Welcom Bama, I too have been going back to plastic ware and trying not to use the plastic disposable baggies and such.  I will have to admit that I am still guilty of some offenses.  but it is a work in progress.

  As for food  I can help ya with a few things that my mom used to do and some things that I do. 

      Pot roast, cook over weekend or in a crock pot.  I will post the recipe here after this.  have the roast, potatoes and gravy with your favorite veggie.  then leftovers make great Stew, or boiled beef and noodles.  also can be made into sandwich spread.  (Tastes like a pot roast on bread)  for the spread you can use either a food processor or meat grinder.  add meat, pulse or grind.  Add dill or sweet pickle, pulse, add onion, garlic powder salt and pepper.  Add mayo and mustard.  spread on bread.

Roasting hens:  I like to make beer can chicken (or just roast it off the way you like) that is dinner the first night.  leftovers can be made into chicken noodle soup, creamy of chicken soup, chicken tortilla soup, any soup it's great for.  also great for enchiladas, and burritos.  You get the picture.

      Tuna;I know it sounds Crazy but Creamed tuna on Toast.  it is very comforting and easy.  in saucepan add can or pouch of tuna with juices.  add 1/2 stick of margarine, salt and pepper to taste.  add enough flour to soak up the margarine and make a Very Thick dry paste.  let cook for a couple over medium heat.  Add milk stirring until it becomes a gravy consistancy.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Serve over toasted bread.  Very creamy, comforting and EASY!

      ham, bacon or smoked turkey wings can be cooked with dired beans to make Great meals.    I like to make Navy beans with a smoked turkey wing.  LOL  NO one can figure out that it isn't pork.  (the trick is to make sure that the turkey wing is pretty darkly smoked).  add chopped onions, minced garlic, salt, and pepper.  Just simple seasonings let cover the beans and turkey with about 6-8 cups of water.  you might have to add more water Or you can sub part of the water with chicken broth to add more flavor.  it will need to simmer for at least 2-3 hours.  Serve with bread and butter.  NUMMY! 

My Pot Roast

Servings 8

Ingredients

1          3-5 pound chuck Roast

2          to 3 tablespoons Kitchen bouquet, plus extra for gravy

2          cups carrots cut into large chunks (2-3 inches long)

1          cup celery, cut into 1-2 inch pieces

2          cups onion, cut into large chunks

3          large cloves garlic, coarsely chopped or (2-3 tablespoon jarred minced garlic)

32        ounces beef broth

1/8       cup Good Cabernet Souvignon, Optional

1          tablespoon garlic powder

1          tablespoon onion powder

3          teaspoons Kosher salt (1 ½ teaspoons per side of beef)

2          teaspoon fresh ground black pepper, (1 teaspoon per side)

1/8       cup vegetable or olive oil

1          tablespoon Beef Base (or one cube beef bouillon if using bouillon cut salt back)

¼         cup cornstarch

½         cup water (or enough water to make a gravy thickener)

Directions

1.         Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2.         Rub half of the kitchen bouquet on top side of beef, season the beef with salt, pepper, onion powder and garlic powder on both sides.  Meanwhile heat Dutch oven over medium high heat.  Add oil when hot and add Beef; let brown and caramelize on both sides.  Remove from pan and add all the vegetables, stir and let sauté for about 10 to 15 minutes.     Add beef broth, and wine.  Bring up to a simmer; return roast to pan and nestle it in the center of pan and vegetables so that about ¾ of the meat is submerged in the liquid. 

3.         Cover and put in the oven for 1 ½ hours.  Remove from oven.  Remove meat to a platter and set aside.  Strain veggies from broth and put broth back into pan and heat to simmer.  Add cornstarch and water stirring constantly to thicken.    

Note:  I boiled my potatoes, and mashed them.  So I used that saucepan to strain the liquid from the roasted vegetables.  I made the gravy in that saucepan to save from having too many pans to wash.

Boiled beef and noodles.

Servings 6

Ingredients

1-2      pounds leftover Mary’s Pot Roast, cut into bite size pieces

3-4      cups Mary’s Home Made Noodles

4-6      cups water

2          tablespoons kitchen bouquet

1          tablespoon garlic powder (to taste)

1          tablespoon  onion powder (to taste)

2          teaspoons black pepper (to taste)

3-4      teaspoons beef base (to taste after you add gravy)

Any leftover gravy

Directions

1.         In stock pot Dutch oven add water, seasonings (all but beef base), gravy, and kitchen bouquet.

2.         bring to a boil stirring occasionally, check taste to make sure it has enough flavor.  Add seasoning if needed. 

