Bachelor on the Cheap

Today's weather forecast and a four day outlook.  Check this page for the latest weather reports in the Wichita Metro area.  Up-to-date weather conditions are observed at the MADIS station D6055, 3.6 miles WSW of Wichita.  For weather conditions specific to other cities outside the metro area, just type in your zip code below.

By Mike Thayer

I hate doing dishes, even with a dishwasher available.  If there's a way to avoid doing dishes, even if it's simply rinsing off some plates and silverware and throwing them in the dishwasher, I'd just rather not.

Enter, Sandwich Baskets.

Whoever invented these things was a genius, I LOVE these things!  I have eight sandwich baskets sitting on top of my refrigerator at the ready, for whatever....  Able to hold a huge sandwich and a generous portion of fries, they're good for so much more. They're great for holding just about any kind of snack, no fuss, no mess...  Chips, popcorn, pretzels, nuts.  When you're done, just throw the parchment paper away, rinse off the basket and let dry for the next meal or snack.  They're not just for one person to use either.  Task the baskets to serve bread sticks or garlic bread, family style at the dinner table.  For a big Sunday family breakfast, serve bacon in a basket rather than dirtying up a plate.  They're space savers when it comes to storage (easily stackable), convenient to use, easy to wash, they're sturdier than paper plates and the best part, they're inexpensive. 

I picked up eight baskets at Dollar Tree for $5 (four sets of two at $1.25 each).  That's Bachelor on the Cheap wallet friendly and these baskets will last me a very long time.  I'll get multiple uses for serving up a vast variety of foods.  Just about any kind of finger food can go in a basket, chicken nuggets, tacos, onion rings, mozzarella sticks and marinara sauce....  Don't want bar food fare?  Slice up some fruit or toss in some veggies and dip, there's just so much you can serve in a basket.

Use them indoors, outdoors, get some for yourself, family use, parties, the backyard BBQ, picnics, casual holiday gatherings...

Pictured right, two bacon, egg and cheese breakfast sliders and hash browns....  It was another dose of YUM and super easy clean up!

OMAHA, Neb., – Reminisce and indulge in fun flavors such as malted milk and sour candy as Scooter’s Coffee shares new nostalgia-inspired offerings for you to enjoy this summer!

Malted Mocha Latte – Sip a blast from the past as classic malted milk ball flavor mixes with chocolatey mocha, world-class espresso and a milk or an ice cream base. Enjoy it hot, iced or blended with whipped cream and chocolate drizzle on top.

Toffee Nut Cold Foam – Delight your taste buds with a sweet, buttery and nutty cloud of handcrafted Cold Foam for the perfect toffee break. Made from nonfat milk, this velvety and fluffy foam is a delicious way to top off your iced or blended drink.

Sour Candy Red Bull® Infusion – This super sour, iced refreshment starts with Tropical Red Bull® that is infused with an amazing sour candy flavor, for a sweetly tart treat.

Blue Raspberry Red Bull® Infusion – If you like the iconic taste of blue raspberry, you’ve got to try this Red Bull® Infusion. The bold berry flavor mixes with Red Bull® and is served over ice, creating a bright blue beverage full of energy and delectable sweetness.

Summer staples at Scooter’s Coffee will remain on the menu. The invigorating Peach Mango Quencher and Strawberry Acai Quencher can now be ordered any time of year! Quenchers are packed with green coffee extract for a natural energy boost and can be customized with coconut milk, iced tea or all-natural Lemonade.

Visit https://www.scooterscoffee.com/menu/ for more summer fun from Scooter’s Coffee.

About Scooter’s Coffee

Founded in 1998 by Don and Linda Eckles in Bellevue, Nebraska, Scooter’s Coffee roasts only the finest coffee beans in the world at its headquarters in Omaha, Nebraska. In more than two decades of business, Scooter’s Coffee’s success is simple: stay committed to the original business principles and company’s four core values, which are Integrity, Love, Humility and Courage. The Scooter’s Coffee Brand Promise, often recited to franchisees, customers and employees is: “Amazing People, Amazing Drinks… Amazingly Fast!^®” It represents the company’s business origins and reflects a steady commitment to providing an unforgettable experience to loyal and new customers.

Scooter’s Coffee is at the dawn of a strategic growth phase nationwide, approaching 600 stores in 26 states. The U.S. coffee market is an estimated $48 billion a year recession-resistant industry, and Scooter’s Coffee is striving to become the #1 drive-thru coffee franchise in the nation.

For more information, visit, scooterscoffee.com, facebook.com/scooterscoffee,

ownascooters.com or call 877-494-7004.

