Need easy dinner ideas?!?!? help?

Question

I will be moving out of my paren'ts house in a couple weeks and I need quick, easy and cheap dinner ideas. I am a full time student who will be moving in with her boyfriend. I want to let him know I can cook for him, but at the same time I don't know what to cook!!! He is a bit of a picky eater meaning he doesn't like onions, tomatoes, lettuce. stuff like that. Any ideas would be helpful. Thanks

Answer 1

ROAST CHICKEN

1 (3-to-3 ½ pound) free-range chicken

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

2 sprigs of fresh rosemary

2 sprigs of fresh thyme

1 tablespoon of peanut oil

2 tablespoons of unsalted butter

Coarse sea salt

Now, the recipe calls for you to truss the chicken, which I normally don’t do. But you can learn how to do it by going here.

1. Heat the oven to 375˚F. Rinse the chicken and dry thoroughly with paper towels. Cut off the last joint of the wing and discard. Season the chicken liberally inside and out with kosher salt and pepper, place the rosemary and thyme inside the cavity, and if you are going to truss the bird, truss away.

2. Heat the oil in a large, heavy ovenproof skillet over medium heat until it moves easily across the pan. Place the chicken on its side in the skillet and brown, about 7 minutes. Turn and brown the other side, about 7 minutes more. Place the chicken breast-side up and transfer the skillet to the oven. Roast for about 20 minutes, then add butter. Continue roasting, basting occasionally, until the thigh juices run clear, about 30 minutes more. Remove the chicken from the oven and cover loosely with aluminum foil. Allow the chicken to rest for 10 to 15 minutes, then carve and serve sprinkled with coarse sea salt.

SWISS CHARD with CANNELLINI BEANS
(NOTE: “Jamie Gibberish” is put in quotations)

2 large handfuls of Swiss chard, washed

1 small handful of thyme or summer savory, leaves picked

2 cloves of garlic, peeled and thinly sliced

2 anchovy fillets

extra virgin olive oil

1 14oz can of cannelloni beans, drained

1 large “pat” of butter

sea salt and freshly ground pepper

½ a lemon

1) Cook the Swiss chard in salted, boiling water until just tender, drain and remove to one side.

2) In the same pot fry your herbs, garlic and anchovies in a couple of “glugs” of olive oil. Add your cannellini beans with a tablespoon of water to help heat them through. Then, after a minute add the chard and butter. Toss together and season to taste with salt, pepper, and a little squeeze of lemon juice. Serve immediately.

Answer 2

The quickest and easiest foods to make at home don't really require any recipes at all! Buy chicken breasts or parts, and fish fillets, brush with a bit of olive oil, sprinkle with s&p, and then pop under the broiler for a few. Most fish fillets will cook in under 10 minutes, unless they are super thick, and boneless chicken breasts - turning once 1/2 way through cooking time - cooks in about 20. Serve with a side of white or wild rice, and a steamed veggie or salad.
You will find that pasta is pretty cheap - and it's a good staple to have on hand. There are a lot of premade sauces you can buy now (and if you're not sure what he likes, you may want to try a premade one before taking the time to make it from scratch, even though I am a big proponent of homemade). Rice is another good, easy one to top with a good stir fry. Just heat up a bit of oil in a pan, toss in some chopped onion, garlic and ginger, some chopped chicken or beef, some sliced veggies of choice, a bit of of soy sauce and cook until everything is just cooked through.

Answer 3

A tip: If you are cooking for your boyfriend and he is picky, he needs to appreciate the fact that you are doing this as a favor to him and to be nice and at least TRY what you make. If he doesn't like it or is a picky butt, he'll have to make his own. I have zero patience for finicky eaters, sorry! LOL :)

I love bean and cheese quesadillas/burritos and they are super easy, just put refried beans and tons of cheese inside a large flour tortilla, microwave for a minute or 2 until the cheese melts, fold in half and serve with salsa and guacamole.

mac n cheese with ham added is yummy and easy.

tuna salad sandwiches are easy and delicious.

I would have said spaghetti or any pasta dish, as those are the cheapest meals to make, but you said he doesn't like tomato sauce? Still....I'd try it anyway. You can also do pasta with an olive oil/garlic/parmesan cheese topping which I find sometimes yummier than regular spaghetti. Add in some sauteed chicken or shrimp if you like as well.

