Homemade Vs. Boxed

How many times have you grabbed that blue box of macaroni and cheese, torn the top off the frozen chicken nuggets box or opened that can of sloppy joe sauce? Face it, kids are the ones that love these quick favorites. How many adults do you hear requesting a frozen pizza or frozen chicken nuggets?

Why not try a homemade version of your favorite convenience food? They only require a little more work, but are well worth it. Get you kids involved and let them help you cook it, so they know all good things don't come out of a box! Maybe the next time you say, "We're having macaroni and cheese tonight," you're husband might cheer along with the kids.

Sloppy Joes

1 pound bulk Italian sausage
2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
½ a cup of green bell pepper, chopped
¼ cup of chopped onion
1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
1 tablespoon fresh parsley
½ a teaspoon of chili powder
4-5 submarine or hoagie rolls, split
½ a cup of grated mozzarella cheese

In a saucepan, cook sausage with green pepper, garlic and onion until the sausage is no longer pink. Drain. Add the tomato sauce and seasonings. Bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 30 minutes. Divide evenly among hoagie rolls and top each with some cheese.

Sloppy Joe Casserole
For a different way to serve Sloppy Joe's, try this recipe.

1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1 can sloppy joe sauce
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 cups Bisquick
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup of milk

Cook beef until browned. Drain. Stir in sloppy joe sauce and mix well. Transfer to a lightly greased 13x9x2 inch baking pan. Sprinkle with the cheese. In a small bowl, combine the Bisquick, eggs and milk until just combined. Pour over cheese. Bake at 400 degrees F for about 25 minutes or until golden brown. Note: Top with sesame seeds to make it extra special!

Chicken Nuggets

1 cup flour
4 teaspoons seasoned salt
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1 teaspoon ground mustard
1/2 teaspoon pepper
8 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1/4 cup of vegetable oil

In a ziploc bag, combine the first six ingredients. Pound chicken into about ½-inch thickness and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces. Place pieces a few at a time into the flour mixture. Shake to coat. Heat oil in skillet and cook chicken, turning often, until browned and done through, about 6-8 minutes.

Chicken Strips

1 cup mayonnaise
2 teaspoons dried, minced onion
2 teaspoons dry mustard
1 cup crushed buttery crackers
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts

In a bowl, combine the mayonnaise, onion and mustard. Put the cracker crumbs into another bowl. Cut chicken lengthwise into 1/4-inch strips. Dip them into mayonnaise mixture, then into the cracker crumbs. Place in a single layer on a large, lightly greased baking sheet. Bake at 425 degrees F for about 16 minutes, or until juices run clear.

The copyright of the article Homemade Vs. Boxed in Cooking with Children is owned by Donna Smith. Permission to republish Homemade Vs. Boxed in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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