Fall is here and so are easy meals for back to school!!

I know technically it begins September 22 this year but for me and my family fall begins with back to school shopping,and includes everything that comes after that such as college football, the first day of school, soccer season and so much more!! I love the ALL of those events and of course I feel like almost all of them call for special menus to commemorate the occasion! In this post I'll just offer some ideas for back to school and then I'll post about the others in the next few days!

My sweet Reagan enjoying her fried smiley face pancake!

At our house for the first day of school this year we have "deep fried" smiley face pancakes! Not a special recipe really but a special way to make them! Just in case you haven't ever made them here are the directions: First make any kind of pancake mix you'd like, then heat a small amount of vegetable oil in a frying pan drop two small spoonfulls of batter into the top off the pan and another in the shape of a smile wait about 20 seconds and then cover completely with about a cup of batter. Cook until the top is covered with bubbles and looks dry, flip and cook until golden brown! It's like a pancake/Funnel cake!! You'll never have anything better! I have included a picture, no it's not burned!! LOL!!!

This year the first day of school was not only an exciting occasion for my babies, but this year was especially exciting because my niece moved to Utah from California to go to College!! To celebrate with her, my sister and mother and I spent a week straight cooking a ton of her favorite meals, junk food, and goodies (I will include some of those recipes later) and then finally we helped her move into her very own apartment and stock her very own kitchen!

Hailey in her new apartment on her beautiful new bed!

It was then that we realized that my sweet Hailey (and some of her roommates) don't have a clue how to cook for themselves!! She did not buy anything but frozen meals!! Well I can't stand for that!!! So I promised I'd post some easy recipes with only a few ingredients so all of the college students I love (I also have a sister in her sophmore year and a cousin in his freshman year) could have a home cooked meal more often that once a week at MY house!! Here are the first three and these are favorites at my house:

Chicken Stroganoff
(I have posted this before but college students won't search so I'm reposting!)
1 chicken breast chopped (optional)
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 pkg Lipton Onion Soup Mix
1-1 1/2 cup of sour cream
1 pkg. pasta (egg noodles are the best for this recipe but any will work)

Boil pasta according to package while pasta is cooking (if using chicken brown it in a sauce pan with a tablespoon of oil or pam), Mix all other ingredients in a sauce pan and heat through. When pasta is cooked mix it into the sauce and serve! This dinner is Yummy served with a green salad and garlic bread!

Lasagna Casserole
1 bottle of Bertolli pasta sauce (four cheese Rosa or Vodka are the best)
2 cup of mozzerella cheese
1 cup of parmesean cheese
1 cup of Ricotta cheese (optional)
1 box of short pasta noodles (rigattoni works best)

Boil pasta according to package directions while pasta is cooking mix together cheese and sauce (saving one coup of mozzerella for the top) mix pasta with sauce mix cover with remaining cheese and back in the oven until cheese is melty and brown.

African Beans and Rice
2 Tbs of olive oil
1 clove of garlic or Tbs of minced garlic
1 white onion chopped
1 can Tomato Paste
Cayenne Pepper to taste
2 cans white beans
Minute Rice

Cook rice according to directions on the box. Brown onion and garlic in olive oil over medium heat. When it is nice and brown reduce heat and add tomato paste and stir until completely mixed with oil and onions then add juice from beans and cook while stirring for about 5 minutes. Then add both cans of beans and one cup of water and cook another 5 minutes. Add cayenne, salt, and pepper until you like the flavor *cayenne is super hot!!*

This is Hailey unpacking on move in day!