Business advice and tools for work-at-home moms (WAHM) and start-up businesses.

Quick Meals...

Everyone has to eat! But with a busy career and active family, meal planning and meal preparation can be just as stressful as a day at work. Below are a recipes that are our family favorites. We hope you enjoy them as much as we do. Remember to use your judgment when adding spices, what we like may be too much or not enough for you!

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Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner

Beverages | Desert | Appetizers

Breakfast

Easy Potatoes and Eggs

(4 servings)

2 lg. potatoes (skin on or off & cleaned)

6 eggs

Chop potatoes into 1/2 inch cubes. Whisk eggs in separate bowl. In large non-stick pan, cook potatoes in enough olive oil, coating them. Cook until almost tender (check with fork). Add eggs and toss a few times so that the potatoes and eggs 'are one'.

"Cut" this into quarters while in the pan, flip each quarter separately like you would an omelet. Eggs should be completely cooked before serving. Serve with Italian bread, salt and pepper to taste.

Potato Omelet
(2 servings)
1 tbsp. butter or margarine
1 med. potato peeled and diced
1/3 cup minced onion
2 tbsp. diced green pepper
½ tsp salt
dash black pepper
4 eggs slightly beaten

Melt butter in lg. Skillet. Add potato, onion, & green pepper. Cook 20 min.-stir often. Pour eggs into skillet, tilt pan so egg covers potato mixture. Cook until set. Loosen edges and fold omelet in half. Slide onto dish. Serve w/ ketchup or tabasco sauce if you like!

15 Minute Lemon French Toast

2 slices of whole wheat bread per person

1 egg per 3 slices of bread

Whisk egg in bowl, adding a pinch of cinnamon, a capfull of vanilla extract and a tablespoon or two of milk. Melt butter in fry pan. Coat each slice of bread with the egg mixture and cook until golden.

Cut toast into triangles and dust lightly with powdered sugar. Squeeze fresh lemon juice on toast and it's ready to eat!

If the little ones don't like the tartness, substitute with fresh berries.

Lunch

Spinach, Sun Dried Tomato and Parmesan Pasta

One pound of pasta for 4 people (I like Ziti)

1/2 cup thawed & packed, chopped spinach (don't measure when frozen)

3 or 4 tbsp chopped sun dried tomatoes (in olive oil)

1/2-1 tsp of chopped garlic

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Sauté garlic in pan with olive oil, or unsalted butter. Add spinach, sun dried tomatoes and salt to taste. Cook for 5-8 minutes on low-medium heat. At the last minute add Parmesan cheese, approximately 1/4 cup (we use more - yes, we like it cheesy) If the mixture is dry, you may want to add a bit of olive oil or butter.

Cook the pasta, drain and toss mixture well. Serve hot with garlic bread, or breadsticks.

Green Tuna Salad

Can of Albacore Tuna (one can per adult, 1/2 per child)

1 head of romaine lettuce (2 heads for three or more people)

Single stalk of celery

salt, pepper to taste

Juice of 1 large lemon

1-2 tbsp olive oil

Using a small bowl separate tuna with fork.

In separate larger bowl combine salt, pepper, lemon juice and olive oil. Mix well. Add chopped celery, chopped romaine lettuce and tuna. Toss and serve - chill for 15 minutes before serving if time allows.

*Tomatoes can be added - remove seeds. For spice add red pepper flakes.

Avocado Egg Sandwich
(4 servings)
4 croissants, warmed and split in ½
4 eggs fried with yolks broken
4 large mushrooms sliced thin
12 avocado slices

Fry 1 egg per sandwich- breaking the yolk, but keeping egg in tact. Split and warm croissants in oven or microwave. Layer egg, avocado, & mushroom slices into croissant. Enjoy!

Dinner

Chicken Tortilla Soup
(8 servings)
4 carrots
4 celery stalks
2 ears white corn on the cob (split in ½)
2 zucchinis
1 yellow squash
¼ bunch cilantro
2 tsp. menudo spice mix
2 8oz. cans tomato sauce
1 160z. can Mexican stewed tomatoes
1 – 2 tsp. salt
3 –4 chicken breasts
tortilla chips
cheddar cheese

Fill large pot with water and boil chicken breasts over med/hi heat. Remove chicken and skim fat off of water. Add all chopped vegetables and continue boiling for about 1 hr. or until vegetables are tender. Add diced chicken breast meat and boil 10 min. Serve a bowl of soup topped with tortilla chips and grated cheddar cheese.

7 Layer Salad
(6 servings)
1 head lettuce, torn to bite-size pieces
1 cup chopped celery
½ cup chopped green onions
1 cup diced green pepper
1(10oz.) pkg. frozen peas
4 hard-boiled eggs
2 cups mayonnaise
½ lb. cooked & crumbled bacon
4 oz. shredded cheddar cheese

In a large salad bowl, place lettuce. Layer celery, onions, green pepper, peas, and eggs over lettuce. Spread mayonnaise on to and sprinkle with cheese and bacon bits. Refrigerate and serve!

