# Three most typical dinners in your household?



## ZoesToes (Aug 21, 2004)

.


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## edamommy (Apr 6, 2004)

But, My baby- well he hates eating in general. My dh, he's also a vegetarian but still getting over his "meat and potato" roots, so he's most happy filling up on carbs and gravy! BUT I force him to eat a good dinner at least. I cook every night. Here's what we had the last 3 nights (and he LOVED all of it):

Asparagus & Swiss Quiche w/ a big spinach salad and homemade sesame dressing

Pumpkin, potato & Leek soup w/ honey-sweetend buttermilk corn bread and a large garden salad

Homemade gluten steaks w/ vegan gravy, mashed potatoes, corn and spicy green beans.

Actually- my fussy baby ate everything too- or at least tried a few bites!


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## magnoliablue (Dec 29, 2002)

I don't know if you are a vegetarian, mama, but these are our three mainstays..

chicken
pasta
rice
and the following veggies..broccoli, carrots, corn and potatoes

I usually make a pasta dish once or twice a week and mix in fresh veggies in a light sauce, and sometimes add chicken to it. I also add beans for variation.

When I dont make pasta, I make rice, and mix the veggies in or serve them on the side

When I do potatoes, the veggies and cheese and stuff are piled in, or I do my own variation of inside out potatoes.

In the summer we live on fresh veggies more than everything else, and live on tomatoes and corn and salads more than the other usual choices.

In the winter I am the crock pot Queen and also make a lot of soups and stews like chicken and dumplings and such.

Hope this gives you some ideas.


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## nikirj (Oct 1, 2002)

We try for a lot of variety. Still there are some that pop up more often 

We'll have garlic pasta and chicken most often. DH makes this one. He'll saute some crushed garlic in olive oil, and toss it in spaghetti to make the pasta, and to make the chicken he puts an assortment of herbs (not sure what exactly, but it involves a lot of garlic and parsley, a little like pesto but I'm pretty sure no pine nuts...) and bakes it in the oven (he has to start the chicken in advance, it takes a couple hours to bake). The whole dinner costs about $7 and makes enough to last for 2 full meals.

And now I'm drawing a blank because we don't do many more things with any kind of frequency. Our menu tends to be ruled by the cheapest foods we can find at the time. Let's see...also common are spaghetti with meat sauce (I make it from scratch in huge batches) and chicken curry over rice.


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## BusyMommy (Nov 20, 2001)

I go for fast, easy & cheap









grilled salmon & roasted potatoes

beer battered halibut

ground turkey/bean & can of tomato soup casserole


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## Mummoth (Oct 30, 2003)

Actually, since DD was born, cooking is not my department







However, I did stock the freezer with a variety of pre-marinated barbecuable (yes, I know I'm making up words) meals. We've barbecued just about every day this summer. Except for the days when we've had pesto tortellini.

When I am in charge of cooking, I like to do things that work into 3 meals. I do a turkey roast one night, with potatos & side veggies. The next night we'll have hot turkey sandwiches, with salad, and the next night I'll make Turkey Pot Pie. If I do a beef roast we have the traditional meal the first night, beef dip the second night (with salad) and some sort of stroganoffy type thing the 3rd night.


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## mama ganoush (Jul 8, 2004)

Indian spiced chicken and basmati rice
sticky asian wings and cold sesame noodles
churassco steak, grilled with chimichurri sauce
roast chicken
grilled chicken breasts with mango salsa
pasta alla olio with toasted breadcrumbs

I rotate sides like: maple grilled sweet potatoes, roasted veggies, mixed greens with glazed nuts, roasted asparagus


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## kimmysue2 (Feb 26, 2003)

Gina loaf (mash potatos, sauerkraut Vegie hotdogs and cheese)

broccoli casserole
Fry chick, Mash potatoe, corn
Spaghetti
burritos
Lasagna
Alfredo chicken & mushrooms
Taces
All these are mead without real meat. Veggie products are wonderful.


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## famousmockngbrd (Feb 7, 2003)

Here are my Top Three:

Chicken + veggie + rice/potato
Tacos
Pasta with meat sauce

Not very inspiring, I'm afraid.







I wanna eat at Mama Ganoush's house.


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## LDSmomma6 (Oct 31, 2003)

Tacos, which we had last night
Stroganoff, which we just had the other night
Tuna Casserole, which we are having tonight


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## chrfath (Jun 5, 2003)

Pasta with jarred tomato sauce
Frozen veggie patties served with gravy or on a bun
Dahl, chole, naan

I tend to make things that DS likes and can be reheated well for my DH. He usally works until 7-8PM. We are vegan. I usually try to have a night of the week for a certain food.


