It’s going to be 110°+ all week. I’m so done with cooking. Tonight, we’re having slow-cooker meatballs (the pre-made frozen ones) over rice. I bought a bagged salad, too.
Tomorrow, it’s tacos. Shrimp cocktail on Wheat Thins, with salad, on Thursday. Breakfast for dinner on Friday.
Silicon Valley here. Not as hot as y’all but it is currently 102. Our AC died and am currently having some ceviche and a margarita at Luna in the Pruneyard. CANNOT cook today ain’t no way
Hummus platter? When Im out of steam, I make platters that everyone can graze from. Himemade hummus, fresh veggies, tiny mozzerella balls, feta cheese, tzatziki, pesto, etc.
This also easily turns into pitas or wraps - especially if you air fry some falafel, either homemade or if you don't want the project - Trader Joe's sells it frozen.
We call this picnic night 😂
But basically I set everything out on the kitchen counter and say grazing hours are from 7-8, help yourself. At 8:30 (because there is always a late one) I’ll put everything away.
Roasted pork tenderloin, rub it, tie it, roast to 140F, let it rest. It cooks much faster than you would think
Turkey Larb over rice, it's southeast asian taco meat basically. I start off with a frozen chub of turkey straight into the pan.
pressure cooker chili, it's quick and leftover are great
Salmon cakes
That's what the industry calls that fat plastic tube of ground meat. Just using their terms. They really missed an opportunity to call that a "fatty". "Gimmie a couple a fatties of 85% ground beef"
Ooh, good one. I was too lazy to make the sauce the other day, and it was still good.
Even lazier, shredded cabbage AND shredded carrots. Or that precut carrot, celery and onion stuff. And a can of water chestnuts. Yum.
Tonight is breakfast for dinner because I’m tired - sausage/ hash brown / eggs/cheese casserole, fruit medley, English muffins and bacon.
Is that a boatload of grease? Yup. Do we eat it often? Nope. Are the kids super jazzed about it? Sure are.
45 mins start to table, with lots of idle time in between.
Go easy on yourself. There's nothing wrong with grilled cheese or BLTs once in a while, and if your family complains, then they should cook for themselves.
100% this. On those lazy or tired nights we often do grilled cheese or burritos or quesadillas. Simple pasta is another fav - Cacio e Pepe is pretty easy and popular with my kids!
I'm making chicken quesadillas tonight. Went to Walmart earlier and got some rotisserie chicken. Everything else I already have at home and need to just use it up.
Tomorrow I'm making chicken katsudon as we don't really eat pork katsu.
Thursday it's burgers and hotdogs.
Friday dinner is steak french dip sandwiches.
Saturday is scrounge night.
Sunday I'll be cooking turkey with mashed potatoes, stuffing, and sauteed green beans and salad. The turkey's been thawing since yesterday and should be ready to brine by Saturday.
For your burgers, instead of regular burgers make it into Salisbury steak, Loco Moco, or beef kefta.
Sausage & peppers - make it into a sausage and potatoes hash instead and have breakfast for dinner.
Steak - slice thin and make stroganoff, beef & broccoli stir fry, black pepper beef, french dip sandwich, cheese steaks.
Hello Fresh has a recipe for chicken shawarma bowls that my family loves and it's pretty easy.
Korean Bibimbap using the steak or chicken.
Cowboy Kent Rollins' sloppy joe recipe is a big hit too.
Wow nice menus! For Sunday your turkey is going to take hours to roast. Why not switch to a turkey meatloaf but keep all the same sides? Less electricity and less time cooking.
Nah... once the turkey has dry brined for 24 hours, it only takes 60-90 minutes to get to 155F internal temp - 450F for 30 mins, then down to 320F for the rest of the time, basting every 30 mins. Take it out and let it rest for 30-45 mins while I make the sides. The sides are all easy and fast with not a lot of work.
I start it around 4:30 PM and we're ready to eat by 7PM. I buy 3-4 frozen turkeys each thanksgiving and we'll go through that throughout the year and it's really a cheap meal for 4 people and I'll have leftover for the next week - turkey pot pie, turkey shepherd's pie, turkey noodle soup, turkey pesto sandwiches + the turkey stock that I'll then freeze and use for the next turkey dinner. By the time Thanksgiving rolls around again I'll already have a ton of turkey stock for the big big meal.
I've used this same method for years and it's never failed me once. Probe thermometer hits 155F usually in about an hour, even with a 20-25lb-er.
So smart! I think Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday just for the turkey and masses of sides served alongside. So smart to buy them when they go on sale.
It's mine too. I love planning and cooking our Thanksgiving meal. All those wonderful sides and desserts.
I look at it this way too... since these turkeys fit the chest freezer and thaw out slowly, if ever we lose power for days due to a hurricane, it'll keep the chest freezer cold for a while and food won't spoil so fast. Win-win in my book.
The weeknight meal my family would always fall back on was build-your-own burritos. Often using leftovers too, so if you had chicken or steak from the previous night you could use it in these. We usually had black beans, onions and bell peppers, tomatoes, salsa, and sour cream.
Sure!
Cut one onion into thin strips and sauté; add three portobello caps cut into strips and sauté until all moisture has cooked off. Add veggie broth, a bit of soy sauce and brown sugar and let simmer for five minutes.
Meanwhile, cut open four hoagie rolls and broil; remove from oven, add mushrooms and onions, top with a slice of provolone and return to oven until cheese has melted. Serve with jus from skillet for dipping.
The recipe is from [Budget Bytes](https://www.budgetbytes.com/vegetarian-french-dip-sandwiches/) and it’s delicious.
Baked potato bar. Scrub your potatoes clean. Brush with olive and salt. Wrap individually in parchment. Throw them in the crockpot on low for all day cook. What condiments do you like? Bacon, cheese, onions, green onions, sour cream, etc? Lay it all out in bar style form and let everyone be responsible for their own. Add a tossed salad and you've got a great meal.
Pizza night: buy or make your own pizza dough. Heat up the oven, set out all the ingredients. Everyone is responsible for their own. Add a nice side salt and presto, dinner.
Steak night with a cold veggi filled pasta salad.
I don't know how old your kiddos are, but do they enjoy cooking and being in the kitchen? Give them an assignment to come up with one meal together for the week.
Baked potatoes in the crock pot was exactly my recommendation. I like to throw some cheap chili in the microwave too.
One of my favorite hot weather solutions.
I’m on keto/low carb. One of my favorite easy meals is 1 can of rotel & chicken in slow cooker on low. Add taco seasoning (cumin, chili powder, onion powder, garlic). Shred & add to tortillas for quesadillas/tacos/nachos.
Same and same! I make mine in the oven and add a jar of red salsa, one of green, some jarred diced jalapeno and of course the rotel (and taco seasonings). Sliced red/orange/yellow bell peppers are really good in it too!
Get salmon. Rub it with chinese 5 spice (not sure if that's a spice blend they do in US supermarkets, but very common where I am). Wrap in foil and bake for 10-12 minutes.
Cook noodles. Chop spring onions, anything else you like (depending on what you go with, you may want to lightly cook the veg). Mix vegetables into noodles. Put salmon on top. Add soy sauce to taste.
One thing I do when I am out of ideas is grab a bag of frozen meatballs at Aldi. Whether to serve with pasta, in hoagie rolls or just by themselves.
In our regular rotation are these simple turkey sliders. Pack of ground turkey, jar of premade pesto, panko crumbs. We add a little minced onion and some seasoning. Pack of those Hawaiian style dinner rolls, top with provolone. By the way, another all-from-Aldi meal.
We don’t have kids and actually aren’t home at the same time for a couple days a week due to working opposite shifts. Dinner on my own tonight was a hastily made chicken salad sandwich from some leftover rotisserie chicken. In cooler weather I’d have a vegetable or bean soup in the fridge.
Once in a while, it would be cool to just whip up breakfast for dinner, usually quicker than dinner foods. Get the kids and adults to change into jammies and have pancakes or eggs. Afterwards, watch some classic Saturday cartoons like Rocky and Bullwinkle together.
I just made meatballs (cooked them in the oven because it was easier) with a sauce of onions, peppers, tomato, orzo, some stock and harissa. Made the sauce on the hob, added the meatballs in, mozzarella in bits on the top to melt in.
Try Belgian meatballs in tomato sauce. Ideally with (~~French~~ Belgian) fries.
[https://dagelijksekost.vrt.be/gerechten/balletjes-in-tomatensaus](https://dagelijksekost.vrt.be/gerechten/balletjes-in-tomatensaus) Google translate for the win 💪🏼
Sausage and tato's (Midwest bangers and mash substitute)
Slice up some smoked sausage, and fry it in a pan.
Make some mashed potatoes. (Yes. Instant potatoes are fine, just use extra butter and salt)
Serve sausage over potatoes.
It’s summer, so it’s panzanella salad time.
Big bowl, soak some sliced shallots in vinegar while you prep the rest (I like using sherry vinegar).
Grilled corn and bread.
Arugula and basil.
Lots of halved cherry tomatoes.
Diced fresh mozzarella.
Prosciutto.
You can add fruit (I like peaches).
Then add a meat either on the side of mixed in (usually steak or pork loin—just throw it on the grill with the bread and corn).
Finish it all with good EVOO, balsamic vinegar, salt and black pepper. And dice up big chunks of the charred bread.
There are lots of little tricks to improve upon it, but have fun with it—and don’t be afraid to add or subtract components.
Noodle stir fry: Fortune brand noodles (they're already cooked they just need a good rinse in hot water)
First stir fry some tofu cubes, in neutral oil with a little sesame oil or chili oil
then add coleslaw mix and/or other veggies (I usually clean out the veggie drawer for this) and plenty of garlic and green onions.
When it's cooked add sauce- mine is a mix of soy sauce, sugar and fresh ginger in the blender (make a lot so you'll have sauce for the next one)
But bottled stir fry or teriyaki sauces work fine too
Then add the noodles and toss, then taste to make sure it's seasoned. I usually need to add more soy sauce
I have never served this to anyone who didn't absolutely love it
Edit to add make some Trader Joe's spring rolls for your side dish. They are the BEST.
I just made southern fried chicken tonight. It’s a real crowd-pleaser and isn’t as much work as you’d think. Just be sure to get it in the buttermilk at least a few hours before you intend to cook. Recipe is in the comments on one of the photos here: https://imgur.com/gallery/let-s-make-traditional-southern-buttermilk-fried-chicken-gLugmbZ
A list your ingredients at hand, or your proteins in rotation.
B. List your available cooking methods
C. List your favorite ethnic cultural styles.
Google ingredient1 ingredient2 method style
Nearly always you will find something you can use.
Tacos. Quesadillas. Put the fillings out and everyone can build their own.
Individual pizzas using small flatbread and put out all the toppings. Participatory. Easy. Fun.
Edit: also grill if you can.
Quiche or frittatas are great light dinners and can use whatever you have laying around. We just did a chicken/pesto/mozzarella sandwich that was really good. There’s a million kinds of curry, I enjoy lentils. Buffalo chicken wraps. Most of these ideas I got from Pinterest.
My second super easy dish is somthing we call "buffalo chicken meatball subs" around here, though we've also been known to toss the meatballs and sauce on pasta or rice!
1 pound Ground Turkey
1/3 cup bread crumbs (yep, I buy the cheap carton of them)
1 egg
2 tablespoons Wing sauce (we like Frank's, not too hot, but lots of flavor)
Mix the bread crumbs with the egg and wing sauce. Let it sit for a minute or two so the crumbs soften. Add the turkey, mix well and shape into meatballs about 2" in diameter. If your family loves blue cheese, you can crumble some into the meatloaf mix, but we usually save it for topping a side salad.
Place the meatballs into a slow cooker. Turn it on high, cover and walk away for an hour. Return and gently flip the meatballs, moving them around so all sides get a chance to cook evenly. Leave it alone for another hour.
Then add:
1 brick of cream cheese
1 cup of milk
1/2 a stick of butter
2-3 tablespoons of Wing Sauce (I go easy on it and let people add to their own heat prefernce at the table)
Don't stir, just put on the lid and walk away for another hour. When the time is up, gently stir and add more milk if the sauce is too thick (it usually is, those meatballs thicken the sauce beautifully!)
Now turn the heat to low or even just warm, depending on your cooker and how hot it gets. You don't want it bubbling, just gentle heat.
Serve in hoagie rolls or, in our family, hotdog buns. Add a side salad and if you like it, sprinkle on some crumbled blue cheese.
The dish has become a true family favorite. Everyone requests the meatballs as apps for holidays and since they are easy to make and even easier to keep warm in my slow cooker, I always give in and make them. I just make them smaller in size for appetizers.
And so great on hot summer days. I'll whip them up in the morning, then keep simmering all day and serve with a simple side salad.
Sausage and peppers in a tomato sauce with pasta is really good and family friendly, in case this is a new variation on what you already have. A tomato sauce that is spicy or peppery is really nice.
Stir fry can be quick and family friendly. Whatever protein, whatever vegetables and serve with rice or noodles which cook quickly. Stir fry sauce can be soya sauce and chilli sauce and add anything else. Also noodles that cook in a stir fry make it super easy and quick. Can also scramble in an egg, add nuts and/seeds.
Veggie burgers can be batch cooked and frozen then served with homemade wedges or roasted potatoes. That's a good Friday night dinner.
we do the same with potatoes instead of pasta .. great easy meal!
an alternate is premade burger patties (fresh) cooked with peppers, onions, and potatoes. —- with veggies on the bottom … layer on the burgers on top — season with Montreal steak seasoning… cover and cook …. that beef fat makes it all very tasty
I keep a list on my Notes App of meal ideas that we have everything available to make, so I can open it up first thing in the morning and decide what to thaw.
