I love collecting recipes. I have visions of starring in my own personal version of the movie “Julie and Julia”. I will make all the recipes and find some new family favorites that will be passed down from generation to generation. Each new generation would make a slight tweak, and over time, the recipe would evolve into our own unique family version. The reality is I have only made a few of them. They are stored and saved in various places.

My Recipe Stash (A.K.A. The Chaos)

• Pinterest boards
• Cookbooks
• Random screenshots
• Facebook saves
• AllRecipes
• Printed handouts from potlucks

When I am in the mood to make something new for dinner or spend an afternoon cooking I have to go sort through all of these sites until I find something that sounds good. Half the time I just use a Google search to find a recipe for whatever food I am in the mood for. Many years ago, we used to rotate picking one new dinner recipe a week. That seemed to work, but somewhere along the way we got out of the habit. Now, we seem to eat the same food week after week. It gets so boring!

Help!! We need a full food makeover — healthier meals, better prep habits, and a routine that doesn’t end in sandwiches or frozen pizza (again). (Yes, we are those people who eat frozen pizza, but we do dress it up with extra toppings — mushrooms, olives, extra cheese and pepperoni.)

What I’ve Tried (And Why It Didn’t Stick)

• Freezer meals – wow! it takes a ton of time to find the recipes, do the grocery shopping and then make everything. I lose interest before I get through finding the recipes!
• Weekly meal prep – my problem here is that we don’t always want to eat what I have prepped. I force my family to eat it so we don’t waste food — and because I’d be seriously annoyed if all that prep work went down the drain!
• Meal planning – See number 1 & 2 above!
• Daily shopping – Who has time! Life has gotten way too complicated for this option.

Along with figuring out what to cook I really need to change the way we eat. I have become a lazy cook at best and find that we eat more store-bought pre-packaged foods than ever. I just let my husband and grandson toss whatever they want in the cart.

So here I am — standing in a kitchen full of ingredients with no plan, a freezer full of mystery meals I don’t want to eat, and Pinterest boards overflowing with possibility.

I know I’m not alone. What works for you? Do you meal plan? Batch cook? Order takeout five nights a week and pretend it’s strategic?

Drop your favorite recipe or hack in the comments — bonus points if it’s easy, doesn’t require a trip to three specialty stores, and still impresses the family.

This lazy cook is ready for a food makeover, and I’m all ears.

To kick things off, below is one of the recipes I am still hoping to try someday!

Spinach and Cheese Enchiladas

Cuisine: Mexican
Servings: Makes 8 enchiladas
Author: Rachael Murray

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 12 cups fresh spinach
• juice of half a lime
• ¼ cup cilantro, chopped
• 1 4.5 oz canned chopped green chiles
• ½ teaspoon chili powder
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 8oz cream cheese
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 28 oz can green enchilada sauce
• 8 burrito size flour tortillas
• 4 cups Mexican blend shredded cheese, divided
• Optional toppings: additional cilantro, green onions, olives, avocado

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onions until fragrant, about 4 minutes. Add minced garlic to skillet and cook for another 1-2 minutes.
3. Add spinach and cook down until wilted. Add the lime juice, cilantro, chiles, chili powder, cayenne pepper, and cumin. Stir until thoroughly combined.
4. Remove skillet from heat and mix in the cream cheese, sour cream, 2 cups of the cheese, and salt and pepper to taste.
5. Pour about ⅓ of the enchilada sauce in the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking dish and spread into an even layer.
6. Spoon about ⅓ cup of spinach filling into a tortilla, roll tightly, and place in the baking dish seam side down. Repeat until dish is full.
7. Top the rolled enchiladas with the remaining sauce (you may have sauce leftover) and sprinkle the remaining 2 cups of cheese on top.
8. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until cheese is fully melted and the sauce begins to bubble.
9. Serve warm and top with desired garnishes.