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Please share your quick easy "go-to" dinner ideas...
So, one thing I promised myself I was going to do before going back to work was to be serious about planning our meals for the week. Given that I am usually gone about 12 hrs a day, and that DH will now be picking up and taking care of both kids until I get home, I really need to make this a priority.
I need EASY, quick prep (preferably something I can throw together the night before so that DH really doesn't have to do much more than throw it in the oven, etc.) ideas. It would be bonus if any of it is low sodium since DH has high blood pressure. I know there are a lot of crock pot recipes that probably fall in to this category, but DH is a FREAK about having the crockpot on all day... I'm not against them, but bonus points for any non-crockpot recipes = )
P.S. - HI GIRLS! I know I've been a slacker. Mostly lurking on my iPhone while BF, so I'm not really posting much... Hope everyone is well = )
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Re: Please share your quick easy "go-to" dinner ideas...
I made this for the first time last week
https://www.campbellskitchen.com/recipedetail.aspx?recipeID=27173
it was super simple...you just put everything in the baking dish raw and it all cooks together.
I love this recipe. You can make it the night before, and put it in the fridge (leave the Ritz off of the top), then he can put the Ritz on top right when he puts it in the oven.
2 cans of Veg-al
1 can of corn
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 can cream of chicken
2 cups shredded mild cheddar cheese
optional: 1 can Swanson chicken
Mix it all together, then put one entire pack of crumbled Ritz on top. Cook on 350 for 30-45 min, or until the brown is top and sides are bubbling.
Orange Balsamic Chicken (5 ingredients, 1 skillet) with Butter Sage Pasta (4 ingredients, 1 pot):
Sprinkle chicken breast (I usually use the tenderloins) with rosemary (I use poultry seasoning), salt and pepper. Brown on both sides. Remove from the skillet and set aside. To the same hot skillet add pecans, 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar and 1/4 cup orange marmalade (I use the no sugar kind). Stir together. The marmalade will melt and the vinegar wil start to thicken. add the chicken back to the skillet and let the sauce thicken/glaze the chicken.
I'm sure you know how to cook pasta so moving on...once you drain the pasta (DH LOVES bowties with this) add a few table spoons of butter to the hot pot, add some fresh or ground sage to the melted butter, simmer for a minute or two until the sage becomes fragrant. toss the sage butter with the hot pasta, add some fresh ground parmesan cheese.
I usually serve with a salad or the Green Giant fresh steamer bag of asparagus tips. So yummy!
I made this last night. Rotel is too spicy for my family so I used diced tomatoes instead. The girls love it an it was ready in 5 minutes.
https://melissaheartsfood.blogspot.com/2010/03/creamy-black-bean-burritos.html
Not to bogart your post, but this is one of my fav topics to share! another go to meal is Mexican skillet and corn casserole.
Mexican skillet: brown ground beef, add 1 can of rotel or diced tomatoes, taco seasoning, dry rice (I use about 1/2 cup rice) and water (about 1 1/3 cup). bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat. simmer until the rice is done stirring occasionally.
while that's cooking I'll put a corn casserole in the oven: 1 can creamed corn, 1 can drained corn, 1 stick melted butter and 1 box jiffy mix. Mix everything together, pour into pammed 8x8 casserole and bake 375 about 35 min or until golden brown around the edges.
the skillet will be done about the same as the casserole. I serve the skillet with shredded cheese and sour cream.
Not to bogart your post, but this is one of my fav topics to share! another go to meal is Mexican skillet and corn casserole.
Mexican skillet: brown ground beef, add 1 can of rotel or diced tomatoes, taco seasoning, dry rice (I use about 1/2 cup rice) and water (about 1 1/3 cup). bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat. simmer until the rice is done stirring occasionally.
while that's cooking I'll put a corn casserole in the oven: 1 can creamed corn, 1 can drained corn, 1 stick melted butter and 1 box jiffy mix. Mix everything together, pour into pammed 8x8 casserole and bake 375 about 35 min or until golden brown around the edges.
the skillet will be done about the same time as the casserole. I serve the skillet with shredded cheese and sour cream.
Not that low-sodium, but Nate loves this and I can assemble it the night before so all dh has to do is put it in the oven.
Chicken Pot Pie-
refridgerated pie crusts
can of cream of potato
can of cream of chicken
can of veg-all (drained)
2 cups shredded chicken
salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 425. Line pie plate with one pie crust. Combine soups, chicken, vegetables, and salt and pepper. Pour mixture into prepared dish and cover with remaining pie crust. Cut off any excess and crimp edges. Cut slits in center of crust to allow steam to be released. Cook until pie crust is golden brown.
Cheeseburger Boats
One loaf of french bread (slice in half, hallow out, and then cut into how many every boats you want to make)
Browned hamburger meat(I usually brown it with a bit of onion)
put mustard in the bottom of each boat
spoon hamburger into boats
put a piece of cheese on top of each boat
broil in the oven till cheese is melted
Seriously takes me 15 minutes tops to fix these.
I have never heard of these!!! I'm sure my guys would love them.
The Baby Blog.
Pasta Ponza: You c ould get the "sauce" part ready the night before so all your hubby would have to do is pop it in the oven and boil the pasta: https://mealsbymonica.blogspot.com/2009/08/pasta-ponza.html
Pepper Steak: You could marinate the meat and chop the veggies so all he'd have to do is put it all in the pan and make the rice: https://mealsbymonica.blogspot.com/2008/11/pepper-steak.html
Oven Roasted Tilapia w/Veggies & Lemon Butter: Make the packets of fish/veggies the night before, He would pop them in the oven and make rice: https://mealsbymonica.blogspot.com/2008/11/oven-roasted-tilapia-veggies-with-lemon.html
Taco Chili: Dump and Cook seriously! Couldn't be easier and can be done on the stove instead of crockpot. You could brown the meat the night before if you really wanted to make it easy for him! https://mealsbymonica.blogspot.com/2007/12/taco-chili.html
Bacon, Cheese & Potato Chowder: You really wouldn't need to do anything the night before b/c it uses a can of soup and frozen hashbrowns. You could cook and crumble the bacon, I guess: https://mealsbymonica.blogspot.com/2007/09/bacon-cheese-potato-chowder.html
you may also consider doing one of the freezer meal parties like MOnica does to fill your freezer with heat and eat meals