Mom, what's for dinner ?!


Question: Mom, what's for dinner !?
This is the burning question that gets me every night!. I have to sit and think, gee we had pork two nights ago, pasta three nights ago and chicken last night!. I seriously think that this is the hardest decision I must make every single day of my life!. That is pretty sad huh!? When do mom's ever get a break!? Even the "easy" meal ideas on the web still require a trip to the grocery store before making them, because we NEVER have all of the stuff that we need for them, right!? Then by the time we come home from shopping, after our huge decision is made, it always feels so like we are eating dinner so late in the evening!.
Basically my question is, where in the world are there any good websites that give good easy recipes for busy mom's to make during the week, that do not require 50 different unusual ingredients, and can be made quite quickly!. Does anyone out there have hope for a tired mom who just needs a suggestion for a healthy, and easy meal plan!? Thanks !Www@FoodAQ@Com


Answers:
my husband loves to cook!. when he fixes these big elaborate meals, like you guys, we don't eat til 8 or after!. not to mention the cost!! i tell my husband every meal does not have to be a gourmet spread!

it's okay to serve frozen pizza and a bag of salad, or grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup, or fish sticks and mac n cheese!. it's still a hot meal, nutritious, cheap and easy!

maybe do weeknights like that, and save the more elaborate stuff for the weekends!.Www@FoodAQ@Com

This website provides us with healthy cooking and it is very easy to prepare!. Most importantly, it does not compromise the taste and I can stop worry about my waist line!.
Hope you find it useful!.
http://recipesforhealthyliving!.blogspot!.!.!.!.Www@FoodAQ@Com

Kraft Kitchens is a great website!. You can plug in what you have on hand and a suggested recipe will come up!. Try googling Kraft and it will come up!.Www@FoodAQ@Com

We are having steak, mashed potatoes and salad! Yummy and a choice of icecream or fresh homeade strawberry shortcake for desert!. Drinks will be lemonade or water!.Www@FoodAQ@Com

wonderful wesite called Saving Dinner

savingdinner!.comWww@FoodAQ@Com

spaghitti and meat balls tonight with garlic bread
all homemade!.
chicken noodle soup to start withWww@FoodAQ@Com

At the check out counter in your supermarket, there's a small recipe book the size of the tv guide!.!.!.called Everyday Food by Martha Stewart!. The recipe book fits in your handbag (so you can take it along with you when you go to market), and they only have about 6-8 ingredients in them!. Thye're quick, easy, and really delicious!.!.!.perfect Monday-Friday!.

Here's a sample recipe from her latest issue!.!.!.

***Teriyaki Chicken with Roasted Scallions***

2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1/2 cup honey
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon grated peeled fresh ginger
1 whole chicken (3 1/2 to 4 pounds), cut into 8 pieces
4 bunches scallions, greens cut into 2 1/2-inch pieces, whites halved lengthwise
1 tablespoon vegetable oil, such as safflower
Coarse salt and ground pepper

Directions
Preheat oven to 450 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds!. In a medium bowl, combine soy sauce, vinegar, honey, garlic, and ginger!. Divide sauce between two bowls; use one for basting and reserve other for serving!.
Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil!. Place chicken on sheet, and baste!. Bake on upper rack 20 minutes, basting twice with pan juices!.
Transfer to lower rack; baste once more!. Continue to cook until thermometer inserted into a breast (avoiding bone) registers 165 degrees, 5 to 10 minutes!.
Meanwhile, on another rimmed baking sheet, toss scallions with oil; season with salt and pepper!. Roast on upper rack until crisp-tender, 10 to 12 minutes!. Serve chicken with scallions and reserved sauce!.
Helpful Hint:
Basting the chicken with the pan juices helps build a flavorful glaze while preventing scorching!. Be sure to reserve half the sauce in step 1 for serving!.Www@FoodAQ@Com

