Dinner Ideas

Kraft also has a free magazine that gives good and quick recipes.

http://kraftfoods.com/promo/ffmag/ffmag_offer_signup_land...

Go to www.kraftfoods.com, www.campbells.com and www.bettycrocker.com great website for almost anything. my personal favorite is kraft, you can even sign up for a free cookbook magazine to come monthly

I feel like I have the same problem, so hopefully this will help both of us out. Here is one of my simple ideas:

1 pk Hillshire sausage
1 green pepper
1 onion
worcheshire sauce

Cook all this together in a skillet. You can even spice this up with a can of tomoatoes if you like. Goes well with baked beans.

Another easy, but delicious one Lasagna:

Make spaghetti sauce as you would for spaghetti, boil lasagna noodles. Drain the noodles. In a cassserole dish, make a layer of noodles followed by spaghetti sauce cover with ricotta cheese, mozzerella and parmesan cheese. Continue this process until the casserole dish is full. Bake in the oven on 375 for about 25 minutes.

I hope this helps some.

Five Minute Lasagna
Serves 6

No kidding—this takes just five minutes to put together!

1 (26 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce (your favorite)
1 (30 ounce) bag frozen large cheese ravioli, unthawed
1 (10 ounce) package frozen spinach, thawed and drained (optional)
1 (8 ounce) package mozzarella, shredded
1/2 cup Romano cheese, grated

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Lightly grease a 13-x-9-inch baking dish and spoon in about 1/3 of the
sauce. Arrange 12 of the raviolis on top; then evenly lay all the
spinach over the top of the raviolis. Top that with half of each
cheese. Now cover with another layer of raviolis, the remaining sauce
and the remaining cheese. Tent with foil (don't let cheese touch the
foil or it will stick) and bake 25 minutes; then uncover it and bake
for 5 to 10 minutes more until bubbly.
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Southern Grits Casserole
Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Cook Time: 45 Minutes

INGREDIENTS:
6 cups water
2 cups uncooked grits
1/2 cup butter, divided
3 cups shredded Cheddar cheese, divided
1 pound ground pork sausage
12 eggs
1/2 cup milk
salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a large baking dish.
Bring water to a boil in a large saucepan, and stir in grits. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer about 5 minutes, until liquid has been absorbed. Mix in 1/2 the butter and 2 cups cheese until melted.
In a skillet over medium-high heat, cook the sausage until evenly browned. Drain, and mix into the grits. Beat together the eggs and milk in a bowl, and pour into the skillet. Lightly scramble, then mix into the grits.
Pour the grits mixture into the prepared baking dish. Dot with remaining butter, and top with remaining cheese. Season with salt and pepper.
Bake 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until lightly browned.

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Crockpot Cream of Tomato Soup

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large chopped onion
3 crushed garlic cloves
2 minced carrots
2 pounds peeled and diced tomatoes (reserve and add all juices)
4 cups chicken or vegetable stock or broth
3 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Salt
Pepper
2-4 tablespoons freshly chopped herbs (basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme, marjoram, savory, chervil, Italian parsley, mint, lavender) or 1-2 teaspoons dried herbs or spices (Italian spices, basil, oregano, marjoram, thyme, cumin, curry powder, nutmeg)
1 cup heavy cream

Combine the oil, onion, garlic, and carrot in the crockpot. Cook on high, stirring frequently, until the onion softens. (This can also be done in a skillet.) Add the remaining ingredients except for the herbs and spices and cream. Cover and cook on low for 8-12 hours. Add the herbs and adjust seasoning. Cool slightly and puree in small batches. Return to the crockpot and add the cream. Reheat until piping hot, or else cool and chill before serving.

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Chicken Divine

layer of frozen broccoli in the bottom of a casserole dish
topped with cooked, chopped chicken
top that with a mixture of 2 cans of Cream of chicken soup, 1 cup of mayo, 1/2 tsp of lemon juice, and curry powder to taste
topped with cheese
30 minutes at 350 degrees

OMG I couldn't believe it when I saw you had posted this recipe= It is my favorite comfort food! My Mom would make us kids our favorite meal for our birthdays and this is mine. Now at 42 my husband or kids make it for me.

