What Do You Have for Dinner??

I found that I got tired of eating the same stuff every week because I could never think of good things to make when it came time for grocery shopping. I made notecards and just listed the name of the recipe, the ingredients and where to find the recipe (cookbook page, recipe box, etc.) on different notecards. When it comes time to make out the grocery list I take out the cards and flip through them. I have all the ingredients written on the card so I know what I need to buy without looking up the recipe. I do NOT write the entire recipe on the card--too much work! I just have where to find it.

I browse websites and the many cookbooks I have and we try at least one new recipe a week. It took a little while but we've built up a big pile of recipes we like so making out the grocery list and making a weekly menu is easy! I alternate chicken, pork and beef and I alternate pastas, rice and potatoes. I also use my crockpot 1-2 times a week (saves time). I feel like we finally have the variety we crave.

I have hot dogs and macaroni and cheese on the cards as well as takeout food. Sometimes we plan for hot dog night or take out, so that goes on the menu too :)

Martha Stewart per her website, has great quick recipes.
My family has liked the recipes per her website and "Everyday Food" magazine.

OK, try Spaghetti Pizza aka Spaganza
8oz Spaghetti Noodles Cooked
1cup Parm Cheese
1 egg or 2 egg whites
2tbsp butter or 1tbsp EVOO (your choice)
Can or Jar of Spaghetti Sauce (I like huntz cans)
1lb turkey meat or red meat (your choice on meat or no meat is fine)
8oz Ricotta Cheese
4oz Cottage Cheese
1tbsp "Italian Spice"
2cups Mozzarella Cheese
Cook the meat if you are going to use meat and brown it then drain and add sauce
Drain the Pasta noodles DO NOT RINSE
Mix the Pasta with the Egg, oil/butter/Parm Cheese then press into a square pan or into two pie pans.
Mix the Cottage Cheese and Ricotta cheese with the "Italian Spices" and spread over the noodles.
Pour the Sauce (meat optional) over the cheese and noodles then top with cheese put in 350 oven for 20 min serve with garlic bread and fresh veggies like broccoli ... I add wilted Fresh spinich(pan w/ EVOO a touch of garlic and saute for one or two min) to the "adult" pie pan b/c my son will not eat spinach yet.

I've been into roasting turkey breast lately. We'll eat it sliced one night with rice and a veggie, use it for turkey sandwiches the next day, then dice it up and add to pasta the following night. Or I can just freeze the unused portion for a last minute meal later on down the road. The turkey breast recipe that I used is the Ina Garten (Barefoot Contessa) one on www.foodtv.com.

Lots of huge salads with homemade dressing and grilled chicken or shrimp.
We grill a lot!

Tacos, nachos, enchiladas.
Chili
Chicken and Dumplings.
Chinese dumpling soup.
Veggie soup.
Stew
Pulled pork
Grilled sausage wraps
Pasta.. 100's of different ways
We purchase frozen pizzas and again grill them
Stuffed potatoes
Lots of rice
Pots of bean with corn bread

Ok, I know I'm really a Dad, but I love to cook. My best reccomendation is get some good crockpot recipes, they can cook while you parent and it is amazing some of the things you can cook in it. If your two yearold is anything like mine, he is a professional eater and enjoys most anything (especially if you are eating it). If you want some simple food, I always like a good ham and potato casserole:

3 med. size potatoes
1 sm. onion
1 tbsp. flour
1/4 tsp. salt
Dash of pepper
1 1/2 c. ground left-over ham, packed
2 c. milk
1 tbsp. butter

Butter a 6 cup casserole. Start oven 10 minutes before baking at 375 degrees. Pare potatoes; slice thinly. Peel and slice onion thinly. Lay about 1/3 of potatoes in casserole. Sprinkle with 1/3 of flour, salt, and pepper. Lay 1/3 of onion over potatoes, then 1/3 of the ham. Repeat until all ingredients are in, topping with a layer of ham. Pour milk in around edge to come almost to the top. Dot with butter. Cover and bake about 60 minutes or until potatoes are soft. Uncover last 15 minutes to brown top.

Or a nice easy Quiche:

12 ounces spam/ham cubed
1/2 cup onions chopped
1/4 cup monterey jack cheese low-fat, shredded
1 cup biscuit baking mix (bisquick) low-fat
2 cups milk, skim
8 whole egg whites slightly beaten
1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Prepare a 8 inch square pan with cooking spray. In a small bowl, combine meat and onions. Spoon into prepared pan. Sprinkle with cheese. In a mixing bowl, combine baking mix, milk, egg whites, and black pepper. Mix well. Pour evenly over cheese in pan. Bake for 40 minutes, or until lightly browned

And if that fails, I always try to mix it up a little and have breakfast for dinner, pancakes, waffles or clafoutis(kla-foo-tee):

3 cups pitted fruit
3 large eggs
3/4 cup (6 ounces) milk or cream
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons (1 ounce) butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9 x 2-inch round cake pan, or a 9-inch pie pan at least 1 1/2 inches deep. Place the fruit in the pan. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, salt, melted butter, vanilla, almond extract, and sugar. Whisk in the flour, stirring till most of the lumps are gone. Pour the batter over the fruit. Bake the clafouti for 45 minutes, until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove it from the oven, and serve it in wedges, warm or at room temperature. A dab of whipped cream is entirely appropriate. Yield: 8 servings.

