Easy Cheesy Cornflake Carrot Broccoli Casserole

I dig simplicity. Like way deep kinda dig, especially when it comes to cooking or other tasks that can become rather mundane when done so frequently. No getting around the fact that we all gotta eat.Unfortunately, quite often we spend hours preparing these luxurious and lavish meals that are devoured in just mere minutes (bummer huh lol). However, a good meal doesn't always need to be some over the top, ultra time-consuming production to be yummy! Personally, I'm one of those people that when I notice flour or a 3 page ingredient list I start heavily reconsidering whether that recipe is truly worth all that complicated effort?!? I'm a life is too short/ain't nobody got time for all that fuss type of gal! Not to sound lazy, but seriously, is it really worth it on a busy weeknight to bust out flour, dirty 15 dishes, and make some completely elaborate concoction when you're tired and just want something in your belly?? Not so much! Good food with some nutritional value doesn't have to be some big all day extravaganza. AND it shouldn't break thee ol' bank either. When I'm border line HANGRY, I just want something cheap,quick, and easy, no fussin' if I mustn't type of grub ;) !

So here's an easy, breezy dish I'm mixing up that will take mere minutes of prep time and less than an hour to be in your belly. Purrrrfect for those nights when you don't feel like doing a darn thing, yet still need something warm and semi-nutritious to serve your loved ones. Plus +++ it only requires a handful of ingredients and minimal dirtying of dishes (HECK YEAH). Cheap, yummy, lazy weeknight dinner cheesy veggie side dish winner. (say that 10 times all fast like lol)

What ya' need:
1 bag frozen carrots (or fresh baby carrots if you'd prefer)
1/2 bag frozen broccoli
1 can condensed cream of cheddar soup
1 can milk
2 cups Cornflakes (any brand will do)
1 stick butter or margarine
Optional Seasonings~ red pepper flakes, lemon pepper, and Italian Seasoning Blend (approx 1 teaspoon + of each)

Allow veggies to semi-thaw or defrost a bit in the microwave depending on your level of urgency. I put mine in the mixing bowl I intended to use the night before and by afternoon they were good to go, but you could easily defrost them in the micro for a few minutes or on the counter top in a pinch. Having the veggies thawed just speeds up the cooking time and when your hangry, that is a def plus factor!

In a medium sized mixing bowl combine veggies, cheddar soup, milk and seasonings.

 Pour veggie mixture into an 8x8 greased baking dish

Then top with cornflakes.

Place butter in a microwave safe cup/dish and microwave approximately 30 seconds or until melted and evenly pour over cornflake-topped veggies.

Place in a preheated oven @ 375 degrees for 30-40 minutes uncovered and WHALA!! You now have an excellent and super easy side dish that would go great with pork chops or chicken breasts. This yummy little side dish is especially, great for a night when time is not your pal or minimal effort is desired. Easy, delicious and semi-nutritious. 

The sweet, crunchy cornflake topping really adds a nice little layer of texture and the warm cheesy veggies make you feel like you are eating something nutritionally sound that doesn't taste like an old shoe lol! Easy, quick, delicious, and semi-nutritious can't beat that with a big stick. Hope this super simple side dish eases your weeknight woes without compromising in quality! :) P.s. This would also be great with carrots and cauliflower if broccoli isn't your Fam's bag. Chow for now my lovelies!

(Furthermore.... OPPS :) I was so hungry that I forgot to take a fancy finished product pic, but it was way yummy and looked lovely before it was devoured, dang hangry blonde moment hehe).

Sneak Peak

(pic via photobucket.com)

