My annual What to Serve for Dinner on Busy School Nights thread

Parent Cafe
41

<p>I cook from scratch a fair amount, but also rely heavily on Trader Joe’s. I used to make my own meatballs until I discovered their frozen ones, which are delicious. Their flash-frozen fish is also very good, if you can remember to start defrosting it the day before. H cooks more in the summer - he’s in charge of the grill -and does the dishes from time to time, or whenever asked. :)</p>

<p>My newest pasta recipe is to mix pesto (which I buy at Trader Joe’s) with leftover chicken breast, cut up into bite-sized pieces. Boil the short pasta of your choice (I usually use penne or campanelle), drain, return to pot, and stir in pesto/chicken mixture. With a salad and some garlic bread it makes a very filling and <em>very</em> quick meal.</p>

42

<p>Alas…no Trader Joe’s here.</p>

43

<p>I think what makes a good cook is having people who appreciate it. My kids would literally eat anything. My oldest once said “mom, these are the best brussel sprouts I’ve ever had.”</p>

<p>But when my niece lived here for a few months, I would cringe when I heard her coming down the stairs for dinner. I knew there would be a complaint or criticism, no matter what I made. I can understand why my sister hates to cook.</p>

<p>I’ll post semi simple recipes that are family favorites:</p>

<p>Parmesan chicken (as opposed to chicken parmesan which has been posted)</p>

<p>Take chicken pieces, preferrably with bones. Dip in melted butter and then coat with a mixture of half parmesan cheese and half seasoned bread crumbs. Bake until brown.</p>

<p>Yes. I know it’s not exact. That’s the way I cook.</p>

<p>Stuffed Shells:</p>

<p>Combine frozen chopped spinach which has been thawed with a pound of sausage that has been cooked crumbly and shredded monteray jack cheese. Use this mixture to stuff large, cooked shell noodles. Put in large pan and top with a jar of spaghetti sauce and more shredded monterey jack cheese. Bake in hot oven until cheese is brown.</p>

<p>Pasta:</p>

<p>Fry a large amount of garlic in enough olive oil and butter to make a sauce. Cook whatever meat you’d like to add, usually chicken or shrimp is best. Add frozen chopped spinach and one can chopped tomatoes until hot. Add whatever kind of cooked pasta you like. Season.</p>

<p>Stuffed Zuchini:</p>

<p>Boil large (very large) zuchini which had been cut in half until tender. Scoop out insides throwing away the seeds and saving the rest. Combine the inside of the zuchini with fried onions, sweet corn, croutons, fried crumbled sausage and shredded cheese. Place back in scooped out zuchini and put under broiler until browned. I can never make enough of this one.</p>

44

<p>Booklady - we find that flash frozen fish defrosts quickly and well if immersed in a pan of cool water. </p>

<p>My latest fast meal craze is to start with one of those bags of Ceasar salad, then add defrosted organic frozen broccoli and maybe leftover chicken or a can of TJ’s salmon. Just keep throwing stuff in - garbanzo beans, frozen peas or corn, walnuts or amonds or pine nuts, hardboiled eggs. Leftover steak is brilliant thrown in. Add a roll or two and it’s dinner so long as there’s a substantial dessert, which is likely to be a run to DQ.</p>

<p>Hanna - your lentil recipe has me intrigued. I bought a bag of lentils for the first time the other day and have been wondering what to do with them.</p>

45

<p>

^^Made me smile :)</p>

<p>I too cook almost every night. H knows how to cook, and he can make fabulous dishes, but he pretends that he does not know where everything is located in the kitchen. D gets home late, and she is usually so hungry she’d eat the ingredients before they could make it into a dish… So I’m stuck with the chore. A couple of years ago I discovered grilling, which speeds the dinner making process significantly. We bought a big patio umbrella, so now our grill is functional even in the winter!</p>

<p>I have a crockpot, but I’m afraid to leave it unsupervised, so my indoor-cooked dishes are done the traditional way - on the stove or in the oven. My quick dinner dish is rice pilaf (not the real deal, but still tasty): brown cubed meat or chicken in olive oil, add salt and spices, thinly sliced carrots, chopped onion, an unpeeled garlic head, then pour rice over the mix, then add hot water (2 cups/cup of rice), cover, bring to a boil and let it cook on low heat until the rice is done. It is fast and does not need much “babysitting” while it is cooking. It also makes great leftover lunches.</p>

46

<p>While I do make nice dinners, most of them do not require more than 45 min. of preparation at the most. </p>