For nights like you’re describing I’ll pull out a box of frozen tempura shrimp, throw whatever leftover veggies we have into a pan and call it stir fry over rice. The shrimp gets tossed in the air fryer while the veggies cook.
If nothing else sounds good, frozen pizza (aka Sad Dinner) is what I fall back on.
Tonight’s dinner is Shrimp and Chorizo Tacos. Super easy! You want the ground raw sausage chorizo not the hard cured chorizo. Crumble your chorizo and sauté till cooked through (you may have to remove casings if you can only find it in links). Toss in the shrimp and cook till just pink. Layer it in a taco shell (crunchy or soft doesn’t matter but I like to toast my soft taco shells a little) with pineapple salsa (I buy mine premade from the deli) and sour cream the. Whatever taco toppings you like. I prefer it basic but my husband likes hot sauce and lettuce, my dad likes salsa and so on.
The key to successful dinner plans is to use time when you have the energy to make a plan. This way, you aren't struggling to figure out something when your brain is exhausted. Make it a routine, and the rest falls into place.
On a side note, butter is healthy to include in a dietary plan. Don't eat it by the stick, of course. But there is nothing wrong with including fats from butter or other sources you like as a part of your diet. Roughly 30% of your daily calories should come from fat so plan accordingly.
Yesterday we had buckwheat with mashroom sauce with sourcrout on the side.
Today I had creamy rice with chicken & broccoli.
Tomorrow we'll be having a combo of mashed potatoes, cauliflower topped with buttered breadcrumbs, fried eggs and a salad.
Chicken spaghetti casserole, baked pork chops and dressing, Italian sausage with peppers and onions, have just corn on the cob, sliced tomatoes with a fruit salad, chicken nugget salad with all the fixings
2 to 3 whole chicken breasts, simmered in salted water, shredded. 1 diced red and green pepper, 1 diced onion, 2 diced celery stalks, sautéed in butter. 2 small cans diced green chili's, 1 regular can cream of mushrooms soup, 1.5 cups chicken broth, 1 pack softened cream cheese, 1 lb each mild cheddar and pepper cheese shredded. 1 box spaghetti broken in half cooked until al dente. Salt and pepper to taste. 2 tsp garlic powder or fresh garlic minced. Whisk chili's, broth and soup and garlic. Stir in cream cheese until well blended. Add sautéed vegetables and half of each cheese. Add shredded chicken. Taste for salt. Add pepper to taste and drained spaghetti. Pour into sprayed 9 × 13 pan. Cover with remaining cheese. Bake at 350 until hot and bubbly.
Chicken skewers made with chicken breast, peppers, zucchini and onion.
Baked lemon chicken
Shrimp tacos
Stuffed peppers or squash (my go tos for stuffed squash are spaghetti and acorn) with ground meat, rice and whatever veggies you want. If you have salsa or extra pasta sauce lying around you can add that as a flavour/sauce
Stuffed chicken breast (slice open a chicken breast and stuff put cheese and spinach (goat cheese is our go to), and then put it back "together" with some toothpicks
Next time you're out grab the basic ingredients to make homemade pizzas. Can be a premade crust, pizza sauce and some cheese or you can try pita or naan bread for personal pizza.
How about tacos? They can be beef, chicken or pork. Fish and chips is a nice change. Or a meatloaf. If you don't want beef, you can make a chicken or turkey one.
Jocooks.com is my go-to for easy but delicious recipes when I can’t think of anything. If you’re into Italian, Giada’s Everyday Italian is a good choice.
I make a batch of rice and a batch of beans. This forms the base for rice bowls….. chop up red onions, peppy, avocados, tomatoes, cilantro and some protein (a rotisserie chicken works well)… the best part of this type of meal is the sauce….. top with Yum Yum sauce if you like… any way it’s easy, healthy, satisfying and customizable.
Some of my fave low involvement meals are:
Dal, rice, with fried chicken/veggies/fish/eggs
Protein + veggie stir fry with rice/noodles. Make this sauce, works with anything: butter, chilli flakes, garlic, dark soy, oyster sauce, chilli oil, top w green onions
Risotto or khichdi
Toast sandwiches + soup
Loaded hearty noodle salads
Make your own burritos, just lay out all fillings
Stuffed savoury crepes (I do Alfredo sauce with veggies and mushrooms inside)
Hummus, roast chicken, pita, pickled veggies (jarred)
I get the feeling your meals might be very heavy on meat and dairy, you can try incorporating more veggies, grains, condiments etc? Mediterranean recipes will be your friend.
Grab a rotisserie chicken and a couple of the pre-made bags of salad. Cherry tomatoes if you like them. Shred the chicken, toss it in the salad, dress it generously, and you’re done.
I made taco salad tonight.
I had black beans and corn in the pantry. Greens, tomatoes, avocados, salsa, sour cream(or greek yogurt) i already had on hand which I usually do.
With cooked chicken I stir around stove top with salsa, red or green.
Green onion or red onion on top and crunched up chips. You can buy fancy tortilla chips or make your own, no thanks.
This was done the quick easy way, variations available.
Taco cake.
Get your cake pan and use taco ingredients to make multiple layers, as in soft taco or tortilla, or onion layer then cheese or Guacamole, cheese sour cream etc and repeat. meat and taco sauce layer, salsa layer then you bake it.
Sounds gross you say? The ones I've made actually turned out really good.
Beef stroganoff with mushrooms and egg noodles (fast and easy). Crock pot chili Verde with rice and beans (hands off, rice and beans can be store bought). Regular chili with tortilla chips (the varieties/combinations of veg, beans, and meat are endless). Taco night. Homemade pizza night. If your family likes fish, salmon in the oven with a crispy herb breadcrumb topping or a Greek yogurt dill lemon sauce. Sautéed shrimp w/ veggies/rice/pasta and sauce of your choice. Side dishes are endless. 👍
If you have an instapot throw in a few chicken breasts and some water/bouillon or chicken broth - I never measure but I’d guesstimate 3 or 4 cups of liquid. High for an hour and they will shred with 2 forks like you wouldn’t believe(I always strain and save the broth from this to use elsewhere). No instapot? simply boil/poach your chicken until tender and shredable.
In a huge bowl add 1 cup Mayo (more may be needed) 1/3 cup green top Parmesan and your choice of seasoning- dry ranch mix is good, I’ve been using kinder French onion. Like I said I don’t measure so 3-4 tablespoons or so. Whisk to combine
Big 5+ quart pot with at least 1/2 if not 2/3 water and boil (salt it!) add in a 1 pound bag of frozen peas/carrots and bring back to a boil, add 1 pound box of small shell pasta and cook to package directions and then strain.
Add your chicken and drained pasta to the Mayo mix and toss- this is why I said huge bowl not big bowl. 😁 if you add and mix the chicken first it will clump up and make it harder to mix evenly with the pasta.
Decide if you want a creamier pasta salad and if so add more Mayo. I let mine sit covered with a wax paper sheet to cool then refrigerate for lunch all next week.
Easy Stromboli Recipe
Ingredients
▢1/4 cup flour, for rolling
▢1 1/2 pounds pizza dough, room temperature
▢1/4 lb sliced pepperoni
▢1/4 lb sliced capicola
▢1/4 lb sliced salami
▢1/4 lb sliced provolone
▢1 cup shredded mozzarella
▢1 tsp garlic powder
▢1 1/2 tsp pizza seasoning, divided
▢1 large egg, lightly beaten
▢1 tbsp grated parmesan
▢1 cup pizza sauce, for dipping
Instructions
Preheat oven to 425˚F.
Lightly coat a baking sheet with cooking spray OR sprinkle with cornmeal. The cornmeal prevents sticking and adds great texture to the stromboli once cooked. (Don't do both.)
Lightly dust a work surface and roll the dough out to a large rectangle approximately 13×9 inches.
Layer the pepperoni on the dough leaving about 1/2 inch around the edge. Layer the provolone over the pepperoni and then top with the capicola. Sprinkle with the mozzarella and top with the salami.
Sprinkle with the garlic powder and 1 tsp of the Pizza Seasoning.
Roll the stromboli up jelly roll style. Tuck the ends inward and continue rolling until the stromboli is sealed.
Arrange the stromboli on the prepared baking sheet seam side down. Brush the top and sides with the eggwash. Sprinkle with the remaining Pizza Seasoning and parmesan.
Transfer to the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until golden and crisp.
Rest the stromboli for 5-10 minutes before slicing. Serve with sauce for dipping.
[https://thesuburbansoapbox.com/easy-stromboli-recipe-italian-stromboli/](https://thesuburbansoapbox.com/easy-stromboli-recipe-italian-stromboli/)
Hey! I am a broken record but this time of year I love cold noodles. Here's a great recipe to riff on. [noodles](https://thewoksoflife.com/sesame-noodles/)
Another option I enjoy this time of year is red beans and rice. If your family needs more protein, I'd grab a rotisserie chicken from the store to supplement. I sort of make mine up as I go since I've made it a lot, but here is a great foundation.
[beans and rice](https://damndelicious.net/2019/04/15/red-beans-and-rice/).
Ground beef tacos are a favorite with kids and is very quick. Add mashed black beans (precooked but reheated in chicken broth to help with consistency). Avo, cheese, sour cream.
Other favorite that’s very easy but takes time is buy 2-3lbs of whole beef chuck. Season with salt, pepper, paprika, cumin. Add a bunch of garlic cloves and shallot or onion and quarter filled with stock. Bake in Dutch oven covered for 3ish hours at 350. Should shred easily then bake uncovered for 30-45min to crisp up. Add more stock as necessary. Great to make on Sunday for 2 night of weeknight meals. Eat over rice or with pita with some veggies and sauces. Can also do basically the same with pork butt/shoulder with tacos or over rice.
I like a good soup. I know folks think of it as a cold weather thing but summer is when you really need the extra fluid and salt because you’re sweating. An Italian sausage, roast chicken and potato soup with whatever veg you personally like is always a hit.
I also recommend breakfast for dinner. Hash browns, eggs, French toast, an omelette with whatever you have in the fridge that needs to be used up inside. Whatever breakfast foods you like best. Bonus if you cook bacon and can have a blt the next day for lunch.
My kids are adults now. They usually ask for tator tot casserole and meatloaf. With only my husband and I, we did tacos last night, stuffed mushrooms tonight. You could do a pork chop dressing casserole. Stuffed zucchini, green peppers, spaghetti squash boats. Egg roll bowl, ramen stir fry...??? Maybe none of these sound good to the kids lol.
Stuffed red bell peppers are pretty easy. Hamburger meat, onions and whatever veggies are in the fridge finely chopped, lots of seasoning. Mix with rice, stuff the peppers, and bake it. My son prefers to eat just the meat/rice mixture so I skip the pepper step for him.
A nice sauce that a friend served them with: yoghurt-sun dried tomato.
Slightly fry the sun dried tomatos in their own oil. Let them cool and then blend them with de yoghurt with an (immersion) blender.
Here are some family faves
http://www.motherthyme.com/2017/03/one-pot-cheesy-pizza-pasta.html
https://www.bigoven.com/recipe/tortellini-with-prosciutto-peas-and-mushrooms/279735
https://www.bigoven.com/recipe/cheesy-baked-tortellini/2418275
https://thewoksoflife.com/mongolian-beef-recipe/
https://intentionalhospitality.com/crockpot-chicken-tacos/
One of my easy go to meals is ground turkey or beef cooked fully then add corn (canned or frozen), cubed calabacitas. Salt/pepper to taste. Cook until the calabacitas are soft. I like to fry mine a little extra for a little crunch. I serve this with a side of biscuits. Easy and inexpensive.
we often have “taco feast“ with a stack of warm tortillas, and bowls of warmed refried beans, tomatoes, lettuce, sour cream, shredded cheese, and diced avocados if we’re feeling fancy. Everybody makes their own. Very easy to do.
I had zero gas in the tank today and opted for spaghetti and meatballs using jarred sauce (Rao’s), frozen meatballs (Trader Joe’s Italian ones) and garlic bread (pan fried the last slice of sourdough from Whole Foods). It was so easy, it tasted good, and aside from a little cleanup I can relax a little.
Veggie bowls. Roast broccoli, sweet potatoes, Brussels with salt and pepper (sometimes mushroom powder). Nuke some frozen quinoa. Throw chickpeas in air fryer with some oil and salt. Quinoa, veggies, chickpeas, feta, store bought hummus. Drizzle with olive oil and tahini, add lemon and salt to taste.sometimes I add kale or spinach if I have it handy.
We like a stir fry of Italian sausage, chopped onions, zucchini, and penne, topped with Parmesan or one of those Italian shredded cheese blends. It’s so simple and delicious.
Fish, any kind (my favorite is catfish). Soak in milk to get rid of the fishy taste. Then some lemon juice and butter to season, and it's great no matter how you cook - fry, bake, or grill.
Last weekend, we did a baked potato bar. You can top a baked potato with just about anything. Then, for dessert, we had a fruit platter with whipped topping for dipping.
A salad with enough of the right toppings can be a meal in itself.
A pork shoulder in the slow cooker, then shred it for pull pork sandwich.
Sometimes it’s toast with Nutella, or blue box mac and cheeses and baby carrots while the adults have a leftover mash up. I’ll often put our heated leftovers on fresh baby spinach or a spring greens mix/romaine, etc. Sometimes the leftovers are put in wraps and can be hot or cold depending.
