Here's a week's worth:
Pene Alfredo w Chicken & Broccoli (15-20 minutes)
GrownUp Grilled Cheese & Tomato Soup (20 min)
Killer French Dip (5 min) + steak fries (15min) + watermelon slices
Chili Cornbread Bake (15 - 30 min)
Pesto Pasta (11-15 minutes)
BBQ Chicken Quesodillas (15-20 min)
Breakfast for Dinner (mmmm.... pancakes)
Pene Alfredo w Chicken & Broccoli (15-20 minutes)
(or sub any kind of shrimp)
- Box of pene noodles boiled until al dente (about 11 minutes)
- couple heads of broccoli blanched (about 2 minutes, aka bright green)
- rotisserie chicken from the store, or any other form of chicken (baked, grilled, foreman'd, whatever you like), chopped into bite sized pieces
- Your favorite jarred alfredo sauce
- chopped tomatoes to sprinkle on top
- big pinches or scoops from goatcheese log IF you feel like it
In a big saute pan or the pot you boiled the noodles in combine noodles, broccoli, chicken, and alfredo sauce and heat on medlow until everything is warm (about 3-5 mintes). Dish. Sprinkle over tomatoes. Finis.
____________________________________
GrownUp Grilled Cheese & Tomato Soup (20 min)
- baguette sliced up
- your fav cheese(s) ... (pepperjack, jarlsburg, smokey blue, mozz whatever)
- olive oil
- Can(s) o' campbells tomato soup
- Milk
- Can of chopped tomatoes (plain, fire roasted, italian, whatever looks yummy)
- Minced Basil (fresh is better, but dried is okay)
- Optional : Pinch of garam masala
Tomato soup ((I always do up 2 pans if I'm making grownup soup. One plain for the kids and one this way)):
- 2 cans of soup : 1 can of milk : 1 can of chopped tomatoes : big pinch of minced basil
- Heat soup on med low so the milk doesn't burn
While the soup is heating... make the sammies:
You've got 2 options on the grilled cheese. A) is a panini press. B) is a cookie sheet or baking dish and your broiler
Pour some olive oil in a dish. Dunk one side of each baguette slice in the olive oil, just enough to get it "wet", not soaked. Layer your cheese on the non-oiled side and place another slice on top (I find with baguette, most adults like between 3-5 of the sammies). Put the built sandwiches in the press or on a sheet under the broiler. Cook until cheese starts melting out the sides and the baguette is crispy. About 2 minutes under the broiler or 4-5 minutes in the press. When they come out, grind some fresh pepper on the top.
__________
Killer French Dip (5 min) + steak fries (15min) + watermelon slices
Make French Dip the way you ordinarily would... but use Arugula Mayo (handful of peppery arugula lettuce chopped up and swirled into small bowl of mayo), and thick crusty bread instead of rolls.
___________
Chili Cornbread Bake (15 - 30 min)
- Your favorite Chili
- Your favorite Cornbread BATTER
- A glass baking dish
Fill baking dish (any size, your choice) 2/3s full with chilli. Then pour cornbread batter over the top of it in one big smooth layer. Bake until cornbread is done (typically about 1/2 the time the recipe calls for, because it's a thinner layer). It's done when a toothpick comes out with only chili on it and no batter.
______________
Pesto Pasta (11-15 minutes)
- Angelhair pasta
- Small jar of pesto
- protein if you like
Cook pasta until done. Pour out most of the cooking water, but save a bit. Add a few big globs of pesto. Stir until coated. If you're on the carnivorous side of omnivory... this is a great way to use up leftovers (like chicken or a roast or grilled shrimp (ha, who has those left over, I would like to know?), or whatever. Just put a few slices over the top of the pasta and serve.
______________
BBQ Chicken Quesodillas (10-20 min)
- Tortillas
- BBQ sauce
- Shredded Cheese (like a bag'o'mexi 3 cheese)
- Rotisseri Chicken (or any other kind of chicken cut up)
- Green Onions
- Cillantro
Turn your broiler on high. On a baking sheet line up as many tortillas as you can make fit. Dollop and swirl bbq sauce on 1/2 of tortilla. Smother that same half with cheese. Add chicken slices. Sprinkle green onion and cillantro. Pop under the broiler for about 60 seconds. Pull out when cheese is ooey gooey. Fold tortilla in half. Use pizza wheel to cut into 3 triangles.
_______________
Breakfast for dinner.
Self explanatory. From pancakes to waffles, "toad in a hole" to fried eggs, biscuts and jam to omlettes. Whatever you love for brunch.