Those Hectic Weeknights

Let me first begin by saying, I love where I am in life. I have a very fulfilling career, a great husband, and some awesome kids. However, juggling the three can be challenging-especially now that the kiddos are back in school and the hubby is on the dreadful 12-hour night shift. My schedule is very hectic. I have roughly an hour commute to work, so it’s getting up at 5:00 a.m., kids up at 6:00 a.m., pack the school lunches and out the door by 6:45 a.m. I arrive back home around 6:00 p.m. to do a quick “drive by” to pick up my son for football practice, then I hang out at the field until 8:00 p.m. and head back home to make dinner. Oh, let’s not forget dishes, homework, showers, and the “Hey by the way, can you wash my uniform for tomorrow’s practice?” and well…crash-all to do it over again the next day. Would I change it for the world? Absolutely not! But, with the way my family’s schedule is, I am ALWAYS in search of some quick dinner recipes that make things a little easier for me in the evenings. I am certain that many of you who are reading this are in the same boat and know exactly what I’m talking about.

Here are a couple quick and easy recipes that you can whip up on a weeknight and maybe allow yourself a few minutes of free time to wind down before hitting the sack. Hope you enjoy!

Chicken & Biscuits:

¼ cup of butter

½ very finely diced small onion

2 tablespoons of chicken flavored granule crystals

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

1/3 cup of all-purpose flour

1 ½ cups of chicken stock

1 ½ cup milk

3 cups of shredded cooked chicken

Melt butter in skillet. Add onion and cook over medium heat until soft. Add garlic and stir. Add flour over the onion mix and stir. Cook this for a few minutes. Slowly add in the chicken stock, milk, and seasonings and then whisk until smooth. Bring to a boil and cook for a few minutes until it begins to thicken. Add the shredded chicken and cook for a few more minutes just to allow the chicken to warm through. Serve over hot biscuits. (My family likes it over mashed potatoes also)

Sausage and Peppers:

8 Italian Sausage links

1 large can of tomato sauce

1 green bell pepper (sliced into strips)

1 onion (sliced)

Provolone Cheese slices

Hoagie Rolls

Coat the bottom of your slow cooker with some of the tomato sauce; add the Italian Sausage links, onion and green bell pepper. Poor the remainder of the tomato sauce on top. The Italian Sausage, onion and pepper will blend together and season the tomato sauce. Set it to cook on low for 6 – 8 hours. (I usually pick up some mac or potato salad at the deli as a side)

French Bread Pizza:

2 loaves of French bread

1 jar of pizza sauce (2 jars if you like lots of sauce)

Topics that your family likes (Pepperoni, bacon, green peppers, pineapple, mushrooms, onions, olives, etc)

3 Cups of Mozzarella Cheese (shredded)

Pre-heat oven to 500 degrees. Cut the French bread in half (length wise), place the halves on a cookie sheet open faced and spread ¼ of the jar on each side. Place your toppings on and then sprinkle the shredded cheese over top. Bake for 5-7 minutes until the cheese is melted and slightly browned. Cut into strips and serve. (I usually throw a salad together and call it a day)

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