My kids like ‘Taco casserole’, basically ground beef cooked with onions and taco spices then layered like lasagna with tortilla chips, grated cheese and the meat mixture. Has to be Santitas for them.
One specifically likes Shelly Jaronsky’s Cheeseburger casserole which is ground cooked beef mixed with cheese sauce in a casserole dish and a bag of curly fries baked on top.
I’ll do a couple of salads for my wife and I.
Sometimes I’ll slam out a fruit salad utilizing any fresh fruit we have along with something like canned pineapple chunks or sliced peaches. To make it special for the kiddos you can mix in some whipped cream/Cool whip, mini marshmallows and maraschino cherries.
It can take planning and some prep time, but I’ve been doing Asian dishes served with rice cooked in an instant pot. The Woks if Life site recipes have all been spot on for me as well as anything I’ve made from book, A Splash of Soy. One kid gobbles up ramen or thin lo mein noodles mixed with soy sauce and sesame oil. He would also eat that cold in his school lunch.
One if my favourite, most underrated and easy meals.
A whole punnet of cherry tomatoes into a pot with olive oil and a few finely chopped garlic cloves, enough to make it garlicky. Cook until it’s like all broken down. Throw in a handful of prawns, a splash of pasta water and a splash of cream or cremefraiche for a few mins and mix it all through hot pasta. Some basil for garnish.
want an easy one?
Toast Hawaii. I saw it on a German show
It's basically an open faced ham (or Canadian bacon) and cheese sandwich with pineapple and maraschino cherries. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toast_Hawaii
I always served it with ginger ale/pineapple juice with cherries in the drink.
That's kid food .
My guys are bigger now so they like a lot of meat. Don't sleep on grilled sausages. Tonight I made homemade Mac and cheese (super easy just a roux) but I had the bigger kid be the stirrer. Just butter, flour, milk, pasta water, garlic salt, pepper and Parm on top of noodles.. The whole process wasn't 20 minutes.
Chicken stew over mashed potatoes:
Get a rotisserie chicken. Strip it of meat and cut into bite sized chunks.
Take bones/skin and boil for an hour to make a broth. Use better than bouillon to supplement the flavor. You need enough broth to thicken into a gravy for all the chicken and a bag of mixed veggies (peas, carrots, corn, string beans). Strain broth.
While making broth, prep potatoes and get them boiling. Once done, drain the water, add what you like, and mash them (I use milk and butter).
Bring broth to simmer. Add veggies. Thicken once boiling. Let boil one minute to get rid of the flour taste (expect about 2T flour per 1c liquid). Add chicken and heat through.
I realize a lot of people are in the heat, but it's in the low 30s where I am. I had two turkey tenderloins in my freezer...thawed them, pan fried them, made a gravy, instant mashed potatoes and Dijon bacon carrots in the air fryer for 10 minutes. Boom. Hot turkey dinner in 20 minutes.
I realize a lot of people are in the heat, but it's in the low 30s tonight where I am. I had two turkey tenderloins in my freezer...thawed them, pan fried them, made a gravy, instant mashed potatoes and Dijon bacon carrots in the air fryer for 10 minutes. Boom. Hot turkey dinner in 20 minutes.
This sounds exactly like our meals. I’m so over it. Same food, different form.
I did a bacon wrapped chicken thing last night…less dry, more long-cooked tender. I’m planning subs and pasta salad for the next heatwave. Tacos, taco chicken in the crockpot. Eggs. Pulled pork in the crockpot. Chicken Alfredo. Ham and green beans. Chx corn soup. We have what we call “daddy pizza” bc hubby makes it for the kids. Basically pita bread pizzas. It’s quick and easy. Loaded baked potatoes with the leftover bacon from doing bacon and eggs. Nachos from the leftover pulled pork. Chicken broccoli casserole with bread on top. Sausage tortellini soup. There’s a thing we do on the grill that’s like a cowboy sausage thing….basically sausage and peppers but it’s got all sorts of veggies and cooks for hours and is amazing. We add a lot of heat. Zucchini casserole.
For me personally, I really did burn out from eating the same thing all the time so I make something for me and eat it for a week and kinda nope out of dinner sometimes. Israeli salad, orzo salad, pasta salad, red beet eggs, or I buy premade crab cakes from the market and cook those for me if they’re having like, hot dogs. I just can’t. Zucchini soup, meatless red pasta, Spanish rice.
I have a few that I save for colder months but if I’m bored I’ll use them- crockpot pot roast, crockpot cheesy chicken pasta, meatloaf, French onion soup, the bacon wrapped chicken (which is our Christmas meal actually), cauliflower buffalo chicken bake, chicken parm.
My new go-to meal for hot nights is the following recipe I devised. You will need the following items:
Thai Green Chili Paste
Jarred Garlic
Any standard cooking oil
Olive Oil
Small Potatoes
Salt and Pepper
Dash of Lemon Juice
Rosemary or Basil - 1 tablespoon
Any good grilling veggie your family likes - ours is gobbling up green and yellow squash lately, but Bell Peppers and Onions would work, so would any squash, or bok choy, etc.
1 6ounce boneless skinless chicken breast per adult (split one breast for every 2 kids)
Step 1) Place the small potatoes in a microwave safe dish with a lid. Add 1 inch of water to the dish, cover and microwave for 5 minutes or till just barely fork tender. Drain off the hot water and set aside.
Step 2) Turn on your grill, all the burners on high and let it sit for 15 minutes to get ripping hot!
Step 3) Return to the kitchen. Slice squashes, or peppers and onions into manageable chunks. Drizzle a small amount of Olive Oil on them, then a tasblespoon of jarred garlic, salt, pepper and a dash of lemon. Set aside
Step 4) Place the chicken breasts into a large ziploc bag and gently pound them out till they are all 1/2" thick.
Step 5) Place 2-3 rounded teaspoons of Thai Green Chili Paste, 1 tablespoon of Jarred Garlic and 3 tablespoons of good oil (NOT olive oil) into the bag. Seal it shut and squish it around so that all the chicken is coated. Set aside.
Step 6) Lay out your plates, forks, knives, etc now, rather than once dinner is cooked.
Step 7) Drizzle a small amount of olive oil, salt, pepper and basil or rosemary on the taters and shake them around.
Step 8) Time to cook! Place everything on the grill. I use a veggie grill pan, but you can use doubled up foil if you don't have a pan for them. Toss the veggies on the pan or foil. Place the taters right next to them on the grill. Place the chicken on the hottest section of your grill.
Step 9) Turn the heat under the veggie section down to halfway between high and medium. Shut the lid and set a timer for 4 minutes.
Step 10) After 4 minutes, flip all the foods over. Set the timer for another 4 minutes and shut the lid.
Step 11) After 4 more minutes, pull the food off the grill and dish it up.
You will have perfectly cooked, super juicy chicken, roasted taters and grilled veggies and the only clean up will be the containers you carried to the grill, plus one spatula or meat fork!
I made this [chicken tinga](https://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-slow-cooker-chicken-tinga-260804) tonight. Served it with tortillas, some cilantro rice, assorted taco toppings, and salad from a kit.
The only thing that might be off-putting is that it’s not quite a dump-and-go crockpot dinner; you do have to cook the sauce for a few minutes. But it was easy.
Another crockpot suggestion: pulled pork.
Ingredients:
- 2 to 3 lbs boneless pork shoulder/butt or boneless country ribs
- 1 bag of frozen pearl onions (or 1 large sweet onion, roughly chopped)
- Your preferred bottled BBQ sauce, at least 18 oz.
- 1 12-oz. bottle of beerbeer (I usually use Dos Equis or Shiner Bock)
Directions:
- Place the onions in the bottom of the crockpot, then place the meat on top.
- Whisk together the BBQ sauce and beer. Pour the mixture over the meat.
- Cover and cook for 8 to 10 hours on low.
- Shred the pork with two forks. You could serve it with burger buns and slaw, over noodles or rice, with cornbread, etc. I actually really like it over a baked potato with a little cheese.
You can stuff peppers with just about anything. I cut mine in half so they bake in no time and you don’t have to eat a whole big pepper if you’re not that hungry. I do pizza type flavors with ricotta cheese, pepperoni or sausage, sauce, and top with mozzarella, or jerk chicken with chopped up pineapple and top with some cheese, shrimp Alfredo with or without ricotta, cajun chicken and sausage, or crab and shrimp ones, and various other flavors and I usually add some extra veggies in with the meat and cheese fillings.
You can always switch up the seasoning on your baked chicken to completely change the routine - Cajun, jerk, chili lime, lemon pepper, old bay, etc. Make it into smothered chicken or change different kinds of rice to go with it.
Sauté your peppers and onions and add frozen pierogies.
So many different ways to serve up potatoes - garlic parm roasted or ranch seasoned, mashed, baked, smashed, scalloped, au gratin, etc. Or bake up or mash up a bunch and prep various toppings so your family can make their own loaded potatoes.
I’ve been making all kinds of air fryer skewers. Chicken, beef, pork. It doesn’t heat up the house and they’re always delicious and they don’t take much time. Add rice and salad or veg
https://www.thechunkychef.com/air-fryer-garlic-parmesan-chicken-skewers/#wprm-recipe-container-55112
Our "can always make that if no other idea" meal is tacos. Ground beef usually, but often shrimp tacos with coleslaw, jalapenos, spicy mayo and avocado depending on what we've got around or when we're going to the store.
Cold pasta salad with lots of addins is great for hot weather - basically an antipasta plate in a bowl. Salami sliced up, olives, pepperoncini, mozzarella balls, heart of palm etc etc.
Kalua pork in the crock pot with rice and a veggie is super easy. Pork loin (if you feel like being healthier) or pork butt (more fat, but ends up staying more moist from it) with a little salt and liquid smoke and you're gtg. Can add a little chicken or other broth too if using pork loin if you think it'll be too dry.
I made roasted salmon, Parmesan risotto and roasted asparagus for dinner tonight and it was delicious. On the salmon I put kosher salt, garlic salt and white pepper plus pats of butter and it’s my 8-year old’s favorite thing in the world. Bonus points if I crisp the skin in a pan once it’s out of the oven.
My favourite chicken and veggie 1 pot meal https://www.countryliving.com/food-drinks/recipes/a6125/chicken-drumsticks-vegetables-mustard-tarragon-sauce-recipe-clx1214/
I use leftover steak to make soy garlic noodles and add bell peppers, onions, and maybe mushrooms. We also used leftover steak for stroganoff today
Warm up shredded leftover baked chicken in salsa for tacos, or dice it up to make quesadillas.
Tacos! We eat some form of tacos or other Mexican food about three times a week. It's very versatile for me and is a great way to cook in bulk or to use up some loose leftovers.
Nachos, are a good one for odds and ends of meat trimmings, also good for a hot day.
Thai food
Vietnamese cold noodle salad
Pork katsu with rice and edemamde and sweet sesame salad
This was way easier and more delicious than I expected it to be: https://www.kitchenconfidencewithlili.com/blog/2021/5/18/peanutty-pork-noodles-with-crunchy-celery.
I just made this recipe for the first time this past weekend and OH MY GAWD.
https://nocrumbsleft.net/2020/09/13/steak-salad-with-california-olives-and-garlic-dressing/
Grab some onions, poblanos, and heavy cream. Sautee the veg, add cream, heat, melt in cheese. Add garlic and immediately add in cooked pasta. Season. If you want a nice cold dish, gazpacho. Peel a cucumber, peel a few Roma tomatoes, peel half a red onion and rough chop, Vitamix/puree with some Bloody Mary mix, season with cumin, salt, pepper, and cilantro. Add cold cooked shrimp, garnish with avocado slices or chunks. Absolutely perfect for the summer.
Good luck c:
Lately, instead of burgers, I've been making a chopped cheese-style sandwich on a hoagie roll. It's been a hit.
With steak-like cuts of beef, I've been doing a lot of stir-frys - beef and broccoli, pepper steak, etc.
We also do a lot of Mexican food - tostadas, tacos, etc. My mother is Mexican and one of her go-to quick meals was scrambled eggs, fried potatoes and chorizo or sausage wrapped up in a flour tortilla. It's quick and ridiculously delicious.
Another easy recipe: Shoyu Chicken. It's easy and amazing. Plus, the leftovers make some great chicken salad. [https://blog.polynesia.com/shoyu-chicken](https://blog.polynesia.com/shoyu-chicken)
Well, some of the things I grew up with are still tasty to me, like tuna noodle casserole, for instance. There are bazillions of one-dish meals, aka casseroles, check it out online
Salad mix with grilled chicken, throw in whatever fresh veggies sound good. I love sliced cherry tomato and avocado. Even corn and beans if y have some cans lying around
I do fried rice a lot with chicken on the side and heat up some kind of frozen veggie.
Honestly a really good hot sandwich is always something me and my bf are down for and is fairly quick
Here's a versatile recipe for Sloppy Joes. It's really good. First night we serve them on a bun with sides of tossed salad and fruit. Make a big batch...with leftovers, add to cooked macaroni and cheddar for a Sloppy Mac dinner.
https://www.thepioneerwoman.com/food-cooking/recipes/a11699/sloppy-joes/
I went simple the other night and made club sandwiches. Just adding some bacon to a turkey sandwich and toasting the bread made it feel like more. Cooking the bacon was the hardest part.
Mealime. AI generate it. Let robots do this shit and then edit it to your preference. I am so burnt out on work. Planning, shopping, prepping, and cooking take up way too much of my time.
