#It tastes like a favorite creamy soup you’ll have for one last time

[als-basement]

this was one of the drawings that pushed the dominos to my ribbun obsession

I CANTTT ITS SO CUTE

yet poetically sad

Did some fanart trying a different style for one of my favorite fics of all time. Go check it out @cranberry086 ‘s “Bedtime Stories” on Ao3 https://archiveofourown.org/works/51490345/chapters/130128643

Seriously if you like angst, denial of feeling or overall fluffy ribbun stuff give it a try I assure yall that it does NOT disappoint (I literally cried xD)

(Spoilers ahead for chapter 3)

tempted to draw more tbh

[chaosjedimasterk]

What’s cooking good lookin?

The bad batch get a good meal from reader.

Summary: after the somewhat failed mission of finding the heart of the mountain your favorite batch member drops by your apartment for a comfort meal. Here’s how it goes and what you cook! In reality I just really wanted to make sure someone feeds these men some real food.

Reader is gender neutral

Warnings: SFW- None - I just really wanted to be able to give these men an actual meal for once so this is how I’m doing it. I didn’t include crosshair in this one because he’s harder to grasp for me. And I’m super new to writing, plus he isn’t in that episode. Let me know if you have any thoughts!

Also a personal head cannon that hunter is the only one in the batch that has any cooking skills whatsoever

Pairing(s): Hunter x reader, Wrecker x reader, Tech x Reader, Echo x Reader

It had been several rotations since you had last seen the batch. Last you had heard they had gone off to find some mystery treasure…a heart of a mountain. Regardless, Hunter had finally commed you to let you know that they should be back planet-side by 1700. Knowing the boys and Omega lived mostly on ration bars during missions you started prepping.

Your apartment above Cid’s was small but not cramped and the best part was it had a decent kitchen. You had always loved cooking. It was part of who you were, from a young age your grandmother taught you all of her secrets. You spent ample time learning to play with flavors and textures. So it was here in your kitchen humming and chopping away when your door unlocks….

Hunter:

~ when you first met Hunter he was skeptical that someone could out cook him. He prided himself on the quick but nutrient dense and tasty meals he could make for himself and the boys. That was until he finally caved and tried your secret creamy manoomin soup. It was rich but it also tasted like comfort. As though you had wrapped him in a hug. Honestly the recipe was like 5 ingredients and only took you 20 minutes to make. But he swore on it. So when you were expecting him back you made sure you had everything handy.

~ However, since it was an easy dish you figured you’d also bake a cake. You had time to kill anyways. But while you were baking time slipped past you and you heard your door open. “Hey darlin, you hom—?” He paused as he looked at you and you were a mess. You were a messy baker so there was flour and other ingredients everywhere. His hand flew to his mouth so you didn’t see him snicker at you

- “ Shoot is it already 1730?!” You exclaimed surprised to see him standing there and quickly brushing the flour off your hands. He chuckles as he gently sets down his helmet and walks over to you and wipes away flour that had gotten on you cheek. “You are the most beautiful sight to behold right now. All this? For me? You know you don’t have to.” He says softly against your forehead as he plants a forehead kiss. “I know” you sigh a bit dejectedly “I hate to ask but would you mind helping me? I’m sure you’re starving”. You look up at him and he smiles and nods.

~ you two wordlessly move about the kitchen as a team getting things together. Typically you loathe people in your kitchen but Hunter knows his way around and is helpful. You two prepare dinner together and eat on the sofa while soft music plays in the background. He tells you about the mission and how curious and smart Omega has been lately. You’re both chatting long into the night when finally you doze off.

~ Hunter gently picks you up and lays you in your bed, where he goes and cleans up the dishes and puts away the leftovers before joining you in a deep and comfortable slumber.

Wrecker:

~ after Hunter commed you with their ETA you rush to the market. If Wrecker stops by you know you’ll need to stock up on some things. Wrecker LOVES your food. Cannot seem to get enough of it. Based on Wreckers size he eats a lot but you don’t mind because every other bite is filled with “babe have I told you how good this is?” And you’ll always giggle because of course he has

~ Wrecker also loves to eat like it’s a challenge, if it’s spicy he can’t seem to eat enough of it. You’re aiming for hearty and hot with this meal. You decide on a spicy bantha curry. You love the market and all of its smells and stalls and you could spend hours browsing but you quickly stop where you need and head straight back home.

~ Your nearly done cooking as you’ve just gotten the rice into the cooker when you hear the click of your lock open. “Hey sweetheart! Woah!! It smells fantastic in here” wrecker takes a deep breath in and before bother to remove any of his gear strides over to you and wraps you in a huge hug. “Wrecker dear, I need to breathe!” You laugh into his chest plate, he’s the best hugger. “Right!” He chuckles as he sets you back down.

~ Wrecker goes and sits lazily on your sofa to remove his gear and you ask how the mission went. He talks about the explosions and the puzzles omega solved “Damn thing was HUGE!!!” He exclaims as you pull everything from the oven. You grab dishes from the cabinet and he gets up “let me get it for you!” As he wraps his arms around your waist and kisses your neck. And he dishes you both up. You continue to chat about the mission as he animatedly tells you all about it

~ there are of course no leftovers and now you two snuggle in on the couch for some lighthearted competition in some holonet games. The dishes can wait until tomorrow.

Tech:

~ Tech was the toughest member to cook for. You remember being mildly frustrated after all of the meals you’ve had him try and none had earned anything more than a “this is quite satisfactory”. Then one day he arrived unannounced to show you a new update he added to your data pad. You were making homemade pasta with a butter sauce. And offered him some. Surprisingly he loved it? The way he talked about it made it seem as though it was a technical and flavorful masterpiece you had to smile because this was the highest praise you’ve ever received.

~ Tech, as you learned over time had quite the sweet tooth but wouldn’t tell others. So you always made sure dessert was around where he could find it. As you were getting the water boiling for the pasta you had made earlier that day the door opened. “Ah you are home!” He said matter of factly. “How was the mission?” You asked as he strode over to your side. “Well we are alive so I suppose it could be counted as a success” he mumbled into your hair as he planted a kiss atop your head. He glanced around the kitchen looking for the context clues of what you were cooking. “It’s your special” you said with a teasing wink. “Plus check the fridge i made you dessert as well”.

~ Tech turned to open the fridge and took out a ramekin “what exactly is it?” He asked setting it on the counter. “It’s crème brûlée - it’ll hit the spot between sweet and simple for you”. You said as you finished up the pasta. Tech reached over you and grabbed bowls down from the cupboard “well I am highly looking forward to it!” He almost exclaimed. He had started to grow more adventurous with food since seeing you. You ate and he explained in great detail the technicalities of the beast they found. Keeping his hand a top your hand for the entirety of dinner. and you listen in rapt attention to everyone of of his words. “ fascinating.” You said with wonder in your voice. 

~ you two ate dessert and after you had both done the dishes you had snuggled up to Tech’s chest to read the latest novel that had you hooked. Tech, reading his own data pad gently combed his fingers through your hair. Then softly “thank you for cooking for me. It is highly appreciated that you’ve gone out of your way to find foods that I will enjoy”. You smiled and looked up at him “of course” you replied after a gentle kiss to the tip of his nose.

Echo:

~ you’re cooking something simple, you know Echo is a picky eater and while he trusts your cooking he is still hesitant to try new foods. You go with the trusty chicken noodle soup. A favorite for when it’s cold, or you simply need a good comfort tastes like home feel.

~ Echo opens your door and takes one long breath in. “Smells fantastic in here, what are you making?” He asks. You smirk over your stove knowing how high of a compliment that is coming from Echo. “It’s not much, but I figured you’d want something heartier than ration bars after that mission” you respond setting your spoon down on the counter.

~ Echo proceeds to remove his gear and sit down at your small table and begins telling you all about the mission. Wordlessly, you ladle the soup into a bowl and set it in front of him. And without hesitation he continues his story while eating. You’ve never not seen him pick through your food before to see if there’s anything he won’t like. You smirk, “what? Something on my face?” He says staring at you with a confused look.

~ “it’s nothing” you smile sweetly before kissing his temple and dishing your own bowl. You both finish eating and Echo helps you dry the dishes before you both snuggle in for a well deserved rest.

[dilfartist]

How gross.

You wiped the drool from your cheek and brushed it on your pants. Rubbing the sleep from your eyes you looked for the time.

The alarm clock on the dresser next to the bed shined 8:00, it was dinner time but you decided to stay in your room. For the last week you’ve been inside your room, you didn’t dare come out, which had worried all of your family members.

Everyone was worried, your mother, your grandfather, hell even Jotaro was worried, and you felt as if he hadn’t loved or cared about you at all. You didn’t mind just staying in your room. You had a bathroom, Tv, and a couple of items that would keep you from being bored. Though you wish you could interact with someone you wouldn’t, Stubbornness was the reason.

You were too stubborn to forgive anyone, your family thought you’d apologize to your grandfather for the venous words you had said, they thought you’d admit that you had been overreacting: You weren’t. Your family members often try and convince you to leave your room they sounded like they genuinely missed you.

Behind the doorframe, they’d all talk about something, their conversations were different.

Jotaro would scold you about how worried everyone was about you, how you were being selfish. Your grandfather told you about his day, funny things he had experienced, and many apologies that seemed truthful. The only person who was allowed into the room was your mother.

A small tap is placed against the wooden door: Speak of the Devil. “Y/n, mommy’s coming in, alright.” your mother’s gentle whispers filled your ears. The door cracked open, Holly slowly peaked her head into the room, the lights from the hallway illuminated her features. “Dinner is ready.” her foot opened the door wider, allowing her to enter with a tray of food.

Holly walks towards you, “I made your favorite tonight. Comfort soup!” she cheered showing the bowl. From the smell, you could already taste the creamy soup sliding down your throat. Comfort soup was a dish your mother would make when you were upset or sick. She kneeled by your side and placed the tray on your lap. “You haven’t eaten comfort soup in a long time.” she chuckles, “it must be refreshing to finally eat your favorite dish.”

Holly looked around the dingy room: Your room was trashed. Dirty clothes were placed into a corner of your room, trash was laid on the floor, and the last few day’s dinners sat on your nightstand. Holly let out a gasp, “Y/n! You haven’t eaten. This is all the dinners I’ve made for the past week! You’ll starve at this rate!”

”I haven’t been hungry.” your answer was simple and not very detailed.

“No. That excuse won’t work for me!” your mother pouted with furrowed brows. She grabs the bowl of hot soup and grabs the spoon you held. “I’ll have to feed you!” she dips the spoon into the best bowl scooping it up. She holds the spoon in the center of your mouth, “say ahh.” This was humiliating. She was treating you like a small child. “No.” You pushed the spoon away.

She gave you a sorrowful expression, “if you eat we can talk about last week.”

She hadn’t dared talk about what had happened last week. She hated talking about family fights, she had never had any fights between her and your dad, so talking about last week was something unusual. You slowly opened your mouth allowing her to feed you. She begins to spoon-feed you as you would a baby. “Papa says you got into an argument at dinner, however, I have no clue what you fought over.”

“It was about me running away.” you ate another bite of the soup. She nods, she had been very clingy after your runway. “He killed my boyfriend.” pain was laced in your slow words, it still was a hard topic to speak about for you. Your hand’s gripped the blanket you lay on, you didn’t want to cry in front of your mother. “I think papa was right. He wasn’t the one.” She gave you a blank stare.

“You left us for him. Papa knows best, and papa says he was a bad influence,” she spoke, the glass dishes clanked together placed them back onto the tray. “Papa wasn’t right harming him, but if it means you won’t leave again that’s all I care about.”

She stood from her kneeling position, “try to get some more rest, hun.” she kissed the top of your head.

[homehaps1]

7 Comforting Dinner Recipes For Fall

Now that we have come into fall it’s time to start thinking about those comforting dinner recipes. Snuggling up on the couch with a nice bowl of hot soup and your favorite movie just sounds like the perfect fall night. So in honor of the autumn season we’ve rounded up our top ten favorite comforting dinner recipes for fall. So grab your coffee or tea, a pen and paper and start getting those grocery lists together! 

Pumpkin Turkey Chili (Slow Cooker)

Pumpkin chili is a staple during the fall season. Not only is it super comforting, delicious and easy to make but it’s perfect for making ahead of time and freezing. This is one dinner you and your family will want several times a week!

Ingredients:

Olive Oil (for cooking)

1.5 lbs Ground Turkey 

1 Onion, chopped

3 Garlic cloves, minced

1-2 Jalapenos (depending on how spicy you want it)

3 Anaheim or Poblano Peppers

1 Tsp Chili Powder or to taste

1 Pinch Mexican Oregano 

1 Tsp Ground Cloves

1 - 15 oz Can Pumpkin Puree

2 Bay Leaves

2 - 15 oz Cans of any type of White Beans

2 Cups of Low Sodium Chicken Broth

1 Bunch of Cilantro

Salt to taste

Sour Cream (for topping)

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F or use the broiler setting on your oven.

Place the jalapeño and poblano peppers on a foil lined baking sheet and place in the oven.

Broil until you start to see char, then flip. Keep flipping the peppers until all sides are charred. Once they are done, pull them out of the oven and place each pepper inside of a plastic bag and let steam for about 5 minutes. 

In the meantime, chop the onions and garlic and sauté until fully translucent, about 3-5 minutes.

Next add in the ground turkey, season with a little salt and pepper and cook until browned, but not fully cooked. You should still see some pink left over. 

Once the turkey is browned, pour the turkey and onion mixture into your slow cooker.

Take the peppers out of the bag, peel the skin off of them. Be careful, they’ll be pretty hot. After taking the skin off, cut off the stem, cut them open long ways and gently scrape out the seeds.

Cut the peppers in medium size pieces and place in the slow cooker with the turkey mixture.

Next drain one can of beans and pour both cans into the slow cooker. 

Then mince the cilantro and put half of it into the slow cooker. Pour in the pumpkin puree, add the chili powder, mexican oregano, cloves, a little bit of salt (you can add more in the last 30 minutes), bay leaves and the chicken broth. 

Give it a stir. Set to low and cook for 8 hours or 4 hours on high.

During the last 30 minutes, give it a stir and taste test. If you feel you need a little more salt, add the desired amount and let cook for the remaining time.

Once done, let cool for about 10 minutes and serve with some cilantro on top and a dollop of sour cream!

Guinness Beef Stew

A hearty beef stew served with a side of buttery mashed potatoes, how much more comforting can you get than that! This beef stew will warm your belly on a rainy fall day and let’s just say after tasting a bite there won’t be any leftovers.

