheesecake

Ingredients:

  • Crust:
    • 1 box gingersnap cookies (you won’t need the whole box but I’ve never seen them in a smaller quantity)
    • 1/2 Stick of butter
  • Filling:
    • 8 oz (1 block) cream cheese, softened
    • 3/4 cup of pumpkin
    • 3/4 cup powdered sugar
    • 1 tub Cool Whip, thawed
    • 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
    • 1 tsp nutmeg

Instructions:

  • For crust:
    • Pulverize 2.5 cups of cookies in food processor. You will want 2.5 cups of crumbs when finished.
    • Melt butter in microwave & mix with cookie crumbs.
    • Press into pie plate and bake at 350 for 10 minutes.
  • For filling:
    • Beat cream cheese in mixer until smooth
    • Add pumpkin and mix until combined
    • Add powdered sugar and mix on low
    • Add Cool Whip. Beat on high several minutes.
    • Add pumpkin pie spice and nutmeg. Taste mixture and add more if desired.
    • Spread filling into cooled pie crust. Refrigerate until set up, at least a few hours. Set out cheesecake about 30 minutes before serving to allow crust to soften enough for cutting.

Notes: Thanksgiving treats us to so many warm, rich, heavy foods, this cold dessert is a nice finisher. The crust can be modified with more cookies or butter depending on how you like your crust consistency. This cheesecake is simple and fairly plain for those who don’t like decadent dessert. If you want more going on, get creative with garnish. Top with gingersnaps, sprinkle nutmeg, drizzle caramel…or whatever sounds good to you!

Brown Butter Maple Pecan Blondies

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup maple syrup
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 1/4 cups chopped toasted pecans, divided (1 cup set aside, 1/4 cup set aside)

Instructions:

  • For brown butter:
    • Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook, whisking constantly, until butter browns and smells nutty (5-7 minutes). Immediately pour into a bowl. Place in fridge or freezer to cool, whisking every few minutes until thickened and creamy (about 20 minutes). Butter should look like melted peanut butter when done. (If you’re making this all at once, use the freezer for faster set up. If you’re making the brown butter ahead of time to use as an ingredient later, use the fridge.)
  • For blondies:
    • Preheat oven to 350. Beat eggs & sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until thickened and pale yellow, about 3 minutes.
    • Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Add slowly into egg mixture, alternating with cooled butter, beating on low after each addition. Slowly beat in maple syrup and vanilla. Beat just until combined. Fold in 1 cup of the pecans with a spoon.
    • Pour batter into greased and floured 9×13 inch baking pan and spread into an even layer. Top with remaining 1/4 cup pecans.
    • Bake in preheated oven 35 minutes, or until golden and a wooden pick inserted in middle comes out clean. Cool in pan 1 hour before cutting.

Notes: This Southern Living recipe makes use of toasted pecans and maple…two underrated flavors of fall. DON’T FORGET: The brown butter will need time to set up. I hate when I get rolling on a recipe and have to stop and wait. Make the brown butter the night before or in the morning and plan to bake later in the day, or just build in extra prep time.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

There is no way I could improve upon this recipe from I Heart Naptime. Visit her site for the recipe so she gets all the credit.

While these aren’t the traditional pumpkin and pecan pie desserts we usually see at Thanksgiving, I hope they will inspire you to try something new or give a jolt of creativity for some of your tried-and-true recipes. I truly believe there is always more to be thankful for than there is to mourn, because of what Jesus did for us on the cross. I pray you would know that hope this holiday season.

Fall Comfort Food Recipes

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There’s something so cozy about warm meals when the weather first starts to get cool. I rely heavily on my crock pot and dutch oven during this season. Today I’m sharing a few of our favorite comfort food recipes. These are all simple and can be made in a slow cooker. For more easy dinner ideas, visit my previous post Easy Dinner Recipes.