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## sedalbj (Mar 17, 2004)

My stomach is grumbling!

During the summer, the grill is always on (plus, it means my husband is going to help cook







, so that means chicken or beef, the beef always has blue cheese on top, the chicken is usually lemon juice and pepper.

But otherwise, lots of beef stroganoff, grilled cheese w/ tomato soup, and Chili's!


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## mom2tig99Nroo03 (Apr 24, 2003)

pierogies with sauteed peppers (can throw in some smoked sausage to add a meat).

garlic chicken w/ pasta and mixed vegetables ( all mixed together).

cheese sandwiches and tomato soup

broccolli casserole.

salads are always easy


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## mamagranola (Jun 6, 2004)

We eat a lot of tacos and bean burritos. They are just so quick and easy. I stock up on whole wheat tortillas.

We also eat spaghetti with jarred sauce....

and homemade macaroni and cheese.


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## sadean (Nov 20, 2001)

Our most common homemade meals are:

-pizza
-tacos
-baked chicken (cooked a variety of ways depending on what seasonings are on hand) and rice
-baked macaroni and cheese

And I try to pair most meals with a veggie, the most common being tossed salad, green beans, peas and carrots and corn.


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## teachma (Dec 20, 2002)

1. chicken
2. chicken
3. chicken

Sorry, no help! :LOL

No, but we sometimes do brown rice & beans WITH the chicken, sometimes turn it into quesadillas (tortilla, cheese, tomatoes and onions), sometimes w/ whole wheat pasta...


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## lillaurensmomma (Jul 5, 2003)

Spaghetti
Roasted Chicken (different seasonings depending on my mood)
and
tacos (chicken or beef, hard or soft shell or taco salad)

Right now I'm 16w pregnant and am craving mexican food all the time so the taco variants probably are the most used right now









j


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## OTMomma (Aug 12, 2003)

Wow, some of you really make me look bad! I am getting some good ideas!









Common meals at our house;
Fajitas
Greek Pasta (heat 2 cans of diced tomatoes, and 1 can olives, add cooked pasta and cubed feta plus garlic and whatever seasoning look good)
Stir Fry with brown rice


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## Mama2Ethan (May 20, 2004)

Ahhhhhhhh, I also have a picky eater. He'll eat things for others that he won't touch for me-go figure.

Okay, NOW on topic









Taco salad -salad stuff with taco "meat", cheese, chips, salas
and water melon salad after (watermelon balls soaked in lemonade with fresh basil-Thanks Wemberly!)

Pasta salad-cook fav type of pasta add fresh veggies (I do carrots and broc, etc. Snow peas would we awesome), cubes of cheese, green olives, chicken marinated in italian dressing and tossed with a small bottle of italian or ranch dressing (very yummy)

Crock pot roast beaf au jus
1 roast (3-4 lbs)
1 pkg. au jus mix
1 can beef consume
1 pkg dry italian salad dressing
Mix all three and pour over roast-cook in crock pot all day on high. Serve with steamed veggies and mashed spuds

Michele


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## earthmama007 (Dec 29, 2001)

Spaghetti w/turkey 99% Fat Free It tastes more like ground chicken ( I am not a big fan of brown turkey)

BBQ Chicken, Pasta Roni, Corn or mixed veggies

Tacos
Super Easy Comfort food: This is a favorite
Roast I make it in the crock pot with three cans of cream of mushroom and garlic, one enveloupe beefy onion, and some onions, carrotts and potatoes. You can get reduced sodium soups too. Cook on low at least 8 hours. YUM!
Serve with:
Rice casserole-1 C. white rice, one can beef broth or beef cosume', one can water, one can french onion soup, one stick butter







One small can of muchrooms w/out the stems. mix it all in a 9*13 glass dish and cook on 400 for one hour.


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## FoxintheSnow (May 11, 2004)

-Make your own burrito/fajjita/taco bar
-Veganchicken satay with orange zested basmati rice
-pasta with homemade sauce or paul newman's sockarooni sauce and Tofurkey brand vegan sausage

My favorite place to get recipes is foodnetwork.com I just look up chickenrecipes and sub seitan, tofu, or tvp for chicken. I find that the recipes in the vegan cookbooks aretoo complicated.


