I need some easy things to make for dinner - Any suggesstions?

CAMSMOM1 wrote: I'm going grocery shopping tomorrow. I always seem to buy the same things, and make the same 7 dishes. It's getting really old!

I don't get home until 7:00 at night. So I usually make something really simple and fast. But I'm running out of ideas.

I have a crock pot, and use the Banquet Crock Pot meals, already prepackage with meat and stuff. But that's getting old. I cook lasanga, enchiladas, BBQ meat, baked chicken, speghetti, Cheesburger Macaroni, Ravollis, and that's about it.

Is there anything I can make ahead of time, in the morning before I go to work? Or is there any simple dishes I can make at 7:00 @ night and not take forever?

I'm so tired of the same ol-same old.

luvmykids replied: I have tons but I can't think of them right now! So don't go grocery shopping yet! lol I'll try to post them early in the am

holley79 replied: One of the quick meals that DH and I enjoy is getting Tyson Chicken breast patties, spegetti sauce, provalone and some noodles. The chicken only takes about 20 minutes if that, heat up your sauce and noodles. As the chicken is done slap some cheese on it, let it melt. Put the noodles on a plate, sauce and the chicken patty. Works for us.

DH is the cook of the house. If he were awake I would ask him.

ediep replied: once a week I usually make .....

Turkey burgers....buy the already formed patties and I put them on the grill or in broiler. serve with veggies and salad and a potato if you wish

I also make fajitas I cook some thin chicken breast and then I fry up some peppers and onions, serve with flour tortillas, shredded cheese, salsa, and sour cream

chickem parm..bake some breaded chicken breast. when they are done pour tomato sauce over and top with mozzerella, heat until melted, serve with pasta

southwest chicken...take some thin sliced chicken breast put n a casserole dish or disp alum pan, top with a can of diced tomatoes, diced green peppers (i buy a bag of frozen peppers so I don't always have to have fresh on hand) some diced onion (also rozen) and a few spoonfulls of salsa and bake covered for about 30 minutes until chicken is cooked. Top with shredded cheddar cheese. serve with rice.

MyBlueEyedBabies replied: I use the big George Forman grill a lot, and a fairly inexpensive digital kitchen thermometer that tells me when everything is done

chicken breasts marinated in italian dressing all day, takes 10-15 to cook
pork chops w/ just a little garlic salt and papper right before putting it on the grill 10-15 to cook also

crock pot
chicken breasts w/ spagetti sauce ten cook some noodles when you get home
beef stew meat w/ BBQ sauce
most any kind of cheaper cuts of meat w/ a can of condensed soup

Frozen pre-grilled chicken breasts (if I don't want to George it) over a bag of Caesar salad

ammommy replied: I get a lot of my crock pot recipes from Kippy's crock pot recipes

ETA: We do homemade pizzas occasionally, too. It's an easy way to get veggies into the kids. I just use either Boboli or Marie's premade pizza crusts (whichever is on sale) to make it super quick.

PrairieMom replied: I like to make easy taco cassarole

in a cassarole dish layer

1 cup cooked rice
1 pound browned hanburger (mixed with 1 small can of tomato sauce and 1 pack of taco seasoning)
1 can refried beans
Top with shredded cheese

bake at 350 about 40 minutes or until hot.

Super easy. I make 2 or 3 ahead of time and freeze them. or you can make it the night before and pop it in the oven when you are ready.

We are having it tomorrow night!

CosmetologyMommy replied: DH loves when I make sloppy joes and fries or mac and cheese or mashed potatoes.

MamaJAM replied: Lemon Chicken with Rice -

cut thawed chicken into bite-sized pieces
put some lemon juice in a fry-pan
cook chicken in the lemon juice over high heat (no need for any oil - the lemon juice will keep the meat from sticking too much)

make rice (instant or whole grain) in pot on stove at same time



Tuna Casserole

1 can tuna (large or small....depends how much you like tuna)
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can peas
1 bag of med or wide egg noodles (16 oz - I think)
1/2 lb american cheese

precook noodles to 'casserole' directions
mix noodles, tuna, soup, and drained peas -- put mixture in casserole dish
top with cheese

can assemble casserole ahead of time -- bake at 350* for 30-45 mins (until cheese melts and turns golden brown

** you can substitute cooked chicken for the tuna **

ammommy replied: I just thought of another thing. Buy a big bag of mixed veggies and toss it in a pan with some chicken or beef with stir fry sauce. Heat until done and serve with brown rice, couscous, or white rice. Quick and healthy.

C&K*s Mommie replied: Your guys recipes are making me hungry!! And they make me actually want to cook for a change!! I have no desire to cook, even though Chris' family gives me grief about it everytime I see them. That is getting old.

But these recipes are making me want to pull out the pots and pans and get to it!

coasterqueen replied: Not sure if anyone has mentioned these, but I'll put them down.

What about roast? We put a roast, carrots, onions, potatoes and cabbage in a crockpot in the morning and then we fix some kind of roll when we get home and viola...YUMMY dinner!

Cheesy crockpot chicken is another one of our favorites. Chicken breasts, 1 can cheddar cheese soup, 2 cans cream of chicken soup in crockpot all day..To die for! You can get the fat free versions of the soups to help out in that department. We then make mashed potatoes and a vegetable and use the cheese sauce as our gravy for the potatoes.

For a quickie we make what we call our version of tuna casserole. It's egg noodles boiled til soft, then add milk, butter and cream of mushroom soup, mix then add tuna into that and we fix that with grilled cheese.

What about a taco pizza? Those are always great too.

MyBrownEyedBoy replied: Shepherds pie.
Brown ground beef and onions, throw in some cream of mushroom soup and a can of green beans. Mix it all up. Put it in a casserole dish and top it with mashed potatos, I use the instant kind. Bake at 350 until the potatos start to look a little firm on top. Then throw on some cheese and bake until the cheese is melted.

calbury replied: I'm English but live in the Bahamas - one of my favourite dishes now is traditional Bahamian chicken souse - very easy and you can do it in the crockpot.

You need pieces of chicken (bones and all), red potatoes, carrots (I use baby ones if I'm in a hurry, so I don't need to peel them!), a large onion and maybe a couple of yellow squash.

Mix it all together then cover with water and add the juice of about 6 limes (you can adjust this aaccording to taste). Then add salt to taste, crushed red pepper (not too much if the kids don't like it hot), thyme to taste and plenty of allspice.

My kids (ranging from 1-11) all love it!

Hillbilly Housewife replied: CHEAP version of Tuna casserole....

Take 2 boxes of cheap no name brand mac n cheese..... then instead of mixing all together, wait to put the noodles in - put the milk, butter and cheese powder together, mix with a can of mushroom soup, and a bit of extra milk (1/4 cup?) then add the tuna (canned chicken or turkey can be used instead... ) and then the noodles. Takes WAYYYY less time, and tastes just as yummy. Besides.... real cheese is soooo expensive to use 1/2 a pound of it.