<p>Every year at back to school time, I think I’ll do a better job of feeding my kids. School hasn’t even started, but with son’s work and choir practices and daughters’ dance and tumbling classes, no three people seem to be home at one time to have dinner, much less the five of us. Husband is a long time stay at home dad who doesn’t see cooking a real dinner as part of his job description - he’s likely to pull out a frozen pizza and call it dinner.</p>
<p>So…what do YOU make for dinner when you know that everyone in the family will be grabbing food and reheating at a different time of the evening?</p>
<p>missypie–it’s still a bit too warm for most of the dinners I’ll cook in it, but once the weather changes some, the crockpot is my best friend. </p>
<p>This time of year I’m more likely to do pasta either as a main course salad or with a sauce. (individual servings can be easily reheated in the microwave) Sometimes I might do sandwich night. </p>
<p>I can’t wait to see the rest of the responses though. It’s a tough one for busy families.</p>
<p>Great idea for a thread! I hope to get some good ideas. Here’s some of what I do:<br>
Meatball sandwiches and a salad (using veggie or reg frozen meatballs, jarred sauce, shredded light cheese). All done with a microwave and toaster (for the rolls).<br>
Pasta is a staple.
Sometimes, we’ll pick up a rotisserie chicken and serve it with the mircowaveable brown rice (from Trader Joes) and some frozen or fresh roasted veggies.
I keep whole wheat pizza shells in the house- healthy pizza makes a quick and easy dinner…chop up some red pepper, maybe add some packaged chicken strips and mushrooms.<br>
If you like salmon, it’s easy to prepare by throwing some salsa on it and microwaving it. Use it to top a green salad or wrap it in tortillas.</p>
<p>I also do pasta dishes that easily reheat when someone comes in. Or beef stew, pot roast, chicken stews, roast chicken, beef or pork. Generally, casseroles of any kind. I like fish, but that doesn’t keep well so I make that when I know we’ll all be home at the same time.</p>
<p>I’ll confess that I’m afraid of my crock pot. After a while the legs get really hot to the touch…I’m always afraid to leave the house with it on, for fear of it burning through the countertop or worse. Is every crock pot that way, or should I get a new one? (This one has hardly been used.)</p>
<p>I, also, rely on the slow cooker. I have managed over the years to accumulate some great recipes. </p>
<p>I also have some really fast dinners. A random sampling:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Trader Joe’s frozen buffalo burgers (excellent; the kids don’t realize they’re not beef). Serve with TJ’s prepared guacamole, lettuce, tomatoes, on buns.</p></li>
<li><p>chicken parmesan - dredge boneless chicken breasts in milk and bread crumbs; brown in olive oil; cover with jarred or homemade red sauce; bake covered in 350 degree oven for 20 mins. Top with mozarella for the last few minutes, uncovered. Serve with salad and pasta (whole wheat or brown rice).</p></li>
<li><p>Asian soup - boil soba noodles in broth flavored with soy sauce and seseme oil. Add something green (watercress, baby spinach, seaweed) and edamame and cubed tofu at the end.</p></li>
<li><p>Trader Joe’s cooked French lentils (refrigerated in salad section). Caramelize an onion or two, add lentils and heat through.</p></li>
<li><p>Cooked udon noodles fried with shredded chicken or pork and assorted vegetables (slivered red pepper, carrots, snow peas, broccoli, etc.)</p></li>
</ol>
<p>We’re big on spicy beans-and-rice, which is quick (except for the rice, which at least doesn’t need any attention once you start it!) and reheats well. And we do try to make double-size batches of chili, pasta or soup on weekends, so that some gets eaten, some gets refrigerated for this-week leftovers, and some gets frozen for later. </p>
<p>When all else fails (and let’s not talk about how often that might be), scrambled eggs usually works, or ersatz burritos (wrap up some canned refried beans and grated cheddar in a whole wheat flour tortilla and microwave it, add salsa. Okay, the 6-year-old adds ketchup but he’ll grow out of it).</p>
<p>H and I (and D when she’s home) actually would be happy with dinner salads throughout the week, but that doesn’t work so well for the boys.</p>
<p>Yes, Harriett, things would be different if it was just husband and I. When I was single, I lived on that fresh pasta that cooks really quickly - a little olive oil and parmesan, and I was set. Or fresh fruit and a little cheese.</p>
<p>Recently I printed out (and then lost… aarrggh) a chart someone had put together. It had categories like Mexican Mondays, Crock-pot Tuesdays, etc and then 4 or 5 ideas for each of the days. I think one of the days was “Something New.”</p>
<p>Maybe we can help each other come up with a list of categories:</p>
<p>Mexican
Pasta
Crock-pot
Chicken
Vegetarian
Something New</p>
<p>Here’s mine: cut off the top of a head of garlic, sprinkle with salt and extra virgin olive oil and put into 400 degree oven, then put on a large pot of water on to boil. When the water boils, pour a box of bowtie pasta into the water and simultaneously put 2 tablespoons of butter and 2 tablespoons of olive oil into a sautee pan and squeeze the roasted garlic in. Sautee till the butter browns the tiniest bit and then add steamed but crisp broccoli, and then finally the cooked pasta. After sauteeing for one minute to combine, pour into a large pasta bowl, sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese, fresh parsley and slices of leftover chicken cutlet. Serve with warm Italian bread.