<p>Kelowna, I’d be happy to share that recipe but cannot take credit for it. I got it from my sister-in-law years ago when we were visiting them in Alaska and she made it with the salmon that my brother and my then 8 year old daughter had caught. We now make it all the time.</p>

<p>From my previous post, I am realizing that the mushrooms are not making it around CC’s word filter, LOL. The recipe uses s-h-blank-take mushrooms. :D</p>

<p>I grill my salmon fillet on the barbeque on our porch even in winter (yes, it is cold here in Vermont) but you could broil the salmon. It takes 10-15 min. depending on the thickness. </p>

<p>Shi-take Mushroom / Ginger Sauce
(make this while the salmon is cooking)
8 T peanut oil
8 T light soy sauce
8 T matchstick size strips of scallions (I don’t measure and use one bunch)
1 cup shi-take mushrooms (I don’t measure and use one small container)
8 T peeled and minced fresh ginger</p>

<p>Heat oil in med. skillet over med. heat. Add ginger and then eventually add scallions and mushrooms long enough to release flavors. </p>

<p>Pour over cooked salmon. </p>

<p>Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro leaves. </p>

<p>I happen to serve with it:
fried rice
snow peas cooked in peanut oil and fresh chopped ginger</p>

47

<p>beef stew:
1lb stewing beef
several carrots, diced
half a stick of cinnamon
curry powder (to taste)
2 cloves garlic
salt (to taste)
several cloves star anise (optional)
4oz tomato paste
water</p>

<p>Brown stew beef cubes in a little oil. Add garlic cloves,carrots, and other ingredients. Bring to a boil then simmer until meat is tender. Sorry I cannot be more precise. This is a good winter dish, and therefore I have not made it recently. :slight_smile: It’s good with some French bread and a salad.</p>

<p>When in a hurry, I make pork chops and serve them with either pasta, rice or mashed potatoes. Saute the pork chops in oil, sprinkle with salt and some seasoning (I use herbes de Provence over a lot of meat, such as grilled beef or fried chicken wings.)</p>

<p>In summer, I grill beef in a skillet (to avoid using the oven) sprinkle salt and the herbes on it. When the beef is done, I slice it and mix it with a salad. </p>

<p>Pesto can be bought at our local supermarket. Buitoni pesto, which is available there, received high marks from our local paper recently. Buitoni also makes “fresh” pasta, which tastes better and cooks faster than pasta bought in boxes.</p>

48

<p>Cross posted with Bunsen above but we were thinking alike on the word filter and my mushrooms, as well as using the griill all winter!</p>

49

<p>I really need to get back to work but here are two more recipes I make on a regular basis…</p>

<p>This first one I must give credit to my mother and I had it growing up and now I make it and now my D makes it:</p>

<p>Linguini and Clam Sauce:
(I cook the fresh linguini you can get at the market): 1 pound</p>

<p>Melt 1/4 pound butter
Add 1/4 cut olive oil
Saute: 6 cloves of chopped fresh garlic
Add:
2 cans minced clams
3 T parmesan
1/4 cup parsley flakes
1 T chopped basil
pinch of red pepper
pinch of black pepper</p>

<p>Gingery shrimp and green bean stir-fry:</p>

<p>1 lb. green beans, trimmed
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup chicken broth/boullion
4 T dry sherry
4 T reduced sodium soy sauce
8 T oyster sauce
2 tsp granulated sugar
2 tsp cornstarch
4 T peeled and finely chopped fresh ginger
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
6 large scallions - white part finely chopped (about 1/4 cup) and green part cut into 1-inch diagonal pieces - about 1/3 cup
2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined (I buy frozen like this and run them under water to defrost)
2 packages of cellophane noodles (or could use rice)</p>

<p>1) in 4-quart saucepan, bring 2 quarts of water to boil; add green beans and salt; cook one minute, drain, set aside.
2) In small bowl combine chicken broth, dry sherry, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar and cornstarch; stir well to blend. Set aside.
3) Heat wok or a 12-inch non-stick skillet over medium-high heat; swirl in oil. Add ginger, garlic, crushed red pepper, and scallion whites; cook and stir a minute until fragrant but not browned.
4) Add shrimp; cook and stir 2 minutes.
5) Add green beans; cook and stir 1 minute.
6) Briefly restir reserved sauce; add to mixture in wok. Cook and stir about 1 minute longer until shrimp are cooked through and sauce is thickened.<br>
7) Remove from heat; stir in scallion greens.
8) Serve immediately, over or accompanied by cellophane noodles (which take one minute to cook in boiling water) or with rice.</p>

