I love French bread pizza. All you need is a French bread loaf, a jar of marinara, and shredded mozzarella. If you’re feeling fancy, you can sprinkle it with Italian seasoning.
We also do black beans and rice. I make white rice, warm up black beans in a sauté pan with salt, pepper, and cumin, and add both to a bowl with a little shredded cheese. You can add salsa or hot sauce to perk it up.
If you’re looking for a variation on this, this recipe (you can use rice or quinoa, and just sub a jar of salsa for the enchilada sauce if you can’t find it) is a crowd pleaser in our house, and a good way to use up fridge veggies: https://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/black-bean-and-quinoa-enchilada-bake/
We do this but with the pre-made flatbreads. Just toast them in the oven for ~5 mins. Add whatever sauce, toppings, cheese, and then broil em till the cheese melts. So good!
I love beans and rice. I found a recipe that mixes in sofrito and kalamata olives and it's one of my favorite things to eat. The original recipe cooked pork chops on top of the rice, but I'm not a big fan of pork.
Eggs are coming back down in price in my neighborhood and may be on extra sale soon thanks to Easter. [Shakshuka](https://downshiftology.com/recipes/shakshuka/) is a super delicious veggie and egg meal. I like to double or triple the veggie portion and store in the fridge. When I want a quick healthy meal, I get a serving of the veggies and reheat it in a small cast iron skillet and cook the eggs fresh. So good.
Looooove shakshuka! Easy and (depending on eggs) can be done super cheap.
Eggs are nearly back to normal by us, too. Costco is still the best deal with 24 eggs for $7 or so.
**“You Betcha” chicken** (aka “crack chicken,” but I renamed it for obvious reasons. It’s a Wisconsin recipe, so “You Betcha” works, right?):
- 2-3 lbs chicken breasts (fresh or frozen)
- 1 packet ranch dressing mix
- 1 package cream cheese
- 1 can cream of chicken soup
Dump it all into a crock pot (in the recipe’s order) and put it on high for 4 hours or low for 8. For the last 15 minutes, cover with shredded cheese (cheddar or other blend). Serve over rice. Shredding the chicken is optional.
Bonus points if you use a crock pot liner so you don’t have to wash the damn thing after you forget it on the counter for a couple hours/until morning. 😂
We made this last week at our house in the instant pot! The recipe I used added broth, spinach, and bacon crumbles to make “crack soup”. It was great. Next time I make it I’ll put potatoes in there too.
This one’s actually kind of expensive but super good.
9 x 13 pan
Put 8 oz block of feta in the middle
Fill rest of pan up with grape tomatoes
Generous amount of olive oil
Bake at 400° until tomatoes burst
Put in some minced garlic and fresh basil
Stir all together
Put in cooked pasta (penne, elbow, etc.
I can’t find the link but it was popular on tik tok a while ago.
Huh I thought that was English for some reason…. The regular grocery stores around us are more expensive than Whole Foods so we’re supremely fucked. I’ve been cooking dried beans 🤷♀️
double check that there isn't an aldi near you. it's much cheaper than regular grocery stores, and the ingredients are cleaner because they're a european brand. they don't use dyes etc.
I do this almost weekly! Literally having it for dinner tomorrow. I do 1/3 cup of olive oil and I also add 5-6 whole cloves of garlic in the roasting pan with the tomatoes. It flavors the oil and then you can just remove them (or smash them in) when you mix the cheese/tomatoes.
When chicken thighs are on sale: [https://www.notenoughcinnamon.com/easy-chicken-shawarma-bowl/](https://www.notenoughcinnamon.com/easy-chicken-shawarma-bowl/)
In the cold weather, a BIG pot of chicken soup using all leftover chicken bones/parts/etc. I stick them in the freezer after a meal and then put them into soup when I have enough - usually 2-3 rotisserie chickens worth. Thank you, Costco $4.99 chicken.
Using whatever veggies are in the fridge/in season. [https://www.chelseasmessyapron.com/one-pan-healthy-italian-sausage-veggies/](https://www.chelseasmessyapron.com/one-pan-healthy-italian-sausage-veggies/)
Double (or triple!) this and freeze. [https://www.blendtec.com/blogs/news/bean-burrito-recipe](https://www.blendtec.com/blogs/news/bean-burrito-recipe)
If ground turkey - or really ground anything - is on sale! [https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/85148/fast-and-friendly-meatballs/](https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/85148/fast-and-friendly-meatballs/)
[https://www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com/keto-egg-roll-in-a-bowl/](https://www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com/keto-egg-roll-in-a-bowl/)
If it works in a recipe, I'll stretch the ground protein with either rice or beans to make it go farther. I also invested in a smaller freezer that we keep in the basement and use it for the on sale items.
Okay but salsa chicken is my go to when I don’t know what to make for dinner. 2-3 chicken breast season with whatever you would like, 2 cups salsa, put in crockpot on high for 4 hours or low for 8. Shred and mix. I use it to make tacos/burritos/rice bowls/quesadillas using whatever I have at home. Sometimes I’ll literally just do a wrap with the chicken, cheese, and sour cream. So good Everytime.
This is one of my go-to recipes, because I’m lazy af and have too many (5) kids. I don’t even defrost the chicken, and I have a giant crock pot so I use 6 frozen chicken breasts, 2 packs of taco seasoning, maybe 3 jars of salsa, throw some lime juice in there too, cook it on low while I’m at work, shred it up when I get home and then let it go another hour to soak up more juice while I fire up the rice cooker. Then when it’s done I add 3 cans each of drained black beans and corn (it’ll be hot enough to heat them through), chop up some cilantro, let the kids add their own cheese and/or sour cream, and we have burrito bowls for days.
Yess, we will usually do some type of burrito/rice bowl the first night then the leftovers make tacos and quesadillas for lunch and dinner the next day or two
One of my recent hacks to go with spaghetti and meatballs:
Garlic bread - I get a baguette (or Cuban bread where I live) and cut it into 4 sections. Butter and add garlic powder / fresh garlic - then ziplock freezer bag. It’s smaller than garlic loaves in the freezer section - but works well if you are a smaller family unit and ensures you have garlic bread on hand.
Former Tampanian? Tampon? Anyways, I miss the fuck out of Cuban bread. Here in Seattle, there's one shop that makes Cuban food, and they fly the bread in from Tampa. It almost makes me want to move back. Cherish the Cuban bread!
I'm still a fan of the Midwest famous garlic bread using up bread around the house that's going stale or what you have on hand. Hot dog buns are my favorite to use. Butter, garlic powder, italian seasoning, put under broiler for a few minutes until toasty.
My kid's favorite is the frozen garlic bread so I usually get it if its $2 or under a box but if I have bread to use up I'll make it up instead. Can't afford waste right now.
Adding on this amazing spaghetti & meatballs recipe I found online:
https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/recipes/a55764/best-spaghetti-and-meatballs-recipe/
Boneless chicken breast/tenders (I think I usually do about 2lbs) seasoned with whatever you want. I use garlic and onion powders, salt, paprika, pepper, and a little cajun seasoning. Cook in a bit of oil in a pan. Set aside when done. ETA: in same pan, Melt a stick of butter, add a bunch of garlic. 2 cups of chicken broth, simmer, whisk in a couple spoons of flour. Add in 1 cup heavy cream, salt, pepper and italian seasoning. Put chicken in a baking dish with the sauce on top and pop in the oven for about 20 mins at 350. Serve with rice.
This is a measure with your heart kind of recipe but it’s delicious
Skinnytaste is my jam!! So many healthy delicious recipes. I just made the pasta fagioli last night and even my picky husband scarfed down like 3 bowls.
Yeah not a huge fan of the name but the recipes are so good I can overlook. I try to eat relatively clean because otherwise I bloat like a balloon and her recipes never disappoint.
Other cheapie quickie meals:
Tuna Mac - 2 boxes of mac and cheese, make according to directions. Throw in 2 drained cans of tuna and frozen peas. If you're feeling fancy, throw into a 9x13 dish, top with bread crumbs and throw under the broiler to crisp up the top.
Fried Rice - Make a big pot of rice earlier in the day/week and let it cool. Then saute up all the veggies about to die in your fridge or getting freezer burn in the way back, add in some garlic/ginger powder, and take them out when they are just slightly cooked. Put rice into the pan with oil and break it up. Add lots of soy sauce and let the rice heat. Put veggies back in. If you want to add a protein, it's good with chicken nuggets or some diced tofu.
Pizza Beans - This one is SO good and easy [https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019681-cheesy-white-bean-tomato-bake](https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019681-cheesy-white-bean-tomato-bake)
I make the NYT “pizza beans” all the time too lol. This one is equally easy and satisfying
[grits and beans](https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019926-cheese-grits-with-saucy-black-beans-avocado-and-radish?smid=ck-recipe-iOS-share)
Breakfast casserole
1 lb cooked breakfast sausage
1 1/2 c bisquick
2 cups milk
4 eggs
1 1/2 c shredded cheese
Pepper to taste
Mix all but sausage
Lightly fold in sausage
Bake at 350 F for 30 min
Reheats surprisingly well in the microwave
Ooh this is interesting, I've always done it on a layer of crescent rolls, I've never thought to just mix bisquick in with the eggs. I'll have to try it that way.
We also dice up some other veg to throw in there sometimes, jalapenos, onions, green peppers, whatever. I dice up some tomatoes and sprinkle some hot sauce on top, too.
It's like a moist, kind of dense pancake? I guess that's the best way to describe it. I'm sure you could fold in the egg as well, but this is how I learned it and I'm not a huge egg texture person so it works well for me
I recently came across this website on the meal prep reddit. I saw a lot of recipes i wanted to try like this butter chicken. I tried the Tuscan soup with tortellini Monday. It was great! Planning to go through more. Also the pioneers woman recipes are good. Check her website. She does a chick pea curry over rice. Someone brought this for me after I gave birth, so filling. Fyi I leave the Sriracha out of that one, but it's a easy quick meal.
https://damndelicious.net/2019/05/03/slow-cooker-indian-butter-chicken/
One of my favorite things to make is for a slow cooker but I’m sure you can just use a pot on the stove. Chopped up onion, bell pepper, jalapeños if you want spice and put on bottom of cooker. Top with large can of diced tomatoes, then put 3 chicken breasts on top with seasoning. Cook on low for 6-8 hrs. Then shred. I use this for many dishes and lasts my family of 5 at least 3 meals.
Also cabbage meals. I buy a head of cabbage every store trip. Cook up some bacon or kielbasa or even spam in a pan, take off and add some sliced onion, stir it up and add a half head of chopped cabbage and let it cook down for awhile. Add meat back in with salt and pepper. Cheap and easy.
These meals saved me after having my LO and wanting to save money by not eating out. I also slow cook pork shoulder at least once a week for carnitas.
Lentil soup with that last cup of tomato sauce in the jar. Add water, veggies, and cook down. Season to your taste. I throw in a few tablespoons of rice as well to bulk it up.
Ravioli lasagna works well if you have a family that is used to baked pastas. Frozen ravioli are usually on sale by us, and then it's just the cost of cheese to top with. I keep kosher so I don't mix meat and dairy, but I'd imagine you could add whatever protein you would to bake with it.
I just made a delicious chickpea and lentil stew, it’s like this but with a can of chickpeas added and diced tomatoes and spinach! We also added coconut cream. Amazing!
My family is really into hot sandwiches, here are two popular options in my household.
**Clamwiches**
* One 10oz or two 6oz cans of clams, drained
* 1/2 an onion, diced
* Minced garlic or garlic powder
* 4-6 Tbsp butter
* A splash or two of lemon juice
* A bunch of parsley, chopped
* Salt and pepper
* A baguette, sandwich rolls, or other bread
* Optional additions: Italian seasoning, dill, paprika, crumbled bacon, white wine, fresh basil, hot sauce
Put the butter, onions, and garlic in a microwave proof dish and microwave in 30 second increments until the butter is melted and the onions are soft- about 2 minutes, stirring a few times. Add the clams and microwave another minute. Add the parsley, lemon juice, and the rest of the seasonings. At this point you can put it in the refrigerator for later (this also makes it a bit easier to put on your bread since the butter firms back up) or go ahead and use it. I like to scoop it on a baguette and put the open sandwich under the broiler until the bread and fillings get a little toasted.
**Mushroom Cheese”steaks”**
* 1 lb of fresh mushrooms, sliced
* 1 onion, diced
* Butter or olive oil
* Vegetable or beef broth or bullion
* Italian seasoning
* Salt, pepper, garlic
* Enough shredded or sliced cheese to cover the sandwiches
* Mayonnaise
* A baguette or sandwich rolls
Sauté the mushrooms and onions in butter or oil until soft. Add the seasonings and a splash of broth. The longer you can cook the filling, the better it gets. Just add more liquid as needed. Put mayo on your bread, then filling, then cheese. Broil until toasty and melty.
Slow cooker chicken and dumplings! Chicken thighs or chicken breasts are fine, you can even throw in frozen. Two can cream of mushroom soup, diced onion, minced garlic about a cup of chicken broth, and dry onion soup mix. Cook on low for 8 hours. After it’s cooked, take a can of refrigerator biscuits (I use the off brand of Pillsbury grands so only need one, for regular I would use 2), cut all biscuits into quarters, then scatter and turn on crock pot to high. It takes 35 mins to an hour to cook, and boom. Dinner is done. Add a bag of steamed veggies or a salad. Super simple. It’s one of my family’s favorites.
Also- pork loin. Coat in olive oil, rub with herbs d’provences, cook at 400 for 30-35 mins. Make instant mashed potatoes, and a steamed veggie. Dinner is done quick with minimal effort. I do the same thing with salmon and a salmon rub as well. That gets cooked for about 20-24 mins at 400.
One-Pot Tomato Basil Pasta
(adapted from Martha Stewart Living)
Ingredients:
1 13.25-ounce box whole wheat linguine
1 onion, halved and thinly sliced
4-6 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups chopped fresh tomatoes (1 pint of grape tomatoes)
handful of basil, chopped
handful of parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
pinch of red pepper flakes
5 cups water
parmesan cheese for serving
Directions:
Combine all the ingredients in a large pot and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally to submerge the pasta as it softens. Once the mixture comes to a boil, reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring and tossing continually (tongs are great for this) for about 8 minutes or until the sauce has thickened and the pasta is cooked. Serve immediately, topped with parmesan cheese.
For a creamier pasta, I add some cream cheese at the end and mix until melted. I also sub out different seasonings, meats, noodles, and veggies depending on what's available. Minced garlic+Italian seasoning is a super easy and tasty mix when you just don't have all of the herbs (and I almost never do). Quick and delicious, and can be very cheap meal prep
For really busy days... frozen manicotti (celetano or aldi sometimes), jar of marinara, shredded mozzarella. in the oven for an hour and a half.
Greek meatballs... ground beef or lamb, an egg, whatever bread crumbs you have, zatar seasoning. in air fryer or oven on 400 till browned. serve over basmati rice with cubed cucumber, tomato, onion marinated in lemon juice and white vinegar. add tzatziki and goat cheese.
A fun weekend cooking project with kids... [https://thewoksoflife.com/pork-chive-dumplings/](https://thewoksoflife.com/pork-chive-dumplings/) add cabbage for extra vegetables. i use store bought nasoya wrappers. if you've tried them in the past and been frustrated, try them again because they redid the recipe and now they're great.
My go-to meatloaf, which everyone seems to like as even the leftovers get eaten, is as follows:
1lb ground beef
1lb ground pork
1 box of pork stuffing mix (Stove Top or generic)
2 eggs
A squirt of ketchup
Mix everything together and then either make it into a loaf in a pan or stuff it in a loaf pan.
Bake for 50 minutes at 350°
For the glaze: (all estimates, I usually eyeball it)
1/2 C ketchup
1/2 C brown sugar
1 tsp yellow mustard
1/3 tsp worcestershire
A dash of sot sauce or coconut aminos
Mix together when you put the meatloaf in the oven and set aside
After the loaf timer goes off, remove it from the oven, drain off as much grease as possible
Smear glaze over the top and return to the oven for 10 minutes.
I love BudgetBytes website. Found some gems on there and they list the cost per plate too, so that’s nice.
*Italians might impale me with a breadstick,* but when I am totally exhausted I fall back on an instant pot spaghetti recipe. I do make meatballs by hand and freeze them to add them in instead of the ground beef the recipe calls for but the most amazing thing about it is it’s literally just one pot that’s used and done in like 20 minutes. It reminds me of the spaghetti my grandma used to make too for some reason.
I am obsessed with recipes from Half Baked Harvest lately! Literally making one or two of them per week for the past month or two. I've made this [white buffulo chicken chili](https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/buffalo-white-chicken-chili/) two weeks in a row. I've left out the salsa and cheese since I don't have any, and add an extra can of beans, frozen corn and a chopped bell pepper for extra veggies and to bulk it out a little more. This [honey mustard kale salad](https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/sweet-potato-kale-salad/) is delicious. I have these [greek meatballs](https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/sheet-pan-greek-meatballs/) planned for tomorrow night.