By Mike Thayer

I love casseroles, all types, dinner casseroles, breakfast casseroles, leftover casserole for lunch.... It's all good and the flavor possibilities and combinations are endless!

Casseroles can mean different things to different people, so just what IS a casserole anyway, how is it defined? For me, being a bachelor and pretty handy in the kitchen (patting self on back....), it means a simple to prepare one-dish meal, something that's got meat, a starch, a veggie and a gravy, or a sauce and/or cheese to go with it. It's a convenient mix of ingredients that go well together and is baked to perfection in the oven - THAT is a casserole. And yes, the dish it's baked in was named after it. Simplicity and convenience are keys to a good casserole, it can't be a complicated recipe that's labor intensive. If that recipe takes more than 10-15 minutes to prepare before you're throwing that dish in the oven, then it's NOT a casserole in my book.

Bacon, sausage and ham, Oh my!

Mulligan Breakfast Casserole

That's right, casserole for breakfast!  It's a nice change of pace from the typical sandwich, muffin, shake or bowl of cereal and this casserole is the epitome definition for casserole, since just about any kind of meat, cheese and potato you have on hand is thrown in, hence, the Mulligan reference.

Ingredients:

• Any kind of leftover breakfast meat you have, bacon, ham, sausage, one kind is good, three kinds is even better, about 1 pound, chopped/crumbled.  Save some crumbled bacon to top with.
• 3 eggs
• Splash of milk
• 2 teaspoons of seasoning salt
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 medium onion, diced
• 1/2 green or red pepper, diced (optional)
• Tablespoon olive oil
• 1-1/2 cups potato, it could be tater tots, tater rounds, shredded potato, enough to cover the top of the casserole
• 1-1/2 cups of shredded cheese, it could be cheddar, mozzarella, Mexican mix
• One green onion, chopped
• Black pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees, lightly spray/coat a casserole dish with olive oil.  Heat up a frying pan and the olive oil over medium heat, add the onion, optional green pepper and cook until the onion is translucent, about 1 - 2 minutes.  Add the leftover breakfast meat and garlic powder.   Transfer to the casserole dish.  Add the splash of milk and seasoning salt to the eggs and beat to combine, then pour over the meat/onion mixture. Top the dish with the shredded cheese and potato.  Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes, or until those potatoes are golden, brown and delicious.  Top the baked casserole with a little more shredded cheese, the chopped green onion, some bacon crumbles and black pepper to taste, immediately after pulling it from the oven.  Enjoy!

Serving Suggestion:  Try a few shakes of Louisiana Hot Sauce or Tabasco on that serving of breakfast goodness! 

This casserole is pretty easy to prepare and it's easy on the wallet, with most ingredients making use of leftovers and items you already have on hand.  And here's another Bachelor on the Cheap benefit to casseroles, not only do they lend themselves to very tasty leftovers, but they freeze well! After you've enjoyed the casserole for breakfast, portion it out, perhaps have some for breakfast again tomorrow and stash the remainder in the freezer for a future meal or two.

By Mike Thayer

Most everybody has at least a bottle of ketchup, a jar of jam and some sort of salad dressing in their fridge.  After all,  you need ketchup for those fries, some kind of jam for toast in the morning and ranch dressing (salad dressing for men) for that dinner salad.  In addition to that sparsely stocked, condiment decorated fridge, the typical bachelor also has an assortment of condiment packages from fast food restaurants tucked away somewhere. 

Don't be typical.  Having a refrigerator that's well stocked with an assortment of condiments isn't just handy for the obvious uses like mentioned above, but having a good variety of them helps you to create more layers of great flavor and impromptu dressings, sauces and marinades!

Below are some classic, trendy and much-more-versatile-than-you-thought condiment choices that make up a well stocked fridge.  I've listed the obvious use for each, plus some alternative uses that are all another dose of YUM! 

• Jellies/jams:  Traditional use is on toast, but try a dollop of grape jelly in chili. Yes, it's a secret ingredient for many competitive chili cooks.  Grape jelly or jam is also great paired with chili sauce to make a sauce for meatballs.  Buy some ready made meatballs and put them in the crock pot with a dollop of grape jam and a generous dose of chili sauce, you'll love it!
  
• Ketchup:  Yes, ketchup is THE pairing with french fries and is quite often used to top burgers.  But ketchup is also great on so many other things, a ketchup glaze on meatloaf; the base ingredient to make Sloppy Joes; a key ingredient to a good sweet and sour sauce; an add to BBQ sauce; if you don't like Sriracha flavor as is, cut it with some ketchup; then there's the classic home made Thousand Island, combining ketchup, mayo and a bit of relish....
• Mustard:  The classic use is on a hot dog.  Keep a variety on hand, yellow, brown, Dijon, the brown and Dijon are nice changes of pace and it all keeps well.  Mustard is a GREAT marinade ingredient and mixed with some mayo and a little, garlic, seasoning salt or dry rub it makes a really nice impromptu aioli.  Mustard is also a great binder for BBQ, applying it to that pork shoulder or whatever you're preparing to put on the smoker before putting on the dry rub.
  