This might be a wacky idea, but have your hubby and kids write down 2-3 meal ideas for the week!. Then you can pick the menu for the week and shop once on the weekend! And on the weekends you could make something that can be used up later!. Like making pasta and sauce, then the next night put it in a pan and top it with shredded cheese and olives!. Since your hubby likes "marathon" cooking, have him make his famous chili on the weekend!. That can always be frozen for when you have a brain fart during the week!. (Like me!.) :)Www@FoodAQ@Com

Non-Professional Cooking, also known as cooking for the family!. This style should not get bogged down in the technicalities of method precision or ingredients!. You see, often there are ingredients that are a must but then there are those which are optional!. You learn after a while that certain things can be removed or entirely replaces with something else without effecting ( negatively) the dish!.

Sometimes you just need to experiment to learn!.!.!.
Often I plan my meals one day in advance!.!.why so I do all running and ingredient gathering a day in advance!. That way on day two all I have to do is cook the meal and run to the store in the late afternoon ( or whenever it is convinient for me) to get tomorrow's ingredients!.Prepare today's meal in the morning since i have all the ingredients, and I never have a " Late" dinner because i had to wait until i returned from the store before i even got started!.
In the fall & winter months i use a menu system so I can go to the store and get the ingredients a few days in advance!. Often bad wheather will prevent me from getting out to the store daily - so the need for a menu is there!.
Trust me !.!. plan & purchase in advance and you'll do better!.Www@FoodAQ@Com

My mom gave me a better homes and gardens cook book for my 18th birthday!.!.!.it is my favorite cook book and I use it all the time!. I suggest buying one!.!.!.!.

If I were you plan your meals out a week a head of time!.!.so when you do go grocery shopping you will know what ingredients to get, and be ready for the rest of the week!.

My house is a ground beef house!.!.!.so I buy like 4 pounds!. 2 lbs go to meat loaf, 1 either goes to stuffed bell peppers or spaghetti, and 1 goes to a nice box of hamburger helper!.

some times I'll mix it up and do some tacos!.!.!.

As long as you got a good amount of produce, spices, and pastas it shouldn't be that hard to whip something up!.

Another suggestion I have is just not including some of the "50" different ingredients they call for!.!.as long as it's not an important one it's not really necessary!.

Oh, and if all else fails get a crock pot and let it do the cooking for you!.

*Editted to your Edit*
I think that what you posted in your edit may be the reason it's taking you 4 hours to cook everynight!. All those things you do are great, but maybe you should save them for more special occasions!.!.!.or even just for once a week!. Pick some simpler recipes for your more busier nights!.Www@FoodAQ@Com

