STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

member · Hermes

I Need Ideas for Dinner

Alikat · Kate Spade

For when I'm tired I get a lot easy to prepare stuff from Trader Joes - like chicken perogie, gyozas, fajitas (veges and chicken come in a frozen pack).

Chicken is really easy to make, you can just bake it in tin foil with salad dressing or a marinade. I have a meat thermometer to check if its done.

I normally try and add a salad to my meals or at least some stir-fried/steamed veggies.

I also love to eat breakfast for dinner... like make french toast and vege sausage, or an omelete.

If you are having a hard time, try writing up a list of dinners for the week on Sunday and go shopping for ingredients, or even prepare and freeze some stuff. Scour the net for recipies that sound good to you!

www.wholefoods.com

www.foodnetwork.com (Rachael Ray is great)

www.epicurious.com

mikacat · Coach

the staples i make in our house

crock pot items

chili w/rice

stew

lasagna

baked spagh

spaghetti

fajitas--- i have the easiest recipe if you want it from cooking light

nachos

stir fry

beans and rice

lots of different salads

steamed veges and rice

lsubatgirl · Gucci

Hey girl I have some pretty good recipes I can send you with stuff that is pretty easy to make. What you could do is start cooking extra and freezing it so that way when you are tired during the week you can defrost it and eat it. I do that and it helps.

Also you ought to watch rachel ray since all her meals are quick and easy and under 30 min! I've made some awesome meals thanks to her.

-- Edited by lsubatgirl at 16:29, 2005-05-18

member · Hermes

quote:
Originally posted by: lsubatgirl
"Hey girl I have some pretty good recipes I can send you with stuff that is pretty easy to make. What you could do is start cooking extra and freezing it so that way when you are tired during the week you can defrost it and eat it. I do that and it helps. Also you ought to watch rachel ray since all her meals are quick and easy and under 30 min! I've made some awesome meals thanks to her.-- Edited by lsubatgirl at 16:29, 2005-05-18"

Thanks for the PM - I replied to you

When is Rachel Ray on so I can watch?

member · Hermes

quote:
Originally posted by: mikacat
"the staples i make in our house crock pot items chili w/rice stew lasagna baked spagh spaghetti fajitas--- i have the easiest recipe if you want it from cooking light nachos stir fry beans and rice lots of different salads steamed veges and rice "

mikacat - please send me any recipes you have - that would be greatly appreciated!

lsubatgirl · Gucci

Rachel Ray is on M-F 2:30, 5-6 CST, S&S 6:30 am, 7:30 am, 10:30 am Maybe you can tivo some and watch it when you get home.

member · Hermes

quote:
Originally posted by: lsubatgirl
"Rachel Ray is on M-F 2:30, 5-6 CST, S&S 6:30 am, 7:30 am, 10:30 am Maybe you can tivo some and watch it when you get home."

that is a great idea - thanks catherine!

sage · Dooney & Bourke

I have been thinking about your post. One thing I eat a lot for dinner is the Green Giant Garden Creations vegetables and pasta, in your supermarket's freezer section!! I toss a bunch in a bowl and microwave. I always buy the garlic flavor but there are a couple others, cheese and an herb one I think. Also, veggie burgers, like Boca. And my supermarket has whole cooked chickens reasonably priced. You could take one of those home and eat it for a couple of days!

-- Edited by sage at 21:08, 2005-05-20

halleybird · Hermes

Do you have a Trader Joe's near you? They have so many awesome frozen dishes there -- highly superior to the ones at grocery stores IMO, plus they're cheaper. I am the world's worst cook and even I can handle these.

member · Hermes

quote:
Originally posted by: halleybird
"Do you have a Trader Joe's near you? They have so many awesome frozen dishes there -- highly superior to the ones at grocery stores IMO, plus they're cheaper. I am the world's worst cook and even I can handle these. "

Actually I do and I was thinking of checking it out. My future mother-in-law always buys me this really awesome bagged salad there that I've been eating for lunch and dinner. Any suggestions on good frozen dishes from there?

f413 · Kenneth Cole

Gyoza

individually sized pizzas

southwest turkey burgers

chicken nuggets real or veggie

they have great organic frozen broc. and spinach

tiramisu (hehe)

Lilykind · Hermes

OK you can tell by this list that I am addicted to Asian food. My Trader Joe's recs...