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## Alkenny (May 4, 2004)

Goulash w/ ground turkey
Veggie soup
Potato soup
Roast chicken/potatoes/carrots
Grilled burgers/salad
Tacos
Pizza

Seems like we rotate these things ALOT.


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## nova22 (Jun 26, 2004)

1. Fettucine Alfredo with peas and rosemary-seasoned chicken breast
2. Oven-fried chicken with Italian seasoning and homemade potato wedges
3. Pork chops with Parmesan and Italian seasoning with scalloped potatoes


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## famousmockngbrd (Feb 7, 2003)

We made a yummy pizza tonight, it was very quick and easy:

Pre-bake refrigerated pizza dough, or use a Boboli or a mix, whatever. Brush on some olive oil, top with thinly sliced tomatoes and zucchini, feta, mozzarella, garlic, basil, oregano (fresh if you have it), salt and pepper. YUM!


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## kimmysue2 (Feb 26, 2003)

forgot to add pizza dough is a keeper in the freeze. Just take it out the night before and make pizza


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## mama ganoush (Jul 8, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *famousmockngbrd*
Not very inspiring, I'm afraid.







I wanna eat at Mama Ganoush's house.









any time mama!


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## kate42 (Feb 2, 2003)

I do "Breakfast for Dinner" a lot...scrambled eggs, pancakes, omelets, etc.

I also create food by dumping a lot of canned goods in a casserole dish and chucking the whole mess in the oven for an hour or so.

I hate cooking with a passion.









Pre-DD, my dinner would be a bowl of cereal. Now, I "try" to make healthy meals. She doesn't really eat what we do, but I'm learning for when she's older.

Needless to say, DH makes his own food now. :LOL


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## lillian (Dec 13, 2003)

my dh does all the cooking. his 'usuals' are

1. something on the bbq - chicken, steak, or salmon. along with sauteed veggies - onions, garlic, peppers, and whatever is fresh in the frigde or garden - chard, spinach, carrot, brocolli, etc. and usually some sushi rice

2. some sort of curry - indian or thai. with meat or vege. and jasmine rice

3. hmmm, probably a repeat of #1 or #2 above..


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## Beth-TX (Jun 11, 2002)

We eat bean tacos and burritos all the time because they're so darn easy and we usually have everything we need on hand. I also make big batches of burritos, wrap them and freeze individually for quick lunches.

Beans and rice is a favorite--1 can black beans, 1 cup instant brown rice, 1/2 c water, 1/2c salsa, handful of frozen corn. heat it all to boiling, take off heat cover and wait 10 minutes. We eat it with cheese and/or sour cream and tortilla chips if we have them.

If it's not too hot, I like to make a big pan of roasted veg and a salad. Just toss tiny new potatoes (or cut up big ones), baby carrots, garlic cloves, asparagus--whatever you like with some olive oil and salt and pepper and bake at about 350 until everything is cooked. Couldn't be easier.

Thanks for the ideas, everyone!

peace, Beth


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## huggerwocky (Jun 21, 2004)

some indian lentils with basmati rice
oven roasted chicken wings/legs with potatoe wedges(selfmade) and with tomato or bean salad
bratwurst with carrots/potato mash








vegetables indian style


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## GoodWillHunter (Mar 14, 2003)

Welll... I'm eatin' at Mama Ganoush's house, too!!!!!!









I make... beef spaghetti sauce; roast with thick brown gravy or roast with carrots and potatos w/broth; hamburger patties; homemade chicken nuggets made w/ white meat; veggies are spinach; onions, carrots, potatos, tomatoes, corn... whatever is in season right at the moment. We also do a lot of fruits as sides... right now we are into grapes, peaches, melons... again, what is in season. :LOL We also have veggie beef soup on occasion (that's when I can't think of anything else); cornbread, mac and cheese (Annies!







).... There. I'm going to roast a whole chicken in the next few days... Not sure how that's going to turn out.


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## famousmockngbrd (Feb 7, 2003)

GWH, try getting creative with the things you stuff in the cavity.







YKWIM. Onions and a tied-up bundle of fresh herbs, or maybe cut up an apple and throw in a cinnamon stick. Mix up some honey and olive oil or butter and baste the top when it has about a half hour to go... mmmmmmmmm....









Roasting things is fun but I am always so sick of leftovers by the time it's all gone. Although with your big family it probably won't stick around long.


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## mama ganoush (Jul 8, 2004)

i like to stuff chickens with cut up oranges and lemons. and put butter and slivers of garlic under the skin.


