I need some suggestions on something good easy and different to cook for dinner?!
Answers: for my 7 yr old tomorow..... we are sooo tired of baked chicken and speggitti.(?) ...... im not a cook at all!
Make tacos!! its easy, just buy the taco seasoning stuff and beef and follow the directions on the packet of taco seasoning on how to make the beef with it. You can have whatever you want with it- tomatoes, onions, lettuce, salsa, cheese, sour cream, anything else you want! They are so good, and you can have them with chips or those hard or soft shell tortillas.
I am a horrible cook but I can do this so Im sure you can too! :)
Good Luck!
make pork chops, or a simple pork roast. or even ruebens
um once i had this really good soup it was cabbage, red potatoes and keibalsa sausage
or this other is where u take a huge lettuce leaf fill it with rice and steak or chicken strips or what type of meat u want then roll it like a wrap and eat it its really good i think its called bagogi (sp)
Kraft Shells and Cheese Dinner! Add about a half a pound of browned ground beef. It's sooooo good.
Follow the directions on the box. While that is cooking, you brown some hamburger meat in a separate skillet. When the Shells and cheese is done, add the drained meat to it.
i love to make smothered pork chops with white rice. just fry chops like chkn then take them out and make gravy, pour flour into grease and then add water put chops back into pan with gravy and smother my family loves this never any leftovers!!!
princess, how about tater tot hotdish:
brown 1lb ground beef on stove adding in your choice of spices, place in bottom of a pan covering it completely, i use a smaller square pan for just 2 ppl, i like green beans but whatever vegge u like u can substitute, anyways put that, drained, on top of the ground beef, then place the tater tots covering the top of the veggies and a can of cream of chicken soup over the top of tater tots, heat 375 in oven until tots r brown and done...its an easy meal 2 cook and a well rounded meal as well...serve with a can of fruit of ur choice and...enjoy!
good luck and GOD bless.
Go to the attached link in allrecipes.com. Put in a selection of the ingredients you have on hand. Then under style - select "Kid Friendly". You will quickly get a great list of recipes that will suit your situation.
I use allrecipes very often, it has a great feature that collects user feedback. So it's just like talking to a friend who may suggests changes, to the orginal recipes or let you know it is perfect just as written.
How about baked chicken on a bed of rice with cream of chicken or mushroom soup and water. There's are recipes on Allrecipes.com that are good and people like us rate them. My 10 year old loves the chicken and rice! Also, Trader Joes has some frozen orange chicken that I put over brown rice and she loves that too. They also have a bag of cheese ravioli that you boil for15 minutes and throw some alfredo sauce over it or Chinese Chicken Salad made with green cabbage and romaine lettuce shredded, cut up 2 chicken breasts or two cans of canned white meat chicken, drained, then mix in a bowl a 1/2 cup seasame oil, 1 tsp dry mustard, 4 tsps soy sauce, 6 tblsps rice vinegar and 4 tblsps sugar, pour over the salad . My little one asks for these dishes all the time! She also likes homemade mac n cheese.
Grilled cheese sandwiches and soup-hot dogs-chef salad(just add meat, cheese and hardboiled eggs to a salad)-hamburgers-tacos-fish sticks-breakfast for dinner.
Just some ideas since you don't say what he likes or if healthiness is a factor.
Kid-Friendly Taco-Burritos
Burritos and tacos are such tough foods for kids to eat, because they always fall apart. These fast, easy, bean taco-burritos stay together nicely, so your little one can eat the WHOLE THING! The wedge shape keeps everything contained!
INGREDIENTS
1 (23.5 ounce) package burrito-size flour tortillas
3 green onions, sliced
1 large tomato, diced
1 (10 ounce) can black olives, drained and sliced
6 torn lettuce leaves
1 ripe avocado, sliced
1 (16 ounce) can refried beans
2 teaspoons dried onion flakes
1/2 teaspoon dried, minced garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons water
1 (16 ounce) package shredded Cheddar cheese
1 (8 ounce) container sour cream
DIRECTIONS
In a large serving dish, arrange green onions. diced tomato, sliced olives, lettuce and avocado. Set aside.
Empty the can of refried beans into a microwave-safe bowl. Season with onion flakes, garlic, salt, cumin, chili powder and oregano. Stir in water, cover, and cook in microwave, on high, for about 2 minutes.
Take a tortilla and spread a thin layer of beans on half of it. Sprinkle on the cheese, and whatever toppings you would like. Spread sour cream over the other half of the tortilla.