I've been eagerly awaiting the arrival of an early (30th, YOWZERS) Birthday present via EBAY & the future Hubby, and IT HAS FINALLY ARRIVED!!! Stoked would be a gross understatement. What is this glorious gift that has her so giddy you ask?!? Welp...it just so happens to be a REFURBISHED, high-quality, Nikon CoolPix S6500 digital camera that takes pictures like a gorgeous little beast. HE~(LL)~CK TO THE YEAH peoples! AMPED, PUMPED, and SOOO HAPPY are just a few of thy OH SO MANY FUZZY FEELINGS I have about this camera :) If you have noticed the sad, dreary, bleak, uninspiring,(the pic bashing could go on, but the past is the past lol)lame picture quality in any of my previous posts.... then you will clearly be able to appreciate the opposite qualities this lil gem of a camera has to offer! Almost equally as awesome as the picture quality of my new pride and joy, is thee rad fact that it is a rescue camera or refurbished as some might say. This meaning,someone's "trash" is now my beloved treasure and it is one less wretched item just rotting away for years in a NASTY landfill! I truly believe every little environmentally friendly decision and action we as individuals commit to/make adds up and it can truly make a big difference in the long haul! Every time you or I make an environmentally friendly decision, WE ALL WIN!!! Other than the super awesome environmental elements of buying used :) refurbished also means one can get a totally awesome product for half the price that we would normally pay for the exact same item brand spankin' new!!! HELLO. #WIN. Not only does the environment celebrate a slight, yet significant little victory when we buy used or refurbished products, we can also hit the thrifty jackpot by saving a significant amount of moola $$$ without having to sacrifice much, if any, in quality! If that's not major winning... I don't know what is folks ;) YUP, saving that mean green and going green one gorgeous pic at a time! Thrifty Tree Hugging like a boss.

(pic via photobucket.com)

(We've gotta do our part to keep this planet purdy peoples, IMAGINE~ just how sad this above pic would be if it was a landfill or covered in litter and garbage?! Another reason refurbished, re-purposed, and recycled items rock so places like this can remain beautiful) ...And not look like this sad mess below :(

(pic via photobucket.com)

Anyhow, something many folks probably don't know about me (even those nearest and dearest to my ticker) is that I am a super harsh critic on myself! An all or nothing type of gal. If something is not to THEE absolute best of my ability or the quality of standards I desire, I'm not satisfied with it and don't want my name associated with its' craptasticness. In other words lol, those shabby pics really had me bummed, and I decided to postpone any further blogging endeavors and ideaurs :) until I could produce blogs that I was genuinely proud of and eager to share with the "cyber world." So now that I've been studying up on my blogging game ;) and I have an adorable lil beaut of a camera, I genuinely look forward to sharing my quirky and eccentric easy kitchen concoctions, as well as, my money saving ideas and all around life hacks with ya'll! Also, with Thanksgiving just around the corner, I want to say thanks to all of you for supporting my goofy little blog dreamzz and being patient while i get this work in progress a rollin'. You peeps are thee Bee's Knees and I hope you have a lovely Holiday! Ppplease, stay tuned for my soon to come, WAY AWESOME :) and OF COURSE EASY AND THRIFTY Christmas ideas sure to get you and your loved ones in the Holiday spirit (even Scrooges and Grinches should enjoy what I'm brewing up) all while doing so without having to refinance your home or sell off vital organs on the black market to have a holly jolly good time!

P.S. Here's just a sweet lil sneak peak of how much more awesome my pictures/posts are going to be....





(Notice the brightness of this picture unlike my previous photos! It doesn't let off that dimly lit creepy basement vibe which nobody's EVER eager about lol!)





&&& MY MEATBALLS LOOK LIKE MEATBALLS!!! It's the simple victories and little pleasures in life folks like meatballs that resemble meatballs lol! FYI these are my yummy...... Chicken Meatballs whose recipe is soon to come and sure to please, but you can't handle the truth just yet ;)

  

YUMS.



If you've seen my last two homemade creamer recipes you'll know what's happening here and just how much more vivid this shot is than the previous pics were!! Since pumpkin is all the rage right now :) I made my version of pumpkin spice coffee creamer and cut out the middle man and unnecessary mystery ingredients and additives. OMYES, and I even have some leftover pumpkin for a future recipe that's soon to pop up :)  (if your interested in my super simple and WAY more nutritious/delicious version of pumpkin spice coffee creamer feel free to drop me a line and I'd be more than happy to share it with you!)


And last BUT definitely not least (This handsome young lad is Hercules, my meat head of a Bulldog and future taste tester for a soon to come pet-friendly Christmas treat! He's pretty friggin' adorable, knows good grub when he tastes or smells it, and he hopes ya'll stop back by real soon to see what we've been up to over yonder kapeeshh hehe.)