Category Cuisine and Beverages

Featured

Crustless Quiche–chalked full of veggies!

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It’s autumn. For many, lives are busy. The weather is growing frightfully chilly. A warm, easy dish to feed the family or friends is always welcome. With the holidays just around the corner, budget friendly meals are a necessity.

Ingredients:

12 medium Eggs

1/2 cup (x2) shredded or cubed cheese (your choice)

1/2 a 16 oz bag of frozen vegetable blend (the generic brand is great) like the one with water chestnuts and snap peas and such in it, it’s already coarsely chopped.

1/4 cup milk

Salt, Pepper, crushed red pepper if you like it a spicy

In a large mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients, except half the cheese, mixing fully with wooden spoon or spatula. Pour into a greased baking dish (like a 9×13″for thinner quiche or a square baking dish for a thicker quiche)

Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, put remaining cheese on top, and bake for another 15 minutes. The quiche should be spongy to the touch when finished.

I like it with Hot Sauce on top versus melted cheese but either way is delicious! Serves a family or group.

Egg quiche
cheap meals
vegetarian and diabetic friendly
Franks Red Hot Sauce is delicous on this!
Featured

Hearty Tomato Soup–8 minute meal

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This is a “cheaters” recipe for when life gets busy!

1 small can of condensed tomato soup, use the empty can to measure 1 can of water

1/2 cup of frozen mixed vegetables

Crackers (optional)

Dump the can of tomato soup into a small pot, add the can of water and the frozen vegetables, simmer for a few minutes until hot, serve with crackers or the homemade herb bread (here’s the link on how to make that!)https://annapotthoff.com/2025/09/18/when-harvest-season-is-here-baking-with-dried-herbs-homemade-soda-bread-quick-easy-no-sugar-no-yeast-no-waiting/

This quick meal is super filling and cheap. Let’s be honest. We all need quick, hot meals occasionally. This packs well for a lunch at work in a thermos or to-go container. It’s loaded with veggies, and lets be truthful, we could all use more veggies in our life. Pairs great with a grill

Tomatoe veggie soup with crackers
Easy soup with veggies
Quick meals on a budget
Autumn soup on the fly
Goes well with a grilled cheese, classic American food
Eat more veggies
Featured

Scottish Inspired Salmon and Peas–with a shredded cabbage salad on the side

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Dining options are limited when visiting my parents in Eastern Colorado. The same cuisines dominate, mostly Mexican food or burgers and fries. There are one or two Asian-themed places a couple of towns over. So, what is a person to do? Pull ideas from their adventures and make a meal for the family!

I chose fresh caught wild- Atlantic salmon fillets, skin on.

Ingriedients:

4 Salmon Fillets

Lemon Juice

Salted Butter, Salt and Pepper (fresh cracked)

Thinly sliced red onions

Frozen Peas (the whole bag)

Saute the salmon in the skillet, skin side down in butter and lemon juice, basting the fish with the reduction in the pan. Steam the frozen peas in a side pan. Top the fish with the onion and cover with a lid, cook until desired level of doneness is desired. Served with a shredded cabbage salad, top with a creamy dressing and serve.

Scottish inspired Salmon and peas
Saute the salmon in a heavy butter and lemon sauce. with sliced onions

Featured

When Harvest Season is here–baking with dried herbs–Homemade Soda Bread (Quick, easy, no sugar, no yeast, no waiting!)

Anna--The Adventurer 1 Comment

Ingredients: Classic Irish Soda Bread

4 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp each coarse salt and 1 tsp baking soda (not powder!)

1 3/4 cup buttermilk (or 1 3/4 cup cool water with 3 tablespoons powdered buttermilk)

Mix dry ingredients together, put a well in the center of dry ingredients and pour buttermilk into center. It works best if you use a ceramic or glass bowl and a wooden spoon. Mix thoroughly but don’t over do it. Plop all the dough onto a lightly floured, clean surface. Lightly knead as you shape the dough into either a boules shape or an elongated loaf shape. Dough can be split in half to make two smaller loaves for sharing or for gifting. This also works great for using one now and freezing one for later for quick use.

Score each loaf lightly on the top. Place on metal or stone baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven at 425 degrees Fahrenheit (220 degrees Celsius) for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown.

Variations, if preferred.

Autumn Harvest Herb Bread Use classic Irish recipe, adding 1 tsp each ground pepper, basil, garlic powder, dried onions, and cumin seeds

Cranberry Spice Bread: Use Classic Irish Soda bread above, adding 1 tsp dried orange zest, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp cloves, and 1/2 dried cranberries (Craisins) or raisins if you prefer cinnamon raisin bread.

Cheesy Bread: Using the classic Irish Soda recipe above, add 1/2 cup shredded cheddar or Colby shredded cheese, 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese and 2 tsp of sesame seeds

These breads make great toast, chunks for dipping into stews and soups, or just eating with a charcuterie board. My mom likes to eat it with her eggs in the morning. The bread slices up well and stays really fresh for days, despite not having any filler or preservatives in it. It also works nicely to be crumbled up and used as croutons or as a stuffing base for the holidays. Each loaf costs less than $1.75 per full sized loaf or about $2 per loaf with add-in options.

Mixing the ingreidents
Shaping the dough
Scoring the bread
Baking the bread
Letting the bread cool a wee bit
Serving up the Bread!

Featured

It’s a big Dill–Spicy Tilapia and Steamed Veggies

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It’s autumn and things are back in full swing after the joys and adventures of summer. Did you forget to set out meat to thaw or plan for a meal in advance?