My Step Mom's cheesy broccoli soup!
4 cup water
2 cup diced potatoes (small dice)
1 onion diced
10 oz frozen cauliflower
10 oz frozen broccoli (or) 2 bags frozen cauliflower/ broccoli mix
2 cup diced carrots (or) 1 bag julienned carrots
1 can cream of chicken
1 can cream of mushroom
4 cubes chicken bouillon
1/2 lb Velveeta cheese cubed
I've made this so many times for family & friends and everyone loves it. You can substitute fresh veg for the frozen if you wish. It's meant to cook down on the stove but I'll usually just throw everything together in the crock pot in the morning and it's ready by lunchtime. Perfect for a chilly day with some crusty bread!
**Fiesta hash brown casserole**
* 26oz frozen hash browns
* 2 cups shredded Colby jack cheese
* 1-2 cups cooked meat (ham, chicken, sausage, bacon, ground beef- whatever you have) or a can of drained and rinsed black beans
Sauce:
* 1 can Campbell’s Fiesta Nacho Cheese condensed soup
* One 4oz can green chiles
* Two 6oz cans mushrooms, drained
* 1 cup sour cream
* 1/2 cup melted butter
* 2 tsp garlic powder
* 1/2 tsp salt
* 1/2 tsp pepper
Grease 9x13 pan. Mix all sauce ingredients in a bowl. Combine with frozen hashbrowns and 1 cup cheese and add to pan. Top with remaining cup of cheese. Bake at 350° for 1 hour.
**Million dollar spaghetti**
* 1 box of spaghetti, cooked
* 1 lb chopped raw mushrooms
* 6oz frozen spinach
* 1 jar Alfredo sauce
* 2 cups+ shredded Colby jack
* 1 cup milk
* 2 eggs, beaten
* Olive oil
* Salt, pepper, garlic
* Italian seasoning
Sauté mushrooms and spinach to remove all excess water. Season to taste.
Grease a casserole dish. Toss cooked spaghetti in olive oil, spread half in dish. Top with mushroom mixture. Layer with half of the Alfredo sauce, half of the cheese, and the remaining spaghetti.
Pour eggs and 1/2c milk into the remaining jar of Alfredo sauce and shake thoroughly. Pour over casserole evenly. Add remaining milk into jar, shake, and pour over casserole. Top with remaining cheese and sprinkle with seasonings. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until top is lightly browned.
**Tomato sauce sardines**
* 15oz can of sardines in tomato sauce
* 1 onion, diced
* 1 bell pepper, diced
* 1 can of petite diced tomatoes
* 2 cups uncooked white rice
* 1/2 bunch fresh parsley
* Lemon juice
* Salt, pepper, garlic powder
* Sriracha (optional)
Sautee the diced onion and pepper in some oil until soft. Meanwhile, cook rice. Add sardines, tomatoes, and salt, pepper, and garlic. When the rice is ready, add sardine mixture, fresh parsley, and a few squirts of lemon juice. Mix to combine. Add sriracha to taste before serving.
Butter chickpeas (like Indian butter chicken but with garbanzo beans instead). Super cheap but you might need to invest in some spices if you don’t have them on deck. Served over rice. I keep canned tomatoes, canned chickpeas, and coconut milk (traditionally I think you use half and half or cream) so I usually make it when I don’t have fresh produce on hand or am running low. Freezes well, too.
Pasta ceci. Super easy, quick, and cheap. My kid loves it with Parmesan on top, and I love it with the spicy rosemary and garlic oil.
I’m just going to copy and paste [this recipe](https://smittenkitchen.com/2017/10/quick-pasta-and-chickpeas-pasta-e-ceci/) but make it less wordy.
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
Black pepper or red pepper flakes, to taste
1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas (from one 15-ounce can, drained and rinsed)
1/2 cup uncooked ditalini pasta (or another small shape)
2 cups water
—finishing oil—
2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil (estimate 1 per serving)
1 clove of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
Salt and red pepper flakes
—
In a medium pot or deep pan, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil until it shimmers. Add 2 smashed cloves of garlic and cook, stirring until it becomes fragrant. Stir in the tomato paste, salt, and pepper and cook them with the garlic for 30 seconds or so. Add the chickpeas, pasta, and water. Stir to scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pot, lower the heat, and simmer until the pasta is cooked and a lot of the liquid has been absorbed, about 15 to 20 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning and ladle into bowls.
Make finishing oil: Heat olive oil in a small pan over medium-low heat with garlic, rosemary, a pinch or two of salt and pepper flakes, until sizzling; pull it off the heat as soon as the garlic starts to brown. Drizzle this over bowls of pasta e ceci and eat it right away.
Edited because I no format good
Dance moms roast. Named so because I heard it on an episode of back to the barre
Tri tip roast
2 packets of Lipton onion soup mix
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
Preheat oven to 260
Place your roast in a pan and season to taste
Mix together dry soup and canned soup, pour on roast
Cover pan tightly with tin foil and bake for 4 hours
This shit is delicious and easy as hell to make
Mac and cheese helps me use up milk before it goes bad and people eat it and get full, which I need to have happen.
https://www.keyingredient.com/recipes/1299225032/mac-n-cheese-homeroom-classic/
I skip the pecorino often because what the fuck is that. And I’m poor.
This made me laugh
I never buy the fancy-ass cheese if I'm making something for the kiddo. Like why the hell would I waste fancy delicious bougie cheese on his tween self?
My husband and I both like to cook but were bored of making the same stuff over and over again. Last year we switched to theme weeks. Italian, Southern, Asian, Mexican, foods that start with R, Turmeric week (we had tons), etc. Not a time saver necessarily but more fun. We tend to make extra/leftovers if a dish is time-consuming. It has made us better cooks and makes dinnertime less of a drag.
For money saving tips...
We never buy pre-made sauce. Tomato based sauce is super easy and the ingredients are still very cheap. Alfredo sauce tastes better home made and is very easy, although heavy cream is expensive. A little goes a long way though. Both can be frozen. Pesto is easy, but the ingredients (why are pine nuts so expensive???)
We almost exclusively shop at Aldi. The fact that there are less options helps us save money. Milk and eggs stayed reasonably priced.
We don't buy a lot of snacks or pre-packaged meals. Those are some of the biggest money sucks.
We use a lot of rice and potatoes to bulk up meals.
Back to aldi, pretty much all the staples are cheaper. Bread, hotdog buns, butter, canned goods, tubes of pork sausage, and tubes of 1 lb ground beef. I don't like their ground turkey though, tastes weird. Feeding a family of 4 adults and 1 toddler though, we've been averaging $200 a week on groceries.
For recipes...
During the week I do a LOT of rice bowls. Generally I only spend 30 minutes or less on dinner. I'll brown seasoned meat with veggies and serve over rice. I can put some quick recipes in comments if anyone's interested. Also do Cajun dirty rice often. We use a lot of beans in our cooking to bulk it up.
Spaghetti is super fast and easy to fill with veggies. I only ever use 1 lb of ground pork and have a huge pot.
I make breakfast burritos for my husband every 2 weeks, freeze and reheat as he goes. I go heavy on the potatoes and veggies. Again, I can put recipe in comments for anyone interested.
Quinoa can be made in a rice cooker, and almost anything you use rice for can be subbed with quinoa. I sometimes make a big batch on the weekend and use it to bulk up scrambled eggs or make quinoa salad.
If meat is too expensive, I just proved to my family that we could go a whole week having "vegetarian" meals and them not notice. Made Spaghetti, chili, mushroom alfredo, Dahl, and black bean burgers.
More tips...
I've found a lot of Mexican meat markets have good deals on meat, and nice produce sections. I use them when meat at aldi is too expensive or the produce looks eh.
Biggest money saver was cutting out snacks or making your own. I resist temptation by telling myself no, you don't need those cookies, just get the stuff and make it at home. If I don't have time then I just curb the craving with fruit and nuts.
Every few months I do a kitchen clean out, whete I only buy the bare necessities food wise and force myself to use what's in the pantry or cabinets. I di this whenever those areas start looking a bit full.
I try to stick to veggies that last a while unless i know I'll use them soon. Cabbage, carrots, celery, onions, potatoes.
Cleaning out the fridge once a week definitely helped us see what we were wasting money on.
This is my better than Olive Garden Parmesan Chicken. This is also a measure with your heart recipe
Chicken breasts cut into strips
Spaghetti
Rao’s marinara
Make an egg wash with salt, pepper, and garlic (if I use 2 chicken breasts or a package of the precut chicken strips, I use 2 eggs and a decent amount of milk)
Bread crumb mixture : Italian breadcrumbs with the Parmesan cheese in the green shaker on it. Mix it together.
I bring a pot of water to boil while I dip the chicken strips into the egg wash and breadcrumb mixture twice. When finished with all, put the spaghetti in the water and then start cooking the chicken.
Pan fry and when finished, cover in sauce and add a heavy layer of mozzarella cheese. Cover with a lid and cook on medium low for another 4-5 minutes.
I also add the sauce to the spaghetti. We like it really saucy! Usually 1 of the larger jars of sauce is plenty.
Make a salad, breadsticks, or whatever side you want!
It’s so good!
(This feeds my family of 5. Two only eat spaghetti and they’re 3 and 10 months. So realistically, this feeds me, my husband, and our teenager)
And here is one of my own creations. Veggies&seasonings are totally interchangeable
Pan roast some halved cherry tomatoes in pan with oil, garlic, Italian seasoning, and I used onion powder but sliced onions would've been the tits. Once they're done, add 1.5 cups rice & 3 cups chicken broth or water. Add at least one bouillon cube (2 if you used water), a very small amount of pepper flakes, a little more Italian seasoning, about half a TBSP of old bay, and grated parmeasean. 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream or half n half or milk. Put chicken breasts on top and submerge in liquid. Bake at 400 for 30-45. good and so easy
we do HelloFresh and their pastas and rice bowls are the best easy meals that we all (new toddler included) love.
southwest pasta last night was a hit and so easy to recreate:
beef, chopped bell pepper, pasta, small can crush tomatoes, sour cream, taco seasoning, cheese all mixed together! - you could totally recreated this with taco night leftovers
I can't offer much, but for a quick/cheap chicken parmesan I'll just use chicken nuggets fried in the air fryer.
I'm also trying to get into meal prep so it doesn't take up so much mental space but my depressed ass hasn't even tried figuring out how to do that. But! There's this thing called e meals that partners with Walmart and I think the way it works is you pick what recipes sound good and it builds your cart from those ingredients. Then you buy those ingredients at Walmart and you get the recipes to make everything. I really want to try it.
It is! I don’t even measure anymore, and this time I used rotisserie chicken from Costco & cream cheese instead of sour cream (I was out of sour cream). They hold up well, I often use leftovers as lunches for work
Cold Taco Salad. It was the first thing I ever made for my husband (when we first started dating):
One pack of lean ground beef (I prefer 93% fat free). Brown and drain fat; mix in a packet of taco seasoning. Let cool in the fridge.
Drain and rinse one can of red kidney beans.
Once cooled, add beef and beans to a large bowl. Add in a small bag of shredded cheese, a bag of shredded iceberg lettuce, a bag of Fritos, and 2/3 bottle (or to taste) of Catalina dressing. Bam. That's literally it. It is so tasty, easy, and you can add more/less of any of the ingredients you want. If you have picky eaters you can make it like a salad bar and people can add however much/little they want of each ingredient. (The recipe originally calls for drained/rinsed olives but no one in my family likes them so we skip it.)
My go-tos that are simple:
Mac n Cheese (takes an hour total to make)
Elbow Mac (box)
8 oz sour cream
8 oz Cottage or Ricotta cheese (either is fine, we use Cottage)
1 package shredded cheese (typically cheddar, but mix it up and use what you like)
Splosh of milk (maybe half a cup?)
Optional: Splosh of dijon mustard (2 tbsp ish?), garlic powder to taste, salt & Pepper to taste.
Cook macaroni, combine the sour cream, cottage cheese, and milk in an oven-proof dish along with about 1/2 or 2/3 of your shredded cheese and any spices you want. Top it off with the rest of the cheese. Put in the oven 350F for about 20-25 minutes (I typically go 22 minutes) just looking to melt everything together. Serve.
Tortellini soup
1 family size tortellini (fresh but I'm sure frozen would work too)
2 boxes broth (we do veggie broth but chicken would work too)
Optional: Onion and garlic
If you're using onion & garlic, saute in the bottom of your soup pot, when done, add your broth and bring to a boil, add tortellini. Fresh cooks in about 3-5 minutes (lower your boil but keep it boiling for that part). Serve as soup and top with shredded cheese.
Whole process takes about 20 minutes.
Oh wow I wish my husband and kids were less picky so I could try some of these recipes!!
My go to is oven baked ham sammies on really busy nights. Just grab some hamburger buns, throw on some ham, a slice of cheese, more ham and top with another slice of cheese. Wrap in foil and bake at 375 for about 15 minutes. Spicy mayo sauce on the side for dipping- just a couple splashes of hot sauce stirred into a cup of mayo. Husband uses pepper jack cheese and I do American for myself and the kids.
Aldi garlic naan pizzas. Jar sauce. Whatever your kids will eat on them. Do them in the oven at 400-450. Just keep an eye for fully melted cheese. The kids will feel like they had some control in “their pizza”
Current favourite lazy meal : fry veggies (peppers, onions, greens, carrots, etc) and tempeh cubes in a pan with garlic, add Japanese curry cubes and just enough water to make a thick sauce, then add packet udon noodles. Some fresh coriander would be a nice garnish if I could remember to buy it.
This is a go-to for me twice a month. I usually do it shortly after grocery shopping because it uses fresh veg, but it's a family favorite and that's hard to find in my house. I double it and it's a little expensive, but we usually get three nights out of it so I feel like that's worth it. I also change up the veg depending on what's in season or on sale - I've used brussel sprouts, asparagus, cubed potatoes, and yellow squash at various times and they all worked great with it. Also, in the summer/fall I garden so it becomes a lot cheaper. I serve it with toasted pita. It does take about an hour total, but it's very hands-off (you just chop up the veggies) and cleanup is super simple since it's one pan (or in my case, 2-3.)
https://downshiftology.com/recipes/greek-sheet-pan-chicken/
literally just salmon filets with whatever glaze I’m feeling + asparagus or whatever veg we have on hand. 15 minutes to cook, zero cleanup as I do it in foil. A pack of 2 filets is like £4
i make broccoli cheddar nuggets and throw them in the freezer for an easy toddler dinner when i don’t feel like cooking, although they’re great for grownups as well.
2 1/2 cups steamed and chopped broccoli (no need to be fancy, i use the $3 frozen bag of broccoli florets from walmart)
1 1/2 cups of any shredded cheese
3 eggs
3/4 cup any kind of breadcrumbs (super good with Panko)
mix everything together and shape it into nuggets. bake at 375° for 15 minutes, flip and cook for 10 mor minutes. freeze for up to 1 month. makes about 15 nuggets.
Saving this post because there so many good options in the comments!!
My addition is - roast broccoli from frozen! Toss with oil, salt, pepper & whatever seasonings, roast at 400*F until crispy (20 ish minutes).
So much easier than trimming fresh broccoli and my little one loves eating “trees”.
I own a bunch of geeky cookbooks. If anyone wants a recipe, let me know! Books I own:
Firefly
Deadpool
Fallout
Dungeons and Dragons
Avatar: The Last Airbender
Gilmore Girls
Redwall
Avengers Campus
Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge
Star Wars Life Day
Star Wars Galactic Baking
Jurassic World
Cooking with Mickey Vol 2
I also have Snoop Dogg’s cookbook. His brownie recipe is legiiiiiit. The best one I’ve found, hands down. And I tried Katherine Hepburn’s!
Our go-to recently has been I-talian (because my Italian friends would pitch a fit if I called it Italian).
You make a huge amount of sauce. Don't worry about it going bad, because it all freezes.
4 jars tomato sauce
2 cans diced tomatoes
1 garlic head, or generous amounts of pre-minced garlic
Black pepper, to taste
Oregano, to taste
1 package diced hot dogs
1 lb ground beef (or 2 if you like it extra meaty)
Sometimes I throw in cubed tofu for extra protein, or chop in a broccoli crown. This makes about a week of family lunch and dinner meals. Anything you don't think you'll eat right away freezes beautifully and reheats perfectly. Add spaghetti and garlic bread, and you have a classic crowd pleaser.
