WFMW: Quick Supper

When I read the theme for this week's Works For Me Wednesday at Rocks In My Dryer, I thought, "Ten Minute Suppers? She does know that's frozen pizza night, right?" Seriously, if I need food in 15 minutes or less, it's coming out of the freezer. But if you want a supper that is nutritious and can be made in thirty to forty minutes (depending on your number of helpers), I've got just the meal for you.

Main Dish: My Mom's Italian Soup that she made to imitate one she ate at Olive Garden, only I don't use cream in it because I'm lactose intolerant. Honestly, that's what it's called.

Side: Italian Bread (from Wal-Mart) with garlic and Mozzarella.

Dessert: Ms. Letty's Chocolate Eclair Cake. I don't know who Ms. Letty got it from, but I got it from her, so she gets the credit. If it was your recipe first, call Ms. Letty.

Okay, all dishes are made simultaneously, so I will be switching back and forth. There is no down time in this kitchen. Idle hands and the Devil, and all that...Remember, the ingredients are in blue.

Set the oven to broil. Remember to raise the rack before the oven is hot. Ouch.

Start the soup by browning loose sausage. (As opposed to patties or links. Don't laugh, someone might be wondering!)

This is pork. You can use beef.

Ideally, this job is done by a Kitchen Elf. Preteens work r-e-e-a-l good.

While the Kitchen Elf is browning the sausage, pour chicken broth into a large pot. In case you are wondering...

this is chicken broth. I use three 32oz. containers. I also use fat free. This is to eliminate all guilt over the mozzarella on the bread. Everything in moderation.

After you pour the chicken broth into the large pot...

add the sausage that has been browned to perfection by the Kitchen Elf. You could do all of this in one pot if you like. I prefer to dirty more dishes.

Crank the burner up and wait for the mixture to come to a boil. While you are waiting, you and your Kitchen Elf will have different tasks. You will...

cube 5 or 6 potatoes. Wash well first as you leave the skins on. You can use whatever type of potato makes you happy. Then you will...

slice a handful of fresh spinach lengthwise. Use however much you want. I use as much as I can without complaints being filed. I also chop the spinach in half after I slice it. I find I can sneak in a little extra that way.

I use about this much. That's in planetary measurement system. Please, don't confuse it with metric.

You set the potatoes and spinach aside for a moment, and zip over to help the Kitchen Elf who, in your absence, has made two 3.4oz packages of Vanilla or French Vanilla instant pudding according to the directions on the packages.

Mix into the pudding 12oz of Cool Whip.

Trust me on this one, it ends well. Now, grab a box of Graham Crackers (regular flavor). Use crackers to cover the bottom of a 9 by 13 inch pan...

 

thus. (Isn't that the best word?)

Pour half of the Vanilla mixture on top of the Graham Crackers.

Layer crackers again, and then pour in the rest of the Vanilla mixture. Add one more layer of crackers. You should have two layers of pudding mixture and three layers of crackers. Now, heat in a microwave a sixteen oz. container of chocolate icing for fifteen seconds. But first...

**WARNING** unless you want to meet your neighborhood firemen, REMOVE THE FOIL SAFETY SEAL FROM THE ICING. Let's learn from the mistakes of others, shall we? After the icing is toasty, give it a stir and...

spread it on top of the last layer of crackers.

 

Stick the finished product into the fridge. It's really good, but I can't eat it. Darn, that lactose!

Okay, now the pot is boiling, or rather the chicken broth and the sausage are boiling. It's time to add...

 

the potatoes and...

 

some Italian Seasoning, to taste. Please, don't ask for measurements. Who do I look like, Martha Stewart? If you have time, use the fresh stuff. This is SPEED cooking, so we're using the dry.

Stay with me now, we're in the home stretch.

While the potatoes cook, place the Italian Bread from Purgatory, I mean Wal-Mart on a tray and stick the pan in the oven on the top rack until the bread is lightly toasted.

 

Turn the bread over and rub it with crushed garlic. Sprinkle shredded Mozzarella on each piece and put the pan back in the oven. Watch it! Burnt bread = Very Bad.

While it is toasting...

add the spinach to the pot. Let it wilt, then the soup is done. You can add cream at this point if you want, but all of that lactose! Blech!

Take the bread out of the oven.

 

It should look somewhat like this.

 

Look at you, you made supper. My Kitchen Elf and I did this in under 40 minutes (and that includes taking photos, dealing with uncooperative chicken broth boxes and their agents...).

I have a really good recipe for Finger Licking Good Chicken that Aussie Kim makes, and I contemplated making it for you, but I was unhappy with the state of chicken wings in Purgatory, I mean, Wal-Mart.

Maybe next time. Bon Appetite!

Comments

[phyllis]

that looks pretty darn good for a speedy meal. and i really like that dessert is a part of it. i never plan dessert on those speedy nights, just pull a popsicle out of the freezer or a cooky, which i always (of course!) have on hand!

[Lady Why]

Funny... and OH SO TRUE! The purgatory comment, that is! The recipe, on the other hand, is out of this world on the 'Yum Scale'!!! Can't wait to try it! (and I even have a few Kitchen Elves hanging around!)

[Summer]

OMG I nearly died just looking at the dessert. But it was a good death, I'm sure!

[Cyndy]

Wow! What an awesome meal!

[Mommy Cracked]

OMG. I want that bread NOW!

[Rebecca]

You made me laugh with this, and it looks delicious!

[JennaG]

The soup sounds great-yum. I'm lactose intolerant too, but I've found that the equate brand of Lactaid has helped me to be able to eat almost anything I want--in moderation. I also use Lactaid milk. Do you use these products? If not, they will change your dietary life! ;)

[ames]

ooh, that looks great! I wonder, is the sausage pampered or was the pig?

I want a kitchen elf...

[Linda]

Mmmm.....

Everything looks great!

[Texastanya]

Yummmm! Looks scrumptious!

[Jen @ JenuineJen]

The recipes sound good. The photos really look great. The freshed chopped herbs look yummy!

[whymommy]

Thanks for this -- and I LOVE the detailed (and photographed) directions! I am so lost in the kitchen that they really help!

[Mom]

If you want to make it even richer, grate Parmesan on the top of the soup.

[Amy]

How wonderfully simple and delicious sounding! Thanks for sharing!