Fold the tortilla in half, and then into quarters, and serve
Make little meatballs and serve them with mashed potaoes. have all diferent kinds of dipping sauce for the meatballs, like BBQ, ketchup, Steak sauce, etc, Also for the mashed pick up garnishes like cheese , bacon, sour cream etc. Add a dish of cut up veggies and dip and you have a fun dinner where everyone can have their own picks.
We also do little pizza's made with english muffins and what ever toppings you like.
You could make PASTA BAKE, very quick, easy, and kids love it. Also lots of variations to make:
Cook pasta shapes (don't over-cook as it'll cook more in the oven). Place pasta in baking dish.
Add diced fresh vegies to baking dish. We use: carrot, zucchini, broccoli, corn, mushroom, celery, peas.
You can add diced cooked chicken, bacon, or tinned tuna if you like.
Make a quick cheesy sauce in frypan: cook small amount of flour over low heat with a dash of milk. When nice & thick add more milk, add grated cheese, stir until melted. Add herbs, salt and pepper to taste.
Add sauce to baking dish. Stir thoroughly.
Cook 180 degrees for 20 mins. You can sprinkle more cheese and breadcrumbs for crunch on the top halfway thru cooking if you like.
You could do HOME MADE CHICKEN SCHNITZEL:
Use chicken breast, cut off all fat and pound until flat. Roll in flour, then egg/milk then breadcrumbs.
Shallow fry for a few mins each side.
Drain on paper towel.
Serve with mashed potato and gravy, and lots of fresh steamed vegies.
A yummy SALAD to add to the side of your baked chicken and spaghetti:
Chop up fresh red capsicum, cucumber, carrot, mushroom, blanched asparagus, different types of beans, feta cheese, black olives, baby spinach leaves. Toss. Dress with home-made dressing of lemon juice and balsamic vinegar.
BAKED POTATOES
Bake large potatoes in your oven. When cooked through cut a large cross on the top and add your favourite toppings.
Topping suggestions:
Ham and pineapple
Baked beans and cheese
Cooked diced chicken, bacon and avocado
Corn, mushroom and avocado
You can add grated cheese and sour cream too!
Don't forget to add heaps of fresh vegies to your child's dinner, they need lotsa vitamins. Good luck!
When my grandkids want a change we have breakfast for dinner.....pancakes, eggs, bacon ...... they love it....lol
kid friendly main dishes:
pigs in a blanket (little smokies wrapped in crescent rolls)
grilled cheese (mix and match cheeses to make it less boring)
meatloaf
turkey burgers
tacos
baked ziti
sloppy joes
(mild) chili
cheese quesadillas
popcorn chicken
macaroni and cheese or cheeseburger macaroni
sides:
cheesy mashed potatoes
mini corn on the cobs
cornbread muffins
garlic bread
Deep Dish Taco Squares
2 cups biscuit mix
? cup cold water
1( 8-oz )carton sour cream
1/3 cup prepared Ranch salad dressing
1? pounds ground beef
? green or red bell pepper – finely chopped**
2 Tbsp. chopped onion**
1 pkg taco seasoning mix (? cup)
1 (8-oz) can tomato sauce
? cup mild salsa
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Combine biscuit mix and water, stirring with a fork until blended. Press mixture in bottom of a lightly greased 13 x 9 x 2” baking dish. Bake at 375oF for 9 minutes.
Combine sour cream and Ranch dressing. Spread over baked crust and set aside.
Cook ground beef, green bell pepper, and onion in a large skillet until meat is browned and crumbled; drain well. Stir in tomato sauce and taco seasoning mix, spoon over Ranch filling.
Sprinkle cheese evenly over meat mixture. Bake at 375oF, uncovered, for 20 minutes or until casserole is lightly browned. Cut into 12 squares to serve.
** If serving to picky children, you can omit the bellpepper and use 2 tsp. onion powder instead of fresh onions. Omit salsa and add a second can of plain tomato sauce.
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Parmesan Chicken
6 bnls, sknls Chicken Breast
1 cup A/P flour
1 tsp. kosher salt
? tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 extra-large eggs
1 ? cups seasoned dry bread crumbs
? cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
Unsalted butter
Good olive oil
Cut chicken breasts into 1” strips, pat dry w/ paper towels.
On one dinner plate, combine flour, salt, and pepper. On a second plate, beat the egg w/ 1 Tbsp. of water. On a third plate combine the bread crumbs and parmesan cheese. Cot the chicken on both sides w/ the flour, then dip into the egg, then into the bread crumbs, pressing lightly.