Ingredients:

1-2 tbsp olive oil

2.5 lbs boneless chuck roast or cubed stew meat

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 onion, diced

5 slices bacon

3 tbsp all purpose flour

1 14.9 oz can Guinness or your favorite dark beer

4 tbsp Tomato paste

3 cups chicken broth

3 carrots, peeled and cut

2 celery stalks, cut

3 sprigs thyme

2 bay leaves

3 carrots

salt and pepper

Instructions:

Prepare a baking sheet or plate with paper towels. Cube the meat into 2 inch pieces and trim most of the fat, some fat is ok. 

Place the meat on the baking sheet and pat dry. Season well with salt and pepper.

Heat the oil in a heavy pot or dutch oven on high heat. Brown the meat in batches, set aside onto a baking sheet or plate and repeat.

Lower the heat to medium and add oil if the pot looks dry.

Next, dice the onion and mince the garlic. Cook them until translucent. Once fully cooked add in the bacon and cook until browned.

Cut the carrot into thick coins, cutting the large pieces in half and cut the celery in slices. Stir the carrot and celery in with the onion and bacon mixture, cook for 1-2 mins. 

Add in the flour and cook it out for about a minute. Then slowly pour in the Guinness, stirring into the flour until fully dissolved and there are no lumps. Stir in the chicken broth and tomato paste and add the thyme (without the stems) and bay leaves.

Add the meat back into the pot and give it a stir. Lower the heat to low, cover and simmer for 2 hours.

Once finished adjust the seasoning to your liking and serve with your favorite mashed potatoes!

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

What speaks fall more than a butternut squash soup? This perfectly nutty soup will have you and your family all warmed up and cozy. Not to mention this soup is super easy to make and can be made ahead of time. Serve it as a main dish, side or appetizer! 

Ingredients:

1 lb Butternut Squash (about 1 large)

1 lb Acorn Squash (about 2 large)

1 Medium White Onion

2 Cups of Chicken Broth or more depending on the thickness

1 Cup Coconut Milk

Dash of Nutmeg

Salt and Pepper to taste

Olive Oil

Pepitas for garnish

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with foil and drizzle olive oil over it. Cut the squashes in half, remove the seeds and place them flat side down. Rub each flat side of the on the baking sheet to cover with olive oil. 

Bake for 30-40 minutes or until tender with a fork.

In the meantime, dice the onion and cook in a large pot over medium heat until fully translucent. 

Once the squash is done, let it cool for about 10-15 minutes. Then scrape the squash off of the skin and place it in the pot with the onions.

Add ¾ of a cup of the coconut milk and the chicken broth to the pot and stir. 

With an immersion blender, blend the squash, onions, coconut milk and 1 cup of chicken broth until smooth. Add more chicken broth to thin it out as needed. 

Next season it with salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste.

Serve with a swirl of coconut milk and top it with a few pepitas!

Stuffed Acorn Squash (serves 4)

Stuffed acorn squash is one of those fall recipes that was made for a busy day. With a total time of about 45 minutes and hardly any prep work, you’ll be able to come home and whip this up in no time, all while it tastes like it took hours to make! It’s like the fall version of sloppy joes, but better.

1-2 Acorn Squashes

1 lb Ground Turkey

1 Small Onion, diced

Small Pkg. Whole Mushrooms, quartered

8oz Cooked Chestnuts, diced

1 Medium Apple, diced

1 Tsp Cinnamon

1/4 Tsp Nutmeg

1/2 Tsp Cloves

1 Tsp Onion Powder

1 Tsp Garlic Powder

Salt and Pepper to taste

Optional: Sour cream or Turkey Gravy 

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 450 degree F and line a baking sheet with foil and drizzle olive oil over the top. Cut the squashes in half, remove the seeds and place them flat side down. Rub each flat side of the on the baking sheet to cover with olive oil. 

Bake for 40-45 minutes or until fork tender.

In the meantime, place the onion into a large deep skillet pan or pot and cook until translucent. 

Add the apples and cook until soft, then add the mushrooms and diced chestnuts and cook for about 5 minutes. 

Next add the turkey and break apart the meat until fully browned. Add in the cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper and stir. Cook until the turkey is fully cooked

Once the squash is done, place each one in a bowl and add the meat mixture to each one. 

Top with sour cream or gravy and enjoy!

Roasted Corn Chowder

If you’re looking for a comforting creamy soup with a kick, you’ll love this Roasted Corn Chowder soup. It’s a bit spicy so if you don’t like spice, we suggest omitting the jalapeño. Either way you have it, it’s a perfectly delicious and creamy soup!

2 Tbsp Unsalted Butter

5 Slices of Bacon

1 White Onion, diced

1-2 Jalapeños (depending on your spice level)

2 Poblano or Anaheim Chiles

26 oz Frozen Corn

½ + ⅛ Cups All Purpose Flour

5 Cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth

2 Cups Water

½ Pint Heavy Cream

1 Cup 2% Milk

Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F or use the broiler setting on your oven.

Place the jalapeño and poblano peppers on a foil lined baking sheet and place in the oven.

Broil until you start to see char, then flip. Keep flipping the peppers until all sides are charred. Once they are done, pull them out of the oven and place each pepper inside of a plastic bag and let steam for about 5 minutes. 

Take the peppers out of the bag, peel the skin off of them. Be careful, they’ll be pretty hot. After taking the skin off, cut off the stem, cut them open long ways and gently scrape out the seeds.

Cut the peppers in small size pieces and set aside.

Melt butter in a large pot over medium high heat. In the meantime slice the bacon into half inch pieces. Add the bacon to the pot and cook until crispy.

Dice the onion and remove the bacon from the pot with a slotted spoon. Lower the heat to medium low and add the onion to the pot and cook until translucent. 

 Once translucent, add in the corn and slightly roast until color appears on  the kernels.

Next add in the diced peppers. 

Sprinkle flour over the corn mixture and give it a stir. Let it cook for about a minute, then slowly mix in the chicken broth. After it is fully incorporated, add in the water, heavy cream, milk and cooked bacon. Taste and add salt as needed.

Raise heat to bring to a simmer and cook until thickened. About 30 minutes to an hour. 

Serve and enjoy!

Chicken Pot Pie

A meal that was made for warming your belly and comforting your heart! This creamy chicken pot pie with a buttery, flaky crust is perfect for a cold rainy day.

Pie Crust:

2 Cups All Purpose Flour + 1 Tbsp for rolling

1 Cup Cold Unsalted Butter, cubed

1 tsp Salt

1 tsp Sugar

6-8 Tbsp Ice Water

Chicken Pot Pie Filling:

⅓ Cup Unsalted Butter

⅓ Cup All Purpose Flour

⅓ Cup White Onion, diced

⅓ Cup Celery

Salt and Pepper to taste

1 ¾ Cup Low Sodium Chicken Broth

⅔ Cup Whole Milk

2 Cups Cooked Chicken, cubed

1 ¼ Cups Peas

1 ¼ Cups Carrots, cubed

Pie Dough Instructions:

To start off, start by making the crust. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar and salt. Next, pour it into a large food processor or keep it in the bowl if you do not have one. 

Add half of the cold butter into the food processor and pulse until the largest butter pieces are about the size of a pea. If you are mixing by hand, use a dough cutter or potato masher and mash and mix until the largest butter pieces are about the size of a pea. Then add the next half of the butter and repeat the process.

Now pour in 4 tablespoons of the ice water and pulse or mix until just incorporated. If the dough is still dry add in the ice water a tablespoon at a time, mixing each time until it is just incorporated. You can tell the dough is done by pressing it together to see if it holds together.

Pour the dough onto a clean flowered surface and combine into one dough. Cut it into two equal disks and quickly knead them both into a flat disk. Sprinkle the top of each disk with flour and wrap with plastic wrap. 

Place them in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

Filling Instructions:

Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat, add the diced onions, celery and carrot and cook until translucent and soft.

Next add in the flour and cook for about 1 minute. Slowly mix in the chicken broth until fully incorporated, then add in the milk, salt and pepper. Add in the chicken and peas and let simmer until thickened, stirring frequently. 

Once the filling is done, set aside and preheat the oven to 425 degrees F

Roll out your two disks of pie dough and place in a 9 inch glass pie dish. 

Next, place the filling in the dish with the dough and top with the second rolled out dough. 

Crimp the edges with your fingers on the edge of the pie dish. Cut 3 slits into the top of the dough in the middle

Mix 1 egg in a cup or bowl and lightly brush on the top of the dough. Place in the oven and bake for 35 minutes or until the crust has become golden brown.

Next, remove from the oven and serve!

Roasted Fall Veggie Salad

Salad may not seem like a very comforting meal, however this salad isn’t just any salad… it’s a salad made with all of those fall veggies. Warm roasted sweet potatoes, butternut squash, brussel sprouts and beets placed over a bed of lettuce with some bleu cheese and dried cranberries makes this salad super comforting and satisfying!

16 oz Spring Mix Salad Mix

1 Sweet Potato

1 Butternut Squash

3-4 Medium Sized Beets

1 lb Brussel Sprouts 

1 Hard Boiled egg for each salad

Bleu Cheese Dressing

Dried Cranberries, for topping

Pepitas, for topping

Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F and line a large baking sheet with foil.

Peel and cut the sweet potatoes, butternut squash, and beets into medium sized pieces. Wash the brussel sprouts, cut the stems off and cut in half. 

Place the veggies on the baking sheet and drizzle olive oil over the top of them. Season with salt and pepper and mix them until fully coated. Spread them out evenly on the pan and place in the oven. Bake for 30-40 minutes.

Next, boil the eggs and prep the salad bowls. 

Once the veggies are done, pull them out of the oven and let cool for about 5 minutes.

Cut the eggs in cubes and assemble the salads with the veggies, eggs, bleu cheese, cranberries and pepitas.

And Viola! A delicious roasted fall veggie salad!

With these comforting recipes for fall, you’ll be ready to cozy up and watch your favorite movie with a comforting meal in no time! 

[ink-splotch]

Wangxian + 45 (gift)

Five Times Wei Wuxian Was Hungry + Once When He Was Not 

1 

It was Wei Ying’s favorite spot to scrounge. The morning’s cook cut the vegetables carelessly-- there was always a good few mouthfuls to gnaw off the cabbage and radish ends, the onions and peppers. He remembered having roasted potatoes before, with his mother and father, but it was hard lighting fires. And as soon as things started smelling good, other people came, or dogs. 

Raw potatoes though-- they were barely sweet, crisp, and grainy. He chewed them more for entertainment than because they filled him up. He’d gotten a good instinct for which mouthfuls went the longest ways. Some things stuck to the ribs. 

Wei Ying curled up in a different hollow each night, a different rooftop or alley or meadow or tree, and ran his fingers over the curved ridges of his ribs. He counted them and thought of his mother teaching him arithmetic, moving little twigs and stones into place beside a fire. 

2

“Dinner was delicious.” 

Wei Wuxian managed not to flail off the roof. “Jiang Cheng, you’re so mean.” Past his brother’s ugly face, the moon was setting low over the wide, still ponds of Lotus Pier. 

“Well, dumbass, don’t piss off mom next time.” Jiang Cheng scooted slowly down the roof tiles. One day, they would have this down to an art, play light-footed games of tag at midnight. One day, they would huddle on these same tiles and watch their parents bleed out, holding hands. Wei Wuxian dropped down onto the wooden pathway, reaching up a hand to help, which Jiang Cheng ignored. “I tried to sneak you out some bao, but First Uncle caught me.” 

“So you do love me!” Wei Wuxian grinned at him, all of twelve and gangly with it. 

Jiang Cheng shoved him. “If you starve to a skeleton, who will be around for me to beat at swords?” 

“Who will be around to beat you, you mean--”

“Both of you!” 

At the hiss, Wei Wuxian latched onto Jiang Cheng’s startled flail of his arm. The ponds past them were still, painted with moonlight and pockmarked with lotus. 

Jiang Yanli waved at them from the open door of her room. “Come on, in here. You both tiptoe like elephants.” 

“It’s Jiang Cheng,” Wei Wuxian explain, slipping into the room behind her. “I mean, he ate too much at dinner and now he’s going to bust through the floor into the lake.” 

“Sit down, sit down,” Jiang Yanli said. “I’ve been waiting for hours, listening for you.” 

“I was going to head down to town,” Wei Wuxian said. 

“No need for that,” she said. She lifted the lid off a clay pot on her desk. Light pork flavor wafted up and Wei Wuxian’s stomach grumbled. He poked at it, betrayed. 

“Have as much as you want,” Jiang Yanli said, reaching for the ladle. Her voice was soft, but it was always soft, even when they weren’t sitting in the dim light listening for creaks in the hallway. 

“What about me?” Jiang Cheng demanded. 

“You, too, A-Cheng,” she said. “If we run out, we’ll make a brave expedition to the kitchens to acquire more mission materiel.” 

Her eyes sparkled even in the low lights. Wei Wuxian liked this so much better, the slyness in her eyes as she teased her brother, than the way she sat quiet in the daylight, peeling lotus seeds with shaking fingers, while her mother rose up like a bonfire. 

There was a creak from the hallway. Wei Wuxian would have counted it for a mouse in the night, but Jiang Yanli’s head shot up. “That’s mother, coming to check up on me. Quick, both of you, out the window. Sorry, I-- quickly, now.” 

That night, Wei Wuxian lay in bed with a still empty stomach-- an old feeling, a familiar one. He’d last til morning, easy, he knew that. 

But this was unfamiliar, even now: his palms still felt the ghost of heat, of a warm bowl cradled in them, smuggled through the darkness and meant for him. 

3

“Ai, Lan Zhan, you didn’t think to pack anything to eat? So thoughtless. Even those Qishan bao would be acceptable. I mean, I know I told Nie Huaisang they tasted burnt, but that was mostly lies. And if we’re stuck here much longer, I’d even eat that terrible bitter Gusu soup!” 

Lan Zhan’s head was tipped back against the rough stone of the cave, eyes closed. Firelight played softly over the ridge of his jaw, the column of his neck. He didn’t respond to Wei Wuxian, not even to the bit about the soup. 

Wei Wuxian sprawled where he could, trying to find a comfortable bit of ground while keeping an eye on Lan Zhan. “I ate every bowl I was given, when I was there,” he told Lan Zhan. “So I know what I’m talking about. Your clan doesn’t know how to eat. One day, I’ll take you to Lotus Pier, and you’ll see.” 

4

At first the noise distracted him from the emptiness-- from the hunger, yes, but also from the quiet lack where his golden core once had been. It felt silent inside of him, that void under his belly, the way he hadn’t felt silent in years. 

Spirits called for vengeance, for justice and fury, for freedom and power. Beneath the black cloud of that rage, there were quieter voices too-- asking for rest, for remembrance, for respite. 

Beneath it all, though, he still had a body, however empty. He found water dripping down the cliff face. He dug up roots and caught rats. He lit fires to roast them. He figured that everything that could scare him already knew how to find him. 