As for a new meal idea: Pork tenderloin with Apricot Glaze

1pack of pork tenderloin (2 in a pack)
any brand of apricot jam/marmalade
Season pork with salt,pepper & a pinch of paprika.
pour jar of jam over pork, bake at 350 degrees about 45 minutes or until 170 degrees on meat thermometer

serve w/veggies of your choice and side dish

Hey K.,
I have the same problem. This was a great idea to share recipes. I would like to share one that my grandmother came up with. This is a favorite casserole dish. She calls it an All in One.

1lb of ground chuck or ground beef
1/2 of a medium onion
1 can of sweet peas drained
1 can of corn drained
1 can of rotel tomatoes
1 pkg of kraft mac n chesse prepared
1 pkg of lipton onion soup mix

In a skillet,over medium high heat cook the ground chuck,onion until meat is evenly brown ,drain. Stir in pkg of lipton onion mix, then add all other ingredients mixing together thoroughly. Pour mixture into a baking dish. Cover top with pieces of kraft singles cheese or whatever kind you prefer. Bake on 400 until mixture is heated and cheese has browned. We usually serve with cornbread. Hope you enjoy this as much as my family does.

I know exactly where you're coming from!! My sister and I are constantly calling each other for new recipe ideas. Lately, we've rediscovered the crockpot! Having two young children each, we don't have a lot of time. Since we want well-balanced meals, we won't fix a meal-in-a-box! We have a lot of favorites, here's one of my recent favorites..

CROCKPOT FLANK STEAK
This steak is extremely tasty, tender and juicy. The chili powder gives the meat a slightly kicked-up flavor, but it's not really spicy at all. Serve it up with a baked potato and a vegetable to complete the dinner. Delicious!

Makes 4-6 servings

1 flank steak (about 1-1/2 lbs.), cut in half if you have a small Crock pot
1 Tbsp. oil
1 large onion, sliced
1/3 cup water
1 can (4 oz.) chopped green chilies 2 Tbsp. vinegar
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown steak in oil. Transfer to crockpot. In the same skillet, sauté onion for a minute or two. Gradually add the water. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Pour over the flank steak. Cover and cook on low for about 8 hours or until the meat is tender. Slice meat and serve with the onion and pan juices. Enjoy! This dish makes awesome leftovers as well....steak n'swiss melts, omletes, quesadillas....

K.,

As a single mom of a VERY active athlete - I can commiserate with you! We have found the Rachael Ray - 365 No Repeats to be an AWESOME resource. The meals are all done in about 30 minutes and are healthy and very very tasty. We haven't had anything we haven't liked. Some of the combinations may sound a little different - but they turn out really well.

Give it a try - you won't be disappointed. (I grew up in Ft. Myers, FL and don't miss the humidity one bit!)

A.

K.

I love to try new things and got tired of the same old things week after week so I started using my husband as a guinea pig. I not only loved watching the food network before I had a baby but also tried new things out of my Good housekeeping, Better Homes and Garden, and other magazines. Now that my time in limited I sign up to receive emails from BHG.com (Better Homes & Gard.), Bisquick.com, bettycrocker.com, and I will log on to get recipes on the Good Morning America or the Today Show if I see a cooking segment that I am interested in having the recipe. These are incredible resources and so easy to use especially if you are using the weekly email recipes from BHG.com and Bisquick. I hope this helps. Below is a great and easy recipe for chicken and dumplings. You can also use Jiffy Cornbread mix to go with it. Also there are other great uses for a whole chicken you can boil for 2 hours and take off the bone. Take a whole chicken, boil for 2 hours, take meat off the bone, place in bowl put Barbeque sauce over chicken (amount desired) and make B-B-Q sandwiches by putting saucy chicken on hamburger buns, serve with potato salad, chips and pickles. Just make sure to take the neck, etc. out of the hollow of the chicken before boiling. Hope I’ve helped.
(K., I let this simmer on very low for an hour or so until it's really nice and thick. Don't over knead the dough or it will be touch and chewy once it's boiled. It tastes even better the next day)

Chicken and Dumplings

INGREDIENTS
• 1 small chicken
• Water
• 2 cups of all-purpose flour
• Pinch of salt
• 1 ½ (?) Milk
• 1 egg

Boil chicken, adding salt to taste. When tender, pull chicken from the bone and return to the broth.

