I use my crock pot alot for making stews, soups, etc. I just put it on the night before when I go to bed and its done when I get home from work. Sometimes I spend a few hours on the weekend making up lasagnas, perogies or meat pies, something like that which I can freeze and just pop into the oven. El boyo and I are salad freaks too so that helps out after a long day and no energy. I just either add salmon or cook a chicken breast.
Blue’s Clues Mac & Cheese is a big hit here. So is Blue’s Clues applesauce, Blue’s Clues fruit snacks…parents of little kids, you know the character food routine.
My husband makes this really good macaroni & cheese casserole-type deal. It’s mac & cheese, with frozen vegetables in it, and meat (I like tuna in mine) if you’re feeling ambitious. It’s quite tasty, quite cheap, and quite easy.
tater: jazzmine beat me to it. (Hi, jazzmine!) When I forget to defrost ahead of time I just bung the bag of meat/fish/whatever into a pot of cold water, let tepid water drizzle into it, and go play with the kids for a while while it defrosts. This only works for smallish/thinnish things.
Cal: No offense meant. I keep Annie’s products around, too, altough more for the sitter’s convenience than mine. Let me recommend John Thorne’s first book, SIMPLE COOKING…there’s an essay in there about making mac and cheese from scratch for your little daughter that’ll have you all moist around the eyes. GodDAMN good recipe for mac and cheese, too!
Stylus: Thai curry…rowr.
Last night I overheard my wife and 10-year-old daughter talking…my wife said, “Dad should give his recipes to so-and-so.” My daughter said “That wouldn’t work…it’s not the recipes he uses, it’s the way he cooks things.”
I wsa SO fucking proud. She GOT IT.
Too tired to cut it, and just want good food in the tummy?
Some ideas:
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buy fresh veggies; chop and store in baggies. Use as:
–stir-fried in olive oil/garlic/herbs while pasta cooks for pasta primavera. Garlic bread along side kicks.–tossed into quickie stews (chicken/beef) in crock pot
–saute chicken breast; bobbit into pita/tortilla w/ leftover salad, grated cheese, etc.
–stir-fry w/ onion, lashings of garlic, etc.; pop into pita or tortilla w/ cheese, yogurt, etc.
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chicken or chicken parts: (frozen is fine) toss in crock pot w/ a few sliced lemons; fling in some dill or rosemary if you’ve got it. Come home, swoon at the smell, make rice, gorge.
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red beans and rice: toss beans (alone if canned, w/ water to cover if dried) into crock pot; lob in some garlic, ham ends, and spices to taste (bay, cayenne, whatever); come home; bobbit in some sausage (or not), make rice and pig out.
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plop frozen chicken parts into crock pot; dump in chicken soup and dressing mix; leave. Come home, steam some veggies and it’s done.
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whap the crap out of a few chicken boobs. Toss in skillet w/ lubicrant of choice. (Butter, olive oil, whatever fits). Cook a few minutes on each side. Remove to warm plate. Deglaze pan w/ appropriate liquid and seasonings. (Wine, chix broth, whatever.) Add stuff: mushrooms, fresh veggies, wing it. Swirl around a bit, then plop it over the chicken boobs. (lemon juice and herbs; wine and whatever; oh, hell, this is rocket science?)
Takes about 10 minutes, tops.
Veb
Tim’s College on a Budget
Monday: Breakfast - nothing, Lunch - Taco Bell, Dinner - Frozen Pizza
Tuesday: Breakfast - Granola cereal, Lunch - nothing, Dinner - Frozen Pizza
Wednesday: Breakfast - Nothing, Lunch - Checkers, Dinner - Frozen Pizza
Thursday: Breakfast - Cinnamon Life, Lunch - nothing, Dinner - Frozen Pizza
Friday: Breakfast - nothing, Lunch - Godfather’s Breadsticks, Dinner - Alcohol
Saturday: Breakfast - Water, Asprin, Lunch - Chipotle, Dinner - Alcohol
Sunday: Breakfast - Water, Asprin, Lunch - Leftovers, Dinner - If mom’s home, chicken burritos, if not, frozen pizza
Yes, this IS my regular eating schedule, with very very few deviations.
–Tim
I just read that thread on “Casu Marzu” (“I Like cheese, but this is Gross!”),and I couldn’t help but think —
Casu Marzu Macaroni and Cheese. And it’s all natural!
My daughter would probably eat it too, just to be perverse.
Well, it would be different each day.
Lemme think…
ANything from the freezer, such as breaded chicken parts just waiting to be nuked, dumplings, french bread pizza,
or simply rice mixed with vegetables.
Hmmm…favorite quickie dinners…
We’ve been on a French Dip kick lately. Totally easy. Buy the best quality sliced roast beef your local grocer carries, some nice buns, and a can of Campbell’s beef stock (unless you have your own in the freezer). Toast buns in oven, throw roast beef & broth in the microwave. Put beef on toasted buns, serve with little bowls of au jus on the side.
