A Change of Plans

I had my article for this week finished last weekend (I felt pretty good about that). Then I heard something on the radio that changed my plans. More than 2,000,000 (that’s two million (geez)) families in Ohio have had to turn to a food bank so far this year just to feed their families. These are my neighbors, co-workers, the people I see on the street, and the guy that cut me off on I-270 yesterday. That is too many. So, I decided to share something I do when I have my daughter on the weekend.

Now a cook I am not and this is not a cooking blog, one thing my daughter’s mother and I agree on. But, I think it is important for all of us to help each other. No matter how easy or rough your life may be there is always someone you can help. Let’s face it if I can cook this and have it taste good, anyone can. Don’t just use it when money is tight though, like I said it tastes good and is quick to prepare.

This is easy, simple, and inexpensive; you can feed a family of four a good, hot meal for less than $4. This is also easy to adjust if you are feeding more than four people. All you need are three ingredients, a dish, and about 15 to 20 minutes.

Ingredients:

1 package of single serving instant mashed potatoes ( $1.00 at Kroger’s).

1 can of gravy ($1.00 on sale at Kroger’s).

1 can of womp biscuits ($1.50 on sale at Kroger). You know womp biscuits, they come in a can, you rip the paper off the tube and womp them against the counter to open them. Usually the can says to bake them for about 15 minutes.

Now we’re cookin’:

Pre-heat your oven to the temperature on the can of biscuits. Put the instant mashed potatoes in the dish, add hot water as per directions on the package. Next you pour the can of gravy on top of the mashed potatoes. Last you womp the biscuits open and place them on the gravy covering the dish. Stick in the oven for the amount of time suggested on the biscuit tube (usually about 15 minutes). When the biscuits get a light brown … you’re done.

The great thing about this is that you can add other things YOU like, or increase the amount of the three ingredients if you are having more than four people for dinner. I like to cook a little hamburger (breakup the patty into small pieces) and add that in with the gravy.

If you buy the big box of instant potatoes and make your own gravy you can save even more money, AND it is hot and tastes pretty good.

Here is another recipe a reader gave me, I haven’t tried this yet (but I will).  Do you like omelets, but don’t eat fried food anymore? Then this is for you. Get out your pot and get the water boiling. Take a freezer bag crack open two raw eggs and put them in the bag. Then you add all of the other ingredients you like in your omelet, and close the bag. Then, when the water is boiling, you drop the freezer bag into the boiling water. When it is done you open the bag and out comes your omelet. No mess in the pan, and if you like to re-use you plastic bags you can use the boiling water to clean out the bag.

If you have a recipe you would like to share enter it here as a comment.

Most of us are having a tough time now. But by working together and helping each other we will come back stronger than we were before.

Take care and have a great week.

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