50

<p>I usually try to cook for two days, but some meals are so easy that I make them fresh. I too cook only fresh vegetables with the exception of frozen peas and spinach. (I cook them fresh too, but less often.) Quick meals are steak or pork chops on the grill with fresh vegetables. Sometimes with a marinade or BBQ rub. I like roasting chicken - I stuff it with herbs from the garden, sprinkle with salt and pepper, pour a few tablespoons of melted butter, pour 1/2 a cup or so of white wine (or juice or water in a pinch) on the bottom, throw in a few shallots and garlic or onions and cook for an hour at 450 degrees basting 3 or 4 times. I turn down the heat if it’s looking too brown.</p>

<p>Butterflied leg of lamb marinated in lemon juice, garlic, olive oil and rosemary is also really good on the grill.</p>

<p>I grill right through the winter.</p>

51

<p>Here’s my son’s favorite, Hamburger Stroganoff - takes about 20 minutes. Definitely not on the Healthy foods list, but it’s good. We like salt, so you cut back on that if you’re watching your sodium.</p>

<p>1/4 cup butter or margerine
1/4 cup diced onion
1 lb hamburger</p>

<p>cook hamb and onion in butter (you can reduce the amt of butter if you want)</p>

<p>add to hamburger mixture:
2 Tbsp Flour
1 Tsp Salt
1 Tsp Garlic Salt
1/4 Tsp Pepper</p>

<p>Cook & stir constantly over medium heat about 5 minutes…then add:</p>

<p>1 can Cream of Mushroom soup
1/4 Cup (or so) milk
1 can mushrooms (optional, I never add these)</p>

<p>Simmer for 10 minutes. Add:</p>

<p>1 Cup Sour cream.</p>

<p>Heat through, serve over any kind of pasta or rice - alongside a salad or green vegetable.</p>

52

<p>I LOVE to cook, but on those soccer game days, when everyone gets home hungry NOW, nothing is better than having something ready to roll. The key to this kind of “fast food” for us is to use really good quality lean meats, already-prepared sauces, and great produce and cheeses. The crockpot favs around here include BBQ pork: Put a large pork tenderloin in the crock pot all day, shred it (it will be so tender this is easy) and add your fav. BBQ sauce. Serve over good quality buns/hoagie rolls, with or without cheese. Salad/fruit and call it a day.</p>

<p>One a friend told me about turns out to be one of my family’s favorites–simmer home-made or good quality bottles pasta sauce and add frozen turkey meatballs cooking until they’re heated through. Serve three on a hoagie roll with shredded mozzarella–hot meatball subs. </p>

<p>If you want your kids yo think they’re really lucky on a chilly fall morning, peel and quarter apples one evening, fill a crock pot with them. Add a tiny bit of water, a small amount of cinnamon and cook them on low overnight. When you wake up, the house will smell like apple pie. Add sugar and more spices (cinn., nutmeg) to taste. Voila: homemade hot applesauce for breakfast! </p>

<p>I started watching the food network last summer–I get great ideas from the chefs there. Tonight we’re having rachel ray’s spring chicken shephard’s pie!</p>

53

<p>This thread is a great resource - Soozie, I want to come to your house for dinner! I make those kinds of recipes, but only on the weekend. </p>

<p>A few other quick recipes:</p>

<ol>
<li><p>Greek salad: wash, dry and tear Romaine, dress with olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt, pepper, spread over platter. Put on top: chopped cucumbers, tomatoes, a few garbanzo beans and kalamata olives, slices of red onion, some feta. Leftovers will still be good the next day.</p></li>
<li><p>Another salad: wash, dry and tear Romaine, dress with olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, spread over platter. Put on top: orange slices, sliced fennel (vegetable, not seed). Sprinkle with sliced almonds and large shavings of Manchego cheese (use vegetable peeler). Leftovers good the next day.</p></li>
<li><p>Sweet potato fries: Scrub sweet potatoes, do not peel, cut into spears. Toss with a little olive oil and sprinkle with blend of spices (I use salt, pepper, cumin or garam masala). Cook in 400 degree oven for 20 minutes, turning occasionally. Good hot or at room temperature (I often bring these to picnics).</p></li>
</ol>

54

<p>“I bought a bag of lentils for the first time the other day and have been wondering what to do with them.”</p>

<p>Lentils rule because they cook fast, they don’t need soaking, and they’re ridiculously good for you. If you make the soup, don’t be shy with the vinegar and sugar; they make the dish (kind of like German potato salad).</p>

