I know I have asked this before, but I am really in a dinner rut. I always find that every few months I am making the same meals over and over again. If I find something the majority of my large family likes I will repeat it because there are 7 of us and some of us are pickier than others.
So here's what I was wanting your help with. I need fairly quick and simple meals for weeknights that are not super expensive and can stretch or feed a large family.
So what is your "go to" meal when you have had a busy day and are faced with hungry people?
When Im wore out and dont feel like cooking I make casseroles or baked Chicken or Pork Chops.
Now that its getting colder out I will take a weekend and make large batches of chicken soup, veg beef, cream of broccoli, potato soup put it in containers and freeze them. Then on days that I don't have much time or tired pull out a tub and cook that.
Chicken and dumplings
Chili with cornbread
Homemade soups
Tacos, chicken, beef, or bean, crispy or soft.
Fried rice with veggies
Arroz con Pollo
Turkey spaghetti
Turkey and dressing
Pot roast
Huge Stuffed baked potatoes
Broccoli Rice casserole with chicken or pork chops
Sausage wraps
Sloppy joes (I shred zucchini into the meat mixture)
Stuffed cabbage leaves
Grilled chicken breast sandwiches
Super nachos
King Ranch Casserole
Fideo
Gumbo
Grilled Salmon
Breakfast for dinner - Pancakes,BLT with egg sandwiches, Waffles, Breakfast tacos, Omlettes
Salads - Taco, Cesar with chicken or shrimp, Greek, Cobb
Pasta with olive oil, lemon and cheese, steamed veggies
Try this site: http://www.myfamilykitchen.com/recipes-big-families.html
One meal that my husband introduced me to is baked potatoes as a meal. I imagine, even with 7 family members, you could pull it off fairly easy. Cook your baking potatoes in the microwave and then have the oven on for when you are just trying to maintain their temp (this will also help the skin get crispy too if that is what you like). Brown up burger of choice, add BBQ sauce and also have a pot of baked beans ready too. Cut the potato in half (We actually split one big potato) and fill it with the meat and beans and add shredded cheese to the top. We add a green salad and that is dinner. I know yours will require more time with heating multiple potatoes but it actually can be done fairly quick!
Any kind of pasta...it's filling and not expensive. If you go to kraftfoods.com, they have a lot of good recipes. They also have a section named 1 bag 5 dinners, it's under the budget section. I have tried a lot of the recipes and most of them were a hit with my family.
Good luck...if you're anything like me, you hate hearing "what's for dinner?" when you've had a long day.
This is my fav. cheap easy go to meal. I purchase a roterssie chicken from the store the day before eating it. I then pull it apart at home and make bbq chicken nachos, chicken tacos or chicken and cheese quadesia's (sorry spelling is way off, but I hope you can get it). This is a fairly easy meal too since the chicken is baked and not fried. If you watch you can even catch the whole chicken on sale for under $5.
Just this last weekend...Open up precooked chicken strips, jar of favorite maranara sauce and combine both and boils some noodles..even prepackaged cheese tortollini. Mix sauce and chicken and pour over noodles. Add garlic bread and salad. Big pot of Chili, Any kind of soups. Tacos. Casseroles. I like using Allrecipes.com. Also, look for Crockpot recipes. I love the one for Chicken where you use cheddar soup and a few spices and then let it cook in the crock-pot. Boil some rice or make potatoes and steamed veggies and voila dinner.
Laurie A - Great ideas! Can you please come to my house and cook my meals for me? :)
Daily salads with boiled eggs ( on the side) grapes, strawberries, walnuts, carrots, pepers, apples, avacado, citrus fruit, red onion, whatever you like. We serve it with fish, or crab cakes, grilled or BBQ chicken or any left over chicken cut into small pcs. Kids can help with the salad and you and your husband can prep the meat. It's very healthy, filling and delicious.
Sometimes I buy a whole chicken at Boston market for $1.99 with a family dinner and make soup with the chicken meat or seve the chicken in salad or chicken salad on flat bread with salad.
Last night was fish tacos. I used leftover fried catfish nuggets from the night before and topped with a spicy cabbage slaw. Very Cheap and easy. I buy the bag of shredded cabbage and coat with a quick mix of mayo, tobasco, and cajun seasoning or mayo and chipolte adobo.
Tonight I think im making Taco salad. I buy Azteca salad shells, put a salad in, top with taco meat, cheese and salsa. Leftover taco meat will eaither be quesadillas or nachos tomorrow night.
Huevos rancheros - mix 1 jar dalsa with a can of black beans or refried beans. Heat to bubbly in a skillet. Make 4 little wells in the beans. Crack an egg in each well and cover until the eggs are poached. Serve with tortillas, cheese, sour cream and salsa.
I make a lot of varieties of boneless skinless chicken breat with vegetables and either rice or noodles. Just change up the seasonings and it can be differant every night. Italian, cajun, lemon pepper, garlic, bbq, whatever floats your boat that night. Fish can be subsituted, just go a little lighter on the seasoning. A side of buttered noodles or rice, and some veggies steamed in the microwave.
Check out www.moneysavingmom.com Most of her blog is about couponing but she also has a section on cooking. She does a lot of freezer cooking too. She has links to a lot of easy, quick dinners. She has a taco chicken bowl recipe for the crockpot that my family LOVES and it's beyond easy!
I ALWAYS HAVE THIS PROBLEM!! Especially with the changing seasons. In the summer I like to eat light, but now it's fall and I can't really remember some of my staples that I like to make in cooler weather months.
Honestly, what is a great help to me... asking my husband. He will fill up an entire piece of paper with all of the meals he loves. Things I've made, that he remembered loving. It is really helpful. It's amazing how much he pays attention to dinner ;) Meals I've totally forgotten about.
I can switch it up a bit, or change the sides, etc. But at least I know he'll still be happy, because let's be honest, he's really the one I'm cooking for!
Hope this helps to get you started, and out of your rut!
KATIE
My go to is tostadas. I always have a bag of premade shells in the pantry with canned refried beans. I always have salad in the fridge to use to top them off and I am never without shredded cheese. Super fast, cheap and NO COOK!!! (heat beans in micro) And everyone loves them!
I also work full time so I have limited time to cook when I get home. I have gathered EASY recipes over the years that I have cut and pasted into a Word doc so if you or anyone else wants it, message me your email address and I'll send it to you. Good luck!
Here are a few of our favorites that are always crowd pleasers:
http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/baked-shells-with-pesto-m...
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/kalua-pig-in-a-slow-cooker/d...
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/pepperoncini-beef/detail.aspx
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/kielbasa-with-pasta/detail.aspx
1) cook up hamburger meat, drain, throw in a bag of frozen veggies, add soy sauce, heat through. (3 ingredients)
2) cook up chopped up pork (ribs, chops or loin), add a few shakes of zesty italian dressing and cook through. (2 ingredients)
3) boil up chicken tenders or breasts, and use it as a topping to any bagged salad (2 ingredients)
