Simple Meals

HI there!
All of my girls love this (Italian) recipe. In fact my 3.5 year old could eat it every day with rice and chicken. My babies eat it mushed up with rice. VERY healthy, tasty and filling.
2 cans cannellini beans
2 handfuls of chopped frozen spinach
1 tbs olive oil
1 tsp crushed garlic (Trader Joes)
3 tbsp parmigiana

Heat olive oil and add garlic. Saute for about 30 sec. Add beans with juiuce (don't drain). Simmer med low for about 5 min till creamy. Add spinach and stir in once thawed. Let simmer another few minutes. Add parmigiana cheese at the end.

HI,
I use natalies' recipes. com. She uses the crockpot. They are simple and easy to recreate. My son is 6 and a very picky eater.
Kathy

I have a pizza stone, I buy the boboli ready made pizza crusts(you can get wheat ones), let my 3 & 7 yr old cover one with organic cheese and sprinkles(garlic - shhhh they call it sprinkles) while they eat black olives and baby carrots then I put it in the oven. Then I cover another one with pesto sauce from a jar and a little italian cheese for my husband and I. It's simple, easy and all I have to do is wash out the pesto jar to recycle! The pizza stone(once seasoned) isn't supposed to get soap on it. I also drop Jiffy biscuit mix(just add milk) and Jiffy cornbread mix, 35 cents/box(just add 1/3 cup milk & 1 egg) onto the pizza stone and it makes muffin top cornbread my kids beg for AND.... you don't have to scrub muffin tins or anything but the bowl.

Crockpot Cheesy Penne
1 lb sweet Italian sausage
1 15 oz can tomato sauce
1 14-oz can diced tomatoes
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp garlic powder
salt & pepper
1/4 cup veggie or olive oil
2 tsp granulated sugar
1/2-3/4 lb penne pasta
1 cup shredded mozzarella or Monterey Jack
Parmesan cheese

Cook sausage in frying pan on medium heat until browned & crumbly
Drain well. ORCook sausage whole in casings; remove and dry, then cut into halved circles.

Place in crock pot.

Add sauce & diced tomatoes Add oregano, garlic powder, salt & pepper, oil, sugar & stir well.

Cook on low 7-8 hours or high 4-6 hours.

Salt large pot of water & cook 1/2-3/4 lb of penne 4-5 minutes less than directions on box call for (about 7 or 8 minutes)

Add penne & stir well. Top with 1 cup shredded cheese.
Continue to cook on high for 15-20 minutes or until pasta is tender & heated & cheese has melted Serve w/ Parmesan cheese

*OP’s notes: I’ve used a 9 oz bag of tortellini in this recipe too. You can just add the tortellini without pre-cooking it at all

Awesome Slow Cooker Pot Roast
Ingredients:
2 (10.75 ounce) cans condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 (1 ounce) package dry onion soup mix
1 1/4 cups water
5 1/2 pounds pot roast ($12 roast from market)

Directions:
1. In a slow cooker, mix cream of mushroom soup, dry onion soup mix and
water. Place pot roast in slow cooker and coat with soup mixture.
2. Cook on High setting for 3 to 4 hours, or on Low setting for 8 to 9
hours.

CROCKPOT CHICKEN-LICKIN' GOOD PORK CHOPS

6-8 lean pork chops, 1 inch thick (I used 2 butterfly chops)
½ cup flour
1 Tbsp. salt
1½ tsp. dry mustard
½ tsp. garlic powder
2 Tbsp. oil
1 10-oz can chicken rice soup (diluted w/ 1/3 c. water)

Mix dry ingredients. Dredge pork chops in mixture. Brown in oil in large skillet.
Place browned pork chops in crockpot. Add can of soup.
Cover and cook 6-8 hours

Orzos

1 Pound Stew Meat
2 Heaping Teaspoons Chopped Garlic
1/2 Small Onion - Chopped
1/4 Cup Olive Oil
1 Can Tomato Sauce
1 Can Tomatoes
Water
1 Box Orzos

Brown Stew Meat in Olive Oil, Garlic and Onions. Put in crockpot with Tomato Sauce and Tomatoes. Fill crockpot most of the rest of the way with water. Cook on High all day. 30 minutes before dinner, add box of Orzos. Make sure you stir so the Orzos don't stick to the bottom of the pot. Ready to serve when Orzos have absorbed most of the liquid. Serve topped with Parmesan and with a loaf of french bread.

Stuff (my husbands name for it)

1 jar salsa - your choice, 16 oz.
however many chicken breasts you need. We use about 5 to have leftovers too.
Put in crockpot and turn on low all day.

you can add in things too - i have added corn and black beans.

You can eat the chicken as is or take the chicken out, shred it and mix a little of the salsa/sauce (it gets really thin) with it and use it as a taco filling.

the chicken gets a really good flavor, and you can spoon the salsa over cooked rice and it is so yummy!

Beef and Guinness Pie
Serves 6

1 lb lean stew meat, cut into cubes
flour, salt and pepper for dredging meat (also used Cavender’s Greek Seasoning)
2 T vegetable oil
1 can Guinness Stout (the alcohol cooks out, leaving just the flavor-yum!)
3-4 large carrots, cut up
1 medium onion, cut up
1 T corn starch for thickening stew, pre-mixed into 2 Tbsp. cold water
1 pkg Pepperidge Farm frozen pastry dough (2 sheets)

Dredge stew meat in flour and sauté in hot skillet until meat turns brown on all sides. Place browned meat in crock pot or Dutch oven and cover with Guinness. Let cook, the time depending on setting of crock pot ( Low for 8 to 10 hours or on High 4 hours) or oven (3 to 4 hours at 250º). An hour before serving, thaw dough and add vegetables to crock pot. Thicken stew with cornstarch mixture. Place 1 layer of dough into a sprayed 9x13 casserole dish and bake at 350 for 10 minutes or until golden, puffy and flaky. Pour (ladle) stew mixture onto baked pastry and cover with second layer of dough. Place in a 350 oven until top layer of dough becomes a puffy flaky pastry.

Notes: Doubled the meat and carrots, cooked in slow cooker on Low for 6 hours. Didn’t need the cornstarch.

Mexican Pot Roast

3 lb beef roast
bacon grease (optional for flavor)
1/2 tsp garlic powder
10 oz can Rotel tomatoes (milder), drained
15 oz can chopped tomatoes, drained (optional)
salt and pepper to taste

Place roast in crockpot, spread with a bit of bacon grease then sprinkle with garlic powder. Pour undrained cans of tomatoes around the roast. Cook on LOW temperature 10 to 12 hours, until beef is very tender.

When done, remove the meat (not tomatoes) from crock and slice or shred. Add some tomatoes from crock to the shredded meat to moisten, quantity depends on what you want to do with the meat. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve as a taco in fresh hot tortillas, topped with cheese, caramelized onions and salsa. Or serve with roasted or mashed potatoes.

Note: If desired, drain the tomatoes to avoid the thin sauce (makes a great broth though!)