Garlic Beef Stroganoff

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup boiling water
  • 1 cube beef boullion
  • 1 TBSP cooking oil (I use olive oil but vegetable or canola is fine)
  • 1 pack lean stew meat
  • 1 can cream of mushroom soup
  • 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1.5 cloves of garlic, minced (I buy jarred minced garlic)
  • 8 oz (1 block) cream cheese
  • 1 bag wide egg noodles

Instructions:

  1. Pour boiling water into crockpot. Place bouillon cube in water. Stir and cover. Set crock pot to low. (If I’m in a hurry, I just do hot water.)
  2. Heat oil in large skillet. Brown stew meat.
  3. Add stew meat, soup, Worcestershire, and garlic to crock pot. Stir to combine. Cook on low 6-8 hours.
  4. About 30 minutes before serving, cube cream cheese and mix into crock pot. Cover and keep on low, stirring as cream cheese warms.
  5. Cook noodles according to package directions. Serve stroganoff over noodles.

Notes: Many people put onions and mushroom slices in their stroganoff. I leave these out due to personal preference, but you can add them to the skillet after the beef is browned, cook until warm, then add to crock pot. This recipe is nostalgic for me. It was passed down by my Bible study leader from senior year of college. She used to have us over to her house for the study and cooked a delicious meal WITH homemade dessert every week. It was so special and so heartwarming back in those college days where being in an actual house and having a warm, home-cooked meal felt like such a luxury. This is one of Andrew’s favorite things I make. It’s SO good and a great fall/winter meal that really sticks to your ribs. I serve it with roasted veggies, and rolls to sop up the sauce!

Turkey Chili

Ingredients:

  • Ground turkey
  • 1 can black beans (drained and rinsed)
  • 1 can red kidney beans (drained and rinsed)
  • Diced tomatoes (not drained)
  • 2 cans tomato juice
  • 1 packet chili seasoning
  • 1 Tablespoon cooking oil
  • Shredded cheese (for topping if desired)
  • Sour cream (for topping if desired)

Instructions:

  1. In a Dutch oven, heat cooking oil. Brown the ground turkey.
  2. Add beans, tomatoes, tomato juice, and seasoning packet. Stir until combined. Cook, covered, on high until mixture is close to boiling, then turn down to low heat and allow to simmer, about 30 minutes.

Notes: We had frozen, homegrown tomatoes, which have a lot of water in them. Depending on how thick you like your chili, you may want some water or beef broth to add a little liquid. Or to use fresh tomatoes vs. canned for more water. I’m not usually a huge chili person but turkey was a game changer for me. The cooking time is not an exact science. Technically, once the meat is cooked and the chili is heated through, it’s “done.” But the longer you let it simmer, the more well combined the ingredients will be. This is a good meal to make on a Saturday, when you’re not in a rush to get supper on the table after work. Then you have leftovers ready to go on Sunday!

Vegetable Beef Stew

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb beef stew meat
  • 1 bag frozen mixed vegetables
  • 1 can diced tomatoes
  • 2 carrots diced
  • 2 medium potatoes diced
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 3 cups beef broth
  • Any other veggies you prefer, like onion & celery

Instructions: Combine all in crockpot, cook on low 8 hours

Notes: This classic veggie soup recipe doesn’t have to be exact. This is a great way to make use of produce you have on hand, and it’s the ultimate warm, sip-able supper. Serve with crackers or grilled cheese.

Pot roast

Ingredients:

  • 1 bag baby carrots (you don’t have to add them all)
  • 2 medium potatoes, diced
  • 1 packet ranch dressing mix
  • 1 packet brown gravy mix
  • 1 beef roast, any kind, about 5 pounds
  • 1 1/2 cups water

Instructions:

  1. Wash potatoes and dice into bite-sized pieces.
  2. Place roast in crock pot. Pour ranch packet and gravy mix over roast and rub in like a dry rub (you can use a basting brush if you don’t want to get your hands dirty!)
  3. Surround roast with carrots and potatoes.
  4. Pour water over roast & veggies. Cook on low 8 hours.
  5. Before serving, shred roast in crock pot with forks.