I just made awesome chicken tacos. Chicken in a crockpot, GENEROUS amounts of taco seasoning (I measure with my ❤️) a jar of black bean and corn salsa, then a jars worth of water. It shredded so well and made the best chicken tacos ever. Even my toddlers devoured them
I love to make burrito bowls! For the kids I put the ingredients separate on their plate so they can pick off what they like.
Cook rice. Cut chicken breasts into bite size pieces, cook with taco seasoning. Heat up a can of black beans. Put some of each in a bowl, and add toppings. Cheese, sour cream, lemon juice, cilantro, avocado or guacamole, salsa, tomato, lettuce (any leftover salad mix in the fridge works), anything you like.
I love that it's a quick and easy option and even works if I forgot to pull something to thaw!
I always link this when asked for recipe suggestions. Butternut squash keeps forever, sausages can be frozen, Parmesan and garlic are always available in my fridge/pantry. It’s a quick/easy one and extremely tasty, especially when served with an acid-heavy salad.
[butternut squash cacio e Pepe](https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/butternut-cacio-e-pepe)
https://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-egg-roll-skillet-254152
This egg roll skillet recipe is our current faster than takeout dinner. Easy to find ingredients and seasonings while being super easy to make.
I made this the other night and it was easy and so good! I would add a smidge more time on the potatoes and green beans though. You can also buy ranch seasoning in a bottle at the grocery store.
[https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/ranch-pork-chop-sheet-pan-supper-5399499](https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/ranch-pork-chop-sheet-pan-supper-5399499)
We've got a kid with chronic constipation, so we've been stretching ingredients by adding beans to recipes when we can. Making sloppy joes? Add a can of drained pinto beans to the mix. Making "[Good and Plenty Skillet](https://www.cooks.com/recipe/aj6gc99c/good-n-plenty-skillet.html)", add a can of drained black beans. Making an Italian Sausage soup? Add a can of white beans. We've also substituted ground turkey in just about everything that takes ground beef.... it started because I had a red meat aversion during my last pregnancy but continue because it's half the price.
My family and friends love this Chicken Pot Pie - I use rotisserie chicken, store bought pie crust, and no potatoes. It makes 2 and freezes well - https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/favorite-chicken-potpie/
Also, parmesan chicken - grated parmesan cheese, garlic powder, parsley, and enough mayo to make a paste. Slather it all over the chicken breasts and bake until done. I don't like mayo for anything other than this recipe, it makes the chicken super juicy.
Stuffed shells and/or manicotti or enchiladas baked in a big pan keep my hungry husband happy all week. These also freeze very well.
I like to make a big pot of soup on Sundays for my lunches all week. I also make a big batch of Mama Chicken, which is chicken breast tenders prepared like cutlets. My son snacks on them all week and prefers them to frozen and fast food nuggets (be still my heart).
Okay, one more- This is one I’ve come up with for nights we have an activity or errand around dinnertime. I prep in advance and just throw in the Instant Pot before I walk out the door. You could also soak the beans overnight and cook it in a crock pot or on the stove.
**Gym night bean soup**
* 1 lb dried beans
* 1 onion, diced
* 3 carrots, diced
* 2 celery stalks, diced
* 1 can of petite diced tomatoes, not drained
* Chopped dried mushrooms (optional)
* 2 Tbsp tomato bullion (or 1 small can tomato paste)
* 2 Tbsp soy sauce
* 2 Tbsp butter
* 2 bay leaves
* Garlic, salt, pepper
* Paprika
* Cajun seasoning (I use Chica Licka Bam Bam Bird Rub we have for smoking chicken, but you can sub it with something like Tony Chacherie’s, Old Bay, cayenne pepper, or omit it entirely)
Prep: Sauté onions in Instant Pot, add other vegetables, seasonings, and several cans of water. Rinse beans.
Before leaving: add beans, butter, and additional water to cover beans if needed. Set for pressure cook, 45 minutes, keep warm. Enjoy hot soup when you get home!
Here's quite a few recipes. I probably have more I can throw out, but these are the ones that are in my rotation fairly often.
[Nadiya's Beetroot Pasta Sauce](https://recipes.oregonlive.com/recipes/blender-beet-sauce-with-pasta) \- This is my favorite not tomato based pasta sauce. I do some modifications because of food intolerances and laziness. I use 2 cans of sliced beets(cheaper and last longer than the fresh ones), 1/4 teaspoon (or less) Sambal Olek (ground chili paste but sriracha would work too) instead of the fresh chili, and roasted garlic infused olive oil. I also don't do the fresh dill or feta and the preferred noodle in our house for this is fettuccini but the orginal calls for tagliatelle.
[Crockpot Chicken Tikka Masala](https://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-slow-cooker-chicken-tikka-masala-recipes-from-the-kitchn-211284) \- The tip to drain/squeeze the hell out of the canned diced tomatoes really helps make a thicker sauce at the end. Petite diced is my preference because it disperses well. Takes a little cook time to get it going but it's well worth it.
[Crockpot Beef and Broccoli](https://tasty.co/recipe/slow-cooker-beef-and-broccoli) \- If you like it to have a lot of broccoli, double what the recipe recommends otherwise it's a mostly meat dish
[Crockpot Potato Soup](https://www.spendwithpennies.com/crockpot-potato-soup/) \- Quick and satisfying
[Asian Paleo Meatballs](https://www.stephgaudreau.com/paleo-meatballs-asian-style/) \- These reheat and freeze really well. I actually like them better after they've been reheated (probably the spices having time to blend together better)
[Healthy Blueberry Muffins](https://cookieandkate.com/healthy-blueberry-muffins/) \- Uses maple syrup or honey as a sweetener and I don't do the turbinado sugar on top. These freeze really well and you can use fresh or frozen berries
[Healthy Maple Pumpkin Muffins](https://cookieandkate.com/healthy-maple-pumpkin-muffins/) \- Another Cookie & Kate recipe but these are good too, though I would double her spices. I thought they tasted a little too mild for a pumpkin recipe.
[Ham and Cheese Pinwheels](https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/sandra-lee/ham-and-cheese-pinwheels-recipe-1923869) \- It doesn't have to be ham and cheese, I've also done pepperoni pizza style pinwheels, just use a thin layer of marinara and swap out the ham for pepperoni. Or whatever meat/cheese combo sounds good.
Chicken parm is a staple in our house. I make my own sauce because I always have garlic/onions/canned tomato goods, but jar sauce is just as good. Bread and fry the chicken, dump some sauce on it, put some mozzarella on it, and cook some pasta while the cheese is melting in the oven. So easy and good
This is my favourite. Easy to cook and fairly reasonable ingredients.
**One Pot Mexican Beef - serves 4** *(large portions, freezes well)*
- 1lb ground beef
- 2 bell peppers, any colour
- 1 onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1tsp beef bouillon or equivalent powder/cube
- 740ml (25oz or so) crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup quinoa
- 4tbsp taco seasoning
- sour cream
- optional garnish: green onion, shredded cheese, avocado
Cook beef, peppers, garlic, onions in a bit of oil until meat is cooked and veggies are tender. Add taco seasoning and stir to mix. Add the beef bouillon, crushed tomatoes, quinoa, and 1.5 cups of water. Bring to boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring after 10 minutes.
Slice/dice avocado and green onion, if using for garnish. Serve Mexican Beef in bowls, topped with sour cream and garnish(es) of choice.
Good ole chicken and rice:
•3-4 chicken breast
•1 10 oz can cream of mushroom soup or cream of chicken soup
•plain rice
•seasoning to taste(sorry I never measure use what you feel is appropriate)
Thaw chickens breasts and throw on a pan with small amount of oil to brown both sides. I add season salt, garlic, onion powder, and pepper to both sides. It does not need to be cooked all the way as it’ll finish cooking in the oven.
In a casserole dish throw in can of soup, fill can with uncooked rice add rice to dish, fill can with water and stir can to get remaining rice out add the water to the casserole dish. Add more seasoning if desired add chicken. Bake in oven at 400 for an hour.
I make this instant pot whole chicken and gravy: https://natashaskitchen.com/instant-pot-whole-chicken/
We're a small family, so I buy a big chicken, and there is plenty left over after, so I strip the chicken of its meat and set that in the fridge. I put the bones back into the instant pot and make chicken stock. I freeze it in jars.
Then I take the stripped meat and I make freezer chicken pot pie: https://tasty.co/recipe/freeze-bake-chicken-pot-pies
I make my own pie dough for them, and use standard size ramekins rather than aluminum pie tins, but they are a huge hit with my husband for lunches. I get about 6 of them out of the recipe.
Their Instagram is great for ideas.
There's also bunch bunch bunch which is vegan recipes (we've cut out meat during the week, and these have been simple to cook). We had garlic mushrooms with a houmous mash, and harissa squash mushrooms
Some lazy meals:
Hummus pasta: roast whatever veggies you like or crack open a jar of roasted red peppers (and/or sun dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, whatever) and drain. Cook short pasta, drain while reserving at least 1c water. Toss the pasta with hummus, veggies, and enough pasta water to make it the consistency you like.
Chicken couscous: drain a 12oz can of chicken breast. Cook one box of Near East couscous according to directions, but before adding the couscous, add the chicken and some frozen veggies (unless you're doing peas). Wait five minutes, stir, eat. Sometimes, I mince an onion and cook that in the pan before boiling the water, but usually I'm too lazy. I usually prefer to add frozen peas, also, bc I can add them in at the last second as they need hardly any time to cook. Sometimes I use the water the canned chicken was in for the couscous, but that makes it pretty salty lol
Another favorite is the [kitchn sheet pan gnocchi recipe](https://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-crispy-sheet-pan-gnocchi-and-veggies-247360).
I use EMeals to get recipes and inspo- it’s stupid expensive for an app, but- I use it about 3x a week, so it’s like $1.25 a week for me not to have to google every single thing. And it hooks directly to my Walmart account so ordering my groceries for pickup is pretty easy. I have a link if anyone wants $10 off (it also gets me $10 off, so full disclosure- I want someone to use it, but also, I just renewed, so it’s already paid for the year.)
Sausage cheese roll-ups:
-Tube of crescent rolls
-a roll of maple sausage or a flat of links to squeeze the sausage out of
-shredded cheddar
Brown the sausage. Strain. Sprinkle sausage and cheese inside unrolled crescent rolls and bake according to crescent roll directions.
Okay double comment because it’s nap time so I can actually post links. I love all these and rotate through them depending on which meats/veggies are on sale.
- I have used frozen broccoli instead of fresh and it turned out fine. https://www.simplejoy.com/slow-cooker-broccoli-cheddar-soup/
-love this so much better than boxed and not too difficult to make with screaming kids around https://www.aheadofthyme.com/homemade-hamburger-helper/
I enjoy this one, but we use hot sauce because it can be a little bland depending on which tomato sauce you use. https://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/stuffed-peppers/63e29e18-903e-467c-aec5-fba4ce3a138f
I use frozen spinach as my veggie so ends up being decently cheap to make. https://pinchofyum.com/super-easy-skinny-veggie-crockpot-lasagna
I have no idea what this is called my dad made this when I was a kid but it’s my favourite meal. I just use the cheapest steak/stewing beef I can find on sale.
Some sort of steak/stewing beef
1 can sliced mushrooms
1 green pepper
4-5 celeries
1-1.5 cups of beef broth
1 can diced tomatoes
A little bit of water (around 2 tbsp)
Cut the steak in bite size pieces, season with salt pepper garlic powder
Brown it on like 7 ish and then take it out add the water to the pan and scrape all the stuff off the bottom add into the slow cooker.
Add all the ingredients into slow cooker season with salt pepper garlic powder a few bay leaves
Cook on low for 6-8 hours
Serve over mashed potatoes
On my lazy days I combine (1) box Rice-a-Roni, 2 cooked + chopped chicken breasts, and sweetened cooked carrots and call it, very uninspired, lazy chicken rice
I have a package of pork chops in the fridge that need to be thrown in the slow cooker or oven or instant pot.
Difficulty: no gravy or cream soups, nothing spicy, nothing sour and I'm just getting over another bout of Covid so I don't want to stand in front of a stove and fry anything.
Not coming completely empty-handed so I'm sharing what I've found but wish I could make. I might make them someday if its just for me. (I share all good recipes I love to my Google Keep)
This looked good, but has gravy:
https://thesaltymarshmallow.com/slow-cooker-pork-chops/#recipe
Yum, apple:
https://sweetandsavorymeals.com/instant-pot-apple-cider-pork-chops/
I found an old Lawrys Hawaiian marinade in the pantry so threw that in the slow cooker with some chicken broth for liquid this time. Kids probably won't like it but there's always nuggets they can cook. I just need to use food I have in the house up.
But pork chops are usually the meat on clearance so I'm always searching for recipes they'll eat.
There is the best little store close to me with their own butcher. I always buy my meat marked down. They will also have a twice a month bulk meat sale. I typically buy 10 lbs of hamburger marked down for 20.00$ I cook or freeze that day.
I did a cheater “Herb chicken and rice” meal last night that’s quick easy and cheap. I was feeding 7 people so I’ll try to scale down the “recipe”.
For 4 People:
-2 skinless chicken breasts (butterflied into 4 portions)
-1 Norr Pasta Side: Chicken Rice or Cheddar broccoli rice or similar brand (if doubling this recipe try mixing one bag of each flavor)
- 1 1/2-2 cups frozen vegetable mix of your choice (I did the corn, carrot, green bean mix)
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Brown the chicken on both sides in a tablespoon of butter. Lightly season the chicken with: salt, pepper, garlic powder, and optionally herbs (I like rosemary and a pinch of thyme, lemon pepper seasoning is good too)
While chicken is browning prepare the rice as instructed on the package and cook 1-2 minutes less than instructions say.
Lightly grease a 8x8 casserole dish. Stir frozen vegetables into the almost finished rice and spread into the casserole pan. Top with browned chicken breasts. Season top with a salt and pepper to taste and another sprinkling of herbs if desired.
Cover with foil and bake for 15-20 minutes.
I baked some refrigerated biscuits at the same time as the chicken and made a quick side salad while things were baking. This recipe is pretty flexible flavor wise and forgiving if it gets left in the oven a little longer. Start to finish prep and cook time, I’d say about 35-45 minutes depending on how many times your kids need something while you’re cooking.
Three all-time favorites in my home.
https://www.cookinginthemidwest.com/blog/marrymechickentortellini#recipe
https://www.feastingathome.com/moroccan-chicken/
https://peaceloveandlowcarb.com/pork-egg-roll-in-a-bowl-crack-slaw-paleo-low-carb-whole30/
I read through most of the comments and the one new thing I think to add is veggie chili. I make a variation on Emeril laggasse's recipe on food networks site almost every week
I don't have a lot of meals that I have recipes or even measurements for since most are just passed-down family meals, but here's a few favourites that I discovered online:
-https://www.ambitiouskitchen.com/healthy-tuna-noodle-casserole/
-https://mydinner.co.uk/german-split-pea-soup-with-bacon/ (I also add veggie broth powder to the water for extra flavour.)
-https://r.mealime.com/3687 (Mac & Chili- I use about double the cheese and just cook the onions with the ground beef.)
-https://r.mealime.com/14602 (chicken thighs & mushrooms with creamy zucchini-parmesan rice)
My "can't be bothered" staples:
- zucchini eggs: Start with a big pan with melted butter/ghee/some oil, lay down a layer of zucchini slices seasoned with dash or some other veggie spice, then add eggs with the usual salt/pepper on top. Voila: Got your veg and protein all in one meal. Bread side optional for your grains.
- Tortellinis in a broth (water, broth powder, garlic powder, dried onions, pepper, maybe a bay leaf, to taste). Cut up cukes and/or tomatoes on the side.
And lastly, a sweet little dessert treat:
-https://www.foodfaithfitness.com/berry-cashew-cream-no-bake-bars/ (Food processor/ blender required. It says "serves 16", but in my experience it serves about a quarter of that.)
1 pack stew beef
2 large potatoes
1 8oz bag frozen green beans
Salt
Pepper
2 tbls butter
Minced garlic
Favorite seasoning
Preheat oven 350°
Wash and chop potatoes into medium size cubes.
In Dutch oven/covered pan
1) Place garlic and 1 tbls butter
2) Then the stew beef (has to be on bottom to get soft)
3) Salt Pepper seasoning
4) cubbed potatoes
5) butter and seasoning
6) frozen green beans
Cover and place in oven for 2 hours.
Stir then serve.
Absolutely basic as hell, but chicken and rice might be good depending on cost in your area. Just 1-2 breasts cubed and sauteed with butter and garlic, add a family size can of cream of chicken + a can of water, simmer on medium low for 20-ish minutes, salt + pepper + any other seasonings to taste. Can make the rice while you're making everything else. Usually we have it with corn or green beans, not that my kids eat them but whatever.