There are now wonderful foods in the supermarkets that are good, easy, and some are quick!. Don't be shy in asking a clerk to help you!.
Save the following for future use or when you need something FAST!.
!.
1!. How to Cook in Foil-videos:
http://www!.kraftfoods!.com/kf/cookingscho!.!.!.
!.
2!. Dinner Recipes-videos:
http://www!.kraftfoods!.com/kf/CookingScho!.!.!.
!.
3!. Favorite Recipes:
http://www!.fbnr!.com/finder/searchlists/1!.!.!.
!.
Take a look at these chicken recipes:
http://www!.campbellsoup!.com/Supper_Bakes!.!.!.
!.
20-Minute Meals:
http://www!.bhg!.com/bhg/slideshow/slideSh!.!.!.
!.
Microwave Cooking:
http://www!.cdkitchen!.com/recipes/cat/111!.!.!.
!.
4!. In a rush!? Check out the PRE-COOKED beef tips, roast, pot roast, pork roast, chicken, ham, meatload!. You will find these packages near the meat section, they are not frozen!. Ask a clerk for help in finding them!.
Use this for your meat dish with a side dish or two of vegetables, rice, or potatoes which can all be found in the freezer section or on shelves!.
!.
5!. Desserts of all types can be found in the bakeries, in the freezer sections, or on the shelves!. And don't forget there is always ice cream to depend on!.
!.
6!. Another thing you can do is cook in a slow cooker or a crock-pot!. You put the meat into the crock-pot in the morning and it slowly cooks all day long!. The meal is ready at dinner time!. Crock-pots can be bought at your grocery store, and at department stores!. BE SURE to read the booklet that comes with the crock-pot!.
!.
Beef Recipes in Crock Pot:
http://www!.razzledazzlerecipes!.com/beef-!.!.!.
!.
Chicken Recipes in Crock Pot:
http://www!.razzledazzlerecipes!.com/chick!.!.!.
!.
TEXAS crock pot recipes:
http://www!.texascook!.com/crockpot/
!.
7!. In a hurry or on your way home from work!? Pick up a roasted chicken that you can buy in the deli section!. Or baked ham, or roast beef!. Some have fried chicken!.
They also have side dishes such as veggies, salads, desserts, etc!.
!.
8!. Frozen dinners are a good choice and are on hand in your freezer for a quick meal!. Always buy the top brands for delicious flavors!. Add a side dish of vegetables, a salad or fruit salad!. Desserts can be bought in the bakery or frozen sections of your grocery store!.
!.
9!. Sauces (not juices) such as Italian, clam, Alfredo come in jars and cans, just pour them onto cooked pasta!.
By the way, a 12oz package of pasta will make 6 cups of cooked pasta!.
!.
10!. Quick put together desserts:
!.
Sweetened Condensed Milk videos-turn on your sound:
http://eaglebrand!.com/videos!.asp!?v=fudge!.!.!.
**********************************
Chocolate Passion Bowl (video):
http://www!.kraftfoods!.com/kf/cookingscho!.!.!.
**********************************
8 MINUTE STRAWBERRY CHEESECAKE
Click this link:
http://www!.cooks!.com/rec/doc/0,1813,1521!.!.!.
*********************************
Look for the ready to eat cheesecake tubs!. You can make a quick cheese cake or spread onto graham crackers:
*********************************
FROZEN PEANUT BUTTER PIE-no bake
http://www!.cooks!.com/rec/view/0,1937,150!.!.!.
***********************************
Video - Pie Crust, How to Make and Bake:
http://www!.cooking!.com/recipes/videos!.as!.!.!.
***********************************
Microwave Dessert recipes:
http://www!.cdkitchen!.com/recipes/cat/113!.!.!.
***********************************
11!. Tossed Salad (video):
http://www!.5min!.com/Video/How-to-make-th!.!.!.
!.
Caesar Salad - chef style (video):
http://www!.ifoods!.tv/site/video!.jsp!?vide!.!.!.
!.
Quick five minute Caesar Salad (video):
http://www!.5min!.com/Video/How-to-make-a-!.!.!.
!.
12!. Guacamole Dip video (peppers can be left out if you wish):
http://www!.5min!.com/Video/how-to-make-gu!.!.!.
!.
14!. Malaysia Recipes, click this link:
http://www!.chef-wan!.com!.my/index!.php!?pag!.!.!.
!.
15!. Video On How To Cook A Rib Eye Steak (turn on your sound), click this link:
http://www!.videojug!.com/film/how-to-make!.!.!.
!.
16!. Pre-packaged noodles with spices, click this link for recipes:
http://www!.budget101!.com/ramen_noodle_re!.!.!.
!.
17!. Look through these chicken & pasta recipes:
http://www!.thatsmyhome!.com/chickencoop/p!.!.!.

18!. Southern Fried Chicken - Video (after short ad):
http://video!.about!.com/southernfood/Sout!.!.!.

19!. Pulled Pork - Video (after short ad):
http://video!.about!.com/southernfood/Croc!.!.!.

20!. Seafood Recipes:
http://allrecipes!.com/Recipes/Seafood/Ma!.!.!.Www@FoodAQ@Com





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