Meal plan ideas and recipes for a family of 4?!
Answers: I'm looking for new recipes that are definitley worth trying out and will be dishes that our whole family will want again. My husband and I have two children, this is the number of people the recipes must acomodate. We usually have hamburger helper, bbqed chicken, spaghetti, chilli beans, chicken tenders baked, hamburgers, pork chops, stir fry ocasionally. I want to try new recipes- preferably something that does not just taste like it is out of a box. For me our side dishes always seem like they are out of the box and plain. Mashed Potatoes, mac and cheese, rice, veggies, and biscuits or rolls. I also do not have a lot of time to prepare these meals nothing over hour and half together. Please send us some great recipes . We are recently decided to put whole wheat bread, fruit, veggies and lower fat foods in daily consumption...
Here are some great recipes. I usually substitute low fat of fat-free options with these meals. Also whole wheat pasta or brown rice make these extra healthy. Here are some really easy ones:
Easy Creamy Chicken
6-8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 can cream of chicken soup
1-3oz package cream cheese
1-8oz carton sour cream
3-4 green onions, chopped
Place chicken in 9x13 dish. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and good seasoned salt. In saucepan, combine soup, cream cheese and sour cream on low heat just until cheese melts and ingredients mix well. Pour mixture over chicken, sprinkle green onions on top. Cover, bake at 300 for 1 hour. Uncover and bake another 15 minutes. Serve over noodles or rice.
Nacho Chicken
6-8 chicken breasts (or 8-10 chicken thighs)
2 cans nacho cheese soup
? cup milk
3 tbsp worchestershire sauce
Place chicken in large baking pan. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and a spicy seasoned salt. Combine soup, milk, and worchestershire sauce in saucepan until just heated through. Cover and bake at 350 for 1 hour.
Cheesy Pepper Steak
1 ? pound sirloin steak, cut in strips
Seasoned salt
1-16oz pkg. frozen bell pepper and onion strips, thawed
1-16oz pkg. cubed Mexican processed cheese
Sprinkle steak with seasoned salt. Coat large skillet with non-stick vegetable spray and cook steak strips for 10 minutes or until no longer pink. Remove steak from skillet and set aside. Stir in vegetables and ? cup water and simmer for 5 minutes or until all liquid cooks out. Add cheese and turn heat to low. When cheese melts, stir in steak until heated through and serve over hot cooked rice.
Here's a great hearty soup recipe. Making it tonight!
Southwestern Soup
1 lb. ground beef
1 medium onion chopped
1 can black beans, undrained
2 cups frozen white or yellow and white corn kernels
1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can Rotel tomatoes, undrained
1 lb. Mexican Velveeta, cubed
In large skillet, brown beef and onion, drain. Combine all ingredients in crockpot, cover. Simmer on low, stir occasionally until cheese is melted. Continue to simmer until heated through, 4 hours.
I usually make at least one casserole each week because they're wonderful and there's usually enough for lunches or another meal. Here are some favorites:
Crinkly Noodle Casserole
1 pkg. egg noodles
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can corned beef
16+ oz. Velveeta, cubed
Cook noodles according to package direction until al dente. Meanwhile, mix the rest of the ingredients in a saucepan. Stir until cheese melts. Add milk until the consistency is creamy. Drain noodles and pour into a large casserole dish. Pour corned beef/cheese mixture over the top and mix slightly. Bake in 350 oven for 30 minutes or until bubbly.
I got this one from thepioneerwomancooks.com. It is a keeper!
Pioneer Woman Chicken Spaghetti
2 cups cooked chicken
2 cans Cream of Mushroom soup
2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 cup finely diced green pepper
1/2 cup finely diced onion
1-4 oz jar diced pimentos, drained
3 cups dry spaghetti, broken into two inch pieces
2 cups reserved chicken broth from pot
1 teaspoon Lawry’s Seasoned Salt
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon Cayenne pepper
Salt & Pepper to taste
1 additional cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
Cook 1 cut up fryer and pick out the meat to make two cups. Cook spaghetti in same chicken broth until al dente. Do not overcook. When spaghetti is cooked, combine with remaining ingredients except additional 1 cup sharp cheddar. Place mixture in casserole pan and top with remaining sharp cheddar. Cover and freeze up to six months, cover and refrigerate up to two days, or bake immediately: 350 degrees for 45 minutes until bubbly. (If the cheese on top starts to get too cooked, cover with foil.)
I love alfredo, but don't like the fat content. Here's a recipe that uses cream cheese. I use the low fat version:
Creamy Alfredo Sauce
8 ounces dry fettuccine pasta
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup margarine
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1 pinch ground nutmeg
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
In a medium saucepan, combine cream cheese, Parmesan, margarine, milk, garlic powder and basil and stir over low heat until smooth and creamy, 10 to 15 minutes. Toss sauce with pasta and sprinkle with nutmeg. Serve.
Here are our new favorite sides. They're different but delicious:
Caesar Coleslaw
1 pkg pre-made coleslaw
1/4-1/2 cup shredded parmesean cheese
1/2 pkg caesar croutons
1 bottle creamy caesar dressing
Toss first three ingredients together. Add enough dressing to coat. It's even good the next day!
Cucumber Salad
Slice 2 peeled cucumbers. Slice thinly. Add 1 small sliced or chopped red onion. Cover with bottled red wine vinaigrette dressing. Salt and pepper to taste. Best if you let sit in refrigerator for at least an hour.
Bacon Salad
4 slices bacon
1 lg bowl salad greens
? chopped red onion
Salt
Pepper
Red Wine Vinegar
In salad bowl, combine the salad and onion. Coat with ? cup red wine vinegar, salt and pepper. Chop bacon into little pieces. Cook until crispy. (You may need to add a little olive oil if bacon is very lean). Pour bacon and grease over salad.
Broccoli Cheese Salad
4 cups broccoli, cut into small pieces
1 red onion, chopped
1 cup cubed cheddar cheese
6 slices bacon, cooked, crumbled
Combine above ingredients. Combine 1 cup mayonnaise, ? cup sugar, and 2 Tbsp vinegar, salt and pepper to taste. Pour over salad.
Southwestern Ranch Salad
1 pkg. pre-cut salad mix
? cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup ranch flavored croutons
? cup ranch flavored almond salad topping
Hidden Valley Spicy Ranch dressing
Salt and pepper to taste
Toss all ingredients together. Serve immediately.
This one is not fat-free, but to die for:
Corn Casserole
2 cans cream corn
2 cans drained corn
2 boxes jiffy corn bread
16 oz. sour cream
1 egg
2 sticks butter, cut into pieces
Salt and pepper to taste
Mix all ingredients thoroughly. Bake in casserole dish at 350 degrees for 1-1 ? hours.
Hope you found some tasty options that become your family's favorites, too!
Chicken and dumplings. The recipe is on the Bisquik box, and it's an old time favorite.
If you like Chinese food then you may try some of the recipes from this websites http://chinesefood.about.com/od/recipesb...
http://www.cdkitchen.com/recipes/cat/208...
you may also look for one-pot recipe ideas here http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/lf_qe_on...
good luck!
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