Semi-homemade is basically taking an already prepared food and doctoring it up, or using a lot of already prepared ingredients and adding some fresh items.

A few of mine are below, but no need to read all of that if you aren’t interest.

I use Goya canned black beans to make black bean soup. I start with water, diced onion and tomato, bring to boil, add the beans, boil, then add diced jalapeño to taste for spicy, and some chopped cilantro. Takes me 5–10 minutes start to finish. You can add some precooked bacon and bacon grease if you want to make it like my MIL. That takes more time, because you have to book the bacon. My inlaws also add crunchy pork skins on top once served (I don’t).

I usually buy plain cheese pizza or margherita pizza and then add my own mushrooms and other toppings.

When I make a frozen entree, like chicken a la king, I add my own side of peas and corn so it’s more filling and healthier.

I take tator tots, microwave for a minute, then fry them in a pan (no extra oil) eventually squishing them with a spatula, and that’s how I make crunchy brown hashbrowns fast. Sometimes I add fake sausage, or you could add real sausage. For my husband I sauté some onions with the potatoes. Way faster than hashbrowns from scratch.

Prepackaged Asian cabbage salad from the supermarket, I add some julienne snow peas sauté quickly in a little oil, add Asian dressing and almonds (it usually comes with almonds in the salad bag) and serve with Parmesan cod (from forever section) or another “white” fish prepared however you like it.

Topics: cooking, baking, recipes, homemade, tips