The Chronic Consumer

I am so not ready for winter this year! I still need to buy a winter jacket, hat, gloves, and a scarf, and while looking through my closet today, I saw that I could use a new pair of boots too. They don’t have to be sexy boots or anything like that; I just want a pair that will keep my feet relatively warm and dry as I slog through the snow.

I’m actually partial to duck boots and loved the Sporto brand back when it was popular. But I haven’t seen that name around in years, so I don’t even know if that company still exists. However, I saw that LL Bean makes duck boots, and since I’m planning on ordering my winter jacket from them, I might as well toss in a pair of these while I’m at it. They’re not that expensive, so what the heck!

While I usually try to cook (relatively) healthy meals for my family, there are some days when I simply don’t have the time or energy to spend an hour in the kitchen getting dinner ready. So I always have a supply of Chicken or Hamburger Helper varieties on hand for those nights when I’m pressed for time. One of my family’s favorite flavors is Cheesy Hashbrowns.

I know some people might think that hashbrowns, cheese, and ground beef doesn’t exactly sound like an enticing combination, but it’s surprisingly good. (Just remember that I am an avowed processed cheese lover, so that might have something to do with my reaction here!)

The package comes with dehydrated shredded potatoes and a cheese mixture. After browning some ground beef, you add the potatoes and some water to the skillet. Once the potatoes get re-hydrated, you’re supposed to flatten the mixture and cover the skillet so the potatoes have a chance to brown. Meanwhile, you add milk to the cheese mixture to make the sauce, and once the stuff in the skillet is done, you pour the cheese mixture over it and serve.

Very easy, just like all the Hamburger Helper varieties.

The only problem is that I rarely ever get the potatoes in the skillet to brown evenly, so the final product never looks quite like the picture on the box, but it’s still very edible. I recommend trying Hamburger Helper Cheesy Hashbrowns if you haven’t already!