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MEALS FOR HARD DAYS

I learned the hard way that meals are the most difficult of the mundane tasks to resume after grief. On difficult days, it simply took too much energy. We relied heavily on restaurant gift cards during this time. 

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As time passed, I slowly eased my way back into the kitchen. Easy recipes like the ones listed below helped. However, I began to figure out some good things to keep in the fridge at all times for the hard nights. This kept us from eating out so often and helped us stay a little more healthy in the first year. Read below to find tips and recipes I have learned over the months/years.

EASY MEALS TO KEEP IN THE PANTRY/FRIDGE ON A WEEKLY BASIS:

  1. Ground Beef (if it goes uneaten, stick it in the freezer for another rainy day)

  2. Sandwich Meat (turkey or ham)

  3. Yogurt​

  4. Crackers, Pepperonis, Sliced Cheese

  5. HEB (or other preferred grocery store freshly prepped food) Meal Simple. 

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EASY MEAL ITEMS TO KEEP STOCKED IN YOUR FREEZER:

  1. Frozen Chicken Tenders​

  2. Frozen Meatballs

  3. Ground Beef

  4. Tortillas

  5. Sliced Bread

RECIPES

OLIVE OIL NOODLES & MEATBALLS

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Boil: 

  • 1 Bag of Egg Noodles

  • 2 tbsp Olive Oil

  • 1/2 tsp Salt

Drain and Mix in:

  • Salt & Pepper

  • 1 tbsp Italian Seasoning

  • 1 tsp Garlic Powder

  • 8 oz Bag of Grated Parmesan

  • 2 TBSP Olive Oil

Cook Meatballs

  • We tend to buy the HEB Italian Meatballs and follow the cooking instructions on the back.

Add the meatballs to the container you are bringing the noodles in and cover with foil.

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Sides:

  • Caesar Salad Kit

  • Strawberries

  • Brownies

BAKED POTATO BAR​​

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Prepare Large Potatoes (One potato per person + 3 extra)

  • Wash and dry potatoes

  • Poke each one a few times with a fork.

  • Coat with olive oil.

  • Sprinkle salt on top.

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Bake at 350 degrees for 1 1/2 - 2 hours.

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Addition Items/Sides:

  • Salad Kit

  • Shredded pork (precooked and packages, or use your own recipe)

  • Sour Cream

  • Shredded Cheese

  • Chives

  • Butter

  • Bacon Bits

  • Brownies (we love the Ghirardelli mixes)

TACOS​​ (Gluten Free Friendly with Corn Tortillas)

 

Cook 3lbs of ground beef in a skillet.

(Replace ground beef with fajita meat if you'd life to make fajitas)

 

Add preferred seasoning.

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Rice:

  • Bring 2 cups of water to a boil.

  • Add 1 cup of rice and simmer for 20 minutes.

 

After 20 minutes, add:

  • 1 Lime (squeeze juice into rice)

  • 1/4 cup of cilantro

  • 1 tbsp of olive oil

  • Salt & Pepper

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Additional Items & Sides:

  • Flour/Corn Tortillas 

  • Shredded Cheddar Cheese

  • Sour Cream

  • Guacamole 

  • Chopped Tomato

  • Beans

  • Queso

  • Tortilla Chips

QUICK & EASY PICK UP MEAL

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ROTISSERIE CHICKEN DINNER​​

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HOMEMADE PIZZA

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Heat over to 500 degrees or Broil.

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Buy or make your own pizza crust.

  • Bake holes with a fork into homemade dough.

  • Cook homemade crust for 4 minutes.

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Once the crust is ready:

  • Add marinara sauce

  • Salt & Pepper

  • Garlic Powder

  • Italian Seasoning

  • Chopped Basil Leaves

  • Mozzarella Cheese (We like to cut up a fresh ball of mozzarella, but shredded is fine too)

  • Add any preferred toppings (Italian sausage, pepperonis, pineapples, etc.)

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Cook for 10 minutes.

Cool for 5 minutes, slice, and enjoy.

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