Some people serve this as a desert, but without the whipped cream I find it makes a fresh tasting breakfast.

Definitely go check out cookbooks from the local library or a thrift store. I just recently found a brand new Williams-Sonoma cookbook, originally $45 for $2.99. Then leave it around for hubby too peruse too.

Our easy staples:
Baked chicken with baked potatoes, side veggies
Home made Beef/Veggie soup with WW frozen rolls and butter
Grilled or baked Salmon, with rice and asparagus
Fettucini with shrimp or chicken and broccoli
Spaghetti Sauce, spiced up with It. sausage and sauteed onions/garlic over any kind of pasta/tortellini and green salad
Taco Salad: greens with avocado, black beans, corn, cilantro and browned turkey with taco seasoning.
Kalbi - Korean ribs, sticky rice, seaweed and kimchi - my kids absolute FAVORITE

When I get board with dinner I get a new cookbook and start reading.

I have homemade marinara sauce that is a staple at the table with pasta for every meal. It is just something that is always offered because it is a family favorite and for my almost 16 yr old daughter, it is her favorite and she is always on the go to and from school, cheer, etc.

I alternate favorite casseroles which are homemade chicken pot pie (another fave for daughter) and chicken broccoli casserole which is rich with cheese and cream soups with curry seasonings.

This week I used a crock pot and I RARELY pull that tihing out. I used it on a trial recipe I got from Ladies Home journal. Pulled Pork. I had a 7 # pork butt roast, I mixed seasonings, rubbed the roast with it, put it in crock pot with 1 cup of water and cooked it all day. It has been AWESOME, everyone loved it. Again, I am not a crock pot user at all and this was great, no mess but a good meal. I chose this because we had functions at the school on Wed and ballgame on Thurs, and competition cheer practice on Friday.

I soak chicken breasts or pork tenderloin in butttermilk and then pan fry with veggies served on the side.

Salmon baked in foil from EveryDay Italian is fantastic. I use a lot of recipes from Giada in Everyday Italian. You can find these on the foodnetwork.com as well.

I usually keep a couple of things on hand with pasta marinara so someone can make a quick hot meal. Pork, meatloaf, salad (we are big salad people), pasta is always ready to heat and eat.

All time favorite and at least weekly is a great steak. Usually a high grade ribeye, NY striip of filets served with veggies.

Special days, rack of lamb, lamb chops, prime rib roast, prime tenderloin roast.

hope something got your interest and taste buds moving!!

What I like to do is browse the recipe websites and look for something that looks good. I search by ingredients I know I like, or what I have... like if I have chicken breasts. I probably use http://allrecipes.com/ the most. I read the reviews for feedback and make some modifications based on what I like or don't like that people have said.

Some family favorites around here --

Soup -- super easy and nearly impossible to screw up. I use "Better then Bullion" as a base (Beef, chicken, or Vegetable) throw some fresh veggies in or use frozen bags of veggies. Season. Add a meat of choice sometimes - chicken, beef. I make rice and usually keep it separate until dishing it out for everyone. I store the rice and soup separate for leftovers so the rice doesn't get too soggy.

Stew - Similar to soup, nearly impossible to get wrong. Easily done in a slow cooker.

Lasagna - Cheesy heaven. I use Italian sausage for a little extra flavor.

Baked Pasta - Cook some pasta of your choice - I prefer Ziti or Bowtie - put the cooked pasta in a baking pan, add sauce, cover with fresh provolone or mozzarella or a combination of the two. Turn your oven on "Broil" and melt the cheese. Serve it right away while the cheese is gooey and slightly golden brown. I will do this in small corning ware type dishes so each person gets their own little individual baked pasta. Dishes will be HOT though so I don't do that for kids under 6.

Tacos/Burritos - Easy easy easy. Some taco seasoning.. we like to use ground turkey meat. A can of refried beans, some shredded cheeses, lettuce, pico de gallo if you're feeling fancy or just some cut up tomatoes or a salsa. Serve on taco shells or tortillas. You can put the beans in the burrito or serve it on the side. Big hit with the kids and so easy my husband can make it without any issues (he's not a cook).