• Mayonnaise:   It's typically used to dress a sandwich, but there's SO much you can do with mayo!  There's the aforementioned aoili; it's a base ingredient in egg salad, tuna salad, chicken salad, etc.; it's a base ingredient for coleslaw and salad dressings; it's better than butter for a grilled cheese!
• Ranch Dressing:  Ask a man what kind of dressing he wants on his salad and this is THE most popular choice.  It's a great impromptu dip for chips and veggies, it's a nice alternative on a burger and it's a super add to many recipes using ground beef like meatloaf, meatballs and burgers.  It's an excellent add to Mexican fare and it's even good in a white lasagna!  Ranch paired with Srirachi is an EXCELLENT combo!
  
• Italian Dressing:  A popular ladies choice salad dressing, the only reason I have Italian dressing in my fridge is because it makes for a pretty darn good marinade when you're too lazy to create one from scratch.  It's excellent with grilled or crock pot chicken or pork.  And sure, if I'm cooking for company, there's that for the lady salads.....
  
• Pickles, relish:  A classic burger or hot dog topping, you really can't make a good tuna salad, chicken salad, or egg salad without them and even if you don't like pickles or relish, just a hint of pickle juice can go a long way to flavor so many dishes!  It's a great add to a Bloody Mary (that's a dish, right?), Mac & Cheese (yes, really!), tenderizes meat well, kicks ordinary bottled BBQ sauce up another notch.
• BBQ sauce:  I prefer to make my own, but hey, sometimes you need a "quickie".  BBQ sauce is the classic glaze for ribs, a dressing for pulled pork and paired with bacon turns an ordinary burger into something special.  I've already mentioned kicking ordinary BBQ sauce up a notch by using pickle juice, bourbon is another great add.  BBQ sauce also lends itself well to oriental cuisine and leftovers like pork fried rice.  Throw in some soy, some Sriracha and you've got a great sauce!
  
• Steak sauce:  It's not just for steak my friends.  While the popular brands such as A-1 or Heinz 57 are also great on a burger, this stuff is excellent in a whole bunch of foods!  It adds body to soups or stews, is awesome as a convenient marinade for any kind of meat/veggie combo kabob and fish tacos are stellar with this as an added ingredient!
• Worcestershire sauce: Packing a savory punch Worcestershire sauce is probably one of THE most versatile condiments you can have in your fridge.  The beauty of Worcestershire is that it compliments ANY kind of meat or fish and marries well with a variety of other ingredients.  Use it as is on prepared meats, use it in the preparation of raw meats for the grill, oven or frying pan - it's a FANTASTIC marinade; It's good in soups, salads, casseroles, grilled fare.....  when you can't figure out what flavor is missing in whatever sauce, marinade or dip you just made, splash in some Worcestershire and it makes it all better!  Worcestershire is the Duct Tape of the culinary world.
• Louisiana Hot Sauce:  I love a few splashes on my scrambled eggs or an omelette.  Louisiana Hot Sauce is also my go-to base ingredient for hot wings.  Some hot sauce, butter and Parmesan cheese makes a great impromptu pan sauce for just about any kind of meat or fish.
• Sriracha:  Classic uses are to kick oriental dishes up a notch.  But it's great on so many other things if you're looking for a little heat.  Excellent on burgers (mix it with your ketchup); it compliments sweet potato fries SO nicely; mix it with sour cream for a spicy potato chip dip; add it to just about any kind of soup for a little punch of extra flavor!
  
• Soy or Teriyaki sauce:  If you couldn't already tell, a quick stir fry or fried rice combining some leftovers is a go-to meal for me.  Soy and Teriyaki aren't just for oriental dishes.  Either sauce is a fantastic base in creating a marinade for any cut of beef, pork, or chicken and yes, is excellent with grilled fish as well.  Either sauce lends itself well to putting a twist on BBQ.  And yes, it can even add a new depth of flavor to a good old fashioned plate of spaghetti and meatballs.  Butter and Soy or Teriyaki, along with a little minced garlic can also make veggies sing!
  
• Chili sauce:  When you think of shrimp cocktail, you think chili sauce.  I've already mentioned how paired up with grape jelly it makes a great sauce for meatballs, but chili sauce is quite good as a change of pace ingredient in just about any kind of stir fry.