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## Sweeney (Sep 8, 2003)

What do we eat around here? Depends on the time of year and who cooks.

My recent main three:
1. Honey Mustard Chicken mixed with pasta and steamed broccoli/asparagus (the recipe I have actually requires me to set it on fire- it really appeals to the pyro in me)
2. Vegetable Soup (with cornbread of course!)
3. Parmesan Chicken, couscous, and peas

DH's:
1. Chili (It's awesome with green peppers, onions, and LOTS of garlic)
2. Nachos (We couldn't agree on what type of tortilla for tacos so it became nachos and we eat it with nacho chips)
3. Terijaki Chicken- marinate and grill. With baked sweet potatoe and whatever veggie is lying around.

Variations of other peoples:
For roast chicken/turkey, coat the outside and inside with nutmeg. Mmmmmmm!

Homemade Mac and Cheese with spinach mixed in before you bake it.


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## andi_3k (Oct 22, 2002)

Pumpkin, potato & Leek soup w/ honey-sweetend buttermilk corn bread and a large garden salad

This sounds lucious...could you share the recipe,please?


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## Mavournin (Jul 9, 2002)

Around here it depends on who cooks

If it's me - -
whole wheat pasta primavera or w/ fresh tomato sauce (depending on what is in the fridge.)

"pizza face" - buy or make pizza dough, and make individual pies in cast iron pans. I always put cornmeal or sea salt on the bottom of the pan for texture, and favorite toppings are usually carmelized onions, tomatoes (fresh and sundried), and mushrooms. Nothing beats playing with your food and making faces with your pizza.

or I dump cans of beans, tomatoes, other veggies, and some type of ground meat in a crockpot, add cheese at the end - and call it goulash.

If it's DH -

Hamburgers
Omlettes
Takeout pizza

Gotta say - I love takeout pizza night. All that yum, and no dishes.


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## ~Megan~ (Nov 7, 2002)

Bean burritos, steak and a big salad, baked chicken with salad and green beans.

I don't know how healthy they are but that's what we've been eating most often. Maybe because its hot and they require little stove work.


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## Icequeen_in_ak (Mar 6, 2004)

I have two different rotations. What I make my DH and what I make for everyone else









DH is meat/meat/meat atkins guy.... he'd eat a steak every day and be









My DD adores chicken... any type of chicken, so I make a lot of chicken.

the most rotated are...

Mango Chutney Chicken (to DIE for!!!!!)

Chicken premivera pasta with tons of veggies and spinach pasta.

Italian chicken (coated in seasoned bread crumbs, topped with ham, mozz & parmesean cheese)

I have tons of others, but those are the favorites


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## corrie43 (Mar 9, 2003)

uuuugggghhh I feel guilty even posting this, but we have boxed mac and cheese with broccoli at least 2-3 times a week.

Pasta or rice with broccoli or a salad.

Pb+J sandwiches

chicken nuggets and fries

hamburgers for family, garden burgers for me

We eat like crap around here. I am a HORRIBLE cook. I burn, ruin and destroy everything.

I was just thinking yesterday I wish I could trade/barter with someone to cook me some healthy meals every week that I could just reheat.


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## aussiemum (Dec 20, 2001)

Dh & i swap off cooking dinner- usually we only do yummy stuff on the weekends- he made an awesome roast leg of lamb dinner last night, tonight I made shepard's pie with the leftovers....







Weekdays, it's quick & easy.... I love meals you can do in 20 minutes on a Monday night.

1. Indian curry (with paste from a jar & tins of coco milk or tomato) with some combo of veg, meat, or chickpeas, and basmati rice. Sometimes we do packet chapatis/naans & pappadums instead.

2. Pasta of any sort (spaghetti, raviolis (store-bought), linguini) with some sort of cream, vegie or tomato based sauce + fresh parm cheese

3. Chili- vegetarian or meat, put together with whatever veg is around. DH & I spice ours up with Tobasco or sambal.

4. fish or steak or sausages with salad & chips (frozen from the grocery store)


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## lunchbox (May 14, 2003)

Ours are probably bean/cheese rice burritos, red beans and rice (with or without meat), and meatloaf.

There is an excellent recipe for eggplant curry in one of the Moosewood cookbooks, if you are veg.


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## mommymushbrain (Nov 2, 2002)

Slop, slop and slop.