The roasting of the garlic gives a very nice flavor. More mellow and deep than unroasted.</p>
<p>Mary, that would certainly beat Chik Fila Mondays, Frozen Pizza Tuesdays, McDonalds Wednesdays and Panda Express Thursdays, which is what we usually deteriorate to by about March.</p>
<p>Our family is past the point of juggling activities with mealtime but a few of my favorite things to make back in those days were: </p>
<p>Tortilla lasagna - easily reheated and actually more delicious the next day.</p>
<p>Wrap night - I’d make a variety of different kinds of wraps and my family’s favorite broccoli salad. Easy for everyone to grab what they want when they were ready.</p>
<p>A big batch of chili - again, better reheated! I always made a batch of pasta and a batch of rice to go with it. My kids like their chili on top of one or the other then topped with a little sour cream and shredded mozzarella.</p>
<p>We always have a big tupperware bowl of fresh fruit salad in the fridge. It’s a part of every dinner at our house and the rule has always been that whomever finishes it, makes a new one!</p>
<p>I am not your typical american cook. I shop for food (produce) almost daily and cook from scratch - also almost daily.
At this time of the year we eat a lot of veggies from the grill. They can be reheated in a microwave and if not overcooked won’t get soggy. If you mix them with a great herb/olive oil sauce they are delicious!
When it gets colder I cook soup a lot.</p>
<p>Look for a summer recipe thread. There is a great recipe for zuccini with ricotta there. I am making this yet again today!</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Same here , although it is a veggie salad without the dressing. However I am usually the one making it ;)</p>
<p>And you reminded me of another one that’s very fast, and can be done in batches: broiled scallops (or shrimp, or a combination). You can just toss them in whatever marinade you like - we do lemon juice, salt, garlic, pepper and olive oil - skewer them, and run the necessary number of skewers under the broiler (turn them once, 5 min. total) as the various diners get to the table.</p>
<p>One thing this thread has made me realize is that we need to branch out from Albertson’s and shop at Central Market on occasion. Our Albertson’s doesn’t even have whole wheat pizza crust, much less udon noodles!</p>
<p>Mexican–easy to make and reheat Chicken enchiladas</p>
<p>About a lb. of cubed, cooked chicken, jar of salsa, package of tortillas, 1-2 cups of shredded cheese. </p>
<p>Mix chicken, 1/2 jar salsa, and 1/2 cup or so of cheese together. Place a couple of tablespoons of mixture onto tortilla, roll it up. Place “enchiladas” into 9 x 13 pan, cover with remaining salsa and cheese. Heat at 375 for about 10-15 minutes. </p>
<p>I have actually made extra enchiladas before (without the extra cheese and sauce) and froze them individually. It was nice to pull out a few for a very quick dinner.</p>
<p>When in a pinch we do omelettes with some cut up ham inside, or quesadillas with shredded cheese and cut up chicken from the deli. (I cut up a rotisserie chicken)</p>