Family Recipe: Chow Mein Hotdish

My mom made some recently and sent some home with me!

OK, so growing up we used to have this like once every few weeks. It’s quick, it’s easy, and I swore that it was a family recipe.

When researching this recipe, I then found out that apparently, this is a hot dish that’s made all over the Midwest. And according to my mom, it’s in tons of church cookbooks.

This recipe is pretty simple, and it’s delicious, and it is kind of weird. And definitely not at all Asian.

Chow mein hot dish 

Ingredients

  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 tablespoon of dehydrated toasted onions, or 1/4 diced white onion
  • one can of cream of mushroom soup
  • half a can of cream of mushroom soup filled with water
  • One cup of uncooked rice
  • Two ribs of celery, diced
  • 1/2 cup of water
  • 1 small can of water chestnuts slices, drained and rinsed
  • 1 can of chow mein noodles

Directions

  1. In an electric skillet over medium heat, cook and crumble ground beef and onion.
  2. Add all remaining ingredients except chow mein noodles.
  3. Cook on medium stirring often until rice is tender.
  4. Remove from heat, top with chow mein noodles, and serve immediately.

Serves 6.

If you want to add extra veggies, add 1 cup sliced mushrooms when cooking the meat and onion.

You can cook this on the stove, but I’ve always cooked the majority of my hot dishes in an electric skillet. I’m not sure why. Probably because my entire family does.

Some people like this served with a little bit of soy sauce, but I find that the condensed cream of mushroom soup is salty enough as it is.

7/12/2024 Friday Freebies and Deals!

This week has been the week of doing important stuff. Doctors appointments, repair people fixing things I can’t and phone calls. So many phone calls. And the girlchild’s bestie is coming to stay with us for a week next month- WOO HOO!!

My 2024 guide to a fun, frugal Summer Break can be found here. It’s San Diego County-specific, but there are many great ideas if you aren’t local to me.

The 2024 Birthday Freebie post is here! Check this article out and sign up for birthday freebies at least 2-3 weeks before your birthday.

If you are looking for free food resources, my comprehensive list can be found here. It is focused on San Diego County, but there are additional resources outside my area.

Freebies:

Free Donut Every Tuesday & Free Iced Coffee Every Friday in July at Krispy Kreme
Apply to Be the AmericInn Cheesiest Family & Get Paid $15,000
Free Chicken Tender at Raising Cane’s July 27-30th
Free Olyra Breakfast Biscuits After Rebate
Home Depot Kids’ Workshop: Free Workshop for Kids
Free 4-Pack of PROTALITY Shakes
Free Medium Fries w/ Any $1 Purchase at McDonalds – Every Friday
Free Simply Lemonade ReFUNd with Ripple Street
Free 5-hour ENERGY Inspired Energizing BBQ Sauce on July 16th
Free ProGel Retractable Gel Pen at Staples
Free Super Fun Family Time Game Night Party Pack
Free Garnier Fructis Hair Filler + Vitamin Cg Shampoo & Conditioner Samples
Free Victoria Beckham Beauty Fragrance Samples
Free 6-Piece Chicken Nuggets Every Wednesday at Wendy’s
Score a Subscription to Better Homes and Gardens Magazine – No Credit Card Needed
Free Big Mac at McDonald’s
Free Bottle of Botania After Rebate
Free Kyo-Dophilus Probiotic Trio Sampler
Free Velveeta Queso Dip Chatterbuy Kit
Possible Free SmartWhale Bidet Toilet Seat (MUST LEAVE AMAZON REVIEW)
Free Subscription to LEGO Life Magazine
Free Reusable Mesh Produce Bag
Free Toys R Us Play Day Event on July 20th LOCATIONS ARE INSIDE MACY’S STORES
Free Perfect Bar at Aldi
Free Gold Peak Unsweetened Black Tea reFUNd with Ripple Street
2 Free Bags of Undercover Snacks Chocolate Quinoa Crisps After Rebate
Free 1-800-QUIT-NOW Notepads
Possible Free Sweet Surprise from Keebler

 

Deals:

Target Circle Week: Free $15 Gift Card with Purchase of $50 Worth of Household Products
Blackstone Duo Griddle & Charcoal Grill Combo ONLY $147 Shipped (Reg $229)
Amazon Prime Day 2024 Coming July 16-17
Covergirl Perfect Blend Pencil ONLY $0.79 (Reg $5.79)
40% Off Everything at Old Navy
Walgreens Complete Home Products Buy One Get Two Free
Starbucks 50% Off Handcrafted Drinks – TODAY 7/12
Select General Mills Cereal ONLY $1.49 (Reg. $6.29)

Family Recipe: Calico Beans

Beans, Beans…

This recipe is one of my favorite Fourth of July favs.