Chicken Masala (get the Biryani and Garlic Naan to go along with it)

Pad Thai (just add the TJ's ready cooked shrimp or chicken)

Orange Chicken (throw in their frozen Stir Fry veggies and put over the TJ's frozen Jamine Rice)

Chicken Shu Mai (again with Stir Fry Veggies)

Shrimp Har Gow and Shu Mai

All the pizzas (they're really much better than any other frozen pizza I can think of)

Opera Cake

Also, I definitely recommend those prepared chickens...I get mine at Costco and they're worth maybe three or four dinners for two (me and my BF)

honey · Gucci

i'm the laziest person in the world when it comes to cooking, but i hate to eat take-out. here are some of the things i make that are pretty easy and tasty (well i think so.) i pretty much use the same vegetables (pepper, onions, and tomatoes)

*scrambled eggs -- i take a dozen egg whites, add fresh spinach (you can use frozen but it tastes better with fresh spinach. i usually get the pre-bagged baby spinach b/c you don't have to wash it as much as the bundled spinach which if you don't wash properly can be gritty), gorgonzola or feta cheese, a large onion, and 2 packets of goya chicken bouillion (sp? actually i don't think the goya is that great for you, but boy i love it). chop up the onion and sautee (sp?) it in olive oil, until it's clear. add the spinach, and then add the eggs (separate the yolks, beat, then add the cheese). keep scrambling everything until there's no water left. the whole thing takes about 20 minutes, it's easy, tasty, and egg whites are an excellent source of protein)

*baked chicken breasts. i do this a lot in the winter. get some purdue chicken breasts, chop up some veggies (i usually use peppers and tomatoes) throw the whole thing in a foil pan, and stir in a marinade (there are lots of great ones in the supermarket, i usually pick what strikes my fancy or you can use sald dressing). cover the pan with some foil and just let it bake until it's done. the tomatoes make their own sauce, so you don't have to worry about the chicken being dry, and thinner breasts cook faster. the best thing about this is you don't really have to watch it while it cooks, and when you're done (if you're especially lazy like me) you can just recycle the pan instead of washing it.

*soup -- another winter favorite. empty two cans of chicken stock in a big pot with a cup of water. i usually throw in some chick peas and kidney beans or lentils (though the lentils will melt into the broth and make it thicker), chopped up carrots, and celery. you can also use meat (if i go that route, i'll buy ground chicken or turkey, and stiry fry it first in the pot, then add the soup stock) and salt and pepper to taste. again you don't really have to watch it.

hope that helps.

Luv2Shop · Kate Spade

Spagetti and rotini you can make in 1/2 hour. And you can get the ingredients and store them for as long as you want until you use them...

Spagetti:
Get about a pound of ground beef (or ground turkey if you want to be healthier)
Freeze untill the day you want to use it.
A jar of store bought pasta sauce (I love Ragu Chunky Mushroom, it tastes restaurant quality and the mushrooms are huge!
1 box of spagetti noodles angel hair or regular

1. Defrost meat several hours before use (take and leave out somewhere before work)
2. Put a big pot of water on to boil
3. put the meat in a deep pan and break it up with a spoon till it all turns brown.
4. Usually I drain the meat with a metal strainer (one of the ones you use for flour and stuff
5. Put in the ammount of noodles you want when the water boils and stir. It's done when the noodles get soft (but not mushy) poke at one with your nail to decide.
6. Pour sauce into meat and simmer on low heat.
7. Drain noodles in big strainer.

Ready to eat!!

I make spagetti all the time and I love it.

For Rotini:
Do all of the same things accept with rotini noodles and when you are done put a bunch of shredded mozzerella cheese in it and it melts! sooo goood
Good luck!

member · Hermes

Thanks Luv2Shop - actually spaghetti and any kind of pasta are two things I know how to and do make! Thanks for your help though. I'm trying to get other ideas since I don't want to eat a ton of carbs all the time.

Honey - your baked chicken breasts sound great - I will have to try those.

bri · BCBG

ok this is my fav thing to eat and its soo easy!!

i call it 'steak and potatoes'

take round steak (you know, that really thin flat kind ) with a bunch of cut up potatoes and throw it in a pan lined with foil and then drown it in worcestershire sauce and season with salt and pepper, then close the foil around it. and let it cook at 350 for about an hour, and when its done just throw some butter on your 'taters and eat! its soo good!

jacL · Coach

If you have a crock pot, you can try the "Fix it and Forget It" or "Fix it and Forget It--Light" cookbooks. I know they are sold at WalMart, but I am not sure about anywhere else. Only thing is, if you are cooking for yourself, you will have a ton of leftovers...which is good if you like leftovers (I like to take my leftovers for lunch).

gruiz · Kenneth Cole

Do you like mushrooms? I really like portobello mushroom caps marinated in Italian dressing. Then you just throw them on the grill (or in a pan if you don't grill). Then you can put it on a bun like a hamburger w/ or w/out toppings. Really tasty and really easy.

lsubatgirl · Gucci

Another thing you can do is at Whole Foods they have the specialty italian sasauge like Sun Dried Tomato Basil or Chicken and Apple sasauge. You can easily grill one on a george foreman or in a skillet and make it into a sandwich.