Quick Easy Weeknight Meal Suggestions?

coldasice217 Posted: Jun 04, 2009 09:38 PM

Quick Easy Weeknight Meal Suggestions?

I'm trying to think of a quick meal to cook for tomorrow's dinner.

My family is going to the city for the day, and I was handed a coupon for an extra value meal at McDonald's as my consolation prize Needless to say, rather than do that, I'm going to fend for myself like, gasp, an adult! FH is going to come over straight from work, and we're going to play house and pretend we're already married and I'm going to have dinner ready.

Or so I thought...he will probably be at my house before I'm even back from the store! And I'm having a total mental block of what to cook that's pretty simple. We just made chicken parm with pasta on Sunday, we did chicken souvlaki and egg noodles last week, chicken fajitas with rice and beans the week before that...so most major ethnic food groups have been recently represented lol.

I'd love to hear some everyday standbys you all use. FH is EXTREMELY fussy with food, because his mother damaged him to think that anything that's canned, jarred, frozen, boxed, dried, or packed will kill him, slowly and painfully. So it really limits what I can make for us!

smrsun Posted: Jun 04, 2009 09:44 PM

Re: Quick Easy Weeknight Meal Suggestions?

I am trying to think!

Since I have been dieting the meals I've been making are not too exciting!

Do you and your FH like fish? Mahi Mahi or chilean seabass is really good. Rub it with some evoo, salt, pepper, and fresh garlic, put it in the broiler and its done!

geegee827 Posted: Jun 04, 2009 09:49 PM

Re: Quick Easy Weeknight Meal Suggestions?

I just made a very simple, quick Chicken with balsamic vinegar/honey glaze the other night. FH loved it.

Heat 1 tsp olive oil in a skillet. Coat 1 lb of chicken breasts with thyme, salt, and black pepper, cook 5-8 minutes on each side until chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken from skillet.

Reduce heat to medium-low, add 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar and 3 tbsp honey to pan. Simmer for about 1 minut until glaze is thickened - stir constantly.

Pour glaze over the chicken and serve! It was absolutely incredible!

I served it with brown rice and peas. I made it for FH for dinner last Friday night and he has asked me to make it again every night since then!

coldasice217 Posted: Jun 04, 2009 09:51 PM

Re: Quick Easy Weeknight Meal Suggestions?

Posted by smrsun

I am trying to think!

Since I have been dieting the meals I've been making are not too exciting!

Do you and your FH like fish? Mahi Mahi or chilean seabass is really good. Rub it with some evoo, salt, pepper, and fresh garlic, put it in the broiler and its done!

I wish we liked fish, because that would make our lives so much easier. But we're not fish eaters...I'll eat clams and shrimp and calamari, but he will only touch calamari in the seafood department. And he doesn't like mushrooms, eggplant, spinach (that's not in spinach pie), broccoli, wheat pasta...we're going to be very skinny people, because we just won't eat!

MrsDrinkh20 Posted: Jun 04, 2009 09:51 PM

Re: Quick Easy Weeknight Meal Suggestions?

tacos? Penne with chicken and broccoli?

IrishBride1109 Posted: Jun 04, 2009 09:54 PM

Re: Quick Easy Weeknight Meal Suggestions?

Honey lime chicken. You can either do it on the grill or in a pan. It marinates for like 20 minutes minimum, but cooks up quickly if you use boneless skinless chicken breasts, so you can make the sides while it's marinating. If you're interested I can give the recipe (it's a Rachael Ray). Hope this helps.

twoifbysea Posted: Jun 04, 2009 09:57 PM

Re: Quick Easy Weeknight Meal Suggestions?

Do you guys eat meat? As in, red meat? I have a tasty and (very) simple for pan seared filet mignon with port wine reduction. FM me if you want the recipe!

Also -- a crowd-pleasing veggie side I do all the time is roasted broccoli with toasted pignoli nuts, lemon, and parm. SO easy and it complements almost any meal.

coldasice217 Posted: Jun 04, 2009 10:01 PM

Re: Quick Easy Weeknight Meal Suggestions?

Mmm all these sound delish! We do eat red meat, but Filet isn't in my budget these days LOL. I'll run these all by Mr. Fuss Budget to see which one is most acceptable to him. I'm easy haha, I'd love them all.

xosweetiexo Posted: Jun 04, 2009 10:04 PM

Re: Quick Easy Weeknight Meal Suggestions?

I am a simple girl.

