Quick Meals for weekdays...........
By jolenegreen
@jolenegreen (1209)
United States
June 7, 2007 6:55am CST
Has anyone got some really quick/easy meal ideas for those busy summer nights? I am looking for stuff that is simple to make, dont take alot of time or maby something I can prepare ahead that dont take long to cook. SUmmer is comming. The Great weather is already here and I usually dont have any time on my hands. We usually grab subs every single night but this summer, I dont want to do that. Thanks
5 people like this
28 responses
@warriorsdaughter (791)
• United States
7 Jun 07
I don't do much of the cooking, my hubby does that. We do alot of cookouts in the summer time.
I do have some tips though that our daycare lady did to make it easier on her with all the kids and then her family.
*She would take a day and cook off a bunch of hamburger (crumbled), let it cool, and then divide so much into freezer bags for things like spaghetti, ghoulash, anything you need crumbled hamburger for.
*She would make french toast and baggy it and freeze it. Pop in toaster for breakfast. Same with pancakes.
*Prepare ghoulash & casserole type dishes and then freeze them. Pop in oven or microwave for warm up.
*Crockpot stuff...I love my crockpot when I do cook. I throw it in and leave it! BBQ Ribs, chicken and rice, roast, stews, pork chops
*Keep manwich on hand for sloppy joes...those sound good right now! lol I also make spaghetti with manwich, tastes better then spaghetti sauce.
*Hamburger helpers are cheap and they have so many varieties now. Throw in a veg. and some fruit &/or potatoes and you have a quick meal.
Thats about all I can think of at this time. Hope it helps a little! ;)
@jolenegreen (1209)
• United States
7 Jun 07
THANK you sooooooo much! Theese are all GREAT ideas! mmmm.....manwich sounds sooo good on spighetti, LOL. I should try it, LOL. Thanks again, You had some greeat ideas! Saving me time too! Thanks
@mystery5 (350)
• India
7 Jun 07
I usually stock up my fridge with a lot of vegetables, and eat cold salads during summer. Its fast, tasty, and healthy - it also helps to keep your skin clean.
I usually cut cucumbers, tomatoes, zucchini, lots of leaves (usually lettuce or other salad leaves), onions, maybe, boiled potatoes, blached brocolli(drop it in boiling water for just over a minute and then drop it in ice cold water), mushrooms, etc etc. It really depends on what veggies I have at home and what I feel like eating. I mix the above with a little bit of cooked pasta or rice and a little bit of dressing, and its ready to eat.
If I don't even have the time to boil the pasta or cook the rice, I just butter some bread and couple it with the salad, or sometimes make a sandwich out of it. Work fine both ways for me.
@mystery5 (350)
• India
7 Jun 07
You're most welcome :-)
With me, I'm alone a lot of the times, and I often have to cook only for one person. I don't dig leftovers at all and I need something fresh, so I'm forced to whip up something thats easy to make and decent in a small quantity. Thats when I came up with this, works well enough for me!
1 person likes this
@jolenegreen (1209)
• United States
7 Jun 07
Thanks. My family loves salad. We do eat alot of it all summer. But I never really thought of mixing a little pasta or rice with it. This is a very good odea! This will fill my little guys stomachs up as well. Thanks again
@crazynurse (7482)
• United States
7 Jun 07
We frequently do a 'baked potato bar.' Early in the morning before it gets hot, I cook bacon on my George Foreman grill! At night, when dinner time comes, I bake some potatos in the microwave. I put out gobs of stuff on the kitchen counter and everyone makes their own loaded potato! I have out: grated chedder cheese, crumbled bacon, sour cream, steamed brocolli, butter, chili (from a can), and if I have them on hand, blackbeans! My family loves it when I do this!
1 person likes this
@crazynurse (7482)
• United States
7 Jun 07
Ohh, great idea. How do you do them in the crock pot? I'd love to try that, especially if it keeps them from shriveling like they do in the microwave! How many can you do at one time in the microwave?
