Three plan ahead breakfasts

I make these baggies at the start of the month.. they really help when I want to throw a meal together quickly. I put all my dry ingredients into a baggie (the quart size works well for all of these) and then label the outside with the wet ingredients.

For example.. my baggie looks like this:



Here are the recipes I use most frequently



Crepes
Dry ingredients

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 tbsp sugar (white sugar)
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

label your bag with wet ingredients

2 cups milk
2 tbsp butter, melted
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla.

Easy as that! When you make your crepes, add the dry ingredients to the wet, and use a blender to combine. Pulse about 6 times, until smooth and no chunks remain. Allow batter to sit in fridge for 1 hour for bubbles to begin to work their way out of the batter.



Pancakes
Dry ingredients

1 cup flour
1 tbsp sugar
3 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

label your bag with wet ingredients

1 large egg
3/4 cup milk
2 tbsp veg. oil

Combine dry and wet ingredients in mixing bowl and stir with whisk until well combined, but some chunks will remain, and thats OK. Cook on griddle heated to 375. You will know its time to turn your pancakes when bubbles form in the center and sides of your pancake.



Waffles
Dry Ingredients

2 cups flour
1 tbsp sugar
4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

Label your bag with wet ingredients

2 large eggs
1 3/4 cups milk
1/2 cup veg oil

Beat eggs and milk until fluffy, beat in remaining ingredients until smooth (small chunks may remain, but dont beat until batter is foamy) Check your waffle iron for amount to scoop into iron, standard amount is 2/3 cup. Standard baking time is 5 minutes, but check your manufacturers instructions.

Delish Easy Casserole

1 pound pasta (maccaroni, or penne are best for this)
1 package frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and drained
1 pound ground meat (I used beef, but pork, lamb, or turkey would all be good in this)
1 large yellow onion, chopped.
1/4 cup flour
3 cups milk
2 tbsp butter
2 cups parmesean cheese (fresh, not the canned kind)

Boil your pasta and set aside to drain.
Brown your meat in a frying pan and add your onion. Cook until onion is soft, and then add your spinach. Saute until warm, set aside.
In a medium saucepan, melt your butter and stir in your flour. You are making a roux; cook using a wisk until the mixture boils but you dont want it to brown too much. Wisk in your 3 cups of milk, and cook over medium heat until sauce begins to thicken. Add 1 cup parmesean cheese and stir until melted.
Meanwhile, Toss the meat, onion, and spinach mixture into the noodles and then pour your cheese mixture over the top and toss well. Pour into a well greased pyrex baking dish or casserole dish. Top with remaining parmesean cheese and bake for 15-20 min at 375 degrees. To crisp up the top, set under broiler for a few minutes.

Cashew Chicken (crock pot)

1 can roasted cashews
2 cans cream of chicken soup, 1 can water
2 bunches green onions
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp red chili pepper flake

Mix cans of soup and can of water into your crock pot. Chop your green onions and stir in, as well as red pepper flake and about 1/2 tsp pepper and 1 tbsp salt. Stir in all but a handfull of cashews. Add your chicken breasts. Set to 6-8 hour and let simmer away! Serve in a bowl, over a generous portion of white rice. Top with remaining cashews and some fresh chopped green onion for some extra flavor.