Good luck :)

Hello!
I just made this Turkey Noodle Soup I found on myrecipes.com: http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action... and it came out great. I have a 5 & 2 yr old and I think they will like it a lot! Just the right time of year for turkey left-overs..... : )
D.

chili is a great staple, as healthy as you wanna be. if the little one will eat it.

lasagna roll ups: spread some riccota, mozza, egg mixture on cooked lasagna noodles, top with crumbled meat of your choice (italian sausage is our fav), roll up, place in single layer in baking dish and top with tomato sauce and more mozza. Bake till cheese is hot and bubbly

tuna noodle casserole: pkg of egg noodles, can of mushroom soup, can of tuna, 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese. Once the noodles are cooked, throw the rest in and mix well.

breakfast! any combo of eggs, bacon, sausage, hash browns, pancakes, toast, waffles, on and on

pita pizza: top pita with sauce, meat, veggies and cheese. broil in toaster oven or regular oven till cheese is hot and bubbly.

I try to break up the meal with chicken & beef. So tonight was grilled hamburgers, tomorrow will be chicken something. My daughter is most happy if mac & cheese is in the picture but she will eat almost anything.

In the crock:
-Prepared meatballs in BBQ sauce (non spicy) and 1/4 cup water and chopped onions.
-Beans
-Meatloaf - make the same as if you would in the oven but press it tight into the bowl of the crock pot.
-Season then brown a whole chicken on a skillet and plop it in the crock pot and cook all day on low. Eat it however you want. Cut, pulled, etc. Chop the leftovers up the next day and make soup or chicken salad sandwiches like you would tuna fish sandwich.
- Season then plop a roast in the crock and cook it on low all day. Eat however you want. Add BBQ sauce like above if you like.

In the skillet:
-Breakfast for dinner!

In the oven:
-Nachos - chicken or beef, beans, cheese, sour cream and what ever else -oh don't forget the chips.

You didn't mention your take on meat, so sorry for all the meat ideas if you are vegetarian.

check out www.foodtv.com for some great ideas, with pics, videos, & user reviews.

:)

Started this week using a menu plan called E-mealz. I'm saving money and we have something new every night for dinner. The very BEST part is that I don't have to figure out what we are having and what I need to get at the store. Might be worth checking out.
C.

A fav in our house is Chicken and Rice burritos. It is easy, b/c we use Mexican Style Rice- a-Roni and chicken. I'll use left over chicken breasts (shredded) or I'll cube & brown two small ones. Then I toss (w.chicken) in the rice a roni and cook as the package instructs. Sometimes I will add a can of drained and rinsed black beans for extra fiber!

Serve w/cheese, sour cream, and any of your fav veggies. We build our own so everyone gets what they want.

You can have the meat department cut boneless chops out of pork loin. They are about the same price as chicken (actually a little less right now) and this offers a tasty alternative. We buy a whole loin, slice and put them in baggies before freezing. Then, we can pull them out individually and grill, pan fry, cube, etc.

Speaking of pan frying, I make a breading that my family loves and can go on chicken or pork. FINELY crush cheezit-style crackers, add garlic powder, salt and dried parsley & pepper. I sometimes add little flour, too. I don't have a recipe, I just make it 'to taste'. We add just a little canola oil and pan fry the breaded meat. My personal favorite is to cut the chicken into strips, but I will do nuggets, breasts and pork this way. Yummy!!

You've already received a lot of delicious ideas.

I'd like to add that one of my kids' favorites was tater tot casserole. Brown some ground beef, put it into a baking dish, cover with tater tots and cheese, and add cream of mushroom soup and a little milk over the mixture. Bake at 350 until the cheese melts (about 30 minutes I think--most of my kids have left home and I haven't made this in a while). You can also make tuna casserole. Mix tuna with macaroni and cheese, put it in a baking dish, add cheese on top, and bake.

Also, a slow cooker was great for me. You can make so many good meals with little effort.

I get a lot of slow cooker recipe's from www.slowandsimple.com! There is everything under the sun there from soup, dinners to desserts all from the slow cooker....Hopes this helps and its just in time for the slow cooker too!

One of the most difficult issues we have every week is trying to put food on the table. We can easily go through the motions at times and get in the car and drive our lovely little ones from school to gymnastics and back to home but to create a meal at the end of the day, that requires planning and thought...who has time or energy for that!

I am a foodie through and through but not every meal can be gourmet and if it was, my kids would never eat! So I try and use fresh local ingredients that are in season to prepare delicious meals to keep my kids sitting at the table. Well, my oldest is 4 so I pretty much have to tie him down to his chair to keep him seated but you know what I mean.

Please check out my Market Menu each week for what is on sale in our local grocery stores and a listing of great menu ideas that you can make for your family.

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