Notes: This always makes me think of Sundays after church when we would come home to the smell of roast in the crock pot. I personally prefer to cook my vegetables with the meat, because they soak up the flavor and it’s ready all at once.

Those are the recipes we look forward to most each year, along with the white chicken chili and ham & white beans I wrote about it my previous dinner recipe post. What are your go-to comfort food recipes or dinner ideas? Share them in the comments!

End of Summer Meal Ideas

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We are SO CLOSE to fall. I can’t wait. This year has been such a dumpster fire and I’m absolutely treasuring any little thing we can look forward to. But, if we’re being realistic, we still have several more weeks of hot temperatures before spooky weather. If you’re like me, you left your enthusiasm for meal planning somewhere back in February. Here are a few easy meals we’ve had on rotation all summer that beat the heat and are easy to throw together. They require no oven (it’s too hot for that nonsense), simple ingredients, and they pass the family taste test.

  1. Frito Bowls:
  • Ingredients:
    • 1 bag of chili cheese Fritos (Upgrading from plain to chili cheese is a game-changer.)
    • Ground beef (amount depends on how many people you’re feeding)
    • Taco seasoning

Layer with Mexican fixins’ to your liking. We do:

    • Shredded cheese
    • Black beans
    • Lettuce
    • Diced tomato
    • Green salsa
    • Sour cream
  • Instructions:
    • Brown the ground beef. Add taco seasoning. Layer ingredients in bowl in order listed.

2. Chicken Salad Croissants

  • Ingredients:
    • Approx. 1/2 chicken breast for each person being served
    • Mayonnaise
    • Red grapes, halved
    • Walnuts or pecans
    • Salt & pepper
    • Croissants, sliced
  • Additional options:
    • Pineapple chunks
    • Sliced strawberries
    • Tarragon
    • Craisins instead of grapes
  • Instructions:
    • Boil chicken. Shred with forks or in a food processer
    • Mix in mayo until chicken is coated
    • Add halved grapes, nuts, salt, pepper, & any other preferred ingredients to taste
    • Serve on croissants w/chips or cut raw veggies

3. BLFGT (Bacon, lettuce, fried green tomato) sandwiches

  • Ingredients:
    • Bacon
    • Lettuce
    • Green tomato, sliced
    • 1 Egg
    • Cornmeal
    • White bread
    • Mayo
    • Flour
    • Seasoning Salt
  • Instructions:
    • Cook bacon in a skillet, set aside
    • Use skillet with bacon grease to fry tomatoes
      • Mix cornmeal & seasoning salt together in a small bowl
      • In a separate small bowl, whisk egg.
      • Dip tomato slices in egg, then cornmeal mixture, coating thoroughly. Fry in pan until breading starts to brown.
      • Toast bread. Spread mayo on both slices while still warm.
      • Assemble sandwiches and enjoy!

I hope these will spark some inspiration for your end of summer meal ideas. I also wrote a post about easy dinner recipes you can find here. What are your go-to summer recipes? Share them in the comments!

 

 

Beginner Blackberry Cobbler Recipe

Categories Homemaking, Recipes3 Comments on Beginner Blackberry Cobbler Recipe

When we moved into our rented farmhouse, we discovered the best blackberries I’ve ever tasted growing along the pasture fence. It felt like finding treasure! They were sun-sweetened and our only competition for them was the songbirds. I knew I had to put them to good use. Wild blackberry and honeysuckle grew on the fence behind my childhood swing set. Those two scents will always transport me to simpler summers.

This recipe is a combination of several I found for cobbler. I used the filling for a cobbler, and as a topping for waffles. I also made hand pies (pictured above) with a very similar recipe that had a thicker, more jelly-like filling. Here is the hand pie recipe if you prefer to try those!

