Does anyone remember watching Semi-Homemade with Sandra Lee? Glen and I used to love watching that show - we got a lot of fun ideas. We also used to like watching Rachel Ray - 30 Minute Meals back in the day! I liked seeing anything that made cooking seem a little less complicated and fun!
You can use corn muffin mix to make casseroles and fun fall dishes for kids and family. Corn dog muffins and corn dog casserole are both yummy (see post of Sept. 17, 2019). I like making corn casserole around special occasions using corn bread mix and canned corn. Add chopped jalapenos to mix and make tangy corn bread. Gravy in jars (always have on hand) great for coating meat in a crockpot to add flavor. It works great for thickening soup or stews and adds flavor. So many uses other than gravy. Bean and rice mixes or dirty rice mixes - good as they are - BUT, add ground meat and make it a meal. Use these as soup starters - I do this a lot. Add extra water/broth and lots of veggies and meat and you get a nice tangy soup. Cake mixes can make quick cookies. Can be used to make a fun quick bread. Sometimes you just need a cake in a pinch. You can always add other ingredients and jazz it up. Dump cakes are fun - fruit on bottom, cake mix, and butter & nuts on top - bake! Ooey gooey yummy cake! Never dismiss those flavor packets for making cheeseballs. I receive a few of these each year as gifts. Add to cream cheese or sour cream and make great spreads for cracker or bread. Add to cream cheese and make fancy grilled cheese sammies! Ramen soups (I know - not good for you) are always fun. Not the healthiest thing in the pantry, but it is cheap. The packs can be fancied up in so many ways, that you would never know that it is Ramen. (see post of June 18,2019 for Cheap Eats) & (post of Mar.3, 2019 for Ramen salad). Noodles can be made (w/o season pack) and used in any Chinese dish. Sure makes for cheap pasta! Keep canned meats on hand. It is always wise to have all sorts of canned meats in the pantry. Great in case power goes out - you have protein you can eat. But nice to add to a pasta, rice, beans or a quick casserole. No defrosting, easy to use, tastes good and plain old handy to have. 
REAL bacon bits are always, always, always in my pantry/frig. So useful. I don't always feel like making a mess frying or baking bacon - these sure are handy. Great on top of a salad. Great in cheeseballs or cheese spreads. Super on pizza. Top any cheesy topped casserole with bacon bits! There is just something about the taste of cheese and bacon together for me! Cinnamon rolls can be used in many ways. You can use in making money bread. Spread fruit or pie filling in a greased pan and top with chunks of cinnamon rolls and bake. Make them in a waffle iron - what a fun and yummy waffle that makes!!!!! Place one roll per section of a muffin tin - press up sides (to look like a pie crust) and fill with pie filling - bake. YUM. There is no limit to fun ideas Crescent rolls - quick and flakey pigs in a blanket! Unroll each and add anything you want before rolling up - wedge of cheese, chocolate chips, fruit, etc. Roll and bake. Leave the rolls together (a solid sheet) and place over a homemade thickened stew for a yummy pot pie. RASPBERRY FILLED JELLY DOUGHNUTS 1 can Grands refrigerated biscuits (10) 6 Tbsp. butter - melted 3/4 C sugar 3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon (mix with sugar) 1/3 C raspberry jelly (or favorite flavor) Bake biscuits as package directs. Remove from oven and immediately dip in butter and cover all sides and then roll in cinnamon sugar. With a turkey baster - add jelly to the middle of the biscuit (insert in the side). Oh my goodness!!!!!!! CHEESEBURGER POT PIE 1 1/2 lb. ground beef 1 small onion chopped 3/4 C ketchup 2 Tbsp. chopped dill pickle salt - pepper 1 C shredded cheddar cheese 1 Refrigerated pie crust (softened at room temp) Heat oven to 450*. Cook beef and onion till done. Drain well. Reduce heat and add in ketchup and pickle and seasoning. Heat 2-3 minutes. Place mixture in an ungreased pie pan. Sprinkle with cheese. Top with pie crust. Cut slits for steam. Bake 13 - 20 minutes or until crust is golden brown. During the last 10 minutes of baking cover the crust edges with foil strips to prevent it getting too dark. Don't use the notion, that you are burned out - for not cooking. Look in the pantry and frig - and use what you have in a new way! I am a huge semi-homemade cook. Have fun and get creative. Look at ingredients with new eyes. You will be glad you did. **Sorry I had to just list dates for previous posts that contain recipes. I am not sure how to do links - still working on that. Hope the dates help you!!!!! ENJOY
It really doesn't have to be complicated at all. Going semi-homemade is totally fine. Not everything has to be 100% from scratch. We all need a break now and then. I think people are cooking more at home right now and maybe getting burned out a bit. Have fun. Use some mixes, canned goods, and packaged goods to jazz things up and speed up your cooking time.
I have given many ideas of meals using packages of Stove Top stuffing over time. I had a few boxes I got on clearance and use them in different ways. Add meat and/or veggies - maybe some eggs and/or cheese and make a casserole. Add leftover meat/vegs and make patties to fry. Use in a waffle iron and make stuffing waffles (crunchy outside & soft inside). So may uses.