He remembered how it felt to wither, day by day. He watched his body shrink and hollow, familiar.

The spirits called for vengeance and he agreed. The spirits cried for justice and he promised it. His body begged for sustenance and he told it to wait. There were more important things. 

5

Lil Apple reached out his neck, trying to snap his big ugly teeth at some greener grass growing off the path. “Ah, yeah, you hungry, you spoiled beast?” Wei Wuxian said, trying to tug him forward. “I gave you my last bit of melon this morning.” 

Wei Wuxian managed to drag the donkey a few strides further before he gave up, sagging against a tree while Lil Apple waded out into greener pastures. He brayed again and Wei Wuxian hoped it was joy, but suspected it was something a little more vengeful. 

“You’re lucky you can eat grass,” he called after him. 

They’d left a town with a water spirit problem five days ago--well, a town that had previously had a water spirit problem. They’d given him a bag of apples, a stack of flatbread, and a big meal before he’d left. He rolled the memory over his tongue-- creamy eggplant and salted fish, spicy enough even to satisfy him. 

It was days ago now, and that old familiar ache was curling under his heart. But there’d be a village around any corner now, a farm with a blight, or a merchant caravan looking for some peace of mind. 

Even if there wasn’t, he could go far longer than this without a shake to his legs or to his smile. He had. 

Even if the land was barren for miles, at the end of it he’d wash up in Caiyi town in time for loquat season. He’d climb the mountain by foot, palming the jade pass in his sleeve, and there would be a hot meal waiting for him when he arrived. 

But for now, the crickets were calling from the grass. Heat beat down from a wide, clear sky and Wei Wuxian closed his eyes. 

His body whispered for sustenance and he told it wait, wait, but this time it was a promise cradled warm and soft in his palms.

+1

“You’re not busy, are you?” Wen Ning said. 

Wei Wuxian glanced up from gnawing on the end of his calligraphy brush. It wasn’t an old bad habit of his, but he thought it might have been one of Mo Xuanyu’s. Also, the first time Lan Qiren had caught him doing it, he’d gone red in the face, so Wei Wuxian had rather leaned into it. 

“We don’t want to bother you,” Wen Ning went on, bobbing his head. “I know you’re doing important work…” 

“If I haven’t figured out how to balance this talisman yet-- and I haven’t,” Wei Wuxian said, wrinkling his nose at the crumbled papers beside him, “then it’s not going to happen tonight.” He leaned back, elbows on the wood floor of the inn. “What’s going on, Wen Ning? You and Sizhui get into trouble in the market?” 

“No, we had some good luck.” Wen Ning stepped finally through the door. “If you could come down to the…”

“Did you find something on the case?” Wei Wuxian leapt to his feet. 

“No, no,” Wen Ning said, following him down the stairs. One of the inn staff caught one look at Wen Ning and threw himself backward into an open room. “We just, I mean, I hope it’s not overstepping.” 

Down on the ground floor of the inn, Lan Sizhui looked up and smiled to see them. He rose from the table where he’d been laying out four bowls. “Wei-qianbei." 

"What's this, now?" Wei Wuxian said, glancing over the table. 

“Wen Ning has been telling me stories of when I was little,” Lan Sizhui said, settling his hands gently on the lid of the pot. He did most things gently, that kid, and it didn’t come from Lan Zhan, who was deliberate in every movement but rarely soft in the public eye, or Lan Qiren. It certainly didn’t come from Wei Wuxian. 

Wen Ning settled down opposite Lan Sizhui at Lan Sizhui’s encouraging nod, and Wei Wuxian realized-- it was his uncles. It was the way Lan Xichen had used to move quiet and kind through a crowded room. It was the way Wen Ning was so careful with his strength. 

“He told me about a day when he carried a little bowl of soup miles home from Yiling, so I could try it. It was cold by the time he got there, of course, but… I don’t remember it really.” Lan Sizhui pulled the lid from the pot, the rich scent rising up. “But helping Madam Wang in the kitchen, the smell-- I think I do remember, a little.” 

“We found lotus root in the market,” Wen Ning said. “And pork ribs, and the landlady here has a cousin from Lotus Pier. We thought…”

Wei Wuxian dropped down into a seat at the table, heavy and silent. He closed a hand over Wen Ning’s wrist, softly. 

“Have as much as you want,” Lan Sizhui said, reaching for the ladle. His voice was soft. 

-

When Lan Zhan got back to the inn, he found them still there, leaning over empty bowls and laughing about radishes. 

He paused in the doorway to take in the sight-- Wei Ying with his head thrown back; Wen Ning waving his hands while he talked, like he'd forgotten to shrink himself down; Lan Sizhui soaking it in like he had years of family to catch up on. 

Lan Zhan crossed the room to join them, Wei Ying spotting him when he got close. He was smiling already, but he smiled wider. "Ai, Lan Zhan, you're here! Sit down, sit down. We even saved you some soup." 

[thirstforfleck]

you belong to me~Arthur Fleck x Reader

summary: it’s a rainy day in gotham. you and arthur have a romantic dinner at home and slow dance to romantic tunes.

warnings: none? just lots of fluff

word count: 1,774

notes:Hello, all. This is my very first piece of writing I’m posting to this site. I’m not the BEST writer there ever was (some of you are absolutely amazing and my writing does not compare to yours) so please don’t be too hard on me. I was heavily influenced by You Belong to Me by Jo Stafford for this piece of writing. I think my writing went downhill at the halfway point because I’m three glasses of wine in and have just been writing from my feels. Been feelin’ romantic all day. (also I made this as gender neutral as possible) hope you enjoy :)

Gotham City was damp, chilly, and more uninviting than usual that night. The severe thunderstorm warning was not to be taken lightly. Bright flashes of lightening lit up the sky, followed by Earth-shattering rumbles of thunder. You watched out the window as the rain fell at a 45 degree angle. Debris and leaves in the filthy streets below danced in a funnel shape. You loved thunderstorms. The sound of the rain pelting the roof was soothing and the smell of petrichor delighted your senses. 

The sky’s grumbles and the low vocals of Al Bowlly lilted through the apartment. Arthur hummed as he moved about in the kitchen. He was preparing fettuccine alfredo for dinner. Arthur was an amazing cook, preparing some of your favorite comfort foods on a weekly basis: blueberry pancakes on Sunday mornings, grilled cheese and tomato soup on Friday afternoons (provided he wasn’t working), and spaghetti with marinara on Wednesday evenings. You usually got off work earlier than Arthur, so most of the time you would fix a hot meal for when he got home from a long day at Ha-Ha’s. 

“Darlin’, dinner is ready,” Arthur called to you.

You turned from the window and walked to the kitchen. “I’ll help you set the table.”

You set the table in the corner of the living room while Arthur poured the pasta into a bowl. In the meantime, you aggressively pulled the cork out of your bottle of Chardonnay. You poured yourself a healthy amount. Arthur took a glass from the cabinet and filled it with water from the faucet. Alcohol messed with his many medications so he didn’t drink.

“Artie, this smells absolutely amazing,” you enthused, taking a seat.

“Anything for my love,” Arthur smiled from across the table.

You and Arthur ate in comfortable silence, exchanging sweet glances. The creamy sauce melted in your mouth. You hummed as you savored the meal bite by bite. Arthur was a self-taught cook, serving his mother for many years. There were stacks of recipe books throughout the apartment, from which Arthur took inspiration. 

After cleaning your plate, you helped yourself to another serving. Arthur only enjoyed a small portion. He never had a large appetite. He lit a cigarette for dessert. “This is incredible,” you spoke. “Seriously.” You took every chance you could get to boost Arthur’s self-esteem. You have helped him so much in the past year you’ve been together. He was more confident in his comedy, his cooking, and even just in his daily interactions with the public.

Arthur was glowing. “Thank you, darling,” he smiled. He started to clear the table, when you reached your arm out to stop him.

“I’ll do it,” you insisted. “You cooked, I’ll clean.”

Arthur paused. “Are you sure?” Arthur hated asking people for help. In the past, he was always denied help from those he asked. He was always used to completing tasks himself. The only time he truly asked for help was from his therapist, and even when it came to her, Arthur didn’t think she truly cared to help. Arthur was still not used to you assisting him, whether it was with housekeeping or ideas for jokes, or even something as simple as trimming his hair. 

You nodded. “Just let me finish eating and I’ll clean.”

Arthur gave you a toothy grin. He leaned across the table and planted a kiss on your lips. The blend of butter, salt, and cheese on your lips tasted heavenly to Arthur. You giggled into the kiss. “I love you,” he sang.

“I love you, too,” you said. 

You devoured your second helping and started clearing the table. Arthur sat on the couch, relishing another cigarette. After storing the leftovers and washing the dishes, you poured yourself a second glass of wine. The thunder and lightening seemed to have left the atmosphere but the rain was still coming down strong. 

The dim light of the apartment combined with the gloomy clouds just barely seen through the windows made for a romantic setting in the apartment. You walked towards Arthur, making intense eye contact with him. His legs were spread, feet flat on the floor. He put his cigarette out in the ashtray next to him. You placed your wine glass on the coffee table. Gently, you climbed onto his lap and straddled him. Your hands brushed the hair out of his eyes and gingerly held his face. His brilliant green eyes twinkled. For a man as young as he was, he had deep forehead wrinkles and crow’s feet carved into his face. You didn’t mind: in fact, it made him more handsome if that was even possible. You adored the scar above his lip, from an accident he was involved in as a child (he didn’t go into great detail). You pressed a kiss to his upper lip, then to the corners of his mouth. “You are so good to me, Arthur Fleck,” you sighed. Your hands found their way to the nape of his neck, entwining your fingers in his thick, dark curls. 

Arthur’s breathing eased. Playing with his hair was his biggest weakness. He adored your tender strokes throughout his mess of hair and your fingernails giving him light scalp massages. “I could say the same thing about you, Y/N,” he whispered. 

Your lips touched his. Kissing you was the closest place to Heaven on Earth for Arthur. The way you treated him and cared for him made him feel like the only man in the world. He never thought he would find his one and only, but he did. It was you.

You pulled away with a soft smile. You just noticed the Al Bowlly record stopped playing, the fuzz at the end of the record playing on loop. “Oh, geez!” You jumped off Arthur and on to your feet. Shuffling over to the record player, you began to examine the records. There were ancient 78’s from his mother, a few 45’s of his absolute favorite songs, and mostly the standard 33 1/3’s. You found your favorite album: the latest compilation album of Jo Stafford’s greatest hits. Arthur gifted it to you last Christmas and you listened to it on repeat for weeks. You’re surprised you didn’t wear out the needle on the turntable. 

The first song of the album was ‘You Belong To Me,' arguably Jo Stafford’s biggest hit. Her deep, elegant voice sent chills down your spine. This song in particular made you shed tears many times in the past. It reminded you of Arthur. You placed the record on the turntable and set the needle on the first groove. The marimba and Jo’s vocals played softly through the speakers. You turned the volume up almost as loud as it could go. 

“Come on, Artie. Dance with me,” you approached him with your arms extended. Arthur couldn’t resist dancing with you. Every night after Live! with Murray Franklin, he would dance with you to the closing song, ‘That’s Life’. He was truly a romantic at heart, and his actions proved it. 

Arthur grabbed ahold of your hands and you tugged him off the couch. “How can I resist you, Y/N?” he smiled at you. Your right hand and his left hand clasped together. Your left hand snaked its way up his back and clasped onto his shoulder. His right hand found your waist and caressed it. 

See the pyramids along the Nile

Watch the sunrise on a tropic isle

Just remember, darling, all the while

You belong to me

Jo Stafford’s passionate ballad carried through the apartment as you and Arthur swayed to the tune. 

See the marketplace in old Algiers

Send me photographs and souvenirs

Just remember when a dream appears

You belong to me

You held your gaze with Arthur, never breaking the connection. He was stunning, caring, intelligent, gentle, talented, all the positive words in the dictionary. And he was yours. Your soulmate. Your person. The love of your life. Yours. 

I’ll be so alone without you

Maybe you’ll be lonesome too and blue

You couldn’t help but tear up at that line. It was true. Before Arthur, you were lonely. Living a life that consisted only of work and sleep. You didn’t think such a love like his existed. 

Fly the ocean in a silver plane

See the jungle when it’s wet with rain

Just remember ’til you’re home again

You belong to me

Arthur noticed the tears that created a film over your eyes. “My love, what’s wrong?” he spoke softly. His hands embraced your cheeks. His thumbs stroked over the tears that sparingly dripped from your eyes.

You shook your head, your eyes now making contact with his socks. “Nothing, I…” your voice trailed. Your eyes met his once again and you smiled tearfully. You could hear the thunder come rolling back in and echo throughout Gotham City. Jo Stafford’s beautiful voice was building with vigor, overpowering Mother Nature. 

I’ll be so alone and without you

Maybe you’ll be lonesome too and blue

“Nothing is wrong, Arthur,” you spoke softly. “I just… I don’t deserve you and I love you so much. I don’t know what I would do with myself if you left me.”

Arthur’s right hand trailed down your shoulder as his left hand held your chin. He felt the exact same way. Before you, he was the shell of a man. In his mind, he had nothing left to live for. Until, he met you. You sincerely loved him for who he was. He didn’t know what he had done to deserve you, but he was grateful. He counted his blessings every day because of you. “Hey, silly. I’m not going anywhere. I am never, ever leaving you. You are the greatest thing that’s ever happened to me. Letting you go would… well, it would be the biggest mistake of my life.” You chuckled shyly, more tears falling. Arthur kissed away your salty tears. “I love you, Y/N.”

Fly the ocean in a silver plane

See the jungle when it’s wet with rain

But remember, darling, ’til you’re home again

You belong to me

“I love you too, Arthur,” you smiled. You and Arthur locked lips. Arthur’s arms encircled you and squeezed, holding you as close as humanly possible. Your arms found their way around his neck. The warm, romantic embrace gave you both a fuzzy feeling inside, something you both couldn’t describe. Nevertheless, you both knew it was something you never wanted to let go of. You had found each other: you were soulmates. It was as simple as that.

tagging my girl @freewriterofdarkness​ bc she wanted to read it :) also, if you would like to be tagged in future works, please let me know :)

[hellyear86-blog]

Mexican Cheesy Ground Beef and Rice Casserole

September 2, 2018

I’m always looking for a quick and easy  dinner idea and this Mexican Cheesy Ground Beef and Rice Casserole just became our favorite of 2018.

The absolute most popular recipe on our site is my Mom’s Busy Day Casserole, well that’s what we called it growing up, but on the blog it’s, Cheesy Ground Beef and Rice Casserole. It’s a great classic recipe for a family or picky eaters. Having grown up on it it doesn’t bother me a lick that it’s such a basic recipe, but I can’t help but tinker and finding a new version of a big hit was my next goal. This Mexican Cheesy Ground Beef and Rice Casserole blows the original out of the water.

