Recipe Ideas for a Family meal--HELP!

I like to make mini pizzas or crab melts ( if you like crab)
Use english muffins and put tomato sauce or salsa, a little meat, like canadian bacon or pepperoni, chicken, a little cheese, set your oven to broil and cook until the cheese is melted and the edges are brown. They are great and the kids can help make them.

For the crab, i just use imitation crab and cheese. English muffins work for this too. I put a little bit of butter, chop up the crab into small chunks and put some cheese on them. Broil.
My family loves them.

Also if you go to www.homemadegourmet.com, you will find wonderful dry mixes that are easy and delicious to make. Some of them are a little spendy, but so very good! I used to be a distributor and my family loves the food. I love it because it is so much better than store bought and so easy to make. I have tried almost all of it. The chicken and rice is great! the white chicken chili, baked potato soup, and tons of easy meal plans and desserts. You can also look for a distributor in your area. I am not a consultant anymore, I don't make any money off of this, I just love the food and the easy prep!
G.

I am a crockpot girl- if I can throw it in the crockpot I am happy to cook so here are a few of my faorites that are easy!!!

Chicken tacos- throw a couple breasts of chicken in the crockpot with the tiniest amount of water and a jar of salsa (not too spicy if the kids are eating with you.) Leave the pot on low all day, when you are ready to serve you shred the chicken, get out the tortillas and shredded cheese and enjoy.

Hawiian Haystacks
2-3 breasts of chicken
can of cream of chicken or cream of mushroom soup
can crushed or tidbit pinapple
1-2 chopped tomatoes
chopped green onions
shredded cheese
rice

I put the chicken in the crockpot for the day with a little water on low, about an hour or more before you are going to serve dinner, shred the chicken and put the can of soup and the juice from the pinapple in with the chicken. (salt and pepper to taste)

when you are ready to serve you start with rice, add the chicken, pile on the pinapple, tomatoes, green onion, and cheese. Its delicious and so many yummy veggies and fruit it feels healthy!

Also if you like BBQ sandwiches, throw chicken, pork or beef roast in the crockpot with a bottle of BBQ sauce and let it go all day on low, maybe chop up an onion and put that in there for flavor, shred and serve hot on a bun.

Did I mention I like easy? Good Luck!

Great ideas ladies! Breakfast is a regular request for dinner around here. We love to do a quiche with ham and some veggies and cheese in it (kids like pie for supper)and some fruit on the side. Or french toast, omlets biscuits and gravy. I make extra gravy and heat it up the next day and add ground beef then serve it over mashed potatoes and a veggie or salad and rolls on the side.

This is really kind of sweet and the kids like it alot. My mom used to make this too.

Skillet Tamale Pie

12 ounces lean ground beef or turkey
1/2 cup chopped onions (omit if you have onion issues)
1 14 ounce jar spaghetti sauce
1 can black beans, rinsed
2 tsp chili powder (more if you like)
1 tsp ground cumin
3/4 cup water
1 box (8 1/2 oz) corn muffin mix
1 can cream style corn
1 can chopped green chiles (leave out if kids make a fuss)
1/4 cup milk
1 large egg

cook meat and onion in skillet until no longer pink. Stir in spaghetti sauce, beans, chili powder, cumin and water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, simmer for 12 min.

Mix muffin mix, corn, chiles, milk and egg (miture will be soupy).

Spoon over beef. Cover skillet and simmer about 12-15 min or until top looks dry and toothpick comes out with slightly moist crumbs.

I am not sure what kind of meals are your regulars so I will just suggest some of my favorite websites that I use on a regular basis.

I too am a big homemade gourmet fan....
HomemadeGourmet.com (try the enchilada soup, grandmas sunday roast and white pizza sauce, very affordable unlike others)

allrecipes.com
bettycrocker.com
tasteofhome.com (sign up for the newsletters by email and they send some great complete meal ideas)
verybestbaking.com (not just baking but some great recipes)

T.