3.         After it comes to a boil add beef.  Let return to boil.  Stirring constantly add noodles one handful at a time.  Stirring between additions to keep noodles from sticking to each other or the new noodles. After all noodles have been added and are cooked enough not to stick together.  Let cook stirring occasionally for about 5 to 1 minutes or until the noodles are done.    

4.  To serve: in a bowl add mashed potatoes, and pour beef and noodles over them  mix and eat or have a dinner roll.  They are very filling.  Enjoy

By the way leftover mashed potatoes can be put into a stuffed meatloaf, along with leftover vegeatbles.  all you need is 1 cup mashed potatoes, and 1/2 to 3/4 cup veggie. 

Servings 8        

Ingredients

1 ¼      cups leftover mashed potatoes

2          pounds ground beef

2          large eggs

¾         cup seasoned dried bread crumbs

¼         cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/8       cup ketchup

¼ -½   cup dried minced onion

2          tablespoons Worcestershire sauce or  A1 Steak Sauce

1          clove garlic, minced

1          cup of your choice of vegetable such as spinach, leftover cooked peas, leftover cooked carrots, etc.  Canned veggies work great too.

4          slices Swiss cheese

Sauce Topper

1/3       cup ketchup

2          tablespoons Brown sugar

1          tablespoon prepared mustard (dry mustard)

Spread over meatloaf 15 minutes before removing from oven.

Directions

1.         Warm leftover mashed potatoes so they are easier to spread.  Set aside.

2.         Preheat oven to 350 F.  In large bowl, mix ground beef, and all other ingredients until combined but not over mixed. 

3.         On to long sheet of waxed paper (14” by 12”), pat meat mixture into 11” by 9” rectangle.  Lay slices of cheese over meat then, spread mashed potatoes over meat rectangle leaving a 1 inch border all around.  Place your favorite vegetable over potatoes; sprinkle with salt and pepper.                                            

4.                     Starting with the narrow end, roll up jelly roll fashion, lifting waxed paper and using long metal spatula to loosen meat from waxed paper.  Carefully place rolled Meat loaf, seam side down, in 13” by 9” glass or ceramic baking dish.                                 

5.         Bake meat loaf 1 ¼ hours.  Let meat loaf stand 10 minutes before slicing. 

Notes    This freezes well, but isn’t good on a sandwiches.

  I forgot Ground beef.  LORD! 

Meatloaf

Spaghetti (also can be cooked into a pie style meal when you take about 2-3 cups of it add 1 egg, and about a cup of parmesan cheese.  add to small skillet press down into skillet over medium heat with 2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil and saute until brwoned and crispy on the first side then turn out onto a plate add olive oil again.  slide uncooked side into skillet and brown the same way.  Very Very filling.

taco meat, (for tacos, taco salads and taco tortilla pizzas)

hamburger gravy. (I like to brown off the burger, add a bit of butter or margarine maybe a few tablespoons, add enough flour to soak up the grease, and make a Very thick paste.  cook off the flour for a couple.  then start adding the milk. (mom always diluted her milk with water.  (half milk half water) it makes no flavor difference).  stir constantly to keep from clumping.  Season to taste with salt and pepper once you reach a gravy consistancy.  We served this over mashed potatoes too.  LOL  or Rice is also good.  this keeps well in the refrigerator and when reheating just add a little milk to thin out.  As it will be Very thick.

salisbury steaks: 

that's all I can come up with right now.

I have eliminated Tupperware from my kitchen so as to avoid the problems of microwaving in plastic. I have replaced it with Pyrex with plastic lids, and of course you don't microwave with the lid on. Stuff like this: http://www.bettycrockerstore.com/p-100708-2740%202740%202715%204294967196-Storage-Food-Beverage-Storage_Pyrex-Round-Glass-Storage-Bowl-Set-3-pc.aspx?Ns=SortByAll|1||SubClass||BrandName||ProductGroupName||Price||Color&back=c-2740%2b2740+2740+2715+4294967196-Storage-Food-Beverage-Storage.aspx%3fPage%253d3%2526Ns%253dSortByAll%257c1%257c%257cSubClass%257c%257cBrandName%257c%257cProductGroupName%257c%257cPrice%257c%257cColor

I like that the containers are clear so you can see what's in them, and there is never a problem about putting them on even the bottom rack of the dishwasher.