Salmon Patties

1 (16 oz.) can salmon
1 - 1 1/2 c. crushed butter crackers
2 eggs
1 Tbsp. parsley
pepper, to taste
1/4 c. grated onion

Remove bones from salmon (or mix & crush, bones are edible). Crush crackers to crumbs & add to salmon, along with eggs, parsley, pepper & onion. Mix well. Form into small patties & fry in 2 Tbsp. olive oil until browned on both sides.

------------------------------------

This is one of Phil's favorites. I often hear, "You could make this every week!" If you don't have butter crackers, you can substitute Saltines or bread crumbs, whatever you have on hand. I have also added 1/2 c. shredded carrots, as this adds extra color & flavor. We make home-made tartar sauce by mixing mayo & sweet relish. Add some sweet potato fries, and this is a meal everyone will get excited about!

Potato Keilbasa Skillet

1 lb. red potatoes, cooked & cubed
3/4 lb. smoked kielbasa, or Polish sausage, cut into 1/4" slices
1/2 c. chopped onion
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
2 Tbsp. cider vinegar
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/4 tsp. pepper
5 bacon strips, cooked & crumbled
4 c. fresh baby spinach

Boil potatoes until tender; drain. Cook bacon; drain fat. In a large skillet, saute kielbasa & onion in olive oil until onion is tender. Add potatoes; saute 3-5 min. longer, or until kielbasa & potatoes are browned. Combine brown sugar, vinegar, mustard, spices, & bacon; add to skillet. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat & simmer uncovered for 2-3 min. until heated through. Add spinach & cook until wilted.

--------------------------------

If you're short on time, you can place the potatoes & 3 Tbsp. water in a bowl. Cover & microwave on high for 4 min. until potatoes are tender. And if you want to spare yourself a greasy mess, you can cook the bacon in the microwave too. Just cover a plate with paper towel & lay down bacon strips. Cover with paper towel & microwave for 3-4 min. until crispy. I omit the spinach from this recipe & use it for a salad instead! We'd rather eat it fresh, than wilty. :)

Foil-Pack Chicken & Mushrooms

1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 3/4 c. water, divided
1 (6 oz.) pkg. stuffing
6 chicken breast halves
4 slices smoked ham, chopped
1 1/2 c. fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 1/2 c. frozen peas
6 sheets of heavy-duty foil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray each sheet of foil with cooking spray. Mix soup & 1/4 c. water. Combine stuffing & 1 1/2 c. water; spoon evenly onto center of each square of foil. Top each with one chicken breast. Cover evenly with ham, mushrooms, peas & soup mixture. Bring up foil sides. Double-fold top & both ends to seal each packet, leaving room for heat circulation inside. Place in a single layer on a 10x15" baking pan. Bake 30-35 min. until chicken is cooked through.

--------------------------------------

Instead of baking these individually, I layered it all in a greased 9x13" pan. I also used chicken tenderloins instead, as they are thinner & cook through faster. But you could just as easily use chicken breasts that have been cut into smaller chunks. Cover with foil & bake as directed.

** The fresh mushrooms looked a little "funky" once it all cooked. I think canned mushrooms would look nicer. Or, if Noah had his way, we'd just leave them out & call it good! **

On another note...I'm all for "making do" & my dollar store colander works great, but sometimes there are certain things that are worth spending a little extra on. One of them was my Pampered Chef spritzer. It has replaced my can of cooking spray, works great, and has actually saved me money in the long run!

Baked Spaghetti

16 oz. spaghetti, cooked
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 c. butter
8 oz. cream cheese
2/3 c. Parmesan cheese
28 oz. spaghetti sauce
2 c. shredded mozzarella
1 lb. ground beef (or 2 c.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook spaghetti; drain. Add butter, stir until melted. Mix eggs & Parmesan cheese together in a separate bowl; stir into spaghetti. Place in greased 9x13" pan. Beat cream cheese with a mixer, adding some milk gradually until it reaches a spreading consistency. Spread over spaghetti. Mix sauce & beef; spread over cream cheese. Top with mozzarella cheese. Bake for 30 min.

-----------------------------------------

I use less butter when I make this...about 1/4 c. And often, I sprinkle a little Parmesan cheese on top when I don't have mozzarella. I also like to buy ground beef in bulk. I cook it all at once, adding chopped onion, garlic, salt & pepper, to season it. Then just bag 2 c. in sandwich bags & store it in the freezer.

Chicken Divan

1 (16 oz.) pkg. frozen chopped broccoli, thawed
2 c. cooked chicken, cubed
2 c. cooked rice
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 c. light mayo
1 tsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. curry powder
1/2 c. soft bread crumbs
2 Tbsp. butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix soups, mayo, lemon, & curry. Add broccoli, rice & chicken; mix well. Place in a greased 9x13" pan. Melt butter & mix in bread crumbs. Sprinkle over casserole. Bake for 30-40 min. until heated through.

------------------------------

This is a great way to use leftover rice & chicken. I often get bags of chicken breasts or tenderloins, thaw & cook them, then cube & store them in freezer bags. This helps cut down on my prep time when I'm making meals!