KITCHEN CABINET CLEAN OUT CHALLENGE (2)

Ok challenge takers... how ya doin'??? It's been 2 weeks since I have stepped foot in a grocery store, and I gotta tell ya, it feels GOOOOOOD..... I'm amazed how much can be done with the few things I have on hand. Ok, that's a lie.. I have a TON of food on hand. I have had a lot of fun coming up with new recipe ideas and I feel a whole new creative energy flowing. I love it! Here is a peek at the masterpieces I've been creating, and I'll even give a sneaky peek into what I'm planning for next week! First up: Indian Take Out
I don't know about you, but I LOVE take out, and I LOVE Indian food.... SOOO.... I made my own! This recipe is HEALTHY, EASY, and DELICIOUS. Oh, and let's not forget that it's a ONE POT MEAL! And it's CHEAP! Let me introduce you to my new love....
Indian food is so hard to describe. The flavors are sweet, savory, cinnamony, (is that a word?) and just delish! To make this meal, I heated up oil with Tastefully Simple's Garlic Garlic and Onion Onion. I added a pinch of our new Flavors of India season salt. Slice up some chicken and saute, adding more Flavors of India seasoning. Once cooked through, add diced carrots and broccoli. I had a steam and eat bag of broccoli that I heated then put in the pot. Stir and simmer until carrots are soft but still have a bit of crunch. Serve over rice. Voila'! It served 4 people with lots of leftovers! Overall, I estimate this dish to be under $2.00 per serving! AMAZING!

Another easy dish I made this week is Loaded Lasagna Bowls...
To make these, I used oven safe individual bowls. I cooked the lasagna noodles so that they were flimsy but still firm. In another pot, I used hamburger that I already browned and had frozen and mixed it with a jar of sauce and 1/4 jar of water. In a separate bowl, mix a tub of ricotta cheese, an egg, 2 cups mozarella and I also used a bit of cheddar cheese. I had no parsley, and I don't think parsley has any flavor anyway, so I used Tastefully Simple's Spinach and Herb seasoning. I can't even tell you how many times Tastefully Simple has saved dinner. Wait, yes I can, just about every night! Layer the meat sauce, then noodles, then cheese mix, then meat sauce, etc... The last layer should be noodles with a bit of sauce to keep moist, then sprinkle with cheese. Bake on 350 degrees for about 25 minutes covered, then remove foil and bake for another 15 minutes. These were SO GOOD! The best part: I didn't have to worry about scooping out leftovers and finding a container for them... I just wrapped the extra bowl and popped it in the fridge!
For snacks this week I made a box of cookies that I had on hand, I used up fruit that I got for free (Thanks Musder!), and I made grilled cheese and other sandwiches to use up the leftovers from our tailgate. I didn't spend a DIME on any food! LOVE IT!

Next week I look forward to making:
* Blueberry Muffins
* Stuffed French Toast and sausage (for dinner)
* That little turkey that's been chillin in the freezer
* And I'm not sure what else.... any ideas???

And for those who need a dose of cuteness today... Here's my cutie: Emerson! She is now LOVING her saucer and is big enough for her Bumbo! She hardly ever fusses or cries, and when she does, I know something is wrong since she is always so content. Tuesday is her 4 month appointment... NOT looking forward to more shots. Hopefully everything goes well and she takes them like a champ!

Such a happy kiddo!

Ugh! I love this chick. Have I ever mentioned that before??? Have a great weekend everyone, and feel free to post any recipes that you've been proud of lately!