Heat 1 Tbsp of butter and 1 Tbsp. of oil in a large sauté pan on medium-low. Cook chicken in batches on both sides until cooked through. Chicken is done when meat is opaque and juices run clear. Add more butter and oil to cook remaining batches as needed. Sprinkle more parmesan cheese on top of cooked chicken to serve.
--Ina Garten, "Barefoot Contessa Family Style" cookbook
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Fried Rice with Ham
Serves 4.
3 large eggs, lightly beaten w/ 2 tsp. waer
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
Coarse salt to taste
4 green onions, thinly sliced diagonally (both white and green parts)
4 garlic cloves, minced
5 oz. ham, thinly sliced and chopped
4 cups cold cooked rice
? tsp. sesame oil
3 Tbsp. rice vinegar
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 Tbsp. oil, swirling to coat. Beat eggs, with 2 tsp. water and ? tsp. coarse salt. Cook in skillet, moving cooked eggs aside gently to allow raw eggs to run in their place, about 2 minutes. Transfer to plate; when cool enough to handle, cut into strips.
In same skillet, heat remaining Tbsp. oil. Add garlic and scallions, heat and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add ham and rice, season with salt and sesame oil, and cook until very hot, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Add vinegar, peas, and eggs, cook until very hot, about 2 minutes.
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Sugar Pie's Corndogs
2 lbs. hot dogs
1 Tbsp. flour
2 ? cups Bisquik
5 Tbsp. yellow corn meal
1 tsp. onion powder
2 eggs
1? cups milk
Prepare hot dogs by laying on paper towels and rolling to dry them. Dust lightly w/ 1 Tbsp. flour, rolling hot dogs to coat evenly. Shake off excess flour. Insert bamboo skewers half-way into each hot dog.
Whisk all batter ingredients together in a tall pitcher (this facilitates coating).
Dip floured hot dogs into batter, sealing at stick. Fry 2-3 at a time in 375oF oil (or Fry Daddy). Rotate regularly to evenly brown, or submerge w/ spider for a minute or so. Overall cooking time is generally under 2 minutes. Remove from oil and drain on a wire rack placed over a cookie sheet.
--me!
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Macaroni & Cheese with or without Ham
Serves 6
If you like, use just one type of cheese, or mix with other melting cheeses, such as pepper jack, Muenster, Swiss, or Gruyere.
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 lb. elbow macaroni, cooked and drained
4 Tbsp. butter
1 small onion, chopped
? cup A/P flour
4 cups milk
1/8 tsp. cayenned (red) pepper, optional
1? cups (5 oz.) shredded yellow cheddar cheese
1? cups (5 oz.) shredded white cheddar cheese
8 oz. ham, diced in ?” pieces
2 slices white sandwich bread
Preheat oven to 375oF. In a 5 quart heavy pot, melt butter over med. heat. Add onion; cook, storring occasionally, until softened, 3-5 minutes. Whisk in flour to coat onion. In a slow, steady stream, whisk milk in until there are no lumps of flour.
Cook, whisking often, until mixture is thick and bubbly and coats the back of a spoon, 6-8 min. Stir in cayenne pepper and 1 cup each yellow and white cheeses. Season with 1 tsp.salt and ? tsp. pepper.
Toss pasta w/ cheese sauce; fold in ham. Transfer to a greased 9x13” baking pan or individual ramekins. Set aside.
In a food processor, pulse bread until large crumbs form. Toss together with remaining cheddar cheeses and ? tsp. salt. Top pasta with breadcrumb mixture. Bake until top is golden, about 30 minutes.
--Everyday FOOD
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Linguine with Shrimp Scampi
Vegetable oil
Kosher salt
3/4 pound linguine
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 1/2 tablespoons good olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic (4 cloves)
1 pound large shrimp (about 16 shrimp), peeled and deveined
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
1/2 lemon, zest grated
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)
1/4 lemon, thinly sliced in half-rounds
1/8 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
Drizzle some oil in a large pot of boiling salted water, add 1 tablespoon of salt and the linguine, and cook for 7 to 10 minutes, or according to the directions on the package.
Meanwhile, in another large (12-inch), heavy-bottomed pan, melt the butter and olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the garlic. Saute for 1 minute. Be careful, the garlic burns easily! Add the shrimp, 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt, and the pepper and saute until the shrimp have just turned pink, about 5 minutes, stirring often. Remove from the heat, add the parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice, lemon slices, and red pepper flakes. Toss to combine.
When the pasta is done, drain the cooked linguine and then put it back in the pot. Immediately add the shrimp and sauce, toss well, and serve.
--Ina Garten