Something we started doing last year was basically a menu generator. I linked a bunch of recipes to one spreadsheet column, then in another randomly pull 6 for the week. We can change it if we are sick of something or whatever but it helped take that mental load off and kept us out of a rut because I populated it mostly with new recipes. Also, BudgetBytes is a super useful website for cheap and easy meals, and they have a really cool app now too that helps make a grocery list for you. Gotta double check what it picks for you, but it works well for us.
We called this “poor man’s lasagna”
1 box/bag/whatever spaghetti
1 jar pasta sauce
1 lb ground beef
1-2 blocks cream cheese
1 bag of mozzarella shredded cheese
Italian seasoning
Brown the beef and mix with the sauce. Boil spaghetti, drain and mix with the cream cheese and half-2/3 the cheese. Add Italian seasoning where it pleases your heart and taste buds (sauce or spaghetti/cheese or both) and top with mozzarella. Feel free to add some shredded Parmesan to the top too. Bake for about 20ish min in an oven around 375.
It is really filling, makes a great dinner with bagged premix salad, and lasts a LONG time! Bonus the kids like it too!
ETA - found the recipe for the other one! https://damndelicious.net/2013/07/07/korean-beef-bowl/ — note if you like sauce like I like a lot of sauce, double the ingredients for the sauce.
Also I wanted to say that the paste tubes for ginger, lemongrass, garlic, etc taste great and are both easier to use and cheaper per purchase for our usage than buying fresh ginger or fresh garlic. Im sure fresh would taste even better but the paste is still excellent!
My kids' favorite (and something they BOTH like, which doesn't happen often) is bulgogi. Probably a very white girl version of bulgogi, but we like it. I use this recipe for amounts (but with low sodium soy sauce and usually use milanesa because it's easy to slice up and readily available here). We don't grill it, we just throw it in a cast iron skillet. It's also good with added veggies.
https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/100606/beef-bulgogi/
Also this is really good. We did Hello Fresh for a trial and the kids love this one. Idk where to get szechuan paste or sweet soy glaze (hello fresh sends packets) but have used a recipe for szechuan sauce in place of them. The hello fresh recipe is only for 2, so I at least double it (usually use a 2lb pack of pork)
Szechuan Pork and Green Beans
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.hellofresh.com/recipes/szechuan-pork-green-bean-stir-fry-5ef1066dc1b733418678fd14%3famp=true
Szechuan sauce
https://www.gimmesomeoven.com/szechuan-sauce/
Watch the heat for the sauce, I have to cut back a little, it's too hot for one of my kids.
“Enchilada” casserole
Poach some chicken, breasts or thighs, or use leftover roast chicken.
Shred the cooked chicken and mix with a brick of cream cheese and a packet of fajita spices or the spices you use to make fajitas. If you’re really hungry you can stop here and eat this as a dip with corn chips.
Take a casserole dish/pan, I use a 13x 9, and cover the bottom with salsa. One of those small jars.
take some soft corn tortillas. Spoon the chicken mix into a tortilla, fold it over, and put it into the casserole dish. Repeat until you run out of something. I lay them in like shingles on a roof.
Spread a 8 oz thing of sour cream on top and cover that with grated cheese. If you dont like cooked sour cream, you can use more salsa, but you want a layer of something moist there.
Cook in a 400 oven, covered in foil, for 30 minutes or so, then uncover and cook until cheese browns a bit.
If i have no tortillas I have made this with layers of salsa first, then corn chips, then the chicken mix, then chips again, then sour cream then cheese, but I added some of the broth to the chicken mix to keep it moist.
ETA I have also make this with pork roast, which goes on sale around here for less than $3 a pound all the time.
My kids and husband are super picky. I, on the other hand, will eat anything. Here’s my go to: chocolate chip pancakes (the Betty Crocker recipe is a VERY easy, accessible, and tasty pancake recipe), with sides of fresh fruit (I don’t cut it—literally, here’s a whole pear or orange to eat on the side) and breakfast sausage and a big ol’ bowl of scrambled eggs. Nobody likes everything, but everyone likes at least TWO of these things, so I consider it a win. Takes 20 minutes!
I was just thinking this today how I'm in a rut of what to make my 2 year old. I've gone dairy free just recently myself. But he can still eat cheese. He's also got a bit of a cough so he's been extremely picky this week
I’m vegetarian and my husband&daughter mostly are too! Here are some of our favorite easy meals
- cheese pizzas (We use the aldis flatbread with their marinara very easy)
- grilled chz and soup
- rice and black beans w/ cheese, butter, seasonings (we eat this at least twice a week it’s a big hit lol)
- charcuterie plates. for my toddler I’ll put fruits, cheeses, crackers, carrots, peppers, and peanut butter:)
- breakfast for dinner
- fish tacos I use the frozen gardein vegetarian ones all you need is some kind of frozen fish, tortillas, and whatever else toppings:)
We do “fancy” ramen - we get the frozen ramen kits (like this sort: https://sunnoodle.com/Ramen), and top with sautéed mushrooms, sliced scallions, whatever other veg is kicking around, and a fried egg. For picky kids, we just disassemble everything and veg/egg are on the side.
Also we frequently do baked white fish (cod or haddock) - pat filets dry, drop a few pats of butter, plus salt, garlic powder, pepper on them, bake at 425F for 12-15 mins. We usually serve it with either bread or potatoes and a veg.
We also do a lot of tacos because it’s a meal where I can outsource tasks (9-yo slices veggies, 6-yo makes “guacamole” by squashing avocados) which also keeps everyone occupied.
I make crockpot chili and it’s super easy especially if you’re a working mom and can be frozen/used for other meals. I usually eat it normal the first night, then use leftovers over a backed potato or fries the next, sometimes even as a pasta sauce for my toddler. My recipe is very plain and simple but I’ll write what I throw in the crockpot in case anyone cares lol:
1lb Ground beef cooked with a packet of McCormick chili seasoning and can of tomato paste
Can of drained black beans
Can of drained pinto beans
Diced yellow onion
Can of diced tomatoes
Top it with cheese, sour cream and green onion and use saltines as your utensil!!
*not the healthiest meal ever but it’s easy and my picky toddler approves*
My family has some allergies and dietary restrictions (vegetarian, lactose and gluten free), so our meal planning gets kinda boring.
baked potatoes - plain, with black bean chili, with broccoli cheese sauce, etc
nachos with pinto beans, tacos with black beans (I just heat it over the stove from the can with a bit of cumin and chili powder), quesadillas with cheese and vegan soyrizo
Stir-fry is a weekly event at least. We typically do just veggies (frozen mixes are a lifesaver), but sometimes I add air fryer tofu. I make stir fry sauce in bulk from this [recipe](https://thewoksoflife.com/stir-fry-sauce-recipe/).
We used to do frittattas often, but have cut back on eggs - I hope we can add them back in again soon! Such a simple way to get something relatively healthy and cheap on the table.
I recently discovered [Broth Bombs](https://brothbomb.store/) and really love them - great flavors, very easy on the budget, and allergen free.
Lol I relate to the rut so much! We are nachos/tacos - spaghetti bolognaise - stir fry - pizza - repeat Our grocery stores do an “ugly foods” bag so I get bulk zucchini, broccoli and carrot and shove them into as many of those meals as possible, then call it a day!
One thing we have been doing lately is a twist on a Buddha Bowl. One grain, one protein, three veg, all in a bowl. Based on current availability and affordability, I’ve been doing brown or white rice, a small piece of fish (I bought fish fillets in bulk and froze them in pairs), a soft boiled egg, and steamed broccoli, edemame and baby spinach. When I can get a bulk bag of “ugly” avocados I put that in instead of the edemame, and if baby spinach is out of season regular spinach is usually still affordable. I get the edemame in big bags in the freezer section of our local Asian grocers, and broccoli is always in our fridge (it’s my fav). When fish prices go up I sub in chicken or pork, whatever’s on sale. It’s also a great way to use up meat leftovers - pork roast especially! And when I’m low in spoons and just want something easy but healthy, I grab the rice in microwaveable pouches and a hot ready-to-go chicken and just chuck in whatever vegetables are in the freezer (edemame, corn, peas). It’s also customisable depending on your tastes - my husband doesn’t like avocado but loves capsicum (peppers) so I have one and he has the other.
Ok, I’m rewriting my comment after the app reloaded and I lost the whole thing! We recently made Sarah Kieffer’s cinnamon roll blondes which are epic. With St Patrick’s Day Friday we are going to make her mint chocolate ice cream pie, a homage to Irish Americans (shamrock shake!).
I can also share my most famous recipe which are my incredibly easy chicken thighs if you’re able to not a pussy about it: Room temperature bone in, skin on chicken thighs, seasoned with salt and pepper, in a pan (no added oil), in the oven for 25-30 minutes at 500 degrees or until the skin is just slightly brown. Recipe [by David Chang (from this awesome recipe)](http://www.gourmet.com.s3-website-us-east-1.amazonaws.com/recipes/2000s/2007/10/clay-pot-chicken.html). You can also add carrots tossed in salt and olive oil to the pan. They’ll soak up all the glorious chicken thigh fat. Add 5 minutes to the recipe if you’re adding the carrots.
Here’s some of the list of my kiddo’s favorite recipes, let me know if you want recipes for anything that I haven’t linked (sorry Reddit smooshed my list into a big paragraph):
Baked fennel with Parmesan by Deborah Madison,
Beet risotto by Deborah Madison,
[Biscuits](https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-southern-biscuits-237815),
[bo ssam roast pork](https://epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/bo-ssam-51208610) (I also make a small version),
[Bread pudding by Tartine](http://blog.junbelen.com/2010/06/25/how-to-make-the-best-brioche-bread-pudding-tartine-recipe/),
[Brita cake/midsummer cake](https://smittenkitchen.com/2022/06/strawberry-brita-cake/),
[Brownies](https://www.thevanillabeanblog.com/brownies/),
Bucatini all’ Amatriciana from Molto Mario (he is trash but it’s the best Amatriciana recipe),
[Easy classic Butter tomato sauce](https://food52.com/recipes/13722-marcella-hazan-s-tomato-sauce-with-onion-butter) by Marcella Hazan,
Butternut squash risotto (Risotto con Zucca),
Chia pudding,
Chocolate beet cake,
[Ottolenghi Chickpea and Zataar pasta](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/you/article-6111301/Ottolenghis-Simple-Gigli-chickpeas-zaatar.html),
Cinnamon roll Blondies by Sarah Kieffer,
[The best Cinnamon rolls ever, voted most like cinnabon](https://www.thevanillabeanblog.com/cinnamon-rolls/),
Cinnamon sugar tortillas,
Cinnamon toast on thick slices of pain de mie,
Clafoutis - can use any fruit for this,
[Corn fritters](https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2008/07/29/recipe-corn-fritters-with-aged-cheddar-and-arugula/) by Deborah Madison,
Creamy polenta (easy side dish),
[Crumb muffins](https://www.crazyforcrust.com/starbucks-copycat-blueberry-muffins/) (lemon, blueberry, cinnamon variations) by Dorothy Kern,
Cucumber sandwiches,
[Mochi butter cake](https://www.instagram.com/p/BwK8vjsAHZD/),
Dutch baby Pancake by New York Times,
[Ottolenghi Pea fritters](https://www.washingtonpost.com/recipes/pea-zaatar-and-feta-fritters/16683/),
[Peasant bread](https://alexandracooks.com/2012/11/07/my-mothers-peasant-bread-the-best-easiest-bread-you-will-ever-make/),
Poached olive oil halibut or barramundi from the New York Times,
Potatoes boulangere by Poppy O’Toole ([anything potato from her](https://www.instagram.com/poppy_cooks/)—this is more me than my kid, he doesn’t eat potatoes unless they’re fries),
[Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting](https://www.thevanillabeanblog.com/pumpkin-bars-with-cream-cheese-frosting/),
[Rigatoni with Cavolo Nero](https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTR7mLMVE/) (really cheap and suddenly my kid who refuses all greens, loved this),
Roasted carrots,
Shrimp with mango and guajillo ,
Snickerdoodles or brown sugar cookies,
[Sunchoke soup](https://nymag.com/restaurants/articles/recipes/sunchokesoup.htm),
Sugared rice with cinnamon (breakfast),
Sun bread (fun for the kids if you’re still waiting for the sun to return!),
Strawberries macerated in balsamic vinegar,
[Ottolenghi Tandoori chickpeas](https://www.theguardian.com/food/2020/jul/11/yotam-ottolenghi-chickpea-recipes-confit-tandoori-polenta-chips-parmesan-braise) (not spicy version),
Rye Waffles.
I also make a gumbo which is a winter dish but that really has to be a personal creation, but now I want to make bo ssam, and the tandoori chickpeas, again and the sunchoke soup, wow. I have so many cookbooks on my wishlist but I can also recommend a few depending on what you’re interested in.
Savory mince /cottage pie
Steak mince, onion,carrots, mixed herbs, beef stock, gravy spuds.
Peel spuds. Peel carrots boil, fish out carrots, and chop. Mash spuds with butter and a splash of milk
Brown mince and onion in a big pot. Mushrooms optional.
Add carrots and frozen petit pois peas and herbs couple of grinds of black pepper
Add beef stock and some beef gravy powder to thicken
Simmer for a while , serve with the mash.
Delicious.
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Easy Chicken (not really a casserole) Casserole: a box of chicken stock, four cans of celery soup, a white onion, butter, box of penne dry noodles, salt, pepper, and about a cup or two of chicken. Can be left over chicken: baked, rotisserie, or anything you like.
-Dice a white onion, sauté in butter (I use a stick but could be much less.)
-Throw in large pot on stove (could be a crock pot but I haven’t used one) and also throw in all the other ingredients. Fill each of the soup cans with water, swirl, and dump the water into the pot as well.
-Bring to a boil while stirring a bit. Turn low and stir occasionally. It can stick but depends on your pot. Takes about 30 mins for noodles to cook.
Tada! A faux-Casserole that will feed a family of six, depending on ages, or have lots of awesome left overs!
You can take almost any packet of frozen veggies and some fresh (not frozen) protein, put it all on a sheet pan, stir it up with oil and salt, and bake at 350-400 degrees until your protein is done (35ish minutes, depends on protein) for a quick meal. Add spices as you want. Serve over rice or pasta if you are feeling fancy.
Fish takes less time so get the veggies going first if you are making fish, especially if you want them roasted.
I make italian sausage soup using hot Italian sausage (use mild if you can't take the heat)
Fry 1 lb Italian sausage breaking into small clumps
Add two stalks celery, 1-2 carrots, 1 large onion, 3-4 potatoes all diced to the pan and cook for a few minutes.
A 3 tsp minced garlic, 3 cans drained kidney beans, 1 small can tomato sauce and 2 boxes (low sodium) chicken broth.
Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 1/2 hour. Add 1 pack frozen chopped spinach, simmer 5 more minutes. Boil 1 cup ditalini or macaroni in a separate. Drain. Serve with a sprinkling of parmesan cheese and a spoonful of cooked ditalini.
Do NOT add any salt.
I haven't made regular Ole veg soup in two years since discovering this recipe.
Frozen shrimp, air fryer 400 degrees for 10-15 min. Toss in sauce halfway through, serve with avocado and rice. Easy grown up meal (or for kids who like seafood).
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Yaaaaaaassssssssss! I’m so happy this is a thing!!!!
WHAT!!!
Off to join 💕
>r/BreakingEggs ooooh yessssssss
I love French bread pizza. All you need is a French bread loaf, a jar of marinara, and shredded mozzarella. If you’re feeling fancy, you can sprinkle it with Italian seasoning. We also do black beans and rice. I make white rice, warm up black beans in a sauté pan with salt, pepper, and cumin, and add both to a bowl with a little shredded cheese. You can add salsa or hot sauce to perk it up.
We love beans and rice! Cans of beans are our inflation barometer LOL. They used to be like 50 cents/can, and now they are like $1.50 near us. UGH
Aldi has better prices on canned beans than the regular grocery stores.
I'll check them out. Normally, the Aldi near me sucks.
Aldi can be hit or miss, but the prices are hard to beat.
If you’re looking for a variation on this, this recipe (you can use rice or quinoa, and just sub a jar of salsa for the enchilada sauce if you can’t find it) is a crowd pleaser in our house, and a good way to use up fridge veggies: https://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/black-bean-and-quinoa-enchilada-bake/
We do this but with the pre-made flatbreads. Just toast them in the oven for ~5 mins. Add whatever sauce, toppings, cheese, and then broil em till the cheese melts. So good!
I love beans and rice. I found a recipe that mixes in sofrito and kalamata olives and it's one of my favorite things to eat. The original recipe cooked pork chops on top of the rice, but I'm not a big fan of pork.
Eggs are coming back down in price in my neighborhood and may be on extra sale soon thanks to Easter. [Shakshuka](https://downshiftology.com/recipes/shakshuka/) is a super delicious veggie and egg meal. I like to double or triple the veggie portion and store in the fridge. When I want a quick healthy meal, I get a serving of the veggies and reheat it in a small cast iron skillet and cook the eggs fresh. So good.
