"the joy of kinda cooking"

okay i know---you would think i have a cooking show or column huh-----

this week i combined some simple homemade dishes with a couple of ready to go main dishes and easy sides---

monday was fish sandwiches----fish fillets shaped for buns----they were on sale--"gordons"---now i usually don't mind their frozen fish but these were not good---very small and mushy----

if i tried that idea again---i would buy a better fish and add tomato---we also added tartar sauce and muenster cheese---i would change to a stronger cheese and splurge on a better bun than store brand--
with the sandwiches, i served canned turnip greens--french fries and pinto beans---btw "lucks" beans are really good---

tuesday i made my famous chicken pot pie---you cannot go wrong with this one and each time i make it a little different---doesn't matter----

i use three cans of chunky chicken potato broccoli cheese soup----add large can french onions----two bags of any mixed vegetables--i usually use one california blend and another blend  that has either a cheese sauce or butter herb sauce--i use steamer bags of vegetables and cook them first---large bag of cheddar cheese---lots of pepper some salt and garlic salt----cook 350 for about an hour then top with refrigerated  biscuits brushing with margarine or butter and topping with italian seasonings

with the pot pie i had herb buttered rice and pickled beets-

last night i made my family's renown "hot dog hash"--yeah you read that right--

hot dogs cut thinly--and don't judge remember---canned sliced potatoes---with plenty of onion---last night i only had frozen onion with green peppers but it was all the same----i also tried it in the wok--using some oil-

this is one of my family's favorite meals---i kid you not----i served brussel sprouts again---canned biscuits and corn---

something else i did this week and may continue---i bought three nights worth of frozen desserts---we rarely have dessert but hey life is too short to leave out the sweet stuff---at least a small bite-----you can't beat cheesecake and those little "pepperidge farm" cakes---inexpensive anyway and lots of times on sale as they were this week--just add a little good vanilla ice-cream and everyone is happy-

tonight we will have frozen lasagna- peas with mushrooms and garlic bread------

you know it is true---nothing beats home-cooking and if you are using your stove-oven or even your microwave-you are doing it----hey it wasn't until my two oldest sons were grown that they found out slice and bake cookies weren't homemade----but they sure did enjoy making them all the same---happy cooking!

we had our list and everything

not much going on my way or anything i can really share haha----

robyn and i went to the store this week, fully intending to come away with all the ingredients needed for wonderful homemade dishes for our week's dinners---

we left the local food lion with ready boxed meals where you do add your own chicken beef or tuna and frozen shrimp scampi and dare i admit----frozen pizza--

what i learned from this week's meals-----

okay---chicken alfredo is not good in the chicken helper--which was really velveeta chicken helper--
you still do pretty much the same amount of preparation with little taste-----in defense of velveeta---they do have several choices that are very tasty--one of which is their bacon ranch chicken----

in fairness this next part is very subjective as i rarely touch dishes with shrimp in them---- i sampled the shrimp scampi but could not stomach it for that night's dinner and ate instead, the horrible left-over chicken alfredo----

i learned that there are some brands of frozen brussel sprouts that aren't bad----bird's eye lightly sauced---only thing to change would be if they offered a larger size steamer bag---i bought two but for four people i could have used three----i mentioned that to a facebook status they had and they said they would pass that on to their production people---i will be waiting-

okay---those frozen pizzas are very good looking and so many kinds---and cheaper than even little caesar's

 they are smaller when you retrieve them from their over sized boxes and they are tasteless and hard as cardboard crusts----of the few kinds we have tried, i would have to say--the tombstone are the best

oh and lastly---where oh where are the good flavored ice-creams---i mean i like ice-cream but can't hardly ever find a flavor i love-----and the few ones that used to have cake in them or pie crust have gone to hard beady little nuggets of something not resembling cake or pie crust in the least

just sharing the wealth of knowledge of this lazy weeks "cooking"