Okay, ours are hamburgers fixed up in various fashions... Bacon cheeseburgers, swiss and mushroom, ranch hamburgers, barbecue, etc. Usually served with a salad and veggies.

Baked chicken coated with some butter and ritz crackers. Usually served with baked potatoes and veggies.

Tacos - again various. Some times it'll be steak, chicken, beef, bean, and it's add your own whatever to them. My youngest have a hard time keeping the soft shells held closed, so I usually make them a taco salad. I make a yummy (and not-so-healthy) chili relleno bake dish with it, along with mexican rice.

Others we do often are spaghetti, breadsticks, and salad - we call it Olive Garden night and don't have to spend $50. Homemade pizza - usually using whatever leftovers I had from the week before... we've had regular old pizza, veggie pizza, ham bacon and cheddar pizza, barbecue chicken pizza, etc.

Gosh... I am very hungry all of a sudden. :LOL


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## bebe luna (Nov 20, 2001)

some of our most made meals:

chicken mole enchiladas

tacos

big salad: mixed greens, carrots, peppers, tomatoes, blue cheese, pecans, dressing

grilled fish or chicken, yams, vegis

bean chili and cornbread

pork chops, garlic mashed potatos, glazed carrots

stirfried vegis w/ ginger/garlic/sesame oil/tamari, brown rice, spring rolls

burgers on the grill w/ corn on the cob, & fresh cucumbers

baked ravioli w/ crusty bread and greens salad

falafels w/ tahini sauce, pita bread, hummus, dolmas, olives

vegi sushi rolls and miso soup


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## comet (Aug 22, 2002)

cheese & onion enchiladas with beans and enchilada sauce (but mole sounds even better, Jaze!), plus rice if I'm ambitious

pesto over some kind of whole wheat pasta with grape-sized tomatoes boiled for 1 minute

cornbread & soup

frozen pizza (organic, usually, if that helps!)

I'm dying to make some of these Indian recipes, I wish I knew where to start.


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## guestmama9907 (Nov 24, 2003)

we have some type of stirfry with veggies and brown rice several times a week. for variety i add quorn tenders, tempeh or black beans. my dh is on the road right now (truck driver) so i have been eating out lots and lots the past few weeks. but i did make one thing that was awesome-

roasted potatoes, fennel and quinoa. roast the potatoes and fennel in a little olive oil with salt and pepper then add to the cooked quiona. very very good!


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## magnoliablue (Dec 29, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *earthmama007*
Spaghetti w/turkey 99% Fat Free It tastes more like ground chicken ( I am not a big fan of brown turkey)

BBQ Chicken, Pasta Roni, Corn or mixed veggies

Tacos
Super Easy Comfort food: This is a favorite
Roast I make it in the crock pot with three cans of cream of mushroom and garlic, one enveloupe beefy onion, and some onions, carrotts and potatoes. You can get reduced sodium soups too. Cook on low at least 8 hours. YUM!
Serve with:
Rice casserole-1 C. white rice, one can beef broth or beef cosume', one can water, one can french onion soup, one stick butter







One small can of muchrooms w/out the stems. mix it all in a 9*13 glass dish and cook on 400 for one hour.


We make that same rice dish here too!! My dp taught me how to make it, and it is really yummy!!


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## ~OceanPotion~ (Apr 30, 2004)

Burritos
with beans, cheese, lettuce, tomato, avacado, basmati rice, salsa, sour cream all wrapped in whole wheat wraps.

Chicken pot pie -dd's favorite
just basic chicken, celery, carrots, peas, onions, garlic and thyme(very impotant) in a premade pie shell

Bean chili
basic kidney and black beans, red pepper, onion, galic, cumin, and chili spice topped with sour cream and cheese

We also have salmon, spinach salad(my favorite), falafels, pasta, homeade soup.

corrie43-a good alternative to mac and cheese is regular pasta with tomato sauce and cheese melted on top. I also put frozen peas in with the pasta while its cooking.


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## splendid (Jul 18, 2004)

I don't specifically have a meal, but a side dish. Everything I cook has to go with rice. we eat rice here for almost 80% of our meals.

DH once called me on it, but I told him if he wanted a change maybe he should help in the kitchen more. Since then he has yet to comment on our sidedishes.


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## armonia (Mar 24, 2002)

I cook a lot of fish, pinto beans, caldo de res, roast w/ veggies and herbs from the garden. Zuchinni, potatoes, squash, onions, garlic, tomatoes, cumino, basil, parsley, cayenne peppers. I had a lot of potatoes this year so for about a week or two I made all kinds of things with potatoes: soup, fried, boiled mashed. I had a lot of squash and zuchinni, too so I made a lot of stuff using that. Stir fry, etc.

