I'm struggling with dinner preparation when I come back from work. I'd like to have dinner with my son but by the time we cook dinner, he is almost ready to go to slee[. Amy ideas of quick recipes that can be shared by adults and kids
We're vegan, so I'm not sure how this would work if you want a meal that includes meat or dairy... On days we know that we won't have time to make dinner we put bulk mixed-bean soup (available at Rainbow) in the crock pot and by the time we get home the house smells like someone has been working hard in the kitchen - and we have a hearty tasty dinner that required almost no work and is inexpensive. Can't beat that!
There are 2 resources I can refer to.
Quick fix Meals with Robin Miller on the Food Network you can watch it or get the receips off the net. Her secret is preparing the week's meals during the weekend and only using 3 key ingrediants. Of course these vary.
And FlyLady.net! This site is great. There is a link to making simple receips and freezing them for future meal times. Make sure you have plenty of freezer space for this one!
K.
Hey Neighbor, I love to cook and sometimes I do not want to, so the easy meals are my fave. Any small cuts of meat are a good start, as they cook fast. Then add a grain or starch, and veg, 20-30 minutes and dinner is on. One pan meals are another fave at my house. Start with meat, slice the meat into smaller pieces before cooking to reduce time. Saute the meat til browned then add a cup of whole grain rice, pour the liquid over the whole thing and then add the veg a couple minutes before you serve...anyway, enjoy the day. A.
Prepping things on the weekend for the week helps. I roast garlic and chop onions on the weekend and then keep them in the frig to use during the week. Pre-making meals and then freezing them for reheating in the microwave during the week works well for some meals.
I also use a crockpot/slow-cooker alot. So much so that I have 2 of them. You throw everything into it in the morning and when you come home dinner is ready. There are lots of great recipe sites online, too...lots of variety. Plus, you can buy less expensive pieces of meat to use because the crockpot turns even the toughest shoe leather into a moist and delicious meal.
My eleven year old really enjoys this quick meal that is pretty nutritious. Cous-cous can be steamed on stove top or in microwave. I top it with a marinara sauce and parmesan cheese. We don't eat much meat so we fry up sausage alternative and addit to the marinara sauce. I usually serve it with steamed broccoli or green beans with a smidge of butter and garlic salt. Pretty tasty.
