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My son is in football right now, and he plays the drum in band. When he’s not playing football, it’s basketball or baseball. It seems like our family is always on the go (just like every other family out there). That’s why I like to have some easy suppers ready to go, especially for game nights when we get home late and my son still has homework to finish.

I hate eating fast food, but if there’s nothing at home ready to go it’s really tempting. That’s why I try to have some ingredients for quick and easy suppers on hand, but I also try to have some meals prepared ahead of time so I can just pull them out, and heat them up for supper. I don’t do a whole ton of once a month cooking, but I do a few dishes. One of my favorites is lasagna. When I make lasagna… I make lasagna. It is just as easy to make three or four lasagnas as it is to make one (if you have the baking dishes available). When I buy lasagna ingredients I buy enough for several lasagnas and make extra to put in the freezer.

Here’s my lasagna recipe, this recipe makes one lasagna, but it’s a great once a month cooking (OAMC) recipe to make in bulk, just triple or quadruple the recipe and you’re set.

I get out a large skillet to brown the ground beef, and a large pot to heat the sauce.

Once a Month Cooking Lasagna Recipe

One box lasagna noodles

1 lb lean ground beef

2 cups mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup chopped onion

16 oz ricotta cheese

The Sauce:

1 -30 oz can tomato sauce

1 1/2 tsp basil

1 tsp oregano

1 bay leaf

salt and pepper to taste

For the lasagnas I plan on freezing I line the pans with wax or parchment paper so I can take the lasagnas out of the pans once they’re partially frozen, until I’m ready to cook them. Then I wrap the partially frozen lasagnas in freezer paper until they’re needed.

Combine all the sauce ingredients in a large pot, and heat to a low simmer. Brown the hamburger and add the chopped onion. When the hamburger and onions are thoroughly cooked, drain and add to the sauce.

I never soak or cook my lasagna noodles before I put them in the lasagna. Layer a layer of lasagna in the pan, then pour about 2 cups of the sauce mixture over the noodles. Add a layer with about 1/3 of the container of ricotta cheese, sprinkle on 1/3 of the mozzarella and Parmesan. Repeat the layers two more times.

Of course I usually bake one for supper that night, we can’t save them all for later, right?

When you’re ready to bake your frozen lasagna, thaw it over night in the refrigerator, trim back the parchment paper then bake at 325` for about 40 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbling and the lasagna is heated through.

In addition to being a great once a month cooking recipe, it also makes a wonderful one dish supper, just pair it with a salad and some garlic bread or breadsticks and you have supper!

We’re excited to be participating in the Rafflcopter Round Up hosted by Simply Stacie and Makobi Scribe.

The prize up for grabs here at the Home and Garden Cafe is a $25 Amazon gift card!

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2. Open to US residents only. Void where prohibited by law.
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Please enter to win by filling out the Rafflcopter form below (It may take a minute to show up):

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Whether you’re celebrating the end of the work week, or Mexican Independence Day (Friday September 16th), having a last minute fiesta with your friends is a great way to do it! I have a group of friends that get together most Friday nights and head to our favorite Mexican restaurant, but sometimes we just meet up at one of our houses. This Friday we might have to give these quick recipes a try! Yum!

While the most popular tequila drink here in the U.S. is the margarita, toast friends this Friday with Mexico’s most popular tequila drink – the Paloma.

Camarena Paloma

• 2 oz Camarena Silver Tequila
• 1 tsp agave nectar
• ½ oz fresh lime juice
• 4 oz grapefruit soda (Squirt)

Serve tall, over ice and garnish with a lime wedge.

Don’t forget the appetizer! A fiesta isn’t complete without a savory nibble to accompany the festivities. Here’s an easy fiesta appetizer recipe, created by Chef Jose Briceno, Sous Chef at Rivera Restaurant in Los Angeles. Just pair it with some chips and salsa and you’re set!

Black Bean Tostadito and Tropical Salsa

For the black bean puree:

• 1 medium cooked yellow onion, chopped
• 1 can black beans, drained and pureed
• ½ tsp sea salt
• 3 canned chilies chipotles en adobo, chopped
• ½ cup brown sugar

Mix ingredients in a bowl and then puree in a blender.

For the tropical salsa:

• ½ cup coarsely diced fresh pineapple
• ½ cup coarsely diced fresh mango
• ½ cup coarsely chopped white onion
• 3 serrano chilies seeded and de-veined, finely chopped
• ½ bunch cilantro finely chopped
• Juice of 3 limes
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• Splash of Camarena Silver Tequila

In a small bowl, stir all the ingredients together. Allow time to chill.

To assemble, place salted corn tortilla triangles on a serving dish and top with a spoonful of the warm black bean puree and a spoonful of the chilled salsa.

Enjoy!

Recipes courtesy of 100% agave Familia Camarena Tequila, you can find it at most major retailers for around $20 a bottle.

I love to make fruit crisps during the summer and fall months. From strawberry rhubarb crisp in the spring to apple crisp in the fall. One of my favorites is an apple peach crisp. Yum! I’ve made it twice so far this summer, and the second time I even remembered to get a few photos before it was all gone. This is a wonderful dish for a pot luck dinner, or to make ahead and freeze for a holiday dish later.

Here it is served up with some delicious homemade ice cream! Yum!

Apple Peach Crisp

Ingredients:
4-5 large sweet apples, I used Gala
5 large or 6 medium peaches
2 cups oatmeal ( I like slow cook)
3/4 cup coconut oil (or Canola)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1.Preheat your oven to 350`F.

2. Peel, remove the seeds, and slice the apples and peaches into a 9×9 baking dish, sprayed with non stick cooking spray, or lined with a little of the coconut oil.