Meatloaf on a Bed of Potatoes - Crockpot
2 T olive oil
3 large russets, cut into 1 to 1-1/2” chunks
2 lb ground sirloin
2 large eggs, beaten
3/4 cup crushed saltine crackers
3/4 cup ketchup
2 T dehydrated onions (optional)
1 tsp salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Topping

3/4 cup ketchup
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tsp Dijon mustard

Combine oil and potatoes in crock pot, toss to coat. Spread in an even layer on the bottom of the crock.

In a large bowl, combine beef, eggs, crumbs, ketchup, onion, salt and pepper. Mix gently, do not compact. Shape into oval or round, place on top of potatoes. Spread with topping.

Cover and cook on High for 1 hour. Reduce heat to Low and continue to cook for 6-7 hours, or until a meat thermometer reads 160º to 165ºF.

notes: I used plain ketchup for the topping since that is my family’s preference. To make the meatloaf easier to remove: Take two long pieces of foil and fold them into two strips. Place them across each other over the potatoes and set the meatloaf on top. Use as handles to remove when the meatloaf is done.

Paula Deen’s Pot Roast

1 (3-pound) boneless chuck roast
1 1/2 tsp House seasoning, recipe follows
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
3 bay leaves
3 or 4 beef bouillon cubes, crushed
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 (10 3/4-ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup Chardonnay (sub bottle of beer)

Sprinkle roast on all sides with house seasoning. Using a skillet over high heat, sear roast until brown in oil. Place roast in a crock pot, and layer onions, bay leaves, crushed bouillon cubes, garlic, and cream of mushroom soup. Add the Chardonnay and cover with enough water to cover all of the ingredients. Cook on the low setting for 8 hours.

House Seasoning:
1 cup salt
1/4 cup black pepper
1/4 cup garlic powder

Mix ingredients together and store in an airtight container for up to 6 months

notes: Skip the water, it ruins the gravy. Sub beer for the wine. For house seasoning sub 1 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp and 1/4 tsp garlic powder.

Chicken and Herb Dumplings - Crockpot

1 (2 1/2 to 3 lb) chicken, cut up
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 whole cloves
8 to 10 small white onions
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 tsp powdered marjoram
1/4 tsp powdered thyme
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup dairy sour cream (light)
1 cup packaged biscuit mix
1 T chopped parsley
6 T milk

Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper; place in slow-cooking pot. Insert cloves in one onion. Put all onions in pot. Add garlic, marjoram, thyme, bay leaf, and wine. Cover and cook on LOW 5 to 6 hours. Remove bay leaf and cloves. Stir in sour cream. Turn control to HIGH. Combine biscuit mix with parsley; stir milk into biscuit mix with fork until well moistened. Drop dumplings from teaspoon around edge of pot. Cover and cook on HIGH for 30 minutes. Makes 5 servings.

Note: Use skinless BONE-IN thighs and boneless skinless chicken breasts. DO NOT OVER COOK! Check meat with a thermometer, but it really only needs about 5 hours of cooking time.

Turkey Cacciatore Soup
Low-fat and low-calorie!

Prep: 25 minutes
Cook: 6 hours (or 2 1/2 to 3 hours)
Makes: 4 to 6 servings

1 lb uncooked ground turkey
1 cup sliced celery
1/2 cup sliced carrot
2 1/2 cups tomato juice
1 14-1/2 oz can French-cut green beans, drained
1 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced 1/4-inch thick
1/2 cup chopped tomato
1 T dried minced onion
1 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp dried basil, crushed
1 tsp dried oregano, crushed
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 bay leaf

In a large skillet, cook the turkey, celery, and carrot until turkey is brown. Drain off fat. In a 3 1/2 to 4 quart electric crockery cooker combine turkey mixture, tomato juice, green beans, mushrooms, tomato, dried minced onion, Worcestershire sauce, basil, oregano, garlic powder, sugar, black pepper, and bay leaf.

Cover and cook on LOW for 6 hours or on HIGH for 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Remove and discard bay leaf.

Slow Cooker Italian Beef for Sandwiches

Ingredients
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon onion salt
3 cups water
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 bay leaf
1 (.7 ounce) package dry Italian-style salad dressing mix
5 pounds rump roast

Directions
1. In a medium saucepan over medium high heat, combine the salt, ground black pepper, oregano, basil, onion salt, water, parsley, garlic powder, bay leaf and salad dressing mix. Stir well and bring just to a boil.
2. Place roast in a slow cooker and pour mixture over the roast. Cover and cook on low setting for 10 to 12 hours OR high setting for 4 to 5 hours. Remove bay leaf and shred meat with a fork.

Crockpot Stroganoff

1.5-2 lbs Beef stew meat*
1 small onion, chopped
1 Can Cream of onion
Can Cream of Mushroom
8 oz. Cream cheese
8 oz. Sour cream
Egg noodles

Combine stew meat, soups and onion in crockpot and mix well until meat is coated. Cook on low 8-10 hours. Before serving, cut cream cheese into cubes, stir well. Add sour cream, mix well and let simmer till heated thoroughly. Serve over cooked egg noodles.

*Substitute - You can also use ground beef, cooked and drained

Crock Pot French Dip

1 Lean beef roast
½ Tsp Garlic
½ Tsp Black pepper
1 Can Beef broth
1 Env dry French onion soup
1 Bottle of Beer
3 C Water
Mozzarella Cheese
6 Hoagie rolls

Season roast with garlic powder & pepper. Place roast in crock pot on high. In large saucepan, combine beef broth, dry French onion soup, beer, and water. Bring to a boil and pour over roast in crock pot. Cook on high for 5 hours.

Once finished removed and slice or shred. Place hoagie rolls covered with mozzarella under broiler till cheese is melted. Place beef on buns, place top bun and cut in half. Ladle juice out of crock pot into small bowls and place at each setting for dipping.

Crock Pot Chicken Cacciatore
6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 (28 oz.) Spaghetti sauce
2 green bell peppers, seeded and cubed
8 oz. Mushrooms, sliced
1 onion, finely diced
2 Tbsp Garlic, minced

Put chicken in crock pot. Top with all ingredients and cook for 7 to 9 hours on low.

Crockpot Chicken Swiss with Stuffing
4 Chicken breasts
4 Swiss cheese slices
1 Box Stuffing mix
½ C Chicken broth
2 Cans Reduced fat Cream of Chicken Soup
½ C Parmesan cheese

Spray crockpot with nonstick, put breasts on the bottom. Cover with Swiss cheese. In a separate bowl, mix stuffing and season packet (if they aren’t already combined), cream of chicken soup and chicken broth. Pour and spread over the chicken, sprinkle parmesan cheese on top and cover. Cook on low for 7-8 hours.

