Favorite Dinners?

[Angie4b1g]

The "eating out" thread has made me feel all guilty.

I confess that the reason we eat out almost all the time, is because I'm lazy and unmotivated. I actually LIKE cooking. But when I try to figure out what to cook, absolutely nothing sounds good / worth the trouble / like everyone in my house would actually eat it. My kids aren't super super picky (well one is, but the rest aren't), but with 5 of them, it's almost impossible to please everyone.

I'm also sick of the same crap we've been having for the last 20 years.

So... what are your "go to" dinners. I'm just looking for those cheap and easy weekday meals that everyone likes. Nothing fancy.

I'll go first and give you my spaghetti recipe. Ever since I started making it this way, I've been able to stop buying that yucky jar sauce. This is so easy, and so CHEAP. I usually make it without the meatballs, but when I do make the meatballs, I brown them before putting them in the sauce. The kids like the texture better that way.

Anyway, sthu Angie and post the recipe.

Julia's Spaghetti & Meatballs

Sauce:
1 (28 oz) can Crushed Tomatoes
1 (28 oz) can Tomato Puree
1 cup water
1/4 cup Olive Oil
4-6 cloves minced garlic (depending on palate)
1 tsp dried basil
1 Tbsp sugar
2 tsp Salt (preferably Kosher)
Fresh ground pepper to taste

Sauté garlic and olive oil in a large saucepan(with cover for later) over medium/low heat. Do not brown garlic. Takes approximately 2-3 minutes.
Add both cans of tomatoes and water, turn up heat to medium/high and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add basil, sugar, salt and pepper. Cook uncovered until the sauce begins to bubble. After the sauce bubbles, turn down to low. Cover pot and let simmer.

If you decide to make it without meatballs, cook for 30 minutes

Meatballs:
1/2 lb of ground beef
1/2 lb of ground pork
1/2-3/4 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup of fresh bread crumbs(just use some slices of bread from home and
run them in a blender or processor)
1 egg
1 garlic clove minced
1 tsp dried oregano
salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients above and mix well with your hands Form small size balls (approx.1-2 tbsp). Don't make the meatballs too big as they will not cook thoroughly. Should yield approximately 22-24 meatballs. Drop meatballs into simmering marina sauce above. Cook for a total of 45-50 minutes. Do not over cook! The key to this sauce is minimal cooking for a fresh flavor.

 

[Karen]

My go to meals are Chicken fajitas, enchiladas and lasagna. I especially like the last two because it makes enough for leftovers for at least one more more for the whole family, or lunches for two day each for my hubby and I... therefore, less cooking. Woot!

Chicken Fajitas:

about 1lb chicken, cut into long thing strips... cook and brown
then add 1 onion cut into slices and 1 green pepper in slices. Cook until slightly tender.

I do not add any seasoning because who needs the salt and everyone always says they are the best fajitas they've ever had. Isn't that funny!? I plop a dallop of lt. sour cream in a tortilla and sprinkle in some low fat cheese then plop a spoonfull of the meat and veggies and roll 'em up. these are super fast and easy and everyone gobbles them up.

Enchiladas

1 can tomato soup
1 large can enchila sauce
1 onion chopped
1 lb ground turkey
1 bag shredded cheddar (2 cups)
8 tortillas 8" or 9"

brown turkey and onion together. Add tomato soup and enchilada sauce. sprinkle a bit of cheese in a tortilla, scoop about 1/2 cup of meat sauce and roll up tortilla and put in 13 x 9 pan. pour remaining sauce over the top of all the tortillas and bake cover with tin foil for 20 minutes at 350°F. Take the pan out, sprinkle the rest of the cheese (a little over half the bag) over the top and then put back in the over for 5 minutes to melt the cheese. Voila! Yummy! This is my 5 YOs favorite meal of all time. I usually add sour cream and sliced black olives on top.

Lasagna:

1 big tub of cottage cheese
2 eggs
9 lasagna noodles
1 lb ground turkey
2 small jars spaghetti sauce or one large jar
1 package of mozarella cheese slices

brown turkey and then add spaghetti sauce. mix cottage cheese and two eggs together then layer in 13 x 9 pan:

1. 1/3 noodles
2. 1/2 sauce
3. 1/3 noodles
4. cottage cheese mixture
5. 1/3 noodles
6. mozarella cheese slices
7. rest of sauce.