Seafood Fettuccine
(8 servings)
1 (12oz) pkg. of fettuccine
¾ lb. butter
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 lg. Onion, chopped
1 lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 lb. bay scallops
½ cup chopped parsley
¼ cup chopped basil
salt and pepper to taste

Cook fettuccine according Drain. In lg. Skillet, melt butter. Add garlic and onion. Sauté’ until onion is tender. Add shrimp and scallops. Sauté’ additional. 5 minutes. Season with parsley, basil, salt, and pepper. Place hot fettuccine in serving dish. Add seafood. Toss gently and serve.

Beefy Potato Casserole
(12 servings)
2lbs. Lean ground beef
2 green peppers
1 lg. Onion
1 pkg. (lbs.) frozen southern style hash browns
2(8oz) cans tomato sauce
1(6oz) can tomato paste
1 cup water
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. crushed basil leaf
¼ tsp. black pepper
1 lb. process American cheese, sliced thin

In a lg. Skillet, brown ground beef. Drain fat. Add green peppers & onion. Saute’ until tender. Add Potatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, water, salt, basil, and pepper. Mix well. Spoon ½ of mixture into a 13X9-in. baking dish or two (2 ½ quart) casserole dishes. Cover with ½ of the cheese. Top w/ remaining meat and potato mix. Cover w/ foil and bake at 350 degrees F. for 45 minutes. Remove foil and top with the leftover cheese. Let stand for 5 minutes and serve.

Appetizers

Chicken Cheese Dip
1 lg. can cooked chicken (I prefer white meat.)
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can french onion soup
1 can nacho or cheddar cheese soup
1 small processed cheese loaf (Velveeta style)
½ - 1 cup salsa
1 cup sour cream

In med. saucepan over medium heat, combine chicken, 3 cans of soup, salsa, and sour cream until boiling. Stir often. Slice cheese into chunks for easier melting. Add cheese to saucepan and simmer on low until all cheese has melted. Allow a bowl of dip to cool and taste with tortilla chips. Add more sour cream or salsa depending on your taste. Serve in crockpot on low heat with tortilla chips on the side. Ole’!!

Ham and Broccoli Cups
(36 servings)
2 (10 oz.) pkgs. butterflake rolls
1 tbsp. butter, softened
1 tsp. lemon juice
2 tbsp. chopped onion
2tbsp. chopped parsley
2tbsp. prepared mustard
¾ c shredded cheddar cheese
¾ c shredded mozzarella cheese
1 c minced ham
1 c minced broccoli, fresh or thawed frozen

Separate rolls & cut in halves. Press each half into greased muffin cups. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 5 minutes. I biscuit becomes too puffy, reshape. In a small bowl, combine butter, lemon juice, onion, parsley, and mustard: blend well. Add cheeses, ham, and broccoli; blend well. Spoon mixture by tablespoons into partially baked cups. Bake 15-20 min. or until hot and bubbly. Cool slightly and serve.

Desserts

Raspberry Dipped Fruits
(10-12 servings)
¼ c shredded coconut
2 tbsp. finely chopped pecans
1 c sour cream
¼ c raspberry preserves
2 tbsp. milk
Lemon juice
Assorted fresh fruit (i.e. strawberries, banana slices, apple wedges, etc.)

In a small bowl, combine coconut, pecans, sour cream, preserves, and milk, mix well. Dip apples, pears, or bananas in lemon juice to prevent browning. Arrange fruit around edge of lg. platter. Place a bowl filled with dip in center. Dip away!

Cherry Freeze
(10 servings)
1 pkg. (3 oz.) cherry flavored gelatin
1 c boiling water
½ c sugar
2 c milk
4 oz. non-dairy whipped topping, thawed

In a small bowl, dissolve gelatin in boiling water. Add sugar; stir until completely dissolved. Stir in milk. (Mix will appear curdled, but will smooth once frozen.) Pour into 9X13-inch pan. Freeze about 1 hr. or until ice crystals begin to form1 inch from edge. Transfer to chilled bowl; beat with an electric mixer until smooth. Fold in whipped topping until well blended. Return to pan. Freeze for about 4 hrs. or until firm. Scoop into individual serving dishes.

Beverages

Sea Foam Punch
(12-16 servings)
1 envelope unsweetened lemon-lime powder drink mix
½ c. sugar
1 qt. cold milk
1 pt. Vanilla ice cream
2 (7oz.)bottles lemon-lime soda, chilled

In a lg. bowl combine powder mix, sugar, and milk. Stir until powder and sugar dissolves. Add ice cream by spoonfuls. Carefully pour in lemon-lime soda. Serve immediately.

Spiced Ice Tea
(12-16 servings)
2 quarts water
12 tea bags
1 c. water
½ c. sugar
½ c. strained orange juice
1 c. strained lemon juice
12 whole cloves
2 cinnamon sticks

In a lg. saucepan, boil 2 qts. water. Add tea bags-let stand 5 minutes. Remove tea bags. In sm. Saucepan, combine 1 c. water and sugar. Bring to a boil & stir to dissolve sugar. Remove from heat. Add orange and lemon juices and spices to sugar water. Add spiced mixture to tea. Chill well before serving over ice. Enjoy!

Mocha Milk
(6-8 servings)
2 pints coffee ice cream
½ c chocolate flavored syrup
¼ c instant coffee powder
2 qt. milk

Use blender to mix syrup, coffee powder, ice cream, and a small amt. of milk until well blended. Blend in remaining milk. Serve in tall glasses!