I think we can all relate to this problem... here are a couple of my favorites:

1) Parmesean Chicken... I dip chicken breasts in an egg wash, then in bread crumbs mixed with Parm cheese, and cook with a little oil in a skillet. I serve it with pasta and tomato sauce (sometimes I melt mozzerella cheese on top of the chicken). This was is so each and a lot healthier than chicken patty version and it really isn't hard

2) Spoon Tacos... crush tortilla or corn chips in the bottom of a casserole dish. Cover with taco meat (I include black beans in mine) and cheese and bake at 350* until the cheese melts. Top with lettuce, tomato, green onion, olives, sour cream... whatever you like on your tacos and serve. Its a 1 dish wonder!

3)Wontons are great (find the wrappers in the produce section near the tofu) and fun for kids. My favorite recipe is Alton Brown's perfect pot stickers. You can find it by searching on foodnetwork.com's recipe finder. We have this ever month or 6 weeks

4)Chicken pockets: make a filling of cream cheese, butter, cooked chicken chunks and any vegetables (I like onion and celery) or seasoning (lemon pepper, parsley & chives are all good) you like. Place tablespoonfuls in the middle of each triangle from a can of refridgerator cresent rolls (I stretch mine out) and enclose filling in the roll. Bake until golden brown. You can also cover them in bread crumbs if you like.

Good luck!

I love going to recipezaar.com and trying their top-rated recipes. My family loves the bourbon chicken and the oven-fried chicken chimichangas, but almost without fail I've had great success when I plan a menu using that site. I'm not daring enough to try anything that hasn't already received rave reviews, and I usually read some of the reviews to look for additional suggestions. I also really like allrecipes.com. Good luck!

My kids love the following two recipes
Breakfast pizza -
1 can crescent rolls
1 lb sausage
2 1/2 cups shredded cheese
4 eggs
1 med bag hashbrowns
Preheat oven 375. in a 9 x 13 pan put the crescent rolls (flat). Cook the sausage up and when done, sprinkle over the crescent rolls. Add the hashbrowns to cover everything, then add the cheese. Mix the 4 eggs and a little bit of milk. Pour the mixture evenly over the stuff in the pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes.

Honey Crusted Chicken -
Take your chicken and spread honey mustard on one side
Take about 12 crackers and crush them into fine pieces in a baggie. Press the honey mustard side into the crackers and place on the pan cracker side up. Bake for about 35 minutes. The sweet and crunchy mix makes the chicken awesome!!

You can also go to bettycrocker.com and they have a TON of great recipes too.

We eat all that kind of stuff for dinner too, so if your weird--so are we(LOL)!

Chicken Parmesan

*Chicken patties
*jar spagetti sauce
*cheese--my kids like motz. better than parm, but whatever you prefer.

Bake patties and sauce at 350 for about 30 min. or until bubbly--sprinkle with cheese, and bake another 10 min. or until cheese is melted.

Serve with garlic bread and salad--yum!

there is nothing odd about breakfat for dinner...we do it occasionly..my kids love it. on that note..just about any of the favored muffin mixes you can buy in the supermarket can be used to make flavored pancakes..sure to be a hit with the little ones

Here's some quick easy yummy recipies I use always!!

Tuna Cassarole

1 bag ruffled potato chips
1 can tuna
1 can creme of mushroom soup
1 can milk
1 can peas (optional)

Mix milk and soup, add tuna and peas, crush potato chip and mix well. Bake at 350' until brown on top serve with salad and fresh cut fruit.

If you really like potatoes add Onion Tater Tots on top.

Spam Cassarole

1 can spam
1 can corn
3 cups rice
3 cups water

Cut spam into 1/2 inch squares pour everything into a bowl and microwave till rice is done. (cook on stove till rice is done) Serve with salad and fresh fruit.

Personal Pizza

Tortilla shells
Pepperoni
already cooked hamberger
olives
Cheese
Anything you want on a pizza
Cheeses, Cheddar, Monteray Jack, Mozzarella, Parmesan...
Pizza sauce

Everyone makes the pizza of their dreams, Kids too they have fun!

Cook at 350 till cheese is done and yeah, serve with salad and fresh fruit.

These are my 3 favorites!