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@jolenegreen (1209)
• United States
13 Jun 07
Sorry it took me sooo long to respond, LOL. But to do Potatoes in the crockpot, just wrap them in tin foil and place then in the bottom of your crockpot. I keep them on high for about 4 hours. They turn out way better than in the microwave. DONT ADD WATER. Hope this helps
@jolenegreen (1209)
• United States
7 Jun 07
GREAT IDEA! Thank you sooo much! This would be great for all of us becuase we all love Baked potataoes. But I would do my baked potatoe in my crockpot. Thats where I usually do them, it is soooooo much easier! LOL Thanks.
@mamacathie (3928)
• United States
7 Jun 07
I may Italian Beef Hoagies. Put your beef roast in the crockpot and cook all night long with italian Dressing packet and water filled about 3/4 full. Then add your cheese, or whatever to your bun and there you go. It tastes great! Hotdogs in the crockpot for an hour is a goood one too. You can always make Spaghetti ahead of time too. Hope these help.
1 person likes this
@mamacathie (3928)
• United States
7 Jun 07
Yes, you might want to put more than one but experiment with it. I also have used a whole bottle of italian dressing if I didn't have envelopes.
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@jolenegreen (1209)
• United States
7 Jun 07
ok. Thanks. YUM! I cant wait, LOL. I told hubby about this, LOL. So I have to at least wait until next thurs :( Thanks again
@jolenegreen (1209)
• United States
7 Jun 07
MMMMMMM.....this sounds sooo good. I will make this next week, LOL. Are u talking about the little envelopes to make dressing with?
1 person likes this
@sunshine4 (8703)
• United States
7 Jun 07
If you have a Nesco cooker or a crockpot, you can make some great meals ahead of time. I took some ribs yesterday and put them in the Nesco with barbque sause at 9am. By 5:30 the meat was so tender it was falling off the bones. I served it with veggies and dip and fruit.
I also like to cook roast in the Nesco. I take a roast and marinate it the night before. In the morning put the roast, carrots, onions, potatoes, spices and 2 cans of beef broth in the cooker. By dinner time, it is all ready. I serve with fresh italian bread.
Other than that, we will either have sloppy joes~ meat cooked ahead and put in crockpot, or cook on the grill chicken, burgers or hotdogs.
Hope this helps.
1 person likes this
@jolenegreen (1209)
• United States
7 Jun 07
Thanks for your response. I will search online for crockpot recipes! Mmmmmmmm....that roast sounds yummy! LOL. What do you marinate it in?
@sunshine4 (8703)
• United States
7 Jun 07
I marinate the roast with plain meat marinate which comes in a packet. All I do is add water to the mixture and marinate all night. It comes out so tender!
1 person likes this
@shawnasie (389)
• United States
7 Jun 07
The few crockpot recipes you posted sound great and I plan on trying them soon. I love BBQ ribs, but I never thought about putting them in the crockpot. Thanks for the tip.
@tredale (1309)
• Australia
7 Jun 07
My favs at the moment for quick cooking ia a big thing of bolognaise sause with mince. You can then freeze it or use it. For tacos, wraps,nachos. I put heaps of veggies in my bolognaise sause too. Tomatoes,onions,mushroom, grated carrot, gratted potatoe etc. This is quick and easy you then freeze what you dont use for the night and the next time you have Nachos corn chips, cheese and bolognaise microwave or oven cook serve with or without sour cream. next time tacos with cut up tomato, lettuce, grated carrot, grated cheese etc, next time wraps same thing with all the grated salads. I love it and find it so easy when Im on the run. goodluck and I hope this was helpful.
@cachitodemialma (1313)
• United States
7 Jun 07
I love my crock pot! I do tons and tons of stuff in there including whole chicken :] I throw the whole thing in there and slow cook it seasoned up with garlic & onions & a season salt of sorts. Let it cook while Im at work come and take a pair of tongs & it falls right off the bone. YOu can use the chicken in salads, soups, tacos, burritos, chicken sandwiches, so many different ways its great as left overs too!