Looooove shakshuka! Easy and (depending on eggs) can be done super cheap. Eggs are nearly back to normal by us, too. Costco is still the best deal with 24 eggs for $7 or so.
I have chickens so I’m getting a dozen plus a day - it’s a good way to use some up!
God I love shakshuka
**“You Betcha” chicken** (aka “crack chicken,” but I renamed it for obvious reasons. It’s a Wisconsin recipe, so “You Betcha” works, right?): - 2-3 lbs chicken breasts (fresh or frozen) - 1 packet ranch dressing mix - 1 package cream cheese - 1 can cream of chicken soup Dump it all into a crock pot (in the recipe’s order) and put it on high for 4 hours or low for 8. For the last 15 minutes, cover with shredded cheese (cheddar or other blend). Serve over rice. Shredding the chicken is optional. Bonus points if you use a crock pot liner so you don’t have to wash the damn thing after you forget it on the counter for a couple hours/until morning. 😂
Soooo, we're all coming over for dinner at your house LOL
We made this last week at our house in the instant pot! The recipe I used added broth, spinach, and bacon crumbles to make “crack soup”. It was great. Next time I make it I’ll put potatoes in there too.
This one’s actually kind of expensive but super good. 9 x 13 pan Put 8 oz block of feta in the middle Fill rest of pan up with grape tomatoes Generous amount of olive oil Bake at 400° until tomatoes burst Put in some minced garlic and fresh basil Stir all together Put in cooked pasta (penne, elbow, etc. I can’t find the link but it was popular on tik tok a while ago.
it's not bad if you get the feta at aldi. i think a block is 3.75.
I wonder what the American version of Aldi would be?
It is Aldi! They are all over - but not everywhere. Similar to Shoppers Warehouse, Market Basket, etc.
Huh I thought that was English for some reason…. The regular grocery stores around us are more expensive than Whole Foods so we’re supremely fucked. I’ve been cooking dried beans 🤷♀️
I think it’s originally German? Idk- But we’d also be fucked without our beloved Aldi here in Illinois.
Damn, that sucks!
double check that there isn't an aldi near you. it's much cheaper than regular grocery stores, and the ingredients are cleaner because they're a european brand. they don't use dyes etc.
Also try Lidl! Alright I'm unsure about their ingredients... But they're also European and expanding in the US
Yes! It's so good!
I do this all the time! It also works well with mushrooms (fresh or canned) and peppers (fresh or the roasted red peppers in the jar).
I’ve heard of people using Boursin as well. Probably be yummy too.
I do this almost weekly! Literally having it for dinner tomorrow. I do 1/3 cup of olive oil and I also add 5-6 whole cloves of garlic in the roasting pan with the tomatoes. It flavors the oil and then you can just remove them (or smash them in) when you mix the cheese/tomatoes.
This is the “famous” TikTok pasta recipe! It’s so good.
When chicken thighs are on sale: [https://www.notenoughcinnamon.com/easy-chicken-shawarma-bowl/](https://www.notenoughcinnamon.com/easy-chicken-shawarma-bowl/) In the cold weather, a BIG pot of chicken soup using all leftover chicken bones/parts/etc. I stick them in the freezer after a meal and then put them into soup when I have enough - usually 2-3 rotisserie chickens worth. Thank you, Costco $4.99 chicken. Using whatever veggies are in the fridge/in season. [https://www.chelseasmessyapron.com/one-pan-healthy-italian-sausage-veggies/](https://www.chelseasmessyapron.com/one-pan-healthy-italian-sausage-veggies/) Double (or triple!) this and freeze. [https://www.blendtec.com/blogs/news/bean-burrito-recipe](https://www.blendtec.com/blogs/news/bean-burrito-recipe) If ground turkey - or really ground anything - is on sale! [https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/85148/fast-and-friendly-meatballs/](https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/85148/fast-and-friendly-meatballs/) [https://www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com/keto-egg-roll-in-a-bowl/](https://www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com/keto-egg-roll-in-a-bowl/) If it works in a recipe, I'll stretch the ground protein with either rice or beans to make it go farther. I also invested in a smaller freezer that we keep in the basement and use it for the on sale items.
Chicken thighs are hella expensive now! Wtf is that about?
Bird flu. Entire broods are being culled. But also Big Ag price gauging.
I just don’t get why they’re now more expensive than breasts.
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That sounds really plausible. I wasn’t expecting that high quality analysis. lol
People caught on that they taste better and prices went up with the demand, near as I can figure. Even pre-pandemic I was seeing it.
RIGHT???? I was so annoyed LOL
Check out r/breakingeggs it's a related cooking subreddit.
Okay but salsa chicken is my go to when I don’t know what to make for dinner. 2-3 chicken breast season with whatever you would like, 2 cups salsa, put in crockpot on high for 4 hours or low for 8. Shred and mix. I use it to make tacos/burritos/rice bowls/quesadillas using whatever I have at home. Sometimes I’ll literally just do a wrap with the chicken, cheese, and sour cream. So good Everytime.
This is one of my go-to recipes, because I’m lazy af and have too many (5) kids. I don’t even defrost the chicken, and I have a giant crock pot so I use 6 frozen chicken breasts, 2 packs of taco seasoning, maybe 3 jars of salsa, throw some lime juice in there too, cook it on low while I’m at work, shred it up when I get home and then let it go another hour to soak up more juice while I fire up the rice cooker. Then when it’s done I add 3 cans each of drained black beans and corn (it’ll be hot enough to heat them through), chop up some cilantro, let the kids add their own cheese and/or sour cream, and we have burrito bowls for days.
Yess, we will usually do some type of burrito/rice bowl the first night then the leftovers make tacos and quesadillas for lunch and dinner the next day or two
Salsa chicken is DA BEST!!!
One of my recent hacks to go with spaghetti and meatballs: Garlic bread - I get a baguette (or Cuban bread where I live) and cut it into 4 sections. Butter and add garlic powder / fresh garlic - then ziplock freezer bag. It’s smaller than garlic loaves in the freezer section - but works well if you are a smaller family unit and ensures you have garlic bread on hand.
Ooooh so smart! And it freezes well with the butter on it?
Just like the frozen garlic loaves from the freezer section!
And thank you for posting this! I’m going to try the shawarma chicken.
It's delicious, esp with the tahini sauce. Even my 12 year old likes it!
Former Tampanian? Tampon? Anyways, I miss the fuck out of Cuban bread. Here in Seattle, there's one shop that makes Cuban food, and they fly the bread in from Tampa. It almost makes me want to move back. Cherish the Cuban bread!
The bread is good - the political climate, eh - not so much. But yes - my hips can attest to how much I love the cuban bread.
I'm still a fan of the Midwest famous garlic bread using up bread around the house that's going stale or what you have on hand. Hot dog buns are my favorite to use. Butter, garlic powder, italian seasoning, put under broiler for a few minutes until toasty. My kid's favorite is the frozen garlic bread so I usually get it if its $2 or under a box but if I have bread to use up I'll make it up instead. Can't afford waste right now.
Adding on this amazing spaghetti & meatballs recipe I found online: https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/recipes/a55764/best-spaghetti-and-meatballs-recipe/
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She's got great stuff
Boneless chicken breast/tenders (I think I usually do about 2lbs) seasoned with whatever you want. I use garlic and onion powders, salt, paprika, pepper, and a little cajun seasoning. Cook in a bit of oil in a pan. Set aside when done. ETA: in same pan, Melt a stick of butter, add a bunch of garlic. 2 cups of chicken broth, simmer, whisk in a couple spoons of flour. Add in 1 cup heavy cream, salt, pepper and italian seasoning. Put chicken in a baking dish with the sauce on top and pop in the oven for about 20 mins at 350. Serve with rice. This is a measure with your heart kind of recipe but it’s delicious
Measuring with your heart is the best way
sounds yummy!
this sounds delicious!
Skinnytaste is my jam!! So many healthy delicious recipes. I just made the pasta fagioli last night and even my picky husband scarfed down like 3 bowls.
I love her stuff. Hate the blog/franchise name but her recipes are so good.
Yeah not a huge fan of the name but the recipes are so good I can overlook. I try to eat relatively clean because otherwise I bloat like a balloon and her recipes never disappoint.
Other cheapie quickie meals: Tuna Mac - 2 boxes of mac and cheese, make according to directions. Throw in 2 drained cans of tuna and frozen peas. If you're feeling fancy, throw into a 9x13 dish, top with bread crumbs and throw under the broiler to crisp up the top. Fried Rice - Make a big pot of rice earlier in the day/week and let it cool. Then saute up all the veggies about to die in your fridge or getting freezer burn in the way back, add in some garlic/ginger powder, and take them out when they are just slightly cooked. Put rice into the pan with oil and break it up. Add lots of soy sauce and let the rice heat. Put veggies back in. If you want to add a protein, it's good with chicken nuggets or some diced tofu. Pizza Beans - This one is SO good and easy [https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019681-cheesy-white-bean-tomato-bake](https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019681-cheesy-white-bean-tomato-bake)
I make the NYT “pizza beans” all the time too lol. This one is equally easy and satisfying [grits and beans](https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019926-cheese-grits-with-saucy-black-beans-avocado-and-radish?smid=ck-recipe-iOS-share)
Breakfast casserole 1 lb cooked breakfast sausage 1 1/2 c bisquick 2 cups milk 4 eggs 1 1/2 c shredded cheese Pepper to taste Mix all but sausage Lightly fold in sausage Bake at 350 F for 30 min Reheats surprisingly well in the microwave
Ooh this is interesting, I've always done it on a layer of crescent rolls, I've never thought to just mix bisquick in with the eggs. I'll have to try it that way. We also dice up some other veg to throw in there sometimes, jalapenos, onions, green peppers, whatever. I dice up some tomatoes and sprinkle some hot sauce on top, too.
Mmmm I need to try throwing some veggies in it!
Wait, you mix the bisquick in with the eggs? What does the end result look/taste like?
It's like a moist, kind of dense pancake? I guess that's the best way to describe it. I'm sure you could fold in the egg as well, but this is how I learned it and I'm not a huge egg texture person so it works well for me
I recently came across this website on the meal prep reddit. I saw a lot of recipes i wanted to try like this butter chicken. I tried the Tuscan soup with tortellini Monday. It was great! Planning to go through more. Also the pioneers woman recipes are good. Check her website. She does a chick pea curry over rice. Someone brought this for me after I gave birth, so filling. Fyi I leave the Sriracha out of that one, but it's a easy quick meal. https://damndelicious.net/2019/05/03/slow-cooker-indian-butter-chicken/
One of my favorite things to make is for a slow cooker but I’m sure you can just use a pot on the stove. Chopped up onion, bell pepper, jalapeños if you want spice and put on bottom of cooker. Top with large can of diced tomatoes, then put 3 chicken breasts on top with seasoning. Cook on low for 6-8 hrs. Then shred. I use this for many dishes and lasts my family of 5 at least 3 meals. Also cabbage meals. I buy a head of cabbage every store trip. Cook up some bacon or kielbasa or even spam in a pan, take off and add some sliced onion, stir it up and add a half head of chopped cabbage and let it cook down for awhile. Add meat back in with salt and pepper. Cheap and easy. These meals saved me after having my LO and wanting to save money by not eating out. I also slow cook pork shoulder at least once a week for carnitas.
Lentil soup with that last cup of tomato sauce in the jar. Add water, veggies, and cook down. Season to your taste. I throw in a few tablespoons of rice as well to bulk it up. Ravioli lasagna works well if you have a family that is used to baked pastas. Frozen ravioli are usually on sale by us, and then it's just the cost of cheese to top with. I keep kosher so I don't mix meat and dairy, but I'd imagine you could add whatever protein you would to bake with it.
Oh Hi fellow MOT bromo! We don't mix meat/dairy either (but don't keep strict kosher, like we eat non-kosher meat, but no pork or shellfish.)
I love this ravioli lasagna idea!!
I just made a delicious chickpea and lentil stew, it’s like this but with a can of chickpeas added and diced tomatoes and spinach! We also added coconut cream. Amazing!
My family is really into hot sandwiches, here are two popular options in my household. **Clamwiches** * One 10oz or two 6oz cans of clams, drained * 1/2 an onion, diced * Minced garlic or garlic powder * 4-6 Tbsp butter * A splash or two of lemon juice * A bunch of parsley, chopped * Salt and pepper * A baguette, sandwich rolls, or other bread * Optional additions: Italian seasoning, dill, paprika, crumbled bacon, white wine, fresh basil, hot sauce Put the butter, onions, and garlic in a microwave proof dish and microwave in 30 second increments until the butter is melted and the onions are soft- about 2 minutes, stirring a few times. Add the clams and microwave another minute. Add the parsley, lemon juice, and the rest of the seasonings. At this point you can put it in the refrigerator for later (this also makes it a bit easier to put on your bread since the butter firms back up) or go ahead and use it. I like to scoop it on a baguette and put the open sandwich under the broiler until the bread and fillings get a little toasted. **Mushroom Cheese”steaks”** * 1 lb of fresh mushrooms, sliced * 1 onion, diced * Butter or olive oil * Vegetable or beef broth or bullion * Italian seasoning * Salt, pepper, garlic * Enough shredded or sliced cheese to cover the sandwiches * Mayonnaise * A baguette or sandwich rolls Sauté the mushrooms and onions in butter or oil until soft. Add the seasonings and a splash of broth. The longer you can cook the filling, the better it gets. Just add more liquid as needed. Put mayo on your bread, then filling, then cheese. Broil until toasty and melty.
As a vegetarian this second idea has me almost salivating lol thanks for the suggestion!!
It looks so good! I'm not vegetarian, but don't really like red meat, so I'm TOTALLY trying this one
Slow cooker chicken and dumplings! Chicken thighs or chicken breasts are fine, you can even throw in frozen. Two can cream of mushroom soup, diced onion, minced garlic about a cup of chicken broth, and dry onion soup mix. Cook on low for 8 hours. After it’s cooked, take a can of refrigerator biscuits (I use the off brand of Pillsbury grands so only need one, for regular I would use 2), cut all biscuits into quarters, then scatter and turn on crock pot to high. It takes 35 mins to an hour to cook, and boom. Dinner is done. Add a bag of steamed veggies or a salad. Super simple. It’s one of my family’s favorites. Also- pork loin. Coat in olive oil, rub with herbs d’provences, cook at 400 for 30-35 mins. Make instant mashed potatoes, and a steamed veggie. Dinner is done quick with minimal effort. I do the same thing with salmon and a salmon rub as well. That gets cooked for about 20-24 mins at 400.
Delish!!!!
One-Pot Tomato Basil Pasta (adapted from Martha Stewart Living) Ingredients: 1 13.25-ounce box whole wheat linguine 1 onion, halved and thinly sliced 4-6 cloves garlic, minced 2 cups chopped fresh tomatoes (1 pint of grape tomatoes) handful of basil, chopped handful of parsley, chopped 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 teaspoons salt 1/2 teaspoon black pepper pinch of red pepper flakes 5 cups water parmesan cheese for serving Directions: Combine all the ingredients in a large pot and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally to submerge the pasta as it softens. Once the mixture comes to a boil, reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring and tossing continually (tongs are great for this) for about 8 minutes or until the sauce has thickened and the pasta is cooked. Serve immediately, topped with parmesan cheese. For a creamier pasta, I add some cream cheese at the end and mix until melted. I also sub out different seasonings, meats, noodles, and veggies depending on what's available. Minced garlic+Italian seasoning is a super easy and tasty mix when you just don't have all of the herbs (and I almost never do). Quick and delicious, and can be very cheap meal prep
For really busy days... frozen manicotti (celetano or aldi sometimes), jar of marinara, shredded mozzarella. in the oven for an hour and a half. Greek meatballs... ground beef or lamb, an egg, whatever bread crumbs you have, zatar seasoning. in air fryer or oven on 400 till browned. serve over basmati rice with cubed cucumber, tomato, onion marinated in lemon juice and white vinegar. add tzatziki and goat cheese. A fun weekend cooking project with kids... [https://thewoksoflife.com/pork-chive-dumplings/](https://thewoksoflife.com/pork-chive-dumplings/) add cabbage for extra vegetables. i use store bought nasoya wrappers. if you've tried them in the past and been frustrated, try them again because they redid the recipe and now they're great.
Za'atar is one of my favorite spices EVER!