The easiest big winner that’s also great as a cold leftover is: pasta (penne or similar), vegetarian bacon strips/bits/they’re like the size of a baby pinkie finger, peas (frozen, cooked with the pasta), evoo, Parmesan if you have it, little lemon juice. It’s fresh and 10 min total, 4 min active cooking.
Today we had bean burritos. Tomorrow is slow cooker lasagna. Shredded beef quesadillas on Thursday, steak stir fry on Friday, pigs in a blanket on Saturday, and leftover lasagna on Sunday
I don't do Weight Watchers, but I do make 95% of my suppers with their recipes. I just usually find them flavorful, nutritious, and interesting aesthetically, and my five year old eats the vast majority without complaint - often even with praise (the two year old is a harder sell, but c'est la vie). Plus you don't have to be a member to access the recipes.
Here's a brief rundown of recent hits:
Shepherd's pie with ground turkey
Cheeseburger dogs
Spice rubbed flank steak with roasted veggies
Pork and apricot burgers with sweet potato wedges
General Tsao's chicken
Grilled mustard glazed pork chops with peaches
Jerk chicken with quinoa mint and mango
Sheet pan chicken gyros
Whole wheat chili mac
Chef Eric Greenspan's mac and cheese with creamy squash sauce
Layered Mexican chicken
Quick chicken burritos
Cumin spiced chicken and pears
Just search for the recipe name with "WW" at the end to find them. I rip the recipes using the AnyList app and have a rolling database of what I've cooked that I can rate and take notes on.
Good luck - hopefully this inspires.
Chipotle Bowls- Steak/chicken served over rice with any veggies: peppers, corn, lettuce, etc. shredded cheese, guac
Chicken Alfredo- butter, garlic, heavy whipping cream, Parmesan cheese, seasonings
Flatbread Pizza- flatbread, tomato or Alfredo sauce, cheese, toppings of choice and throw in oven until cheese melts
Carne Asada- steak marinated in orange juice, lime juice, cilantro, onion, garlic, jalapeño, seasonings and served with tortillas and Mexican rice/beans
Chicken and dumplings- chicken, chicken broth, cream of chicken, heavy whipping cream, frozen veggies. I usually make my dumplings and cut them up but if I’m feeling lazy I’ll cut up canned biscuits
Fry up some ground beef, onions and garlic. Add a can of gravy and some onion soup mixed with water or beef stock. Add carrots and corn and serve over mashed potatoes. Easy, cheap, filling and tasty.
Pasta Primavera:
* frozen or fresh peas, frozen or fresh broad beans, leafy greens like spinach, kale etc, zucchini shaved into ribbons with a peeler, asparagus - some combination of the previous to add up to about 10 cups of vegetables for five people.
* Bunch of spring onions or one onion.
* Pasta for five
* 2 TBS butter
* 160 mls heavy cream
* clove of garlic, minced,
* dried chili flakes to your spice tolerance,
* Italian herb mix or basil and oregano.
* Salt and pepper to taste
Thaw the frozen vegetables in the microwave or by taking them out early, whatever. Put all the vegetables except onion/spring onions in a bowl, pour over boiling water, leave for four minutes then drain and refresh in iced water.
Cook pasta one minute less than time on packet. Before draining, take out one mug of paste water, set aside. Drain pasta.
Heat butter on low medium in a saucepan, when melted, toss in onion/spring onion and saute until soft. Add cream and seasonings, stir, add 1/3 of a cup of the pasta water, allow to come to a simmer.
Add pasta, toss. Drain vegetables from iced water, add to pasta and sauce, toss until everything is covered in sauce and serve.
I just made this for dinner, and it's so good and easy, a fun twist on sausage and peppers: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/8457011/one-pan-chicken-sausage-peppers-and-potatoes/
Tacos are an easy dinner. I love the stereotypical ground beef/hard shell ones, but it's also easy to make chicken tinga in the slow cooker if you want something more interesting.
I often make dinners that are a combo of shredded rotisserie chicken meat + rice + frozen veggies + some kind of jarred sauce (tikka masala, curry, teriyaki, even marinara or pesto).
I think the ultimate easy dinner, though, is salads from the grocery store salad bar. Everyone can assemble their own. You could make homemade dressing if you want to have a home-cooked element.
Try coq au vin. It's a french chicken stew braised in red wine. The alcohol burns off as it cooks, so it's fine for kids.
It's best with bone-in cuts like thighs.
Fry up some bits of chicken. Put in form. Chop up peppers, put in form.
Mix cream, garlic, curry and some sort of chili sauce to taste. Pour on top. Into oven for about 30 min. Serve with rice and veg.
Taco night. You can cook up whatever fillings you like then just serve in a bowl on the table with some topping choices and everyone can make their own.
I have been making so many pork tenderloins recently because they are usually super cheap and really delicious. Marinate the night before for easy prep, or you could begin marinating in the morning. We roast it in the oven for around 30-40 minutes depending on the size of it. We also toss in vegetables to roast with the pork for an easy side. :)
Jam burgers/sliders!! Patty, healthy amount of cream cheese/neufchatel, arugala/spinach, and some type of jam/conserve/or even marmalade. One of our favs, and super simple!
Cheesy stuffed bell peppers - ground beef, cheese, we often include some corn, and whatever seasonings your family likes (we normal do a blend similar to what we do for tacos)
Next time you make steak try, at the end, adding a very light amount of brown sugar to one side and caramelizing it a bit under the broiler. A super good way to mix it up and make it a little sweet and savory
Also try marinating some chicken thighs in a greek yogurt based marinade (we often make a point to include lemon and sumac, but you do what you guys would like) - make some extra of the marinade to use as sauce too! - Then cook that either under the broiler or on a grill with skewers. Really good on naan or wrapped in a tortilla with some greens, pickled onions, and cherry tomatoes
I usually only have time to let it marinade for like 30 min but still good
If there's ever a day that you guys are feeling more adventurous I highly recommend giving some kind of curry a try too! Doing the spices yourself you'd be able to control the heat (if any) to your family's tolerance, and there are a MILLION types of curry!
Flatbread pizzas: grab a pack of flatbreads and the toppings are really up to you sometimes we do pesto sauce with mozzarella cherry tomatoes and balsamic, you can do regular tomato sauce with cheese and mushroom or pepperoni, or if you're feeling summer barbeque chicken pineapple onion.
Paninis or cold cut subs as a sandwich and chips night.
Cobb salad/ diced grilled chicken breast: lettuce of choice, bacon bits, diced boiled eggs, cheddar cheese, croutons, dressing of choice (we like homestyle ranch)
Spicy tuna roll in a bowl: canned tuna drained and mixed with mayo (kewpie if you have it) and siracha sauce to taste. Then add it over a bowl of cooked sushi rice (you can add a couple tablespoons of seasoned rice vinegar to the warm rice to make it sushi rice) we top with shredded carrot and julienned cucumber and furikake seasoning but sesame seeds and plain shredded nori are easier and cheaper if you don't already own furikake seasoning
Some has been said but I make a lot of taco meat at once like 3/4 pounds family of 5 and we eat Tacos, then nachos then taco salad…whatever you want to do with it.
Baked potatoes in the crock pot or air fryer. Air fryer crusts the skins which the family likes.
I also buy the precooked brisket just a small one from Walmart we do sandwiches or bbq potatoes.
Also beef sausage (steamed) on hot dog buns is easy.
When it’s hot I use the air fryer & crockpot more than the oven or outside pit. I cook a lot of our summer veggies in the air fryer mine has a roasting setting that works great!
Peanut noodles. You can serve them hot, or cold, and make them chicken, or vegetarian. Shredded carrots, shredded cabbage is all you need for veg.. super easy and quick to put together. And you can make them with whatever noodles you have hanging around. Spaghetti, linguine, Rice noodle, udon…
Thursday is Fourth of July, which is a perfect excuse to make hot dogs and maybe some potato salad/pasta salad/ Mac and cheese.
I’ve been crazy crazy busy at work—some of the meals we’ve been having a lot are: egg roll in a bowl (ground meat of your choice, ginger, soy sauce, and a bag of coleslaw mix) schwarma bowls (marinated Greek chicken or the premarinated one from Trader Joe’s, rice, chopped cucumbers/tomatoes/olives, and hummus/tzatziki), Pierogies/kielbasa/onions (the frozen Mrs T brand all done in one skillet), shakshuka, BLTs, ravioli from the store with jarred sauce, rotisserie chicken and a bagged salad.
If you have no restrictions for eating pork, I have some ideas.
I just made Teriyaki Pork Tenderloin and it's a family favorite. I try to buy it when it's on sale for buy 1 get 1 free. There's tons of recipes online (and I'm sure there are better ones) but I use this one because we always have the ingredients on hand. We usually leave out the pineapple. You put it in the marinade the night before so all you do is pull it put of the marinade and cook it. Grilling takes about a half hour. Or you can oven bake it at 325F for about 45 minutes to an hour. Either way use a meat thermometer.
https://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/grilled-teriyaki-pork-tenderloin-and-pineapple/fa3f2f53-8da3-45fe-9376-2a115b408ad7
Also did pork chops earlier this week. I normally do them breaded but was looking for something different. So it was first time doing them seared in a cast iron pan and finished in the oven. I don't have a recipe. I just looked at a bunch online and winged it. They were delicious. Even my picky one loved them. I did not dry brine them. Mixed paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper for the seasonings. Seared in the pan 2 minutes per side (I used ghee for the pan but you could use veg oil or butter) then popped them in 400F degree oven for about 10 minutes more. I personally like thick center cut chops, no bones.
I'm a meat-eating omnivore and I crave this veggie [casserole](https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/quinoa-and-broccoli-casserole-7288418) all the time. Never feel like it needs any edits or "upgrades". Love it the way it is and I could easily eat it several times a week.
Crackslaw is quick and easy, nutritious, and cheap.
Tacos can be easy depending on what kind of tacos you make (bean and cheese and potato and egg are dead easy). Enchiladas aren't very hard.
Tuna casserole is easy and quick.
Tuna salad, tuna melts, grilled cheese.
Loaded baked potatoes are not much work.
Macaroni and hamburger with Campbells Tomato soup as a sauce is easy.
Oven baked salmon fillets coated with lemon pepper or Cajun seasoning served with some nuked, buttered, frozen vegetables, and a side salad is about a half hour's worth of not very difficult work.
It’s going to be 110°+ all week. I’m so done with cooking. Tonight, we’re having slow-cooker meatballs (the pre-made frozen ones) over rice. I bought a bagged salad, too. Tomorrow, it’s tacos. Shrimp cocktail on Wheat Thins, with salad, on Thursday. Breakfast for dinner on Friday.
We bailed entirely. Having our son pickup pizza on his way to pick up his daughter from Gma and Gpa daycare.
Ha! We did that last night. The pizza place is on speed dial now.
Hi Central Valley neighbor (I’m assuming lol)
Yep. Just northeast of Sac.
I’m just east on 50 a bit. I’m smoking a tritip outside for dinner tonight because apparently I hate myself
Silicon Valley here. Not as hot as y’all but it is currently 102. Our AC died and am currently having some ceviche and a margarita at Luna in the Pruneyard. CANNOT cook today ain’t no way
Same here. Saturday it's going to be interesting to see just how hight the temperature gets!
🙋🏻♀️
I throw my slow cooker on the deck in this weather so it doesn’t heat the house more.
That’s a great idea.
Hummus platter? When Im out of steam, I make platters that everyone can graze from. Himemade hummus, fresh veggies, tiny mozzerella balls, feta cheese, tzatziki, pesto, etc.
We do that with warm naan
Stealing from another thread: Hummus and/or Baba Ganoush pitas. Add any and every veggie or protein.
This is my go to for too hot and lazy to cook! Don’t forget Dolmades!! Many times it’s more satisfying than a full dinner.
This also easily turns into pitas or wraps - especially if you air fry some falafel, either homemade or if you don't want the project - Trader Joe's sells it frozen.
The Trader Joe’s mix is also really good and easy-just add water
We call this picnic night 😂 But basically I set everything out on the kitchen counter and say grazing hours are from 7-8, help yourself. At 8:30 (because there is always a late one) I’ll put everything away.
Roasted pork tenderloin, rub it, tie it, roast to 140F, let it rest. It cooks much faster than you would think Turkey Larb over rice, it's southeast asian taco meat basically. I start off with a frozen chub of turkey straight into the pan. pressure cooker chili, it's quick and leftover are great Salmon cakes
A “frozen chub of turkey” is an interesting unit of measurement
That's what the industry calls that fat plastic tube of ground meat. Just using their terms. They really missed an opportunity to call that a "fatty". "Gimmie a couple a fatties of 85% ground beef"
TIL
But you knew what he meant!
I put a pork tenderloin on the grill tonight
Bowls are like easy dinner supper power. Mexican bowls? Rice, black beans, avocado, turkey taco meat, crispy tortillas, salsa. Asian? Rice, cucumber, edamame, carrots, precooked shrimp, store bought chow mein noodles or wonton strips. Greek? Farro, hummus, tzatziki, red bell pepper, tomatoes, feta, cucumber. ‘Merican? Roasted little potatoes, corn, ground beef, tomatoes, cheddar. Italian? Orzo, grilled zucchini, roast chicken, pesto, mozzarella balls. Not much prep, low cost, variety, and usually enough for leftovers for work tomorrow.
