Every day dinners [Archive] - Emergency Preparedness and Food Storage Forums

signseeker

01-11-2010, 11:15 AM

What are some of your family's favorite "weeknight" dinners?

Here's a couple of our favorites which everyone in the family likes because they can tailor it to suit their tastes.

Haystacks

1. Cooked rice (a big pot of it, cuz you can always use leftover cooked rice)
2. Cream of chicken soup (we use a family-sized can) diluted with milk or water and we add a generous dashing of curry powder. You may also add chunks of chicken or canned chicken if you like... or leftover turkey or just whatever there is.
3. Toppings. We typically use:
Cheese (grated cojack or whatever you have)
Chopped tomatoes
Chopped celery
Chopped green pepper
Chopped green onions
Chinese chow mein crunchy noodles
Sliced/slivered almonds

Everyone goes through the line and seems to put a different combination on theirs, but everyone loves it. The rice and "gravy" by itself are one of the little ones' favorite snack.

Quesadillas

1. Tortillas (we have regular and multi-grain/low carb ones)
2. Toppings. We typically use:
Leftover meat, kinda' shredded
Bacon (I'll cook the bacon in a big pan and use the grease for cooking)
Chopped green onions
Black beans
Cheese

I warm up the tortilla in the pan with bacon grease and put toppings on one half and fold over. Flip once. Sometimes we'll eat them with salsa or sour cream. Again, everyone wants theirs a little different - some with just plain cheese. But you can stick them on a plate and they're easy to re-heat if people are getting home late or whatever.

waif69

01-11-2010, 12:03 PM

Our family gets the microwave quesadillas which takes about 7 minutes total (prep and cooking).
1. Tortillas
2. Toppings:
refried beans
shredded cheese
taco sauce
sour cream
hot sauce (if desired)

Buffie

01-11-2010, 04:30 PM

Corn on the cob (preferably Hickory Cane), squash cooked with diced onion and bacon drippings, any kind of good Southern bean (lima, ladypea, crowder, purple hull), mashed potatoes with butter and whipping cream, big slice of ham. For dessert, chess or pecan pie.

signseeker

01-12-2010, 07:48 AM

Chess pie! I remember that! :thumbsup:

Okay, the mashed potatoes and whipping cream... that's added instead of milk, you mean? I have a 3yo that is skinny. I put whipping cream in his oatmeal and whatever else I can sneak it in. He stays skinny.

Babbi-Dan

01-13-2010, 11:12 AM

Corn on the cob (preferably Hickory Cane), squash cooked with diced onion and bacon drippings, any kind of good Southern bean (lima, ladypea, crowder, purple hull), mashed potatoes with butter and whipping cream, big slice of ham. For dessert, chess or pecan pie.

What time is this feast being served? I can bring my own fork and napkin!:l0 (58):

signseeker

01-13-2010, 12:48 PM

For dessert, chess or pecan pie.

Shyeah, what do you mean "or"? :l0 (61):

waif69

01-15-2010, 11:58 AM

Burgers. They can always be cooked up on the grill, anytime of year.

Earthling

01-15-2010, 04:26 PM

fajitas
ham fried rice
lots of different soups
spaghetti
omelets
chilli
chinese chicken salad

Noahs ARK

01-15-2010, 06:43 PM

We eat a lot of tamales cuz we can get them homemade for $1. A woman we know makes them and brings them right to your house!

Tamales
Beans & Rice
Ham & Beans
Chili
Casseroles
Grilled Cheese & Soup
Hot dogs & Hamburgers
Mac & Cheese

I've been trying to really stretch my dollar at the grocery store. Sales & Coupons!!

A month ago our local Food Lion had boxes of mac & cheese for .10 cents!! I bought 50 of them.

signseeker

01-15-2010, 07:05 PM

Maybe I should start a thread on casseroles! :w00t:

Buffie

01-15-2010, 07:29 PM

signseeker: yes, definitely heavy whipping cream instead of milk. That's the way my mom did it, so that's how I did it. Once I had a young cousin visiting whose mother rarely cooked, and when she did it was instant potatoes. He went into my real potatoes like a steam engine, finally coming up long enough to say, "Those are the best potatoes I ever ate!" I thoroughly enjoyed it.

signseeker

01-16-2010, 08:56 AM

I've gone half-and-half but never all the way. Sounds fantastic!

('Course when I did the half-and-half there was also cream cheese blended in!)

prairiemom

01-16-2010, 11:51 AM

Favorite? Probably spaghetti and meatballs w/ garlic bread. For Bdays the birthday boy gets to choose what he wants for dinner. (Because I have all sons and no one asks what mom wants for dinner, much less will cook it. :rolleyes (2): There, was that whiney enough for ya'? http://bestsmileys.com/crying/8.gif )

Anyway, for this year's requests, 2 of the 4 choose spaghetti and garlic bread, one chose Philly cheese steak sandwiches, dh chose hamburger patties with fried mushrooms and onions. Other requests include:
sauerkraut, sausage and potatoes
chicken cordon bleu
pesto filled chicken (breaded with crushed canned onion rings)
klerza (German potato dumplings, sort of like gnocchi) with meat/gravy
clam chowder
quiche
burritos
tacos
asparagus--in any shape or form. That's probably the single food we all crave the most and devour as much as we can when it's in season.
rommegrot (for breakfast) Norwegian porridge
lasagne