The key thing to remember with any of these, have FUN with it!  If you're in a flavor rut for example, try some new flavor combinations on a burger or a sandwich and if you find something you like, expand on other dishes from there.  If you've never tried a particular flavor before, combine it something you know you like to create a slightly different flavor profile.  If you're like, "Hey, not bad!"  then you're on to something, use it in other dishes.  It's all about layers of flavor, right from the convenience of your fridge.  You didn't know it had so much potential, did you?

About those condiment packets from fast foot restaurants..... 

When I'm looking for a change of pace for my popcorn, I reach for the condiment packets in my fridge.  Arby's Sauce is a great add to melted butter, so is honey for a little sweet!  I recently tried BBQ sauce and it ROCKED!  Honey from Chick Fillet or KFC is also a great add to stir fry or in creating a better than ordinary glaze for BBQ.    And at the very least, if you don't have a bottle of something mentioned above, packets from a fast food restaurant is a GREAT way to sample something.  Maybe you don't like a particular ingredient so much by itself, but combined with another flavor or two, well, it might turn out to be another dose of YUM!  Grab that packet from the restaurant, it's a far cheaper way to explore some new flavors than buying a full bottle of whatever at the grocery store.

By Mike Thayer

I love casseroles, all types, dinner casseroles, breakfast casseroles, leftover casserole for lunch.... It's all good and the flavor possibilities and combinations are endless!

Casseroles can mean different things to different people, so just what IS a casserole anyway, how is it defined? For me, being a bachelor and pretty handy in the kitchen (patting self on back....), it means a simple to prepare one-dish meal, something that's got meat, a starch, a veggie and a gravy, or a sauce and/or cheese to go with it. It's a convenient mix of ingredients that go well together and is baked to perfection in the oven - THAT is a casserole. And yes, the dish it's baked in was named after it. Simplicity and convenience are keys to a good casserole, it can't be a complicated recipe that's labor intensive. If that recipe takes more than 15-20 minutes to prepare before you're throwing that dish in the oven, then it's NOT a casserole in my book.

Baked to perfection!

Inside-Out Ravioli

Meat, noodles, tomato sauce and cheese, what's not to love?  This is another dish that lends itself to putting whatever you have on hand into a casserole and baking it to perfection.  Don't have elbow or shell macaroni?  No worries, use egg noodles.  Don't have any ground beef on hand?  No worries, use pork sausage instead.  Don't have any mozzarella cheese?  Not a big deal, provolone will work just fine.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound of ground beef (I actually like to use a 1/2 pound ground beef and a 1/2 pound ground pork or breakfast sausage)
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 jar of your favorite off the shelf spaghetti sauce (around 24 ounces)
• 3 cups of elbow or shell macaroni, or whatever you have on hand, cooked and drained
• 1 teaspoon seasoning salt
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (or whatever you have on hand, heck, slices of provolone is an excellent option)
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley (the final touch, to top the casserole)

Directions:

It's Another Dose of YUM!

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Lightly grease a casserole dish and set aside.  In a large skillet over medium heat, brown the ground beef/pork and onion, drain.  After draining, add all the seasonings, ricotta cheese, tomato sauce to the meat mixture and stir to incorporate.  Fold in the noodles, then transfer everything into the casserole dish.  Bake for about 20 minutes, then top the casserole with the shredded cheese and bake another 10 minutes or until the cheese is nicely melted, golden brown and delicious.  Sprinkle with the dried parsley and serve.  Enjoy!

This is another one that's pretty to prepare and it's easy on the wallet, with most ingredients making use of what you already have on hand in your pantry and refrigerator.  And here's another Bachelor on the Cheap benefit to casseroles, not only do they lend themselves to very tasty leftovers, but they freeze well! After you've enjoyed the casserole for dinner, portion it out, perhaps have some for lunch tomorrow and stash the remainder in the freezer for a future meal or two.

By Mike Thayer

I love casseroles, all types, dinner casseroles, breakfast casseroles, leftover casserole for lunch....  It's all good and the flavor possibilities and combinations are endless! 

Casseroles can mean different things to different people, so just what IS a casserole anyway, how is it defined?  For me, being a bachelor and pretty handy in the kitchen (patting self on back....), it means a simple to prepare one-dish meal, something that's got meat, a starch, a veggie and a gravy, or a sauce and/or cheese to go with it.  It's a convenient mix of ingredients that go well together and is baked to perfection in the oven - THAT is a casserole.    And yes, the dish it's baked in was named after it.   Simplicity and convenience are keys to a good casserole, it can't be a complicated recipe that's labor intensive.  If that recipe takes more than 15-20 minutes to prepare before you're throwing that dish in the oven, then it's NOT a casserole in my book.  