I’m a big fan of having homemade stuff in the freezer, ready to pull out on a whim. I’ve been using the tomatoes from our garden to make basic tomato sauce & a basic hot sauce that I freeze in small portions. That makes it easy to throw stuff together on a whim. Last night I grabbed a container of the hot sauce and mixed it with a can of diced tomatoes (it was REALLY hot hot sauce). I also had some of those chicken breast chunks you can buy that are all cooked, and some shredded Monterey Jack cheese. Shred chicken, add cheese, add sour cream. Stir together into a mush. In a baking pan, put a glop or two of the hot sauce/tomato mix, throw in a corn tortilla and cover it in sauce. Put a glop of chicken mix, roll up. Continue until pan is full. Throw the rest of the sauce on top, throw the rest of the shredded cheese on top, put in 350 degree oven for 15 minutes. Yummm… enchiladas. If you take the time to make one o’ those boxes of Mexican rice and cook up a can of refried beans, it’s just like a restaurant.
I’ll second Uke Ike’s idea that you can make homemade mac & cheese almost as quickly as the boxed stuff. I think it’s just as quick if you buy pre-shredded cheese. Yummmmm…
Here’s a good recipe that’s fairly quick, and really really good.
Take a pound or so of those big sea scallops, saute on both sides in butter in a very hot pan. Meanwhile, make a simple sauce by sauteing some garlic in butter, add a little onion if you have it, and a big diced tomato. You can be creative here - I often add a little fresh tarragon or basil from the garden if I have it. Or maybe a splash of wine.
When the scallops are done, remove them from the pan. Take the tomato sauce, and deglaze the scallop pan with it. That gives it a really yummy seafoody taste. Put some cooked fettucine on a plate, add sauce, and some scallops. Serve with fresh parmesan.
My favorite quick dinner (20 minutes start to finish – make sure the chicken isn’t frozen before you leave the house in the morning):
Cut up a couple chicken breasts, saute along with onions and garlic in olive oil. Make sure the chicken gets golden brown and the bottom of the pan is crusty with carmalized goodness. Throw in some tomatoes and/or tomato sauce, basil, and oregano. Simmer while you boil pasta (any kind you have lying around). Slap some butter and garlic salt on a half loaf of french bread and stick it in the oven for 10 minutes. Steam some broccoli. Glop the chicken/tomato mixture over the pasta. Yummm, yummm.
I love it, the missus loves it, and the kids even eat it.
A few quick favs:
Crock Pot turkey
Get a frozen turkey breast (or fresh)
drop in crock pot with 1 can turkey gravy and a little water, mixed together.
Cook on low until you get home from work. Heat up a can O veggies and some rice or potatoes. The gravy from the crock pot will be awesome.
Frozen Manicotti:
First, shoot one manicotti ::snort::
Anyway, buy a package of frozen manicotti (or stuffed shells)
Cover them with Marinara sauce
Bake 'till hot
Anyway, I’ve got a million of 'em. Kel, if you want some GREAT fast meal ideas, check out Quick Cooking magazine. http://www.absolutemagazines.com/quick_cooking.html
Most of the recipes call of canned or packaged stuff and are super fast. I have some back issues if you want 'em. Just let me know!
Zette
I try to actually cook for my kids at least 3 or 4 times a week. They don’t always eat it but at least I try. Otherwise we do things like…
Bacon and eggs
Frozen or Take out pizza
Family size can of Chicken Noodle soup and grilled cheese
Kentucky Fried Chicken…my son loves the stuff
McD’s…Wendy’s…Burger King etc.
When I cook we have just about anything you can think of…
Beef Stew…I put some in the crock pot this morning.
Pasta…with different sauces…homemade…I don’t do jar
Salmon Cakes
Stir Fries, chicken/beef various veggies
Baked Chicken with dressing
Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, peas…my daughter’s favorite
Grilled Chicken…marinated of course in whatever
Grilled Steak or London Broil
Grilled Pork Chops or Ribs
Chili Chicken w/rice…another one of my girl’s favs
Brunswick Stew or Veggie Beef soup or Potato Soup…we like it with PB&J
Chili…usually with rice on the side and corn bread
Stroganoff or just beef and noodles
Chicken and noodles or dumplings
Bean soup…navy…pinto…lentils…with a sub or sandwich
Bratwurst with Kraut and German Potato salad
“Fair style” italian saugage sandwiches w/peppers and onions
Ruben Sandwiches
Hamburger Helper…another fav of my big girl
We eat side dishes, salads and veggies too these are just the some of the entrees. We eat well. I make sure of that. I don’t want my kids growing up in a home where cooking is a “lost art”.
Needs2know
I’m playing Mr. Mom for a week, so last night it was beef-n-beans, a favourite.
brown hamburger with some garlic and onion. drain. add a can of pork-n-beans. Salt and pepper to taste.
Very simple, and quick.
Serve with bread and butter, and veggie of choice if you wish.
My oh-so-creative husband just came up with a new one.
He took a can of vegetable beef soup, added a can of tomato soup, some frozen veggies & some rice, and a little Mrs. Dash Tomato, Garlic, & Basil. Dang, it’s good!