Pot Roast Italiano
1 2-3# beef chuck roast
1 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes, drained
1 12 oz. can tomato sauce
2 t. red wine vinegar
2 medium onions, sliced
1 t. oregano
1 t. garlic powder (or to taste)
1 t. basil
salt and pepper (to taste)
1 6 oz. can tomato paste
grated parmesan cheese

Place sliced onions on bottom of crock pot. Place roast in crock pot. Season with salt and pepper. Pour diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, vinegar, and spices over roast. Cook on high for 1 hour, and then low for 8 hours. Transfer meat to cutting board and cut into chunks. Meanwhile, whisk tomato paste into the gravy in the pot roast and add parmesan cheese to taste. Add meat back to gravy and serve.

Crockpot BBQ Beef Brisket

2-3 lb. brisket
1 large onion chopped
2T minced garlic
1/3c. Worchestershire sauce (sp?)
1 small jar liquid smoke
1 bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce

The night before, place brisket in large ziploc bag. Pour in next 4 ingredients. Squeeze out all air and massage meat through the bag. place in shallow baking dish (so it won't leak) in fridge overnight. The next morning, take out the brisket and wrap it up in tin-foil. Discard the leftover liquid. Place the meat (in foil) in the crockpot and cook on low for 6 hours. Remove foil, pour BBQ sauce over meat and cook an additional 60 to 90 minutes. This brisket is GREAT sliced or shredded!

CrockPot Garlic Brown Sugar Chicken
INGREDIENTS:

1-1/2 lbs. chicken pieces
1 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup vinegar
1/4 cup lemon lime soda
2-3 Tbsp. minced garlic
1 green bell pepper, sliced
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. pepper
PREPARATION:

Place chicken in slow cooker. Mix all remaining ingredients and pour over chicken. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Serve over rice or noodles.

Slow-Cooker BBQ Chicken

3-4 chicken breasts (can be frozen)
2 C ketchup
4 tbsp. brown sugar
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp. soy sauce
1 tbsp. vinegar
1/2 tsp. garlic powder

Mix all ingredients (except chicken) in crock-pot. Add the chicken, coating each piece in sauce. Cook on high 4 hours. Remove chicken and shred/pull with forks. Return to pot and stir in sauce to coat. Serve on buns.

I add an extra step to the cooking process. When the chicken is done cooking I shred like the recipe says and mix it up really well with the sauce. Leave the lid off the crock-pot and cook it on high for another 30-60 minutes. This allows the chicken to soak up more of the juices and it becomes even more tender and flavorful and less watery since the lid is off.

SLOW COOKER RAVIOLI
Ingredients
1 (25 ounce) bag beef or cheese ravioli
1 (26 ounce) jar pasta sauce
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 cup water
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions
Pour about half of the pasta sauce in the bottom of slow cooker. Add frozen ravioli. Pour additional pasta sauce, tomato sauce, and water over ravioli. Sprinkle cheese on top. Turn slow cooker on low and cook for four to five hours (until ravioli are tender).

Busy Day Crockpot Chicken and Rice

1 LB boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 cans 98% fat-free cream of chicken soup
1 can 98% fat-free cream of mushroom soup
1 box chicken flavor rice-a-roni

Put chicken and soups into the crockpot, turn on low for 8-10 hours, or high for 4-5 hours. When you get home, cook the rice according to package directions. Serve the chicken and gravy over rice. Easily Doubles!

To Die For Crockpot Roast
1 beef roast, any kind (I used boneless chuck)
1 pkg. dried brown gravy
1 pkg. dried Italian salad dressing mix
1 pkg. dried ranch dressing mix
½ cup water

1. Place beef roast in crockpot
2. Mix together the dried mixes in a bowl and sprinkle over the roast.
3. Pour the water around the roast
4. Cook on low for 7 – 9 hours

Easy Santa Fe Chicken

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 cans whole kernel corn, drained
1 cup bottled thick and chunky salsa
5 skinless boneless chicken breasts (can use frozen)
1 8 oz brick cream cheese, low fat is fine
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese [note: we skipped this ... doesn't really need it]

1. In a 3.5 or 4 quart electric slow cooker, mix together the beans, corn, and 1/2 cup salsa. Top with the chicken breasts, then pour the remaining salsa over the chicken.

2. Cover and cook on the high heat setting 2.5-3 hours, or until the chicken is tender and white throughout; do not overcook or the chicken will toughen.
3. Remove the chicken and cut into bite sized pieces. Add back to the slow cooker.

4. Add the cream cheese (cut into cubes to melt faster), and turn slow cooker to high heat. Heat until cream cheese melts and blends into sauce.

5. Serve over rice. Top with shredded cheese. Or serve in tortillas with sour cream

Cheesy Chicken

1 lb boneless chicken breast (frozen is fine)
2 cans cream of celery soup
1 can green chiles
1 block of shredded Monterey jack cheese

Combine first 3 ingredients in crock pot and cook on low for 6 hrs. Take out chicken and shred (it will just fall apart), put back in crock pot. Throw in shredded Monterey Jack cheese and cook for 15 more mins. on low or until cheese is melted. Serve over rice.

Cream Cheese Chicken

4 chicken breasts
1/4 cup melted butter or margarine
Salt and pepper -- to taste
1-2 pkg dry Ranch or Italian Dressing mix (I only used one)
1 can cream of chicken soup
8 oz cream cheese -- cut into cubes (I used half)
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 chopped onion

Brush chicken with butter and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place in a Crock Pot and sprinkle 1 pkg dry mix over all. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours. About 45 minutes before done, brown onion in 1/4 cup of juices from Crock Pot. Add soup, second packet of dry dressing mix, cream cheese and chicken broth. Cook until smooth. Pour over the chicken and cover and cook another 45 minutes.
Serve with sauce. Goes great with rice, stuffing, pasta or mashed potatoes!
Add in broccoli or other veggies for variety.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

4 Chicken breast halves
2 15 oz. cans black beans un-drained or Pinto Beans
1 15 oz. can Mexican stewed tomatoes or Rotel tomatoes
1 cup salsa
14.5 oz. can tomato sauce
Tortilla chips
Shredded cheddar cheese

Combine all ingredients, except chips and cheese, in large slow cooker. Cover and cook for 8 hours on low. Just before serving, remove chicken and cut into bite size pieces. Stir back into soup. To, serve, place a handful of chips into each bowl and ladle soup over chips, top with cheese. Can also add sour cream to crock.

notes: I have made this on the stove top with cooked chicken. I simmer it for about 30 minutes so the flavors have time to blend well. We also add a dollop of sour cream on the top. I use the pinto beans because I can’t stand black but I’m sure if you like them that it’s good that way too.

Birds eye Garlic Chicken Pasta (found in the freezer section of most stores) is one of our favorites. Its rotini pasta with corn, carrots, broccoli, and grilled chicken in a garlic sauce. You just put it in a skillet with 1/4 cup of water and heat. Easy clean up and my kids love it.

I bake potato's in the crockpot. Just rinse your potatoes and wrap them in foil. Place them in the crock pot. Fill the pot with about 1/4 inch of water in the bottom. Cover and set it to the low 10 hour setting. When you get home, the potatoes are ready. We usually buy a tub of the Lloyd's BBQ Chicken to put on top of the potatoes or we'll microwave a bag of frozen broccoli and cheese to top them.