A great place to get recipes is kraftfoods.com is a great place to get recipes and you can sign up for a newletter and they will send you new recipes periodically...plus you can set up your own recipe box and save your favorite recipes you've either tried or want to try. They are normally easy and simple recipes with ingredients you've actually heard of. Good luck!

Check out http://allrecipes.com/ This site is awesome. You can search for top rated recipes, put ones you like in a recipe box, make a shopping list, and more. If your sick of being creative check out http://www.dreamdinners.com/ I go there every once in awhile and stock up for those nights I really need help with dinner. Here are a few of my most made dinners:

Chicken and Dumplings

1 large can chicken broth
1 onion, diced fine
4 carrots, sliced
4 stalks celery, sliced
Meat of 1 whole roasted chicken or 4 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
½ cup uncooked large noodles (optional)
2 cups Bisquick
2/3 cup milk
Simmer broth, onion, carrots, and celery for 10 minutes. Add chicken and uncooked noodles. Stir. Mix Bisquick with milk in bowl until moistened. Drop large spoonfuls of Bisquick mix on top of soup. Simmer 10 minutes uncovered. Serve bowl of soup with 1 dumpling

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Chicken Enchiladas

Stir together in a bowl:
1 large (12.5-oz) can chicken or use your own cooked chicken, shredded
2 Tablespoons Mexican seasoning (use Lawreys Taco seasoning or like it)
2 cups grated yellow cheese, reserve ¼ cup for topping
Soften 1 package corn tortillas quickly in hot oil: (about 1 second each side). Blot excess oil on paper towels. Put chicken mixture on tortillas and roll. Place in a 9X13 pan.
Pour over rolled enchiladas:
1 can Cream of Chicken soup, which has:
1 cup milk stirred into it.
Sprinkle reserved cheese on top. Cover and heat thoroughly at 350 degrees for about 30 to 45 minutes. Garnish with shredded lettuce, sliced olives, sour cream and or salsa.
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Easy Beef Stoganoff

2 pounds round steak, cut into strips
1 can Cream of Mushroom soup
1 can Onion soup
½ pint sour cream
Brown meat in oil. Put all ingredients in heavy pan or casserole. Cover. Bake 3 hours at 325 degrees. Before serving, stir in ½ pint sour cream. Serve over rice or noodles. Serves 6.
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Hamburger Pie

1 pound lean ground beef
½ cup chopped onion
½ teaspoon salt
Dash pepper
1 1-pound can cut green beans, drained
1 10-3/4 ounce tomato soup (I like to use half a can of tomato soup and the substitute the rest with Prego. It adds flavor).
Instant mashed potatoes for 6-8, cooked according to directions or you can use fresh mashed potatoes.
At least ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
Can of flaky biscuits
Cook meat, onion, salt, pepper. Drain. Add green beans and soup. Heat. Tear biscuits in half dip lightly in butter and line bottom of 9X13 pan to make the crust. Add hamburger mixture. Spread mashed potatoes on top of meat mixture. Heat at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. Open oven and add cheese, then heat till cheese is barely melted.

Okay here is a favorite in my house...

6 large eggs separated

6 tbls flour

2 small cans diced chilies

2-3 cans refried beans ( good source of protein)

4 cups shredded pepper jack cheese (If used for smaller ones mix half monterey jack and pepper jack.)

heat oven to 375

spray a 9 x 13 dish or a little smaller and spread beans in bottom of the dish

beat egg whites until stiff......mix egg yolks in separate bowl and fold into egg whites.....add flour into eggs until mixed....fold in green chilies......spread half egg mixture over beans top w/ half of the cheese and repeat.....bake for 30 minutes.

We eat breakfast for dinner also cause I love breakfast just not in the morning.
Biscuits and gravy.
Add Bananna's to pancakes or choc chips.
Omeletes and let them pick thier ingredients.

One other one that is inexpensive and Kids and adults love is..

Top Ramen noodles (one package per person)do not over cook.
Cook according to directions, put the seasoning packages aside.
Get one store bought chicken and shred and some frozen mixed veggies best to add to noodle water before adding noodles so they can cook too.
Mix togather w/ a little oil or butter your choice then add the seasoning package mix well... serve w/ a little soy sauce and in 20 min you have a meal. You can use ground beef, pork whatever you like, and any veggie combo. my kids like it the first way and then w/ ground beef and broccli(sp?).

