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A recycled blog is just the thing for a... gulp... Tuesday! First published at One Generation To Another, February 12, 2008.

I’m not a fan of Tuesdays…never have been…never will be. To me Tuesdays are like having something wedged between two teeth. It serves no purpose and is exceedingly annoying. Tuesdays are too far away from the coming weekend to start getting excited, and they’re too far removed from the past weekend to provide comfort. The effects of the “weekend massage” (you know, the restful, change of pace from the work week feeling you get) have worn off and you can feel your muscles tensing. Let’s just say I lack motivation on Tuesdays and no where is that more apparent than when I think about cooking dinner. Frankly, I think the world should go out to dinner on Tuesdays…let someone else worry about this often thankless mundane chore! (BTW…this is usually the only day of the week when you’ll hear me make a comment like that. For the most part I thoroughly enjoy cooking!) But Tuesdays…well, they suck the life right out of me. Even pleasurable tasks can be overwhelming.

Having said all that, let’s make the assumption that logistically speaking, not everyone can go out to dinner on Tuesdays…think of the lines…think of the shortages of chicken fajitas! Then, accept the fact that people still need to eat whether you feel like cooking or not and chances are your family is in the same Tuesday funk you’re in, and could benefit from a plate of comfort food. Let’s also assume you only order pizza on Friday nights…not sure if it’s a local or national ordinance; at the very least I consider it a moral imperative! So, the enigma…how do you get a soothing meal prepared for your family with little effort? Answer…fast foods. I don’t mean burgers ‘n fries from the golden arches, but rather foods that don’t take long to prepare, but are satisfying and become “welcomed friends” to the entire family. These are the foods you can make every week and no one complains!

I think that through divine intervention or sheer happenstance, everyone stumbles upon that one meal they can make with their eyes closed, yet appreciated by the whole family. THESE RECIPES ARE WORTH THEIR WEIGHT IN GOLD! The meals won’t win any prizes for the most creative use of an artichoke or couscous, and they certainly won’t impress anyone with a sophisticated palate, BUT, for the average family, they are delicious, satisfying and comforting. (Okay, they are not JUST Tuesday meals…good is good anytime…but they are life savers when you’re lacking drive and inspiration.)

My mom was, actually still is, a wonderful cook. Her recipes ranged from the painfully simple…like her tuna variation of S.O.S. (A colorful military abbreviation for Sh*t On a Shingle…or for the civilian, chipped beef on toast!) to elaborate gourmet meals. (See my Sweater Flambe blog for her wonderful Beef Bourguignonne recipe.) But, with the exception of Saturday nights, when dinner was usually sandwiches and/or canned soup, she made a warm meal every night. Some dishes took her all day to prepare…like her killer spaghetti sauce…to dinners with prep times of less than half an hour. (BTW…not everyone’s idea of “easy” is the same. But that doesn’t really matter, does it? We’re talking about surviving Tuesdays…so if it works for you and easy means heating up a pot pie…great!) One of my favorite “quick” recipes Mom made was Easy Lasagna. She could throw it together at any time during the day, and pop it in the oven half an hour before dinner. She found the recipe in a magazine around 1956 and it’s been a favorite with our family since then!

MOM’S EASY LASAGNA

Ingredients

1 pound ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
2 cans (8 ounces each) tomato sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 cups uncooked medium noodles
1 cup cream style cottage cheese
1 8 ounce package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup shredded parmesan or mozzarella cheese

Directions

In a heavy skillet, brown ground beef along with chopped onions. Stir in the tomato sauce, sugar, salt, garlic salt and pepper. Remove from heat. Meanwhile, cook the noodles. Drain. Combine cottage cheese, cream cheese, and sour cream. Spread half the noodles in an 11 x 7 x 1 1/2" baking dish. Top with a little meat sauce, cover with cheese mixture. Add remaining noodles and remaining meat sauce. Sprinkle with the parmesan cheese. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Serves 6.

I stumbled upon my “golden recipe” early in my married life. It came from a Betty Crocker cookbook. It was quick, easy and enjoyed by everyone in the family. Like all easy recipes, if time permits, you can muck about with them to enhance them…I know my daughter has made some changes to this “basic” recipe…but left as is, they stand on their own. While my kids were growing up, we usually had this dinner once a week. I never heard, “Oh no, not again!” I would say that makes it rather priceless!