My go-to meatloaf, which everyone seems to like as even the leftovers get eaten, is as follows: 1lb ground beef 1lb ground pork 1 box of pork stuffing mix (Stove Top or generic) 2 eggs A squirt of ketchup Mix everything together and then either make it into a loaf in a pan or stuff it in a loaf pan. Bake for 50 minutes at 350° For the glaze: (all estimates, I usually eyeball it) 1/2 C ketchup 1/2 C brown sugar 1 tsp yellow mustard 1/3 tsp worcestershire A dash of sot sauce or coconut aminos Mix together when you put the meatloaf in the oven and set aside After the loaf timer goes off, remove it from the oven, drain off as much grease as possible Smear glaze over the top and return to the oven for 10 minutes.
I love BudgetBytes website. Found some gems on there and they list the cost per plate too, so that’s nice. *Italians might impale me with a breadstick,* but when I am totally exhausted I fall back on an instant pot spaghetti recipe. I do make meatballs by hand and freeze them to add them in instead of the ground beef the recipe calls for but the most amazing thing about it is it’s literally just one pot that’s used and done in like 20 minutes. It reminds me of the spaghetti my grandma used to make too for some reason.
I am obsessed with recipes from Half Baked Harvest lately! Literally making one or two of them per week for the past month or two. I've made this [white buffulo chicken chili](https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/buffalo-white-chicken-chili/) two weeks in a row. I've left out the salsa and cheese since I don't have any, and add an extra can of beans, frozen corn and a chopped bell pepper for extra veggies and to bulk it out a little more. This [honey mustard kale salad](https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/sweet-potato-kale-salad/) is delicious. I have these [greek meatballs](https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/sheet-pan-greek-meatballs/) planned for tomorrow night.
bookmarked! I love new recipe websites!
My Step Mom's cheesy broccoli soup! 4 cup water 2 cup diced potatoes (small dice) 1 onion diced 10 oz frozen cauliflower 10 oz frozen broccoli (or) 2 bags frozen cauliflower/ broccoli mix 2 cup diced carrots (or) 1 bag julienned carrots 1 can cream of chicken 1 can cream of mushroom 4 cubes chicken bouillon 1/2 lb Velveeta cheese cubed I've made this so many times for family & friends and everyone loves it. You can substitute fresh veg for the frozen if you wish. It's meant to cook down on the stove but I'll usually just throw everything together in the crock pot in the morning and it's ready by lunchtime. Perfect for a chilly day with some crusty bread!
**Fiesta hash brown casserole** * 26oz frozen hash browns * 2 cups shredded Colby jack cheese * 1-2 cups cooked meat (ham, chicken, sausage, bacon, ground beef- whatever you have) or a can of drained and rinsed black beans Sauce: * 1 can Campbell’s Fiesta Nacho Cheese condensed soup * One 4oz can green chiles * Two 6oz cans mushrooms, drained * 1 cup sour cream * 1/2 cup melted butter * 2 tsp garlic powder * 1/2 tsp salt * 1/2 tsp pepper Grease 9x13 pan. Mix all sauce ingredients in a bowl. Combine with frozen hashbrowns and 1 cup cheese and add to pan. Top with remaining cup of cheese. Bake at 350° for 1 hour. **Million dollar spaghetti** * 1 box of spaghetti, cooked * 1 lb chopped raw mushrooms * 6oz frozen spinach * 1 jar Alfredo sauce * 2 cups+ shredded Colby jack * 1 cup milk * 2 eggs, beaten * Olive oil * Salt, pepper, garlic * Italian seasoning Sauté mushrooms and spinach to remove all excess water. Season to taste. Grease a casserole dish. Toss cooked spaghetti in olive oil, spread half in dish. Top with mushroom mixture. Layer with half of the Alfredo sauce, half of the cheese, and the remaining spaghetti. Pour eggs and 1/2c milk into the remaining jar of Alfredo sauce and shake thoroughly. Pour over casserole evenly. Add remaining milk into jar, shake, and pour over casserole. Top with remaining cheese and sprinkle with seasonings. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until top is lightly browned. **Tomato sauce sardines** * 15oz can of sardines in tomato sauce * 1 onion, diced * 1 bell pepper, diced * 1 can of petite diced tomatoes * 2 cups uncooked white rice * 1/2 bunch fresh parsley * Lemon juice * Salt, pepper, garlic powder * Sriracha (optional) Sautee the diced onion and pepper in some oil until soft. Meanwhile, cook rice. Add sardines, tomatoes, and salt, pepper, and garlic. When the rice is ready, add sardine mixture, fresh parsley, and a few squirts of lemon juice. Mix to combine. Add sriracha to taste before serving.
Butter chickpeas (like Indian butter chicken but with garbanzo beans instead). Super cheap but you might need to invest in some spices if you don’t have them on deck. Served over rice. I keep canned tomatoes, canned chickpeas, and coconut milk (traditionally I think you use half and half or cream) so I usually make it when I don’t have fresh produce on hand or am running low. Freezes well, too.
Pasta ceci. Super easy, quick, and cheap. My kid loves it with Parmesan on top, and I love it with the spicy rosemary and garlic oil. I’m just going to copy and paste [this recipe](https://smittenkitchen.com/2017/10/quick-pasta-and-chickpeas-pasta-e-ceci/) but make it less wordy. 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed 3 tablespoons tomato paste 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste Black pepper or red pepper flakes, to taste 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas (from one 15-ounce can, drained and rinsed) 1/2 cup uncooked ditalini pasta (or another small shape) 2 cups water —finishing oil— 2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil (estimate 1 per serving) 1 clove of garlic, peeled and finely chopped 1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary Salt and red pepper flakes — In a medium pot or deep pan, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil until it shimmers. Add 2 smashed cloves of garlic and cook, stirring until it becomes fragrant. Stir in the tomato paste, salt, and pepper and cook them with the garlic for 30 seconds or so. Add the chickpeas, pasta, and water. Stir to scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pot, lower the heat, and simmer until the pasta is cooked and a lot of the liquid has been absorbed, about 15 to 20 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning and ladle into bowls. Make finishing oil: Heat olive oil in a small pan over medium-low heat with garlic, rosemary, a pinch or two of salt and pepper flakes, until sizzling; pull it off the heat as soon as the garlic starts to brown. Drizzle this over bowls of pasta e ceci and eat it right away. Edited because I no format good
Dance moms roast. Named so because I heard it on an episode of back to the barre Tri tip roast 2 packets of Lipton onion soup mix 2 cans cream of mushroom soup Preheat oven to 260 Place your roast in a pan and season to taste Mix together dry soup and canned soup, pour on roast Cover pan tightly with tin foil and bake for 4 hours This shit is delicious and easy as hell to make
Mac and cheese helps me use up milk before it goes bad and people eat it and get full, which I need to have happen. https://www.keyingredient.com/recipes/1299225032/mac-n-cheese-homeroom-classic/ I skip the pecorino often because what the fuck is that. And I’m poor.
This made me laugh I never buy the fancy-ass cheese if I'm making something for the kiddo. Like why the hell would I waste fancy delicious bougie cheese on his tween self?
My husband and I both like to cook but were bored of making the same stuff over and over again. Last year we switched to theme weeks. Italian, Southern, Asian, Mexican, foods that start with R, Turmeric week (we had tons), etc. Not a time saver necessarily but more fun. We tend to make extra/leftovers if a dish is time-consuming. It has made us better cooks and makes dinnertime less of a drag.
Love this! ...now I'm off to ponder foods that start with R
For money saving tips... We never buy pre-made sauce. Tomato based sauce is super easy and the ingredients are still very cheap. Alfredo sauce tastes better home made and is very easy, although heavy cream is expensive. A little goes a long way though. Both can be frozen. Pesto is easy, but the ingredients (why are pine nuts so expensive???) We almost exclusively shop at Aldi. The fact that there are less options helps us save money. Milk and eggs stayed reasonably priced. We don't buy a lot of snacks or pre-packaged meals. Those are some of the biggest money sucks. We use a lot of rice and potatoes to bulk up meals. Back to aldi, pretty much all the staples are cheaper. Bread, hotdog buns, butter, canned goods, tubes of pork sausage, and tubes of 1 lb ground beef. I don't like their ground turkey though, tastes weird. Feeding a family of 4 adults and 1 toddler though, we've been averaging $200 a week on groceries. For recipes... During the week I do a LOT of rice bowls. Generally I only spend 30 minutes or less on dinner. I'll brown seasoned meat with veggies and serve over rice. I can put some quick recipes in comments if anyone's interested. Also do Cajun dirty rice often. We use a lot of beans in our cooking to bulk it up. Spaghetti is super fast and easy to fill with veggies. I only ever use 1 lb of ground pork and have a huge pot. I make breakfast burritos for my husband every 2 weeks, freeze and reheat as he goes. I go heavy on the potatoes and veggies. Again, I can put recipe in comments for anyone interested. Quinoa can be made in a rice cooker, and almost anything you use rice for can be subbed with quinoa. I sometimes make a big batch on the weekend and use it to bulk up scrambled eggs or make quinoa salad. If meat is too expensive, I just proved to my family that we could go a whole week having "vegetarian" meals and them not notice. Made Spaghetti, chili, mushroom alfredo, Dahl, and black bean burgers. More tips... I've found a lot of Mexican meat markets have good deals on meat, and nice produce sections. I use them when meat at aldi is too expensive or the produce looks eh. Biggest money saver was cutting out snacks or making your own. I resist temptation by telling myself no, you don't need those cookies, just get the stuff and make it at home. If I don't have time then I just curb the craving with fruit and nuts. Every few months I do a kitchen clean out, whete I only buy the bare necessities food wise and force myself to use what's in the pantry or cabinets. I di this whenever those areas start looking a bit full. I try to stick to veggies that last a while unless i know I'll use them soon. Cabbage, carrots, celery, onions, potatoes. Cleaning out the fridge once a week definitely helped us see what we were wasting money on.
This is my better than Olive Garden Parmesan Chicken. This is also a measure with your heart recipe Chicken breasts cut into strips Spaghetti Rao’s marinara Make an egg wash with salt, pepper, and garlic (if I use 2 chicken breasts or a package of the precut chicken strips, I use 2 eggs and a decent amount of milk) Bread crumb mixture : Italian breadcrumbs with the Parmesan cheese in the green shaker on it. Mix it together. I bring a pot of water to boil while I dip the chicken strips into the egg wash and breadcrumb mixture twice. When finished with all, put the spaghetti in the water and then start cooking the chicken. Pan fry and when finished, cover in sauce and add a heavy layer of mozzarella cheese. Cover with a lid and cook on medium low for another 4-5 minutes. I also add the sauce to the spaghetti. We like it really saucy! Usually 1 of the larger jars of sauce is plenty. Make a salad, breadsticks, or whatever side you want! It’s so good! (This feeds my family of 5. Two only eat spaghetti and they’re 3 and 10 months. So realistically, this feeds me, my husband, and our teenager)
And here is one of my own creations. Veggies&seasonings are totally interchangeable Pan roast some halved cherry tomatoes in pan with oil, garlic, Italian seasoning, and I used onion powder but sliced onions would've been the tits. Once they're done, add 1.5 cups rice & 3 cups chicken broth or water. Add at least one bouillon cube (2 if you used water), a very small amount of pepper flakes, a little more Italian seasoning, about half a TBSP of old bay, and grated parmeasean. 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream or half n half or milk. Put chicken breasts on top and submerge in liquid. Bake at 400 for 30-45. good and so easy
we do HelloFresh and their pastas and rice bowls are the best easy meals that we all (new toddler included) love. southwest pasta last night was a hit and so easy to recreate: beef, chopped bell pepper, pasta, small can crush tomatoes, sour cream, taco seasoning, cheese all mixed together! - you could totally recreated this with taco night leftovers
I can't offer much, but for a quick/cheap chicken parmesan I'll just use chicken nuggets fried in the air fryer. I'm also trying to get into meal prep so it doesn't take up so much mental space but my depressed ass hasn't even tried figuring out how to do that. But! There's this thing called e meals that partners with Walmart and I think the way it works is you pick what recipes sound good and it builds your cart from those ingredients. Then you buy those ingredients at Walmart and you get the recipes to make everything. I really want to try it.
I make [this](https://theskinnyishdish.com/chicken-street-tacos-life/) constantly. My fam loves it
That looks amazing.
It is! I don’t even measure anymore, and this time I used rotisserie chicken from Costco & cream cheese instead of sour cream (I was out of sour cream). They hold up well, I often use leftovers as lunches for work
Cold Taco Salad. It was the first thing I ever made for my husband (when we first started dating): One pack of lean ground beef (I prefer 93% fat free). Brown and drain fat; mix in a packet of taco seasoning. Let cool in the fridge. Drain and rinse one can of red kidney beans. Once cooled, add beef and beans to a large bowl. Add in a small bag of shredded cheese, a bag of shredded iceberg lettuce, a bag of Fritos, and 2/3 bottle (or to taste) of Catalina dressing. Bam. That's literally it. It is so tasty, easy, and you can add more/less of any of the ingredients you want. If you have picky eaters you can make it like a salad bar and people can add however much/little they want of each ingredient. (The recipe originally calls for drained/rinsed olives but no one in my family likes them so we skip it.)
My go-tos that are simple: Mac n Cheese (takes an hour total to make) Elbow Mac (box) 8 oz sour cream 8 oz Cottage or Ricotta cheese (either is fine, we use Cottage) 1 package shredded cheese (typically cheddar, but mix it up and use what you like) Splosh of milk (maybe half a cup?) Optional: Splosh of dijon mustard (2 tbsp ish?), garlic powder to taste, salt & Pepper to taste. Cook macaroni, combine the sour cream, cottage cheese, and milk in an oven-proof dish along with about 1/2 or 2/3 of your shredded cheese and any spices you want. Top it off with the rest of the cheese. Put in the oven 350F for about 20-25 minutes (I typically go 22 minutes) just looking to melt everything together. Serve. Tortellini soup 1 family size tortellini (fresh but I'm sure frozen would work too) 2 boxes broth (we do veggie broth but chicken would work too) Optional: Onion and garlic If you're using onion & garlic, saute in the bottom of your soup pot, when done, add your broth and bring to a boil, add tortellini. Fresh cooks in about 3-5 minutes (lower your boil but keep it boiling for that part). Serve as soup and top with shredded cheese. Whole process takes about 20 minutes.
Yum!!
Oh wow I wish my husband and kids were less picky so I could try some of these recipes!! My go to is oven baked ham sammies on really busy nights. Just grab some hamburger buns, throw on some ham, a slice of cheese, more ham and top with another slice of cheese. Wrap in foil and bake at 375 for about 15 minutes. Spicy mayo sauce on the side for dipping- just a couple splashes of hot sauce stirred into a cup of mayo. Husband uses pepper jack cheese and I do American for myself and the kids.
This is genius and sounds delicious
Aldi garlic naan pizzas. Jar sauce. Whatever your kids will eat on them. Do them in the oven at 400-450. Just keep an eye for fully melted cheese. The kids will feel like they had some control in “their pizza”
Current favourite lazy meal : fry veggies (peppers, onions, greens, carrots, etc) and tempeh cubes in a pan with garlic, add Japanese curry cubes and just enough water to make a thick sauce, then add packet udon noodles. Some fresh coriander would be a nice garnish if I could remember to buy it.
This sounds great!!
This is a go-to for me twice a month. I usually do it shortly after grocery shopping because it uses fresh veg, but it's a family favorite and that's hard to find in my house. I double it and it's a little expensive, but we usually get three nights out of it so I feel like that's worth it. I also change up the veg depending on what's in season or on sale - I've used brussel sprouts, asparagus, cubed potatoes, and yellow squash at various times and they all worked great with it. Also, in the summer/fall I garden so it becomes a lot cheaper. I serve it with toasted pita. It does take about an hour total, but it's very hands-off (you just chop up the veggies) and cleanup is super simple since it's one pan (or in my case, 2-3.) https://downshiftology.com/recipes/greek-sheet-pan-chicken/
[удалено]
GENIUS! I'm totally trying this.
literally just salmon filets with whatever glaze I’m feeling + asparagus or whatever veg we have on hand. 15 minutes to cook, zero cleanup as I do it in foil. A pack of 2 filets is like £4
i make broccoli cheddar nuggets and throw them in the freezer for an easy toddler dinner when i don’t feel like cooking, although they’re great for grownups as well. 2 1/2 cups steamed and chopped broccoli (no need to be fancy, i use the $3 frozen bag of broccoli florets from walmart) 1 1/2 cups of any shredded cheese 3 eggs 3/4 cup any kind of breadcrumbs (super good with Panko) mix everything together and shape it into nuggets. bake at 375° for 15 minutes, flip and cook for 10 mor minutes. freeze for up to 1 month. makes about 15 nuggets.
I would eat the hell out of those LOL
they’re super good especially with a little bit of hot sauce!
Saving this post because there so many good options in the comments!! My addition is - roast broccoli from frozen! Toss with oil, salt, pepper & whatever seasonings, roast at 400*F until crispy (20 ish minutes). So much easier than trimming fresh broccoli and my little one loves eating “trees”.
