Dinner Ideas - Wheaton,IL

you can even make mac and cheese in the crock pot- and just add meat to make it a meal!
Wanted to add: Hang in there and hubby isn't totally worthless! Give him the laundry to fold, cut coupons, read to the kids, etc!

Prepare chicken for the oven. Set the oven timer. Eat when you get home. Take one can of chicken broth, one green onion, one cup of rice. Place the can of chicken broth in a pot and boil. Dice the green onion. When the broth boils, add the cup of rice and turn fire to simmer. In 10 minutes, turn the fire off, add the green onion and stir. Plact the lid back on the pot. The rice will be done in 10 minutes. Serve.

Pork chops. Place pork chops in a medium hot skillet. Lightly sprinkle with Canadian steak seasoning. Cook on both sides. Remove the pork chops, add three cups of water, one can of rotel to skillet. When the water boils, add 1.5 cups rice and a can of whole kernel corn. Turn the skillet to simmer. In twenty minutes, place the rice mixture on the plate along with a pork chop.

Your husband can't put weight on his foot, but he can cut meat, potatoes. carrots and mushrooms. He can open a couple of cans. Get a boneless chuck roast, cut into bite size cubes. Cut carrots in 1" segments and cut potatoes. Slice mushrooms. Get a crock pot or large pot for the stove. Add one can of beef broth, and two cans of cream of mushroom soup and the cut up carrots, potatoes, and mushrooms. Turn the fire on low. The beef stew will be done in a couple of hours on the stove or 4 hours in a crock pot. The mushroom soup and beef broth makes a nice gravy or base for the stew and your husband can do the work.

Good luck to you and yours. I hope you haven't told your husband you think him "worthless".

get a crock pot,
stew, chili, chili verde, pot roast, beef roast, pulled pork seriously anything can be cooked in a crock pot. put it on low in the morning done by dinner

gosh, what is processed foods?
so, anyways, just made this for dinner (got it from all recipes with a few tweaks) and i am about to die and go to heaven.
you don't have time so for sides do brown rice and steamed cauliflower (carbs and veggie done).
spray a baking dish (lightly). take a few chicken breasts (as many as you need for you guys), first drenched them in flour then in melted butter, then lay on baking dish. after all the chicken breasts have been layed, salt and pepper, put some basil, parsley, rosemary, then pour either 1 cup heavy cream (this is what i did tonight) OR 1 can condensed chicken soup (did this a few weeks ago).
so whichever you put (heavy cream OR condensed chicken soup), put half a cup (or as much as you want) frozen peas, 1 cup grated parmesan cheese. bake on 400 for 20-25 min (the heavy cream and cheese will bubble).
prep time for everything (10-15 min).
soo good. my kids loved it.

crock pot. I love making a roast, takes about 10 minutes in the morning, then ready at dinner time and makes plenty of leftovers.

this is a really great and simple receipe for the crock pot

4 frozen skinless chicken breasts
1 pkg of taco seasoning
2 cans rotel

put in crock pot and let cook on high for about 4 hours shred and serve in flour tortillas. i really enjoy this and it it so easy but i really prefer to use a half of a pork tenderlion instead

good luck

I like making Penne with meat and Sauce as my quick dish:
1 pkg. Penne pasta. 1 jar of Pasta Sauce. 1 medium onion and a 1lb. of ground meat (beef, pork, or turkey). Just dice the onion and saute in a pan throw in the meat and add seasoning (anything you like; I use salt pepper, and a little thyme and paprika) In the meantime cook the pasta, drain and combine the meat pasta and sauce. It's quick and easy and usually makes in 30 minutes or less.

Good luck! Sorry about your situation :(

Pulled BBQ beef sandwiches (in crock pot): Place a 2-3 lb. chuck roast and O. quartered onion in crock pot. Cook on High 4-6 hrs. Drain water. Return meat to crock. Mix BBQ sauce with 1/2 jar apricot preserves and pour over meat. Shred with 2 large forks. heat through. Serve on buns. and a salad.

I would think that in your situation, a crock pot would be a HUGE help.

Check out www.pillsbury.com for other slow cooker recipes.

When I get that sinking feeling I make "fast" or drop and forget meals.
1. Four pieces chicken breast(all fat cut off)
salt & pepper both sides
pour half bottle of bbq sauce in crock pot and half red onion thinly sliced
put chicken in & top with rest of bbq sauce & red onion
Cook on high for four house. Then Shred and put on buns! its delicious and normally makes enough for two nights.
2. Cook 1 lb of shell noodles
in another pot melt one stick of butter and 1/2 cup of flour
remove from heat add 3 cups of milk, return to heat
bring to a boil add salt and pepper
remove from heat add 8 oz of sharp cheddar cheese & stir until melted.
(I add some red pepper flakes for some kick)
Mix cheese sauce & noodles together with fresh brocolli flourets
Pour into oven safe dish top with a handful of breadcrumbs & cook for
30 minutes or until brown & bubbly.
And I agree with the folding of the laundry and coupon clipping for the hubby, he cant put weight on his foot but that doesnt mean the upper half of him is out of comission. Good Luck : )

My quick "go to meal" is what we call Munchies!

Salami and cheese
A couple sliced apples and pears
A container of grape tomatoes
Some olives
A baguette and some olive oil
Some crackers!

That's it! Throw a blanket on the floor or over the coffee table and have a picnic in the living room...it's always a big hit and takes less than 10 mins to slice everything and arrange it on a platter!

What if you throw some food in a slow cooker? Allrecipes.com has some great, simple recipes.

Quick red beans n rice,
Chicken Sausages from Sam's Club or Whole Foods
For the kids we use Chicken Apple and Cinn sausage
For the adults we use Chicken Sundried Tom/Chicken Poblano Pepper
Mahatma's Red Beans & Rice mix (in a burgandy and gold bag near rice)
Slice the sausage or cook whole and put in the oven 30 min at 350
Follow directions on packet (add water, let pkg come to a boil, cook on low)
serve as you like, mixed all up or just on the same plate add cheese over the rice if you like, I DO! You can also serve with cornbread, I just buy from the bakery if I need in a hurry.

The red beans n rice are just rice, dried red beans and the seasonings ... you can probably find something simmilar at whole foods if you feel the need. takes about 30 min and is super easy and super yummy!

How about tex-mex. Tacos or taco salads, nachos, burritos, fajitas, or enchiladas along with rice and beans and salad. Simple quick cheap and people can build thier own the way they like it.

maybe you could eat out once a week or at least buy an easy meal - like a fresh ready to bake pizza (not frozen) or somthing.