Ingredients:

4 cups blackberries

1 cup boiling water

1-2 TBSP corn starch (you will add to your taste based on how thick you want your filling)

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

Lemon juice (you will add to taste if you want added tartness)

1 TBSP cold, unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 pre-made pie crust 

Coarse sugar for topping (optional)

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 400. Grease a 9 inch casserole dish. I use this baking spray. You can use a 9×13 pan if you don’t have a casserole dish, you will just have to roll your crust out thinner.
  2. In a medium saucepan, mix together 1 cup of sugar, cinnamon, 1 TBSP corn starch, and boiling water. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened. Add up to 1 more TBSP cornstarch if you want it thicker.
  3. Remove mixture from heat and add the blackberries with their juices (meaning do not drain the berries before adding them). Stir gently until blackberries release some juice. Taste mixture and add lemon juice 1 tsp at a time if you want it more tart. If you’re happy with the taste, no lemon juice is needed. Set aside.
  4. Roll out whole disc of pie crust to at least a 12×12 inch square, about 1/8 inch thick. Gently ease the dough into the greased dish, taking care to press it into the corners without stretching. Trim the edges of the dough leaving a 1/2 inch overhang all the way around. This overhang will be folded up and over the edges of the lattice top to seal. Save any dough scraps.
  5. Spoon blackberry mixture over crust. Dot the top with butter cubes.
  6. Roll out remaining dough into about a 10×10 inch square. Cut the dough into 8 or 10 strips and weave a lattice crust on top. Trim the excess dough so that the strips meet the overhang at the edges. (I personally didn’t weave the strips, but simply laid them diagonally across each other. Weaving will be prettier and seal better, I just didn’t have the confidence to try it on my first cobbler attempt.)
  7. Wet your fingers and seal the strips at both ends. Fold the overhang up and over the strips. Crimp edges with a fork to seal.
  8. Brush the pastry with beaten egg. Sprinkle with coarse sugar.
  9. Bake at 350 for about 55 minutes, or until crust is golden brown.

Cobbler can be intimidating for beginners, but the real hardest part of this recipe is waiting for the finished product to cool enough to serve! This was a big hit at my house. As I mentioned, we made the filling again for waffle topping and it was delicious! I’m so glad I tried something new and didn’t worry about it looking Pinterest-perfect. Hope you enjoy!

 

My Favorite Treat Recipes

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We’ve all had delusions of domestic grandeur. I told myself when I got married that I would learn to love cooking because it’s something I’ll be doing for the rest of my life. Alas, I never quite got bit by the Betty Crocker bug. I will cook. I can cook. But I don’t love it. I do, however, love baking treats! It’s a good exercise for me. You need to follow the recipe to a tee (since baking is basically a science experiment), which appeals to my rule-loving nature. But it’s also messy and creative, which are muscles I need to work more often. Today I’m sharing my favorite easy sweet treats. As we slowly start to emerge from this quarantine, I hope that some of the slow-down will stay with us–like making time for messy kitchens and the smell of something sweet baking in the oven.

Cake Batter Fudge

Source: Baked From A Box via Pinterest

Ingredients:

1 cup Funfetti cake mix
1 cup confectioners’ (powdered) sugar
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) butter, cut into small squares
1/4 cup milk

Instructions:

  1. Place cake mix in a microwave safe bowl. Add butter and milk. Do not stir.
  2. Microwave for 2 minutes. Stir immediately until combined.
  3. Spread into greased square pan. Refrigerate 1 hour to set up.

Notes: This makes just a small square pan of fudge. This would be a fun after school or weekend activity for kids because it’s so easy and quick, and it doesn’t make a huge amount so they can’t get too terribly overloaded on sugar.

Blueberry Lemon Quick Bread

Source: Kroger magazine (Come thru, Kroger!)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/3 cup sugar

1 Tbsp lemon zest

3/4 cups milk (can use almond milk for non-dairy version)

1 egg, beaten

2 Tbsp canola oil

1 cup blueberries

For lemon glaze:

1 cup confectioners’ sugar

1-2 Tbsp lemon juice

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt; whisk well. Add the sugar and lemon zest/ stir.
  2. In another bowl, whisk together milk, egg, and canola oil. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and stir just until combined.
  3. Toss blueberries with a few pinches of flour, and gently fold them into the batter.
  4. Pour into a greased 9×5 inch loaf pan. Bake 40-50 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
  5. To make glaze, whisk together confectioner’s sugar and lemon juice until mixture is thick but pour-able.
  6. Let bread cool in pan 15 minutes, then remove from pan and place on a wire rack to continue cooling. Spoon glaze over bread in a zig-zag pattern.

