<p>Roast chicken – either I’ll roast it if I have the time, or I’ll buy a rotisserie chicken.</p>
<p>Depends who it is. If its family or close friends, I would throw something on the grill - either BBQ chicken or burgers with a salad. A quick trip to local Trader Joes would supply a selection of nice cheese and grapes for a cheese platter and of course their fabulous flourless chocolate cake.</p>
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<p>I’m not particularly a fan of lasagna, because I have to be honest – I wouldn’t see any difference between Stouffer’s lasagna and someone’s homemade lasagna, so why should they go to all the trouble? I can see wanting to prepare your own food because you can control what goes in there and you can make it healthier if you so desire, but just thinking about the taste? This is where I don’t get the adulation for homemade food over prepared or restaurant food. </p>
<p>Honestly, someone’s homemade lasagna that they slaved over, and the Stouffer’s pan that got popped in the oven, all taste pretty much the same to me. And unless the homemade lasagna was specially prepared with certain ingredients, it’s likely just as unhealthy, if not more unhealthy.</p>
<p>Wow, really!? Homemade lasagna vs. Stouffer’s!? You need to have someone make you some REAL lasagna! </p>
<p>Take out or convenience has it’s place but I personally see HUGE taste advantages to preparing most dishes at home - unless of course, the person cooking is not really a cook!</p>
<p>I’ve gone to people’s houses where the people are supposedly really good cooks and everyone raves over their food. To me, it’s all the same. To me the advantage of home cooking is being able to do it healthfully, not because it’s any better-tasting than anything I could get anywhere.</p>
<p>I made pumpkin chocolate chip muffins the other day and they were really good, but it wasn’t because they were homemade. A bakery could have done just as good of a job.</p>
<p>Maybe your taste buds just have one speed. 
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<p>Coming from a family of foodies it DOES make a big difference to me in many if not most things! Definitely in the Stouffer’s arena!</p>
<p>Tacos, rotesserie chicken, order out pizza or frozen ravoli’s…usually with two avail sauces or red sauce or butter and parm (esp. for kids).</p>
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<p>Honestly I think that’s the case!</p>
<p>I also have a freezer full of ready-to-finish basil for pesto, so that’s often my go to. If I can get some good tomatoes (in the summer), it could also be a quick homemade tomato sauce.</p>
<p>H has been freezing stuffed clams because he’s harvested so many this year, so we could also pull out a package of them.</p>
<p>Pizzagirl, I so much enjoy your good humor.</p>
<p>Porcini mushroom risotto, tossed green salad, locally made ice cream. And maybe a plate of olives,cheese and cured meats for the carnivores. It can all be put together at a moments notice with stuff that I usually have on hand.
I just need to send H out for the ice cream.</p>
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<p>Risotto for emergency dinner? How do you do that (from scratch)?</p>
<p>Very easy—since it is something that I have made for years, I know it like the back of my hand.There are no surprises. I make it to the half way point(a 20 minute deal)…turn off the heat and just as we are about to sit down, I turn on the heat and continue prep for another 10-15 minutes. That’s the way it is done…even in the best restaurants.
I have an open kitchen and I can still chat with guests while I finish up. I think that for last minute meals, what you know best is best.</p>
<p>BTW…it helps that I always have dried porcini, arborio rice, onions, garlic, wine and broth in my cupboard. And butter and parmesan in the fridge.</p>
<p>I don’t like cooking under pressure–I like to plan and organize. If I really felt stressed or didn’t have anything on hand, I’d take the last minute guests out to dinner.</p>
<p>If I did decide to go ahead and cook, in the summer it would be a cold soup, tomatoes with balsamic or a corn salad (whichever is available at the local farm stand) and fish (again–whatever is available at my local fish monger) or steak (if I had non-fish eaters). After dinner, I’d probably serve ice cream and strawberries. In the winter/fall, it would be a hot soup or stew with a green salad and ice cream with shortbread cookies.</p>
<p>Spread chicken breasts with prepared mustard, sprinkle with breadcrumbs and paprika, top with a pat of butter and bake. Serve over spaghetti tossed with oil and garlic. Add a salad or some vegetables, and you’re done in less than an hour!</p>
<p>Not a parent, but what mine do is bacon-wrapped jalape</p>
<p>Where I live you can run into any store (even the local deli) and pick up a roasted chicken. We have tested all of the local stores so we know which one is the best. Run in and get the roasted chicken and a fresh French baguette with a couple of blocks of good cheese or some kind of spread you love. Add sliced apples to go with the cheese. Then grab the packaged Ceasar Salad and you have a French feast!!!</p>
<p>We also can turn the Roasted Chicken into chicken quesadillas or chicken with rice and beans.</p>
<p>What you guys are calling emergency / quick dinners, I call big productions!</p>
<p>I think if someone invited me over to their house for dinner, I would be happy with any of these suggestions (even the stouffer’s lasagna). If someone is willing to act as a host and open their home and they’re friendly and welcoming, I wouldn’t second guess or criticize anything they served. I think OP could get away with something very minimal (but I do love the sound of that risotto).</p>