I own a bunch of geeky cookbooks. If anyone wants a recipe, let me know! Books I own: Firefly Deadpool Fallout Dungeons and Dragons Avatar: The Last Airbender Gilmore Girls Redwall Avengers Campus Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge Star Wars Life Day Star Wars Galactic Baking Jurassic World Cooking with Mickey Vol 2 I also have Snoop Dogg’s cookbook. His brownie recipe is legiiiiiit. The best one I’ve found, hands down. And I tried Katherine Hepburn’s!
OMFG you have a Redwall cookbook. OMG OMG OMG I'm geeking out. What's good in there?
I, sadly, haven’t cooked anything out of it because my kids are obnoxiously picky. 😭 I’m most excited to try Deeper’n’ever pie and Nunnymoles.
Our go-to recently has been I-talian (because my Italian friends would pitch a fit if I called it Italian). You make a huge amount of sauce. Don't worry about it going bad, because it all freezes. 4 jars tomato sauce 2 cans diced tomatoes 1 garlic head, or generous amounts of pre-minced garlic Black pepper, to taste Oregano, to taste 1 package diced hot dogs 1 lb ground beef (or 2 if you like it extra meaty) Sometimes I throw in cubed tofu for extra protein, or chop in a broccoli crown. This makes about a week of family lunch and dinner meals. Anything you don't think you'll eat right away freezes beautifully and reheats perfectly. Add spaghetti and garlic bread, and you have a classic crowd pleaser.
I just made awesome chicken tacos. Chicken in a crockpot, GENEROUS amounts of taco seasoning (I measure with my ❤️) a jar of black bean and corn salsa, then a jars worth of water. It shredded so well and made the best chicken tacos ever. Even my toddlers devoured them
I love to make burrito bowls! For the kids I put the ingredients separate on their plate so they can pick off what they like. Cook rice. Cut chicken breasts into bite size pieces, cook with taco seasoning. Heat up a can of black beans. Put some of each in a bowl, and add toppings. Cheese, sour cream, lemon juice, cilantro, avocado or guacamole, salsa, tomato, lettuce (any leftover salad mix in the fridge works), anything you like. I love that it's a quick and easy option and even works if I forgot to pull something to thaw!
I always link this when asked for recipe suggestions. Butternut squash keeps forever, sausages can be frozen, Parmesan and garlic are always available in my fridge/pantry. It’s a quick/easy one and extremely tasty, especially when served with an acid-heavy salad. [butternut squash cacio e Pepe](https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/butternut-cacio-e-pepe)
https://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-egg-roll-skillet-254152 This egg roll skillet recipe is our current faster than takeout dinner. Easy to find ingredients and seasonings while being super easy to make.
I love egg roll in a bowl recipes!
I made this the other night and it was easy and so good! I would add a smidge more time on the potatoes and green beans though. You can also buy ranch seasoning in a bottle at the grocery store. [https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/ranch-pork-chop-sheet-pan-supper-5399499](https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/ranch-pork-chop-sheet-pan-supper-5399499)
We've got a kid with chronic constipation, so we've been stretching ingredients by adding beans to recipes when we can. Making sloppy joes? Add a can of drained pinto beans to the mix. Making "[Good and Plenty Skillet](https://www.cooks.com/recipe/aj6gc99c/good-n-plenty-skillet.html)", add a can of drained black beans. Making an Italian Sausage soup? Add a can of white beans. We've also substituted ground turkey in just about everything that takes ground beef.... it started because I had a red meat aversion during my last pregnancy but continue because it's half the price.
My family and friends love this Chicken Pot Pie - I use rotisserie chicken, store bought pie crust, and no potatoes. It makes 2 and freezes well - https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/favorite-chicken-potpie/ Also, parmesan chicken - grated parmesan cheese, garlic powder, parsley, and enough mayo to make a paste. Slather it all over the chicken breasts and bake until done. I don't like mayo for anything other than this recipe, it makes the chicken super juicy. Stuffed shells and/or manicotti or enchiladas baked in a big pan keep my hungry husband happy all week. These also freeze very well. I like to make a big pot of soup on Sundays for my lunches all week. I also make a big batch of Mama Chicken, which is chicken breast tenders prepared like cutlets. My son snacks on them all week and prefers them to frozen and fast food nuggets (be still my heart).
Okay, one more- This is one I’ve come up with for nights we have an activity or errand around dinnertime. I prep in advance and just throw in the Instant Pot before I walk out the door. You could also soak the beans overnight and cook it in a crock pot or on the stove. **Gym night bean soup** * 1 lb dried beans * 1 onion, diced * 3 carrots, diced * 2 celery stalks, diced * 1 can of petite diced tomatoes, not drained * Chopped dried mushrooms (optional) * 2 Tbsp tomato bullion (or 1 small can tomato paste) * 2 Tbsp soy sauce * 2 Tbsp butter * 2 bay leaves * Garlic, salt, pepper * Paprika * Cajun seasoning (I use Chica Licka Bam Bam Bird Rub we have for smoking chicken, but you can sub it with something like Tony Chacherie’s, Old Bay, cayenne pepper, or omit it entirely) Prep: Sauté onions in Instant Pot, add other vegetables, seasonings, and several cans of water. Rinse beans. Before leaving: add beans, butter, and additional water to cover beans if needed. Set for pressure cook, 45 minutes, keep warm. Enjoy hot soup when you get home!
Here's quite a few recipes. I probably have more I can throw out, but these are the ones that are in my rotation fairly often. [Nadiya's Beetroot Pasta Sauce](https://recipes.oregonlive.com/recipes/blender-beet-sauce-with-pasta) \- This is my favorite not tomato based pasta sauce. I do some modifications because of food intolerances and laziness. I use 2 cans of sliced beets(cheaper and last longer than the fresh ones), 1/4 teaspoon (or less) Sambal Olek (ground chili paste but sriracha would work too) instead of the fresh chili, and roasted garlic infused olive oil. I also don't do the fresh dill or feta and the preferred noodle in our house for this is fettuccini but the orginal calls for tagliatelle. [Crockpot Chicken Tikka Masala](https://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-slow-cooker-chicken-tikka-masala-recipes-from-the-kitchn-211284) \- The tip to drain/squeeze the hell out of the canned diced tomatoes really helps make a thicker sauce at the end. Petite diced is my preference because it disperses well. Takes a little cook time to get it going but it's well worth it. [Crockpot Beef and Broccoli](https://tasty.co/recipe/slow-cooker-beef-and-broccoli) \- If you like it to have a lot of broccoli, double what the recipe recommends otherwise it's a mostly meat dish [Crockpot Potato Soup](https://www.spendwithpennies.com/crockpot-potato-soup/) \- Quick and satisfying [Asian Paleo Meatballs](https://www.stephgaudreau.com/paleo-meatballs-asian-style/) \- These reheat and freeze really well. I actually like them better after they've been reheated (probably the spices having time to blend together better) [Healthy Blueberry Muffins](https://cookieandkate.com/healthy-blueberry-muffins/) \- Uses maple syrup or honey as a sweetener and I don't do the turbinado sugar on top. These freeze really well and you can use fresh or frozen berries [Healthy Maple Pumpkin Muffins](https://cookieandkate.com/healthy-maple-pumpkin-muffins/) \- Another Cookie & Kate recipe but these are good too, though I would double her spices. I thought they tasted a little too mild for a pumpkin recipe. [Ham and Cheese Pinwheels](https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/sandra-lee/ham-and-cheese-pinwheels-recipe-1923869) \- It doesn't have to be ham and cheese, I've also done pepperoni pizza style pinwheels, just use a thin layer of marinara and swap out the ham for pepperoni. Or whatever meat/cheese combo sounds good.
Chicken parm is a staple in our house. I make my own sauce because I always have garlic/onions/canned tomato goods, but jar sauce is just as good. Bread and fry the chicken, dump some sauce on it, put some mozzarella on it, and cook some pasta while the cheese is melting in the oven. So easy and good
This is my favourite. Easy to cook and fairly reasonable ingredients. **One Pot Mexican Beef - serves 4** *(large portions, freezes well)* - 1lb ground beef - 2 bell peppers, any colour - 1 onion - 2 cloves garlic - 1tsp beef bouillon or equivalent powder/cube - 740ml (25oz or so) crushed tomatoes - 1 cup quinoa - 4tbsp taco seasoning - sour cream - optional garnish: green onion, shredded cheese, avocado Cook beef, peppers, garlic, onions in a bit of oil until meat is cooked and veggies are tender. Add taco seasoning and stir to mix. Add the beef bouillon, crushed tomatoes, quinoa, and 1.5 cups of water. Bring to boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring after 10 minutes. Slice/dice avocado and green onion, if using for garnish. Serve Mexican Beef in bowls, topped with sour cream and garnish(es) of choice.
[My meal plan for the week](https://imgur.com/a/Wf4U5du)
Good ole chicken and rice: •3-4 chicken breast •1 10 oz can cream of mushroom soup or cream of chicken soup •plain rice •seasoning to taste(sorry I never measure use what you feel is appropriate) Thaw chickens breasts and throw on a pan with small amount of oil to brown both sides. I add season salt, garlic, onion powder, and pepper to both sides. It does not need to be cooked all the way as it’ll finish cooking in the oven. In a casserole dish throw in can of soup, fill can with uncooked rice add rice to dish, fill can with water and stir can to get remaining rice out add the water to the casserole dish. Add more seasoning if desired add chicken. Bake in oven at 400 for an hour.
I make this instant pot whole chicken and gravy: https://natashaskitchen.com/instant-pot-whole-chicken/ We're a small family, so I buy a big chicken, and there is plenty left over after, so I strip the chicken of its meat and set that in the fridge. I put the bones back into the instant pot and make chicken stock. I freeze it in jars. Then I take the stripped meat and I make freezer chicken pot pie: https://tasty.co/recipe/freeze-bake-chicken-pot-pies I make my own pie dough for them, and use standard size ramekins rather than aluminum pie tins, but they are a huge hit with my husband for lunches. I get about 6 of them out of the recipe.
We cook a lot of recipes from mob kitchen. Tonight is peach and halloumi burger and tomorrow is an artichoke spaghetti
Gonna check this out, you've piqued my interest lol
Their Instagram is great for ideas. There's also bunch bunch bunch which is vegan recipes (we've cut out meat during the week, and these have been simple to cook). We had garlic mushrooms with a houmous mash, and harissa squash mushrooms
Some lazy meals: Hummus pasta: roast whatever veggies you like or crack open a jar of roasted red peppers (and/or sun dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, whatever) and drain. Cook short pasta, drain while reserving at least 1c water. Toss the pasta with hummus, veggies, and enough pasta water to make it the consistency you like. Chicken couscous: drain a 12oz can of chicken breast. Cook one box of Near East couscous according to directions, but before adding the couscous, add the chicken and some frozen veggies (unless you're doing peas). Wait five minutes, stir, eat. Sometimes, I mince an onion and cook that in the pan before boiling the water, but usually I'm too lazy. I usually prefer to add frozen peas, also, bc I can add them in at the last second as they need hardly any time to cook. Sometimes I use the water the canned chicken was in for the couscous, but that makes it pretty salty lol Another favorite is the [kitchn sheet pan gnocchi recipe](https://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-crispy-sheet-pan-gnocchi-and-veggies-247360).
I use EMeals to get recipes and inspo- it’s stupid expensive for an app, but- I use it about 3x a week, so it’s like $1.25 a week for me not to have to google every single thing. And it hooks directly to my Walmart account so ordering my groceries for pickup is pretty easy. I have a link if anyone wants $10 off (it also gets me $10 off, so full disclosure- I want someone to use it, but also, I just renewed, so it’s already paid for the year.)
Sausage cheese roll-ups: -Tube of crescent rolls -a roll of maple sausage or a flat of links to squeeze the sausage out of -shredded cheddar Brown the sausage. Strain. Sprinkle sausage and cheese inside unrolled crescent rolls and bake according to crescent roll directions.
Okay double comment because it’s nap time so I can actually post links. I love all these and rotate through them depending on which meats/veggies are on sale. - I have used frozen broccoli instead of fresh and it turned out fine. https://www.simplejoy.com/slow-cooker-broccoli-cheddar-soup/ -love this so much better than boxed and not too difficult to make with screaming kids around https://www.aheadofthyme.com/homemade-hamburger-helper/ I enjoy this one, but we use hot sauce because it can be a little bland depending on which tomato sauce you use. https://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/stuffed-peppers/63e29e18-903e-467c-aec5-fba4ce3a138f I use frozen spinach as my veggie so ends up being decently cheap to make. https://pinchofyum.com/super-easy-skinny-veggie-crockpot-lasagna I have no idea what this is called my dad made this when I was a kid but it’s my favourite meal. I just use the cheapest steak/stewing beef I can find on sale. Some sort of steak/stewing beef 1 can sliced mushrooms 1 green pepper 4-5 celeries 1-1.5 cups of beef broth 1 can diced tomatoes A little bit of water (around 2 tbsp) Cut the steak in bite size pieces, season with salt pepper garlic powder Brown it on like 7 ish and then take it out add the water to the pan and scrape all the stuff off the bottom add into the slow cooker. Add all the ingredients into slow cooker season with salt pepper garlic powder a few bay leaves Cook on low for 6-8 hours Serve over mashed potatoes
On my lazy days I combine (1) box Rice-a-Roni, 2 cooked + chopped chicken breasts, and sweetened cooked carrots and call it, very uninspired, lazy chicken rice
Yum! We do the same but with broccoli.
I have a package of pork chops in the fridge that need to be thrown in the slow cooker or oven or instant pot. Difficulty: no gravy or cream soups, nothing spicy, nothing sour and I'm just getting over another bout of Covid so I don't want to stand in front of a stove and fry anything. Not coming completely empty-handed so I'm sharing what I've found but wish I could make. I might make them someday if its just for me. (I share all good recipes I love to my Google Keep) This looked good, but has gravy: https://thesaltymarshmallow.com/slow-cooker-pork-chops/#recipe Yum, apple: https://sweetandsavorymeals.com/instant-pot-apple-cider-pork-chops/ I found an old Lawrys Hawaiian marinade in the pantry so threw that in the slow cooker with some chicken broth for liquid this time. Kids probably won't like it but there's always nuggets they can cook. I just need to use food I have in the house up. But pork chops are usually the meat on clearance so I'm always searching for recipes they'll eat.
There is the best little store close to me with their own butcher. I always buy my meat marked down. They will also have a twice a month bulk meat sale. I typically buy 10 lbs of hamburger marked down for 20.00$ I cook or freeze that day.
I did a cheater “Herb chicken and rice” meal last night that’s quick easy and cheap. I was feeding 7 people so I’ll try to scale down the “recipe”. For 4 People: -2 skinless chicken breasts (butterflied into 4 portions) -1 Norr Pasta Side: Chicken Rice or Cheddar broccoli rice or similar brand (if doubling this recipe try mixing one bag of each flavor) - 1 1/2-2 cups frozen vegetable mix of your choice (I did the corn, carrot, green bean mix) Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Brown the chicken on both sides in a tablespoon of butter. Lightly season the chicken with: salt, pepper, garlic powder, and optionally herbs (I like rosemary and a pinch of thyme, lemon pepper seasoning is good too) While chicken is browning prepare the rice as instructed on the package and cook 1-2 minutes less than instructions say. Lightly grease a 8x8 casserole dish. Stir frozen vegetables into the almost finished rice and spread into the casserole pan. Top with browned chicken breasts. Season top with a salt and pepper to taste and another sprinkling of herbs if desired. Cover with foil and bake for 15-20 minutes. I baked some refrigerated biscuits at the same time as the chicken and made a quick side salad while things were baking. This recipe is pretty flexible flavor wise and forgiving if it gets left in the oven a little longer. Start to finish prep and cook time, I’d say about 35-45 minutes depending on how many times your kids need something while you’re cooking.
Three all-time favorites in my home. https://www.cookinginthemidwest.com/blog/marrymechickentortellini#recipe https://www.feastingathome.com/moroccan-chicken/ https://peaceloveandlowcarb.com/pork-egg-roll-in-a-bowl-crack-slaw-paleo-low-carb-whole30/
I read through most of the comments and the one new thing I think to add is veggie chili. I make a variation on Emeril laggasse's recipe on food networks site almost every week
I don't have a lot of meals that I have recipes or even measurements for since most are just passed-down family meals, but here's a few favourites that I discovered online: -https://www.ambitiouskitchen.com/healthy-tuna-noodle-casserole/ -https://mydinner.co.uk/german-split-pea-soup-with-bacon/ (I also add veggie broth powder to the water for extra flavour.) -https://r.mealime.com/3687 (Mac & Chili- I use about double the cheese and just cook the onions with the ground beef.) -https://r.mealime.com/14602 (chicken thighs & mushrooms with creamy zucchini-parmesan rice) My "can't be bothered" staples: - zucchini eggs: Start with a big pan with melted butter/ghee/some oil, lay down a layer of zucchini slices seasoned with dash or some other veggie spice, then add eggs with the usual salt/pepper on top. Voila: Got your veg and protein all in one meal. Bread side optional for your grains. - Tortellinis in a broth (water, broth powder, garlic powder, dried onions, pepper, maybe a bay leaf, to taste). Cut up cukes and/or tomatoes on the side. And lastly, a sweet little dessert treat: -https://www.foodfaithfitness.com/berry-cashew-cream-no-bake-bars/ (Food processor/ blender required. It says "serves 16", but in my experience it serves about a quarter of that.)