Notes: This makes a great breakfast bread.

M & M Cookies

Source: Modern Honey

Ingredients:

1 cup Cold Butter (cut into cubes and microwave on high for a few seconds)
1 cup Brown Sugar
1/2 cup + 2 Tablespoons Sugar
2 large Eggs
2 teaspoons Vanilla
2 3/4 cups Flour
3/4 teaspoon Baking Soda
1 teaspoon Cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1 bag mini M& M’s (You won’t use the whole bag, you will add them to your batter to your taste)

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter, brown sugar, and sugar for 4-5 minutes until light and fluffy. Scrape the sides of the bowl halfway through to ensure even creaming.
  2. Add eggs and vanilla. Mix for 1 minute longer.
  3. Stir in flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt. Mix just until combined. Fold in M&M’s.
  4. Scoop cookie dough onto baking sheets. Place extra M & M’s on top of cookie dough balls so the M & M’s show up after baking.
  5. Bake for 9-11 minutes or until the edges just begin to turn a light golden color. Remove from oven and let set for 5 minutes before removing from the cookie sheet.

Notes: I grabbed a bag of mini M&M’s on a whim in the baking aisle one day and I really do think they are preferable to regular-sized if you like soft cookies. I didn’t measure them out. I just added them until the dough looked good to me and pressed four on top of each cookie. How many you add on top will depend on how large you make your cookies.

Fruit Pizzas

Ingredients:

Sugar cookie mix of your choice (break and bake, slice and bake, or a powdered mix will work fine)

1 block cream cheese, softened

1 cup brown sugar

1 Tbsp vanilla

Fruits of your choice (Blueberries, strawberries, kiwis, raspberries are good options)

Instructions:

  1. Bake cookies according to package directions. Make sure the balls of dough are smooth so the tops of the cookies will be fairly flat.
  2. Beat softened cream cheese in mixer until whipped. Add brown sugar and vanilla. Beat until smooth.
  3. Chop any non bite-sized fruit into smaller pieces.
  4. Serve as a build-your-own-fruit pizza bar or pre-make pizzas by spreading cream cheese on the cookies and adding assorted fruits on top.

Notes: These are so fun when you have company for dinner, especially during the summer. Kids can feel like they’re building their own dessert, and the icing is thick enough that it won’t turn into a total disaster mess-wise. And even if it does, it melts off with water. Grown ups can have fun, too, trying out different fruit flavor combinations. You can also make this but press the cookie dough into a greased 9×13 pan, bake, and top with dip and fruit once cooled. It makes a great 4th of July dessert with all red and blue fruits.

What treats have you been making during these crazy times? Any go-to recipes? Share them in the comments!

Easy Dinner Recipes

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If you’re like me, you dread coming up with dinner ideas each week. With a newborn baby and a husband who often works on call, getting dinner on the table is the last thing I want to deal with in a given day. With that in mind, I’m sharing some of my easy, go-to recipes. I’m not a food blogger, so there are no fancy pictures, just straightforward, fool-proof meals. The quantities listed make enough for two people in our household. One of those people is built like a Hemsworth brother and we still usually have leftovers, but if you’re feeding a family with kids, you may need to double some of the ingredients.

