Howdy folks. The previous mental health awareness post got me thinking about one of the most pain staking parts of self care when you’re struggling. Just getting up enough energy to feed yourself. I’m going to compile of easy to make meals for those days when you’re brain drained. If you have quick go to recipes, add them in!
Disclaimer, they’re not going to be the healthiest meals.
Shredded chicken enchiladas:
20oz boneless pre-cooked chicken.
You can use canned or foil packaged chicken breast, or left overs from rotisserie birds work great too.
5oz sour cream
1 and 1/2tsp chili powder
1 16oz can enchilada sauce
1 16oz can of refried beans (optional)
5oz shredded cheese of your choice for topping
5 soft tortillas corn or wheat of your choice.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix chili powder with sour cream in a bowl.
Take each tortilla and evenly spread with thin layer of refried beans to about 1/8th an inch from edge. Spoon small amount of sour cream/chili mix in thin line right down center of tortilla. Spread 3oz of chicken next to that line. Roll tortilla, put in baking dish seam side down so they don’t spring open. This should get you about 6 enchiladas. Pour enchilada sauce over tortillas, sprinkle on cheese topping. Heat in oven 12-14 minutes or until cheese is melted. The meat is already pre-cooked, so all you’re doing is reheating sauce, cooking tortilla and making everything hot.
This can be made in the microwave. Be warned, the red sauce will explode everywhere. Have spatter guard ready or use damp paper towel draped over dish to catch the mess. Paper towels may adhere to cheese, so you might want to add the cheese afterwards. Microwave on normal setting 4 minutes. Add cheese, let rest for 2 minutes so it can melt. If it’s not melting adequately, microwave in 30-45 second intervals until desired consistency is met.
Beware the sauce temp might be molten lava with the microwave method. I never find it cooks evenly.
Fire Cracker/Baked Sunscale Salmon fritters
10 oz canned salmon
1 egg
10 oz saltine crackers (roughly half a sleeve); breadcrumbs also work but may be more dry.
2 tbsp lemon juice; vinegar can be substituted, reduce to 1 tbsp for vinegar
2 tsp italian herb blend
1 tsp garlic powder or chopped garlic (optional)
These can be baked or fried. Traditionally they are fried - but air fryers and convection bake ovens seem to work just as well. I suggest adding about 1 tablespoon of mayo if you go with the air fryer/convection bake oven method, otherwise these get dry and crumbly. Add the mayo in with the eggs and everything else.
Preheat oven to 400. Open cans of salmon, drain water into a bowl, do not discard the water. Crush or food process crackers into fairly course powder. Combine fish, crumbs, egg, spices, garlic, lemon juice in large mixing bowl. Knead with hands until dough forms. If it is too easily falling apart and does not seem like it will form into patties, add in water from salmon cans slowly about a tablespoon at a time until desired consistency is met. It should be sticky enough to adhere to itself, but not so sodden that it won’t easily lift off your hands cleanly. Recipe amount should make 4 palm sized patties, about 3/4in thick.
Shape into patties and place on pre-oiled or non stick cookie sheet. Bake for 15-18 minutes. Edges and top should be golden brown.
Alternately for the traditional method: Fry in pan of your choice of pre-heated vegetable oil. Oil should be deep enough to come half way up the patty, hot enough that if you drop a cracker crumb it instantly floats to top with little bubbles forming around it. Cook 4-6 minutes per side, again edges should be golden brown.
Saltine cracker mini pizza bites/poor man’s pizza
Better appetizer than meal, but when you’re lacking time or resources it’s an option in a pinch.
2in deep baking dish of choice (we use pie pans)
12-30 crackers depends on size of your baking dish
1 12oz can of spaghetti sauce
Pepperoni, cut into halves or quarters (whichever fits on the cracker best)
Toppings of your choosing
Mozzarella cheese (again pan size will dictate how much)
Ricotta cheese (optional)
Preheat oven to 400. Line your baking dish with the crackers. You have an option here to put a layer of ricotta cheese down ontop of them as a base. I personally find that it makes the crackers too soggy. But, to each their own!
Pour 1/2 of your spaghetti sauce into a ziploc bag. Cut bottom tip for an opening like a bakery piping bag for frosting. Lightly zig zag back and forth a couple lines of sauce over the crackers. You don’t want them sodden or they’ll be a soggy mess and hard to handle. Dress the sauced crackers as you would a regular pizza. Recommended to put pepperoni down first because some veggies will ooze water while cooking. Top with your choice of cheese. Bake @ 400 until the cheese is desired consistency. Roughly 12-14 minutes.
Edit: Will add more later, just time for sleeps.