<p>If your kids like Thai food, there are some great shortcuts you can use at home. A good market will have Thai curry pastes of various colors and heats. Buy a can of coconut milk and a bottle of fish sauce. At home, just follow the instructions on the paste jar, which are ridiculously simple: heat the paste in a little oil, stir in the can of coconut milk and a little fish sauce, then add chopped fish/meat/chicken/shrimp/tofu and vegetables and simmer till done. This takes all of 10 minutes from start to finish. The reduced fat coconut milk works fine. My favorite is to use catfish or tilapia with scallions, Japanese eggplant, and basil. It’s also great to throw in fruit such as pineapple or mango.</p>

55

<p>Does anybody know how to make pad thai? That can’t be hard and it must be quick as long as you’ve got a bit of meat or tofu around.</p>

<p>One of my daughters is incredibly picky - no veggies or salad; no fish; pasta sauce can’t be too meaty. She eats a lot of Zone bars.</p>

56

<p>My busiest night kids’ favorite: 5 ingredients!</p>

<p>1 lb. penne or cavatelli pasta (or your favorite)
1 jar of your favorite con queso (we use Tostitas brand)
3 chicken breasts, grilled, sliced or cut in cubes
1 can petite diced tomatoes (I use Del Monte with onions and peppers)
Shredded cheddar or mexican cheese - a 2 cup package</p>

<p>Cook pasta, add con queso, chicken, tomatoes, and toss; turn into a shallow casserole dish, cover with shredded cheddar cheese and bake at 350 until cheese bubbles and browns a little. Oh, and I do use salt and cracked black pepper! Another twist is to add smoked polish sausage, sliced thin. Kids love it.</p>

57

<p>I’ve got to be away from the computer for a few hours but I must say that y’all are terrific!!!</p>

58

<p>To make it simple, I grill a lot. When it is very cold, and I do grill 'til there is a blizzard, btw., I’ll turn to chilis, pasta with meat sauce (easier and quicker than the meatballs when too busy), meatballs, stews, meatloaf, and turkey breasts. These are things that can be made for the first shift and then reheated. I will make enough meatballs for 2 dinners. I will also serve some of the red meat dishes to my sons and make fish and seafood dishes for my H and myself. I am cooking for 3 currently, but summers and winter break I am cooking for 4 of us. I always try to have bagged ready to go salads on hand.</p>

<p>When grilling-I grill lamb chops, steaks, burgers, chicken breasts and legs, tukey legs, turkey breasts, sausages, salmon on a plank. I will grill veggies to go with it, or make some corn, or potatoes and serve a salad.</p>

<p>In winter everyone loves thick homemade soups. I do try to make them when someone has a cold, or for the coldest days. They can be reheated a bowl at time. </p>

<p>I have a microwave with a browner so large baked potatoes can be ready in 10 minutes. I also keep white and brown rice on hand along with beans.</p>

<p>I keep veggies on hand (ie: onions for chopping, bagged salads, fresh carrots and celery, peppers, tomatoes, peas, corn, zuchinni, mushrooms, etc.). This way salads, or side veggie dishes can easily be made.</p>

59

<p>“Does anybody know how to make pad thai?”</p>

<p>You can buy the sauce and noodles all ready to go at an Asian supermarket. Then you just cook the noodles, swirl them in the sauce, and add your peanuts/eggs/tofu/bean sprouts/whatever.</p>

<p>If you don’t like the short cut, you can soak your own tamarind and so forth if you want to, but that’s a separate thread.</p>

<p>My suggestion for many of the ethnic dishes being offered: keep a few limes in the fridge. A squirt of fresh lime juice on a shortcut Mexican or Thai dish makes all the difference in the world. Ditto fresh cilantro.</p>

60

<p>Cool pizza:</p>

<p>-2 pkg. of Pillsbury crescent rolls
-1 pkg. Philly cream cheese
-chopped assorted veggies
-shredded mozzarella
-1 tsp. dill
-salt and pepper</p>

<p>Roll crescent rolls out flat on a large pizza stone or pan. Bake in 400 degree oven for 10-12 minutes. Mix softened cream cheese with dill, s & p. Chop whatever veggies your family likes. Ours likes a mix of red, green, and yellow peppers, lots of cucumber and tomato, green onions. When crescent roll ‘pizza’ has cooled, spread cream cheese mix over it, then add veggies and top with shredded mozzarella. I’ve used this as an hors d’heuvres type dish as well as for lunch or dinner. Keeps well in the fridge if covered with foil. Tupperware makes it soggy.</p>