My daughter does't eat meat, so we have cheese pizza, bean burritos, and cheese sandwiches often. She really likes to eat yogurt, fruit, and noodles most of the time.


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## GruppieGirl (Feb 19, 2002)

Chicken pot pie
~Make one and freeze another for later. The recipie is on the Pilsbury crust box

Cook Out
~Veggie burgers or chicken with corn, peppers, squash or whatever is in season

Chili's Take-out
~Suthwestern Egg Rolls! They are the best and I jjust can't seem to get my act together to cook

This thread is great! I'm hoping to stay inspired and turn on the oven.


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## Pynki (Aug 19, 2002)

1) Kielbasa with peppers and onions over rice..
2) Gee I wish I were Tacos- which is stew beef sauteed with taco seaoning.. Mixed with black beans, and a can of stewed tomatoes with chilis and served on the plate with tortilla chips.. Thus the name... Gee I wish I were Tacos..
3)BBQ meatballs with biscuits and mixed veggies..


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## famousmockngbrd (Feb 7, 2003)

I have a recipe for mole enchiladas that is really over the top involved. There are so many ingredients and steps, it's incredible - it would take forever to make. I have to admit I never actually made it but I still aspire to. If anyone wants it I'll post it. Did y'all know there's a story attached to mole - apparently it was invented by a nun in a Mexican (?) convent somewhere in the middle of the mountains, a bishop or some other mucky-muck type came to visit and she made the most exquisite thing she could muster with the ingredients she had in her kitchen. Supposedly there were over 100 ingredients in it originally. The bishop thought it was the most amazing thing he'd ever eaten, claimed she must have been divinely inspired, possibly canonized her on the spot as the patron saint of mole, LOL.

I have always wanted to make something with fennel, and leeks (not necessarily together) but I have no idea what to do with them. So, you roast fennel? How about leeks? Sautee them like onions? Do you only use the white part?


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## mamallama (Nov 22, 2001)

burritos--rice packet w/can of beans & extra spices tossed in, accompanied by salad or grilled or sauteed veggies or corn on the cob

pizza--homemade whole wheat crust (I







my Kitchenaide mixer), spaghetti sauce from a jar, fresh herbs from porch & fresh veggies; accompanied by salad

crock pot of cheap cut of beef cooked all day; accompanied by fresh or frozen veggies (steamed or sauteed) & some kind of starch.

I'm a big fan of starch in a packet--rice or pasta.

ooh...I love leeks! I bake them with parsnips & butter...yummy! Leeks are best in the spring. Each one should ideally be as thick as your thumb, but not much bigger. I cut the root ends & leave a few inches of greens. Then I split them down the middle. I peel & cut the parsnips so they're about the same size. Bake at 350 for a good long time...until the parsnips are tender and the juices carmelize.


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## aussiemum (Dec 20, 2001)

Fennel you can definitely roast like any other veg. Jamie Oliver does some nice stuff with fennel... & leeks, too, which I use just like onion. You can use all bits of the leek, just make sure you split it open & wash out any trapped soil first. HTH.


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## famousmockngbrd (Feb 7, 2003)

Thanks, mamallama and aussiesmum.







I am stuck in a veggie rut. Broccoli, beans, zucchini, peas, carrots, green peppers, and onions. That is all we ever eat, in some form or combination. *yawn*


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## famousmockngbrd (Feb 7, 2003)

Are avocados a fruit or a vegetable? They're a fruit, right? We eat those, too. And tomatoes. (I know they're a fruit.)


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## NatureMama3 (Feb 25, 2004)

hard to say as we don't repeat food a lot (both suffered through that as kids and I mean SUFFERED).

Probably enchiladas (though we vary what we use in them), pasta (though we always vary what we put in it and what noodles we use) and pizza? (again, it always changes :LOL)

we generally tend to eat seasonally and it often is heavier things (chili, squash, oatmeal, etc) in colder season and spicier/lighter things (tacos, enchiladas, salads, etc) in warmer weather.


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## StarMama (Jun 25, 2002)

Wow! So much variety!! And not like horribly hard ideas either!

Lately we are bbq fiends! Dh bought a new BIG charcoal BBQ this summer and we cook on it 80% of the time.

