Busy Mom dinners - Page 2

PreKteacher · ‎03-17-2018

Thanks SOOOO much to all of you! I now have a lot of good ideas that are going to help me so much!

Sometimes we get into a rut with eating the same things all of the time, even during a normal school year. It's helpful to be equipped with a list of quick meals when my mind draws a blank! Cooking was never my strength, so when I get busy, my meal planning always takes a back seat to everything else. I feel much better now, though, thanks to all of your help!

aroc3435 · ‎09-30-2010

@PreKteacher I've been thinking of you, still, having to juggle so much with your children plus teaching. If you check the Recipes forum here from time to time you might find some more good, easy recipe or meal ideas.

@Qwalker just posted a boneless chicken strips recipe, and then another lovely poster supplied an additional one in response.

@house_cat who is also a very busy teacher started a whole string on 1-08-2020 called Please raise your hand if you gave me this rice recipe! which went on for several pages.

She thanks me for one rice recipe that I had posted earlier and then as a lot of ladies kept the discussion rolling I made another entry with a classic, easy, Peg Bracken chicken and rice dish. It is entry 38 of 59 and there is a recipe for pork chops and potatoes casserole that another poster provided.

The Search Forums feature should readily bring it up for you.

Hang in there--Friday is coming and I'm cheering you on for your successful juggling act.

Best,

aroc3435

chrystaltree · ‎05-10-2010

There was a time many years ago when hubby and I both worked full time and we were both going to school in the evenings to obtain our master's degrees. The girls were in their pre-teen and early teens. I can relate to the dinner dilmena. I cooked dinner for the week on the weekends. I'd roast two chickens, we'd have one for Sunday dinner and I would freeze one. When I made lasagna, I made two at a time. I made a lot of casseroles. There was also a submarine sandwich night. Not store bought; I would have the cold cuts, cheese, veggies, deli rolls in the house. The veggies that come in the bags and you cook them in the microwave were great too. As the girls got older; each girl and daddy had a day when it was their responsibility to cook dinner. They had plan in advance to make sure we all the ingredients they needed. They all ;loved this and we had some great meals.

ScrapHappy · ‎03-28-2010

@PreKteacher wrote:
This school year is going to be extra busy for me, since I am back in my classroom (private school) but my kids are learning virtually (public schools that are not open for in-person learning). I'm going to have to work hard at supplementing my kids' educations because they can't have science labs or do hand-on activities with virtual learning. Some evenings I am just picking up a rotisserie chicken and bagged salad from the grocery store because I don't have enough time for anything better.

What are your favorite "no-work" meals that are reasonable healthy? I don't want to rely on fast food! My older kids can make some basic things, but they're already making their own breakfasts and lunches, so I don't want them to have to help with dinner too. Usually on the weekends I make a casserole that works for two nights, but I still need to come up with something fast for the other evenings. Oh, and soups are not an option. I love soup, but my kids don't and neither does my husband. My husband covers Sunday night dinner... eggs... and that's about the extent of his cooking skills!

HELP!

When I search for a new recipe, I always enter "easy and/or quick" in the search. I don't want too many steps or ingredients to complicate things. I found several recipes the pat couple of months that my family are liking. They are:

1. Betty Crocker Baked Chicken Fajitats. I serve with Fresh Express Ensalada bagged salad or rice.

2. Taste of Home Steak Stir Fry. My husband asks for this every week.

3. Campbells Dripping Roast Beef Sandwiches with Melted Provolone. I buy a pound of roast beef. When making this I double on the french onion soup and worcestershire to have for dipping the sandwiches in. Doesn't get muuch easier than this.

4. Tast of Home Chicken Chimichangas. I use rotisserie chicken for this. It's just a matter of warming up the chicken with salsa, etc. and making the sauce. It bakes in 15 minutes.

5. Betty Crocker Meaty Italian Spaghetti Sauce. I'm not one to leave me crockpot on all day and not be home. I make this on weekends. Makes a lot. Freeze left overs for another meal.

When I make spaghetti and meatballs, I make extra meatballs and use for meatball parmesean subs another day.

Sometimes when preparing meals, especially Italian meals, I make one and freeze one. I like to do this with lasagna, stuffed shells and manicotti. I came across Rana pasta sheets in the refrigerated isle at Publix. I use those for manicottia. Just make a cheese filling, roll it up and bake. Prep time is like 10 minutes.

I'd try to do as much ahead as possislbe. Prepare and freeze meals on weekends.

ECBG · ‎01-08-2011

On the weekends, I made homemade green beans, pasta or potato salads, deviled eggs, pot roasts, or lasagna. You can also do a pork loin roast to rewarm, or get a spiral sliced ham.

We never ate fast food. The kids can make a salad after they're taught as well as set the table.

Vegetables can be microwaved, steamed, or grilled.

When I made spaghetti sauce, I would at least be able to save 6 family servings. The same with homemade vegetable soup.

Items like homemade chicken pot pie were weekend, but it went for 2 days.

PreKteacher · ‎03-17-2018

Update: I have been using the ideas I've gotten here and it has really been a big help!

And to answer some of you, my older kids do a lot of cooking already. Since school is all virtual, they are home for all meals and they make pretty good breakfasts and lunches. They could help with dinner, yes, but it's something I would like to do for them, since they've gotten a raw deal with this coronavirus. Also, after staring at a screen all day, I want them to enjoy getting outdoors while I make dinner!