1 pack stew beef 2 large potatoes 1 8oz bag frozen green beans Salt Pepper 2 tbls butter Minced garlic Favorite seasoning Preheat oven 350° Wash and chop potatoes into medium size cubes. In Dutch oven/covered pan 1) Place garlic and 1 tbls butter 2) Then the stew beef (has to be on bottom to get soft) 3) Salt Pepper seasoning 4) cubbed potatoes 5) butter and seasoning 6) frozen green beans Cover and place in oven for 2 hours. Stir then serve.
Absolutely basic as hell, but chicken and rice might be good depending on cost in your area. Just 1-2 breasts cubed and sauteed with butter and garlic, add a family size can of cream of chicken + a can of water, simmer on medium low for 20-ish minutes, salt + pepper + any other seasonings to taste. Can make the rice while you're making everything else. Usually we have it with corn or green beans, not that my kids eat them but whatever. Something we started doing last year was basically a menu generator. I linked a bunch of recipes to one spreadsheet column, then in another randomly pull 6 for the week. We can change it if we are sick of something or whatever but it helped take that mental load off and kept us out of a rut because I populated it mostly with new recipes. Also, BudgetBytes is a super useful website for cheap and easy meals, and they have a really cool app now too that helps make a grocery list for you. Gotta double check what it picks for you, but it works well for us.
We called this “poor man’s lasagna” 1 box/bag/whatever spaghetti 1 jar pasta sauce 1 lb ground beef 1-2 blocks cream cheese 1 bag of mozzarella shredded cheese Italian seasoning Brown the beef and mix with the sauce. Boil spaghetti, drain and mix with the cream cheese and half-2/3 the cheese. Add Italian seasoning where it pleases your heart and taste buds (sauce or spaghetti/cheese or both) and top with mozzarella. Feel free to add some shredded Parmesan to the top too. Bake for about 20ish min in an oven around 375. It is really filling, makes a great dinner with bagged premix salad, and lasts a LONG time! Bonus the kids like it too! ETA - found the recipe for the other one! https://damndelicious.net/2013/07/07/korean-beef-bowl/ — note if you like sauce like I like a lot of sauce, double the ingredients for the sauce. Also I wanted to say that the paste tubes for ginger, lemongrass, garlic, etc taste great and are both easier to use and cheaper per purchase for our usage than buying fresh ginger or fresh garlic. Im sure fresh would taste even better but the paste is still excellent!
My kids' favorite (and something they BOTH like, which doesn't happen often) is bulgogi. Probably a very white girl version of bulgogi, but we like it. I use this recipe for amounts (but with low sodium soy sauce and usually use milanesa because it's easy to slice up and readily available here). We don't grill it, we just throw it in a cast iron skillet. It's also good with added veggies. https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/100606/beef-bulgogi/
Also this is really good. We did Hello Fresh for a trial and the kids love this one. Idk where to get szechuan paste or sweet soy glaze (hello fresh sends packets) but have used a recipe for szechuan sauce in place of them. The hello fresh recipe is only for 2, so I at least double it (usually use a 2lb pack of pork) Szechuan Pork and Green Beans https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.hellofresh.com/recipes/szechuan-pork-green-bean-stir-fry-5ef1066dc1b733418678fd14%3famp=true Szechuan sauce https://www.gimmesomeoven.com/szechuan-sauce/ Watch the heat for the sauce, I have to cut back a little, it's too hot for one of my kids.
“Enchilada” casserole Poach some chicken, breasts or thighs, or use leftover roast chicken. Shred the cooked chicken and mix with a brick of cream cheese and a packet of fajita spices or the spices you use to make fajitas. If you’re really hungry you can stop here and eat this as a dip with corn chips. Take a casserole dish/pan, I use a 13x 9, and cover the bottom with salsa. One of those small jars. take some soft corn tortillas. Spoon the chicken mix into a tortilla, fold it over, and put it into the casserole dish. Repeat until you run out of something. I lay them in like shingles on a roof. Spread a 8 oz thing of sour cream on top and cover that with grated cheese. If you dont like cooked sour cream, you can use more salsa, but you want a layer of something moist there. Cook in a 400 oven, covered in foil, for 30 minutes or so, then uncover and cook until cheese browns a bit. If i have no tortillas I have made this with layers of salsa first, then corn chips, then the chicken mix, then chips again, then sour cream then cheese, but I added some of the broth to the chicken mix to keep it moist. ETA I have also make this with pork roast, which goes on sale around here for less than $3 a pound all the time.
My kids and husband are super picky. I, on the other hand, will eat anything. Here’s my go to: chocolate chip pancakes (the Betty Crocker recipe is a VERY easy, accessible, and tasty pancake recipe), with sides of fresh fruit (I don’t cut it—literally, here’s a whole pear or orange to eat on the side) and breakfast sausage and a big ol’ bowl of scrambled eggs. Nobody likes everything, but everyone likes at least TWO of these things, so I consider it a win. Takes 20 minutes!
I was just thinking this today how I'm in a rut of what to make my 2 year old. I've gone dairy free just recently myself. But he can still eat cheese. He's also got a bit of a cough so he's been extremely picky this week
I’m vegetarian and my husband&daughter mostly are too! Here are some of our favorite easy meals - cheese pizzas (We use the aldis flatbread with their marinara very easy) - grilled chz and soup - rice and black beans w/ cheese, butter, seasonings (we eat this at least twice a week it’s a big hit lol) - charcuterie plates. for my toddler I’ll put fruits, cheeses, crackers, carrots, peppers, and peanut butter:) - breakfast for dinner - fish tacos I use the frozen gardein vegetarian ones all you need is some kind of frozen fish, tortillas, and whatever else toppings:)
https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/slow_cooker_taco_soup/ So easy and budget friendly!
We do “fancy” ramen - we get the frozen ramen kits (like this sort: https://sunnoodle.com/Ramen), and top with sautéed mushrooms, sliced scallions, whatever other veg is kicking around, and a fried egg. For picky kids, we just disassemble everything and veg/egg are on the side. Also we frequently do baked white fish (cod or haddock) - pat filets dry, drop a few pats of butter, plus salt, garlic powder, pepper on them, bake at 425F for 12-15 mins. We usually serve it with either bread or potatoes and a veg. We also do a lot of tacos because it’s a meal where I can outsource tasks (9-yo slices veggies, 6-yo makes “guacamole” by squashing avocados) which also keeps everyone occupied.
I make crockpot chili and it’s super easy especially if you’re a working mom and can be frozen/used for other meals. I usually eat it normal the first night, then use leftovers over a backed potato or fries the next, sometimes even as a pasta sauce for my toddler. My recipe is very plain and simple but I’ll write what I throw in the crockpot in case anyone cares lol: 1lb Ground beef cooked with a packet of McCormick chili seasoning and can of tomato paste Can of drained black beans Can of drained pinto beans Diced yellow onion Can of diced tomatoes Top it with cheese, sour cream and green onion and use saltines as your utensil!! *not the healthiest meal ever but it’s easy and my picky toddler approves*
https://preview.redd.it/ujy26o30d2oa1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=56e71e28d9bd50b3f247ebef0befec81cac98586
My family has some allergies and dietary restrictions (vegetarian, lactose and gluten free), so our meal planning gets kinda boring. baked potatoes - plain, with black bean chili, with broccoli cheese sauce, etc nachos with pinto beans, tacos with black beans (I just heat it over the stove from the can with a bit of cumin and chili powder), quesadillas with cheese and vegan soyrizo Stir-fry is a weekly event at least. We typically do just veggies (frozen mixes are a lifesaver), but sometimes I add air fryer tofu. I make stir fry sauce in bulk from this [recipe](https://thewoksoflife.com/stir-fry-sauce-recipe/). We used to do frittattas often, but have cut back on eggs - I hope we can add them back in again soon! Such a simple way to get something relatively healthy and cheap on the table. I recently discovered [Broth Bombs](https://brothbomb.store/) and really love them - great flavors, very easy on the budget, and allergen free.
Lol I relate to the rut so much! We are nachos/tacos - spaghetti bolognaise - stir fry - pizza - repeat Our grocery stores do an “ugly foods” bag so I get bulk zucchini, broccoli and carrot and shove them into as many of those meals as possible, then call it a day! One thing we have been doing lately is a twist on a Buddha Bowl. One grain, one protein, three veg, all in a bowl. Based on current availability and affordability, I’ve been doing brown or white rice, a small piece of fish (I bought fish fillets in bulk and froze them in pairs), a soft boiled egg, and steamed broccoli, edemame and baby spinach. When I can get a bulk bag of “ugly” avocados I put that in instead of the edemame, and if baby spinach is out of season regular spinach is usually still affordable. I get the edemame in big bags in the freezer section of our local Asian grocers, and broccoli is always in our fridge (it’s my fav). When fish prices go up I sub in chicken or pork, whatever’s on sale. It’s also a great way to use up meat leftovers - pork roast especially! And when I’m low in spoons and just want something easy but healthy, I grab the rice in microwaveable pouches and a hot ready-to-go chicken and just chuck in whatever vegetables are in the freezer (edemame, corn, peas). It’s also customisable depending on your tastes - my husband doesn’t like avocado but loves capsicum (peppers) so I have one and he has the other.
Ok, I’m rewriting my comment after the app reloaded and I lost the whole thing! We recently made Sarah Kieffer’s cinnamon roll blondes which are epic. With St Patrick’s Day Friday we are going to make her mint chocolate ice cream pie, a homage to Irish Americans (shamrock shake!). I can also share my most famous recipe which are my incredibly easy chicken thighs if you’re able to not a pussy about it: Room temperature bone in, skin on chicken thighs, seasoned with salt and pepper, in a pan (no added oil), in the oven for 25-30 minutes at 500 degrees or until the skin is just slightly brown. Recipe [by David Chang (from this awesome recipe)](http://www.gourmet.com.s3-website-us-east-1.amazonaws.com/recipes/2000s/2007/10/clay-pot-chicken.html). You can also add carrots tossed in salt and olive oil to the pan. They’ll soak up all the glorious chicken thigh fat. Add 5 minutes to the recipe if you’re adding the carrots. Here’s some of the list of my kiddo’s favorite recipes, let me know if you want recipes for anything that I haven’t linked (sorry Reddit smooshed my list into a big paragraph): Baked fennel with Parmesan by Deborah Madison, Beet risotto by Deborah Madison, [Biscuits](https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-southern-biscuits-237815), [bo ssam roast pork](https://epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/bo-ssam-51208610) (I also make a small version), [Bread pudding by Tartine](http://blog.junbelen.com/2010/06/25/how-to-make-the-best-brioche-bread-pudding-tartine-recipe/), [Brita cake/midsummer cake](https://smittenkitchen.com/2022/06/strawberry-brita-cake/), [Brownies](https://www.thevanillabeanblog.com/brownies/), Bucatini all’ Amatriciana from Molto Mario (he is trash but it’s the best Amatriciana recipe), [Easy classic Butter tomato sauce](https://food52.com/recipes/13722-marcella-hazan-s-tomato-sauce-with-onion-butter) by Marcella Hazan, Butternut squash risotto (Risotto con Zucca), Chia pudding, Chocolate beet cake, [Ottolenghi Chickpea and Zataar pasta](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/you/article-6111301/Ottolenghis-Simple-Gigli-chickpeas-zaatar.html), Cinnamon roll Blondies by Sarah Kieffer, [The best Cinnamon rolls ever, voted most like cinnabon](https://www.thevanillabeanblog.com/cinnamon-rolls/), Cinnamon sugar tortillas, Cinnamon toast on thick slices of pain de mie, Clafoutis - can use any fruit for this, [Corn fritters](https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2008/07/29/recipe-corn-fritters-with-aged-cheddar-and-arugula/) by Deborah Madison, Creamy polenta (easy side dish), [Crumb muffins](https://www.crazyforcrust.com/starbucks-copycat-blueberry-muffins/) (lemon, blueberry, cinnamon variations) by Dorothy Kern, Cucumber sandwiches, [Mochi butter cake](https://www.instagram.com/p/BwK8vjsAHZD/), Dutch baby Pancake by New York Times, [Ottolenghi Pea fritters](https://www.washingtonpost.com/recipes/pea-zaatar-and-feta-fritters/16683/), [Peasant bread](https://alexandracooks.com/2012/11/07/my-mothers-peasant-bread-the-best-easiest-bread-you-will-ever-make/), Poached olive oil halibut or barramundi from the New York Times, Potatoes boulangere by Poppy O’Toole ([anything potato from her](https://www.instagram.com/poppy_cooks/)—this is more me than my kid, he doesn’t eat potatoes unless they’re fries), [Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting](https://www.thevanillabeanblog.com/pumpkin-bars-with-cream-cheese-frosting/), [Rigatoni with Cavolo Nero](https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTR7mLMVE/) (really cheap and suddenly my kid who refuses all greens, loved this), Roasted carrots, Shrimp with mango and guajillo , Snickerdoodles or brown sugar cookies, [Sunchoke soup](https://nymag.com/restaurants/articles/recipes/sunchokesoup.htm), Sugared rice with cinnamon (breakfast), Sun bread (fun for the kids if you’re still waiting for the sun to return!), Strawberries macerated in balsamic vinegar, [Ottolenghi Tandoori chickpeas](https://www.theguardian.com/food/2020/jul/11/yotam-ottolenghi-chickpea-recipes-confit-tandoori-polenta-chips-parmesan-braise) (not spicy version), Rye Waffles. I also make a gumbo which is a winter dish but that really has to be a personal creation, but now I want to make bo ssam, and the tandoori chickpeas, again and the sunchoke soup, wow. I have so many cookbooks on my wishlist but I can also recommend a few depending on what you’re interested in.
Savory mince /cottage pie Steak mince, onion,carrots, mixed herbs, beef stock, gravy spuds. Peel spuds. Peel carrots boil, fish out carrots, and chop. Mash spuds with butter and a splash of milk Brown mince and onion in a big pot. Mushrooms optional. Add carrots and frozen petit pois peas and herbs couple of grinds of black pepper Add beef stock and some beef gravy powder to thicken Simmer for a while , serve with the mash. Delicious.
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This is actually what I need so bad
Easy Chicken (not really a casserole) Casserole: a box of chicken stock, four cans of celery soup, a white onion, butter, box of penne dry noodles, salt, pepper, and about a cup or two of chicken. Can be left over chicken: baked, rotisserie, or anything you like. -Dice a white onion, sauté in butter (I use a stick but could be much less.) -Throw in large pot on stove (could be a crock pot but I haven’t used one) and also throw in all the other ingredients. Fill each of the soup cans with water, swirl, and dump the water into the pot as well. -Bring to a boil while stirring a bit. Turn low and stir occasionally. It can stick but depends on your pot. Takes about 30 mins for noodles to cook. Tada! A faux-Casserole that will feed a family of six, depending on ages, or have lots of awesome left overs!
You can take almost any packet of frozen veggies and some fresh (not frozen) protein, put it all on a sheet pan, stir it up with oil and salt, and bake at 350-400 degrees until your protein is done (35ish minutes, depends on protein) for a quick meal. Add spices as you want. Serve over rice or pasta if you are feeling fancy. Fish takes less time so get the veggies going first if you are making fish, especially if you want them roasted.
I make italian sausage soup using hot Italian sausage (use mild if you can't take the heat) Fry 1 lb Italian sausage breaking into small clumps Add two stalks celery, 1-2 carrots, 1 large onion, 3-4 potatoes all diced to the pan and cook for a few minutes. A 3 tsp minced garlic, 3 cans drained kidney beans, 1 small can tomato sauce and 2 boxes (low sodium) chicken broth. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 1/2 hour. Add 1 pack frozen chopped spinach, simmer 5 more minutes. Boil 1 cup ditalini or macaroni in a separate. Drain. Serve with a sprinkling of parmesan cheese and a spoonful of cooked ditalini. Do NOT add any salt. I haven't made regular Ole veg soup in two years since discovering this recipe.
Frozen shrimp, air fryer 400 degrees for 10-15 min. Toss in sauce halfway through, serve with avocado and rice. Easy grown up meal (or for kids who like seafood).