Pour flour into a bowl, leaving a hole in the middle. Add 1 egg and enough milk to form a doughy consistency (similar to how you would make biscuits). Sprinkle flour on cutting board. Pinch off part of the dough and roll into a thin sheet and cut into squares. Drop one square at a time into broth. Continue this until all of the dough is used. Add salt and pepper to taste and simmer until tender.

Allow the dumplings to thicken the broth until it is a creamy consistency.

I have a really great solution to the dinner rut problem: www.savingdinner.com is a godsend! I'm not normally a proponent of websites, but this one is great. They have everything from the recipes to the shopping lists. It's awesome.

Glad to hear I'm not the only one in a rut. I love to cook elaborate meals, but with two little ones who has the time to stand at the stove for long periods of time. So I too have found myself cooking the few same meals all the time. Since I took note of the many recipes listed here I thought I should contribute a couple.

My 3 year old calls this Tomato Noodle Goo:

Ingredients:
A box of macaroni noodles
1 lb hamburger
1 large can (28 oz) Tomato Sauce (I use Hunts)
spices

Cook the macaroni noodles and drain.
Brown 1 lb of Hamburger with a little garlic powder, black pepper and dried basil.
In a medium saucepan, heat tomato sauce with some garlic powder, onion powder, basil, oregano, thyme, parsley (sorry I can't be more precise- it's one of those where I just throw it all in).
Once the hamburger is browned, add it to the tomato sauce. When the noodles are cooked, add them to the tomato sauce/hamburger mixture and toss.

Black Bean Chicken:
2 chicken breasts
1 red pepper, diced
1 white or yellow onion, diced
2 cans black beans, drained
1/4 to 1/2 cup medium salsa
Rice (I usually cook 1 1/2 cups of dry rice)

Start the rice
Dice the chicken and cook in a small amount of olive oil with onions and red pepper. Once chicken is cooked, add black beans and salsa. (I usually use about 1/4 cup of salsa because I have little ones that don't like things too spicy. If I make it just for my husband and I, I use 1/2 cup. Also, I've tried many salsa's with this and I think it's best with Pace Picante Medium.)
Simmer for about 5-8 minutes or until the rice is done. Serve over rice.

Kielbasa and Pineapple Rice (20 Minutes)

1 Kielbasa (I use the light)
1 Large can Pineapple Niblits
1 cup rice
1 tblspoon butter
1 - 1 1/2 cups water

Drain the pineapple juice into a measuring cup, you will use this and make up the difference with water to make 2 cups for the rice.
Boil water/pineapple juice and add rice and butter, cover and simmer for 20 minutes

Slice the kielbasa and heat it up in a frying pan

When rice is done mix the pineapple niblits into it and then serve kielbasa over the pineapple rice.

My husband loves this dinner. And the pineapple rice is great with ham too!

I am not sure about in the Lexington area but in Clemmons & Greensboro there is an amazing place called Dream Dinners. You go there and put together your meals for the month in about 2hours. They have all of the recipes, cooking instructions, ingredients, and the measuring cups in the ingredients. They even clean up for you! All you have to do is order the recipes you want, assemble and freeze. I usually thaw 2-3 in a week and cook them all on Wednesday because of my schedule. Then we have food for the week. It is great! Dreamdinner.com I believe is their website. It usually cost me about $200 and it makes more than a months worth of food for my family. It maybe worth a commute with a cooler.

I am a mother of two boys also. A five year old and 20 month old.

There are similar places to Dream Dinners in other areas too. You should be able to find them using a search engine. I am sorry I don't know the others names.

This one is an easy one - but by no means low fat! I throw on a pot of pasta - either spagetti or penne - whatever you like. And then just sautee crushed garlic in olive oil, salt and pepper - add a some sliced tomatoes and fresh basil (or dried, who has time to run out and buy fresh basil right?) at the end for a minute or two, and toss the mix into your cooked & drained pasta. You can add parmesan cheese too while you toss it. Easy meal - just add bread and a salad.

