New Meal Ideas - Plainfield,IL

I love anything with peanuts here is a good peanut sause that you can put over chicken or noodles
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Todds-Famous-Thai-Peanut-Sau...

My kids love it when I slice up sweet potatoes and drizzle olive oil over them and bake them in the oven. Yum. they tear into them like potato chips.. but I know it's so good for them. My husband and I also like to grill up boneless, skinless chicken thighs... and we keep them in the fridge for quick meals because the thighs are so moist.. the kids love them with bar-b que sauce or shredded up on homemade pizza. We buy the little bobolie pizza crusts and just let the kids help throw them together. The chicken is also good shredded in tortillas or on tortilla chips and making nachos for dinner. We always include a little salad or green veggies too.
Sometimes we do loaded baked potatoes and that is something the kids can help make too with broccoli and cheese.. maybe some chili.
I found out that making homemade chicken strips was pretty easy and simple now that you can just by the can of seasoned bread crumbs. I just fry them in olive oil and those are pretty quick.
We like to make barely and lentils every now and then and they are even better left over the next day. I couldn't believe my kids just loved it.
Deviled eggs always come in handy for a snack. Frozen tortellini or spaghetti is always a favorite around here, and so quick to make. Just some of my ideas. I hope it helps.

Here is what we are having for dinner tonght! It may help too with your other question about your daughters weight!

Zuccini stir fry:

One small zuccini per family member, cut into long thin juliene type strips
One half green pepper per family memeber, cut into thin strips
One onion, choped
fresh basil leaves to taste
enough olive oil to coat a large non stick skillet
Fresh crushed garlic to taste (I use about 6 cloves-we like it)
Dash of sea salt-to taste
Dash of pepper-to taste
One serving of whole wheat pasta per family member
1/3 cup to 1/2 cup grated parmisan cheese

Prepare pasta, drain- but save about 1/4 cup of the water. Coat the pan with olive oil, heat to high, add onions and saute. Add other veggies, stir fry until slightly cooked, but still crisp. Add garlic, basil, salt, and peper-stir. Add pasta, stir, add some of the reserved water if dry. Add cheese.

We eat this with a hearty bread, and put olive oil and balsamic vinegar on a saucer to dip it in. A really nice summer dinner that is filling, vegitarian and healthy. You can add some bonless, skinnless chicken breasts prepared with italian seasoning for a meal with meat, and reduce the serving size of the pasta dish. When I do that, I add a salad- usually I do that in winter, when the zuccini is not so plentiful and cheap.

M.

Two ideas: 1) Margherita pizza...a prepared pizza cruse...Slice tomatos thinly and cover the crust. Then slize mozzarela cheese thinly place on crust...then chop fresh basil and sprinkle it on..Bake at 350 until cheese is melting..

2) A Stir Fry...Veggie. Slice red bell peppers, green bell peppers, onion, garlic, zucchini, yellow squash, anything else that strikes your fancy. Saute in olive oil, with a little salt and pepper...then when they are crisp tender, add some soy sauce heat through and serve over cooked rice. You can get pretty inventive with a veggie stir fry...

Wow, I am amazed. I was just thinking about posting the same request!
I'm drooling already.

One of the easiest things you can do is a stir-fry using frozen veggies and Trader Joe's Soyaki sauce. Everyone in our house loves it, and it takes less than 20 min to make (as long as I have the chicken or beef pre-cut.)

How about pot roast?
Do you have a crock pot?
If not...(actually invest in one at Walmart, there are a million recipies for them:)
If you have a crock pot...
Buy a beef chuck/pot roast.
Carrots
Celery
White onion
Chopped Garlic (I like the one in the jar in the produce dept)
McCormicks Slow Roast seasoning (for crock pots)
Potatoes, preferably ukon gold...or just regular.
Beef boullion cubes
Salt and pepper

Get a sauce pan and put about a half inch of water in it. Sear the cleaned roast with a salt and pepper, til you just have the sides SLIGHTY cooked.
Place your chopped onions, a couple of beef boullion cubes and a spoons scoop of garlic on the bottom of the crock pot. After the meat is added, fill with filtered water(just barely enough for the meat) and add the McCormick seasoning...on high.
Meanwhile, cut up your taters, carrots and celery. (I keep the taters seperate from the other two)

Let that sucker cook on high for a few hours....then, turn the meat over...add the taters, a little more water to cover....cook for another hour...then add the carrots and celery.
Try and stir it up a bit,,then let it cook for another hour or two....you will know when its done when the vegetables are soft and that meat falls apart when you touch it!!!
I know you said quick and easy. This is a good lazy Sunday meal...it also can be made with ease ahead of time that reheats nicely. I have made this and frozen it before...yet again, reheats nicely with just a hint more of salt and pepper.
GL!
M:)

I also have a roasted chicken with veggies I do in the oven, if you are interested. (that one is a little more involved)

Hi A.!
I am a Pampered Chef consultant, and we specialize in teaching easy delicious meals in under 30 mins for less than $2 a serving. And the best part is, they use less than 10 ingredients (that includes the spices!).

I could do a dinner cooking show for you and your friends, and you will all walk away with a variety of new meals to cook.

Let me know if I can help you!
K.

Hi A.,
I am a Tastefully Simple Consultant and live in Plainfield, too! Have you tried any of our quick and easy delicious products? There are over 50 foods that I know you'd love that can be used from breakfast to dinner. We have over 4500 online recipes that you can access by product, as well.
I'd love to share the catalog with you so drop me an ____@____.com ( I am a mom-owned business). You'll be on your way to making new and yummy meals for your family!
P.