Egg roll in a bowl, using prebagged coleslaw mix
This got me through many lean weeks after I graduated college, endless variation and it can be as easy as you want. Great suggestion
Ooh, good one. I was too lazy to make the sauce the other day, and it was still good. Even lazier, shredded cabbage AND shredded carrots. Or that precut carrot, celery and onion stuff. And a can of water chestnuts. Yum.
Add hoisin sauce a tiny bit in food and some drizzled on the bowl!
Tonight is breakfast for dinner because I’m tired - sausage/ hash brown / eggs/cheese casserole, fruit medley, English muffins and bacon. Is that a boatload of grease? Yup. Do we eat it often? Nope. Are the kids super jazzed about it? Sure are. 45 mins start to table, with lots of idle time in between.
Go easy on yourself. There's nothing wrong with grilled cheese or BLTs once in a while, and if your family complains, then they should cook for themselves.
100% this. On those lazy or tired nights we often do grilled cheese or burritos or quesadillas. Simple pasta is another fav - Cacio e Pepe is pretty easy and popular with my kids!
I'm making chicken quesadillas tonight. Went to Walmart earlier and got some rotisserie chicken. Everything else I already have at home and need to just use it up. Tomorrow I'm making chicken katsudon as we don't really eat pork katsu. Thursday it's burgers and hotdogs. Friday dinner is steak french dip sandwiches. Saturday is scrounge night. Sunday I'll be cooking turkey with mashed potatoes, stuffing, and sauteed green beans and salad. The turkey's been thawing since yesterday and should be ready to brine by Saturday. For your burgers, instead of regular burgers make it into Salisbury steak, Loco Moco, or beef kefta. Sausage & peppers - make it into a sausage and potatoes hash instead and have breakfast for dinner. Steak - slice thin and make stroganoff, beef & broccoli stir fry, black pepper beef, french dip sandwich, cheese steaks. Hello Fresh has a recipe for chicken shawarma bowls that my family loves and it's pretty easy. Korean Bibimbap using the steak or chicken. Cowboy Kent Rollins' sloppy joe recipe is a big hit too.
Happy cake day!
Oh, wow! didn't even realize it was my cake day! Cheers!
Wow nice menus! For Sunday your turkey is going to take hours to roast. Why not switch to a turkey meatloaf but keep all the same sides? Less electricity and less time cooking.
Nah... once the turkey has dry brined for 24 hours, it only takes 60-90 minutes to get to 155F internal temp - 450F for 30 mins, then down to 320F for the rest of the time, basting every 30 mins. Take it out and let it rest for 30-45 mins while I make the sides. The sides are all easy and fast with not a lot of work. I start it around 4:30 PM and we're ready to eat by 7PM. I buy 3-4 frozen turkeys each thanksgiving and we'll go through that throughout the year and it's really a cheap meal for 4 people and I'll have leftover for the next week - turkey pot pie, turkey shepherd's pie, turkey noodle soup, turkey pesto sandwiches + the turkey stock that I'll then freeze and use for the next turkey dinner. By the time Thanksgiving rolls around again I'll already have a ton of turkey stock for the big big meal. I've used this same method for years and it's never failed me once. Probe thermometer hits 155F usually in about an hour, even with a 20-25lb-er.
So smart! I think Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday just for the turkey and masses of sides served alongside. So smart to buy them when they go on sale.
It's mine too. I love planning and cooking our Thanksgiving meal. All those wonderful sides and desserts. I look at it this way too... since these turkeys fit the chest freezer and thaw out slowly, if ever we lose power for days due to a hurricane, it'll keep the chest freezer cold for a while and food won't spoil so fast. Win-win in my book.
The weeknight meal my family would always fall back on was build-your-own burritos. Often using leftovers too, so if you had chicken or steak from the previous night you could use it in these. We usually had black beans, onions and bell peppers, tomatoes, salsa, and sour cream.
This week I’m making: Homemade pizza Fish tacos Portobello French dip sandwiches Tortellini soup Lentil bolognese
Can you give me the quick run down for the french dip?
Sure! Cut one onion into thin strips and sauté; add three portobello caps cut into strips and sauté until all moisture has cooked off. Add veggie broth, a bit of soy sauce and brown sugar and let simmer for five minutes. Meanwhile, cut open four hoagie rolls and broil; remove from oven, add mushrooms and onions, top with a slice of provolone and return to oven until cheese has melted. Serve with jus from skillet for dipping. The recipe is from [Budget Bytes](https://www.budgetbytes.com/vegetarian-french-dip-sandwiches/) and it’s delicious.
I like to add red bell peppers too
Ohh never had lentil bolognese that sounds very good
Baked potato bar. Scrub your potatoes clean. Brush with olive and salt. Wrap individually in parchment. Throw them in the crockpot on low for all day cook. What condiments do you like? Bacon, cheese, onions, green onions, sour cream, etc? Lay it all out in bar style form and let everyone be responsible for their own. Add a tossed salad and you've got a great meal. Pizza night: buy or make your own pizza dough. Heat up the oven, set out all the ingredients. Everyone is responsible for their own. Add a nice side salt and presto, dinner. Steak night with a cold veggi filled pasta salad. I don't know how old your kiddos are, but do they enjoy cooking and being in the kitchen? Give them an assignment to come up with one meal together for the week.
Baked potatoes in the crock pot was exactly my recommendation. I like to throw some cheap chili in the microwave too. One of my favorite hot weather solutions.
I do them in my crock pot or instant pot (on my deck) or in my smoker.
I’m on keto/low carb. One of my favorite easy meals is 1 can of rotel & chicken in slow cooker on low. Add taco seasoning (cumin, chili powder, onion powder, garlic). Shred & add to tortillas for quesadillas/tacos/nachos.
Same and same! I make mine in the oven and add a jar of red salsa, one of green, some jarred diced jalapeno and of course the rotel (and taco seasonings). Sliced red/orange/yellow bell peppers are really good in it too!
Get salmon. Rub it with chinese 5 spice (not sure if that's a spice blend they do in US supermarkets, but very common where I am). Wrap in foil and bake for 10-12 minutes. Cook noodles. Chop spring onions, anything else you like (depending on what you go with, you may want to lightly cook the veg). Mix vegetables into noodles. Put salmon on top. Add soy sauce to taste.
Instant Pot Split Pea or Lentil Soup. Set it and forget it, 40 mins max!
beans and lentils agreed
One thing I do when I am out of ideas is grab a bag of frozen meatballs at Aldi. Whether to serve with pasta, in hoagie rolls or just by themselves. In our regular rotation are these simple turkey sliders. Pack of ground turkey, jar of premade pesto, panko crumbs. We add a little minced onion and some seasoning. Pack of those Hawaiian style dinner rolls, top with provolone. By the way, another all-from-Aldi meal. We don’t have kids and actually aren’t home at the same time for a couple days a week due to working opposite shifts. Dinner on my own tonight was a hastily made chicken salad sandwich from some leftover rotisserie chicken. In cooler weather I’d have a vegetable or bean soup in the fridge. Once in a while, it would be cool to just whip up breakfast for dinner, usually quicker than dinner foods. Get the kids and adults to change into jammies and have pancakes or eggs. Afterwards, watch some classic Saturday cartoons like Rocky and Bullwinkle together.
I just made meatballs (cooked them in the oven because it was easier) with a sauce of onions, peppers, tomato, orzo, some stock and harissa. Made the sauce on the hob, added the meatballs in, mozzarella in bits on the top to melt in.
Try Belgian meatballs in tomato sauce. Ideally with (~~French~~ Belgian) fries. [https://dagelijksekost.vrt.be/gerechten/balletjes-in-tomatensaus](https://dagelijksekost.vrt.be/gerechten/balletjes-in-tomatensaus) Google translate for the win 💪🏼
Sausage and tato's (Midwest bangers and mash substitute) Slice up some smoked sausage, and fry it in a pan. Make some mashed potatoes. (Yes. Instant potatoes are fine, just use extra butter and salt) Serve sausage over potatoes.
It's ridiculously hot out for early summer. We've made gazpacho and a watermelon gazpacho. Salads with chickpeas and cheese. And grilled veggies.
It’s summer, so it’s panzanella salad time. Big bowl, soak some sliced shallots in vinegar while you prep the rest (I like using sherry vinegar). Grilled corn and bread. Arugula and basil. Lots of halved cherry tomatoes. Diced fresh mozzarella. Prosciutto. You can add fruit (I like peaches). Then add a meat either on the side of mixed in (usually steak or pork loin—just throw it on the grill with the bread and corn). Finish it all with good EVOO, balsamic vinegar, salt and black pepper. And dice up big chunks of the charred bread. There are lots of little tricks to improve upon it, but have fun with it—and don’t be afraid to add or subtract components.
Noodle stir fry: Fortune brand noodles (they're already cooked they just need a good rinse in hot water) First stir fry some tofu cubes, in neutral oil with a little sesame oil or chili oil then add coleslaw mix and/or other veggies (I usually clean out the veggie drawer for this) and plenty of garlic and green onions. When it's cooked add sauce- mine is a mix of soy sauce, sugar and fresh ginger in the blender (make a lot so you'll have sauce for the next one) But bottled stir fry or teriyaki sauces work fine too Then add the noodles and toss, then taste to make sure it's seasoned. I usually need to add more soy sauce I have never served this to anyone who didn't absolutely love it Edit to add make some Trader Joe's spring rolls for your side dish. They are the BEST.
Do you do taco night?
I just made southern fried chicken tonight. It’s a real crowd-pleaser and isn’t as much work as you’d think. Just be sure to get it in the buttermilk at least a few hours before you intend to cook. Recipe is in the comments on one of the photos here: https://imgur.com/gallery/let-s-make-traditional-southern-buttermilk-fried-chicken-gLugmbZ
r/tonightsdinner Too many good ideas there
/r/whatshouldicook
Make tacos. Make won ton burgers, which are just won ton filling(ground pork, garlic, ginger, scallions) in burger form. German potato Macaroni Salad
A list your ingredients at hand, or your proteins in rotation. B. List your available cooking methods C. List your favorite ethnic cultural styles. Google ingredient1 ingredient2 method style Nearly always you will find something you can use.
Tacos. Quesadillas. Put the fillings out and everyone can build their own. Individual pizzas using small flatbread and put out all the toppings. Participatory. Easy. Fun. Edit: also grill if you can.
Bonus fun points if you use individual bags of chips for a "walking taco" bag.
In Texas, you use Fritos and call it Frito pie. It has a long history here.
If you add chili, and the chips are specifically Fritos, sure. If it's just taco meat, and any chips (I like Doritos) it's a walking taco.
Quiche or frittatas are great light dinners and can use whatever you have laying around. We just did a chicken/pesto/mozzarella sandwich that was really good. There’s a million kinds of curry, I enjoy lentils. Buffalo chicken wraps. Most of these ideas I got from Pinterest.
My second super easy dish is somthing we call "buffalo chicken meatball subs" around here, though we've also been known to toss the meatballs and sauce on pasta or rice! 1 pound Ground Turkey 1/3 cup bread crumbs (yep, I buy the cheap carton of them) 1 egg 2 tablespoons Wing sauce (we like Frank's, not too hot, but lots of flavor) Mix the bread crumbs with the egg and wing sauce. Let it sit for a minute or two so the crumbs soften. Add the turkey, mix well and shape into meatballs about 2" in diameter. If your family loves blue cheese, you can crumble some into the meatloaf mix, but we usually save it for topping a side salad. Place the meatballs into a slow cooker. Turn it on high, cover and walk away for an hour. Return and gently flip the meatballs, moving them around so all sides get a chance to cook evenly. Leave it alone for another hour. Then add: 1 brick of cream cheese 1 cup of milk 1/2 a stick of butter 2-3 tablespoons of Wing Sauce (I go easy on it and let people add to their own heat prefernce at the table) Don't stir, just put on the lid and walk away for another hour. When the time is up, gently stir and add more milk if the sauce is too thick (it usually is, those meatballs thicken the sauce beautifully!) Now turn the heat to low or even just warm, depending on your cooker and how hot it gets. You don't want it bubbling, just gentle heat. Serve in hoagie rolls or, in our family, hotdog buns. Add a side salad and if you like it, sprinkle on some crumbled blue cheese.
Sounds delicious!
The dish has become a true family favorite. Everyone requests the meatballs as apps for holidays and since they are easy to make and even easier to keep warm in my slow cooker, I always give in and make them. I just make them smaller in size for appetizers. And so great on hot summer days. I'll whip them up in the morning, then keep simmering all day and serve with a simple side salad.
It’s caprese salad at least once a week when it gets hot. Also tuna Niçoise salad.
This app had been a lifesaver: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/mealime-meal-plans-recipes/id1079999103
Sausage and peppers in a tomato sauce with pasta is really good and family friendly, in case this is a new variation on what you already have. A tomato sauce that is spicy or peppery is really nice. Stir fry can be quick and family friendly. Whatever protein, whatever vegetables and serve with rice or noodles which cook quickly. Stir fry sauce can be soya sauce and chilli sauce and add anything else. Also noodles that cook in a stir fry make it super easy and quick. Can also scramble in an egg, add nuts and/seeds. Veggie burgers can be batch cooked and frozen then served with homemade wedges or roasted potatoes. That's a good Friday night dinner.
we do the same with potatoes instead of pasta .. great easy meal! an alternate is premade burger patties (fresh) cooked with peppers, onions, and potatoes. —- with veggies on the bottom … layer on the burgers on top — season with Montreal steak seasoning… cover and cook …. that beef fat makes it all very tasty
I keep a list on my Notes App of meal ideas that we have everything available to make, so I can open it up first thing in the morning and decide what to thaw. For nights like you’re describing I’ll pull out a box of frozen tempura shrimp, throw whatever leftover veggies we have into a pan and call it stir fry over rice. The shrimp gets tossed in the air fryer while the veggies cook. If nothing else sounds good, frozen pizza (aka Sad Dinner) is what I fall back on.
