Does anyone have any quick fix meal ideas?

Question

I need some quick fix meals to cook for my family when I get off work. I have run out of things to cook. Eating out gets old not to mention expensive. Need help from working moms with families. Not just working moms but ANYBODY!!

Answer 1

Couscous is a wonderful staple for summer cooking. It cooks up in literally 5 mins and you can serve it with anything. Buy it in a big jug and take out as much as you need for a meal.

Pick up package of chicken breasts and brown in a pan with some garlic and butter. Add a some chopped onion, mushrooms and chopped summer squash, cook til tender. Add some tomato wedges to the pan and cover.

Make up a batch of couscous and add a handful of chopped cilantro and green onions. Serve with garlic bread and cold lemonade. Simple and extremely delicious

Answer 2

I am guessing that you have kids, mine LOVE these!!

Split hot dogs lengthwise & broil. In the meantime, make mashed potatos to your taste. When the dogs are nice and brown, remove and put about 1/2 - 2/3 cup of mashed potatos on top of each and then add a thin 'wedge' of your favoite cheese and broil until cheese is melted and a little browned. Serve with your choice of green vegetables and/or salad.

Another one:

Take potatos, about one large per person, cut into bite size pieces and boil till 'almost' done. Pour off 90% of the water (or even a little more - you just want to keep enough in there to create steam). Turn down the heat to simmer and then add a sliced up Kilbasa sausage, bag of Broccoli and then sliced up Velveeta --- do NOT mix, leave in these layers until velveeta is melted and all is hot. Then carefully mix together when ready to serve (be careful as the potatos tend to break if stirred up too much). Season however your family likes and enjoy.

Answer 3

Tacos, Jambalaya (I use Zattarains, make it with smoked sausage and it's really easy, but good with either sausage or chicken -- all of their meals in a box are good), Frozen Ravioli/Tortillini -- it takes like 5 minutes, just add some Prego, Hamburger Helper can be good every once in a while. Stir-Fry - use the seasoning packets you can buy, cook your chicken and use frozen veggies. The Chicken Helper Chicken Fried Rice is surprisingly good.

Hope this helps! For Christmas I got the cookbook "Betty Crocker's Quick & Easy Cookbook" it's great. Everything is "realistic" meals that are quick.

Answer 4

Casseroles are good - cook some pasta and mix in either spaghetti sauce or alfredo sauce and then add in some chicken.

Mix together two or three cream soups along with a can of Rotel tomatoes, shredded cheese, chicken and tortilla chips. Bake in the oven at 350 for 30 minutes.

Grill some chicken breasts (or other chicken parts). Cut into small chunks and mix with mayonnaise and curry powder (mild or spicy - your choice). Search on toasted bread with either chips or french fries.

Get a bag of salad. Brown hamburger meat and add in taco seasoning mix. Mix with the salad. Have shredded cheese on the side along with Catalina salad dressing.

Brown hamburger meat and add taco seasoning. Heat up some refried beans. Serve seasoned meat over tostado shells with the refried beans and shredded cheese and salsa. Add guacamole salad if you like.

Buy frozen steak fingers and cook in the oven. Make mashed potatoes along with gravy. Serve together with a vegetable.

Answer 5

Anything in a crock pot . . . roast or stews. Just put everything in when you go to work and it will be ready when you get home. Also, a piece of fish is always easy and quick. A little olive oil and salt and pepper. Put it in the oven for 10 minutes on 425. Then steam some brocolli or a veggie with rolls. Quick and easy.

Answer 6

Anything that can be cooked together in a frying/sauce pan usually works well. Potatoes/veggie/ground meat (or veggie substitute). Omelets/fritatas are good for dinner too. I'm a big fan of breakfast for dinner. My mom's favorite "casserole" is cheese burg pie: cheese, red sauce, cooked rice, peppers, onions, and ground meat. Just pop it in the oven to melt the cheese. Shepard's pie is always good too. How about taco/quesadilla night? Or for hot summer days, a salad bar?

Answer 7

here's one that's quick, cheap, and the ingredients are probably already in your pantry -- which is how my family created it one night, when there was nothing else to throw together...

2 cups cooked rice
1 lg can spaghetti sauce (flavor of choice)
1+ pound(s) ground beef
1+ cup(s) shredded cheese (flavor of choice)
optional - 1 can mushroom pcs

1. Use preferred method for cooking rice.
2. Cook hamburger in large skillet over medium heat.
3. When thoroughly cooked, drain and add spaghetti sauce. Turn temperature down to simmer.
4. If desired, add mushrooms.
5. When sauce mix has simmered for 10 minutes, stir into cooked rice. Stir thoroughly.
6. Add cheese. Stir thoroughly.

Serve with bread and enjoy!

**NOTE: You can also use cream soups instead of the spaghetti sauce. We often use Cream of Mushroom (1 lg can), and lately have been using 1 smaller (10.75 oz) can of cream of mushroom along with 1 (10.75 oz) can of cream of onion, for a smooth, savory blend. This recipe is easily adjustable for whatever flavors your family prefers, and is quick and easy to make.

Answer 8

The meal in a box are good.
Waffles
Pancakes
Soup
Grilled Tuna sanwhich
Grilled Cheese sandwhich
Crockpot meals (put in when you get up and when you get off and ready to eat the meat just falls apart when you eat it)

Just remember that if you want meat with it and you have it frozen you will need to pull it out and put it in the fridge so that it is thawed out when you get home and not frozen solid when you try and make dinner.

Answer 9

Not a working mom, but this is a speciality. Take 1lb hamburger, and fry it up like you would for spagetti. drain it and add a cup of water, and a package of gravy mix, or make your own gravy, add your vegies, and mix it with cooked egg noodles(or any favorite of yours). If you want more ideas send me a quick e-mail, I have a bunch of them, and other ideas for people in your predicament. I've been in that area.

Answer 10

Taco Salad is so yummy and fun to eat!

Cook chop meat as directed on taco seasoning packet, add Catalina dressing, olives, tomatos, etc...and serve over chips