Dinner and recipe ideas??!

Dinner and recipe ideas??

ok, so I know how to cook, my problem is that I dont know WHAT to cook. Whenever I go to the grocery store, I never have any ideas on what to make for dinners, so I just end up buying "ready made" dinners, hamburger helper, spaghetti, etc...(the easy stuff).

can you guys please give me dinner suggestions and/or recipes, so i know what i need to get when i go grocery shopping?

Here are a couple for you
Burrito Casserole Recipe

For the filling:
1 onion, chopped fine
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 T. olive oil
2 1-pound cans black, pinto, or pink beans, rinsed and drained
1 C. tomato sauce
2 t. ground cumin
4 fresh or pickled jalape?o chilies if desired, seeded and chopped
1/4 C. chopped fresh coriander if desired

twelve 7- to 8-inch flour tortillas warmed
1 1/2 C. grated Monterey Jack (about 6 oz.)
guacamole and tomato salsa as accompaniments

Make the filling:
In a large heavy skillet cook the onion and the garlic in the oil over moderately low heat, stirring, until the onion is softened, add the beans, and mash about half of them coarse with the back of a wooden spoon. Add the tomato sauce, the cumin, the chilies, and salt and black pepper to taste, simmer the mixture, stirring, for 3 to 5 minutes, or until it is thickened slightly, and stir in the coriander.

Working with 1 warmed tortilla at a time and keeping the others covered, spread about 3 tablespoons of the filling down the center of each tortilla and roll the tortillas, enclosing the filling but keeping the ends open. Arrange the burritos, seam sides down, in one layer in a baking dish, sprinkle them with the Monterey Jack, and bake them, covered with foil, in the middle of a preheated 350°F. oven for 10 minutes. Serve the burritos with the guacamole and the salsa.

Makes 12 burritos, serving 6.

Ruffled Pink Pasta Recipe

1/2 medium onion, chopped
1/2 t. dried basil
2 T. olive oil
1 lb. Italian-style chicken sausage, cut into 1/4-inch rounds
1 lb. campanelle pasta
8 oz. whole-milk ricotta
16 oz. plain canned tomato sauce

Saute the onion in the olive oil until lightly browned. Then add the quarter-inch rounds of chicken sausage and brown.

While you are doing this, cook the pasta in boiling water. Drain the pasta and place in a warm bowl. Add the ricotta and tomato sauce and mix well. Add the hot sausage, onion, and basil, toss, and serve.

Serves 4-6.

Greek Style Lasagna

1 (27 oz.) jar garden style OR sun-dried tomato and basil pasta sauce
9 oven ready, no boil lasagna noodles (from a 9 oz. box), uncooked
1 (6 oz.) package prewashed fresh baby spinach
1/2 C. each chopped red onion and red bell pepper, microwaved together in microwave oven on high power 1 to 2 minutes until softened
1 to 1 1/2 C. pitted, cut up kalamata olives
1 (28 oz.) can diced, peeled tomatoes, drained
16 basil leaves
1 C. shredded mozzarella cheese
2 C. crumbled feta cheese

Spoon 1 cup pasta sauce over bottom of a 12x8-inch rectangular baking dish. Top with 3 uncooked lasagna noodles.

Spread evenly with 1/2 of package of spinach, then sprinkle evenly with all of onion-red pepper mixture, 1/2 of olive pieces, 1/2 of drained tomato pieces, 8 basil leaves, 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella and 1 cup crumbled feta.

Add 1/2 of remaining sauce, spreading evenly. Add another layer of 3 noodles, remaining spinach leaves, remaining olive pieces, tomato pieces, basil leaves and crumbled feta. Add remaining 3 noodles and remaining sauce. Cover tightly with foil.

Bake in preheated 375°F. oven 50 to 55 minutes. Remove cover, top with remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese and bake 5 to 10 minutes longer. Let stand 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

Makes 6 servings.