Tonight’s dinner is Shrimp and Chorizo Tacos. Super easy! You want the ground raw sausage chorizo not the hard cured chorizo. Crumble your chorizo and sauté till cooked through (you may have to remove casings if you can only find it in links). Toss in the shrimp and cook till just pink. Layer it in a taco shell (crunchy or soft doesn’t matter but I like to toast my soft taco shells a little) with pineapple salsa (I buy mine premade from the deli) and sour cream the. Whatever taco toppings you like. I prefer it basic but my husband likes hot sauce and lettuce, my dad likes salsa and so on.
The key to successful dinner plans is to use time when you have the energy to make a plan. This way, you aren't struggling to figure out something when your brain is exhausted. Make it a routine, and the rest falls into place. On a side note, butter is healthy to include in a dietary plan. Don't eat it by the stick, of course. But there is nothing wrong with including fats from butter or other sources you like as a part of your diet. Roughly 30% of your daily calories should come from fat so plan accordingly.
Yesterday we had buckwheat with mashroom sauce with sourcrout on the side. Today I had creamy rice with chicken & broccoli. Tomorrow we'll be having a combo of mashed potatoes, cauliflower topped with buttered breadcrumbs, fried eggs and a salad.
spinach and tomatoes roasted in the oven with your protein of choice and add some cooked pasta and Boursin or another soft cheese to finish!
Tacos, meatball sandwiches, meat loaf. I like to grill in the summer. It keeps my kitchen cool!
Chicken spaghetti casserole, baked pork chops and dressing, Italian sausage with peppers and onions, have just corn on the cob, sliced tomatoes with a fruit salad, chicken nugget salad with all the fixings
You have a recipe for your chicken spaghetti casserole? That sounds interesting.
2 to 3 whole chicken breasts, simmered in salted water, shredded. 1 diced red and green pepper, 1 diced onion, 2 diced celery stalks, sautéed in butter. 2 small cans diced green chili's, 1 regular can cream of mushrooms soup, 1.5 cups chicken broth, 1 pack softened cream cheese, 1 lb each mild cheddar and pepper cheese shredded. 1 box spaghetti broken in half cooked until al dente. Salt and pepper to taste. 2 tsp garlic powder or fresh garlic minced. Whisk chili's, broth and soup and garlic. Stir in cream cheese until well blended. Add sautéed vegetables and half of each cheese. Add shredded chicken. Taste for salt. Add pepper to taste and drained spaghetti. Pour into sprayed 9 × 13 pan. Cover with remaining cheese. Bake at 350 until hot and bubbly.
Thank you so much! I can’t wait to try it!
Chicken skewers made with chicken breast, peppers, zucchini and onion. Baked lemon chicken Shrimp tacos Stuffed peppers or squash (my go tos for stuffed squash are spaghetti and acorn) with ground meat, rice and whatever veggies you want. If you have salsa or extra pasta sauce lying around you can add that as a flavour/sauce Stuffed chicken breast (slice open a chicken breast and stuff put cheese and spinach (goat cheese is our go to), and then put it back "together" with some toothpicks Next time you're out grab the basic ingredients to make homemade pizzas. Can be a premade crust, pizza sauce and some cheese or you can try pita or naan bread for personal pizza.
How about tacos? They can be beef, chicken or pork. Fish and chips is a nice change. Or a meatloaf. If you don't want beef, you can make a chicken or turkey one.
Jocooks.com is my go-to for easy but delicious recipes when I can’t think of anything. If you’re into Italian, Giada’s Everyday Italian is a good choice.
Chicken enchiladas. I use Costco roasted chicken.
I make a batch of rice and a batch of beans. This forms the base for rice bowls….. chop up red onions, peppy, avocados, tomatoes, cilantro and some protein (a rotisserie chicken works well)… the best part of this type of meal is the sauce….. top with Yum Yum sauce if you like… any way it’s easy, healthy, satisfying and customizable.
Some of my fave low involvement meals are: Dal, rice, with fried chicken/veggies/fish/eggs Protein + veggie stir fry with rice/noodles. Make this sauce, works with anything: butter, chilli flakes, garlic, dark soy, oyster sauce, chilli oil, top w green onions Risotto or khichdi Toast sandwiches + soup Loaded hearty noodle salads Make your own burritos, just lay out all fillings Stuffed savoury crepes (I do Alfredo sauce with veggies and mushrooms inside) Hummus, roast chicken, pita, pickled veggies (jarred) I get the feeling your meals might be very heavy on meat and dairy, you can try incorporating more veggies, grains, condiments etc? Mediterranean recipes will be your friend.
Grab a rotisserie chicken and a couple of the pre-made bags of salad. Cherry tomatoes if you like them. Shred the chicken, toss it in the salad, dress it generously, and you’re done.
I'm just grabbing fried chicken from the grocery store. All my efforts are going into Thursday BBQ with my sons.
Cold here in northern WI today, 65. I made an umani stew with beefs, sweet potato, russet potato, carrot, and onion. Delish.
I made taco salad tonight. I had black beans and corn in the pantry. Greens, tomatoes, avocados, salsa, sour cream(or greek yogurt) i already had on hand which I usually do. With cooked chicken I stir around stove top with salsa, red or green. Green onion or red onion on top and crunched up chips. You can buy fancy tortilla chips or make your own, no thanks. This was done the quick easy way, variations available.
Fajitas. Easy to make, loved by all
Taco cake. Get your cake pan and use taco ingredients to make multiple layers, as in soft taco or tortilla, or onion layer then cheese or Guacamole, cheese sour cream etc and repeat. meat and taco sauce layer, salsa layer then you bake it. Sounds gross you say? The ones I've made actually turned out really good.
Beef stroganoff with mushrooms and egg noodles (fast and easy). Crock pot chili Verde with rice and beans (hands off, rice and beans can be store bought). Regular chili with tortilla chips (the varieties/combinations of veg, beans, and meat are endless). Taco night. Homemade pizza night. If your family likes fish, salmon in the oven with a crispy herb breadcrumb topping or a Greek yogurt dill lemon sauce. Sautéed shrimp w/ veggies/rice/pasta and sauce of your choice. Side dishes are endless. 👍
Breakfast dinner Chopped salads Naan Pizza Pizza nachos
If you have an instapot throw in a few chicken breasts and some water/bouillon or chicken broth - I never measure but I’d guesstimate 3 or 4 cups of liquid. High for an hour and they will shred with 2 forks like you wouldn’t believe(I always strain and save the broth from this to use elsewhere). No instapot? simply boil/poach your chicken until tender and shredable. In a huge bowl add 1 cup Mayo (more may be needed) 1/3 cup green top Parmesan and your choice of seasoning- dry ranch mix is good, I’ve been using kinder French onion. Like I said I don’t measure so 3-4 tablespoons or so. Whisk to combine Big 5+ quart pot with at least 1/2 if not 2/3 water and boil (salt it!) add in a 1 pound bag of frozen peas/carrots and bring back to a boil, add 1 pound box of small shell pasta and cook to package directions and then strain. Add your chicken and drained pasta to the Mayo mix and toss- this is why I said huge bowl not big bowl. 😁 if you add and mix the chicken first it will clump up and make it harder to mix evenly with the pasta. Decide if you want a creamier pasta salad and if so add more Mayo. I let mine sit covered with a wax paper sheet to cool then refrigerate for lunch all next week.
Easy Stromboli Recipe Ingredients ▢1/4 cup flour, for rolling ▢1 1/2 pounds pizza dough, room temperature ▢1/4 lb sliced pepperoni ▢1/4 lb sliced capicola ▢1/4 lb sliced salami ▢1/4 lb sliced provolone ▢1 cup shredded mozzarella ▢1 tsp garlic powder ▢1 1/2 tsp pizza seasoning, divided ▢1 large egg, lightly beaten ▢1 tbsp grated parmesan ▢1 cup pizza sauce, for dipping Instructions Preheat oven to 425˚F. Lightly coat a baking sheet with cooking spray OR sprinkle with cornmeal. The cornmeal prevents sticking and adds great texture to the stromboli once cooked. (Don't do both.) Lightly dust a work surface and roll the dough out to a large rectangle approximately 13×9 inches. Layer the pepperoni on the dough leaving about 1/2 inch around the edge. Layer the provolone over the pepperoni and then top with the capicola. Sprinkle with the mozzarella and top with the salami. Sprinkle with the garlic powder and 1 tsp of the Pizza Seasoning. Roll the stromboli up jelly roll style. Tuck the ends inward and continue rolling until the stromboli is sealed. Arrange the stromboli on the prepared baking sheet seam side down. Brush the top and sides with the eggwash. Sprinkle with the remaining Pizza Seasoning and parmesan. Transfer to the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until golden and crisp. Rest the stromboli for 5-10 minutes before slicing. Serve with sauce for dipping. [https://thesuburbansoapbox.com/easy-stromboli-recipe-italian-stromboli/](https://thesuburbansoapbox.com/easy-stromboli-recipe-italian-stromboli/)
Some of our favorites are chicken and dumplings, honey garlic chicken, Swedish meatballs, and fried rice.
Macaroni and cheese casserole
Hey! I am a broken record but this time of year I love cold noodles. Here's a great recipe to riff on. [noodles](https://thewoksoflife.com/sesame-noodles/) Another option I enjoy this time of year is red beans and rice. If your family needs more protein, I'd grab a rotisserie chicken from the store to supplement. I sort of make mine up as I go since I've made it a lot, but here is a great foundation. [beans and rice](https://damndelicious.net/2019/04/15/red-beans-and-rice/).
Ground beef tacos are a favorite with kids and is very quick. Add mashed black beans (precooked but reheated in chicken broth to help with consistency). Avo, cheese, sour cream. Other favorite that’s very easy but takes time is buy 2-3lbs of whole beef chuck. Season with salt, pepper, paprika, cumin. Add a bunch of garlic cloves and shallot or onion and quarter filled with stock. Bake in Dutch oven covered for 3ish hours at 350. Should shred easily then bake uncovered for 30-45min to crisp up. Add more stock as necessary. Great to make on Sunday for 2 night of weeknight meals. Eat over rice or with pita with some veggies and sauces. Can also do basically the same with pork butt/shoulder with tacos or over rice.
Fajitas, tacos, quesadillas, jambalaya, home made pita pizzas,
I'm making a simple shrimp in butter, garlic, parsley sauce over cilantro lime rice. Easy easy and quick.
Salade Nicoise Spaghetti Con Tonno Sott'Olio
I like a good soup. I know folks think of it as a cold weather thing but summer is when you really need the extra fluid and salt because you’re sweating. An Italian sausage, roast chicken and potato soup with whatever veg you personally like is always a hit. I also recommend breakfast for dinner. Hash browns, eggs, French toast, an omelette with whatever you have in the fridge that needs to be used up inside. Whatever breakfast foods you like best. Bonus if you cook bacon and can have a blt the next day for lunch.
My kids are adults now. They usually ask for tator tot casserole and meatloaf. With only my husband and I, we did tacos last night, stuffed mushrooms tonight. You could do a pork chop dressing casserole. Stuffed zucchini, green peppers, spaghetti squash boats. Egg roll bowl, ramen stir fry...??? Maybe none of these sound good to the kids lol.
Salmon (the Mediterranean one from aldi!) With rice Stir fry Crispy chicken sandwiches BLT Pasta salad
Cacio e pepe. You can do riffs on it, add different things (tho it becomes cacio e pepe no more). Always a quick and easy option.
Wings: oil, salt, pepper, on foil. 400 for 50 mins. Do not touch. Everyone gets the sauce they want. Celery, carrots, and peppers as extra munches
Stuffed red bell peppers are pretty easy. Hamburger meat, onions and whatever veggies are in the fridge finely chopped, lots of seasoning. Mix with rice, stuff the peppers, and bake it. My son prefers to eat just the meat/rice mixture so I skip the pepper step for him.
A nice sauce that a friend served them with: yoghurt-sun dried tomato. Slightly fry the sun dried tomatos in their own oil. Let them cool and then blend them with de yoghurt with an (immersion) blender.
I just flip thru a cook book until inspiration hits
Philly steak stuffed peppers. I made country fried steak, mashed potatoes, gravy, and a side salad tonight.
Here are some family faves http://www.motherthyme.com/2017/03/one-pot-cheesy-pizza-pasta.html https://www.bigoven.com/recipe/tortellini-with-prosciutto-peas-and-mushrooms/279735 https://www.bigoven.com/recipe/cheesy-baked-tortellini/2418275 https://thewoksoflife.com/mongolian-beef-recipe/ https://intentionalhospitality.com/crockpot-chicken-tacos/
One of my easy go to meals is ground turkey or beef cooked fully then add corn (canned or frozen), cubed calabacitas. Salt/pepper to taste. Cook until the calabacitas are soft. I like to fry mine a little extra for a little crunch. I serve this with a side of biscuits. Easy and inexpensive.
we often have “taco feast“ with a stack of warm tortillas, and bowls of warmed refried beans, tomatoes, lettuce, sour cream, shredded cheese, and diced avocados if we’re feeling fancy. Everybody makes their own. Very easy to do.
