Super quick dinners

What are some of you quick go to weeknight dinners?

By the time we get home from work after day care pick up.... i need more quick ideas, other than the crock pot (we do use it, I just can't eat crock pot everyday!)

so far some of our go to meals are:

tacos
fish/shrimp oreganata
pasta

Re: Super quick dinners

Hamburgers
Marinated chicken cutlets (I use Robusto Italian)
Meat sauce/pasta
Hot dogs
Baked BBQ chicken (any flavor bbq sauce you like). Also done in the crockpot


Also I tend to make more than I need for that night so I have leftovers either for lunch or dinner another night.

Sometimes preparing things the night before helps (cutting up stuff, marinating, etc).

Super quick dinners

My quick go to meals are:
Sloppy joes (with ground turkey)
Tacos
Rotisserie chicken
Quesadillas (cheese, salsa, and leftover rotisserie chicken)
Pesto sauce
Broiled fish

My quick go to sides:
Steamfresh veggies
CousCous (cooks in 5 mins)
Roasted vegs

Re: Super quick dinners

These meals take about 30 mins or less to prep and make:
Heathified Mexican Pasta Skillet
penne rosa with shrimp


Make a big pot of Chili on the weekend to heat up during the week

Paninis (we have a panini maker)- grilled chicken, mozzarella, roasted red peppers and balsamic paninis are delicious!

Quesadillas

Re: Super quick dinners

What everyone else said!! Plus soups/stews/chilis so you just have to heat them up.

Re: Super quick dinners

-omelets with veggies and cheese and crusty bread
-Applegate ham roll-ups with warm pineapple raisin sauce or turkey roll-ups with gravy and cranberry sauce
-tuna melt with salad

Re: Super quick dinners

On a sunday I'll make a big pot of sauce with meatballs and then freeze the leftovers. Sometimes I set aside meatballs to eat during the week - either I'll make raviolis or meatball parm heros.

I'll make a bunch of chicken cutlets one night and then save the rest and make chicken parm or even chicken rolls.

Chicken fajitas are quick
kebobs
Burgers
meat sauce
rotisserie chicken from the supermarket

We do a lot of breakfast for dinner too. French toast, eggs, pancakes, waffles on the nights when the kids have some kind of after school activity.

For sides I make rice, pasta roni, lots of steamed veggies, baked sweet potatoes in the microwave

It's really so much to juggle work/kids/home!

Message edited 1/16/2014 3:06:50 PM.

Re: Super quick dinners

Thanks!
I do make chili and other crockpot meals with enough for 2 nights all the time. Its the other 3 nights! LOL

Quesadillas is a good one!!!! can't believe I didn't think of that!

Re: Super quick dinners

The severoli (sp?) meat tortellini are good and they cook in 5 minutes.

One night a week, I make baked chicken thighs with rice and a veggie pretty quick and easy. I squeeze lemon over the chicken, salt, pepper and thyme and pop them in the oven, so good and quick. Roasted asparagus goes nice with it too.

I always prepare breaded cutlets of all types and put in the freezer, individually with wax paper in between, defrost and fry served with a simple salad.

Soups/stews freeze well that you could make a big batch of and freeze in individual portions.

Re: Super quick dinners

A thin cut London broil that you marinate the night before can be done in the broiler in about 10-20 mins (figure 5-10 mins per side, depending on thickness). Then while it's in the oven, I just throw sweet or regular potatoes in the microwave for fast baked potatoes, and either a steamfresh veggie or bagged salad.

Pork tenderloin also cooks pretty quickly (like 20-25 minutes), so you could do the same concept as with London broil.

I like this pinterest recipe and it's pretty quick - lay lemon slices in a baking dish, layer raw shrimp on top, add Good seasonings Italian dressing (or garlic and herb) packet of dry seasoning on top. Then melt 1/2 stick butter and pour that over the top of everything. Then add 4 oz of chicken broth (or a mix of broth and wine). Bake at 350 until shrimp are cooked through. Shrimp cook very quickly and you can make pasta (I like it over orzo) or quick cooking rice to serve it over. I like this recipe because there's no chopping or prep work.

English muffin pizzas (you can top with veggies, etc. to add nutritional value, and use whole wheat English muffins).

I like to cook a lot of chicken (boneless, skinless breasts or thighs) in the crockpot (just cover with liquid... water, broth, stock, etc., and seasonings of choice (garlic powder, etc.). Then shred the chicken to use all week. You can use it to top salads, make tacos or quesadillas, I just made a great rice bowl with brown rice, canned black beans, shredded chicken, bagged shredded cheese, store bought salsa, and light sour cream! You could cook the rice in advance, too, or do the quick cooking rice, and then just assemble.

I sometimes make quiche or frittatas that I keep in fridge or freezer in individual pieces for quick dinners with a cup of soup or side salad.

Also, breakfast for dinner can be quick and nutritious. Scrambled eggs, turkey bacon (can do in microwave), frozen waffles or pancakes (can even make homemade and then freeze), oatmeal or baked oatmeal.

Re: Super quick dinners

Pork chops - I through some trader joes sweet chili sauce on them sometimes.

shrimp scampi

linguini and clam sauce

Tuna burgers ( you just take canned tuna, and mix it with egg and bread crumbs like you would a meat ball , but flatten them out like a burger and fry them. not terribly healthy but really good)

salmon in the broiler
steak in the broiler

enchiladas

Re: Super quick dinners

Grilled Chicken
Burgers
Meatloaf
Shrimp Stir-fry
Angel hair with oil and garlic
Tuna melts
Tacos
Sloppy joes

Re: Super quick dinners

some of my quick dinners are:

Pita whole wheat flat breads, use sauce, shredded cheese and slice veggies. Bake at 400 for 10-15 mins. SO GOOD!!

BBQ chicken, corn on the cob & bean salad. I use thin chicken cutlets it takes about 25 mins for everything. (turn once)

I also dip chicken in (spicy) mustard and then in panko breadcrumbs, bake at 400, for about 10 mins each side. (turn once). I put them on a flat cookie sheet. I serve with vegetables.


Salads:
Romaine & Iceburg lettuce, leftover bbq chicken and corn, slice avocado and red onion

Grilled Turkey & Swiss cheese with red onion & tomato (I pick up Soup at Panera).

Tacos: I do chicken and beef, I slice tomato and lettuce to make our own.

I use ravioli or tortellini (mushroom stuffed or spinach stuffed). I boil till cook, I rinse them off. Then I sauté vegetables, onions, peppers, broccoli or string beans with fresh garlic. I add the pasta for a few mins, I sprinkle a little Romano or parmesan cheese.

Veggie burgers/Turkey or Beef burgers & bean salad

Super quick dinners

My favorite quick dinners are quesadillas. I uses the grilled chicken strips from the freezer heats them up and add my own taco season to the chicken. When the chicken is cooked, heat up borrito shells and add cheese and chicken (I chopped the chicken) brown both sides.

My other fav is hamberger wraps. Its chop meat cooke till browned then drained. then add onion powder,worshire, ketchup, salt, pepper. Cook another 4 mins with the seasoning. Heat borroito shells then take the shell put the meat in the middle, a swizzle of mustard and ketchup, shredded cheddar(I also add dill relish and ketchup) roll up the borrito and then brown till the shell keeps closed. I use my grill pan for this.

Re: Super quick dinners

In addition to a lot of stuff already posted, I use my crock pot a couple nights a week. Just google for ideas.

Some soups are easy and quick.

I also do pizza. Either pre-made dough and lately I've been buying the thin wheat crust at Target.

We do appetizer nights too.

Message edited 1/18/2014 9:54:01 AM.