Our #1 meal right now would be bbq beer can chicken. Cook a whole chicken with a bbq rub on it with a can stuck in the cavity filled oh, 1/3 way with beer. Or cola. Or lemon-lime soda. Or rum/pineapple juice/teriyaki sauce (after marinading the whole chicken with teriyaki sauce). It cooks SO well and is SO easy! Have with whatever veggies we've got around...

Burgers and beer bratwurst (can you tell Dh likes cooking with beer? :LOL).

bbq chicken on the grill.

I also take a bunch of potatos, cook them in the oven to make baked potatos, keep some whole and have baked potatos, make twice baked potatos with some of the others (scoop out inside, add cheese, kosher salt, fresh ground pepper, green onions or regular onions, enough sour cream to make it moist, then put back in potato, top with cheese, bake til warm), cut some up to make potato wedges on the grill (toss together some veg. oil and kosher salt and fresh ground pepper cook on grill til just a wee bit crispy... bet it would work in the oven on broil too). So thats our #1 side dish.

Oh and I do have to say these meals are only when Dh and I both have time to get together and get them going. Last night we had sandwhiches. I've got frozen junk in the freezer too. It doesn't always work out to make these creations of yumminess!


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## MPJJJ (Oct 24, 2003)

I make a lot of Chili and tomato soup/grill cheese sandwitch meals.


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## Marlena (Jul 19, 2002)

There are _so_ many things that one can cook quickly from scratch, I don't know why anyone eats things from a box or can, or that's otherwise pre-prepared out of the home.

Our mainstays are grilled meat (usually pork chop, carnitas, steak, or chicken), often marinated in something (Steve Raichlen's Barbecue Bible is _fabulous_ for ideas from around the globe), plus grilled veggies and either grilled potato or steamed rice. Excluding marinating time, if any, dinner's on the table within 30 minutes.

On weekends, we often make something more involved that yields lots of leftovers. Texas smoked meat is our mainstay in the summer. As for the cooler months, lasagne, osso buco, pot au feu, Belgian beef stew, cassoulet...you name it. We also often have bean or lentil soup and/or chili in the fridge (any time of the year).

We just made a Brazillian shrimp stew last night that was quick and easy, given that we already had the shrimp stock in the freezer (made the last time we had lots of shrimp heads and shells around).

If you're really hard up for time, flatten your chicken breast or meat cutlet by pounding it with a mallet or bottle or something, dredge it in flour and spices/herbs, and sautee it at medium-high heat; serve with salad. Or crust it with fresh parmesean, slice it, and serve it over the salad.


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## grahamsmom98 (May 15, 2002)

Porc a la Normandie, which is pork chops with sauteed apples and a Calvados cream sauce. I usually pair this with rice or Yukon Gold potatoes and green beans with sauteed pecans.

Chicken Dire Straits: a stir-fry with jerk seasoning, mango chutney, apricot jam, pine nuts and golden raisins. I serve this with Basmati rice and mango sorbet.

Pasta with artichoke hearts and fresh veggies in a white wine cream sauce.

I try not to have too many "standard" menus. I like to cook and try new things often. But, these three ARE favorites of dh, so they are requested frequently!

We ALWAYS have a homemade dessert in the house!!

We subscribe to Bon Appetite, so each month offers new menu ideas. Plus, dh had about 25 cookbooks when we married, and I had a like number. I am never at a loss for what to fix!!.


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## rachdoll (Aug 18, 2003)

Quesadillas - sometimes just cheese, sometimes with sliced chicken, sliced tomatoes, sliced avocados (my favorite!), chopped olives, you get the idea.

Egg salad. Just hardboiled eggs, mayo & mustard - easy-peasy (isn't that what Jamie Oliver says?) served on a pita for me, wonderbread for dh, just in a bowl for dd

Hamburgers.

We always have a veggie, and dh is very picky, so often it's peas or broccoli or salad.

we are all over the quick and easy meals!


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## frand (May 8, 2004)

Wow - lots of great ideas in here. I like this thread. Here are our mainstays --

grilled boneless skinless chicken thighs -- they cook fast, yield more juice, and have way more flavor than breast meat. I glaze them with a very mild bottled Thai chili sauce - sweet but light.

Pita bread pizza -- these have been a mainstay from my single days because they are fast and can be customized for each eater. I make sauce and freeze it in small containers. Slurge on a GREAT cheese like taleggio. Bake on the rack, not a baking sheet.