HAMBURGER STROGANOFF

Ingredients

1 pound ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
1/4 cup butter or margarine
2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon garlic salt or 1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 can (8 ounces) mushroom stems and pieces, drained
1 can (10 1/2 ounces) condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 cup sour cream
2 cups hot cooked noodles
Snipped parsley (or dried)

Directions

In large skillet, cook and stir ground beef and onion in butter until onion is tender. Stir in flour, salt, garlic salt, pepper and mushrooms; cook 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.

Stir in soup; simmer uncovered 10 minutes. Stir in sour cream; heat through. Serve over noodles. Sprinkle with snipped parsley. Serves 4 - 6.

So, there you have it…my answer to Tuesdays! No, I have no secret formula for abolishing Tuesdays altogether, not sure I’d want that responsibility anyway. Think of the global cost of switching over to a 6 day a week calendar, and I’m sure there would be some serious Biblical implications, too! (Wonder what God actually created on that first Tuesday. I’m guessing it was something simple!) Anyway…Tuesdays are here to stay! So, hunker in, batten down the hatches, circle the wagons, and get ready to take on 52 Tuesdays a year. A tried and true recipe just might make them a little more palatable! (BTW…As Tim was proofing this his comment was, “I thought everyone had trouble with Wednesdays. That’s why they’re referred to as “The hump.” My reply, “One man’s Tuesday is another man’s Wednesday!” Personally, the optimist in me feels good about Wednesdays…they have a round, cheery feeling…and it is permissible, without being delusional, to start thinking about the weekend. But, hey, it doesn’t matter if our challenging day is a Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday, they’re weekly, and survival is the key!)

How do you “culinaryly” cope with Tuesdays? Do you have a “golden” recipe you'd like to share? Let’s face it, some weeks feel like every night is Tuesday! Best to be prepared with a collection of “simple” meals! Just one more little note on Tuesdays…I seldom make enough food for one meal. Anything that freezes well, I double. So, when even “Easy Lasagna” seems too draining on a Tuesday, just defrost a meal, and, well, everyone is feed, Easy Peasy!

For dinner this past Sunday I made Chicken Enchiladas, Spanish Rice, Cornbread Casserole, and Guacamole. It is one of my family's favorites. It reminded of a post I had written for One Generation to Another, March 25, 2008. Given the fact that I'm still under the weather (but feeling much better, and I attribute my quick recovery to every one's well wishes... thank you very much :) I thought it would be a good day to do a little recycling. Hope you enjoy!

Everyone has little things they do that give them a sense of security. Maybe it’s a secret stash of chocolate or $40.00 “mad money” tucked away in a secret compartment of your wallet or an obnoxiously noisy alarm clock inconveniently located across the room. In college I had a friend that always kept a “back up” boyfriend. There is no universal “security blanket”, but rather individual needs that may appear trite to someone else, but help us breathe a little easier.

Being the wild and zany individual that I am…I find solace in a well stocked pantry! I’m not talking about having 2 cans of mushroom soup, but rather 12. There are also chick peas and mandarin oranges, water chestnuts and canned salmon. You just never know! Although this may seem excessive to some people, if I see a recipe that calls for crushed pineapple…I’ve got it. Green chilies? I say chopped, whole or frozen? Avocados…of course! Come on, give me something hard! Tarragon, cumin, sage? Yep. Yep. Yep. Rye flour, barley, wild rice…long or short? Fresh carrots, onions, celery, peppers, chives…in the drawer in the refrigerator. You see what I’m saying? I didn’t need to do any special planning when Y2K rolled around…if the world market had collapsed and chaos ensued, I could have feed a family of 16 for four or five months without blinking an eye! I require a well stocked pantry…it’s an obsession…what a shocker!

My children often tease me about it. HOWEVER, they can come over and say,

“You know what sounds good, Mom? Chicken Enchiladas.”

“No problem”, I say.

“MMMM, apple crisp sounds yummy, too”

“Okay, start peeling apples.”

No one needs to make a grocery run…you just have to forage in the kitchen. (BTW…they, meaning our teasing children, are not above pinching a jar of this or a can of that on the way out the door…saving themselves a trip to the store! “Thank you, Mom”.)

