Crab Patties

We got some imitation crab (which is mostly fish) for really cheap. I had no idea what to do with it, so I looked at recipes online and combined parts of several.

I used
1 package imitation crab
Approx. 1/4 cup sour cream
Approx. 1/4 cup crushed rice crackers
1/4 cup gluten-free pancake mix
A lot of cheese
3 tbsp. canola oil
3 tbsp. water
2 tsp. baking powder
(2 eggs can be used instead of the last 3 ingredients--we were out of eggs)

Stir well. Melt some butter in a skillet. Form the batter into patties in the skillet. Cook on medium-high heat until the bottoms brown, then flip over and brown the other side. I sprinkled some salt and dried mint on top.

Cheesy Mexican Rice

This is part recipe I found on the back of a shredded cheese bag, part taco seasoning recipe I found online, part me.

For every two servings,

1/2 cup (uncooked) brown rice

1/2 cup corn

1/2 cup shredded cheese, Mexican/fiesta blend

1/3 cup salsa

Generous amounts of chili powder, oregano, black pepper, and garlic

1/4-1/2 tsp. red pepper

Salt to taste

Cook the rice according to the package. If you're using frozen corn, add it to the rice when the rice has around 20 minutes left to cook. If you're using canned, about 10 minutes should do. When the rice is cooked, add the salsa, spices, and cheese, and stir until the cheese melts.

Peanut Sauce

I looked at a few recipes online for a basic idea of the ingredients and made up my own.

I used

Approx. 1/2 cup peanut butter

Handful of peanuts

3/4 cup milk

1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce

1/3 cup honey

1/4 tsp. Pampered Chef Indian Mild Curry Rub*

1/4 tsp. Pampered Chef Thai Red Curry Rub* 

1/4 tsp. dried cilantro

1/4-1/2 tsp. red pepper
3 tsp. sesame seeds

*Substitute pinches of whatever you have of sugar, salt, garlic, coriander, cumin, cinnamon, black pepper, ginger, turmeric, cardamom, brown mustard seed, clove, curry powder, paprika, onion powder, lemongrass powder, and a bit of lime juice. Simplified, use garlic, cinnamon, ginger, and curry powder.

Combine the ingredients in a pot and heat on the stove, medium temperature, until hot, stirring constantly. Serve on chicken and rice or whatever.

Easy Meatball Soup

This is one of the easiest recipes I've come up with.

I used
14 frozen Italian-style meatballs
Approx. 1/2 cup (uncooked) brown rice
14.5 oz can of mixed vegetables
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 or 2 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/4 cup soy sauce
Approx. 6 cups water

1. Cut the meatballs into fourths.

2. Combine everything in a pot and turn the stove on high.

3. Wait for it to boil, turn the heat down to low-medium, put the lid on, and cook it for around half an hour, stirring occasionally.

Serves three or four.

Asian-ish Stir-fry

I used
4 frozen chicken tenders
8 oz. frozen green beans
3 eggs
4 servings brown rice
Reduced-sodium soy sauce (a few tbsp., maybe 1/4 cup)
A few tsp. Pampered Chef Asian seasoning mix
Water

1. Put the rice on to cook.

2. Cook the chicken with the soy sauce on a skillet on the stove. Sprinkle with 1 tsp or so seasoning. Add a little water as necessary to keep it from burning to the skillet. When it's mostly cooked, cut it into pieces, beat the eggs in a bowl, poor them in the skillet with the chicken, and scramble.

3. Cook the green beans in a pan with a little water and 1 tsp. seasoning.

4. Add the rice, green beans, and another tsp. seasoning to the skillet with the chicken and eggs. Stir well and serve.

Makes enough for 3 or 4 people (enough for us two to eat for dinner and my husband to take to work the next day).

Stir-fry

I made a random stir-fry for dinner.

I used
4 servings brown rice
5 eggs
A third or a fourth of a 32 oz bag of green peas
Soy sauce (estimated 1/4 cup)
Coriander, maybe 1 teaspoon
Chives, around 2 teaspoons
A few tablespoons of butter

I cooked the rice and combined it in a skillet with the frozen peas, butter, and eggs, and while it cooked, added soy sauce, coriander, and chives. I put too much coriander in (more than 1 tsp.), but otherwise it was good. We ate it with a couple of tomatoes from the garden. This recipe sort of makes enough for two people for two dinners.

Pineapple Chicken

I found a can of pineapple in the fridge, so I made pineapple chicken. I looked at recipes online for inspiration and did my own thing based on the ingredients available and what I thought would taste good.

I used
1 large chicken breast
4 pineapple rings
Pineapple juice
Reduced-sodium soy sauce
Thyme
Salt
Pepper

I cooked the chicken breast in a little butter, and when it was partly done, I sprinkled thyme, salt, and pepper on top, and then added the pineapple rings and a couple of tablespoons each of soy sauce and pineapple juice. I added more of the latter two as it evaporated as the chicken cooked the rest of the way and made brown rice (the instructions are on the package, yo) and green peas (in a skillet with some butter) to go with it. This recipe makes enough for two people for one dinner.