Tuna Noodle Casserole, you either love it or hate it.   I have a fond appreciation for this dish and like my Mom's Tater Tot Casserole, this was a regular meal in my childhood home, perhaps it's why I'm so fond of casseroles today.  For haters of Tuna Casserole, my guess is either your mom was a terrible cook, or you simply just don't like canned tuna.

Ingredients:

• Two, 5 ounce cans of tuna (I prefer tuna packed in olive oil, better flavor), drained
• 3 cups of egg noodles
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 Tablespoon dried, minced onion
• 1 teaspoon seasoning salt
• 1 can of cream of celery soup
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1-1/2 cups frozen peas & carrots
• 3/4 cup Panko bread crumbs
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley flake

The Panko bread crumbs puts this casserole over the top

Directions:  Preheat your oven to 400 degrees, lightly spray/coat a casserole dish with olive oil.  Cook the noodles according to the package instructions and drain.  While those noodles are cooking, in a large bowl combine the tuna, garlic power, minced onion, seasoning salt, cream of celery soup, mayonnaise, black pepper and the peas & carrots, stirring to incorporate.  Fold in the drained noodles and transfer everything into your casserole dish.  Top with the Panko bread crumbs and bake for 20 minutes, or until the bread crumbs are golden, brown and delicious.  Add a dash of Kosher salt and sprinkle with the dried parsley flake.    Enjoy! 

And here's another Bachelor on the Cheap wallet friendly benefit to casseroles, not only do they lend themselves to leftovers, but they freeze well!  After you've enjoyed the casserole for dinner, portion it out, perhaps have some for lunch tomorrow and stash the remainder in the freezer for a future meal or two.

Next Up:  Breakfast Casserole

Coming Soon:  Inside-Out Ravioli

For more easy casserole dinner ideas, go to www.bacheloronthecheap.com

By Mike Thayer

I love casseroles, all types, dinner casseroles, breakfast casseroles, leftover casserole for lunch....  It's all good and the flavor possibilities and combinations are endless! 

Casseroles can mean different things to different people, so just what IS a casserole anyway, how is it defined?  For me, being a bachelor and pretty handy in the kitchen (patting self on back....), it means a simple to prepare one-dish meal, something that's got meat, a starch, a veggie and a gravy, or a sauce and/or cheese to go with it.  It's a convenient mix of ingredients that go well together and is baked to perfection in the oven - THAT is a casserole.    And yes, the dish it's baked in was named after it.   Simplicity and convenience are keys to a good casserole, it can't be a complicated recipe that's labor intensive.  If that recipe takes more than 15-20 minutes to prepare before you're throwing that dish in the oven, then it's NOT a casserole in my book.  

Today we're taking a look at a classic, Tater Tot Casserole.  I had this a lot as a kid, it was one of my Mom's go-to casseroles to put in the oven after a long day at work.   And it was and still is a kid favorite, I mean, what's not to like, ground beef, cheese, tater tots.....  YUM!  It's an easy-peasy casserole to put together too, about the hardest thing to do is browning the hamburger.

Ingredients:

• One pound of lean ground beef
• 1/2 medium onion, diced
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon seasoning salt
• 1 can of cream of mushroom soup
• 1-1/2 cups frozen peas
• 2 cups shredded mild cheddar cheese
• Enough tater tots to cover, about 2 cups
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley flake

Directions:  Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.  In a large skillet, brown the lean ground beef, drain any excess fat.  Add the onion, garlic powder and seasoning salt to the meat and cook until the onion is translucent, about 4 - 5 minutes.  Add the cream of mushroom soup and mix to incorporate.  Pour the meat mixture into a lightly greased casserole dish, then layer in the peas and the shredded cheese, hitting each layer with a little black pepper as you go.  Finally, top the casserole with the tater tots.  Bake for 35 - 40 minutes or until those tater tots are golden, brown and delicious.  Season the tots immediately after pulling the casserole out of the oven with salt and pepper, then sprinkle with the parsley flake.  Enjoy! 

And here's another Bachelor on the Cheap wallet friendly benefit to casseroles, not only do they lend themselves to leftovers, but they freeze well!  After you've enjoyed the casserole for dinner, portion it out, perhaps have some for lunch tomorrow and stash the remainder in the freezer for a future meal or two.

Next Up:  Tuna Noodle Casserole

Coming Soon:  Breakfast Casserole

For more easy casserole dinner ideas, go to www.bacheloronthecheap.com