SPINOFF- making moms life easier...

Post some QUICK, EASY and MESS FREE dinner ideas... (That dont need lots of "prep" work)

Any fav crockpot reciepes????
(also- with the crockpot- can you put everything in the pot the night before- just turn it on in the morning??? I leave VERY early- no time in the morning to prepare)

Re: SPINOFF- making moms life easier...

Some of my "go to"

Chicken stirfry (I buy the chicken already cut up) - literally 15 minutes cooktime

When in a rush, I use all prepared food already:

chicken, frozen red/green peppers, frozen chopped onion and a can of those chinese veggies.

Throw in frying pan, after about 5 minutes, stir in stir fry sauce, cook for about 10-15 minutes - done.

I usually do this when I get home with DD, I can just leave it on the stove on low heat.

I do a London Broil in the crock pot.

London broil - seasoned anyway you like.

Can of cream of mushroom soup and beef broth (just enough liquid to cover the meat). Throw in a can of sliced mushrooms. Set on Low for 8 hours.

You could probably do this the night before, put it in the fridge and then just put the pot into the frame of the crockpot in the morning.

Re: SPINOFF- making moms life easier...

I made lentil soup the other night.

I added.
1 cup Carrots
1 cup Celery
1 cup Onion
2 garlic cloves chopped.
1 cup lentils
1 box of chick broth (32 ounces)
1 cup water
Bay leaf.
can of stewed tomatoes chopped up.
I sliced up half a ham steak ( I used the other half to make homemade mac and cheese with ham chunks the next night)
1/2 tsp basil
1/2 tsp oreageno
1/4 tsp thyme
salt and pepper


I cooked it on low for like 11 hours. You can add everything the night before and just keep the crockpot insert in the fridge. Then pop it into the crockpot in the AM and you are good to go.

Soo yummy. I added some tiny pasta when I got home and made some pillsbury bisquits.

Re: SPINOFF- making moms life easier...

Mac and Cheese with ham.. Use the left over ham from the ham steak you used in the lentil soup.

In a saucepan, heat up 3 tbs butter. When melted add 3 tbs flour. Mix it up and stir it constantly so it doesn't burn. When It gets light golden color add 2 cups of milk. Stir this constantly. The milk burns really fast. Bring it to a boil and cook it until it's a bit thick (again.. stirring it constantly). Then add a package of shredded cheese, some ground mustard (optional) salt and pepper. Mix it up until melted. Pour it over either shells or elbows (cooked) with the chopped up ham.
You can do all this the night before...

Then pop it in the oven to bake for about a half and hour. Until it gets a little crunchy on top. You can add some breadcrumbs on top if you like.

Re: SPINOFF- making moms life easier...

My quickest dinners are either the ones I make on the weekends and just defrost and reheat, or the following:
Omelets with either cheese or potatoes and onions
English Muffin Pizzas
Pasta with garlic and oil
Pasta with sauce
Meatballs subs (I make the meatballs and sauce ahead of time)

Re: SPINOFF- making moms life easier...

Oh and also chicken quesadillas. I use leftover chicken from another night and add some veggies and cheese and sandwich between two tortillas and heat it through in a frying pan. Then we dip in salsa and sour cream.

Re: SPINOFF- making moms life easier...

One weekend I made a bunch of stuff and we still have it, a month later....for back up on nights we just don't have time...

made and froze:
chili (eat by itself, or on hot dogs or on rice)
meatballs (subs or w/pasta)
individual meatloaves (w/uncle bens minute 90sec rice)

frozen raviolis (takes like 15mins then just dump sauce on top)

salad (we make a bunch of it and eat it all week)...add grilled chicken and boiled eggs to it

there was a crockpot recipe thread on here i added to my notebook that i'm going to try

oh, and my DH made some breakfast souffle's that we ate for like a week for breakfast (it was bread, turkey sausage, peppers and cheese and baked)

Re: SPINOFF- making moms life easier...

Raviolis
Linguini with clam sauce
Tacos
If you have left over chicken - shredded chicken stir fry with rice
Pasta with meat sauce
Perogies with sauteed onions and sour cream

Re: SPINOFF- making moms life easier...

Go to the Kraft website and look at all the recipes there. They used to offer the magazine for free but now they charge for it. It is wonderful. There are so many cheap, quick and easy meals in there.