Calico Beans. Easy to make, so good, gets better as leftovers (if there are any).

This will be one of the few recipes I will not change, so vegetarian/vegan/GF friends, scroll on.

Calico Beans -Makes a crockpot full

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb. ground beef, crumbled, cooked, and drained
  • 1 package (12 ounces) bacon, chopped, cooked, and drained
  • 1/2 onion, diced (Or use 1/4 cup dehydrated onions)
  • 2 large cans of Campbell’s Pork & Beans
  • 3 cans of beans, your choice (Great Northern, Black Eye, Cannelli, Kidney, Butter Beans are all solid choices) DRAINED AND RINSED
  • 1/4 c brown sugar
  • 3/4 cup ketchup
  • 1 Tablespoon yellow mustard
  • 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

Directions:

  1. Put all of the ingredients into a crockpot.
  2. Stir to combine.
  3. Cover with a lid and cook on low for 4-6 hours.

These beans are amazing. They are so filling, and taste like summer (at least to me). A friend of my grandfather always brought these beans to potlucks and swore it was a special secret family recipe.

It’s not. This recipe, or a variation is in almost every midwestern church cookbook. Gatekeeping family recipes is a no-no in my book. If you don’t share recipes, the food is lost to your family and friends when you pass. Share the recipe and your memory and the happy memories of eating your food will live on!

 

 

Family Recipe: Chili Mac in an Electric Skillet

When I was a kid, my mom cooked a lot in an electric skillet in the summer. It was a great way to make dinner without heating up the entire house. And it’s all cooked in one pan.

Since we’ve been living without a stove/kitchen for almost 7 months (the end is in sight), I decided to revisit one of my favorite childhood meals.

Chili Mac (serves 6-8)

  • 1 lb of your favorite ground meat (beef, turkey, chicken, pork, or ground meat-free crumbles to make it vegetarian)
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves diced garlic
  • 1 14 oz can diced tomatoes
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 envelope of Chili seasoning
  • 14 ounces water
  • 2 cups protein pasta (I like Brami)
  • 1-3 cups of sharp cheddar cheese

Directions

  1. In an Electric Skillet, cook and crumble the ground meat over medium heat.
  2. Add chopped onion and cook until translucent, add garlic and cook until fragrant.
  3. Add remaining ingredients, turn the electric skillet down to low, and cover.
  4. Allow mixture to cook on low for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add extra water 1/4 cup at a time as needed. Pasta will absorb some of the liquid as it cooks.
  5. Once pasta is Al Dente, top with cheese to your liking and serve.

Perfect with cornbread and a green salad.

Chili Mac is better the next day- perfect for meal prep!

6/30/2024 Weekly Meal Plan

0a5e9dab796cea8a07eabe4eb4795b9e.jpgThe countertops were installed today- the appliances will be reinstalled tomorrow (fingers crossed).

That means I’ll be able to cook in the oven and on the stove top.

Thanks to the great freebies from Social Nature, we’ve been trying new foods lately. It’s fun to try new foods.

If you are new to meal planning, I’ve got an easy 101-style post here with super easy tips and steps. After you get that down, here is info about batch or freezer cooking.

I’ve gotten a good inventory of the pantry, freezer, and fridge (I try to update it after every shopping trip), so I plan meals and use up what we’ve got with little waste.

I only post our dinner plans for the week, because our other meals are usually the same.

Breakfast: I’ve been really into protein coffee lately. It helps me hit my protein goals and keeps me full until lunch. I use premade protein shakes like these and these. The kids request bagels and fruit most mornings. Lately, the big kid has been digging protein shakes in the morning. This is his favorite kind. 

Lunch: I have a plastic tote full of self-serve snacks. I buy treats and snacks in bulk and fill up snack-sized zip-top bags. We eat lunch at home most of the time over the summer. Sometimes we take advantage of the kid’s free summer lunches (info here).

Dinner: With the kitchen renovation ending, I can cook from scratch again. I am looking forward to making pizza, cookies, roasted veggies, casseroles, and baked pasta dishes.

