Desperation Breakfast Skillet

1 package frozen hash browns (I use cube-shaped)

12 eggs

1 package already cooked bacon (that you just re-heat in the microwave)

Colby-Jack Cheese (already shredded)

2 T. vegetable oil

With oil in skillet, begin cooking your hashbrowns, turning occasionally

Scramble your eggs

Reheat bacon in the microwave

When potatoes are done, put on a plate with eggs and bacon on top, sprinkled with cheese. You can put salsa on top if you wish.

Kids LOVE having breakfast for dinner. They love shaking the routine up a bit. It must make them feel like they're doing something naughty, which my kids love to do. Enjoy!

Desperation but Divine Burritos Galore

This is for all of you moms when you are SUPER desperate, like when you come home with your arms full and find yourself in another dimension consisting of hungry cries and whines from children and husband alike while simultaneously walking with a toddler on each foot and trying not to let anyone pull your clothes off as you make your way into the kitchen. PHEW! Sound familiar? Well then this recipe is for YOU!!

1-10 pack frozen Lynn Wilson Burritos (any variety, we like the bean and cheese with green sauce the best)

Enchilada sauce (red or green according to your preference. We like the green sauce best)

2-3 cups Monterrey Jack cheese, already shredded

Start preheating your oven to 425 before you do anything else.

Spray a 9 x 13 pan with Pam and spread some of the sauce around (to prevent stickage).

Arrange all burritos in a nice purdy pattern in the pan

Pour sauce over burritos, making sure they are covered

Sprinkle cheese over the top

Cook for 45 minutes (covered; uncover the last 5 minutes)

Serve with salad (get a mix that's already made from Costco to further decrease mental anguish) and WAALAAAA!!!!

Trust me, you could potentially fool your husband into thinking that you did this from scratch.

Desperation BBQ Chicken Pizza Extraordinare

*Very Kid Friendly....let your kids push up their sleeves and get really involved in this project!*

Must Have Ingredients

1 roll Pillsbury Pizza Dough (alright, if you're not desperate and you pride yourself on being a high-tech baker and want to make your own dough, feel free)

BBQ sauce

2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded

1 cup finely minced red onion

1 cup crumbled bacon (you can use the refrigerated bacon that is already cooked; just reheat and crumble, or you can you use the "real" bacon bits from Costco if you don't have time to cook up your own batch)

1 cup combo Parmesan/Romano finely shredded cheese

2 cups already shredded Mozzarella cheese

Optional Ingredients:

Sliced olives

Diced tomatoes

Sliced Mushrooms

Flatten out pizza dough. Spread BBQ sauce around, making sure that the very edges are left uncovered. Place Parmesan/Romano cheese blend and 1 c. mozzarella over pizza. Cover with desired toppings. Cover with remaining mozzarella cheese. Cook at 425 for 10-12 minutes. Kids will love to eat this, especially if they help make it!

*Desperation Hint: If you are truly desperate, you can use 1 can cooked chicken from Costco. Just go through it first and make sure there are no goobers in there.*

Desperation-Super-Fast-Delish-Pull-Apart-BBQ Pork Sandwiches

3 lb. pork loin
1 envelope Lipton Onion Soup Mix
BBQ sauce, titer to taste (don't be shy, though)

In a crockpot, simmer pork in 3 cups water until extremely tender, where it can be pulled apart easily by 2 forks. Clean out crockpot, spray with Pam, and return pulled-apart pork. In a separate bowl, mix BBQ sauce and onion soup mix together well. Pour over pork in crockpot and stir until evenly coated. Cook on low until nicely heated through. Serve with your favorite delish buns; mine are the fantastic Cibatta rolls from Costco. This is a great meal when you have a family function ie blessing, baptism, or birthday. It's really no fuss and guests LOVE it!

Desperation Lasagna Decadenza

2-3 c. cooked noodles (doesn't matter what shape; corkscrew, bowtie, whatever you have in your pantry and what is easiest)
1 lb. extra-lean ground sirloin or hamburger
1 c. chopped onion
2 tsp. bottled minced garlic
2 tsp. dried Italian Seasoning
1 26 oz. jar spaghetti sauce
1 c. ricotta (or cottage) cheese
2 c. already shredded mozzarella cheese

Start boiling water and noodles. In the meantime, spray an extra deep 12" non-stick skillet (that has a lid) with Pam. Begin to sautee onions and garlic, then add meat; brown and crumble as you go along. Add Italian Seasoning, ricotta (or cottage) cheese, 1 c. mozzarella, and spaghetti sauce. Mix until evenly coated. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for a few minutes, until heated through. In the last few minutes, stir around one more time, smooth top, and add remaining 1 c. mozzarella. Cover and let the cheese melt. Serve immediately; serves 5-6.

OK, this won't win any beauty contests. Most will think it looks like leftover lasagna. But who cares if it's beautiful if it tastes good? When I'm desperate, 2 hours in the kitchen for beauty's sake is not worth it to me.

Best with salad and french bread (that you can buy already prepared with garlic butter from Smith's or Walmart...just heat in your oven and WALAA)

*Note: I get bottled minced garlic from Costco. It is very inexpensive and can live in your fridge forever. Also, you can get frozen onions in a bag, already chopped from WalMart. Great for when you are particularly desperate.