I wouldn't call it super healthy...but...for lunches sometimes I take frozen chicken nuggets (or breaded chicken patties for dinners), cook them in the microwave until thawed (not too hot 'cause they will get reheated in a minute), cover with marina and mozz cheese, and microwave 1-2 min until the cheese melts. Add a bagged salad (if it's dinner maybe some garlic bread) and voila!

I also like tyson's frozen country fried steak with homade mashed potatoes, gravy, and the steamables mixed veggies.

We also do various forms of baked potatoes: philly cheesteak, ham/cheese/broccoli (my favorite), chili cheese, pizza (sauce,pepperoni, cheese) and ham/bacon/cheese.

We make our own Subway Italian BMT's. I cook a refrigerated french loaf (or buy one from the deli), layer ham, genoa salami, pepperoni and cheese and broil until cheese bubbles.

Something that takes some time but always has leftovers is pigs in a blanket. Buy 2 smokies, 2 pilsbury hot roll mixes. Mix the dough as directed, wrap up the smokies, let rise as directed and cook. Then add a homade veggie tray with dip and have at it.

I usually do the sanwiches and pigs back to back so that I can use the leftover veggie tray with no waste.

I also have a good recipe for crockpot BBQ sandwiches that uses a homade Dr. Pepper BBQ sauce if you want it. Paired, again, with the veggie tray or homade potatoe salad and baked beans. It always has leftovers for lunches as well.

And last, my MIL's mustard pork chops. Get some butterflied pork chops, coat with yellow mustard and dip in flour. Fry in pan until both sides are browned and cooked through. We pair it with two cans of chicken and rice cambells soup (one undiluted, one with the sauce rinsed off and add some extra rice, either uncle somethings cook in the microwave rice or if I have time some long grain brown rice cooked up before mealtime) but frozen veggies or a different starch would work as well. Very simple, very quick.

I am always looking for new stuff too. I use the website www.allrecipes.com to look for new recipes. Also a GREAT magizine to subscribe to for quick meals (and healthy) is Simple & Delicious by Tast of Home. They have very Yummy recipes and my kids ALWAYS love them :) We do Nachos alot when we're in a hurry-made healthier using Ground Turkey and Whole Grain tortilla chips.

Real Simple magazine always has a variety of quick and easy weeknight meals/recipes in each issue. I've actually torn them all out over the months/years and stuck those I like or would like to make, in a special binder. Real Simple also has a recipe book - which I picked up in the checkout line at the grocery store.

They're often healthy, various options from vegetarian to pasta to fish to chicken, and of course, REAL SIMPLE.

Good luck!

N.

I find a lot of recipes that my family loves on www.tasteofhome.com
Our favorite is a Chicken Potato Bake http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/Chicken-Potato-Bake-2

Find a good recipe for meatballs & marinara sauce -- make a triple batch some day when you have time and then freeze in meal-size portions. When you are ready to eat, just thaw, heat, & serve over noodles or rice. If you want to save time, use your favorite jarred sauce. Also, most meatball recipes direct you to fry the meatballs, but I just put them in the oven at 400 degrees for about 15 or 20 minutes.

Just yesterday I spent about 3 hours sorting thru HUNDREDS of recipes that I have printed off websites over the last several years and put them in a big binder. I own an insurance agency so I work full time outside the home so time for dinner is limited. I'm very excited about all the crock pot recipes I have! Just google "easy crock pot recipes" and see what comes up. Since I have time in the mornings to throw everything in there and turn it on, I think it will work for us. Also, I'm in AZ and it's still hot in here and I don't want the oven on until it drops 30 degrees! Good luck!

Spaghetti with cherry tomatoes & sweet peppers

Serving Size: 4

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
13 ounces thin spaghetti
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 cups onion -- julienned
1 ½ cups yellow bell pepper -- julienned
1 ½ cups red bell pepper -- julienned
3 cups cherry tomatoes -- halved
4 leaves fresh basil -- torn
½ cup parmesan cheese

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil
2. Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat; add onion and sauté for 4-5 minutes until translucent.
3. Add peppers and sauté for 3 more minutes and season with salt and pepper. Toss in cherry tomatoes and continue to cook until the tomatoes are heated through and the skins are slightly blistered, about 2 minutes.
4. Cook spaghetti according to directions, drain and toss with the sauce. Finish by tossing in the torn basil and cheese before serving.

Great question, I think we all struggle with this at some point. I was just introduced to a website called www.thescramble.com. They send you a weekly newsletter of recipes for the week along with a grocery list. You are able to substitute recipes if one or more recipes that week do not appeal to you. That is in addition to many helpful articles, a recipe box and several other features. You should check it out. I have not actually used the newsletter service yet, but plan to sign up very soon. Also, I really like www.allrecipes.com as suggested by other posters and a magazine called Simple and Delicious (a sister publication to Taste of Home) for quick and easy ideas. Hope all the suggestions you've gotten help you out of your food rut. :)

Hi, I can relate to your situation. Get a panini maker and heat the sandwiches, including PBJ. They taste so much better. Campbell's has good recipes. Look on-lline. Tonight I made the Campbell's Cheesy Chicken and Rice Casserole. So good, quick and healthy. The kids love it. Also the Campbell's Easy Chicken and Cheese Enchilades is an awesome recipe. I hope that helps.

This is one of our favs and so easy. I just use jarred pasta sauce and add to it - browned turkey/beef and pack it full of our favorite veggies - onion, green/red/orange/yellow peppers, mushrooms, even black olives (which the kids love). When I make it, I usually quadruple the recipe (4 jars of sauce - 2 lbs ground meat - tons of veggies) then freeze it in meal size containers. You just defrost it, and all the time you spend is boiling the pasta. Throw some cheese on top and you have a delish meal - healthy and quick - and the frozen tastes just as good as the original. No need to make an extra veggie if you put lots in the sauce. Good luck :)