Need Dinner Ideas - Greenwood,IN

Husband and I do a lot of grilling in summer and usually just throw corn on the cob on along with the meat and have a salad. Everything tastes better on the barbie :) and there's no mess to clean up.

I love a big chef salad: lettuce, spinach, tomato, hard boiled egg, chopped ham and turkey deli meat, other vegies if desired.

We also do a lot of stir fries...so quick and the stove top is only on for about 5-10 minutes. Sometimes I buy fresh PadThai noodles at the Asian grocery, soak them in water for 20 minutes and then quickly heat them in the stir fry.

One night a week we buy a rotisserie chicken, have it for dinner along with a bunch of fresh vegies. Then the next night I make chicken salad out of the left overs...add apples and walnuts or grapes and celery or other chopped fresh vegies.

Bone-in, Skin-on chicken is always on sale dirt cheap in my area. I'll get a package of this, throw it in the crock pot with a little butter/oil, water, garlic, salt and pepper and that's it! Just let it cook all day. Serve it over rice or potatoes. Doesn't get much cheaper or easier than this!

We have been doing a lot of stuffed pitas, too. I will cut up some tilapia fillets (also very cheap) into small pieces, toss them in flour and salt and sear them up. Stuff some whole-wheat pitas with that and some lettuce, tomato, red onion, avocado... whatever veggies you have in the fridge! Very easy, filling, and healthy.

BBQ chicken is also cheap and easy. Again, purchase the bone-in skin-on because it costs so much less. Whip up some BBQ sauce (ketchup, worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, garlic if you don't have any) coat the chicken and throw it on the grill on med-low for 35-40 minutes, turning and basting often.

My MIL got me a "6 ingredients or less" cookbook last Christmas and it has inspired some of my favorite (easy!) dishes. You can "Google" 6 ingredient recipes and get a decent list of things to try!

HTH!

It cracks me up how people say to grill. Well, I'm in AZ and there is no way we are going to stand over a hot grill when its already 115 outside! That being said, I don't cook at all in the summers. I found a panini maker on sale a few months ago, so we will be eating a lot of sandwhiches. We also have a few favorite salads we all like, like chinese chicken salad, the kids LOVE it! I also so some things in the crockpot, but honestly, eating hot food is almost as bad as making it! LOL! Oh, here is one of our summer favorites: Tostadas! Premade shells, can of refried beans, shredded lettuce and cheese and some salsa and hot sauce...no cook and easy and cheap! Good luck!

I like to do a pasta, quinoa or couscous salad. (My favorite right now is pasta with pesto, artichoke hearts, sauteed spinach and olives. Yum!) You can make them early in the day (when you have to cook the grain/pasta) on the stovetop; quinoa is a protein, so adding some crumbled feta can make it a meal on its own.

Then, in the afternoon or evening, grill a protein (fish, burgers, etc.) outside on the grill.

Crock pot!! Seriously!! It's easy and doesn't heat up the kitchen!! One of my favorites is toss in about six to eight chicken pieces - boneless and skinless - then toss in a bottle of salsa. Stir a little to make sure it's all coated, put on the lid and cook on low a few hours. Serve on warm tortillas or even as it is with a side dish of green beans - yummy!!!

I love using the crock pot because I just set it and can go have fun with my kids all day and come home and dinner is basically ready!!

I got a cook book from the library specifically for crock pots. Lots of easy ideas in there!!

Good luck!!

I make pasta salad with rotini or shells. Cook pasta then drain and run cool water over it. Then stir in chopped peppers, onion, black olives, feta cheese, and pepperoni. Or if no feta cheese, sub shredded mozarella or any other kind you have on hand. Pour a bottle of Italian dressing over it and stir and chill.

Paninis
Shishkabob
Grill (standard, plus curries, mex, etc)
Gaspachos
Quiche baked the night before
Salads (using grill leftovers for protein)
Stuffed Peppers
Sushi (tamago, pickles, etc).
Sashimi
Rice noodle salads
Flash cook (like fish or scallops which is about 2min)
Electric Wok outside (tempura, fried chicken, rtc)
Griddle outside (pancakes, French toast, other BFD)
Ceviche
Poke

I agree, we grill everything. I go based on whats on sale. Meat, veggies, fruit.

We drink. Lot of water in our house during the summer, tap water.

Grilled cheese on the stove, sausage wraps, BBQ chicken purchase them whole and cut them up yourself.

Lots of salads.

With left overs lots of sandwiches.

-Taco salad w/ground beef, corn, clack beans, diced onions & tomoatoes,
chopped Doritos
-ground beef tacos
-pulled pork bbq sandwiches
-rotisserie chicken tacos (just pull the meat off w/a fork)
-rotisserie chicken, potato salad, baguette of bread, corn
-salad w/grilled chicken on top. grill chicken on bbq
-steak (on stovetop or bbq)
-great big, huge sub sandwiches w/all the fixings & potatoe salad
-grilled chicken, grilled veggies (all on bbq)

We had turkey wraps and salad and fresh fruit for dinner tonight. I did use the oven but you can grill a turkey tenderloin, or do it early before it gets to hot out, they are just as good cold. I just slice it up and layer it with cheese and lettuce on whatever type of wrap you like. tonight we added bacon. really it's pretty easy and it made a great fresh light dinner on a hot day.

great recipe I remember from camp as a kid. hamburger, potatoes and onions - chop up potatoes and onion. Each person gets a piece of foil to place the amount of all 3 ingredients they want on it. Season with salt and pepper and wrap it up - toss on grill and that's it. Each person gets their own little packet. Top with ketchup.
We also do a lot of salads in the summer. Take what you family likes and put it on lettuce. My favorite is leftover rotiserrie chicken, mixed greens, gorgonzola (or whatever cheese you like, my husband substitues mozzarella) straweberries, pecans and vinagrette =D

Hamburgers or chicken on the grill. I like making pasta salad.
Tacos
Chili
Crock Pot meals

I don't have to cook tuesday or thursday since my husband is out. I usually do breakfast for dinner like waffles or pancakes even french toast if I'm in the mood.

If I do have to use the oven, I make a big dish so I can have leftovers.