Make sure the noodles and cheese are cover with sauce on top or they get chewy and hard to cut. Cook at 425°F for 45min - 1 hr and cool for at least 5 minutes before serving.

 

[LeeAndra]

I just made homemade sloppy joes tonight that were delish.

SLOPPY JOES

1 lb. ground beef
1/2 - 1 yellow or white onion (to taste), diced
1 green pepper, diced
1/2 c. corn
salt & pepper (to taste)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. EACH chili powder, cumin, oregano
'enough' ketchup
'some squirts' Worcestershire

Add everything except sauces to large skillet. Brown meat, and drain. Add enough ketchup to make sauce and as much Worcestershire as you like. Serve hot on buns.

Ummm, I also do what the recipe calls a Chicken Enchilada Skillet.

CHICKEN ENCHILADA SKILLET

EVOO
some form of chicken (I usually use b-less s-less tenderloins)
1-2 cans black beans, drained
1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce
1 1/2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
optional toppings: fresh diced tomatoes, salsa, cooked rice, tortilla shells (hard or soft), sour cream, shredded cheese

Brown chicken in oil; remove. Dump rest of ingredients sans optional toppings in skillet. Place chicken on top of other ingredients. Cook on low until chicken is cooked through. We eat them as taco filling, so I shred the chicken before putting it back in the skillet and then mix it up with some cooked rice when it's done. Eat like tacos with all the fixins.

I also do a really simple chicken-pasta-pesto-Parmesan toss that's yummy.

Here's my recipe for 'fancy' tuna:

TUNA SALAD

1 tomato, chopped
1 sm zucchini, chopped
1/2 c. chopped celery
1/4 c. chopped green pepper
1/4 c. chopped onion (or scallions)
2 cans tuna, drained and flaked
1 c. mayo
1/2 c. Italian dressing (this is the secret ingredient!)
2 tsp. mustard
1 tsp. dillweed
salt & pepper (to taste)

Mix all ingredients well. Serve chilled in pitas.

Oh, and this one is called Hot Taco Bake, and it's insanely addictive. The original recipe does not have meat, but I add it so it's more meal-ish vs. snack-ish.

HOT TACO BAKE

EVOO
1 lb. ground beef
1/2 onion, minced (be gentle with the onion here or it will overpower the whole dish)
1/4 green pepper, minced
16 oz. cream cheese, softened
16 oz. sour cream
9 oz. can bean dip
1 pkt taco seasoning
lots of shredded cheese

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Spray 9" square baking dish with cooking spray.

In small skillet, saute onion, green pepper, and beef until beef is browned. Drain and remove from heat.

Using mixer, whip cream cheese until light. Add sour cream and continue to whip until smooth. Whip in bean dip and taco seasoning. Stir in hamburger mixture and good amount of cheese. (The meat will make it a gooey cheesy mess; that's okay!)

Spoon into baking dish. Sprinkle rest of cheese on top. Bake 25 mins or until cheese is lightly browned on top.

I have a 178 page Recipe notebook, so ask me if you want more!

 

[Angie4b1g]

Oh here's another favorite. So easy and my kids love it. The secret is to not drain it.

Quick Chicken Casserole

2 cans of chicken broth
2 cans of water
16 ounce package of egg noodles
2 cans chicken breast
2 cans cream of chicken soup

Bring chicken broth water to a boil and add the entire package of egg noodles (I've done the 12 oz bags, but really the 16 is better). Cook to al dente. DO NOT DRAIN. Add the chicken breast (or a shredded rotisserie chicken works) and cream of chicken soup. Let simmer on low for about 10 minutes to thicken.

That's it! So quick and easy, and I can keep all of that on hand.

 

[RebeccaH]

Mmmm... we have lots of favorites around here.

We do lots of soup. Here are a few of our fave's:
Potato Soup

Spicy Sausage Tortellini Soup

Spinach Tortellini Soup

and some non-soup meals we all love...

Stuffed Pizza Peppers

Breakfast Casserole

Layered Enchilada Bake (I shared the recipe in a post not too long ago... I'll see if I can find that and link it up)

Baked Spaghetti (super easy... spaghetti noodles, boiled to al dente; 1 can of italian diced tomatoes with sweet onion; 1 jar of spaghetti sauce; meat if you like; mix it all up, top it with shredded mozz and parmesan, cover and bake at 400 until the cheese is melted, then bake a few minutes uncovered to brown the cheese a bit.

**ETA*** recipe for layered enchiladas...