If your family isnt of the garlic loving variety, try this - ground beef browned with one can of tomato soup mixed, put into a casserole dish, layer that with green beans, and then a layer of mashed potatoes (use instant if your in a hurry) Bake at 350 until bubbly, and top with cheese....Its called shepards pie but it doesnt resemble a pie and there are no shepards involved. Call it whatever you want, its cheap, easy and tastes good!

Just recently I was having to be creative with out dinners because it was almost payday. The only thing we had was some hamburger (Winn Dixie was having a sale) so I browned some hamburger meat, boiled some macaroni noodles then mixed the two together. I added some cheese (american and cheddar mix..I think it's called American melt or something. I tried just cheddar the second time I made it and it didn't turn out as good) and a little bit of milk. It turned out delicious.

This might sound crazy but my fiance made it and it is soooo good.
Cook your hamburger patties.. make a pot of rice.. fry an egg for every hamburger you are going to make and warm up some brown gravy. Once everything is done then take the rice place in plate place the hamburger patty on top of the rice then the egg on top of that then place gravy on all of it! My faince was stationed in Hawaii before we met and he said this is a dish they serve and I was scared at first but now it is my favorite meal!!! Hope u enjoy

K.-
I love to cook, and I have a ton of recipes. As some of the other ladies said, Kraftfoods.com is awesome, you can also go to the Nestle and Betty Crocker websites for some good recipes. I have also started investing in some of the small cookbooks you can find in the grocery store or at Walmart or Target. Pillsbury, Taste of Home, and Betty Crocker all put out some cookbooks that have awesome recipes.
I love pasta and one of my favorite meals to do fast is this:
You can use whatever pasta you like, but I think the regular egg noodles work best.
For one serving I use two handfulls of noodles. Once you bring your water to a boil be sure to salt it. Add your noodles. Cook two slices of bacon while noodles are cooking. Once noodles are done, drain and put in bowl. Sprinkle with seasoning salt, and crumble bacon on top.
Now, there are several things you can add to this. I love mushrooms, so I just add a few spoonfuls of mushrooms to mine, but if you like peas, you could also add some of them the last few minutes your noodles are cooking. You could also substitute chopped ham, turkey or chicken for the bacon. Be creative with it and add what you like! This is also a very easy dish to cook for a crowd as well!

try these websites for great quick and easy meals
kraftkitchen recipes
campbell kitchen
betty crocker
google those

I am in no way a chef either... I feed 4 children and my hubby as well as myself. I have learned that over the past few years.. it's not about being a chef, it's about affordability and what's the easiest and the fastest to clean up. My family loves steak subs/ meatball subs (it's easy for the kids eat) We are a chicken family, I cut up the chicken in bite sizes, brown it up mix in a can of cream of chicken, 1 cup of rice, 1 cup of water and wait about 30 minutes and you have an excellent meal. Good Luck!!!

Here, try this one.

This is yummy chicken potpie. Quick and Easy to make.

Preheat oven to 375

Ingredience: 1 small block of velveta cheese
Frozen block of chopped brocoli
1 can of cream of celery, mushroom or chicken soup (your choice)
3 or 4 boneless chicken breasts
1 Package of Pillsbury ready made pie crusts

Cut Velveta cheese in slices, dump brocoli in microwave safe bowl and cook until done. Cut Chicken into chunks and microwave that until done. Now to create:

Line a pie pan with one of the pie crusts. Take 1/2 of the cooked chicken, layer on the bottom, then add 1/2 the cooked brocoli, layer on top of chicken, then take 1/2 the cream soup of your choice, spread on top of chicken, brocoli layer, then lay velveta slices on top, repeat same steps for 2nd layer. Then take the other pie crust and place on top, use fork tines around the edges to adhere the pie top to bottom. Then throw in the oven at 375 for 30min or until lightly browned.

Serves 4 to 5 and has all the ingredience you need for a happy healthy meal. Enjoy!