I also make potroast in the crock pot. Put a frozen chuck roast (this is the best kind of roast) in the pot. Pour 2 cans of Mushroom gravy and 2 cans of beef gravy over the roast. Add 1 packet Lipton Vegetable Soup Mix. Add enough water to submerge the roast in the pot. Cover and set the crockpot to the low 10 hour setting. Then when you get home all you have to do is make some mashed potatoes (or heat up a tub of Owens mashed potatoes) and some vegetables.

I do something similar with chicken. I put 4 frozen skinless chicken breasts in the crockpot and pour 4 cans of chicken gravy over them. Cover and cook on the low 10 hour setting. When I get home I make some rice and veggies.

I make chicken soup in the crockpot as well. Dice 4 bonless skinless chicken breasts and place in the crocpot along with cut up carrots, yellow and zuchini squash, cabbage, and a packet of Lipton Vegetable Soup Mix. Fill the pot with water and cook on low 10 hours. When I get home I steam a cup of rice and add to the soup.

I also use the crockpot for spaghetti. I empty 2 jars of spaghetti sauce into the crockpot along with some frozen meatballs, carrots, yellow and zuchini squash chunks, and black olives. I cook this on the low 10 hour setting so when I get home all I have to do is boil the noodles and make a salad.

And I've also made bbq ribs in the crockpot. place a rack of ribs in the crockpot and cover with BBQ sauce. Cover and Cook on low for 10 hours. When you get home all you have to do is microwave some veggies or make a salad.

The crockpot that I have is the Rival 6qt Smart pot crockpot that I got at Target...
http://www.target.com/Rival-6-qt-Smart-Pot-Little-Dipper/...

One other thing I do as well... I bought a Food Saver machine and some bags. On the weekend I sometimes cook a bunch of meals for the week, such as grilling porkchops or chicken, or boiling noodles for spaghetti. I package them up in dinner sized portions in these bags and seal them, then freeze them. So all I have to do is get out a bag of meat or a bag of noodles and microwave it for dinner.

I hope that helps. I work full time and have 2 kids in sports and a toddler, so quick meals is a must for my family.

Had to add this one more recipe, it is so good and easy! most recipes can be adapted to a crock pot.

Crockpot Enchilada Casserole

Ingredients:
3lbs. ground beef (2#'s will work)
1 med. chopped onion
1 can chopped green chilies
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can mild red enchilada sauce
1 cup milk

Directions:
Brown ground beef, onion, and green chilies together. Drain fat. Add remaining ingredients to meat mixture.

Spray crockpot with Pam and layer crushed tortilla chips, meat mixture, and grated cheddar cheese. Repeat layers. Cook on low setting for 4 or 5 hours.

If you prefer chicken you can add 1 chicken boiled and deboned or about 3 cans of white chicken.

I like to make this on Saturday night and go ahead and put in the crockpot and refrigerate overnight. On my way out the door on Sunday morning I put it on low and dinner is ready when we get home. Just add salad and red beans for a meal.

Go to savingdinner.com. Best thing I ever did for my family.She gives you the shopping list for the week and the food is great. Even my picky eater eats this food. Very easy prep, even some do ahead foods. Great site. Also you might want to check out flylady.com. Another great site for my while I was working, going to college, mom of 3, vice president of honor society and treasuer of another campus club.

B.

T.

Sometimes the hardest thing for me is to know what to cook. I'm happy to cook it -- if someone would just send me a simple menu please!

www.menus4mom.com does just that (sorry I don't know how to embed a hyperlink. Once a week, she sends out a 5-day menu plan, with recipes and a grocery list. All the menus can be prepared pretty quickly; most of them appeal to children.

Add a day of leftovers and that's six days.

On the seventh, do like God did and rest. When my kids were small, Sunday night dinner (for years and years) consisted of popcorn and ice cream in front of a favorite movie or over a family board game. It's fiber and dairy. If you want fruit, serve strawberry ice cream. ;-)

The kids used to brag to their friends about the popcorn and ice cream dinners -- their friends thought that I was the coolest mom ever! And 1 meal a week like that won't hurt too terribly. I found that the memories created were worth the loss of a nutitious meal!

Hi T. !
here is a very quick and very cheap meal.I got the receipe from a very dear friend and I thank the Lord for her everyday !
Taco Soup
3lbs or ground beef or ground turkey
2 onions
3 pkgs of taco season
1 lg can of mexican stlye tomtoes or 2 cans of rotel
2 cans of corn
2 cans of ranch style beans
1 can of green chilies (opt.)
Brown the meat and chop up the onions and cooked with the meat browning. Drain. Place meat into pot and all the othere ingredients into the pot and simmer for about 30 mins. Enjoy! It is fast , cheap and delicious!
Have a Great Day !
Y. M.

Hi T.,

You can check out allrecipes.com & betty crocker to find recipes for your family. These sites provide ratings, so you can read reviews and get tips from others to make the meal better. Hopefully this helps...

http://allrecipes.com/HowTo/Dinner-in-an-Instant/Detail.aspx

http://www.bettycrocker.com/Recipes/Dinner/

Hi T.,

I hear you on the "do not love to cook"! My secret weapon is actually a totally old-school cookbook my mom used when I was a kid. The title (no kidding) is "The I Hate to Cook Cookbook". It is out of print, but you can find copies on eBay. My family's favorite recipe is for "Chilly Night Chili":
1 lb. ground beef (or turkey)
1 white onion
1 can tomato soup
1 can red kidney beans
1 can black olives
1 T chili seasoning

dice the onion and saute it in a skillet. Add the ground beef and brown it. Drain the fat (if needed). Then in a medioum saucepan, combine the browned meat, sauteed onions, and all of the rest of the ingredients in this recipe. Stir it up and let it simmer for about 15 minutes (more is just fine, I've let it simmer for as much as 2 hours). Stir it every now and then and that's it.

I serve it up in a bowl with grated cheddar over it, but my husband likes to eat it with tortilla chips. If I'm getting really fancy, I'll but a can of cornbread mix and serve it alongside.

Lots of great ideas here! Two things--Ilene's weblink had an error, it should be www.menus4moms.com (with an s on moms). But I just checked it out and it looks awesome! The other thing was on someone's suggestion of the author who hides healthy foods in regular kid friendly food--that is Jessica Seinfeld's "Deceptively Delicious" and also "The Sneaky Chef" by Missy Chase Lapine--the basic idea is to puree veggies and slip them into food such as mac n cheese, meatballs, etc. It's a bit of an effort, but I'm having especially good luck with my son who actually doesn't mind the flavor of garlic and onion but hates the texture, so if I puree them, he won't even notice!
Good luck!

Two free websites I use are www.menus4moms.com and www.modernmenus.com. Modern menus tends to be more whole foods and healthier options. They give you a weeks worth of dinner menus and shopping lists. I just highlight what I actually need. My oldest is on a swim team and has practice for until 6 four night a week and my youngest has gymnastics two days a week so meals can be dificult. Oh yeah, I work too.

