Desperate Dinner

After a long weekend of full course meals and not leaving home (the house, yes, just not the property) CommonLaw and I were running low on food items. While he listed off the various edibles in fridge and cupboards, I searched my knowledge of cooking... and then the internet, trying to make a "sunday" night dinner plan. Staying away from a store run for even "just one" thing was a priority, because we are broke! Yay! Nothing like being in the red $400, $135 of which is from overdraft charges. But I'm not complaining, no sir! I would have to tell you about how first thing this morning at work (not even 7 yet!) boss lady had to come tell me what an awful job she believes I'm doing! :D See, THAT would be complaining!!! Ooops. Heh heh. And all I wanted to do was bring you fluffy bunnies and rainbows. It's okay, that's what savings accounts are for- NO, they aren't for hopes and dreams, silly!

So onward! Forget the digression. I was telling you about this awesome dinner I created, which for some reason CommonLaw wants half the credit for...? His vote was for spaghetti, because we had some ground beef, noodles, and sauce. I just wasn't feeling like spaghetti.

However, I found a recipe online that used some of the ingrediants we had, though it also called for like a cup of ketchup which we both agreed would be way too domineering in flavor. So a few tweaks here, a few substitutes there, and "we" had created THIS.





1.5 lbs ground beef
1 small onion, chopped
1 c. peas
1 carrot, sliced
1 can gravy (small can, lil over a cup)
2 c. mashed potatoes
1 egg
1 c. grated cheese
salt and pepper

Brown meat and onions, place in casserole dish, add gravy. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste, add peas and carrots on top of meat. Mix beaten egg into mashed potatoes, spread over top of vegetables. Cover, bake at 350 for 30 minutes, uncover, sprinkle top with cheese and bake additional 15-20 minutes until cheese is as melty or toasty as you like.

And as a side we had artichokes. I told you we were using the last of the food! Now, this may be very similar to other dishes, but it was new to me, and good. You could probably use whatever veggies you happen to have on hand. And dessert? Green stuffed olives with beer! Not IN the beer, eeew! As a side snack. Yum yum, they make the beer sooo sweet. I only started liking them thangs recently, and now I get cravings for them. Not for the faint of heart, er, taste. Anyhoo, if you ever make a desperate dinner, share the outcome with me. This one turned out so good I don't think it can really qualify as desperate. How 'bout genious! Yup, that's me, ever modest. Love, hermitgrrl

PS It was 98 degrees when I got home!! Sheesh!