I have a recipe for a really good chicken casarole. I got it from my mom and she was by no means the big cook when i was younger god love her but she had good ideas.
here you go:

2 cans of each:
chicken, cream of chicken, cream of celery, chicken broth
1 bag of stuffing
butter/margarine

mix all can items together. layer mixture in pan with stuffing. melt butter or margarine and pour on top of dish. bake for 30-45 minutes (depending on thickness of dish may take more or less time). Cook at 350.

It may sound a little odd but it is really good.

This is a family fav. takes about 35min prep time. Serves 4

Poppysead Chicken Casserole:

1 can cream of chicken soup (you can sub cream of chick w/mushroom, or cream of mushroom to vary)
1 8oz container of sour creme
1 box chicken stouffers stuffing (I use store brand - tastes the same :))
3 chicken breasts - boneless skinless
small casserole dish
preheat oven to 375 degrees

boil chicken breast (you can add seasoning if you want during boiling - pinch of salt, pinch of pepper, pinch of thyme, - but not required)

remove meat from water, let cool, or run cool water over it to speed up the cooling process
set broth aside - you'll use this to mix the stuffing... 1 and 2/3 cups of broth for stuffing
once meat is cooled, pull chicken into shreads, bitesize - if it's too hot to do this, then cut up into chunks, bitesize.

now - mix broth w/ stuffing mix in a mixing bowl, let set while you do the next step

mix soup, sour creme and shreaded/chunked meat

in a small round casserole dish (apx 2 inches deep, 6-8 inches round - spray w/ nonstick spray or a bit of evoo) spoon about 1/3 of the stuffing mixture onto the bottom of the dish, then add the complete chicken/soup/sc mixture.... then top and cover w/ remaining stuffing.

since the ingredients are already cooked, bake at 375 degrees for 25 min and serve!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This recipe is also good if you add 1 tbsp of poppysead in w/ the chicken mixture - it adds a bit of a nutty flavor - but it tastes just as good w/o it!

Here is a quick and easy enchilada casserole.
2- 10 oz. cans enchilada sauce
1 box beef taquitos wrapped in corn tortillas
1 bag cheese (mexican blend)
1-16 oz. can refried beans

Spray baking pan with pam. Pour in 1 can sauce. Layer taquitos in bottom of pan and sprinkle with cheese. Spread heated beans on top of cheese and top with another layer of taquitos. Pour the other can of sauce on top and put more cheese over it all.
Bake covered at 350 for 30 mins. then uncovered for about 5 more mins. Serve with spanish rice. You can top with onions and/or sour cream. My family LOVES this.

HEY, K.! HERE'S MY FAVORITE AND I CAN PRE-COOK THE NIGHT BEFORE AND THE MORE IT COOKS THE MORE TENDER IT IS!!I CATCH CUBED STEAK ON SALE BUY THE BIG PACKS. I FLOUR SALT AND PEPPER AND BROWN VERY WELL IN A FRYING PAN THEN I PUT 2 CANS OF BROWN GRAVY MIX(I USE THE GROCERY STORE BRAND)& 2 CANS OF WATER INTO THE CROCKPOT THEN AS THE MEAT GETS BROWN ADD IT TO THE CROCKPOT AND TOP OF WITH JUST THE CANS OFF GRAVY NO MORE WATER AND LET IT COOK OVER NIGHT AND IT WILL BE SO TENDER. THEN I JUST BAKE A CAKE OF CORNBREAD AND MAKE SOME INSTANT POTATOES,OPEN SOME GREEN VEGIES AND SOME CARROTS AND THERE IS SUPPER FOR USUALLY TWO NIGHTS!!!GOOD LUCK!!!T.

Something easy for me is to boil chicken, cut it up and place in a 13 x 9 pan. Mix cream of mushroom(or any cream soup will do) with sour cream(I just do this to taste) Some times I add peas and carrots. Put this mixture over the chicken. Next use a stuffing mix(stove top) mix the ingrediants but do not cook. Put on top of soup mixture and place in oven at 350 until stuffing is crispy on top.....Also, a cream soup mixed with sour cream over ground beef....you can add veggies if you like and serve with noodles or rice.