You have gotten alot of responses but wanted to also share information with you about Tastefully Simple and our varied products. My website is www.tastefullysimple.com/web/msmiles and on there you will find everything from seasonings, bread mixes, soups, appetizers and dip mixes to desserts and drink mixes. I also have a stock the freezer collection that I can forward you or anyone else if interested that you can do as a girl's night out or party for newly married or expecting parents.

T.~ I love to cook and have some excellent meals that are quick and my kids will eat them too. I have three girls that are pretty picky eaters so I won't even share the recipe with you if it isn't something they will eat :-)

Rachael Ray's website is one of the best ones around for finding easy and delicious recipes and another one is www.recipezaar.com. I check it out everyday and members rate the recipes and then write their own comments about what they would do to make it better which is terrific and makes it foolproof!

To get you started, here is one of my family's favorite recipes that everyone loves. Measurements aren't exact and can be fiddled with but this is how I make it. It is so incredibly easy to make but taste like you slaved over a hot stove all day! Let me know if these are the kinds of recipes you are looking for and I will send you more.

Chicken w/ Stuffing

4- 6 chicken boneless, skinless breasts (or any chicken your family likes)

4-6 slices of swiss cheese (more if you are feeling indulgent)

2 cans Cream of Mushroom soup

1 box Stove Top stuffing (any flavor you like....I use the Sage"

Place the chicken in the bottom of a casserole dish and cover with the cheese slices. Top with the soup and bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees. Make stuffing according to package directions and then place on top of the chicken mixture at the end of cooking and bake 10 more minutes. Serve with salad and I guarantee you there won't be any leftovers!

I've enjoyed reading all the responses to the question about quick meals, there were many good ideas. When cooking meals quickly, the ingredient that often goes by the wayside is fresh vegetables. Fruits and vegetables are so important for a strong healthy immune system. I have found a way to get ten servings of fruits and vegetables into my kids everyday! So, on the days that I have to fix quick processed foods for dinner, I know they are still getting the nutrients, vitamins, and antioxidants to keep their immune system balanced. Imagine that, juiced, fruits and veggies in delicious gummies and the children love them!It's called "Juice Plus" and it has made a huge difference in our family's health. To know more about it, and see what the professionals say, visit www.yesfruitsandveggies.com .

I have 3 girls 7 & under, a stay at home mom, cancer survivor, very much into health & nutrition.

cooks.com
simple, quick easy to follow recipes.
Good Luck, A.!

I am similar in that I like good food but not the time it takes to make and clean up . I would highly recommend checking out the website, savingdinner.com Leanne, a registered nutritionist, has numerous meal plans to choose from including some that can be assembled ahead and frozen for use later. She will email you with a weeks worth of meal plans including a shopping list. I have found that they do not take long to make, yet are delicious and nutritious. I highly recommend trying it out!!
S. S

Boil water
cut chicken into chunks
add to pan with olive oil and season to taste with salt, pepper and seasoning
add noodles to water
saute and be sure to brown
add any veggies in your fridge and saute until soft
Drain pasta
combine noodles and veggies.
add olive oil and salt and pepper, parmigiana cheese

My husband and daughter LOVE this.

I cook this in an electric skillet with a lid - it's almost impossible to burn it that way especially when I get busy with the kids...

Rice-A-Roni I get the chicken flavored lower salt when it's on sale $1.00 a box. I sautee the rice-a-roni with the butter for a few minutes - then add the water - then I add some cut-up(bite size) pieces of skinless boneless chicken breasts - - - then some chopped up broccoli(cut really really small so the kids cannot pick it out) - If you want all four food groups you can add cheese - but I don't.... then you simmer the whole thing with the lid on just as you would if you were cooking the rice by itself - in about 30 minutes dinner is done!!!

I hope the kids like it!

V.
mother of 5; 17, 12, 7, 5 and 3 months

This meal-planning, cooking, deciding, budgeting, etc... is one of my biggest stresses in life. I JUST FOUND an amazing website! It lays out a weekly meal plan - whichever type you choose - for your specific GROCERY STORE - with the cost for a week's worth of meals averaging $65-$75 per week! I subscribed to the Kroger mealplan for a family of 5. I haven't started using it yet b/c I just started this week! The subscription is only $5 per week. It's called e-mealz. They have a member incentive program too, so if people log in under your link, they will give you $ for each friend who subscribes through your own link! If you enter the website through this link (you might have to copy/paste it into your browser window if you can't click on it), I will get credit - but don't feel like you have to! My link is:
http://www.e-mealz.com/amember/go.php?r=13340&i=l0
Anyway, the website is mealtimemakeover.com
Check it out! Good Luck!

Hi T.,
I know what you mean, I don't enjoy cooking or trying to decide what to cook. I have one that won't eat chicken, another fish, and my 13 year old hates mexican food and chocolate. My favorites!! But I found a series of cookbook that are great, they are from Southern Living at HOME; Easy Weeknight Favorites, Everyday Menues, Busy Moms Weeknight Favorites, Simple Suppers, and 5 Ingredience 15 Minutes, they even have kids cookbooks, and they are all great. They have large print and pictures. I love pictures. If you are interested you can check them out at www.southernlivingathome.com/danacarey or email me I will send you a catalog. Hope this helps.
Dana

Hi, I know this is from last October, but I gotta tell ya, I go to Kraftfoods.com when I need something easy (and they'll even make your shopping list for you). They also send me magazine-style cookbooks twice a year, along with coupons and weekly recipes to my email inbox. Most of the things I've made are very good (rated by my whole family - husband, two boys @ 13 & 10), plus there are cook's reviews right along with each recipe online, so other people's opinions are available as well (sometimes others suggest additions or substitutions. I've had very good luck. Best wishes...D. :)

Check out recipezaar.com It is a wonderful recipe site that has recipes that are rated by people who try them. You can narrow down the recipes by how long to make, how easy, number of ingredients, type of meat, etc. I did not like cooking very much before but since I found zaar my hubby says I never make the same meal twice(LOL)

BTW..I am a stay at home, homeschooling mom of 5 ages ten and under.
K.

There is a cookbook by Jyl Steinback called The Busy Mom's Slow Cooker Cookbook. I have a slow cooker that is nonstick and the pan part you can put on the stove to brown meats. So I can use the same pot and don't have many dishes to clean either. I've tried about 10 receipes and they are all delicious. Some receipes call for pasta in the slow cooker (I don't do that because the noodles tend to get soggy). I also adjust the sodium by using lower sodium options. It takes be around 15-30min prep. in the morning, I slow cook it all day. Then at dinner time I put it with pasta or rice, salad and fruit. No time at all I have dinner on the table. I have a family of six and some meals we have left overs for the next day or my husband takes them for lunch. I even plan my meals for the week sometimes and buy all the groceries that I will need ahead of time. Very easy, very decicious.

