i need to add something/anything to my dinner rotation

i'm still relatively new to cooking. i've slowly added recipes and there are a few that i feel i've mastered... but i'm feeling pretty bored and i feel that i'm boring the familia

so far, i've mastered (and use heavily):

* giada delaurentiis' quick and spicy tomto soup
* quick and easy alfredo sauce over pasta with or without meat
* cuban black beans and rice
* split pea soup with and without rice
* pizza

these items are eaten quite often in this house. i need something new to add into the rotation, especially once it starts getting too warm for soup.

ideas?

tia

Re: i need to add something/anything to my dinner rotation

I go to skinnytaste.com a lot and get a bunch of her recipes. There is also a great cookbook called cooking yourself thin.

Good luck

Re: i need to add something/anything to my dinner rotation

White chicken chili. great, easy and freezes well.
What about regular chili?
Fritattas-these are super easy and reheat well for breakfast the next day.

Re: i need to add something/anything to my dinner rotation

Can I suggest exploring marinades?

Find good marinades for chicken and beef. They can be the base of any combination of meals.

Tonight I made beef, marinaded in Terriyake sauce and garlic, cut into bite sized pieces. I cooked them in a little oil. After the meat cooked through, I added sliced red and green peppers, sliced onions and mushrooms.

The meat and veggie mixture, topped over brown rice, it was a really good dinner

Re: i need to add something/anything to my dinner rotation

Re: i need to add something/anything to my dinner rotation

Here's a few other simple ideas:

-Broccoli and cheese quiche w/ Bisquick
-Ham and cheddar quiche w/ Bisquick
-Homemade honey mustard chicken (honey mustard=ground mustard, mayo, and honey=I just eyeball the measurements and mix until it tastes right)
-Tacos with ground turkey
-Spaghetti w/ homemade sauce (crushed tomatoes, a little bit of lemon juice, a bit of coriander, oregano, garlic) with mushrooms

Re: i need to add something/anything to my dinner rotation

We eat pasta with peas and/or turkey sausage fairly regularly around here!

Turkey tacos are popular with us - especially when I serve with 2 types of shell and refried beans so they can 'glue' one type of shell to the other. Lots of fixings let them feel like they have more choices than they do!

Roasted chicken gets a lot of play in these parts.. to make it quicker we do roasted chicken breasts (bone in breasts) or pieces. I season, and bake just like a whole chicken and serve with rice and veg.

Chicken soup is an easy one. Once you have the basics you can make varieties - chicken rice soup, chicken noodle soup, chicken and dumplings, etc..

Breakfast for dinner is a popular midweek supper too - eggs or pancakes with sausage or bacon or turkey bacon. Or a frittata with fruit salad.

We do some lazy nights too - paninis or sloppy joes with chips, homemade pizza, quick chicken saute.

Fish is a quick and easy favorite too! We do lots of flat fish - flounder/fluke. We also like when sea bass or stripers are in season and I'm a year round fan of wild caught salmon.

My husband (who has only really started cooking in the last year) - makes cutlets fairly often and does a great job. He usually makes them for the week for lunch- but will sometimes pitch in for dinner if I'm late or not feeling it. He sprays an oven safe pan with cooking spray and gets it fairly hot. Seasons his cutlets with a little s, p and granulated garlic and adds them to the pan to sear them on both sides for a couple of minutes. Once they are nice and browned he'll pour in a little chicken stock, add some thyme or rosemary sprigs and maybe a half tsp of butter to gloss it. Then he finishes it off by baking it in the oven for 10-15 minutes. It's pretty plain - but it's also fairly clean and yummy.

I'd suggest looking through the weekly menu threads for ideas too! The ladies around here always seem to inspire me!

Message edited 3/29/2011 5:41:10 AM.

Re: i need to add something/anything to my dinner rotation

awesome!

these are qreat suggestions!

i've made a list of these ideas. i'll start trying them one-by-one.

if there are any other suggestions, please add

Re: i need to add something/anything to my dinner rotation

I actually created a list of this for DH and I to choose from every week and add to it as I get new ideas.... I would post it, but its an excel file. We still have our favorites tho... here are some!

turkey chili
pork and apples in the slow cooker
pulled pork in the slow cooker
ribs in the slow cooker
pasta with white clam sauce
chicken fahitas
tacos - with ground chicken
turkey meatloaf
turkey burgers
chicken cacciatore
grilled marinated porkchops
breaded thin sliced pork chops
garlic rosemary lamb chops
fish tacos with chipotle slaw
pizza
pasta with sauce
fettuccine alfredo
greek chicken burgers
pepper steak in slow cooker
steaks on the grill
marinated flank/london broil
BBQ/marinated chicken pieces
chicken rollatini
vodka sauce
stuffed shrimp
crab cakes
shrimp or fish oreganata
fried fish

Message edited 3/29/2011 9:17:46 AM.

Re: i need to add something/anything to my dinner rotation

Here's a few recipes from my blog you might like:

Spring Vegetable Gnocchi
Yellow Rice and Beans w/ Spare Ribs
Pasta with Peanut Sauce
Mini Chicken Pot Pies
Rosemary Chicken with Apple Salad
Smoked Gouda and Bacon Mac and Cheese

Re: i need to add something/anything to my dinner rotation

My sister in law just shared the easiest black bean soup recipe: 2 large cans black beans, 4 cups of chicken stock (or vegetable), 1 jar of medium salsa (optional 1T cooking sherry and 1T lime juice) -- simmer together for 40 minutes -- It's amazing! Serve with dollop of sour cream or plain yogurt.

We also added a client recipe swap to our site with "real people" recipes. That area is growing every day if you want to check it out (lots of quick and healthy meals) Submit yours too :) Here is the link to kitchendesigns.com recipes

Re: i need to add something/anything to my dinner rotation

Re: i need to add something/anything to my dinner rotation

chili and tacos are always one of my go to meals when I need something quick and easy to make. Other meals in my normal rotation are meatloaf, parmesan crusted chicken, sausage and peppers, empanadas, roasted chicken.

Re: i need to add something/anything to my dinner rotation

We do chicken quesedillas a lot. They are super easy to make with chunky salsa, shredded Mexican 3-cheese blend, and Perdue's shortcuts chicken. So yummy and perfect for a night when you don't feel like cooking.

Re: i need to add something/anything to my dinner rotation

Stuffed peppers
Chicken fajitas
beef tacos