  1. Crockpot Hawaiian Chicken
    • Ingredients:
      • 2 chicken breasts
      • 1 can sliced pineapple in water or pineapple juice
      • Lawry’s Hawaiian or teriyaki marinade
      • 1 cup water
      • Minute rice (follow box directions for serving size)
    • Instructions:
      • Place chicken breasts in crockpot. Pour water over chicken.
      • Pour marinade over chicken.
      • Layer pineapple slices over chicken. Pour in rest of slices/juice.
      • Cook on low about 6 hours.
      • Prepare rice according to box directions.
      • Shred chicken and serve over rice.
    • Notes:
      • Choose whichever marinade gives you the flavor you want. The Hawaiian marinade is very tangy. The teriyaki is sweeter. I generally use a whole bottle of marinade because YOLO. I also use Minute rice because I cannot cook. We make one cup of rice and it’s plenty for the two of us.
  2. Sausage, rice, and beans
    • Ingredients:
      • 1 Turkey Sausage (link, not ground)
      • 1 can black beans, drained
      • 1 cup Minute rice, prepared according to box directions
      • 1 Tbsp olive oil
    • Instructions:
      • Slice sausage into bite-sized rounds
      • Heat olive oil in a skillet
      • Brown sausage in skillet once oil is hot
      • Add in beans and rice. Cook in skillet until sausage has reached desired brown-ness (I realize that sounds idiotic, but again, I’m a bad cook)
    • Notes:
      • This recipe is so simple, it’s name is just a list of the ingredients. I honestly don’t think I can legally call it a recipe. We buy a Hillshire Farms turkey sausage, but I don’t think there’s a huge difference between brands. I wouldn’t get ground sausage because I don’t think it would go as far as the link. You literally cannot mess this up. One thing I do is add the rice to the skillet before it has fully absorbed the water in the pot, that way it soaks up some of the juices from the sausage.
  3. Crock Pot White Chicken Chili
    • Ingredients:
      • 2 chicken breasts
      • 1 can yellow corn, drained
      • 1 can white beans, drained
      • 1 can diced tomatoes
      • 1 boxed chicken broth
      • 1 pack white chicken chili seasoning or taco seasoning
      • Shredded cheese (optional for serving)
      • Sour cream (optional for serving)
      • Tortilla chips (optional for serving)
    • Instructions:
      • Literally dump all ingredients in the crock pot and walk away. Cook on low around 6 hours.
    • Notes:
      • Andrew and I hate spicy food, and our definition of spicy is pretty broad. If you like a little more kick, you can get diced tomatoes with green chilies and/or opt for a spicier seasoning. This is also a great recipe to make for a group. Just double all the ingredients.
  4. Dutch oven ham & white beans
    • Ingredients:
      • 1 ham steak, diced
      • 1 can white beans
      • 1 boxed chicken broth
      • Minced garlic, to taste
    • Instructions:
      • Add all ingredients to dutch oven
      • Cook covered on medium heat, time will vary (see notes)
    • Notes:
      • The cooking time for this depends on if you get a ham steak that is pre-cooked or not. It should specify on the package. If you get a pre-cooked steak, you technically only need to let it sit in the Dutch oven until it’s heated through. If it’s not pre-cooked, dice & follow package directions for cooking…then add it to the Dutch oven to simmer with the other ingredients. For an even quicker option, buy diced ham. For some reason I’m a diva and I don’t like the way the pre-diced ham tastes, so I always just slice up a ham steak. The longer you let this recipe simmer, the more flavorful the beans will be. We usually put it on the stove an hour before we want to eat and let it cook the whole hour, turning it to low once the ingredients are heated through.
  5. Honorable mentions: other easy dinner ideas
    • Taco night-chicken or ground beef, lettuce, shredded cheese, etc. I think we all know what goes in a taco. Keep these types ingredients on hand and you can also do quesadillas, enchiladas, etc. by mixing and matching with seasonal ingredients.
    • Walmart deli pizza-so much cheaper than having pizza delivered and, in my white trash opinion, just as tasty.
    • Sandwich melts-Bust out the George Foreman and turn it into a panini press. We do tuna melts, ham & cheese melts, etc.

As you can probably surmise from this list, cooking is not my strong point. Please share in the comments if you have other easy meal ideas!