Sorry, Mom.

Actually, if I’m being honest, it doesn’t. But it’s a nostalgia thing for me. I grew up on the first so no matter how amazing a recipe I create I can’t help but love the original and think of all the times my mom made it for us. But don’t worry, I already called her and told her she has to try this new version, that way it can still be a family favorite. 🙂

Quick and Easy Dinner Idea

As you know, we really like to make things from scratch, but sometimes we just flat out need a quick and easy dinner idea.

We feel like it’s better for our bodies to cook from scratch and we just flat out like to cook. However, this is one of those times when we are going to bust out the canned soup, because it’s easy and tastes great in this dish.

Homemade Canned Soup

To make a homemade fiesta soup, you could use our homemade recipe in our Cheesy Ground Beef and Rice Casserole, but you’d need to add in some cheese, spices and peppers to hit that same flavor and by the time you do that the condensed soup really is easier.

It’s up to you though, so if you want to try it, please let us know what you did in the comments.

Mexican Cheesy Ground Beef and Rice Casserole

Alright, the casserole is rice, taco flavored ground beef, a creamy fiesta soup blended in to make it even more flavor rich, black beans, though you could add corn as well, and cheese on top. We like it plain just like that, or served up with salsa and avocados, or guacamole.

How to Make Rice Casserole

Alright, let’s chat about our most asked questions on how to make a rice casserole.

You’ll start this recipe out with white long grain rice. Mixing the rice, water and soup together evenly is really important as you’ll end up with dry spots otherwise.

Do I cook the rice first?

No, the long grain rice will completely cook in the oven along with all of the other ingredients which is why proper combining of the ingredients is important so that everything is mixed with the water well.

My Casserole Came Out Like Soup

If you cook for the entire 90 minutes, there’s no possible way your casserole will come out undercooked as long as you followed the recipe, using the correct rice, measurements of liquid etc.

Which brings up a good point, liquid ingredients should always be measured in a glass measuring cup, and never in a standard measuring cup which is meant for dry ingredients.

My Casserole Came Out Dry

Unfortunately I’ve been making this recipe for 20 years and the ONLY time is has ever come out dry is when I didn’t properly cook it or measure the ingredients properly. There’s plenty of liquid, you should not have a dry casserole.

Well, with all of that seasoning and the fiesta soup you really shouldn’t have a problem, however everyone’s taste buds are totally different, so if something tastes bland to you, add more salt, seasoning or flavorful ingredients to your liking. That’s the best part about cooking, it’s so easy to amp up or tone down the flavor train!

Which Ground Beef Tastes Best

Well, to be honest, the fuller fat ground beef tastes best but let’s break it down.

 Ground Beef – 73% Lean, 27% Fat

73% Lean is the most flavorful of all the ground beefs because of the fat in it. This will also make it the most juicy, which is good, but you’ll have a good amount of fat to drain off.

This is a great option for a burger or a dish where ground beef is the sole star.

Ground Chuck – 80% Lean, 20% Fat

An 80/20 is what we use most often if we are cooking with ground beef. It has enough fat to keep things juicy and still really taste that umami beef flavor.

Ground Sirloin – 85% Lean, 15% Fat

Ground Sirloin is another great option though that fat number is getting low. We often cook with this one because it’s a tad bit healthier and still isn’t as dry as a 90%.

 Ground Round – 90% Lean, 10 % Fat

90% is very lean and will cook up a lot drier because of the low fat. Which isn’t a problem if you’re adding it into a recipe like a saucy pasta, casserole, or soup.

Any of these grades will work for this dish. Usually Round and sirloin are best in chilis, soups, sauces etc while the fattier grades are best for burgers, meatloaf etc.

How Ground Beef is Made

Ground beef is taking certain cuts of beef, like the sirloin and cutting it into portions then processing it through a grinder. Sometimes, if meat is a little too lean they will add trimmings from another cut to amp up the fat, however if you’re shopping at a good store and using a good brand of beef you should literally only have meat in your ground beef.

How Long Will Ground Beef Keep?

How Long Will Ground Beef Keep in the Fridge?

Fresh ground beef will keep in the fridge for only 2 days. After that you need to freeze it or use it.

How Long Will Ground Beef Keep in the Freezer?

As long as your ground beef is uncooked you can keep it in the freezer for up to 3-4 months. Make sure it’s sealed well or you’ll get freezer burn.

Cooked Ground beef will only last for 2 months in the freezer.

How to Know if your Ground Beef Has Gone Bad

Can we just quickly mention how to know if your ground beef has gone bad?

Bacteria will build up on raw ground beef. Here’s three things to watch for.

Feels Slimy

Smells Off or Weird

Looks Grey or Grey/Brown

If any of those things are happening, you’ve got spoiled meat.

Will Ground Beef go Bad in the Freezer?

Unfortunately meat can still go bad in the freezer which is why you shouldn’t bury it under things where you’ll forget about it.

Will Ground Beef go Bad in the Fridge?

Ground beef, though stored in the fridge will still start to go bad over time.

Can Ground Beef be Re-Frozen After Being Thawed?

Let’s look to the USDA for this one, “Once food is thawed in the refrigerator, it is safe to refreeze it without cooking, although there may be a loss of quality due to the moisture lost through thawing. After cooking raw foods which were previously frozen, it is safe to freeze the cooked foods.”

However, leaving defrosted meat for a week in the fridge and then finally freezing it increases your chances that it had already begun to go bad.

Can Ground Beef be Cooked in the Microwave?

Well, yes it can, but we really don’t recommend it. The meat cooks up weird, and rubbery. Avoid, avoid, avoid.

Will Rice Cook in a Casserole?

Yep! The rice does not need to be cooked ahead of time and using minute rice is a big no, no. Just stir the long grain rice into everything and it will all cook evenly.

Can You Freeze Cooked Rice Casserole?

Yes, you can freeze cooked rice casserole! You can freeze Mexican Cheesy Ground Beef and Rice Casserole right in the pan, wrapped well with saran wrap and foil. It will only last for a couple of weeks, to a month, and please don’t add the cheese ahead of time, wait until serving to do that. If it’s leftover, well just make sure you fully defrost it in the fridge and reheat in the oven to firm things back up.

How to Make Rice Casserole in an Instant Pot

You can totally make this Mexican Cheesy Ground Beef and Rice Casserole in an instant pot, but the pot will be removed, rice put in a pan and then cheese added to be finished in the oven as the cheese gets too much moisture in the instant pot.

Merely, brown the ground beef and drain using the saute mode. Drain the fat and proceed like normal.

Turn the instant pot to manual high pressure and place the lid on to cook for 5-8 minutes. You’re all set!

What to Make with Rice Casserole

Looking for sides to go with a rice casserole? Here are some of our favorites! Elote Grilled Mexican Corn Salad, Our Best Broccoli Salad, Italian Veggie Salad, Garden Balsamic Avocado Salad

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Yield: 6 servings

Mexican Cheesy Ground Beef and Rice Casserole

Total Time: 100 minutes

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 90 minutes

I’m always looking for a quick and easy  dinner idea and this Mexican Cheesy Ground Beef and Rice Casserole just became our favorite of 2018.

Ingredients:

1 Can Fiesta Nacho Cheese Soup

1 Cup Long Grain White Rice

2 Cups Water

1 Can Black Beans, drained

1 lb Ground Beef

1 Taco Seasoning Packet

Water, per package instructions

Cheddar or colby jack cheese, sliced about 9 pieces

Salsa for serving

Avocado for serving

Directions:

Heat the oven to 350 degrees and spray an 8×9″ baking dish with nonstick spray.

Heat a skillet to medium heat and add the ground beef.

Drain off fat and add the seasoning packet along with the water.

Simmer until thickened.

Stir together the soup, rice, water, beans , and cooked beef.

Place in the baking dish and bake for 90 minutes.

Top with cheese slices and bake a few more minutes or until melted.

Nutrition Information

Yield: 6 servings, Serving Size: 1 cup

Amount Per Serving:

Calories: 314 Calories

Total Fat: 12.9g

Cholesterol: 66.4mg

Carbohydrates: 21.4g

Fiber: 5.3g

Sugar: 0.8g

Protein: 27.5g

All images and text ©Carrian Cheney for Oh Sweet Basil.

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

About the author

Carrian Cheney

Lover of all things beautiful, good and delicious. Wife, mother, friend, foodie.

Source: https://ohsweetbasil.com/mexican-cheesy-ground-beef-and-rice-casserole-quick-and-easy-dinner-idea-recipe/

[dohwanyc]

Can You Freeze Cottage Cheese

Dairy products, specifically soft cheeses like cottage or the ricotta cheese, can become rancid fast and spoil more easily than other foods. If you keep it in your pantry, it could decrease in quality quicker.

Also, it is crucial to determine right now if buying and freezing popular dairy products is sensible. Can you freeze cottage cheese? This guide will help you determine which method of doing so is. While you can store cottage cheese in a freezer however, it will not last longer than butter. The only way that cottage cheese is utilized is in a limited way. Let's take a look at the finer points.

Can You Freeze Cottage Cheese?

This is the simplest response to your query. It is a fantastic method of preserving the natural qualities of cheese for a prolonged time. But, this doesn't mean that you can store it for a long time with the help of freezing. Even if it is stored in the freezer it will eventually turn bad.

Why would you want to freeze cottage cheese? It's done to prolong its shelf-life. Experts suggest freezing cheese in case you don't intend to use it before. The cheese can be stored for up to 6 months, in the majority of cases. It will differ based on the type of cheese and whether or it was opened.

Cottage cheese can be frozen. However, it's unadvisable if you intend to make use of it in future recipes. After the defrosting process, cottage cheese may turn watery and separate. While you may be able to solve the problem through mixing it to re-mix it but the texture won't be as smooth that it was the day you purchased it.

It is best to store cottage cheese that has big curds or full fat, rather than alternatives that are low fat/fat-free, that are less solid. Cottage cheese that is frozen is ideal to cook with. It is a favorite to use in soups, sauces, and various other meals cooked.

What to do to freeze Cottage Cheese

It's more complicated than just putting some cottage cheese into the freezer before declaring it good. Cottage cheese is a good freezer? They can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 5 months if you manage it correctly. The items you'll require:

Ziploc bag/freezer bags

Glass containers

Pen with waterproof ink

Now let's move on to the steps to the freezing of cottage cheese.

1. Select the Right Type

This is something I can't not emphasize enough. That's why it is important to select the correct cottage cheese. It will not perform if you select low-calorie, low fat, as well as dairy-free cottage-cheeses. Full-fat versions are better to preserve flavor.

Cottage cheese that has a higher fat content is more moist. The result is that cottage cheese becomes more creamy and thicker. It also has less liquid. The longer the duration of the liquid the less volume. Find cottage cheeses that have big curds and a lot of fat.

2. Portion Size

Prepare your cottage cheese so that it is easier for you to incorporate it into various recipes. Cottage cheese isn't necessary in every recipe. Many recipes call for just half a cup. It's a smart idea to store various portions of food in different Ziploc bags.

3. Bags or containers

It is entirely a personal choice. Containers are a good option when your freezer is big. The majority of us don't possess the privilege of additional space.

Ziploc bags are extremely popular to freeze liquids. They take up small spaces and require little cleaning. Once you've taken the cottage cheese from the bag, you are able to just throw it out.

4. Please Note The Date

It's good to keep cottage cheese stored at the fridge for more than a month. You could use a water-resistant marker pen to mark the date you stored within the freezer.

Even if they haven't been thought of for a long time and months, this report will tell you if it's safe to eat or to throw away. This is all there is! It's that easy. It will take less than 5 minutes.

Thawing frozen Cottage Cheese

It is necessary to remove the frozen cottage cheese prior to being able to make use of it. This can be accomplished by a variety of methods.

Place it in the fridge to chill for one or two hours. This is the ideal method to defrost it as it's the most secure.

Just take the containers or bags that you intend to use prior to time and then put them in the refrigerator for a few hours to allow them to thaw overnight.

Coldwater. It's always possible to make use of the colder water option to refill up your containers with cottage cheese that has been frozen if you're in a rush.

Depending on how big portions are, it could be as long as an hour.

It is also possible to freeze it to cook. It is possible to use frozen cottage cheese for sauces, soups or other cooked dishes by adding it directly into the pot or pan without having to wait for it to defrost.

Factors to consider when freezing Cottage Cheese

The food may affect the taste of food by freezing it or the process of defrosting cottage cheese. It could change the texture and texture in the meal. We don't advise eating cottage cheese that has been frozen however, it can be utilized in many dishes to ensure it's not wasted.

Before you begin with cottage cheese be sure that it's not gone bad. Cottage cheese is usually recognized as having yellowing and may appear less fresh. It could be damp, and smell, and also have some spots of water that begin to split.

A good option is like we mentioned earlier to buy full-fat cottage cheese. Alternative options aren't able to be frozen either. It is possible to freeze low-fat and dairy-free cottage cheese.

Conclusion

It's easy for you to freeze cottage cheese So this is the short answer. It's simple and easy. It is essential that food items are frozen properly and properly defrosted so that it retains its texture and moistness.

Cottage cheese will retain some of its nutritional and health benefits even after being frozen. This makes it an excellent option for meal preparation.

It may not taste exactly the same when frozen, but it's perfect for other dishes such as casseroles and stews.

View more: https://www.dohwanyc.com/can-you-freeze-cottage-cheese/

[juilojio753]

Crock pot potato soup. This savory crock pot potato soup recipe is the perfect loaded potato soup. We tested a lot of potato soup recipes over the last several monts and THIS one. If you like loading your baked potatoes will all those delish dairy ingredients, then you'll love this soup recipe, too!

A crock pot is a crock pot to me, even if it's not a Crock Pot. This easy crockpot potato soup recipe comes out so thick and creamy every time! We top ours off with bacon, cheddar, and green onions for the Luckily, we both like this crockpot potato soup recipe because it's super filling and hearty!

Hello everybody, it is me again, Dan, welcome to my recipe page. Today, we're going to prepare a special dish, crock pot potato soup. It is one of my favorites food recipes. This time, I'm gonna make it a bit tasty. This will be really delicious.

This savory crock pot potato soup recipe is the perfect loaded potato soup. We tested a lot of potato soup recipes over the last several monts and THIS one. If you like loading your baked potatoes will all those delish dairy ingredients, then you'll love this soup recipe, too!

Crock pot potato soup is one of the most well liked of recent trending meals in the world. It is easy, it's fast, it tastes delicious. It's enjoyed by millions daily. They're fine and they look wonderful. Crock pot potato soup is something that I've loved my whole life.

To get started with this recipe, we must prepare a few components. You can cook crock pot potato soup using 7 ingredients and 3 steps. Here is how you can achieve that.