I have the same problem sometimes. My mom got me this subscription to "Taste of Home" magazine. It helps SOOOO much! You can log onto their website (tasteofhome.com) to look up recipes. If you click on the advanced search you can list the ingredients that you want to use or that you DON'T want to use and what dish you want. It's really good and it has helped me tremendously in making meals. Good luck! :)

Two words.......Hamburger Helper.....but with a twist. For Italian Hamburger helper add some minced garlic and a can of diced italian tomatoes and spinkle with mozzarella. I also make an easy version of King Ranch Chickn.. Use Velvetta augratin potatoes, 2 cans pinto beans, 2 cans rotel and 2 cans of chicken chunk chicken breast. Mix according to the potatoes instructions and bake.....top with cheddar and bake to a golden brown and voila!!!!! Good Luck

K., I know this is a bit late but I have a few ideas for your dinner time that is fast and yummy. I am the only cook at our Dixie Cafe and know how to turn out fast but healthy foods. My adopted grandkids think Grandma's cooking is the best (got to love these babies).

For the Chicken Lovers I will share 2 recipes that are a hit at my home, at the cafe and with my grandchildren.

Cut up chicken pieces, any amount you like. Soak the chicken pieces in milk for about an hour. Drain and pat dry. Blend together a small amount of flour and add in oregano, italian seasoning, garlic powder and a bit of lemon pepper spice. Mix well then coat the chicken pieces in the mixture.

Heat a skillet on medium, add in a pat of butter and olive oil. Saute the chicken pieces in the oil/butter mixture until a nice brown on each side. With the chicken pieces still in the skillet, add in Chardonney wine (I use 2 cups) and on top of the chicken places sliced mushrooms. Cover and turn to simmer. Let the chicken/mushroom simmer for 20 to 25 minutes. Serve with your favorite side dishes.

Second chicken dish: Homemade Chicken Tenders

Don't give our children those processed chicken tenders, we don't really know what all is in the package.

Get boneless/skinless chicken breasts. Cut the breasts into 1/2 slices and flour lightly (flour mixture is flour, oregano, italian seasoning, garlic powder and a pinch of red pepper flakes). Places chicken slices in a heated skillet that has a pat of butter and your desired amuont of olive oil. Let the slices turn a nice golden brown on each side. By the time the pieces are brown on each side, they are done.

These chicken tenders can be served to children with a side of rice or as a treat with a french dressing dip or whatever the child likes. They can also be served on top of a chef's salad.

The last recipe I will share is what was known long ago as Original Joe's recipe.

Take ground chuck or any hamburger and saute until almost done, drain all of the grease from the pan. Add in diced onion and let the burger and onion mix blend well over medium heat. Add in either fresh or frozen spinach. Make sure the frozen spinach has been thawed and all liquid squeezed out. Blend this into the meat and onion mixture. The last ingredient is 2 eggs. Break 2 eggs into the mixture and start scrambling them into the meat mixture. When the eggs have been cooked and blended well, remove from the stove.

This version of Original Joes can be put on hamburger buns with a slice of cheese, tomato, lettuce, any of your favorite burger toppings. This is how I introduced spinach to my son and he loved it.

J. Blue Star Mom and Proud Army Mom

Try going to Kraftfoods.com. They have a lot of easy recipes. You can also sign up for thier free cookbook which comes out each season.

We have a Recipe section at www.SAHMom.org that you might want to visit :)

here is a quick and healthy meal (i call it pasta bake):

boil some pasta noodles for slightly less time than recommended, then drain and put into baking dish, add mushrooms, onions, peppers, garlic, and spices, if you like, then mix all together. Top with a veggie (like zucchini) and Parmesan, then bake at about 400, for maybe 20 min (till cheese is golden), this is delicious.

Here is another 'recipe', i call it enchimale pie (enchilada and tamale combined):

1 lb ground beef
2 cans enchilada sauce
1 can black or pinto beans
1 c thawed frozen corn
1 onion
1 (or 2 if it's jiffy) box of cornbread mix
1-6 jalapeños chopped (optional)
1 c shredded cheese (optional)

preheat oven according to cornbread instructions. while browning beef, combine sauce, beans, 3/4 c of corn, 3/4 of jalapenos and onion in large baking dish and let sit. now make the cornbread, add the remaining corn and jalapenos. when beef is done, add to baking dish and mix. lightly oil (spray works best) the top outer edge of dish (so that cornbread will not stick) top with cheese and then cornbread mixture). Bake according to cornbread instructions.

