Sunday Pot Roast

Yesterday, I cooked the traditional sunday dinner for the family.  Pot roast with potatoes and carrots.  I usually buy my roasts when they are on sale and then cook at least two when I cook. I put my potatoes and carrots on the bottom and then place the roasts on top.  I sprinkle onion soup and some beef boullion over.  Then I pour about two to three cups of hot water over.  I cover the potatoes and carrots.  I only cook enough potatoes and carrots for one meal or a little extra for a quick beef soup later in the week.  Since veggies don't freeze well, I just freeze the extra roast and gravy. 

Now, since I'm pretty frugal, I usually buy the cheap cut of roast that has to be cooked for an extremely long time.  My husband teases me but while we're eating like pigs he never complains!  I freeze that extra roast and gravy to add noodles later for beef and noodles.  This makes a very easy Sunday meal for later in the month. 

When we're all sitting down on Sunday after church talking and eating all the extra planning I do for those meals is well worth it!

Easy Sloppy Joes!

Tonight is soccer practice.  Today I'm prepping for the garden swap that I'm hosting on Saturday.  Oh, did I mention, I also homeschool my son?  There are a thousand things going on today and I don't have time to cook.  But for some reason, my family thinks they need to eat! To quote Eeyore, my favorite Winnie the Pooh character, Oh Bother!!!

I just visited the freezer, my handy-dandy freezer, and it coughed up an easy dinner.  Thank you freezer for saving me! I'm making sloppy joes. They are super easy because I keep cooked seasoned hamburger meat just for these occasions.  I've got to do some big-batch cooking next week because it was the last package.  I've been busy buying lean hamburger when it is on sale so I've got it ready to cook.  Next week.  I promise!

Easy Weeknight Sloppy Joes

1 1/2 lbs ground beef, I have already added garlic and onion when it was cooked
1 can tomato soup, undiluted
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar, this can be omitted if you are watching sugar intake
1 tablespoon Worchestershire sauce
1 teaspoon prepared yellow mustard

Heat the ground beef until it is frying in the skillet. If you don't have precooked meat, you will need to cook with about 1/2 cup chopped onion and a clove garlic until brown and then drain.  Stir in the tomato soup and the rest of the ingredients.  Simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring often.  Serve on hamburger buns. This will make approximately 8 servings. 

It can also be dumped into the crock pot and cooked on low for several hours.  Sometimes, I will double this and put part of it in the freezer for those nights when you don't have 15 minutes to cook!  Just dump it in the crock pot and eat when you get home!

I'll serve this tonight with carrots and celery and low fat dip, cut up apples and oranges. 

Quick, easy on the budget and a sure kid pleaser!