This is super easy and can easily be doubled, tripled or quadzillioned into easy meals to feed yourself, a family or the group of friends that showed up at the last minute to study (because, as continuing education adults, when do we ever have time?)

I always keep some kind of frozen fish in the freezer. Usually, I buy the kind that is on sale at the local grocery store. These include buy one get one free, coupon, or club card deals. Whatever fish you may have, this recipe will work!

In the example below, it’s Tilapia fillets, skinless, boneless.

It’s super easy!

Get 1 (or 2 pieces, if they are smaller) fillet for each person, put into a skillet on medium heat with some oil (olive oil or sunflower oil is best!)

Put in frozen veggies of your choice (the California blend is seen below). Add a dash of salt, pepper, Cajun seasoning and heavy on the dry dill.Splash some lemon juice on top, let cook through for approximately 20 minutes, covered with a lid and then serve. It’s seriously that simple and it’s delicious. I like this particular dish with hot peppermint tea.

An easy breezy meal in less than 20 minutes, start to finish
Featured

It’s a sweetly tart pie–with Triple Sec, baking with Mom

Anna--The Adventurer 2 Comments

A lady friend gave us a lot of frozen raspberries so what are we to do? Bake pies, of course!

Here is the generalized recipe we used but we “cheated” by using Pillsbury refrigerated pie crust instead of the crust in the recipe (click here if you want the see the recipe)

My mom and I didn’t exactly follow the filling recipe to the “T”, either. We added a splash of orange Triple Sec. We also added some lemon and orange zest to the recipe. Additionally, we included extra cinnamon.

The results were spectacular! I forgot to snap a picture of the final products because I was more interested in sampling the pie.

Bon Appetite!

Popping in the oven for baking!
Mixing up the goodness
Featured

Edible and Ugly–Using what you got! A twist on Stone Soup

Anna--The Adventurer Leave a comment

Anyone who has ever moved knows that meals get interesting as the big move day grows near. This is especially true if you are moving a greater distance versus just across town. Transferring groceries and frozen goods is a breeze when moving locally.

I am doing the greater distance move and thus trying to use up what groceries I have at the moment. Meals are getting creative, hence edible and ugly.

This recipe, while high in fiber, isn’t pretty but it’s quite yummy.

1 can of red Kidney Beans

1 onion chopped up

2 medium carrots, pealed and diced

2 small tomatoes, diced up

1/2 pound of ground turkey, browned

1 can of refried beans

2 cups of water

1 tablespoon of cajun seasoning

Dump everything into a pot together and simmer for about 15 minutes. Serve with Texas Pete and sour cream or whatever toppings you have left in your condiment stash or cupboard.

This recipe can easily be varied to don whatever you have in your kitchen–hence the Stone Soup theory.

I showed my mother my meal and she said “God Bless you, that looks like canned dog food.” In truth, it does resemble cheap, canned dog food but it’s actually quite yummy.

Edible “dog food” soup stew
High Fiber Stone Soup meal
Featured

Easy Protein-Packed Salad for Hot Days

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My mother’s meal, shared, is as follow, and I quote:

“I made my salad with two different kinds of lettuce,

a little bit of tomato, cottage cheese, cheddar

cheese, egg, avocado, some little sprinkles

that were in a package and some dressing. It’s pretty good.”-My Mother

My mother had hard boiled a batch of eggs the day before. The eggs were nice and chilled before she peeled and put them on the salad. The cheese and vegetables also came out chilled from the produce basket in her fridge.

She chopped up the items and layered them into the bowls, topping with dressing. (I am paraphrasing for her as I couldn’t get it down fast enough to write it verbatim!)

Mother also chose tangerines as dessert, a favorite of hers!

Happy Summer!

My mother’s salad
Cool Summer protein salad
Tangerine Dessert
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        Featured

        Stop for Coffee, Make a Coffee Stop-And here’s your sign

        Anna--The Adventurer Leave a comment

        You might be at work, traveling, or on the road. You are doing adulthood tasks. Here is your sign to Stop for Coffee. You deserve it.

        This sign literally exists on Coffee Road near Brasstown Falls, South Carolina. What better suggestion when on an adventure than to get your *buzz* on, a bean buzz that is!

        Coffee Stop, It’s Definitly a sign

        Upon doing some research, post adventure, I realized there is actually a local place (https://www.lifeinlongcreek.com/menu/) that I would love to check out! If anyone goes this way, please let me know how it is!

        Featured

        Lemon Dilly-Tilapia and Vegetable Medley-Easy Snap Peasy Meal

        Anna--The Adventurer Leave a comment

        Whether the weather is fine or icky, a quick meal is always nice. It is also very affordable. It’s especially nice when it can be done in less than 25 minutes, start to finish at home!

        It’s super easy:

        Put all the next items in a slightly deeper skillet:

        1 tablespoon coconut oil

        2 pieces of frozen tilapia fillets

        1/2 tsp minced garlic

        1 tablespoon dried dill

        Salt and Pepper

        2 tablespoons lemon juice (bottled is okay)

        1 bag of frozen vegetable mix (I used the one that has broccoli, carrots, sugar snap peas and water chestnuts in it!)

        Put the fish and oil on the bottom of the skillet and just dump everything else on top. Simmer for 15-20 minutes on medium-low heat until fish is cooked through and the vegetables are hot. Serve and Enjoy!

        Side Tip: Jasmine tea, served hot, pairs very nicely with the meal.

        Diabetic Friendly Meal
        Cheap meals for the family