Veggie Quesadillas - Pantry Meal

Quesadillas are a quick weeknight meal we enjoy on a regular basis.  I can have these on the table in under 30 minutes.  One of our favorite recipes is this one for Vegetable Quesadillas.  One of the great things about this recipe is you can change out the vegetables to suit your tastes or what you have on hand in the refrigerator.  You can also used fresh, frozen or canned vegetables.  This is a true versatile  pantry meal.

 

 

Vegetable Quesadillas

 

1 t olive oil

1 c fresh or frozen corn kernels

1/2 can black beans, rinsed and drained

1/2 c chopped zucchini

4 green onions, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 T chili powder

1/2 t ground cumin

1/4 t salt

8 (6 inch) tortillas ( I had HUGE ones is the refrigerator, so I made one large quesadilla and cut into wedges)

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 c sour cream

1/2 c salsa

 

Mix sour cream and salsa together.  Refrigerate.

 

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Line baking sheet with parchment paper.

 

Heat a medium non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.  Swirl in olive oil, heat for 1 minute.  Add in vegetables and spices.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until veggies are tender, about 8 minutes.  Remove from heat.

 

Place 4 tortillas on baking sheet.   Top each with 1/4 of the vegetable mixture and 3 T cheese.  Place remaining tortillas on top. 

 

Lightly spray the top of each tortilla with non-stick spray.  Bake until tortillas are golden and cheese is melted, about 8 minutes.  Cut each quesadilla into 4 pieces.  Serve with sour cream/salsa sauce.

 

These reheat well for lunch or leftovers the next day. 

 

Linking up to One Creative Weekend. 

Cheesy Mexican Rice - Pantry Meal

As our 2013 Pantry Challenge winds down, I'm highlighting some of our favorite pantry recipes. Some are old favorites and some are new ones we discovered this month while cleaning out the pantry and freezer.

This is a great pantry meal.  You can substitute any type of protein or leave it out all together.  Don't have Rotel, use tomato sauce and green chiles or chopped jalapenos.  Use any type of cheese you have on hand, cheddar, jack, pepper jack.  This is a very forgiving recipe.  It also makes a lot, so you will have leftovers for another  meal or lunches during the week.  We like to top it with salsa and sour cream. 

Cheesy Mexican Rice

1 T vegetable oil
1 c long grain white rice
1 can (16oz) chicken broth
1/2 - 1 c water
1 can Rotel
1/2 onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 t salt
1/2 t ground cumin
1/4 t chili powder
small can corn, drained
1/2 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 pound ground beef, cooked and drained
1 1/2 c shredded colby jack cheese

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Stir in rice; cook and stir until rice is lightly browned and gives off a toasted fragrance -- about 5 minutes. 

Stir in chicken broth, water, Rotel, onion, garlic, salt, cumin and chili powder.  Bring to boil, reduce to low.  Cover and simmer until rice is tender, about 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add corn, beans and beef.  Cook until heated through.  Top with cheese, heat until cheese is melted. 

Linking up to Pocket Change Gourmet Delicious Dishes

Beauty and Bedlam Tasty Tuesday

Meal Plan Monday - January 21st

Week 4 of the Pantry Challenge.  I'm working through the depths of my freezer this week.  Each year in July I do a HUGE freezer cooking session before we all head back to school.  By January, there are bits and pieces of that session that need to be eaten.  This week my menu focuses on those items.  I have several different marinated chicken breasts, a Mediterranean Whole Chicken, a Pizza Pasta Casserole, beer chili, mac and cheese and broccoli casserole.   I also have buffalo chicken, plain shredded chicken and a bag of hashbrowns. 


Sunday - Wings and Dip while watching the FALCONS!
Monday - Mediterranean Chicken, Mashed Potatoes,  Green Beans
Tuesday - Beer Chili, Mac and Cheese, Veggies and Ranch
Wednesday - Sandwich and Salad Bar
Thursday - Buffalo Chicken Casserole, Salad, Fruit
Friday - Mom, Dad, Patrick and Tommy for dinner ?????? Chocolate Chocolate Kiss Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting
Saturday - Supper Club - I'm taking a side dish--- still not sure what.

For more menu ideas visit I'm An Organized Junkie. 

Meal Planning and A Pantry Challenge

Conducting a successful Pantry Challenge is impossible without meal planning.  If you don't plan to use what you have, you will end up at the grocery store or the drive thru or at a restaurant, blowing your small January grocery budget.  I try to meal plan all the time, but during a Pantry Challenge it is a necessity.