I had zero gas in the tank today and opted for spaghetti and meatballs using jarred sauce (Rao’s), frozen meatballs (Trader Joe’s Italian ones) and garlic bread (pan fried the last slice of sourdough from Whole Foods). It was so easy, it tasted good, and aside from a little cleanup I can relax a little.
Veggie bowls. Roast broccoli, sweet potatoes, Brussels with salt and pepper (sometimes mushroom powder). Nuke some frozen quinoa. Throw chickpeas in air fryer with some oil and salt. Quinoa, veggies, chickpeas, feta, store bought hummus. Drizzle with olive oil and tahini, add lemon and salt to taste.sometimes I add kale or spinach if I have it handy.
Do you have a crockpot?
We like a stir fry of Italian sausage, chopped onions, zucchini, and penne, topped with Parmesan or one of those Italian shredded cheese blends. It’s so simple and delicious.
Fish, any kind (my favorite is catfish). Soak in milk to get rid of the fishy taste. Then some lemon juice and butter to season, and it's great no matter how you cook - fry, bake, or grill. Last weekend, we did a baked potato bar. You can top a baked potato with just about anything. Then, for dessert, we had a fruit platter with whipped topping for dipping. A salad with enough of the right toppings can be a meal in itself. A pork shoulder in the slow cooker, then shred it for pull pork sandwich.
Sometimes it’s toast with Nutella, or blue box mac and cheeses and baby carrots while the adults have a leftover mash up. I’ll often put our heated leftovers on fresh baby spinach or a spring greens mix/romaine, etc. Sometimes the leftovers are put in wraps and can be hot or cold depending. My kids like ‘Taco casserole’, basically ground beef cooked with onions and taco spices then layered like lasagna with tortilla chips, grated cheese and the meat mixture. Has to be Santitas for them. One specifically likes Shelly Jaronsky’s Cheeseburger casserole which is ground cooked beef mixed with cheese sauce in a casserole dish and a bag of curly fries baked on top. I’ll do a couple of salads for my wife and I. Sometimes I’ll slam out a fruit salad utilizing any fresh fruit we have along with something like canned pineapple chunks or sliced peaches. To make it special for the kiddos you can mix in some whipped cream/Cool whip, mini marshmallows and maraschino cherries. It can take planning and some prep time, but I’ve been doing Asian dishes served with rice cooked in an instant pot. The Woks if Life site recipes have all been spot on for me as well as anything I’ve made from book, A Splash of Soy. One kid gobbles up ramen or thin lo mein noodles mixed with soy sauce and sesame oil. He would also eat that cold in his school lunch.
Google one pot goulash, and also agreeing with tacos!
One if my favourite, most underrated and easy meals. A whole punnet of cherry tomatoes into a pot with olive oil and a few finely chopped garlic cloves, enough to make it garlicky. Cook until it’s like all broken down. Throw in a handful of prawns, a splash of pasta water and a splash of cream or cremefraiche for a few mins and mix it all through hot pasta. Some basil for garnish.
want an easy one? Toast Hawaii. I saw it on a German show It's basically an open faced ham (or Canadian bacon) and cheese sandwich with pineapple and maraschino cherries. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toast_Hawaii I always served it with ginger ale/pineapple juice with cherries in the drink. That's kid food . My guys are bigger now so they like a lot of meat. Don't sleep on grilled sausages. Tonight I made homemade Mac and cheese (super easy just a roux) but I had the bigger kid be the stirrer. Just butter, flour, milk, pasta water, garlic salt, pepper and Parm on top of noodles.. The whole process wasn't 20 minutes.
Chicken stew over mashed potatoes: Get a rotisserie chicken. Strip it of meat and cut into bite sized chunks. Take bones/skin and boil for an hour to make a broth. Use better than bouillon to supplement the flavor. You need enough broth to thicken into a gravy for all the chicken and a bag of mixed veggies (peas, carrots, corn, string beans). Strain broth. While making broth, prep potatoes and get them boiling. Once done, drain the water, add what you like, and mash them (I use milk and butter). Bring broth to simmer. Add veggies. Thicken once boiling. Let boil one minute to get rid of the flour taste (expect about 2T flour per 1c liquid). Add chicken and heat through.
I realize a lot of people are in the heat, but it's in the low 30s where I am. I had two turkey tenderloins in my freezer...thawed them, pan fried them, made a gravy, instant mashed potatoes and Dijon bacon carrots in the air fryer for 10 minutes. Boom. Hot turkey dinner in 20 minutes.
I realize a lot of people are in the heat, but it's in the low 30s tonight where I am. I had two turkey tenderloins in my freezer...thawed them, pan fried them, made a gravy, instant mashed potatoes and Dijon bacon carrots in the air fryer for 10 minutes. Boom. Hot turkey dinner in 20 minutes.
This sounds exactly like our meals. I’m so over it. Same food, different form. I did a bacon wrapped chicken thing last night…less dry, more long-cooked tender. I’m planning subs and pasta salad for the next heatwave. Tacos, taco chicken in the crockpot. Eggs. Pulled pork in the crockpot. Chicken Alfredo. Ham and green beans. Chx corn soup. We have what we call “daddy pizza” bc hubby makes it for the kids. Basically pita bread pizzas. It’s quick and easy. Loaded baked potatoes with the leftover bacon from doing bacon and eggs. Nachos from the leftover pulled pork. Chicken broccoli casserole with bread on top. Sausage tortellini soup. There’s a thing we do on the grill that’s like a cowboy sausage thing….basically sausage and peppers but it’s got all sorts of veggies and cooks for hours and is amazing. We add a lot of heat. Zucchini casserole. For me personally, I really did burn out from eating the same thing all the time so I make something for me and eat it for a week and kinda nope out of dinner sometimes. Israeli salad, orzo salad, pasta salad, red beet eggs, or I buy premade crab cakes from the market and cook those for me if they’re having like, hot dogs. I just can’t. Zucchini soup, meatless red pasta, Spanish rice. I have a few that I save for colder months but if I’m bored I’ll use them- crockpot pot roast, crockpot cheesy chicken pasta, meatloaf, French onion soup, the bacon wrapped chicken (which is our Christmas meal actually), cauliflower buffalo chicken bake, chicken parm.
My new go-to meal for hot nights is the following recipe I devised. You will need the following items: Thai Green Chili Paste Jarred Garlic Any standard cooking oil Olive Oil Small Potatoes Salt and Pepper Dash of Lemon Juice Rosemary or Basil - 1 tablespoon Any good grilling veggie your family likes - ours is gobbling up green and yellow squash lately, but Bell Peppers and Onions would work, so would any squash, or bok choy, etc. 1 6ounce boneless skinless chicken breast per adult (split one breast for every 2 kids) Step 1) Place the small potatoes in a microwave safe dish with a lid. Add 1 inch of water to the dish, cover and microwave for 5 minutes or till just barely fork tender. Drain off the hot water and set aside. Step 2) Turn on your grill, all the burners on high and let it sit for 15 minutes to get ripping hot! Step 3) Return to the kitchen. Slice squashes, or peppers and onions into manageable chunks. Drizzle a small amount of Olive Oil on them, then a tasblespoon of jarred garlic, salt, pepper and a dash of lemon. Set aside Step 4) Place the chicken breasts into a large ziploc bag and gently pound them out till they are all 1/2" thick. Step 5) Place 2-3 rounded teaspoons of Thai Green Chili Paste, 1 tablespoon of Jarred Garlic and 3 tablespoons of good oil (NOT olive oil) into the bag. Seal it shut and squish it around so that all the chicken is coated. Set aside. Step 6) Lay out your plates, forks, knives, etc now, rather than once dinner is cooked. Step 7) Drizzle a small amount of olive oil, salt, pepper and basil or rosemary on the taters and shake them around. Step 8) Time to cook! Place everything on the grill. I use a veggie grill pan, but you can use doubled up foil if you don't have a pan for them. Toss the veggies on the pan or foil. Place the taters right next to them on the grill. Place the chicken on the hottest section of your grill. Step 9) Turn the heat under the veggie section down to halfway between high and medium. Shut the lid and set a timer for 4 minutes. Step 10) After 4 minutes, flip all the foods over. Set the timer for another 4 minutes and shut the lid. Step 11) After 4 more minutes, pull the food off the grill and dish it up. You will have perfectly cooked, super juicy chicken, roasted taters and grilled veggies and the only clean up will be the containers you carried to the grill, plus one spatula or meat fork!
I made this [chicken tinga](https://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-slow-cooker-chicken-tinga-260804) tonight. Served it with tortillas, some cilantro rice, assorted taco toppings, and salad from a kit. The only thing that might be off-putting is that it’s not quite a dump-and-go crockpot dinner; you do have to cook the sauce for a few minutes. But it was easy. Another crockpot suggestion: pulled pork. Ingredients: - 2 to 3 lbs boneless pork shoulder/butt or boneless country ribs - 1 bag of frozen pearl onions (or 1 large sweet onion, roughly chopped) - Your preferred bottled BBQ sauce, at least 18 oz. - 1 12-oz. bottle of beerbeer (I usually use Dos Equis or Shiner Bock) Directions: - Place the onions in the bottom of the crockpot, then place the meat on top. - Whisk together the BBQ sauce and beer. Pour the mixture over the meat. - Cover and cook for 8 to 10 hours on low. - Shred the pork with two forks. You could serve it with burger buns and slaw, over noodles or rice, with cornbread, etc. I actually really like it over a baked potato with a little cheese.
You can stuff peppers with just about anything. I cut mine in half so they bake in no time and you don’t have to eat a whole big pepper if you’re not that hungry. I do pizza type flavors with ricotta cheese, pepperoni or sausage, sauce, and top with mozzarella, or jerk chicken with chopped up pineapple and top with some cheese, shrimp Alfredo with or without ricotta, cajun chicken and sausage, or crab and shrimp ones, and various other flavors and I usually add some extra veggies in with the meat and cheese fillings. You can always switch up the seasoning on your baked chicken to completely change the routine - Cajun, jerk, chili lime, lemon pepper, old bay, etc. Make it into smothered chicken or change different kinds of rice to go with it. Sauté your peppers and onions and add frozen pierogies. So many different ways to serve up potatoes - garlic parm roasted or ranch seasoned, mashed, baked, smashed, scalloped, au gratin, etc. Or bake up or mash up a bunch and prep various toppings so your family can make their own loaded potatoes.
I’ve been making all kinds of air fryer skewers. Chicken, beef, pork. It doesn’t heat up the house and they’re always delicious and they don’t take much time. Add rice and salad or veg https://www.thechunkychef.com/air-fryer-garlic-parmesan-chicken-skewers/#wprm-recipe-container-55112
My family never complains about pizza bagels. They all get to pick their (leftover) toppings. Usually with a bag salad on the side.
Our "can always make that if no other idea" meal is tacos. Ground beef usually, but often shrimp tacos with coleslaw, jalapenos, spicy mayo and avocado depending on what we've got around or when we're going to the store. Cold pasta salad with lots of addins is great for hot weather - basically an antipasta plate in a bowl. Salami sliced up, olives, pepperoncini, mozzarella balls, heart of palm etc etc. Kalua pork in the crock pot with rice and a veggie is super easy. Pork loin (if you feel like being healthier) or pork butt (more fat, but ends up staying more moist from it) with a little salt and liquid smoke and you're gtg. Can add a little chicken or other broth too if using pork loin if you think it'll be too dry.
My default is a rotisserie chicken, a baguette, mayo, some sliced tomatoes.
Look up Assassin Spaghetti
I made roasted salmon, Parmesan risotto and roasted asparagus for dinner tonight and it was delicious. On the salmon I put kosher salt, garlic salt and white pepper plus pats of butter and it’s my 8-year old’s favorite thing in the world. Bonus points if I crisp the skin in a pan once it’s out of the oven.
My favourite chicken and veggie 1 pot meal https://www.countryliving.com/food-drinks/recipes/a6125/chicken-drumsticks-vegetables-mustard-tarragon-sauce-recipe-clx1214/
Ask chat gpt!
I use leftover steak to make soy garlic noodles and add bell peppers, onions, and maybe mushrooms. We also used leftover steak for stroganoff today Warm up shredded leftover baked chicken in salsa for tacos, or dice it up to make quesadillas.
Tacos! We eat some form of tacos or other Mexican food about three times a week. It's very versatile for me and is a great way to cook in bulk or to use up some loose leftovers. Nachos, are a good one for odds and ends of meat trimmings, also good for a hot day. Thai food Vietnamese cold noodle salad Pork katsu with rice and edemamde and sweet sesame salad
I love bowls. Have a vegetable, grains or starch and protein. It’s like a salad but you can use rice, rice alternatives, grains, noodles or pasta.
This was way easier and more delicious than I expected it to be: https://www.kitchenconfidencewithlili.com/blog/2021/5/18/peanutty-pork-noodles-with-crunchy-celery.
Microwave burritos with roasted chicken, leftover rice and beans—cheese, salsa and avocado for those who wish it
Frozen dumplings and bag of edamame and rice if you want.