T.,

I just came across this today. I can't wait to try it out. I tried to link to the story for you but just in case this does not work go to YourHub.com and type in Longmont Colorado. There is a lady that came up with 3 recipes using cauliflower instead of wheat. Which is healthier and easier. Pizza, lasagna, & bread sticks.

Here is the link for you

http://denver.yourhub.com/Longmont/Blogs/Life/My-Life/Mix...

Hope it works.

J.

Ive been making BBQ chicken pizzas... I use whole wheat pits...chop up chicken and season it cook it on a skillet. I put BBQ sauce on the pitas then the cooked chicken and top it with mozzarella and feta cheese... pop it in the oven at 425 for about 10-15 mins and walla youve got pizza.

Greetings!!!

I am a big advocate for local, fresh and whole grain foods. I am not so into Racheal Ray and other processed stuff and you would think that would force us to spend tons of time in the kitchen making wholesome weekdays dinner.

Try the SIMPLE SUPPERS cookbook by the Moosewood Resturant. The meals are lovely, simple, quick and yummy. My toddler loves it!!! They even have a list in the back that shows the stuff you should have in your pantry to do the recipes. That helped me get started. We've made every recipe in the book countless times.

I have two boys, 2 3/4 and a 7 month. My husband and I work fulltime, but we love food and we cook with the kids so making dinner is part of our play time. Try it.
J.

One other option. Cooking LIght has a cookbook called 5 Ingredients, 15 Minutes. Each recipe is either only 15 minutes to prepare or has only 5 ingredients. And it is healthy! I love it.

Hi T.,

I know you already got your answers, but I felt compelled to share with you. I heard about this book called "Fix, Freeze, Feast" on the "Manic Mommies" podcast. I borrowed the book to check it out and loved it. I bought a copy for myself. It shows you how to shop at warehouses (like Costco) and buy trays of meat and take it home and prep meals to freeze for later. So far the 2 recipes I've tried were simple and delicious.

T.,

There is a book out there called "Once A Month Cooking." You shop one day, cook the next, and put all of the meals in the freezer. My friend Chris and I get together once a month and cook together (more fun that way) and we each fill our freezers up with dinners we don't have to think about anymore. The recipes are really good and use foods easily found at your grocery store. It's the same idea as Dream Dinners but a LOT more cost effective!

Good luck!

A.

You can also go to parentcenter.com (part of babycenter.com) and there is a recipe "system" there where you can choose the meal, ingredients, and it will give you the recipes that apply.

Always a good idea to have ALEADY COOKED ground beef in the freezer. Brown as soon as you buy it,or with in a day or so, and pack in either freezer containers or bags, in the appropriate amounts for a meal. Aprox 1lb size, is what you need for most recipes. It takes just a few minutes to thaw and cuts down on the evening mess.
I also recently bought 4 rotisserie chickens on special at Kroger,(after 7pm) removed the meat and put in freezer to use a few handfulls at a time for whatever meal I'm making. Works great to have a seasoned rice, such as Mahatmas Yellow rice, add a few handfuls and maybe a veggie and you have an entire meal. My daughter loves it. Best of luck.

check out http://www.savingdinner.com

It is a website by Leanne Ely, who is a certified nutrition consultant. She has all kinds of different menu plans, lots of them are free and some you can purchase for relatively cheap. She offers shopping lists. She has Hearth Healthy, Carb Conscious, Frugal, Traditional, Fix and Freeze menu planners...just about anything you'd want. She even offers suggestions on how to change it if you want it to be Kosher.

I've tried quite a few of her recipes and have really liked them.

Hi There-if you want some great recipes you can go to my website at www.kitchenspaces.tv . We have the cooking videos on the site and we also have the recipes to download. When we ask the companies to give us recipes we always ask them to keep in mind the audience who are cooking. So they are simple and flavorful!!

T.,

I know you have gotten tons of responses about this topic. They are all very helpful. I am also a Pampered Chef Independent consultant, BUT, a wife and Mother first. I have found www.allrecipes.com very helpful. I also have lots of Pampered Chef Products(obviously). My Favorite thing is the Deep Covered Baker. It cooks Chicken, pork Tenderloin, BBQ Ribs ALL in the Microwave. My husband thinks I am a Kitchen GODDESS. 3 chicken breasts in the microwave in the Deep Covered Baker takes 8 minutes. That's right 8 minutes! It is juicy and tender and cooked perfectly. That is in my microwave, of course. I use it when I am just preparing chicken for dinner or when I am going to make a casserole with chicken in it. It has made my life so much easier when it comes to dinner. I haven't used it for ground beef or fish YET. But, plan on experimenting soon.

The BBQ Ribs take 20 minutes to prepare. I am not joking! If you make a vegetable and a baked potatoe you have a restaurant style meal. In less than 30 minutes. It is Amazing!

We have all of these recipes to share through the pampered Chef. Contact your nearest PC consultant for ordering information.

I have loved our products and have been buying them for 14 years. So I decided to sell them. It has taught me a TON of tricks and recipes.

Good Luck!
www.pamperedchef.biz/aprilsmalley

Hi,

I have a similar issue. I am a SAHM to Tres 30 months & Ava Paisley 6 months and constantly on the go too. A friend of mine referred me to www.sunfare.com and I just started it. It is great.
They prepare and deliver to you, fresh healthy breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack, dessert of your choice. I figure it's the same cost as take out/going out to eat or the grocery store and it's all prepared for you. The food is not processed and not frozen which is also great. I love it! Feel free to e-mail me back if you want more info. Hope this will be a good option for you!

Hi, T.!
You have got to check out the Everyday Food Magazine. I am into fast, healthy options. It is wonderful! Healthy, quick meals that are under 5 ingredients usually. They have nutritional information for every recipe & the prep time & total time that it takes to make the recipe. It is a Martha Stewart Publication, but it is so easy. Really! You can get 10 issues for $18 a year. Plus, they have pictures for every recipe & they have the Everyday Food Shows on PBS. Go to www.MarthaStewart.com & click on Magazines to find it, they will send you a free preview issue. You can also find it in some stores. You will not be disappointed. Everyone of my friends that have tried it have loved it! Blessings!

I know that you have probably rec'd more than enough responses, but here is one more just in case you are looking for a cookbook to make your life easier. 29 Minutes to Dinner, put out by the Pampered Chef. Unbelievable! I have been a consultant with the company for 8 years & in all my years of using their products (14) haven't found a cookbook this great and this much used by my family of 5. I can actually start a meal at 5:45 and we are sitting down by 6:15. All of us! My kids have loved every recipe that I have made so far & frequently request their favorites over & over. You can see the book on my website at www.pamperedchef.biz/chefleslie. I hope you find it helpful like I have. L.

One site I didn't see listed in the responses is bhg.com (Better Homes and Garden). I just pulled some good new ideas off there lately.

The other site I did see mentioned is marthastewart.com. Her company publishes Everyday Food to which I used to subscribe.

Both sites allow you to create your own recipe files on line or to print them out in several formats including directly to recipe cards. Both sites also have weekly newsletter to which you can subscribe. The databases are also searchable.