  • Sunday:  Fridge clean-out night aka leftovers
  • Tuesday: Breakfast for dinner (pancakes, fruit, sausage)

  • Wednesday: Dream Dinner, salad

  • Thursday: Snack trays (turkey, cheese and crackers, fruit, popcorn, cookies)

  • Friday: Takeout night!
  • Saturday: Baked pasta casserole (recipe will be forthcoming this week)

6/28/2024 Weekly Freebies and Deals!

It’s the first week after my surgery and we have been having all sorts of adventures! We went to Lego Building Club at the La Mesa Library, the kids swam several times at our community pool (I sat on the pool deck and took pics), we hung out with friends, and I took a lot of naps.

We’re heading over to the Lakeside library today. With Independence Day next week, I’m sure there will be no shortage of adventures!

My 2024 guide to a fun, frugal Summer Break can be found here. It’s San Diego County specific, but there are lots of great ideas if you aren’t local to me.

The 2024 Birthday Freebie post is here! Check this article out and sign up for birthday freebies at least 2-3 weeks before your birthday.

If you are looking for free food resources, my comprehensive list can be found here. It is focused on San Diego County, but there are additional resources outside my area.

Freebies:

Free Daily Item at Wendy’s
Free Planet Fitness Summer Pass for Teens – Registration Now Open
Free Medium Fries w/ Any $1 Purchase at McDonalds – Every Friday
2 Free Movie Tickets to A Sacrifice
Free Nutri-Vet Biscuits for Dogs Chatterbuy Kit
Free Sample of Immunovitals Tea
Free Sample of Aquarian Water Treatment
Free Blink Mini Camera from Barkbox
Free Subscription to LEGO Life Magazine
Free Sorion Cream or Soraresal Cream Sample
Free PURE LEAF Iced Tea After Rebate
Free Canister a2 Platinum Infant Formula After Rebate
Free Bloomin’ Onion at Outback Steakhouse
Free DOGTV Channel Preview for DirecTV Subscribers
Free 55 Inch Dual Screen Smart TV from Telly
Free Ninja Sip Perfect Travel Mug
Free The Baffling Bowl Game Night Party Pack
Free Grilling Cooking Classes at Williams Sonoma
Free Basic Plus Car Wash at Zips Car Wash
Free Dig In! Poster Set
6 Free Wings at Buffalo Wild Wings
Firehouse Subs Name of the Day – Free Medium Sub

Deals:

Up to 70% Off Summer Clearance at Carter’s – Prices Starting at $2.99
Select General Mills Cereal ONLY $1.49 (Reg. $6.29)
Ozark Trail 10-Person Tent ONLY $99 (Reg. $170)
JCPenney 4th of July Sale Up to 50% Off + Extra 30% Off w/ Coupon
30% Off Slippers For the Whole Family at Target
Amazon Essentials Clothing up to 70% Off – Prices Starting at $3
Starbucks BOGO FREE Handcrafted Drinks – Today 6/28

6/21/2024 Weekly Freebies & Deals

I’m recovering from surgery and trying to take it slow. As I recover, I’ll be posting more.

My 2024 guide to a fun, frugal Summer Break can be found here. It’s San Diego County specific, but there are lots of great ideas if you aren’t local to me.

The 2024 Birthday Freebie post is here! Check this article out and sign up for birthday freebies at least 2-3 weeks before your birthday.

If you are looking for free food resources, my comprehensive list can be found here. It is focused on San Diego County, but there are additional resources outside my area.

Freebies:

Free Medium Fries w/ Any $1 Purchase at McDonalds – Every Friday
4 Free Kids Meals at Cracker Barrel
Free Fries Every Friday at Wendy’s
Free Sample of AlaSkins Wild Alaska Salmon Skins Dog Treats
Free Frazil Slushie Every Friday in June
Free Medik8 Total Moisture Daily Facial Cream Sample from Sampler
Free Kroger Sample Box
Free Pampers Swaddlers 360° Sample Pack
Possible Free I and Love and You Interactive Cat Treats
Free Sample of Moroccanoil Night Body Serum
Free Purina SuperPet Smart ID Tag
Free Fragrance Samples from Macy’s
Free ZhuZhu Aquarium Party Pack
Free Box of Nature Valley, Mott’s or Fiber One Products After Rebate
Up to 4,000 Free Kroger Points Rewards Plus Rewards Points
Possible Free CRUNCH Candy
Firehouse Subs Name of the Day – Free Medium Sub

Deals

Women’s Sandals & Flip Flops Starting at $12.79 at JCPenney
Free Covergirl Eyeliner at CVS
BJ’s Membership Deals and Discounts 2024 | Get Promo Coupons and Exclusive Deals
Yoo-hoo Chocolate Drink 40-Pack ONLY $10 on Amazon
Free Crest Pro-Health Advanced Gum Protection Toothpaste
Ralph Lauren Pillow ONLY $8.99 at Macy’s (Reg $24)

New Offers from Social Nature!