Soups are good and easy. Potato is one of the easiest. You can take cooked potatoes, with or without the skins on, smash them up, add plenty of garlic and a little butter and milk until you get the right consistency, then add crumbled bacon, cheese, chives, etc..... baked potato soup :)

Answer 4

He doesn't like onion? That is a basic cooking ingredient. What about spaghetti sauce?
Get some frozen stuffed shells in a bag and a jar of Ragu mushroom flavor. Put the shells in an oven safe dish/pan, pour the sauce over it and cook for 45 mins.

There is also a magazine called 30 Minute Meals. A lot of good recipes in there.

Answer 5

I am a big fan of the crock pot for easy meals. Now that they have the liners, clean up is a breeze as well. Just throw everything in the crockpot before you leave for school and dinner will pretty much be done when you get home.

Some easy crock pot meals:

*beef or pork roast. Put meat and veggies (potatoes, carrots,etc.) in crock pot. Add some water or beef broth. About 1-2 cups depending on how many veggies and how big the crock pot is.

*you can take chicken breast or pork chops, place them in the crock pot. Cover them with a can of cream of mushroom or cream of chicken or cream of potato soup. Cook all day. It makes a really yummy gravy that you can serve over rice or noodles.

*stew/soup. same concept as the roast above only using stew meat abd adding more broth or water.

I hope I gave you some ideas that you can use. Good luck!!!

Answer 6

Well tonight we are having frozen ravioli... all you do is boil them for 3 minutes, drain water, and then add sauce. I think I paid less then $3 for everything. I also picked up a loaf of garlic bread for 99 cents. Can't beat $4

There there is always salad dressed up with chicken and other veggies cut up.

Soup and sandwiches

Spaghetti

Oh and get a crock pot. You can make ANYTHING in there!

You should just start looking through cookbooks or online and saving recipes of things you would like to try.

GOOD LUCK

Answer 7

Broil him a pork chop or two....bake up a sweet potato in your micro or oven...add a veggie on the side, he will eat...preferably a green one like green beans....

Sprinkle some lime juice and chili powder on the top of a couple of chicken breast...broil until done...it will be nice and brown.....cook up some cubed whited potatoes in a skillet with a little oil.....brown them... and again,,,some veggie he will eat....maybe green peas.

Get some fish fillets and and lightly flour them...salt and pepper...heat a little oil in a skillet.....add the filet's and brown on both sides...careful,,,fish will break up easily,,use a wide pancake turner if you have one...corn would make a good side. Or he can make fish sandwiches with the fillet's...

We eat so many salads and stir frys, it is hard to think what to make with some one who is not fond of veggies.

Don't forget....making hamburgers at home is easy...buy the frozen patties,,,saves time...and they taste good..

Buy a bottle of bar-b-q sauce...Take some chicken thighs or breasts....put them in a small pan for the oven....cook about 15 minutes and then pour your sauce over them..put back in oven until they flake with fork....add some French Fries that you can pick up in the frozen food dept....watch out,,,some have onions...pop in oven about half way through the chicken cooking....if your oven is big enough.

And dont forget...hot dogs are still good,,they are not just for kids...easy to make and with a bag of chips,,,meal done...

Answer 8

Get some tilapia. Bake it. Get some alfredo sauce mix and follow the simple instructions. Pour the alfredo sauce over the baked fish. Get some broccoli florets that you can bake or microwave. Prepare the broccoli with melted cheese. Finally get some brown rice, and follow the simple instructions on the pack. Tilapia w/ broccoli & cheese, and brown rice would be a great dinner.

Answer 9

Look at the Lipton Rice Side Dishes, Pot Pies, Chicken Soup. Just remember the cheaper the food the more fattening it is.

Answer 10

You can always fix spagetti, directions are on the box, Betty Crocker has lots of dinners that you just place in the oven. Stouffer's has meals already prepared, just take the time to check in your local market to see whats available. You don't have to be fancy, just creative. Search web sites that feature meals to cook.....................Kraft has one and several others, Good Luck, Happy Cooking!!!!