Check out any Rachel Ray cookbook or her website (rachelray.com, which even has a kid friendly section). Not only does she provide almost exclusively 30 min or less meals, in some of the cookbooks she provides shopping lists, and most of the recipies can be changed to suit.

check out dream dinners, if you have one nearby. i love them! you pick your day and time, then arrive at their shop and arrange the menu items you chose. it's a lot of fun, with other women there doing the same thing, music, beverages and food. the staff there is so friendly and keep the place spotless. i look forward to going, and see it as "me" time even though i'm actually cooking meals for my family. the recipes are easy to follow, and you just stick all the ingredients into plastic bags to go into your freezer until you are ready to thaw, cook and serve them. the meals are delicious, and there is a different selection every month so your family won't get burned out. go to www.dreamdinners.com to find out more information.

Hi,

You may want to check out http://savingdinner.com/. It is a subsription service, but very reasonable, I think. There is a variety of meal types you can choose from. Every week you get shopping lists and recipes for 6 meals. All the meals are very simple and tasty. I did this for about two years. I also subsribe to Rachel Ray's magazine. LOVE her recipes!

I use to make fried potatoes, hamburger, mix in baked beans, (bush baked bean) Layer over fried pot, or can use toast, and baked Pot. HoBo Stew

2. Round Steak, Cut off fat, fry up onion and green peppers, in butter, brown steak, on both sides, layer onion and green peppers, on top pour tomato sause on top (2 small cans or 1 lg.cam) and bake at 350 for 30 mintues. more tender, lower the heat and and bake at 275 for 45 min. Make mashed pot, and server with corn, you already have gravy, the tomato sause is great over the meat and pot. ( Add water if sause isn't over the steak, and looks dried out, I always rinse out the cans and add that water over the top)

Meat Balls ! Take hamburger, add 2 eggs, green peppers, onions and uncooked rice, mix well. Make small or med. size meat balls, add 2 cans of tomtoe soup in skillet place meet balls in skillet cover, turn meat balls, until done, great with mas. pot. (green beans, No sodium)I like french cut. again sause from sktllet is used over meat and pot.

These are just a few I have that are fast to make, you can make the meat ball up ahead of time. If your boys enjoy these then I have many other I can send to you, this are just off the top of my head.

L.

I know you already have plenty of ideas, but I just came across a tool on the ricearoni website that recommends recipes based on what you have in your pantry.

http://www.ricearoni.com/rar_recipes/dinnerWizard/index.cfm

I see that you have already received may good responses. I just wanted to let you know that Southern Living at HOME has 2 kid friendly cookbooks. One of the books is even by Williams Sonoma. They both contain recipes that are easy and also ones that encourage the kids to cook.
You can look at my site to view these books at:
www.southernlivingathome.com/dawnjones
Thanks and happy looking.

Have you heard of Dream Dinners? It's a place in Sacramento where you go and you put together pre-made dinners. I haven't actually done it myself, but a co-worker of mine did and says it was great. And the meals are really good. You go to the place and takes about 2 hours to put together a week's worth of meals that are put in these containers for you to keep in your freezer or fridge until you ready to cook them. Try going to their website and see if it's something that may work for you. Hope this helps.

why don't you just buy a cook book? they sell ones they require few ingredients and are kid friendly. you can even get them at the library.

The best advice I can give is invest in a slow cooker and the fix it and forget cookbook they are a godsend. You start the meal in the morning and it's ready by dinner and all you do is put all the ingrediants in the cooker and leave it what could be better. Most of the recipes don't call for a lot of ingrediants and are good if your on a budget and there tasty too.

Hi T.,

I am a registered Dietitian and you may check out my food tips at two videos at www.xnd1.com Click TV and video. "Just for the Health of It"
Key is to shop, pre prepare by cutting up all your stuff for 3 days, like the produce and cook in one pan. Making food dishes rich in fiber and low in sugars.

Also a great way to fill the nutrition gap is with a product I've been on for 7.5 years. I pay for the kids to take this fruit and veggie chewable or capsule when parents are also taking it. www.jpscience.com

Please email me directly and share this info with anyone you may fill will benefit. ____@____.com

T. Hall, RD, LDN, CD

Hi,

I work for Southern Living at HOME and we have wonderful cookbooks, especially the 5 ingrediant cookbook and the easy weeknight cookbook. These are fast and delicious recipes you and your family will enjoy for a long time. Think about checking them out

Hi T.,
Just wanted to mention that I am a member of the Riverside Chamber of Commerce and I attended an open house for a company called "Dream Dinners". They have a few different locations. Basically, you go to the business and they have the pre-measured ingredients and simple recipes for multiple meals. You throw everything together and put them in either freezer bags and/or boxes. Then you bring them home and each day, you'll have different meals to choose from and they are already made...You may want to take a look at the website to see if the meals appeal to you. But from the samples I tasted - it was delicious!!
Good Luck,
R. R

Plan a head when you can. visit my website for some recipes and pampered chef has even more
www.pamperedchef.biz/rhondafeuer.

Pre cook ground beef 3-4 lbs then divide in to meal protions and freeze. You have the start for many different meals like chill, tacos, spagetti, sloppy foes etc. Power Cooking doing the multi meals at a time is the way to go.
let me know if I can help in any way.
good luck!

I just bought Jessica Seinfeld's 'Deceptively Delicious' cookbook and am very excited to start using it. You puree all of your fruits and veggies ahead of time, and then you can use the purees in her recipes. Even if the kiddos turn down their veggies at dinner, you know they're still getting them...they just don't know it.
and I have to add that I am a HUGE Rachael Ray fan. You will spend more time chopping stuff up for her recipes, but you can do it ahead of time. Every recipe of hers that I have made has been gobbled up by my husband and kids.

Hi-

I have 2 boys who are almost 7 yrs & 2.5 yrs. By the time the older one finishes his homework it's dinner time & I then have the younger one hanging on more or getting into stuff. So, I, too, try to make quick & simple meals. I get a lot recipes from Campbell's soup cans. I usually have to add a bit more spice but overall they're tasty, don't require a lot of ingredients & are quick. They have a web site, too, that you can go to for recipes. Hope this helps & good luck!

I am not sure what town you live in, but we have two places that prepare your meals and you just pop them in the oven. I love it. No mess, no cleanup. SavorySolutions.com and DinnerMyWay.com

T. ~ There is a great cookbook you can pick up at any book store by Pillsbury called 30-Minute meals. Also check out Rachael Ray's 30-Minutes or less on the Food Network. She has some really fabulous ideas and you can download the recipe for free off of your computer. If you clean as you cook, you'll enjoy cooking a little more. Good luck and I hope this is helpful.

Hi T.,

you can go to rachelray.com she also has a show on weekdays at 3pm she does alot of meals that you can do in 30 minutes or you can get her magazine those are really good I have 4 kids 2 of them are like your boys they are 4 and 7 and they don't like mac & cheese either, another place you can go is allrecipes.com. there is alot of good recipes on there that you can do either ahead of time or not. allrecipes has a section that will let you list what ingrediants you have already and ingredients you don't have and it will show you what you kind of meals you can do. I always go to the internet for recipes good luck.

hope this helps
A.