Social Nature has started offering 100% cash-back, similar to Ibotta and Fetch Rewards. I love this because I can select exactly what I want, Social Nature tells me which local stores have it, and I can add it to my next shopping list.

And it’s just as easy as Ibotta and Fetch Rewards. Snap a pic and upload it. You can select Venmo, Paypal, or an Amazon Gift Card for your rebate.

Here are just a few of the offers available now:

  • Gluten-Free Mexicali Dip by Rojos
  • Falafel Bowls by Afia Foods
  • Freeze Dried Herbs by Litehouse
  • Organic Nut Butter Bites by Sweet Nothings
  • Dairy-Free Fy Yogurt by Nature’s Fynd
  • Grass-Fed Butter by Vital Farms

I am picking up the Organic Nut Butter Bites and Grass Fed Butter on my weekly Sprouts trip this afternoon.

  • And Sample offers include:
    Interactive Cat Treats by “I and love and you” Pet (a coupon for a free product will be mailed to you).

And one of the things I love about Social Nature is that they don’t leave our friends with food allergies out.

There are sampling offers for Gluten-free, nut-free, and meat-free foods.

Canadian Friends- You are in luck! There are sampling opportunities for you too! So if you love trying new products, check out Social Nature!

FTC Disclosure: As with some offers I post, I receive payments for clicks, purchases, and/or registrations made through affiliate links in this post.

6/15/2024 Weekend Freebies!

School is over for the 2023-2024 school year! The kids have all sorts of exciting adventures planned, including sleeping in and lots of swimming.

My 2024 guide to a fun, frugal Summer Break can be found here. It’s San Diego County specific, but there are lots of great ideas if you aren’t local to me.

The 2024 Birthday Freebie post is here! Check this article out and sign up for birthday freebies at least 2-3 weeks before your birthday.

If you are looking for free food resources, my comprehensive list can be found here. It is focused on San Diego County, but there are additional resources outside my area.

Freebies:

Free Good Culture Probiotic Milk
Free 3-Piece Chicken Tenders at Hardee’s on June 13th & 18th
Free TevraPet Hemp Helpers Dog Collars or Topical Tubes
Free 60-Day Supply of Care/of Ashwagandha Supplement
Free Nurishh Animal Free Cream Cheese at Select Retailers
Free Sample of Black Forest Gummy Bears
Free Revol Greens Salad Kits, Salad Blends or Head Lettuces After Rebate
Possible Free Vital Farms Grass-Fed Butter
Free 8×10 Photo Print at Walgreens
Free Father’s Day UTV Craft for Kids at Lowe’s
Free Entree at Chipotle
Free Sacred Essentials CBD Pain Balm Sample
Free Bag of Yummers After Rebate
Free Fries Every Friday at Wendy’s
Babylist Registry Perks – 15% Off & Free Registry Box
2 Free Movie Tickets to Sound of Hope: The Story of Possum Trot
Free Good Planet Foods Olive Oil Cheese After Rebate
Free Medium Fries w/ Any $1 Purchase at McDonalds – Every Friday
Free Frazil Slushie Every Friday in June
Cigar Aficionado Plus Additional Magazines – No Credit Card Required

Deals:

Nike – 60% Off + Extra 25% Off Coupon
QVC 20% Off Entire Cart Coupon Code

Summer Grill Bundles from Dream Dinners!

As you are all aware,  Dream Dinners is one of my favorite ways to save time and get tasty, healthy meals on the table in 45 minutes or less!

Just in time for summer, Dream Dinners is offering Grill Bundles. The perfect easy meal plan for camping, your next vacation, or a staycation. There are two Bundles, One available in June, and the second in July.

And it gets better- If you are new to Dream Dinners, order 3 or more dinners, and get a free medium Creamy Chicken Risotto as their gift to you. Use code SHARE at checkout.

If you don’t live near a Dream Dinners location, don’t fret! New Guests can receive free shipping on their first box of 4 medium dinners as a special offer just for you. Use the code FREESHIP at checkout.