Im all about baked ziti with garlic bread ( buy the ready to go kind from king kullen, but it in the oven and poof its ready)

Its quick, easy and can be ready in 20 mins lol

twoifbysea Posted: Jun 04, 2009 10:05 PM

Re: Quick Easy Weeknight Meal Suggestions?

what about quiche? it's kinda breakfast-y but soooo good for dinner, 'specially paired with a mescaline greens salad.

MaggieLuvsJoe Posted: Jun 04, 2009 10:06 PM

Re: Quick Easy Weeknight Meal Suggestions?

Tacos are always fun or Quesadillas?
Theyre easy to make too.

coldasice217 Posted: Jun 04, 2009 10:08 PM

Re: Quick Easy Weeknight Meal Suggestions?

Like quiche from Uncle Guiseppe's or quiche from scratch? I love quiche, but it's probably a little more ambitious than I want to attempt tomorrow, especially because I like Florentine, and he likes the kind with the ham, and neither of us likes the ingredients in the one the other likes. It's going to be a real challenge to cook for us every day for the rest of our lives.

RitasEngaged Posted: Jun 04, 2009 10:08 PM

Re: Quick Easy Weeknight Meal Suggestions?

fajitas - yummy, easy, and fresh

twoifbysea Posted: Jun 04, 2009 10:16 PM

Re: Quick Easy Weeknight Meal Suggestions?

Posted by coldasice217

Like quiche from Uncle Guiseppe's or quiche from scratch? I love quiche, but it's probably a little more ambitious than I want to attempt tomorrow, especially because I like Florentine, and he likes the kind with the ham, and neither of us likes the ingredients in the one the other likes. It's going to be a real challenge to cook for us every day for the rest of our lives.

quiche.... semi scratch. Easy peezy.

Buy the frozen DEEP dish pie shells (mind you I am NOT baker by any means. I'll make a mean beef wellington or fra diavolo, but I refuse to bake). Preheat oven to like 375. Let one crust thaw for 15 minutes (while you're cooking). Sautee sliced leeks (or onions, or the white parts of scallions) in a tablespoon of butter for 10 minutes until tender. Remove, add 6 slices of bacon to pan, cook until crisp. Remove and put aside, crumble when cooled Shred 1/2 cup of Swiss Gruyere cheese and add to 2 scrambled eggs with 1/4 cup half and half and 1/4 cup milk.

Line the pie crust with the bacon and leeks first, then pour over the egg/cheese/milk mixture. Bake for about 30-40 min. You'll know it's done when the top is golden and a toothpick comes out clean.

coldasice217 Posted: Jun 04, 2009 10:19 PM

Re: Quick Easy Weeknight Meal Suggestions?

Thanks for all the suggestions!

Since we just had Italian and Mexican fairly recently, I think I'm going to try my hand at the Balsamic glazed chicken, with brown rice and a sauteed green veggie on the side, just haven't decided if I want to do spinach, broccoli, or a salad instead. FH isn't thrilled with the idea of a green veggie...but I'm cooking him dinner, so he can deal as far as I'm concerned

Mich2585 Posted: Jun 04, 2009 10:19 PM

Re: Quick Easy Weeknight Meal Suggestions?

you girls are making me hungry ... im not a big cook but i will be in 29 days haha

Almostawife Posted: Jun 04, 2009 10:20 PM

Re: Quick Easy Weeknight Meal Suggestions?

I made bbq ribs in the crockpot the other night, they were awesome. Tonigh was chicken with cashews I also do a great chicken suvlaki (sp?).

Would love to swap recipes always looking for something new. I'm big with the wok :)

also trader joes has great sauces you can just throw over chicken and veggies like General Tso's sauce and black bean sauce, etc.

coldasice217 Posted: Jun 04, 2009 10:23 PM

Re: Quick Easy Weeknight Meal Suggestions?

Posted by Almostawife

I made bbq ribs in the crockpot the other night, they were awesome. Tonigh was chicken with cashews I also do a great chicken suvlaki (sp?).

Would love to swap recipes always looking for something new. I'm big with the wok :)

also trader joes has great sauces you can just throw over chicken and veggies like General Tso's sauce and black bean sauce, etc.

I cannot even wait to break out my crock pot, you don't even understand. I'm just gonna throw stuff in there and be done with it!

I love Trader Joe's, and it's really the only jarred and frozen stuff I'll be 'allowed' to buy because it's all natural with no preservatives.