I also make pulled pork sandwiches...throw a pork loin or a slab of pork butt. and about half a bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce a few cloves of garlic & I add about 1 whole onion. Let it cook all day, come home and again take your tongs and it just falls to pieces serve it up on some soft rolls with a side of chips YUM! I love it & so my does my family :]
We also do alot of fruit salads & pasta made with olive oil seasonings instead of a heavy marinara sauce. Rice bowls with chicken and veggies are easy especially if you have a rice cooker! Hot dogs and Mac are always a huge hit too. SOmetimes we go out of our way to make big ole meals & stuff we forget about the simple easy ones. :]
You could always run into to most grocery stores & buy a ready made grilled chicken! Those are good too :]
1 person likes this
@jolenegreen (1209)
• United States
7 Jun 07
WOW! Thanks to both of you. But I do have one silly question. What is bologiase sauce? I am a little confused. Is it a taco meat mixture or something or a type of spigehtti sauce? Im lost. LOL. Thank the both of you...GREAT SUGGESTIONS!
@envyash (85)
• India
7 Jun 07
I love subs too! Since you like subs so much, why don't you make them at home every dinner? Its really quick to make, you just need to have those ingredients in your fridge along with a couple of sauces.
Thats what I do anyway... the next time you to to grab a sub, watch very carefully what he does, and then come home and duplicate it. Ofcourse, you might not get the exact bread they serve, but then it is a decent compromise.
@jolenegreen (1209)
• United States
7 Jun 07
Thanks GREAT idea! mmm.....I worked at subway when I was in highschool so Im sure I could make a sub....and it wouldnt even be messed up either, LOL. EVerytime we get subs they are all screwed up. We call and then pick up. Thanks for the idea! I am soo dumbfounded, I dont know why I just didnt think of that on my own. Although I am also looking for different meals, but this will do too. Thank you
@wmaharper (2316)
• United States
13 Jun 07
Well, what I do is prepare meals ahead of time, and I make a large meal, and freeze half of it for another day. Also, I will make a whole chicken on a sunday, when we have the time, then I'll use the extra meat that week (for quesadillas, or chicken and rice etc), and freeze any leftover I have. I'll also cut up all the vegtables that I think I will need for that week. I think half of the battle is figuring out what you want to cook, What I do, is I take a calandar, and I figure out what I will cook each day of that month. I just space out the family favorites, that we usually have twice a month (spaggetti, ravioli etc) and we have pizza or mexican every friday, so that's easy. Then I fill in the rest. It's easier to shop and easier to plan. SO if you have a few extra minutes one day, you know exactly what veggies you will need later. It's just a lot easier that way, and i Know EXACTLy what I need when I go shopping.
1 person likes this
@jolenegreen (1209)
• United States
13 Jun 07
Thank you! This is a GREAT Idea! I like your thinking! I will print out some FREE calander pages. lol. And copy all the recipes and meal ideas everyone as left me! It seems like this will really work, I hope! Its just that I have limited time everyday for what to make for dinner. Thanks again!
@KrisNY (7590)
• United States
7 Jun 07
Summer meals are tough- We like to eat late as it is usually to hot and busy to eat early- We grill out almost every night-
Why not whip up a big salad- (potato, macaroni, pasta) to have for a couple of nights- Fresh fruit also makes a great healthy- cool side dish- Buy it on the weekend- Wash it and get it all ready to just grab and go- Fresh veggies also make good side dishes- with some ranch dressing- So most nights we grill a meat- shish ka bobs, hamburgers, hots, steak, chicken-- and then throw in a side dish and it's a meal-
We also do make your own sub nights-- Pizza order out night- we make extra chicken on the grill and use or quesidilla maker and have quesidilla's- YUM!
Hope this helps!!
@jolenegreen (1209)
• United States
13 Jun 07
Thanks! My family LOVES Quesedillas, we used to eat them twice a week almost, LOL. But I dont have a quesadilla maker and had to make them in the frying pan, which took WAY TOO LONG!!!!! Thanks for the great Ideas!!!!
@wdiong (1815)
• Singapore
8 Jun 07
Pasta with Garlic and Cheese
From Linda Larsen,
Your Guide to Busy Cooks.