Enjoy!!!

Pumpkin Soup has become a favorite in my house.

1 cup onions
2 tbsp Margarine
1 tbsp flour
30 ounces Chicken Broth
15 ounce can packed pumpkin
1 tsp brown sugar
1/4 tbsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp nutmeg
Can of Shoepeg Corn (optional)
Can of Northern Beans (optional)

I like to change it up and add either Chili Powder or Curry Powder. (my family likes it spicy)

Saute onions in margarine, add flour. Stir in rest of ingredients. Reduce heat, simmer until heated.

It goes great with a grilled cheese sandwich or a salad and french bread.

It is easy & pretty inexpensive to make.

I have been getting some ideas from Robin Miller's Quick Fix Meals on Food Network. She will make 3 meals out of one...the concept is cool, some of her stuff is a bit too gormet for me.

This was a good idea K.. I think I will try your Pot Roast this week. Have a great weekend.

Hi K., this is a great post...I was able to get ideas for my dinners:)! I have 4 kids and a hubby to cook for and I needed different things to cook and simple things. So, I came up with this idea: I tore out a page from an old, unused calender. Then I took different colored pens and wrote in on each day what we were having for breakfast, lunch, and supper. I was able to come up with 31 different kinds of meals. And I made each night a different theme, for example, Monday is stir-fry night, Tuesday is fish night, Wednesday is Tomato night, etc...It really works! I taped it on my refrigerator and so now, I can just look at it and fix whatever is on for the day. And it helps out with grocery shopping, too. You know exactly what you need and you'll know all the ingredients you need to stock up on. Just thought I'd share that!

Here is one of my favorite, quick recipes to make that a friend shared with me.

Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole

4 Boneless Chicken Breasts, cooked(I like to boil them)
1 8 oz container of sour cream
1 can of cream of mushroom soup
1 stick of melted butter
1 sleeve of Ritz crackers
poppy seeds
salt and pepper to taste

Heat oven at 350 degrees. Cut up the chicken breasts into bite size pieces. Add sour cream and cream of mushroom soup. Mix together. Add salt and pepper to taste(you can also use lemon pepper instead). Put into 8x8 casserole dish. Top with crumbled ritz crackers. Pour melted butter on top. Sprinkle poppy seeds on top. Cook for 30 min. Enjoy!

Here's a recipe for HOMEMADE PIZZA(I make this every Friday!)

1 package of 2 Mama Mary's 12" Pizza Crusts
1 jar of pizza sauce
your choice of favorite toppings
shredded cheese
olive oil

Heat oven to 450 degrees. Spread olive oil on front and back of pizza crust. Add pizza sauce, cheese, and toppings. Cook for about 10 min. Voila!

I scanned through the responses quickly and didn't notice this website on any of them (although I may have missed it) try www.allrecipes.com I go there all the time if I want to find something new or want to make something that I don't remember the recipe for...they have a "recipe box" feature that will save your favorites. You can also rate recipes you have tried along with leaving comments for others to read. I love using it and have found some great recipes there...and many very simple recipes that taste great.

Great thread. I will have to come back to it when I have more time and a recipe to share. Thanks.

K. you got an overwhelming number of responses...we are all in the same boat!
I am Italian (the real thing) and i'll share with you an easy recipe from my hometown, Roma.

PASTA ALLA CARBONARA
Put the water for the pasta to boil in a large pot.
While this boils, get some good bacon and chop it not too finely, then drop it in a small frying pan with just a little bit of olive oil and let it fry until crunchy. Put aside.

Now, in a bowl, mix fresh eggs (one per person+one extra one to give moisture) with a pinch of salt, pepper and plently of grated Romano cheese. Consistency must be almost creamy.Put aside.

When the water boils add some kosher salt (i put 3 tablespoons at least for a lot of water) and drop Spaghetti or Fettuccine.Cook until al dente and drain.Keep the stove running.