J., I know what you mean about eating the same things over and over again! Once, I actually had a meltdown in the grocery store because I just couldn't think of what to get for dinners for the next week; I call my husband practically in tears! Well, now that I am a Pampered Chef Independent Consultant, I have found so many easy to prepare and healthy meal ideas. (although I admit I don't always "cook" every single night). Here is a recipe for Mini Pesto Pizzas. They are kind of like appetizers, but we like to have them for dinner, too. Enjoy - and I'd love to hear the family review!

Mini Pesto Pizzas

2 plum tomatoes
¼ cup (1 oz) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
¼ cup walnuts or pinenuts
1 pkg (13.8 oz) refrigerated Pizza Crust
1/3 cup prepared basil pesto (or Basil-Walnut Pesto, see below)
1 cup (4 oz) grated fresh Mozzarella cheese

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Slice tomatoes using Ultimate Mandoline fitted with v-shaped blade; set aside. Grate Parmesan cheese using Microplace® Adjustable Grater. Coarsely chop nuts using Food Chopper. Combine nuts and Parmesan cheese in Prep Bowl; mix well.
2. Place dough onto Cutting Board (do not unroll dough). Using a sawing motion, slice dough into 15 disks (about ½ inch thick) using Utility Knife. Place disks onto Large Bar Pan; lightly press to flatten and seal seams.
3. Spread 1 tsp pesto over each crust with back of Easy Adjustable Measuring Spoon. Divide Mozzarella cheese evenly among pizzas. Top each pizza with one tomato slice and Parmesan mixture. Bake 12-15 minutes or until crusts are golden brown. Remove pan from oven to Stackable Cooling Rack. Serve using Mini-Serving Spatula.

Yield: 15 servings

Basil-Walnut Pesto

1 cup lightly packed fresh basil, divided
¼ cup toasted walnuts, divided
1 oz grated fresh Parmesan cheese
¼ cup olive oil
2 garlic cloves, pressed

Directions:
1. Finely chop half of the basil and half of the walnuts together in cap of Food Chopper (mixture should resemble a thick paste); place into Classic Batter Bowl. Repeat with remaining basil and walnuts.
2. Using Microplace® Adjustable Grater, finely grate cheese. Add cheese, oil and garlic pressed with Garlic Press to batter bowl. Mix well using Small Mix ‘N Scraper®.
Yield: 15 servings

R. Schwandt
Independent Consultant
Neenah, WI 54956
www.pamperedchef.biz/roxanneschwandt
____@____.com
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This is delicious and sooo easy (serve with rice and a cooked vegetable) and kids love it, and adults love it!

1 ½ - 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 cup apricot preserves
1 cup Russian dressing
1 pkg. Lipton onion soup mix

Mix everything together except chicken. Put in a casserole dish. Trim chicken, then put whole pieces in sauce. Bake one hour @350 degrees. Serve with rice (extra suace is great with rice).

J., I'm right there with ya! I have 7 beasts to feed and they often complain about getting the same things. We ought to swap recipes and see what we come up with. Here's one of my family's favorites and it's SOOO easy to throw together.
1 Jar of Alfredo sauce(usually right by the spag. sauce)
1 can cream/chick/soup
chicken tenders or breasts
parmesean cheese
Throw all together in 350 oven for about an hour. Serve with noodles.
See. Easy!
Another good and easy one is "sweet and sour chicken", my kids LOVE this one.
Chicken breasts/tenders (tenders cook quicker)
2 C. bisqick
1 egg
1 tsp. garlic powder
Scramble egg and add garlic. Dip chicken in egg, then in bisquick. Fry in oil just till brown and put in baking dish. Pour sauce over and cook 350 for 1 hour.
SAUCE:
1/4 c. ketchup
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. vinegar
1/2 c. chicken stock
2-3 Tbl. soy sauce (more if you like this flavor)
Good luck! I'd love some of your ideas!