FREE Newsletter. Sign Up Now!
This super quick and simple recipe is almost not a recipe! It takes not more than 15 minutes in all to prepare.
INGREDIENTS:
1 lb. spaghetti pasta
6 Tbsp. olive oil
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup chopped flat leaf parsley
1/2 cup grated Romano cheese
PREPARATION:
Cook the pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, chop the garlic and parsley and saute the garlic in the olive oil for about 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently. Combine with the parsley and salt and pepper in serving bowl.
Drain the pasta and toss with the garlic/parsley mixture. Top with cheese and toss again. Serve with more cheese, if desired. Serves 4
@jolenegreen (1209)
• United States
13 Jun 07
WOW! This is quick and looks sooooo YUMMY! This would be great on a rainy summer night! Thanks for the recipe! Looks yummy! I love anything Garlic!!!!! LOL
@castleghost (1304)
• United States
8 Jun 07
One of the recipe sites that my fiancee likes to use is http://www.allfood.com/mmeal.cfm?y=0&r=0&res=x It tells you exactly how to do fix the recipes in the shortest amount of time. It has all kinds of useful information about each recipe. There are a number of excellent recipes depending on your taste.
1 person likes this
@jolenegreen (1209)
• United States
13 Jun 07
Thanks for the website! I checked it out and its awesome! I saved it to my favorites! Thanks again
@koolkatkool (96)
• India
8 Jun 07
u can also stir fry veggies ... onions cabbage, mushroom, capsicum, beans or any veggy tht u hav in ur fridge n store it .... n wen u want to eat it heat it add sauce of ur choice ...boil some pasta or noodles n here u go wid filling veggy pasta..i think its easy to make
1 person likes this
@jolenegreen (1209)
• United States
13 Jun 07
This is a great Idea! I never thoguht about making the veggies ahead! LOL. Thanks. Im glad that you shared this with me!
@koolkatkool (96)
• India
8 Jun 07
i usually make parathas we i anm in a rush .. thts wht we call in india
u need
250 gram whole wheat flour / refined flour
salt according to taste
50 ml oil
make soft dough with the above things... u can keep it in fridge for 2-3 days...divide in small balls then with rollpin flatten it into 1/2 inch roti(bread)its usally round .but it doesnt matter if it dont come out round.grease pan with little oil n cook the bread on both sides until light golden.u can also fry these and can fill it with any vegetable at hand ... boiled potatoes add onions salt little chilly make a mixture n fill the bread or peas ,minced meat...cottage chesse, or just eat it with a glass of milk or tea
1 person likes this
@jolenegreen (1209)
• United States
13 Jun 07
Thanks. Looks good. I will have to add it to my list! Thanks again
@earningemoney (106)
• India
8 Jun 07
Cooking food in summers & standing in the kitchen is a big headache. What i prefer cooking is salads with fruits & vegetables.One thing i can teach is water melon punch.Peel the skin put the pulp in the mixer, some sugar, some ice,grind it well then sieve it.Now put the liquid in the glass & add a pinch of salt & pepper & serve it chill.Enjoy the cool drink in hot summers.
@jolenegreen (1209)
• United States
13 Jun 07
YUM! Thanks I love summer drinks. I dont have many on hand, but the few I do have are sooooo good! I like to sit on my deck and enjoy the sun and my drink! LOL. Thanks again
@angel_marie5 (1259)
• United States
7 Jun 07
an easy food that i can prepare without not much hassle and so healthy is a steamed meatloaf.
i can mix the 93/7 ground turkey with chopped onions, garlic, bread crumbs italian flavor, beaten egg, quartered slice sausages and dash little pepper and salt. then add tablespoon of soy sauce, cubed cheese slices and raisins then mix well and wrap everything with foil or divide it into two like hotdog bun size then steam for about 20mins. cool down then unwrap from foil and slice into slanting proportions or round ones. you can make into a sandwich with a bun and lettuce dressed with vinaigrette or just serve it with rice to make a wonderful meal with ketchup!