I am a single ,full- time student,working mother of three. So I do understand that saving time is everything. I use all of my mothers and grannys recipies. I do have some time saving tips. On Sataturday evenings I act as my own prep cook for the week. I chop, saute, marinade and precook meats until they are almost done. Please try this as it will cut your dinner cook time down to 30 min, which is usually cook time because everythng's done already. Use your favorite time consuming recipies just take an evening or afternoon to do the prep work.Get the family involved peeling potatoes and other veggies. I hope this helps.

I would like to suggest Sandra Lee from Semi-Homemade found on Foodtv.com or dish network. Her receipes will meet your needs she writes them with even the brand names found in major grocery store today. They give you estimate time and aren't complex. She has a pretty good one for Crock pot (slow cooker) which you can start in the morning and put the finish touch in the evening. Good Luck

I agree with some of the prvious posts. I love Dream Dinners. I have been doing this for about 4 months now. It takes the prep work out of it and thinking of what to cook. Some of the dishes even come with sides. last night our family had the best steak with gorgonzola sauce. We made a salad and a little side of pasta to go with it. It was fast, easy, and delicious.

I have found a place called Organic Dish here in Boulder. The meals are very reasonable and since it is all prepared for you it is easy to just throw it in a pan or the oven and cook. I think they deliver across the country but I would recommend finding a local food prep company. The cost of the meals for 3 adults is about 20.00.

If you don't have one, invest in a good crock pot. They are a life saver. You put the food in it the night before, put it on low, and in 12 hours, you have a cooked meal. All you need to do is add your bread and veggies and the family is happy.

Healthy and simple: buy organic beans (all different kinds) OR make your own and keep in small ziplocks in freezer for easy and correct amounts. Make brown rice (add red peppers, onions, garlic other vegetables chopped fine) and keep in the refrigerator. You can purchase rotisserie chicken or use other quick cooking meats and with the proper seasoning, you can have mexican, chinese, plain, etc.

T.,

I'm new to MAMASOURCE, but wanted to point out that I am an Independent Consultant with The Pampered Chef! Ever heard of us? We have not only fabulous cookbooks that prepare meals in under 30 minutes with easy steps, etc. But we also come to your home, you invite a few friends and we work together to make the recipe(S) that night using our kitchen tools that make it all so much easier! The best part, is one of our cooking show themes I'm doing right now is "POWER COOKING". It can prepare 3-6 meals, using one basic meat of either a ground sirloin, chicken or turkey...and then the other additives.
I'd love to tell you more about it, and perhaps we can work something out to come do a cooking show for you and some friends! You'd get 3-6 meals for your family from it, plus free products and huge discounts based on the other sales from the evening.
Visit my website at www.pamperedchef.biz/jeannesurdo , or email me direct at ____@____.com if you'd like more info.

Happy cooking!

J.

Rachael rays 30 minute meals

You said 30 minutes or less and I immediately thought of Rachael Ray. You can find all sorts of recipes on foodtv.com under her 30-minute meals link, or you can buy one of her cookbooks, also another good show is 'quick fix meals'... I think that's what it's called. The woman on that show does a lot of make-ahead recipes which take almost no time. There's a woman out there somewhere who "hides" good-for-you foods in recipes... I don't remember her name or the name of her products. I would just do an internet search on it. Other than that, just watch food shows and learn as you go... That's mostly what I've done.

If you don't have a crockpot, you must invest in one. This is a life saver. You can go to the internet search box and type in "crockpot recipes" and get thousands of simple recipes. You can "load" your crockpot anywhere from 10-4 hours prior to dinner time.

Hi T.: Have you checked our Homemade Gourmet? the website is www.homemadegourmet.com. It is dry mixes that you just add the liquids or perishables and you can do them at night after your kids go to bed or whenever you have a moment of free time. I have two boys too and this has made life easier for me. In fact, I felt so stongly about it, that I began selling the products so that I could help other mothers like myself. One of my friends used the 4 meals in 4 minutes colletion recently, (contains enough mixes to make 50+ meals) and she made 28 of the meals and put them in the freezer for her family in less than an hour. She also home schools, so her time is limited. If you buy in bulk, you can easily put these meals in your freezer for future use and it saves you time and money! Check it out.

You also need to try out The Dinner A'fare which is comparable to Dream Dinners but the quality of the food is
SO MUCH BETTER. You don't even have to assemble the meal, you can pay extra (stand-in chef) and they will assemble it for you so all you have to do it pick it up!

Hey T.,

Do you have a crockpot? A little bit of time in the morning while doing breakfast and packing school lunches to prepare and put the food in and then later in the evening you'll have a meal.

It's been a great time saver for us. Plenty of crockpot cookbooks at the library too :)

Start with the meat or seafood of choice and use different spices and sauces to suit your taste of the day. Many companies in the frozen food section have packaged frozen vegtables that steam in their own bag in five minutes. Also, romain and iceburg ect. come in packages already washed and ready to serve. Grape tomatoes sprinked one the top of salad look so pretty. Top with your favorite dressing. Add any of your favorite vegtables and/or cheese and your set.

Hello T.,
one easy thing i like to cook is called skillet sensation, they have many different choices and it has the pastas meats n veggies in it,and it only takes 10-15 mins to make, hopefully you can find it and your family enjoys!!!!

L. m.

Hi there, I'm new to MamaSource and just saw the results from your original request. There is a food product that's on the market that is sold through independent consultants that would fit your need. It's called Tastefully Simple - there are consultants in most states. All of the mixes are designed to give you something really good in a short time frame without a lot of ingredients (most things require no more than two ingredients to make them). These are always ingredients that are common to the kitchen unlike some recipes that require hard to find ingredients.

The joke in our house since I started selling the products is that I keep a bowl of flour and a bowl of water at the kitchen door and toss a little on my face as I bring dinner to the table to indicate that I've been working SOOOO hard to get dinner made. Even my husband now quotes cooking time to me.

Hi T.,
I'm not sure if you are still looking for meal suggestions but please check out my website for great meal solutions that are easy and delicious.I am an independent distributor for Homeamde Gourmet and I think we can help you with some great family meals!
www.homemadegourmet.com/dena18094
D.

I am a mother of two, as well as an educator. My current speciality and intreset is cooking with children. In addition to my current job, I just became a Pampered Chef Consultant. I love to cook, I love to teach people how to make quick simple meals, and I love to teach parents how to incorporate children into the dinner routine. It just so happens that I have several different shows that may interest you. Hosting a show helps you earn free products from Pampered Chef (which most use to buy child friendly products), it will help you and your friends learn how to help bring the family into the kitchen to help make dinner, and you will learn some quick but good dinner ideas. Please let me know if anyone is interested. I would be helping you, and you would be helping me by supporting my passion for family cooking!

S. Mokhtari
Independent Pampered Chef Consultant
____@____.com