Winter Meals by Kara Gormong @8kmong
Ah, wintertime homeschooling. For me, this time of the year is always the hardest mentally. The excitement and drive of a new school year is gone, holidays have come and gone, the days are cold and cloudy, and my brain is so tired it even seems like simple household chores can become difficult...like meal planning. Anyone else with me on this one?!
I grew up in a household where my mom had a planned week full of home cooked meals with leftovers thrown in there every few days. Being one of six kids, meal planning brought predictability and cost efficiency for our family. Fast forward to 2021, as I am the meal planner and mom of four little ones—meal planning brings me the same benefits. But, sometimes my brain grows foggy thinking of new or different meals to serve! Even in a world of blogs, Pinterest, and quick internet searches, I find myself always going back to the comforts and easy meals.
With that said, I thought it could be helpful to share a few new recipes for your arsenal! Sometimes fresh or reminded ideas of recipes from the past can bring new life to our weekly meal planning! At the bottom I have included my mother-in-law's chili recipe, which is a family favorite, especially right now during the cold winter months! Enjoy!
100 Days of Real Food Tortilla Soup
Pioneer Woman's Chicken Pot Pie (or leave out the chicken and add beans)
German Apple Pancakes (Dutch Baby)
Trader Joe's Orange Chicken
Chicken Quesadillas
Nachos topped with meat and veggies
Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese
BLTs on Homemade Bread
Chili Recipe
1 lb ground beef
1 onion chopped
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 can of cream of tomato soup
1-2 cans of kidney beans
1-2 cans of diced tomatoes (I like the fire roasted)
1 package of McCormick chili seasoning (or make your own)
1 cup of elbow macaroni noodles
2 cups of water
Brown beef, onion, and garlic. Add seasoning packet stir and then add water. Add tomatoes and beans and simmer for 20 minutes. Add macaroni noodles and stir occasionally so they don't stick to the bottom of the pan. Let summer until the noodles are done. Serve with fritos, avocados, cheese, sour cream, and red onion.