Cooking for teen boys

Various Meals for When I'm gone for a week (Also plenty of snacks, they are capable of getting their own food, shopping, doing their laundry, etc)

Ground Beef Chili

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 green or red bell pepper, diced (or frozen pepper/onion mix from your freezer)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced (or 1 tsp garlic powder)
• 1 can (15 oz) diced tomatoes (with juice)
• 1 can (15 oz) kidney beans (drained & rinsed)
• 1 can (15 oz) black beans (drained & rinsed)
• 1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
• 1 cup beef broth (or 1 tsp Better Than Bouillon + water)
• 2 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp smoked paprika (optional)
• ½ tsp salt (adjust to taste)
• ½ tsp black pepper
• ¼ tsp cayenne pepper (optional, for heat)

Directions

1. Cook beef: In a large pot or Dutch oven, brown ground beef over medium-high heat. Drain excess fat.
2. Sauté veggies: Add onion, pepper, and garlic. Cook 3–4 minutes until softened. (I used the black bean salad from Aldi)
3. Season: Stir in chili powder, cumin, paprika, salt, pepper, and cayenne. Cook 1 minute to bloom spices.
4. Add liquids & beans: Stir in diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, broth, kidney beans, and black beans.
5. Simmer: Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer 25–30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6. Adjust: Taste and add more seasoning if needed.

Pesto Tortellini with Sausage

Ingredients

• 1 package tortellini
• 3–4 sausages
• 2–3 tbsp pesto
• 1–2 tbsp olive oil
• ½ cup shredded mozzarella or Parmesan
• Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Cook the sausages:
   • Slice sausages into bite-sized pieces.
   • Pan-fry in a little olive oil until browned and cooked through (about 8 minutes).
2. Cook tortellini:
   • Bring salted water to a boil.
   • Add tortellini, cook according to package (usually 3–5 minutes). Drain well.
3. Combine:
   • Toss hot tortellini with pesto until coated.
   • Stir in sausage slices.
   • Sprinkle with mozzarella or Parmesan if you’d like.

Chicken Burger & Veggie Rice Bowls

Ingredients (per 4 bowls)

• 4 frozen chicken patties  (Also made some Ground Chicken w/Taco Seasoning)
• 4 cups frozen veggies (onions, peppers, carrots, or any mix you like)
• 2 cups rice (cooked; Minute rice pouches, jasmine rice, or long grain rice)
• 2 tbsp olive oil (or cooking spray)
• Salt, pepper, and seasoning (garlic powder, taco seasoning, or soy sauce depending on flavor preference)

Instructions

1. Cook chicken patties:
   • Bake or pan-fry frozen chicken patties according to package directions.
   • Slice into strips or cubes.
2. Cook veggies:
   • Heat 1–2 tbsp olive oil in a skillet.
   • Add frozen veggies, sauté until hot and lightly browned (about 6–8 minutes).
   • Season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder (or taco seasoning for a Tex-Mex twist, or soy sauce for an Asian twist).
3. Cook rice:
   • Prepare Minute rice pouches in microwave or cook jasmine/long grain rice on stovetop.
4. Assemble bowls:
   • In 4 microwave-safe containers, add 1 cup rice, a portion of veggies, and 1 sliced chicken patty.
   • Optional: Top with shredded cheese, salsa, or drizzle of sauce (pesto, ranch, buffalo, etc. from your pantry).