3. Sprinkle the 1/2 the cinnamon, and about 1/4 cup of the sugar over the apples and peaches.

4. In a mixing medium bowl mix together the oats, the rest of the sugar, the oil, the rest of the cinnamon, and the vanilla.

5. Pour the oat mixture over the top of the fruit, and spread evenly.

6. Bake at 350`F for about 35-40 minutes.

I took my last crisp to a family reunion last weekend, and there was nothing left in the dish when it was time to come home! So I would say it was a hit.

I got recently had the opportunity to check out the Sunbeam Mini Cupcake Maker. I was excited to take it for a test run, I’ve been wanting to try one of the mini cupcake makers forever! I’ve used it several times now, to make several different types of mini cupcakes. Check them out:

First up I made these simple mini cupcakes with sprinkles. I used my favorite vanilla cupcake recipe.

Then I made these mini Oreo cupcakes, by dropping the Mini To Go Pack Oreos in the bottom of the cupcake wrapper, then topping it with a second mini Oreo when they were done.

I made some mini cinnamon cupcakes too, but my son ate them all before I could get them iced for a photo! I guess that means they were a hit?

I think the Sunbeam Mini Cupcake Maker is very cool. Well, maybe not when it’s heated up! If you want to make a few cupcakes and do a little baking with your kids this can be really fun. Just be careful, the cupcake maker gets hot! Let the kids know it’s not a toy, and it can burn them if they’re not careful.

Let the cupcake maker heat up while you’re mixing up your favorite cake mix, or cupcake recipe. Then line each cupcake hole with a mini cupcake liner and pour in enough batter to fill the cups about 2/3 to 3/4 full. Bake them according to the Mini Cupcake Maker’s directions, mine took about 6-8 minutes.

Be careful when you open the lid! There is usually some steam built up, so you may want to use an oven mitt. The directions say to use a wooden, or plastic spoon to get your mini cupcakes out, I used the handle end of a wooden spoon and it worked really well once I got the hang of it.

Clean up was super easy, the Cupcake Maker has a no stick surface, so everything just wiped right off once it was cool. Overall I really liked the cupcake maker, and I love to make cupcakes, so I think it’s going to be a kitchen favorite.

Disclaimer: I received a Mini Cupcake Maker from Sunbeam at no charge to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own.

I just can’t believe fall is almost here already! The weather was even “fallish” this last week here in Ohio. I had to break out my sweatshirts and jeans, ugh! It did get me in the mood to start some fall crafts and projects, and it looks like others are in the mood too from this weeks crafty links. Check out these fun links for a little football, beading, Christmas, and candles. There’s something for everyone! I hope you enjoy checking out all the ideas as much as I did!

1. Matchbox Christmas Ornament- The first Christmas ornament of the season is finished… June shares the instructions to create your own “winter matchbox shrine” ornament.
2. Soup and Football Scrapbooking- Cherie documents her favorite team’s road to the “Soup-er Bowl”.
3. Lampwork Glass Turtle Necklace- Cyndi figures out how to showcase a wonderful lampwork glass pendant and shares the steps with you!
4. Easy Candle Decoration- Step by step how to make an easy diy candle decoration in a jiffy.

Enjoy!

I don’t know about all of you, but at our house grilling is a year round thing! Our grill is right outside the back door, in a fairly sheltered area, so we sometimes grill in January!  Even if you’re a fair weather griller, you can enjoy this recipe for Mediterranean lemon chicken and potatoes for a few more weeks. I think it would also be delicious cooked inside in the oven. Either way the foil packs make for an easy clean up!

Mediterranean Lemon Chicken and Potatoes

This dish is delicious topped with crumbled feta cheese just before serving.

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 25 to 30 minutes

• 1 1/2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 lb. Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
• 1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup reduced-fat Greek or olive oil vinaigrette
• 1/3 cup quartered Kalamata olives (optional)
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon dry oregano
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1/2 cup chopped tomato

Mix all ingredients except tomatoes in a large bowl. Place equal amounts onto 4 large squares of heavy-duty foil. Fold in top and sides of each to enclose filling, leaving room for air to circulate. Grill over medium heat for about 25 to 30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and potatoes are soft. Carefully open packets and sprinkle equal amounts of tomato over each. Makes 4 servings.

Note: Packets may also be baked at 400°F for 30 minutes instead of grilling.

This recipe is courtesy of the US Potato Board.

It’s been a little chilly and rainy here this week, so it put me in the mood for soup! I love this time of year when I can walk out to my garden and pick supper! Well, maybe not this year… My garden hasn’t produced much this year because of the dry weather, so I’ve had to hit the local farmer’s market to make up the difference. One of my favorite early fall meals is garden vegetable soup. I just walk out to the garden, and whatever vegetables I have on hand, I throw them in the soup.

Don’t worry if you don’t have much left in your garden this time of year, use what you have and supplement it with some frozen veggies, or fresh vegetables from a local farmer. This isn’t really a recipe, just a list of suggestions, I don’t measure I just throw them in!

Here’s what mine looked like before I threw in the tomatoes and cabbage.

Garden Vegetable Soup

Ingredients:
(all of these are just suggestions, use what you have)

• Green beans snapped in two
• New Potatoes
• Onions
• Carrots
• Peas
• Lima beans
• Corn
• Cabbage
• Yellow or Zucchini squash
• Fresh tomatoes, blanched peeled and chopped
• Vegetable or beef stock
• Garlic to taste
• Salt and pepper to taste

Chop all the vegetables together in a large stock pot, and simmer until all the vegetables are cooked through. YUM! Extra yummy on  a cool day!

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