My daughter LOVES lemon noodles -- boil pasta, then melt 2 TBS butter, 1/4 c milk and as much freshly grated parmesan as you like (we like a lot). When you're done grating the parmesan, finely grate a whole lemon rind (surface of yellow rind only, not the white part) into the parmesan/butter/milk, stir and toss with the pasta. I have yet to serve these to a child who didn't like them, which has surprised me. The lemon/butter/parmesan are sublime together.

At most meals we cut up at least two kinds of raw veggies and serve them on the side with a dip. I try to put this out first so the veggies get eaten while the other food is cooking.


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## SamuraiEarthMama (Dec 3, 2002)

it's a little tricky cooking dinner around here. we have a meat-and-potatoes guy who would love steak all the time, me (chicken and pasta are my favorites, but right now i need to avoid wheat, corn and dairy until we figure out what's making the baby get colicky), a kid who'll eat chicken and some other meat but not always, a teen vegetarian, and a teen vegan. quite the juggling act!

having a new infant around, i'm heading back to the days of rotated meals again now, too. we go by the day of the week:

monday: potatoes (baked, roasted, mashed... sometime yams for a change) and a steamed veggie. sometime a sauteed chicken breast for the meat eaters.

tuesday: pasta (spaghetti, mac-and-cheese, lemon-and-olive-oil, alfredo, lasagna if i'm feeling up for it) and a salad (throw tuna in the mac-and cheese for the meat eaters, or ground turkey into the spaghetti sauce, for example)

wednesday: rice and stir-fried veggies (one pan with chicken, one without)

thursday: mexican (make-your-own burritos or tostadas, enchiladas, nachos, quesadillas), leftover rice from wednesday (add some cilantro and lime to make it more interesting) and a salad

friday: pizza night (homemade pizza dough, with whatever toppings we have on hand: olives, mushrooms, pineapple, artichoke hearts, fake and real pepperoni or sausage, real and fake cheese) and a big ol' salad ... once in a while, we'll do takeout pizza

saturday: lazy night... dagwood sandwiches, real and fake hot dogs, turkey and fake hamburgers, frozen french fries, carrots-and-ranch-dip, whatever we can scrounge up... sometimes "breakfast for dinner" (cereal, eggs, pancakes)

sunday: "nice" chicken, not just sauteed breasts (broiled is our fave, roasted whole w/ lemons and garlic, or a cool-looking new style from allrecipies.com... did a lime chicken the other week that was sooo yummy!) or some other nice entree (shepherd's pie - veggie and chicken, meatloaf - sorry, no fake version!, or something we want to try from Cooks Illustrated), steamed veggie or salad, cook's choice of carb (pasta, rice or potato)

some weeks are better than others, as far as sticking to the plan! thanks for all the new ideas... i got a crockpot this last spring and i look forward to putting it to good use this winter.

mmmm... got the munchies now!

katje


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## tessamami (Mar 11, 2002)

Let's see:

lentils and rice
chicken noodle soup
spaghetti


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## melissa17s (Aug 3, 2004)

Ummm, we try to rotate our diet alot, but three thing we have ate regular for quite a while are:
Veggie stirfry... we always include a form of tofu or seitan along with onions, garlic, carrots and at least 3 green things. I love to put Lingham's chilli sause on it because it is kind of mild and sweet.

Ayam Lemak... this is a chicken curry (ayam=chicken and lemak=coconut) but since we are vegetarian, we replace the chicken with seitan. we put lots of veggies into our curry (potatoes, peppers,onions, carrots, peas, green beans, cabbage...) and the rice is also cook with coconut milk.

Calazone... I make a basic pizza dough recipe. Sometimes I use cheese, sometimes I don't. Same goes for the tomatoes, but usally put in onions, mushrooms, black olives, green peppers, basil, garlic. Right now we are using fresh tomatoes from the garden, but I also love the Muir Glen tomato sauses.
~Melissa


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## napless (Mar 20, 2003)

In a typical week, we'll have chicken, fish, some sort of bean dish, pasta, another meatless dish, and leftovers. Every recipe has to be quick, easy and made with mainly whole foods. Check my site for the recipes.


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## aussiemum (Dec 20, 2001)

napless, that is a great website! Thank you! We're now having meatloaf for dinner tonight.


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## napless (Mar 20, 2003)

Thanks, aussiemum! I'm glad you liked it!


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## shantimama (Mar 11, 2002)

tacos

whole wheat spaghetti with roasted vegetables and sometimes meatballs

curried chicken and daal with papadums

felafel

pizza

roast chicken


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