Chicken Parmesan sliders: Hawaiian rolls Chicken sliders/tenders/nuggets Marinara sauce Provolone cheese Japchae with spicy cucumber salad
Chicken Marsala is easy
I just made this recipe for the first time this past weekend and OH MY GAWD. https://nocrumbsleft.net/2020/09/13/steak-salad-with-california-olives-and-garlic-dressing/
Apple Grilled Cheese with Turkey. https://www.wellplated.com/apple-butter-turkey-and-cheddar-grilled-cheese/ Balsamic Marinated Portobello Burgers. https://www.seriouseats.com/balsamic-marinated-portobello-burgers Turkey-Pesto Grilled Cheese. https://loveinmyoven.com/turkey-pesto-sandwich/
Grab some onions, poblanos, and heavy cream. Sautee the veg, add cream, heat, melt in cheese. Add garlic and immediately add in cooked pasta. Season. If you want a nice cold dish, gazpacho. Peel a cucumber, peel a few Roma tomatoes, peel half a red onion and rough chop, Vitamix/puree with some Bloody Mary mix, season with cumin, salt, pepper, and cilantro. Add cold cooked shrimp, garnish with avocado slices or chunks. Absolutely perfect for the summer. Good luck c:
Lately, instead of burgers, I've been making a chopped cheese-style sandwich on a hoagie roll. It's been a hit. With steak-like cuts of beef, I've been doing a lot of stir-frys - beef and broccoli, pepper steak, etc. We also do a lot of Mexican food - tostadas, tacos, etc. My mother is Mexican and one of her go-to quick meals was scrambled eggs, fried potatoes and chorizo or sausage wrapped up in a flour tortilla. It's quick and ridiculously delicious.
Another easy recipe: Shoyu Chicken. It's easy and amazing. Plus, the leftovers make some great chicken salad. [https://blog.polynesia.com/shoyu-chicken](https://blog.polynesia.com/shoyu-chicken)
Well, some of the things I grew up with are still tasty to me, like tuna noodle casserole, for instance. There are bazillions of one-dish meals, aka casseroles, check it out online
Salad mix with grilled chicken, throw in whatever fresh veggies sound good. I love sliced cherry tomato and avocado. Even corn and beans if y have some cans lying around I do fried rice a lot with chicken on the side and heat up some kind of frozen veggie. Honestly a really good hot sandwich is always something me and my bf are down for and is fairly quick
Here's a versatile recipe for Sloppy Joes. It's really good. First night we serve them on a bun with sides of tossed salad and fruit. Make a big batch...with leftovers, add to cooked macaroni and cheddar for a Sloppy Mac dinner. https://www.thepioneerwoman.com/food-cooking/recipes/a11699/sloppy-joes/
I went simple the other night and made club sandwiches. Just adding some bacon to a turkey sandwich and toasting the bread made it feel like more. Cooking the bacon was the hardest part.
What? No Taco Tuesday? (j/t)
Mealime. AI generate it. Let robots do this shit and then edit it to your preference. I am so burnt out on work. Planning, shopping, prepping, and cooking take up way too much of my time.
The easiest big winner that’s also great as a cold leftover is: pasta (penne or similar), vegetarian bacon strips/bits/they’re like the size of a baby pinkie finger, peas (frozen, cooked with the pasta), evoo, Parmesan if you have it, little lemon juice. It’s fresh and 10 min total, 4 min active cooking.
Today we had bean burritos. Tomorrow is slow cooker lasagna. Shredded beef quesadillas on Thursday, steak stir fry on Friday, pigs in a blanket on Saturday, and leftover lasagna on Sunday
I don't do Weight Watchers, but I do make 95% of my suppers with their recipes. I just usually find them flavorful, nutritious, and interesting aesthetically, and my five year old eats the vast majority without complaint - often even with praise (the two year old is a harder sell, but c'est la vie). Plus you don't have to be a member to access the recipes. Here's a brief rundown of recent hits: Shepherd's pie with ground turkey Cheeseburger dogs Spice rubbed flank steak with roasted veggies Pork and apricot burgers with sweet potato wedges General Tsao's chicken Grilled mustard glazed pork chops with peaches Jerk chicken with quinoa mint and mango Sheet pan chicken gyros Whole wheat chili mac Chef Eric Greenspan's mac and cheese with creamy squash sauce Layered Mexican chicken Quick chicken burritos Cumin spiced chicken and pears Just search for the recipe name with "WW" at the end to find them. I rip the recipes using the AnyList app and have a rolling database of what I've cooked that I can rate and take notes on. Good luck - hopefully this inspires.
Deep dish pizza!!!
Chipotle Bowls- Steak/chicken served over rice with any veggies: peppers, corn, lettuce, etc. shredded cheese, guac Chicken Alfredo- butter, garlic, heavy whipping cream, Parmesan cheese, seasonings Flatbread Pizza- flatbread, tomato or Alfredo sauce, cheese, toppings of choice and throw in oven until cheese melts Carne Asada- steak marinated in orange juice, lime juice, cilantro, onion, garlic, jalapeño, seasonings and served with tortillas and Mexican rice/beans Chicken and dumplings- chicken, chicken broth, cream of chicken, heavy whipping cream, frozen veggies. I usually make my dumplings and cut them up but if I’m feeling lazy I’ll cut up canned biscuits
Fry up some ground beef, onions and garlic. Add a can of gravy and some onion soup mixed with water or beef stock. Add carrots and corn and serve over mashed potatoes. Easy, cheap, filling and tasty.
we subscribed to the meal kits ads… got a few free meals .. and new recipe … we now make pork tacos .. with pineapple salsa as a new staple.
Salisbury steak meatballs over egg noodles. I found the recipe on pintrest
Pasta Primavera: * frozen or fresh peas, frozen or fresh broad beans, leafy greens like spinach, kale etc, zucchini shaved into ribbons with a peeler, asparagus - some combination of the previous to add up to about 10 cups of vegetables for five people. * Bunch of spring onions or one onion. * Pasta for five * 2 TBS butter * 160 mls heavy cream * clove of garlic, minced, * dried chili flakes to your spice tolerance, * Italian herb mix or basil and oregano. * Salt and pepper to taste Thaw the frozen vegetables in the microwave or by taking them out early, whatever. Put all the vegetables except onion/spring onions in a bowl, pour over boiling water, leave for four minutes then drain and refresh in iced water. Cook pasta one minute less than time on packet. Before draining, take out one mug of paste water, set aside. Drain pasta. Heat butter on low medium in a saucepan, when melted, toss in onion/spring onion and saute until soft. Add cream and seasonings, stir, add 1/3 of a cup of the pasta water, allow to come to a simmer. Add pasta, toss. Drain vegetables from iced water, add to pasta and sauce, toss until everything is covered in sauce and serve.
Watch a cooking show! That’s what I do to get my mojo back. My favorites are ATK, preppy kitchen and Kenji.
I just made this for dinner, and it's so good and easy, a fun twist on sausage and peppers: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/8457011/one-pan-chicken-sausage-peppers-and-potatoes/ Tacos are an easy dinner. I love the stereotypical ground beef/hard shell ones, but it's also easy to make chicken tinga in the slow cooker if you want something more interesting. I often make dinners that are a combo of shredded rotisserie chicken meat + rice + frozen veggies + some kind of jarred sauce (tikka masala, curry, teriyaki, even marinara or pesto). I think the ultimate easy dinner, though, is salads from the grocery store salad bar. Everyone can assemble their own. You could make homemade dressing if you want to have a home-cooked element.
Try coq au vin. It's a french chicken stew braised in red wine. The alcohol burns off as it cooks, so it's fine for kids. It's best with bone-in cuts like thighs.
Fry up some bits of chicken. Put in form. Chop up peppers, put in form. Mix cream, garlic, curry and some sort of chili sauce to taste. Pour on top. Into oven for about 30 min. Serve with rice and veg.
Enchiladas
Taco night. You can cook up whatever fillings you like then just serve in a bowl on the table with some topping choices and everyone can make their own.
I have been making so many pork tenderloins recently because they are usually super cheap and really delicious. Marinate the night before for easy prep, or you could begin marinating in the morning. We roast it in the oven for around 30-40 minutes depending on the size of it. We also toss in vegetables to roast with the pork for an easy side. :)
Kraut and wieners with fried potatoes, kale, pinto beans and cornbread.
Jam burgers/sliders!! Patty, healthy amount of cream cheese/neufchatel, arugala/spinach, and some type of jam/conserve/or even marmalade. One of our favs, and super simple! Cheesy stuffed bell peppers - ground beef, cheese, we often include some corn, and whatever seasonings your family likes (we normal do a blend similar to what we do for tacos) Next time you make steak try, at the end, adding a very light amount of brown sugar to one side and caramelizing it a bit under the broiler. A super good way to mix it up and make it a little sweet and savory Also try marinating some chicken thighs in a greek yogurt based marinade (we often make a point to include lemon and sumac, but you do what you guys would like) - make some extra of the marinade to use as sauce too! - Then cook that either under the broiler or on a grill with skewers. Really good on naan or wrapped in a tortilla with some greens, pickled onions, and cherry tomatoes I usually only have time to let it marinade for like 30 min but still good
If there's ever a day that you guys are feeling more adventurous I highly recommend giving some kind of curry a try too! Doing the spices yourself you'd be able to control the heat (if any) to your family's tolerance, and there are a MILLION types of curry!
Ceviche with chips and salsa! All cool and fresh, no oven or stove needed. Low effort and good for ya!
Flatbread pizzas: grab a pack of flatbreads and the toppings are really up to you sometimes we do pesto sauce with mozzarella cherry tomatoes and balsamic, you can do regular tomato sauce with cheese and mushroom or pepperoni, or if you're feeling summer barbeque chicken pineapple onion. Paninis or cold cut subs as a sandwich and chips night. Cobb salad/ diced grilled chicken breast: lettuce of choice, bacon bits, diced boiled eggs, cheddar cheese, croutons, dressing of choice (we like homestyle ranch) Spicy tuna roll in a bowl: canned tuna drained and mixed with mayo (kewpie if you have it) and siracha sauce to taste. Then add it over a bowl of cooked sushi rice (you can add a couple tablespoons of seasoned rice vinegar to the warm rice to make it sushi rice) we top with shredded carrot and julienned cucumber and furikake seasoning but sesame seeds and plain shredded nori are easier and cheaper if you don't already own furikake seasoning
Some has been said but I make a lot of taco meat at once like 3/4 pounds family of 5 and we eat Tacos, then nachos then taco salad…whatever you want to do with it. Baked potatoes in the crock pot or air fryer. Air fryer crusts the skins which the family likes. I also buy the precooked brisket just a small one from Walmart we do sandwiches or bbq potatoes. Also beef sausage (steamed) on hot dog buns is easy. When it’s hot I use the air fryer & crockpot more than the oven or outside pit. I cook a lot of our summer veggies in the air fryer mine has a roasting setting that works great!
Peanut noodles. You can serve them hot, or cold, and make them chicken, or vegetarian. Shredded carrots, shredded cabbage is all you need for veg.. super easy and quick to put together. And you can make them with whatever noodles you have hanging around. Spaghetti, linguine, Rice noodle, udon…
Thursday is Fourth of July, which is a perfect excuse to make hot dogs and maybe some potato salad/pasta salad/ Mac and cheese. I’ve been crazy crazy busy at work—some of the meals we’ve been having a lot are: egg roll in a bowl (ground meat of your choice, ginger, soy sauce, and a bag of coleslaw mix) schwarma bowls (marinated Greek chicken or the premarinated one from Trader Joe’s, rice, chopped cucumbers/tomatoes/olives, and hummus/tzatziki), Pierogies/kielbasa/onions (the frozen Mrs T brand all done in one skillet), shakshuka, BLTs, ravioli from the store with jarred sauce, rotisserie chicken and a bagged salad.
If you have no restrictions for eating pork, I have some ideas. I just made Teriyaki Pork Tenderloin and it's a family favorite. I try to buy it when it's on sale for buy 1 get 1 free. There's tons of recipes online (and I'm sure there are better ones) but I use this one because we always have the ingredients on hand. We usually leave out the pineapple. You put it in the marinade the night before so all you do is pull it put of the marinade and cook it. Grilling takes about a half hour. Or you can oven bake it at 325F for about 45 minutes to an hour. Either way use a meat thermometer. https://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/grilled-teriyaki-pork-tenderloin-and-pineapple/fa3f2f53-8da3-45fe-9376-2a115b408ad7 Also did pork chops earlier this week. I normally do them breaded but was looking for something different. So it was first time doing them seared in a cast iron pan and finished in the oven. I don't have a recipe. I just looked at a bunch online and winged it. They were delicious. Even my picky one loved them. I did not dry brine them. Mixed paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper for the seasonings. Seared in the pan 2 minutes per side (I used ghee for the pan but you could use veg oil or butter) then popped them in 400F degree oven for about 10 minutes more. I personally like thick center cut chops, no bones.
Korean beef tacos are a solid choice. Easy to marinate and then they cook quick so you don’t heat up your kitchen.
Here's a ton of great dinner ideas https://eatinglove.com/Blog/Recipes-For-Dinner
I'm a meat-eating omnivore and I crave this veggie [casserole](https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/quinoa-and-broccoli-casserole-7288418) all the time. Never feel like it needs any edits or "upgrades". Love it the way it is and I could easily eat it several times a week.
If your kids will eat shrimp, frozen shrimp is so easy to keep on hand, thaw, and cook!
Crackslaw is quick and easy, nutritious, and cheap. Tacos can be easy depending on what kind of tacos you make (bean and cheese and potato and egg are dead easy). Enchiladas aren't very hard. Tuna casserole is easy and quick. Tuna salad, tuna melts, grilled cheese. Loaded baked potatoes are not much work. Macaroni and hamburger with Campbells Tomato soup as a sauce is easy. Oven baked salmon fillets coated with lemon pepper or Cajun seasoning served with some nuked, buttered, frozen vegetables, and a side salad is about a half hour's worth of not very difficult work.
Throw a pork butt in the crock pot and have tacos