Other frequently eaten meals:
-surprise meatloaf (although it isn't a surprise any more. I make the meatloaf in a bread-loaf pan and put 3 hard boiled eggs in the middle of the meatloaf, so when you slice it you get a "surprise".)
-feijoada--Brazillian black beans and rice
-taco soup, esp if I serve it with corn chips
-curry tuna and rice
-lentil soup--I have 2 different types that I make quite often
-Indian chickpeas (made with peanut butter and cayenne pepper. Sounds weird but it's really good.)
-enchiladas
-pizza (homemade, of course)
-fish--either battered and fried or made with a salsa/cheese sauce
-roasted root veggies--turnips, parsnips, potatoes, carrots, sweet potatoes and onions
-stir fry

I guess we have quite a variety of favorites, don't we? My rule is 3 veggies from different "families" (roots, leaf, pod, etc) at every meal. (potatoes and corn don't count as veggies.) and at least one fruit every day. Every child can have 2 veggies on his "do not eat" list, (they have to write it down and post the list where I can see it, because for a while the "list" was very fluid and I could never keep up with who didn't eat what.) so that means that they will eat at least 2 of the 3 veggies on the table.

signseeker

01-16-2010, 12:57 PM

Prairiemom... could you share your taco soup recipe and also your two lentil soup recipes?? :thumbsup:

Chicken cordon bleu is a weeknight meal at your house? Wow.

prairiemom

01-16-2010, 04:30 PM

Prairiemom... could you share your taco soup recipe and also your two lentil soup recipes?? :thumbsup:

Chicken cordon bleu is a weeknight meal at your house? Wow.

Well, not every week, of course. But I try to use chicken breasts as much as I can instead of pork or beef. But then I guess the ham and cheese in chicken cordon bleu sort of defeats the purpose, doesn't it? :001_rolleyes:

Here are my recipes:

<link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/MOMAND%7E1/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/msoclip1/01/clip_filelist.xml"><style>  </style> Lentil Soup<o></o>

2 C lentils<o></o>
?-1 lb ham hocks, sausage or other cured meat<o></o>
1 small onion, diced<o></o>
? C celery, diced<o></o>
1 clove garlic, minced<o></o>
3 qts water<o></o>
 (You can add other veggies if you like: carrots, peas, whatever you like or have on hand.)<o></o>
Rinse lentils and drain. Put all ingredients into 4 qt pot. Simmer until tender, about 45 min. Serves 6

<link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/MOMAND%7E1/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/msoclip1/01/clip_filelist.xml"><style>  </style> Country Taco Soup

2 pounds ground beef (or leftover meatloaf)
2 cups chopped onion
1 package taco mix
1 package ranch seasoning dressing mix
2 cans tomatoes (homegrown is fine)
2 cans corn, or hominy drained (or frozen corn)
2 cans pinto beans (undrained)

2 cans kidney beans (undrained)

2 cans black beans (undrained)
1 can green chilis, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste

<o></o>
Directions:
Cook onion until clear, add meat. Drain off fat. Add remaining ingredients. Simmer for 10-15 min. Serve with sour cream, corn chips and grated cheese on top.

<link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/MOMAND%7E1/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/msoclip1/01/clip_filelist.xml"><style> </style><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/MOMAND%7E1/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/msoclip1/01/clip_filelist.xml"><style>  </style> Greek Lentil Soup<o></o>

2 C Dried lentil<o></o>
8 C Water<o></o><o></o>
Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer for 30 min. In the meantime, prepare remaining ingredients:<o></o>
 <o></o>
2 Stalks celery, sliced<o></o>
2 Carrots, peeled and sliced<o></o>

1 Onion, diced<o>
</o>2 Cloves garlic, minced<o></o>
? lb Italian sausage, sliced ??<o></o>
1 C small shells, elbow macaroni, or other small pasta<o></o>
1 Can Tomato sauce<o></o>
3-4 Tbsp. Lemon juice<o></o>
1 box frozen spinach, shredded (finely sliced)<o></o>
Salt to taste<o></o>

Add all remaining ingredients and bring to a boil again. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 15-20 min, until pasta is cooked. Note: If you are going to serve this at a later time, add the lemon juice just before serving. If it cooks for a while the lemon flavor cooks out.<o></o>

ETA: OK, not sure what happened there, but I'm trying to fix all those smilies.

Also, I forgot another regular favorite. Here is our recipe for Kedgeree:

<link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/MOMAND%7E1/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/msoclip1/01/clip_filelist.xml"><style>  </style> Kedgeree<o></o>
? small onion, diced
2 Tbsp oil
1 Tbsp curry powder
3 C cooked rice
2 C cooked beans, drained (we like navy, but just about any bean will do)
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp chopped pimentos
Salt to taste
2-3 hard boiled eggs, separated
<o></o>
Dice the egg whites and crumble the egg yolks.<o></o>
Saut? onion in the oil until tender. Add curry powder and pimento and saut? a couple more minutes. Add soy sauce, egg whites rice and beans and heat till warm, stirring to prevent scorching. Stir in lemon juice and top with egg yolks