The ingredients needed to make Crock pot potato soup:

{Prepare 1 bag (30 ounce) of frozen potatoes.

{Get 1 can (32 ounce) of chicken broth.

{Take 1 can of cream of chicken soup.

{Get 1 package of cream cheese.

{Take 1/2 cup of diced bacon.

{Make ready 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese.

{Get 1 packet of hidden valley ranch powder.

Plus I add bacon and the man never complains when bacon is. Easy Crockpot / Slow cooker Potato Soup. CLICK Show More to see the entire description!! Crock-Pot Potato Soup will warm you through the winter months.

Instructions to make Crock pot potato soup:

Put the potatoes, soup, broth, and half of the bacon in the crock pot, set it on low for 7 to 8 hours.

On the last hour dice up the cream cheese and stir in. Once it is melted, serve with shredded cheddar cheese and more bacon. Enjoy,.

Update...I started using the frozen potatoes with the peppers and onions in them, and added a few packages of hidden valley ranch powder.....nice upgrade!.

We love using Yukon gold potatoes for potato soup as they are creamy and make for the best texture in the soup. Russets are also great because they mash well and their starch will help further thicken the soup! No matter what time of year it is, I always have room in my life for a big bowl of creamy potato soup. And for whatever reasons, my cravings for it this week were at their peak. Maybe it's because I'm perpetually dreaming of fall weather.

So that's going to wrap this up with this special food crock pot potato soup recipe. Thanks so much for reading. I am confident that you can make this at home. There's gonna be interesting food in home recipes coming up. Remember to save this page on your browser, and share it to your loved ones, friends and colleague. Thanks again for reading. Go on get cooking!

[ketoeasyrecipes]

quick an easy dinner recipes

Quick an easy dinner recipes are completely indispensable. That's why this collection of 19 Easy Dinner Recipes for Every Day of the Year is a great recipe resource to have in the kitchen.

quick an easy dinner recipes

1. Quick & Easy Mini Garlic Toast Pizzas

If you like pizza, how can you go wrong with a garlic toast crust? This 3 ingredient quick an easy dinner recipes is so simple, even the kids can make it. 

quick an easy dinner recipes

INGREDIENTS

frozen garlic toast

pizza sauce

shredded mozzarella cheese

toppings of your choice (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

Bake the garlic toast according to the package directions, but pull it out of the oven about 2 minutes before it's finished. 

Top the almost-done garlic toast with pizza sauce, cheese and the toppings of your choice (use the sauce very sparingly, otherwise the middle can get soggy).

Place back in the oven on the broil setting for 2-4 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and starts to brown. 

NOTES

Because you will most likely only use half of a small jar of pizza sauce, go ahead and buy 2 packages of garlic toast so that you can enjoy these mini pizzas again on another night.

NOTES

Also try this 14 Healthy Recipes to Lose Weight

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quick an easy dinner recipes

2. Crockpot Ranch Pork Chops and Potatoes

Crockpot Ranch Pork Chops and Potatoes is a super quick an easy dinner recipes. Just drop everything in your slow cooker and forget about it. Slow cooker pork chops will be a new family favorite!

quick an easy dinner recipes

INGREDIENTS

3 Lbs Red Potatoes - quartered

6 (3/4 inch) Boneless Pork Chops (or bone-in if available)

1/2 Cup Olive Oil

2 Tablespoons Dry Ranch Seasoning

2 teaspoons Apple Cider Vinegar

2 Tablespoons Butter - cubed

INSTRUCTIONS

Sear pork chops in oiled skillet over medium/high heat. (optional)

Mix oil, ranch and apple cider vinegar.

Place potatoes and pork chops into slow cooker. Pour ranch mixture over the top and toss to coat potatoes and chops evenly.

Top with butter cubes.

Cooking on high heat for approximately 3 hours. On low, 5-6 hours. Salt/Pepper to taste.

NOTES

Some readers have expressed that this dish was not flavorful enough. If you prefer extra flavor follow the tips below:

Sear pork chops

Increase dry ranch mix amount to 4 Tablespoons

Add 1 chopped sweet onion and 8 whole garlic cloves to potatoes

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quick an easy dinner recipes

3. Baked Ranch Pork Chops

Baked Ranch Pork Chops are a quick, inexpensive and quick an easy dinner recipes. The entire family will love these pork chops, perfect for weeknight dinner.

quick an easy dinner recipes

INGREDIENTS

6 Boneless Pork Chops (3/4″ thick)

1/4 Cup Oil

2 Tablespoons (1 oz packet) Dry Ranch Mix

1 teaspoon Dried Parsley (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 425ºF.

Place pork chops onto greased rimmed baking sheet.

Mix oil, ranch mix and parsley.

Spoon mixture over chops.

Bake for 30 minutes then broil on high for 5 minutes or until desired doneness.

NOTES

I cook my pork chops well done. If you prefer your chops less done, begin checking after 20 minutes and cook to desired doneness.

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quick an easy dinner recipes

4. Crock Pot Chicken and Stuffing

This Chicken and Stuffing quick an easy dinner recipes can be made in the Crock Pot or the Instant Pot. Serve it casserole style or with gravy and mashed potatoes!

quick an easy dinner recipes

INGREDIENTS

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts,

1.5 Tablespoons Italian Seasoning

Salt/Pepper

10.5 oz. cream of chicken soup,, low sodium

8 oz. sour cream,, (equivalent to 1 cup)

6 oz. box stuffing mix

¾ cup low sodium chicken broth

2 cups fresh green beans, See notes

Optional stuffing additions:

1/2 cup onions,, diced

1/2 cup celery,, diced

1/4 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup crumbled sausage,, (cooked or raw)

2 teaspoons dry rosemary

INSTRUCTIONS

Season the chicken with Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Place on the bottom of a lightly greased Crock Pot.

In a large bowl, mix together the soup, sour cream, stuffing, and *half* of the chicken broth. Layer the stuffing mix over the chicken.

Add the green beans.

Cook on high for 4 hours, or on low for 6-7. 

Optional: Serve with gravy and mashed potatoes if desired.

If you’d prefer additional moisture, add the rest of the chicken broth, stir, and heat for an additional 10 minutes.

For firmer stuffing, leave the lid off the crock pot for the last 30-40 minutes of cooking. Use foil to cover the chicken to keep it moist.

You can also pop it in a 400 degree oven for 10-15 minutes to brown up the top.

Optional: Serve with gravy and mashed potatoes if desired.

Instant Pot Method

Season the chicken with Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.

Pour 3/4 cup chicken broth into the Instant Pot and top with chicken, overlapping as needed.

Seal the vent, and press the “manual” or “pressure cook” button and set the timer to 14 minutes for frozen chicken, or 8 minutes for fresh/defrosted chicken. Ensure the pressure seal valve is secured in place and closed. 

As the chicken cooks, gently combine the stuffing, cream of chicken soup, and the sour cream until just combined. Don’t over-mix.

Once the chicken timer goes off, turn the quick release valve on the pressure cooker and wait for the steam to escape. Press the cancel button to turn the off the unit.

Open the lid and ensure that chicken is fully cooked. You’ll notice a lot of moisture at the bottom, this is needed for the stuffing to cook.

If using frozen green beans, place them on top of the chicken, seal the pressure valve, and press the “manual” or “pressure cook” button again and set the timer for 2 minutes. Release the valve, let the steam escape, and then add the stuffing on top. (If using fresh green beans, add them at the same time as the stuffing.)

Replace the lid and seal the pressure valve. Press the “manual” or “pressure cook” button and set the timer to 4 minutes. This will heat up the stuffing. (Since the stuffing will absorb the moisture, the pressure cooker won’t steam again.)

Once finished, release the valve once more and let the steal escape. Remove and serve!

NOTES

Frozen green beans may also be used but become very soft in the Crock Pot by the end. You may choose to add them halfway through.

If you prefer to keep your vegetables separate from the stuffing, place a layer of foil over the chicken and stuffing.

This will allow you to lift up and remove the green beans and give the stuffing a stir if you'd like, while also keeping them separate from one another.

Poking holes in the foil allows the green beans to steam in the Crock Pot.

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quick an easy dinner recipes

5. Pesto Chicken Pull Apart Sliders

These easy to make, pesto chicken pull apart sliders are the perfect quick an easy dinner recipes – and the leftover sliders are amazing for lunch the next day! 

quick an easy dinner recipes

INGREDIENTS

9 Slider Rolls, or tray buns

1/4 cup Pesto

2 cups Cooked Shredded Chicken

1 cup Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

2 tablespoons Butter, melted

1/2 teaspoon Garlic Salt

1 teaspoon Dried Parsley

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly spray an 8x8-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

Slice the dinner rolls in half, if they are pull apart rolls you can leave them stuck together and slice them all at the same time. Place the bottom halves into the prepared baking dish.

Spread the pesto sauce over the bottom halves of the dinner rolls. Spread the chopped chicken on top of the pesto, and sprinkle the mozzarella cheese over the chicken. Cover with the top halves of the dinner rolls.

In a small bowl, whisk together the butter, garlic salt and parsley. Brush this mixture over top of the sliders and cover the whole dish tightly with aluminum foil. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted. Serve warm.

NOTES

For the rolls, I used these dinner rolls.

If you use that recipe, make the rolls a bit smaller then called for, using 2 ounces of dough per roll, which will give you 18 rolls total. 

The baking time is the same, and the baked rolls freeze beautifully. 

If you bake them in 8x8-inch baking dishes instead of on a sheet pan (make sure to grease the dishes!) then they will be ready to proceed with this slider recipe, and will fit in the dish perfectly. Alternatively, you can use store-bought tray buns for this recipe.

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quick an easy dinner recipes

6. Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta

This Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta couldn't be any more delicious if it tried! Better still, it makes the perfect quick an easy dinner recipes. Serves 4 big portions, 5 modest.

quick an easy dinner recipes

INGREDIENTS

Chicken

2x 9oz/250g Chicken Breasts

1 tbsp each: Lime Juice, Olive Oil, Cajun Seasoning

1/2 tsp Salt

1/4 tsp Black Pepper

Pasta

10.5oz/300g Penne

1 cup / 250ml Double/Heavy Cream, at room temp

1 cup / 250ml Chicken Stock

3.5oz / 100g Button Mushrooms, sliced

1.7oz / 50g Parmesan, plus extra to serve

2 tbsp Unsalted Butter

1 heaped tbsp Fresh Parsley, finely diced (plus extra to serve)

1 tbsp Cajun Seasoning

1 heaped tsp Garlic, minced/finely diced

2 small Peppers, finely diced

1 medium Onion, finely diced

Salt & Black Pepper, to taste

Olive Oil, as needed

Lime Juice, to serve (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

Butterfly your 2 chicken breasts right through to make 4 even sized breasts (see video for guidance). Combine in a zip lock bag (or bowl with cling film) with 1 tbsp oil, 1 tbsp lime juice and 1 tbsp cajun seasoning, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Marinate for as long as you have time for (up to overnight). If you're pushed for time just rest at room temp as you prep the other ingredients.

Bring chicken to room temp if marinaded in fridge and fry over medium-high heat until nicely charred on each side and white through the centre. Rest on a chopping board until needed, then slice into thin strips just before adding to pasta.

Meanwhile, pop 10.5oz/300g pasta in salted boiling water and cook until al dente. Save a cup of starchy pasta water before draining.

Fry 3.5oz/100g mushrooms until soft in leftover oil from the chicken (or more as needed). Add 2 peppers and 1 onion and continue frying until golden. Add 1 heaped tsp garlic and fry for a couple mins longer. Add 1 tbsp Cajun Seasoning, fry for a minute, then melt in 2 tbsp butter.

Pour in 1 cup/250ml chicken stock, bring to a gentle simmer, then pour in 1 cup/250ml cream. Allow to simmer (stirring occasionally) until it begins to thicken. Add 1.7oz/50g parmesan, 1 tbsp parsley and seasoning to taste. Add pasta and chicken, then stir until evenly combined and the sauce thickened (add a splash of starchy pasta water if you need to thin out the sauce).

Serve with extra parmesan/parsley and a squeeze of lime juice (optional). 

NOTES

Marinating - even just 20mins goes a long way, but if you're really pushed for time then just coat in the marinade and fry right away. I recommend bringing the chicken at least close to room temp so it doesn't seize up and go chewy.

Spice - different cajun seasonings will have varying spice levels. If you're not too good with spice, I recommend starting with a tsp in the pasta and adjusting accordingly.

Pasta - feel free to sub the penne for your pasta of choice!

Leftovers - I recommend reheating it in the pan with a splash of milk to help bring the sauce back to life. Microwave will work, but the cream may turn slightly greasy. Either way just make sure the chicken is piping hot.

Calories - based on sharing between 4, no extra olive or cheese/parsley.

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quick an easy dinner recipes

8. Chicken Scampi with Garlic Parmesan Rice

A quick an easy dinner recipes skillet with tender chicken scampi over perfectly cooked buttery, garlic parmesan rice.

quick an easy dinner recipes

INGREDIENTS

1 lb. chicken tenderloins

Salt and pepper

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 stick butter (1/2 cup)

2 tablespoons minced garlic*

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 1/2 cups uncooked white rice

3 cups chicken broth

1/2 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese

INSTRUCTIONS

How to cook Chicken Scampi with Garlic Parmesan Rice

Season chicken with salt and pepper to taste and garlic powder. Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large nonstick skillet. Sauté chicken tenderloins until nicely browned and just cooked through. Remove chicken from skillet, cover chicken then set aside.

Add butter, garlic, pepper flakes and 1/2 teaspoon of salt to the skillet then sauté garlic for 3 minutes (do not let the garlic burn or become too brown).

Increase skillet temperature to medium-high then add white wine. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon to emulsify the wine into the butter. Cook and stir for approximately 5 minutes or until mixture is reduced by half. Remove and set aside 2 tablespoons of pan sauce to use later.

Add rice to skillet with remaining butter sauce then stir and cook for 3-4 minutes or until rice starts to brown just a little. Add chicken broth and remaining 1 teaspoon of salt. Bring mixture to a low boil then reduce heat to medium-low, cover pan then cook for 20 minutes or until rice is tender. Stir once or twice the first 15 minutes of cooking but not more than that.

Sprinkle parmesan over rice then arrange chicken tenders in skillet over rice. Drizzle reserved 2 tablespoons of pan sauce over chicken tenders. Cover, remove from heat then let stand for 5 minutes. Garnish dish with more parmesan and chopped fresh parsley if desired.

NOTES

Definitely use FRESH minced garlic in this recipe. The stuff in the jar just isn’t the same.

I really don’t think you should substitute anything for the white wine but if you must, combine 1 tablespoon lemon juice with additional chicken broth to measure 1/2 cup.

Feel free to use shrimp instead of chicken!