I’m not sure what prompted this compulsion. It’s not like we were deprived of food as children or ever went hungry. As newlyweds we weren’t impoverished, living on Ramen Noodles and PB&J sandwiches. And it’s not like I was Scarlet O’Hara, rooting through an abandoned garden, looking for a rouge potato, swearing, “As God is my witness, I’ll never be hungry again!” I think the explanation is much simpler…I like to cook and I like to feed people. OMG…I’m like Remy the rat in “Ratatouille”!

I may be a bit over the top…or more to the point…over the cupboards (where “backups” are stacked to the ceiling) when it comes to supplies but in part, that is because I have the room. I’ve had much smaller kitchens, with no back up fridge and freezer, so I couldn’t keep all the supplies I have on hand today. But I find it very interesting, when you talk to other people, what they think falls under the heading of “must have” staples. For instance, I could live without garlic powder, since I have fresh garlic on hand, but my kitchen must have dried basil, parsley and bay leaves. I could do without my jar of spaghetti sauce, but don’t take away my stewed tomatoes and tomato sauce. You can take the margarine, but I’ll keep the olive oil. I could survive with less, I’ve done it before, but I’m delighted I don’t have to.

Where you are in your life and how much time you have to spend in the kitchen, has a tremendous impact on what you’ll find stowed away in your cupboards and fridge, and what you consider “essential”. I might be aghast to find out someone does not own fresh celery, yet they might find it down right disconcerting to know I have almost no prepared foods. So, there you have it…I’m like a squirrel burying nuts in my kitchen on the off chance there will be a hard winter! Rational behavior…I think so. Do others agree? They don’t have to! And, no one seems to complain when I'm able to make their favorite meal at a moment's notice!

CHICKEN ENCHILADAS

The first time my brother tasted these I had brought them to a family gathering. After he had taken a bite he asked me, “Did you pick these up at a restaurant?” “No”, I replied, “Why do you ask?” “Well, they’re so good. They taste like something you’d get at a Mexican restaurant.” I couldn’t decide if I had just been complimented or insulted! Anyway, they are extremely delicious, and given the flavor, well worth the effort!

Ingredients

1 can (19 oz) enchilada sauce (any variety)

2 cups shredded cooked chicken (I make Chicken Soup then fish the meat out!)

1 1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese (6 oz)

1 cup sour cream

1 can (4.5 oz) chopped green chilies

1 medium onion, chopped small, and sauteed in 1 T. olive oil until translucent

1/2 package powdered taco seasoning

1 package (11.5 oz) flour tortillas for burritos (8 tortillas)

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (4 oz)

Optional toppings: chopped avocado or guacamole, green onions, sour cream, taco sauce, chopped tomatoes, lettuce, etc.

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Spread 1/2 cup enchilada sauce over bottom of ungreased 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish. In medium bowl, stir together chicken, Monterey Jack cheese, sour cream, sauteed onions, powdered taco seasoning and chilies.

2. Spoon about 1/3 cup chicken mixture down center of each tortilla. Roll up tortillas; arrange, seam side down, in baking dish. (Note: I fold my enchiladas burrito style by bringing the 2 sides in then rolling the tortillas. This stops the yummy inside from seeping out the ends.) Top enchiladas with remaining enchilada sauce. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese. Spray sheet of foil with cooking spray; cover baking dish with foil, sprayed side down.

3. Bake 35 minutes. Remove foil; bake 5 to 10 minutes longer or until hot and cheese is melted. Serve with optional toppings.

We all have our kitchen essentials…those things that we use frequently and would be lost without. It’s always interesting to hear what other people consider to be staples. Besides the normal milk, flour, butter, and egg variety staples, what do you consider to be basic and irreplaceable in your kitchen?

We receive the most wonderful emails from our readers. Some are questions, some are suggestions, some are heart touching stories that fill our eyes with tears and our hearts with love, and some, like this one, are informative, and at the same time make us giggle. I asked Di if she would mind if I shared her email with our readers. She graciously agreed.

Hi you wonderful people, creators of such fun objects of craft to make.

I have only one small beef with your website and that is that you called our Koala a bear. I have to say that it is not a bear in any sense because it is a marsupial which carries it babies in a pouch.