Now drop the bits of bacon (the oil in which it was cooking too) in the same pot where pasta was boiling (pasta is still in the colander) and mix it with the drained pasta while the stove is still on on low.

Finally,add the beaten eggs mixture and mix everything really well. The eggs will stick to the pasta while cooking, trapping the bits of bacon within.

Don't overcook other wise it'll become too dry. Serve immediately with a sprinkle of Romano cheese.

Buon Appetito!!!

S.

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.

It Takes a Village...
Where Dallas Moms go for Food, Family and Fun

http://www.ittakesavillagedallas.com/It_takes_a_village/M...

Womans World(weekly magazine at store checkout counters-discounted at Walmart)that costs now about $1.80 has several recipes each week inside.(it's an incredible magazine full with tons of information)
My favorite recipe page in every issue is the No Time To Shop Supper page.(found most likely at the bottom half of the page)
They are all quick and simple recipes and most importantly, shows pictures of the items you need to buy in order to make it.
They also have other recipes found in the magazine(Collect a Meal section)not only including a photo but the directions on the back and you can cut them out(unlike most magazines, you're not cutting up an important article on the other side)
Enjoy:)

Burrito Bake
1 can refried beans
1/4 cup water
1 cup bisquick
1 lb ground meat
12-16 oz cheese (cheddar)
1 small jar salsa (your favorite)

Grease a 8x11 or 9x12 glass baking dish with either oil or shortening
Cook and drain very well meat and set aside
Mix water, beans and bisquick in a bowl til smooth, spread in the bottom of the baking dish and 1/2 up the sides
Add meat
Spread salsa evenly over meat
Add cheese-you can add as little or as much as you like
Bake uncovered for 30 minutes at 375
adjust the heat to 450 and bake for an add'l 10-15 minutes. Let cool a bit and serve with sour cream, olives, onions, or whatever may be your fancy.

I like to do my foods by colors. 1 orange, 1 green, 1 tan or white , and 1 dark brown. And I always include a piece of fruit for sweetness.

K., go to kraftfoods.com They have lots of easy recipes with really good foods. I have been getting recipes off there and trying new things. The kids love it and I do too cause its so easy. Most of the recipes call for simple things you can find in the grocery store.

Hi K.! I totally understand your situation! This is a casserole I have used many times.

1lb ground beef
1 can of favorite veggie
1 can Cream of Mushroom or Chicken soup
1 bag of shredded cheese (amount and kind is up to you!)
Bag of frozen tater tots

Brown ground beef, drain. Place in the bottom of a 9X9 or similar casserole dish. Prepare soup according to directions and pour over ground beef. Put veggies on top of soup. Cover mixture with Tater Tots and cover tots with cheese! Bake at 350 for 45 minutes

My hubby and I have eated this for years. Good luck to you!!

Definitely know how you feel! Great idea.. here's my recipe. It's quick and easy AND the kids love it!

Orzo

1 pound orzo (rice-shaped pasta)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large shallot, finely chopped (I use onion)
1 garlic clove, minced
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, juices drained
1 1/4 cups whipping cream
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Bring a heavy large saucepan of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the orzo and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring often, about 8 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a heavy large frying pan over medium heat. Add the shallot and garlic, and saute until tender, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook until they are tender, about 8 minutes. Stir in the cream and peas. Add the orzo and toss to coat. Remove the skillet from the heat. Add the Parmesan to the pasta mixture and toss to coat. Stir the pasta mixture until the sauce coats the pasta thickly, adding enough reserved cooking liquid to maintain a creamy consistency. Season the orzo with salt and pepper, and serve.

slice up half an onion and sautee with butter in one pan, cut some chicken into chunks and season some light oil and cook in another pan, throw some corn and brocolli into another pan and throw some garlic bread in the oven. when the chicken's done cooking, let it sit on low heat with the onions and serve when the rest is done :) it's pretty quick and not too difficult, and healthy if you use the right oil.

or spinach swiss eggs. you can throw fresh spinach leaves and swiss cheese in while making scrambled eggs. it doesn't sound too good, but my one year old loves it.