I don't know if this can be made with Minute rice or brown rice because I've never cooked either type of rice.

I don't know how this could be converted to a slow cooker recipe.

Since folks often ask, I don’t use any particular brand or variety of wine. I most often use chardonnay because that’s what I tend to have but pinot grigio and sauvignon blanc are great too.

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quick an easy dinner recipes

9. Marry Me Chicken

Marry Me Chicken. Famous skillet chicken in a sundried tomato parmesan cream sauce with fresh basil. It will definitely inspire marriage proposals! 

quick an easy dinner recipes

INGREDIENTS

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

3-4 Large Chicken Breasts

Salt

Pepper

2 cloves Garlic (minced)

1 teaspoon Thyme

1 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes (may add only 1/2 teaspoon for less spice)

3/4 cup Chicken Broth

1/2 cup Heavy Cream

1/2 cup Sundried Tomatoes (chopped)

1/4 - 1/2 cup Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese

Fresh Basil

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  In a large oven-safe skillet heat oil over medium-high heat.  Season chicken generously with salt and pepper and sear until golden, about 4-5 minutes per side.  Transfer chicken to a plate. 

Return skillet to medium heat.  Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Stir in thyme, red pepper flakes, chicken broth, and heavy cream.  Cook for 5 minutes, stirring often.  Stir in sundried tomatoes and parmesan cheese.  

Return chicken to skillet and spoon sauce all over the chicken breasts.  Bake until chicken is cooked through -- about 15-18 minutes.  Garnish with basil and grated parmesan cheese, if so desired. 

NOTES

Also try this 14 Simple Meal Plan to Lose Weight

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quick an easy dinner recipes

10. Chicken and Rice Casserole

This simple and easy Chicken Rice Casserole makes an elegant and tasty dinner. Made with onions, carrots, basmati rice, and chicken, you won’t believe how delicious this meal is!

quick an easy dinner recipes

INGREDIENTS

1 lb. Boneless, skinless chicken thighs

1 cup Basmati rice

3 tbsp. Olive oil

1 Onion medium

2 Carrots medium

2 cups Chicken broth

1 tsp. Favorite Chicken Seasoning* (or to taste)

1 tsp. Salt and pepper, to taste** (or to taste)

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the oven to 450 °F.

In a large skillet, sauté the chopped onion with olive oil over medium-high heat for about 3 minutes. Add the carrots and cook for another 3 minutes.

Add the chicken and season it with salt, pepper, and your favorite chicken seasoning (Mrs. Dash Original Seasoning, Taco Seasoning, Old Bay Seasoning, etc.). Cook the chicken for 5-7 minutes.

Transfer the chicken to a medium casserole dish and add the rice and chicken broth. Stir well.

Cover the casserole with foil and bake for 40 minutes.

NOTES

Mrs. Dash Original Seasoning, Taco Seasoning, Old Bay Seasoning, etc. 

Depending on how salty your chicken broth is, you may need more or less salt.

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quick an easy dinner recipes

11. Instant Pot Chicken Fried Rice

Instant Pot Chicken Fried Rice is a fast and easy one-pot meal. With simple ingredients like rice, chicken, egg, carrots and peas, your family will love this savoury recipe! Perfect for a weeknight dinner or meal prep lunch!

quick an easy dinner recipes

INGREDIENTS

2 teaspoons vegetable oil, divided

2 eggs, whisked

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 1/4 cup chicken broth

1 lb uncooked chicken breast, 1/2-inch dice

1 cup diced carrots

1 1/2 cups uncooked jasmine rice, rinsed very well until water runs clear (see notes 1 and 2 for important tips)

1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed

3-4 tablespoons soy sauce or wheat-free tamari (adjust to taste)

1 teaspoon sesame oil

FOR GARNISH

sliced green onion (optional)

hot sauce, sriracha pairs well (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

Turn on the Sauté function on the Instant Pot. Warm 1 teaspoon of the vegetable oil, then add the whisked eggs. Push the eggs around with a spatula to scramble them until fully cooked. Transfer the eggs to a plate and set aside. It's okay if there's a bit of egg stuck to the bottom of the insert.

Heat another teaspoon of vegetable oil in the insert and add the minced garlic. Sauté the garlic until fragrant (about a minute), stirring frequently. Turn off the Sauté function, then pour in a small amount of chicken broth and use a spatula to scrape up every last bit of food stuck to the bottom of the insert. This is important to avoid a burn warning.

Pour in the remaining broth, then add the diced chicken, diced carrots and rice (in this order). Push the rice down to be just submerged in the broth, but do not stir.

Close and seal the lid and cook on Manual high pressure for 3 minutes, with the keep warming setting off. At the end of cooking time, allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes, then quick release the remaining pressure.

Remove the lid, then add the soy sauce and sesame oil and stir until the rice is well coated. Add the peas and reserved scrambled egg and continue to mix until well combined. Set the lid askew on the pot for a minute or two to let the peas and egg to warm through. Serve immediately with your chosen garnish or divide among 4 storage containers for meal prep. Eat within 4 days.

NOTES

Be sure to rinse the rice very well. I find the easiest way to do this is swirl the rice in a bowl of water until the water is cloudy, drain in a sieve and rinse. Repeat this process until the water is clear when you swirl. The goal is to remove as much starch as possible to prevent a sticky result.  

For best results, I highly recommend a good quality jasmine rice. I find generic long grain white rice results in a mushier texture. If you use basmati, I suggest adding an extra minute of cook time (4 minutes total). Brown rice will not work in this recipe, as it requires a much longer cook time. 

Inactive time indicates time for the Instant Pot to come to pressure and release pressure.

This recipe was tested in a 6-qt Instant Pot model. 

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quick an easy dinner recipes

12. 20-minute Chicken Ramen Stir-Fry

This quick an easy dinner recipes for a 20 minute stir-fry with chicken, broccoli, and ramen noodles. It's also totally adaptable. Don't eat chicken? Cubed tofu works great! Have other vegetables you prefer or need to use - swap them out for broccoli.

quick an easy dinner recipes

INGREDIENTS

Sauce:

1/4 cup Low-Sodium Soy Sauce

1 Tbsp Cornstarch

1/4 cup Low-Sodium Chicken Stock

1 Tbsp Rice Vinegar

2 Tbsp Brown Sugar

3 cloves Garlic, chopped

Stir-Fry:

6 oz Ramen Noodles (Instant Ramen works best, but discard flavor packets)

2 Tbsp Cooking Oil, divided

1 lb Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast, chopped

8 oz Broccoli Florets, fresh or frozen

2 Green Onions, chopped (optional)

1 Tbsp White Sesame Seeds (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the soy sauce and cornstarch until no lumps remain. Add chicken stock, rice vinegar, brown sugar, and garlic and whisk until evenly combined.

Heat a pot or bowl of water in the microwave or on the stove until steaming. Add noodles and set let them soak until just tender. (Check the package instructions for the recommended timing.) When the noodles are tender, drain.

While noodles soak, toss chicken with some salt and pepper.

Heat a wok or non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 Tbsp oil and then chicken. Saute until chicken is cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes. Set chicken aside.

Return wok to medium-high heat. Add 1 Tbsp oil and then broccoli. Saute broccoli until it turns bright green and then continue cooking until broccoli is tender (if using frozen broccoli, just saute it until it's heated through and the excess water cooks off).

Add sauce to the pan and toss to coat broccoli. Continue cooking until sauce reduces slightly, 1 to 2 minutes.

Add chicken and noodles to the pan and toss everything to coat in sauce.

Remove form heat and add green onions and sesame seeds, if using. Serve immediately!

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quick an easy dinner recipes

13. Authentic Pasta Carbonara

Authentic Pasta Carbonara is easy to make, full of bacon flavor, and smothered in a cheesy egg sauce that will make you crave more.

quick an easy dinner recipes

INGREDIENTS

1 pound spaghetti pasta

1 tablespoon salt

1 pound thick cut bacon or pancetta diced

4 egg yolks

2 whole eggs

1 1/2 cups grated pecorino romano cheese divided

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley to garnish

INSTRUCTIONS

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and season with salt. Cook pasta according to package directions. Reserve 1 1/2 cups of the pasta water before draining.

In a large saucepan, cook bacon (or pancetta) over medium heat until crisp, about 7 to 10 minutes. Drain fat from bacon, reserving just 2 tablespoons of the grease.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together egg yolks, eggs, and 1 cup pecorino romano cheese.

Toss drained pasta with cooked bacon, and 2 tablespoons of bacon grease. Pour egg mixture in, along with reserved pasta water and toss together with pasta 2 minutes.

Serve hot topped with remaining cheese, freshly ground pepper, and parsley to garnish.

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quick an easy dinner recipes

14. Baked Southwest Chicken Casserole

This Baked Southwest Chicken Casseole is the perfect mix of Tex-mex flavors. Pair this meal with rice, tortillas or a side salad for a wholesome meal.

quick an easy dinner recipes

INGREDIENTS

2 lbs chicken breasts boneless, skinless

1 cup black beans rinsed and drained

1 cup corn see note

1 can diced green chiles

1/2 red bell pepper diced

1/4 cup cilantro chopped

1 cup colby jack cheese shredded

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

Mix the garlic powder, cumin, salt and pepper and set aside.

Combine the corn, black beans, green chiles, red bell pepper, and chopped cilantro and mix well.

In a large casserole dish, lay the chicken breast flat in the baking dish.  Sprinkle with seasonings, then spread the corn mixture evenly over it. Add cheese to top it off.

Bake uncovered at 375˚F for 40-50 minutes or until the chicken has an internal temperature of 160˚F. If the cheese starts to get too brown for your liking, loosely cover with foil for the remainder of the cook time.

Serve warm and enjoy!

NOTES

You can cut the chicken in half, chunks, or use chicken tenderloins in lieu of full chicken breasts to make serving easier. You can also use different cuts of boneless, skinless chicken such as thighs or wings however if the cut of meat is changed, cooking time may be varied.

Fresh cooked corn, thawed frozen corn, or drained canned corn can be used in this recipe.

Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container for 3-4 days in the refrigerator or in the freezer for up to a month.

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quick an easy dinner recipes

15. Chicken Bacon Ranch Wraps

These cool and creamy Chicken Bacon Ranch Wraps are a super quick an easy dinner recipes option!

quick an easy dinner recipes

INGREDIENTS

4 large tortillas

8 oz. deli sliced chicken breast

8 strips thick cut bacon, cooked crisp

2 cups lettuce leaves

1/2 cup diced tomatoes

4 tbsp ranch dressing

INSTRUCTIONS

Lay tortilla out on plate, top with 1/2 cup lettuce leaves in center of tortilla. Top with 2 tbsp diced tomatoes, 1 tbsp ranch dressing, 2 strips cooked bacon and 2 oz chicken breast.

Roll up tortilla tightly and cut in half. Enjoy!

NOTES

Try adding sliced avocado to make the wrap extra creamy!

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quick an easy dinner recipes

16. Easy Cilantro Lime Chicken

Cilantro Lime Chicken recipe, classic flavors in this quick easy chicken dinner! cook it on the grill, in a skillet, or in the oven. Keto, Paleo, Whole30.

quick an easy dinner recipes

INGREDIENTS

8 Boneless skinless chicken thighs , about 2lb

MARINADE

1 cup cilantro leaves, packed , measure un-chopped leaves, about 1/2 bunch

1 tsp lime zest

1/4 cup lime juice , about 3 limes

3 cloves garlic , chopped

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

3 tbsp olive oil

Garnish

cilantro leaves

lime wedges

INSTRUCTIONS

Add all the marinade ingredients to a blender, and pulse until smooth.

Place the chicken pieces in a bowl or ziplock bag and add in the marinade and ensure that the chicken is evenly coated.

Let it marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes or up to 4 hours.

Stove Top Method

Heat a cast iron grill pan on a medium high heat and brush with olive oil

Grill each piece of chicken for about 5 minutes per side or until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F, check using a digital meat thermometer. (I do not recommend this method for cooking bone in thighs, use the oven or the grill.)

Oven Baked Method

Preheat your oven to 375°F

Bake the marinated boneless skinless chicken thighs for 25-30 minutes, Bone in thighs usually take about 45 minutes to cook.

Check that they are fully cooked to an internal temperature of 165°F by using a digital meat thermometer.

Grilling Method

Sear the chicken pieces for about two to three minutes per side over the hottest part of the grill first.

You may need to move the chicken to the less hot part off the grill to finish cooking it, especially if you are using bone in thighs as they will take longer to cook than boneless skinless or pounded thin chicken breast and may burn before they are fully cooked if left over the hottest part of the grill.

Boneless skinless thighs may take about 4-5 mins per side to cook, bone in thighs can take up to 15 minutes per side.

Check that it is fully cooked to an internal temperature of 165°F using a digital meat thermometer.

NOTES

Nutrition – Serving size is one boneless skinless chicken thigh, net carbs are less than 1g per serving. 

Marinate Time – For best results try to marinate it for at least thirty minutes or up to four hour. 

Storage – cooked cilantro lime chicken will keep in the fridge in an airtight container for three to four days.

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quick an easy dinner recipes

17. One Pot Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Rice

One Pot Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Rice is a quick & easy skillet dinner! Chicken, rice, broccoli, and shredded cheese cook up in one pot for a family favorite quick an easy dinner recipes.

quick an easy dinner recipes

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (cut into small, bite-sized pieces)

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 cup uncooked basmati OR long-grain rice

2 1/2 cups chicken broth

1 bag (12 oz) frozen steamable broccoli (about 2 cups chopped broccoli)

2 cups shredded Colby Jack cheese

INSTRUCTIONS

In a 12-inch skillet pan (make sure it has a lid) heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add in the chunked, bite-sized chicken, and sprinkle with salt & pepper. Cook 4-6 minutes, stirring frequently, until chicken is mostly non-pink in the middle. 

Add rice and chicken broth. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, cover with lid, and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for 12-15 minutes or until water is absorbed and rice is cooked. 

While rice and chicken is simmering, cook the microwaveable broccoli in the microwave following the instructions on package. Once done, chop up the broccoli into smaller pieces, if wanted. 

When rice is done cooking, add broccoli and 1 cup of the cheese into the skillet pan. Stir together. Top with the remaining 1 cup shredded cheese and cover with the lid. Let cook for about 2 more minutes or until cheese is melted. 

Serve immediately. 

NOTES

You can use long-grain white rice instead of the basmati. I just love basmati rice because it cooks up perfectly and is always no-fail. 

If you don't want to use the 12 oz bag of microwaveable broccoli, simply cook fresh broccoli in a pot, and then chop it and add it to the skillet pan. Using the microwaveable broccoli makes it so easy and quick. 

I like to drain some of the water/chicken juices that are in the pan after cooking the chicken. You don't have to, but I like to. 

If your chicken breasts are big then only use 2. 