Please see the bit of info about the Koala – it is a really cute animal and I had one in my gum tree in my backyard about 10 years ago until the tree it was living in had to be cut down because it was dying and rotten inside. The Koala was relocated by the local ranger to another area with healthy trees.

What is a koala?

 The koala is a small bear-like, tree-dwelling, herbivorous marsupial which averages about 9kg (20lb) in weight. Its fur is thick and usually ash grey with a tinge of brown in places.

The koala gets its name from an ancient Aboriginal word meaning "no drink" because it receives over 90% of its hydration from the Eucalyptus leaves (also known as gum leaves) it eats, and only drinks when ill or times when there is not enough moisture in the leaves. ie during droughts etc.

The koala is the only mammal, other than the Greater Glider and Ringtail Possum, which can survive on a diet of eucalyptus leaves.

Excellent website with so much to learn and do. Thank you once again for your creative ideas.

And in response to our inquiry to blog about this, she said:

Yes please, do share our Koala – it is such a delightful animal but it has been know to pee on the celebrities who sometimes hold them for a cuddle.

Cheers,

Di

Now... I do want to go on record as stating that we did know Koalas AREN'T bears and that they are marsupials, but it has been so much a cultural thing to call them bears, we sometimes slip into the habit. We heartily apologize to any koala we may have offended, and rest assured, we will NOT make the mistake again!

And as an aside... if you've never made one of our Koala MARSUPIAL Bookmarks, it would make a great Easter Basket stuffer! The pattern can be found HERE or with our FREE patterns.

Thanks Di, for the information and smile. I love the Internet for making global friendships possible!

Bug, Fairy and Pixie are learning about Ancient Egypt. When they needed a pyramid, and needed one fast, we got out the Big Bucket-O-Legos and started building. After about an hour, the five of us... Bug, Fairy, Pixie, Mommy and Gammy, constructed a pyramid we were all pretty darn proud of. When we were done, the children began playing. Before you knew it there was vegetation, the Nile, and some local animals. They were using pirates and spacemen to set to work on building a palace, but it wasn't long before Bug wandered over and said, "Gammy, we need a mummy and a pharaoh." He had already built a sarcophagus but was hoping for an authentic looking pharaoh and mummy.

Well... how hard can that be, right? We grabbed a couple of our 1 1/2" wooden people pegs, the crafting glue and a few strips of white fabric. Before you could say Tutankhamen, we fashioned a mummy and pharaoh. To make the mummy, simple cover a wooden peg with glue. Rip fabric into 1/2" strips and begin wrapping the mummy. If the glue dries as you are wrapping it, simply add more glue. Make sure you cover the top of the head and the bottom, and tut-tut, you have your very own mummy, ready to be placed in his sarcophagus.

To make the pharaoh, rub glue on the lower half of a peg. Wrap a piece of a 1/2" strip of white cloth around the lower part of his body 2 times. Cut the strip on a diagonal so the cut is on the front of the pharaoh. To make his head wrap, cut a piece of fabric 1" by the distance around his head plus 1/2". Put glue on the head following a natural hairline. Wrap the scarf around his head, overlapping in the back. At this point the fabric will be standing up straight. Place a little more glue on the back of the head and fold the scarf toward the back, making sure to leave 2 sharp points on either side of the scarf. Add an embellishment around the pharaoh's neck. We cut a necklace out of green felt, making sure we cut it so it fit around his neck, and glued it in place. When the pharaoh dries, use a fine tip permanent marker and add facial features. He is now ready to storm the castle... I mean the pyramid!
  

The last of our children headed for home today, leaving Tim and I alone for the first time in almost 2 weeks. What a wonderful time we all had. And with the exception of a couple of broken glass Christmas ornaments, resulting from Bug's new bow and arrows, the house remains intact. (BTW... I would like to point out that Bug did not break the ornaments... his rowdy Uncles can take full credit for the destruction!)

So, here I sit, sorting through the Christmas photos, smiling at the mayhem, marveling at how tired I usually looked ;) but feeling extremely blessed. I am hopefully that everyone had a marvelous time with their loved ones.

I am taking the next couple of days to put the house back in order and do some serious snuggling with Tim. Michelle and I will be back on Monday, January 4, with lots of New Projects for the New Year!

I wish you much health, happiness and good fortune, and may we all delight in the smallest of blessings this coming year!