Go-To Meals for Busy Days

I really love to cook. If I can cook undisturbed and have someone else clean up the kitchen, I find it very relaxing. This is all theoretical, of course, because I have yet to experience such a delight. However, I have been tossing around the idea of sending our kids to the grandparents or auntie's house for one evening a month so I can cook up a fancy supper meal for an at-home date.  This way I can experiment with some fancy and expensive ingredients and avoid all the complaining about things like scallops and crab and hopefully not waste much food or money from picky eaters.

In reality, most days I just do not have the time or energy to cook the way I would like, so fast and frugal meals that don't require much effort are what it's at right now.

Here are some of our current favourites that frequently appear on our table:

Spaghetti with Creamy Tomato Sauce (I don't follow the recipe exactly...I also usually leave out the artichokes to save money, but I do really love them in this)

Tuna Stroganoff over Egg Noodles & Cooked Mixed Veggies
(1 can of flaked tuna - not drained, 1 can of cream of mushroom soup, 1/2 cup sour cream, 1-2 tsp lemon juice, salt & pepper, parsley, a few sliced sautéed mushrooms, and cooked diced onions simmered together for a few minutes and served over cooked egg noodles) I know it doesn't look or sound very appetizing, but this is surprisingly good. My husband really loves this meal, and I love how cheap and fast it is to throw together.

Crispy Southwest Bean & Rice Burritos with Salsa & Sour Cream (Basically I toss together cooked rice, black beans, salsa, lime juice, chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper. I mix it all together in a bowl, sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese on a tortilla, spoon the rice mixture overtop, wrap it up, spritz with olive oil or cooking spray and cook it on a cast iron grill pan until it's nice and crispy.) This is probably our #1 family favourite cheap and quick meal. Served with salsa, sour cream, guacamole if I have avocados in the house, and veggies and dip on the side.

BLT Sandwiches (sometimes on their own or with soup or potato wedges on the side)