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quick an easy dinner recipes

18. Chicken Alfredo Lasagna Roll Ups

These Chicken Alfredo Lasagna Roll Ups are all of the flavors of classic Chicken Alfredo rolled up into lasagna noodles to make easy lasagna rolls. A simple weeknight quick an easy dinner recipes that the whole family will love.

quick an easy dinner recipes

INGREDIENTS

10 Lasagna Noodles

3 cups Chicken , cooked and shredded

16 ounces Ricotta Cheese

1 teaspoon Salt

1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning

½ teaspoon Onion powder

½ teaspoon Garlic powder

1.5 cups Alfredo Sauce, jarred

2 cups Mozzarella , shredded

1 cup Parmesan , shredded

INSTRUCTIONS

Bring a pot of water to a boil.

Add lasagna noodles and cook according to package instructions until al dente.

Drain water from the pot and place noodles on a flat surface. (I suggest using a piece of parchment paper).

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl combine shredded chicken, ricotta cheese, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning.

With the lasagna noodles on a flat surface spread 3 ounces of the chicken mixture on each noodle. Leave 1/3 of the noodle bare.

Top the chicken mixture with 1-2 tablespoons of Alfredo sauce.

Starting at the end of the noodle roll it up, rolling towards the bare end of the noodle.

Add 1/4 cup of Alfredo sauce to the bottom of a casserole dish.

Place each lasagna roll up into the casserole dish.

Pour the remaining Alfredo sauce over the lasagna roll ups.

Top with shredded mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.

Cover dish with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes.

After 20 minutes remove the aluminum foil and continue to bake for 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbling.

Enjoy!

NOTES

You can save time by using rotisserie chicken for your shredded chicken.

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quick an easy dinner recipes

19. Easy Taco Mac

This Easy Taco Mac is a quick one pan, 30 minute meal packed with taco meat, noodles and cheese!

quick an easy dinner recipes

INGREDIENTS

1 pound ground turkey or beef

1 (10 ounce) can tomatoes with green chiliesl, undrained

1 cup broth (chicken or beef broth)

1 cup milk

1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce

1 (1 ounce) package taco seasoning

1 1/2 cup elbow noodles (I use Barilla gluten free elbows)

1 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

INSTRUCTIONS

In a large skillet brown the ground turkey or ground beef over medium heat, drain off any grease.

Add the undrained can of Ro-Tel, broth, milk, tomato sauce and taco seasoning.

Increase heat to medium high until the mixture begins to simmer.

Stir in noodles and reduce heat to low, cover and allow to cook for 15-20 minutes.

When noodles are tender stir in shredded cheddar cheese.

I used Barilla gluten free elbows and my cooking time is exactly 18 minutes

NOTES

Also try this  Keto Dinner Recipes!

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quick an easy dinner recipes

[ketoconnect]

Keto Staples

          Top 20 Keto Staples from the Experts

The keto diet has helped thousands of people improve their health and lose weight, but if you’re just starting out, something as simple as grocery shopping can seem scary. We’ve asked bunch of keto experts to to dish the details on their keto staples.

Check out how these keto veterans stock their keto kitchens in the video and blog post below.

What are the staples of a keto diet?

Keto Staples will vary from person to person, but there are a few things you will almost always see on a keto grocery list: High fat foods, good sources of protein and some low-carb vegetablesThe HUGE list of keto friendly foods.The keto food pyramid starts with a solid base of healthy fats like tallow, lard, extra virgin olive oil, and coconut oil. Moving up the pyramid you have fatty cuts of meat like beef, bacon, chicken legs, and eggs. As you get higher, you will see vegetables like broccoli, lettuce, spinach, and cauliflower – veggies that are high-fiber and low in carbs. Near the narrow top of the pyramid are things like nuts, berries, and keto treats.

What groceries should I buy on keto?

When starting the keto diet, it’s best to find a few low-carb meals you enjoy eating. When you’re excited to eat delicious food, it makes sticking to a diet so much easier. Things like Keto Taco Casserole, Easy Bacon Chili, or Chicken Salad are easy to meal prep and taste really good.

We asked several keto professionals to share their keto staples to hopefully give you a clear idea of what to buy the next time you go shopping.

1. Eggs

It’s no surprise eggs top the list of keto staples.

Eggs provide a delicious keto meal in under five minutes.

Eggs have the perfect ratio of fat-to-protein that will keep you full for a long time.

The yolk is packed with important nutrients.

Eggs are budget-friendly!

Make them into Egg Salad, as Breakfast Casseroles, or in a Quiche.

2. Butter

One of the first lessons you’ll learn on the keto diet is butter is healthier than margarine and other vegetable oil spreads, especially if you can find a grass-fed variety. Cook your meals in butter or add some to roasted veggies to easily increase your fat intake. If you’re lactose intolerant, try ghee!

3. Meat

The base for most of keto meals is a good source of protein. When shopping for meat, choose the fatty cuts like chicken thighs with skin on or regular ground beef instead of the lean options. This is an easy way to ensure you get in enough fat every day to maintain energy and satiety.

Pasture-raised or grass-fed meat will have a better ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fats in comparison to grain-fed animals. We like to buy our pasture-raised meat from a local farm or from a delivery service called Butcher Box. To learn more about connecting with local farmers, check out Matt’s course on The Curve where he explains exactly how he started shopping locally.

4. Avocado

When we’re talking about keto staples, we have to discuss avocados. Whether you think they’re a fruit or a vegetable, we can all agree they are a great source of fat and fiber. This creamy, delicious green fruit is low in carbs and high in potassium.

On a keto diet, you hold onto much less water which means you need to increase your electrolyte intake. We recommend supplementing with sea salt, magnesium, and potassium. (View Keto Supplement Guide) One avocado contains more than 900mg of potassium!

5. Coffee

Coffee is a keto staple for many people even though it’s calorie-free and is lacking in nutrition. The reason people love coffee on the keto diet is because of something called Bulletproof Coffee or Butter Coffee.

If you practice intermittent fasting, some black coffee makes it easier to push off your next meal and extend your fasting window. Take our Fasting Course on The Curve to learn more about the amazing benefits to intermittent and extended fasting on the keto diet.

6. Heavy Whipping Cream

If butter coffee isn’t your thing, then a splash of heavy cream is a great replacement to your regular high-sugar coffee creamer. Heavy cream or canned coconut cream if you’re dairy-free, is a great thing to have on hand for keto recipes.

We add cream to keto Bacon Cheddar Soup, Butter Chicken, Chicken Florentine, and all kinds of low-carb desserts.

7. Cauliflower

If you’re new to the keto diet, you’re going to want to pick up some cauliflower. This low-carb vegetable is a great alternative to some of your favorite high-carb foods. Here are some of our favorite cauliflower recipes.

8. Pork Rinds

At first, it may be hard to find the crunch you crave on a keto diet, but luckily there are plenty of keto chips you can enjoy, including pork rinds. Look for brands cooked in lard, not vegetable oils, like our favorites 4505 Meats and Epic Meats.

Grind up pork rinds to use in crispy coatings or for deep fried breading. They give the perfect crunchy exterior to our Fried Goat Cheese Appetizer and Sweet and Sour Pork recipe. They also make a great Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal!

9. Healthy Cooking Oil

Cooking oil or cooking fat is definitely part of our must-have keto staples, but before you go shopping we recommend reading our Guide to Healthy Cooking Oils. You will need to understand the different between refined, cold-pressed, and extra virgin in order to make smart purchases.

There are also many common cooking oils that you should avoid due to their damaging effects on health, like canola oil and soybean oil. Look for cooking oils that are minimally processed like coconut oil, avocado oil, or extra virgin olive oil, or opt for animal fats like tallow and lard which have high smoke points and are good for frying.

10. Cream Cheese

Cream cheese has a way of making any recipe delicious, which is why it makes our list of keto staples. Eating keto food that is delicious and that you enjoy is crucial to sticking to the low-carb lifestyle. We like to add cream cheese to fat bombs, desserts, soups, sauces, and dips. It’s high in fat, very low-carb and calorie-dense.

Check out our Fat Bomb Bible eBook for tons of high-fat snack recipes for mug cakes, fat bombs, dips, and drinks.

11. Seasonings

To keep your keto meals exciting and flavorful, we recommend having good seasonings on-hand. They add a lot of flavor without adding a bunch of carbs or calories. A few of our favorites are curry powder, garlic, or the Everything But the Bagel Seasoning from Trader Joe’s. (Especially on our Keto Bagels!)

Remember to read the labels on seasonings as some of them may be quite high in added sugar that can add up quick when used in abundance.

12. Berries

A common keto myth is that you can’t enjoy fruit on a low-carb diet, but that’s not the truth. We love berries for their low-sugar content and enjoy them as a snack, in salads, or with some cream for dessert.

Blueberries – 13g carbs

Blackberries – 5g carbs

Raspberries – 5g carbs

Strawberries – 6g carbs

Buy your berries frozen or in season when they’re sweet and delicious. Great options are raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, and strawberries.

13. Protein Powder

Aaron from our Keto Baking Course on The Curve loves protein powder not only as an extra source of protein for after his workouts, but as a baking ingredient!

You can find low-carb protein powder and use it as a low-carb flour replacement in all kinds of recipes like our Protein Cake, Protein Waffles, or Chocolate Glazed Donuts. Our favorite brands are Quest and Isopure.

Aaron also recommends using protein powder as a coating before crisping up foods in the Air Fryer...YUM.

14. Chocolate

No, Mars Bars and Kit Kats are not keto-friendly, but there are plenty of ways you can enjoy chocolate on a low-carb diet.

Lily’s Sweets carries keto chocolate bars, baking chips, and other candies like chocolate covered caramel.

Dark chocolate – look for varieties containing 80% cocoa or higher for the lowest carb content.

We have a delicious Keto Chocolate Bar recipe on the blog you can whip up at home.

Choc Zero carries low-carb chocolate products.

SlimFast has a new keto line of products which aren’t all great for low-carb (read the labels!) but their fat bomb Peanut Butter Cups are a great replacement for Reese’s.

If you prefer homemade treats, our website is packed with low-carb chocolate sweets you and your family will love, like our Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies and Fudgy Brownies.

15. Cookware

No, you can’t eat cookware and there’s no such thing as “keto cookware”, but we think good equipment can make all the difference in your cooking experience. Here are a few of our keto kitchen favorites.

Cast Iron Cookware

Fat Bomb Mold – great for keto desserts and snacks!

Air Fryer – Crisp up your favorite foods and cook dinner in half the time.

Instant Pot or pressure cooker – Makes bone broth in just a few hours!

Kelsey, better known as @lowcarb.kelsey on Instagram, loves her cast iron cookware for searing meat on the stovetop and finishing it in the oven. The cast iron can do both! And if you take good care of it, it will last you for years.

16. Liquid Stevia

Sometimes, you just want a touch of sweetness whether it be in your morning cup of coffee or in a batch of cookies. Liquid stevia is a great ingredient to have on hand since it only takes a few drops to add a ton of sweet flavor and it’s completely zero-carb and zero-calorie.

Some people notice a bitter aftertaste with stevia, so monk fruit might be a better option for those folks. We like to use a combination of stevia and erythritol in our baking recipes to reduce the bitterness, but keep the sweetness.

17. Fresh Herbs

You’re going to be spending a lot more time in the kitchen now that you’re on the keto diet. There are so many recipes to try, you won’t be able to keep up! With a new found love for cooking, we guarantee you’re going to have a whole new appreciation for flavor and freshness.

Fresh herbs are a fantastic way to take an average keto dish to the next level. If you don’t have an herb garden, then we recommend keeping the stems of your herbs in water to keep them fresh for longer.

Try fresh basil in our Pesto Chicken or cilantro in our Spicy Salad Dressing.

18. Electrolytes

Because your body holds onto less water when you consume less carbs, it also holds onto less electrolytes (sodium, potassium, and magnesium). Without enough electrolytes on a keto diet, you will feel tired, sluggish, and even experience leg cramps.

Chela, also known as @foodieturnedsleevie on Instagram, is an endurance athlete following a keto diet and she says electrolytes are a staple for her. She recommends Pure Planet Sports Salts and Zip Fizz.

We have a full guide on Keto Supplements where we talk about the importance of electrolytes on keto, so check that out for more information.

19. Keto Bars

Keto bars may not be a staple for everyone on the keto diet, but they do come in handy when you’re transitioning away from granola bars and Oh Henry! bars during office coffee time.

Keto snacks and bars aren’t necessary to achieve great success on the keto diet, but they’re convenient and tasty. Here are a few of our favorite and a list of the top keto protein bars.

The Original Keto Bars

Perfect Keto Bars

Epic Bar – a savory option!

Chela recommends a Keto Bar or Stoka bar as a pre-workout snack. It’s light, tasty, and provides a good source of fat and energy – especially with some nut butter on top.

20. Canned Fish

You’re going to learn a lot about good fats and bad fats on the keto diet and fatty cold water fish is a great source of good fats. Fish like sardines and mackerel are packed with omega-3 fatty acids which are important for lowering inflammation in the body.

Look for wild-caught varieties that are in water or olive oil, not soybean oil or canola oil. These oils are high in omega-6 fats which increase inflammation! If you don’t like the taste of fish, but still want to increase your omega-3 fats, we recommend a supplement like cod liver oil.

What are your keto staples?

These 20 items are a great starting point for any keto diet and you will begin to generate your own keto staples as soon as you get cooking and eating.

Been doing keto for awhile? Comment below and tell us your keto staples. We would love to hear them.

20 Keto Staples in Summary

Eggs

Butter

Meat

Avocado

Coffee

Heavy Cream

Cauliflower

Pork Rinds

Healthy Cooking Oil

Cream Cheese

Seasonings

Berries

Protein Powder

Chocolate

Cookware

Liquid Stevia

Fresh Herbs

Electrolytes

Keto Bars

Canned Fish

[drev-the-ambassador]

Can you tell us a little about food in Finland, like... What do you eat day to day? What are sweets like? Which fast food chains are the most popular? or something else you think is interesting. Thank you! :D

Thank you for the ask! I can tell you a lot about food in Finland, fortunately, because both of my parents happen to be cooks, so I can ask about stuff from them. A lot the information I’ll tell you probably came from them.

Well, first off, I want to say that today Finnish people often eat food that isn’t necessarily traditionally Finnish or anything, for example my town has at least 5 pizza-kebab restaurants, and spaghetti is very popular. This thing called “raketti-spagetti” is sold in stores, it’s just normal spaghetti but cut into shorter pieces, and the name literally means rocket-spaghetti. I’m not sure how that name came to be, but it rhymes, so maybe it just sounded funny…? I don’t know. Stuff like rice is pretty common too, even though it’s in no way traditionally Finnish. Anyway, I’m sure that a similar phenomenon (the international foods thing, not raketti-spagetti) exists in almost every country.