I start out by checking the refrigerator for things that need to be eaten quickly.  Today I found bacon, proscuitto, lettuce, celery, green onion, pesto, smoked sausage, and bagels.  I also checked the freezer and we have an abundance of brats, italian sausage and mac and cheese.  In the pantry I had black eyed peas, plenty of canned tomatoes, hot dog buns and a 1/2 bag of potatoes.  These items will make up the bones of my meal plan. 

Sunday -Black Eyed Pea Jambalaya, Salad
     used - celery, green onion, smoked sausage, proscuitto, black eyed peas and lettuce
Monday - Grilled Brats, Peas and Mashed Potatoes
     used - brats and potatoes
Tuesday - Tomato Basil Pasta with Italian Sausage, Salad (recipe coming this week)
     used pesto, italian sausage, lettuce, canned tomatoes
Wednesday - Salad and Sandwich Bar
     used lettuce, bagels
Thursday - Teriyaki Chicken, Rice, Salad, Fruit
     used the last of the lettuce
Friday - Subway - Nanny's treat
Saturday - meeting a college friend for dinner

I didn't use the mac and cheese or bacon, so those will start off the list for next week's menu.

Next week I will be featuring a different pantry recipe each day.  Stop by for recipes for

Monday - Mexican Rice
Tuesday - Veggie Quesadillas
Wednesday - Tomato Basil Pasta with Italian Sausage
Thursday - Fried Rice
Friday - Links to many pantry recipes

Linking up to Good Cheap Eats' Pantry Challenge. 

Meal Plan Monday - January 13

Still going strong with our Pantry Challenge.  There are many benefits of doing a pantry challenge,  but this week, the biggest was not spending money at the grocery store.  I had some extra cash to do a little clothes shopping from the sales racks.  I have some great new spring outfits (like a $278 Ellen Tracy dress for $12.00!) to begin building my spring wardrobe. 

Next will I will be featuring a different pantry recipe each day.  Stop by and check them out. 

Sunday - Black-Eyed Pea Jambalaya 
Monday - Brats, Mashed Potatoes, Peas
Tuesday - Tomato Basil Pasta with Italian Sausage, Salad
Wednesday - Sandwich and Salad Bar
Thursday - Teriyaki Chicken, Rice, Salad, Fruit
Friday - Subway - Nanny's Treat
Saturday - Out with Friends

For more menu ideas, visit I'm An Organized Junkie. 

Pantry Challenge Week 1

The first week of the 2013 Pantry Challenge did not go as well as expected.  My pantry basics needed a replenish after the holidays.  After Christmas Eve Dinner for 15, Christmas Day Dinner for 9, New Years Eve party for 35, New Years Day Dinner for 11, 4 days of houseguests and 5 teenage boys for a sleepover I was out of some essentials -- flour, oil, confectioners sugar, mustard, salt, eggs, chips and salsa (the boys ate 3 bags of chips and 2 jars of salsa as well as 24 cupcakes!)  So a quick trip to the grocery store for those items as well as fresh fruit (my kids are just devouing those adorable and delicious clementimes), salad fixins and milk.

We ate very well this first week off of leftovers from the holidays.   For lunches we finished up Nanny's pimento cheese, chili and hot dogs, leftover enchiladas and nachos.  

Dinners were delicious.  I made Fried Rice and Pioneeer Woman's Italian Chicken Soup, subbing in leftover pork loin from New Years in both (posts coming soon).  We enjoyed dinner with friends on Saturday night, I took creamed corn (from the freezer), Cream Cheese and Pepper Jelly Appetizer (from the pantry) and Sugar Cookie Bars.

To read more about the Pantry Challenge visit Good Cheap Eats.

Meal Plan Monday - January 7th

This is the second week of the Pantry Challenge.  Last week was all about using up leftovers from the holidays, this week I'm focusing on things getting close to their expiration date, like that 1/2 gallon of milk that expires on Tuesday, potatoes left from New Years, chopped ham and a Spinach Rice Bake that's been in the freezer awhile. 

Sunday - Ham and Potato Soup, Cupcakes
Monday -National Championship Game - Football Food!
Football Dip, Queso and Chips, Fruit and Cheese Tray, Pimento Cheese and Crackers
Tuesday - Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs, Spinach Parmesan Rice Bake, Salad
Wednesday - Leftovers
Thursday - Taquitos, Layered Salad
Friday - Subway - Nanny's Treat
Saturday - Black Eyed Pea Jambalaya, Salad, Sugar Cookie Bars

For more menu ideas, visit I'm An Organized Junkie.