@healer (1779)
• India
7 Jun 07
Frozen fully cooked meatballs are one of my greatest 'quick cook' secrets. You can make your own and freeze them on a leisurely weekend if you don't want to purchase a bag from your supermarket. This hearty meal is perfect for a cold fall night. And almost any skillet meal will do for this menu.
Assemble all ingredients
Prepare cheesecake filling and pour into crust; refrigerate
Chop onion and start cooking in oil in skillet
Chop tomatoes
Add beef broth to skillet
Add meatballs, orzo, and canned tomatoes to skillet
Prepare salad dressing
Prepare pears and place in salad dressing
Add fresh tomatoes to skillet and stir
Toss salad
Sprinkle meatballs with cheese
Serve meal
1 person likes this
@cher913 (25782)
• Canada
7 Jun 07
we still have cooked pasta during the summer, but you could also have some cold pasta salads...
sandwiches and chips are always good...
in the summer we eat a lot of hamburgers and hotdogs...
also a family fav are frajitas...just get tortia wraps, chicken (or beef) grate some cheese, cut up some tomatoe and you are good to go...
what about bbqing? my hubby loves to do that and its nothing to throw a couple of steaks or pork chops on (complete with baked potatoe thats done in the microwave and corn on the cob and there is a complete meal...
1 person likes this
@jolenegreen (1209)
• United States
13 Jun 07
Thank you! Pasta salad is a great idea! The baked potatoe with my food on the grill is alos another good idea! The fajhitas sound soooo good right now, LOL. Thanks for helping!
@twilight021 (2059)
• United States
7 Jun 07
I agree with the other poster who mentioned salads...particulary pasta salads. An addes bonus is that almost any pasta salad can also be made using orzo, barley or rice (brown or white). This helps mix things up a little bit.
One I really like is mexican pasta salad. Try this recipe....best thing is that you can add or take away items as suits you and your family.
1 12 oz. package of spiral pasta cooked and drained
1 cup red onion
1 cup red bell pepper
1 can corn 8 oz. drained
1 can diced green chilies
1 to 2 chopped jalapenos (optional)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 cup prepared Italian salad dressing
1 tablespoon Chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 cup Mexican cheese (or cheddar) optional
In lg. bowl, combine pasta, onion, red pepper, chiles, jalapenos, and cilantro
In small bowl, combine 1 cup Italian dressing, chili powder and cumin pour over pasta mixture tossing to coat will.
Chill at least 4 hrs.
When ready to serve sprinkle cheese on top.
Hope you like it!
1 person likes this
@jolenegreen (1209)
• United States
7 Jun 07
I think Ive seen u post this somewhere else on here before right? And I forgot to copy the recipe, LOL. Thank you. Looks good! I think we will enjoy alot!
@321633wy (1795)
• United States
7 Jun 07
My simple and quick lunch recipe is bread pizza.Spread pizza souce on the bread (I use whole wheat bread,you can use any kind of bread).Put all the pizza topping on the bread and pop it into the overn for only 10 minutes at 300 degree Fahreinhight.There you have your bread pizza !
Kids love it...Yummmm.
1 person likes this
@jolenegreen (1209)
• United States
13 Jun 07
YUM,YUM! Great Idea for a quick Lunch and my kids will LOVE it! I cant wait to try it! Thanks again for responding!
@toe_ster (770)
• United States
7 Jun 07
There are always casseroles you can make ahead of time and put away in your freezeer. But I am not sure how hot it gets there when you turn your stove on. Tacos are always an easy one. You can even cook the meat ahead of time and freeze it. Just heat it when you are ready. And you buy the already shredded cheese and lettuce. AN whatever fixings you want. Bbq is always a good one to do in the outdoors of summer. Salads are good too.A salad bar or potatoe bar. It depends what your family likes. A lot of things can be made ahead of time and frozen for later.
1 person likes this
@jolenegreen (1209)
• United States
7 Jun 07
Thanks for the great Ideas! I could freeze casseroles and pop them in the oven in the afternoon....we will be outside anyways so we really wont feel the heat...thanks for posting