Also, the Finnish cuisine has gotten a lot of influence from our dear neighbours, Sweden and Russia. Especially Sweden. So anyway, if you’re from either one of those countries and I say that something is Finnish when your country has the exact same thing, please blame my ancestors for not being more original. Although I’d like to hear about foods or customs similar to these I’m about to mention from other countries, so if you’d like to, please share them in the tags!

Okay, so I think I’ll start with the fast food- part of the question.

Finland doesn’t have that many fast food chains, really. We have McDonald’s, Burger King, Subway, and soon a few Taco Bells. Like, three. BUT! We do have a chain of our own, Hesburger, which is my personal favorite out of these. It is the most popular fast food chain in Finland, with 268 restaurants. For comparison, McDonald’s has 65, Burger King 32, and Subway 155 restaurants here.

If you want to have a taste of Hesburger’s food, but don’t want to come all the way to Finland, that’s totally fine! There are Hesbugers in eight other countries, too: Estonia (42 restaurants), Latvia (44), Lithuania (47), Russia (34), Germany (3), Ukraine (3), Bulgaria (3) and Belarus (1). Pretty impressive for a chain from such a small country, huh?

I hope this doesn’t sound too much like an ad, this post is not sponsored by Hesburger. I just think it’s pretty neat. I don’t know where the restaurants are more specifically, but I’ve been to Tallinn and there were a few Hesburgers there. They have really good paprika-mayonnaise! Just saying.

Scratch that, I now know where is the Hesburger farthest from Finland: 

Now, for sweets, I think I’ll have to make their own post, but we do have a lot of different kinds of candy in Finland, since we have two bigger and several smaller candy manufacturers, the two big ones being Fazer and Panda. Fazer also makes bread and cookies.

Popular candies are suklaa (chocolate) in different forms - bars, slabs (?? I hear that is also called a bar sometimes? Like smaller bars like Snickers and then slabs like the one I’ll show a picture of), chocolates, like the ones sold in a box, with filling or without, you get the idea, a lot of chocolate - and, of course, salmiakki, salty liquorice. Salmiakki candies get their amazing/awful taste from ammonium chloride. Mmmm. Potentially life-threatening chemicals combined. Delicious. (pic source)

Here is perhaps the most iconic Finnish sweet: Fazerin sininen, Fazer’s Blue. It’s just simple old milk chocolate and yet is the most popular candy in the country. Is it really that good?

Yes. Yes it is. The shade of blue used in the wrapping is trademarked*, by the way.

Okay, moving on to the day-to-day stuff…

In Finland we drink the most maito (milk) in the world per capita, a bit over 360 liters. The 2nd is Sweden by the way, with around 356 liters. We also consume the most kahvi (coffee) per capita, the national average being around 2.6 cups. Seriously, people here drink coffee all the time. In the morning, after lunch, when you come to visit you can be sure you’ll be offered a cup of coffee, at weddings, at funerals, with dessert, I mean, all the goddamn time. Sometimes they don’t even have a reason I’m sure. You know when at work there are those shorter breaks? In Finland a break like that is called kahvitauko. It means coffee break, which I’m sure is a familiar concept in other countries too.

But yeah, people do drink milk at every meal - not everyone, of course, but most people - and for people who are lactose intolerant there are special kinds of milks where the lactose has been processed already, so lactose intolerant people can drink it safely.

This is our fridge. That milk probably lasts like half a week. The light blue one is fat-free.

‘There is also this thing called piimä, which is a drinkable product made from milk with Lactic acid fermentation. It’s not my favorite, but it’s okay.

Maito versus piimä. (source) 

Apparently there is a strict divide in Finland between west and east, where west likes piimä better, but east prefers something called kokkelipiimä, which, to me, sounds very suspicious, and I did not know it even existed. It’s piimä with something more solid also made from milk mixed into it. Looks like this.

I seriously had never heard of it. I do live in the western half, so I suppose the divide is real. Huh. (source)

A traditional Finnish drink, kotikalja, is often drunk at fancier occasions, for example at the Christmas meal or at some other celebration, like weddings or such. It has a bit of alcohol, but so little that it doesn’t really count as an alcoholic beverage. Wikipedia tells me that it’s similar to Estonian kali, Swedish svagdricka, Dutch oud bruin and Russian kvass. It’s not the same, but it’s similar. People drink it with food.

(source also includes a recipe for kotikalja)

 There is a Finnish word ruokajuoma, which means any drink that is often drunk at meals, like water or kotikalja or milk and sometimes also juice.

This post is getting really long, sorry about that. Anyway, we eat a lot of different keittoja (soups) here too. Most of the time they contain potatoes (perunaa), carrots (porkkanaa), possibly other vegetables, and some meat (lihaa). Kalakeitto (fish soup) can be creamy (I love it) or clear (not so good). Lihakeitto (meat soup) and jauhelihakeitto (minced meat soup)are usually clear as well. There is also hernekeitto, which is made from peas, minced meat or ham or something and some carrot. People can add mustard and onion to it. It’s often eaten on Thursdays, a habit that has spread from the army. There every Thursday is hernekeittopäivä, hernekeitto-day. With hernekeitto the dessert is usually pancake with jam. (pic source)

The pancake, pannukakku, doesn’t look like what you might expect, though. It’s like this.

(source)What is the closest relative to the other kind of pancake is called lettu here, or räiskäle, and it’s closer to a crêpe or a blin. (An actual blin, in Finland there is some misconception about blinis being small and thick… things, but maybe people would otherwise mistake them for a räiskäle?) (source)

 They are usually eaten with jam or sugar or whipped cream, or ice cream, or berries, or all of them. There are also muurinpohjaletut, which are cooked differently. (source)

A very basic dish we eat a lot here is potatoes and some kind of kastike (sauce). The sauce usually has pieces of meat, or sausage, or minced meat. We use a lot of minced meat. The picture example is made with makkara (sausage). (source)

When it comes to leipä (bread) I might be a little biased, because my parents bake a lot of bread themselves. Most households usually have at least two types of bread available, some lighter bread like piimälimppu for example, and ruisleipä. It is very Finnish, even though rye bread is eaten elsewhere too. In grocery stores you can find many shelves full of it. There are even rye chips here! Not French fries, or potato chips, really, more like nachos. But made from rye. Weird. (source of pic below)

One of the many forms of rye bread. (source)

Usually the shelves would be full but it was late and almost juhannus. That’s all for rye bread there. (Don’t mind my sister’s hand btw)

You can get rye bread in dried from too, all crunchy and pretty tough. Examples of this, dry, crunchy, though perhaps not that tough bread are näkkileipä and hapankorppu. Näkkileipä is often served in schools, since it doesn’t go bad easily. Both näkkileipä and hapankorppu are the best when they have some butter (voi) on top, at least I think so.

Hapankorppu in the front, näkkileipä in the back. 

“Which side do you put the butter on?” is a common topic of debate between Finnish people. (It’s the side without the holes, fight me)

And yet another traditional Finnish food that’s eaten like bread and has rye in it, is karjalanpiirakka, Karelian pie. It’s basically rice porridge in a crust made from rye flour. It is also called riisipiirakka. There are other versions of it as well, for example they can have mashed potato instead of rice in them. It’s traditionally eaten with munavoi, boiled egg and butter mixed together. It is heavenly. It’s the stuff in the picture way up there, actually, but I’ll refresh your memory.

(source)

Another pretty basic, and quite traditional Finnish food that is still pretty popular as I understand, is makaronilaatikko, macaroni casserole, made of macaroni, minced meat, and a mixture of milk and egg. All the ingredients are put together and mixed, and cheese is put on top, though not in traditional versions. Then the whole thing is put into the oven and cooked for some time, and then eaten usually with ketchup. It’s one of my favorite foods.

(source)

Fish is eaten fairly often, but pork, chicken and beef are probably more common. In summer we eat a lot of sausages and nakki (frankfurters) (?? I have never heard this word). Most common spices are salt, suola and pepper, pippuri. There are also a ton of prepared foods in markets, and I mean a lot. Whole aisles, many meters, of foods like makaronilaatikko or jauhelihakeitto that you just need to warm up. Convenient. One of my favorites are pinaattiletut, small lettus with spinach in them. I like them a lot. There are also the same kinds of small lettus made with carrot. Oh, and also blood. They’re called veriletut in Finnish.

(source)

Well, I’d love to tell you more, but this post is already way too long, so. I’ll end it here. If you want to know more of something specific I mentioned, ask, and I’ll try to get a post made. I’m planning on covering a few topics here more in depth in the future, but we’ll see.

Oh, also, a lot of the sources for the pictures in this post also feature a recipe, though they’re in Finnish. If you’d like me to translate one of them so you can try it out, just ask!

Thank you for the ask again!

(*edited because I, the smart person I am, mixed up copyright and trade marks. Sorry about that.)

[supermonsneha-blog]

Revealed: 3 Offbeat Healthy Lunch Ideas You'll Want To Try

How many times have you spent your lunchtime scarfing down a sandwich while checking social media or squeezing in some work?

Lunch is typically an afterthought. It's probably the least-enjoyed meal of the day. It's mostly filled with fast-food, dull sandwiches or - worst of all - a few selections from the vending machine.

And the irony is - this overlooked and unglamorous meal may be the most important meal you eat all day cheap lunch ideas for work .

Here's the thing: Historically, lunch hasn't always held this insignificant place in the day. Only a few generations ago lunch was not lunch, but dinner. The big meal of the day was eaten at noon. The noonday meal was a full spread with multiple dishes and everyone sitting together at the table. Supper, the evening meal we now call "dinner", was the afterthought - a few light leftovers or some soup "supped" down to tide you over until morning.

Power Lunches Power You Up

Years ago, when more people farmed, meals were scheduled like this as a midday refueling stop for the physically demanding work of farming. And it still makes sense for you to eat on this schedule. Most of your heavy eating should be done when you're more active. Eat more when you use more fuel. Hefty dinners come at the wrong time. At 6 in the evening, you're decreasing physical activity. Your metabolism is slowing and your body needs to relax and get ready for sleep.

Research supports this:

· A recent Swedish study found that when people with diabetes waited until lunch to eat a big meal - sometimes with just a cup of coffee for breakfast - they lost weight and had better blood sugar levels. And this was true even when the midday meal was a calorie extravaganza.[1]

· A Czech study found similarly positive results when diabetics ate only two large meals early in the day - breakfast and lunch - instead of six small meals.[2]

Many Europeans - particularly southern European countries - have kept this tradition. And some of the researchers theorize this schedule may be part of the Mediterranean diet's healthy power. Essentially, it may not be only about what you eat - but when you eat it!

While many European businesses accommodate a leisurely lunch with 2-hour midday breaks, most American workplaces don't. But that doesn't mean you should give up on giving lunch the attention it deserves. Plan and pack a meal you can sit down to and enjoy. Even if you only have a forty-minute break, make it count with some good eating. If you cook a good meal for dinner, dine lightly that evening and save the leftovers for some serious noshing at lunch the next day.

And don't be overly cautious with the calories. Of course, don't go nuts... but if you like a little dessert or want to indulge in a little extra carbohydrates, lunch is the best time of day to do this - not dinner. Similarly, if you're trying to cut down on your food intake to lose weight, save that calorie-counting for dinner. Eat heartily during the day when you need the calories to keep going. And save the forbearance for your evening meal when you're about to go to sleep. It's also much easier to ignore your tummy rumblings at this time of day.

Need some help in making lunch more nourishing? Here are a few unique lunch ideas to put in your lunchbox. In addition to being supremely nutritious, they are simple to make and take. You can make a big batch over the weekend that will last for several days. And most of them are easily portable, needing only an ice pack for refrigeration.

If you really want to spruce these dishes up, sprinkle some chlorella granules and make these super lunch ideas even more stupendous!

Get Going With Power Greens!

Greens mean "go" when it comes to getting energizing. If you're particularly tired at work, a fresh salad with some good protein and fats can be one of the best pick-me-ups. And when it comes to super greens, kale is pretty pumped! With vitamins A, C and K, kale also helps your body detox and keeps inflammation down thanks to its isothiocyanates and kaempferol.

To make a nice salad, simply chop up some kale and then build on it. To balance kale's slight sharpness, add some creamy cashews, sunflower seeds or mozzarella cheese. Toss in some shredded carrots or chopped apples to sweeten things up. Boost the protein with some chopped eggs, leftover chicken or chickpeas. Finally, top it off with your favorite dressing. Slightly sweet dressings - like a balsamic vinaigrette or a Caesar dressing with honey - bring out the best in kale.

Try Sardines For A Change

The good ole tuna fish sandwich has lost its luster thanks to the concerns about mercury in tuna. But don't despair if you're a fan of this easy reliable lunch... Sardines make an outstanding replacement. Sardines are second only to chlorella in nucleic-acid concentration. Nucleic acids are a powerful anti-aging nutrient, essential for cellular reproduction and tissue repair. In addition, sardines also offer a nice dose of omega-3 fatty acids.

How to prep them? Simply open a can and then mix with chopped red onion, your favorite herbs, a little pepper and a dash of mayo. Combine the mixture together with a fork and spread on your favorite whole grain bread. If you want a slightly different taste, try smoked sardines. Add some tomato slices and mozzarella cheese and you've got a sandwich fit for a king.

Dal Is Never Dull

Move over hummus... there's another staple bean dish that combines delicious spices with outstanding nourishment. In India, dal is eaten with just about every meal - and for good reason. The beans provide a fiber-rich source of protein and a good supply of vitamin B12. And they're cheap! But it doesn't end there - the well-spiced deliciousness takes this solid lunch to a whole new level.

Best of all, dal is simple to make. Bring 1 cup of split red lentils (also called masoor dal) to a boil with 3 cups water, a few slices of ginger and some turmeric. Then lower to a simmer as the beans thicken. When the beans are cooked to the consistency you like, stir in some onions and garlic sautéed in butter, a little garam masala and cumin. Some people like to add even a dollop of cream. Then salt it to taste.

Serve yourself a generous bowl with some brown rice, cucumber slices and perhaps a little spicy mango pickle and you'll awaken your senses for the rest of the day.

How To Make The Most Of These Lunch Ideas

The benefits you get from your diet come from when you eat as well as what you eat! But they also come from how you eat it...

You may not be able to take a full two hours to lunch at leisure and enjoy a 4-course meal. But you can still get more out of your lunch by shifting how you eat your lunch.

Get away from your desk if you can. If you can't, at least shut down your monitor and put your phone away. Don't squeeze in a little work or social media time while you're munching...

Enjoy your lunch and take your time to chew, enjoying the nourishment it provides. Devote this time - however much you have - to refueling and savoring the experience. By doing so, you'll be able to return to the afternoon's responsibilities with more power - just like our farming ancestors did.