Share Dinner Ideas

[admin]

How often do you find yourself asking the question "What's for Dinner?" I'd say at least twice per week I find that I don't really have a taste for anything and I can't come up with any ideas.

I'm sure I'm not the only one. Therefore, I think it will be interesting if we all share some dinner ideas.

Even if you talk about what you had tonight, the more contributions the better. Hopefully we can all get some great ideas from this topic.

Try to share complete dinner ideas - meat or pasta, vegetable, side dish, desert (if any), etc...

Recipes would be great but not required.

All the best,

Ron

[admin]

Ok, I'll start it off. Here's what I had tonight (kudos to the Misses):

Beef short ribs
Scallop potatoes
Mixed vegetables
Frozen yogurt with strawberries

Yummy


Ron

[Anonymous]

WE ARE HAVING CHICKEN BREASTS IN THE CROCKPOT DONE WITH ORANGE JUICE, GARLIC AND BALSAMIC VINEGAR.

[Anonymous]

We had cabbage rolls this evening, with the one hour bread recipe...is yummy!

[truleelee]

OK, today was leftover day...
Yesterday, I made copycat Applebee's Crispy Orange Chicken and so today I used the leftover chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces, warmed it up and put into a bowl with salad fixin's, poured Bleu Cheese Dressing over all, tossed it and with the leftover rice, I added mixed vegetables, chicken bouillon, and soy sauce to taste. I fried this and added two scrambled eggs on top. Yummy!

Applebee’s® Crispy Orange Skillet
Categories: Copycat
Yield:

2 lbs.boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 egg
1 1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
1 T. vegetable oil
1/2 c. cornstarch
1/4 c. flour
oil for frying
frozen stir-fry vegetables
glaze:
1 t. minced garlic
1 1/2 t. grated orange rind
1 c. orange juice
1/2 c. hoisin sauce
dashcayenne pepper
1/4 c. sugar
salt
pepper



2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken
1 egg
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
Oil (for frying)


Cut chicken into 2-inch pieces and place in a large bowl. Stir in egg, salt, pepper and oil. Mix well and set aside.

Stir cornstarch and flour together in another large bowl and mix well. Add chicken mixture to the flour mixture, stirring to coat each piece well. Pour enough oil to be at least 1/2-inch deep in a wok or heavy skillet and set over high heat. When it reaches 375F (hot!) carefully add chicken pieces in small batches and fry 3 to 4 minutes or until golden and crisp. Do not overcook or chicken will be tough. Remove chicken from oil with slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Continue frying chicken in small batches until all are nicely browned and crisp. Set aside while you make the glaze:

1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons grated orange rind
1 cup orange juice
1/2 cup hoisin sauce*
Dash cayenne pepper
1/4 cup white sugar
Salt and pepper to taste

Cool the oil in the skillet slightly, then remove all but 2 tablespoons of oil and set over medium heat. Sauté garlic in oil for 1 minute (if the oil is too hot the garlic will turn bitter). Add rest of ingredients and bring to boil. Allow to boil for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and simmer until sauce thickens to your liking, stirring frequently.

Pour glaze over chicken. Note: Applebee’s tosses the chicken and orange glaze with an array of stir-fry vegetables like broccoli, snow peas and red peppers. Serve chicken over a bed of cooked white rice. Garnish with slivered almonds and crispy noodles. Serves 4 to 6.

[Anonymous]

Tonight I made a chicken casserole, using about 1-1/2 to 2 C cut up chicken, 1 can creamy chicken and mushroom soup, 2/3 C mayo, 1/2 C sour cream, sm can of mushrooms, some onion powder and celery seed. (Family has omitted water chestnuts, but I love them) Combine all and bring to bubble. My variation to save time, is to precook the rice, 2C each instant rice and water, and mix it in with the chicken mixture (you can serve separately though, like an ala king). Place all in a 9X13 baking pan, top with flatly rolled out crescent rolls, sprinkle some squeeze margarine across the top, and bake for 20-25 mins. Serve with a side veggie. (Your fave cheese could be substituted for the margarine)

It was GONE, all of it.

[Anonymous]

Mock Chicken Legs

This was an all time favorite of mine when I was a kid.

Pork sausage shaped in the form of a chicken leg on a wooden skewer. Then coated with a chicken coating mixture and baked for 35 – 40 minutes

2 lbs pork sausage – regular (mediumor spicey is too much)
3 chicken bouillon cubes crushed or 3 Tbs chicken bouillon
Wooden skewers
Chicken coating (shake-N-bake do not substitute)

Mix sausage and chicken bouillon in a bowl. Take about a palmful (1/4 lb) meat and roll into a ball in your hands. Place meat on a clean surface and either shape into form of a chicken leg or the shape of a hotdog. Place wooden skewer through the meat to hold its shape. Place skewered meat into the refrigerator for 1-hour minimum to chill and form.

Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees F.

Roll mock chicken in chicken coating mixture and set on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Heat in oven for 35 minutes turning after 20 minutes. Cooking until meat is thoroughly cooked.

[Anonymous]

we had a good old fattening favorite. Country Fried steak(cube steak dredged in flour) white gravy from the pan drippings, mashed potatoes, corn and broccoli. With whole wheat buttermilk biscuts. Soooo good but can only eat like that rarely!

[Anonymous]

we had a good old fattening favorite. Country Fried steak(cube steak dredged in flour) white gravy from the pan drippings, mashed potatoes, corn and broccoli. With whole wheat buttermilk biscuts. Soooo good but can only eat like that rarely!

[Anonymous]

k, so one of my favorite dishes is breaded chicken cutlets, mashed potatoes and cream-style corn...so i adapted it to this recipe:

1 lb. boneless chicken breasts or cutlets - if using breasts, i usually "filet" them from end to end so you end up with a cutlet
1 egg
3Tbs milk or water
bread crumbs to coat all the chicken

2 cups mashed potatoes (instant or leftover work great)
2 cans cream style corn

beat egg and milk together. coat chicken in bread crumbs, then the egg, then the bread crumbs again. fry (i use olive oil) until golden brown.

in 2.5 quart casserole, pour 2 cans of corn. press chicken down into the cream corn. top with the mashed potatoes (i have also been known to throw a layer of monterey jack or cheddar cheese under the potatoes).

dot with butter and sprinkle lightly with paprika. bake in 400 degree oven approximately 20 minutes (until the top is lightly browned)

hope you all enjoy this!

[Anonymous]

We had flank steak marinated in a Hawaiin teriyaki sauce (which I later heated and made as a sauce to drizzle over the meat) and put under the broiler for 20 minutes (10 minutes each side), baked potato's and salad with shredded romano cheese and a vinagrette. For dessert we had raspberry jello set with sparkling cider (for a little zing) and fresh sliced strawberries, and a whipped cream topping.

[Anonymous]

I like cooking and reading cookbooks, so I have something different every night of the week. Tonight I have ministroni soup and buns and salad. Yesterday I make up potato salad, broccoli salad, spinich salad, pasta, cranberry, and almond salad, and cole slaw, and buns. The day before I had quiche and salad. I mostly cook vegetarian.

[Anonymous]

Cheese tortillini with mushroom pasta sauce, petite frozen peas and sliced fresh mushrooms. Heat in a pan over low heat for 20 minutes until mushrooms are cooked. Serve with fresh grated parmesan cheese.

[Anonymous]

What a novel idea!! Here is what we had for dinner tonite, well in part because I added a lovely tossed salad and garlic bread. I tried this recipe about one year ago out of curiousity and my family and friends loved it. I hope you do too!! A nice change from the usual 'lasagna' fare.

8 large noodles
3 T. butter
4 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
1 clove garlic, minced
2 T. flour
2 cups milk
salt and pepper
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 egg
2 T. fresh parsley
1 can pizza sauce (14 oz)
8 oz. pepperoni (thinly sliced)
10 oz. thinly sliced mozzarella cheese

1. Cook noodles, drain and set aside.
2. Melt butter in medium fry pan. Saute mushrooms and garlic until tender and any liquid has evaporated. Blend in flour. Gradually stir in milk.Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture boils and thickens.Add salt and pepper to taste, set aside.
3.Combing ricotta cheese, egg and parsley,set aside.
4.Spread a thin layer of pizza sauce over bottom of shallow baking dish.
5. Layer half the noodles, half the remaining pizza sauce,half the ricotta cheese mixture, half the mushroom sauce, half the pepperoni and half the mozzarella cheese slices.Repeat layering.
6.Bake in preheated 375 oven for 40 - 45 minutes or until bubbly.

[Anonymous]

Hmmmmm .... This can be tough, especially after a long day at work. So I say, CROCK POT! I've chosen the healthy way to do this, but you can tweak it to your desired taste.

Carnitas (baked, not fried)*
*In crock pot add a pork should butt roast, with 2 T. cumin, 1 1/2 T. coriander, 2 bay leaves, two cans chicken broth, a pinch, or two, of chile powder and adobo, if desired. Let cook on low for 8-10 hours, or till thoroughly cooked. Remove meat from crock pot, tear meat into pieces removing any fat and discard the fat (the meat will fall apart) and cover the surface of a cookie sheet with meat. Cook, in preheated oven, at 425 degrees till meat is a bit crispy.

Whole Wheat Flout Tortillas (no lard)
Non-fat refried beans (Your fave brand)
Minute Rice Regular or Brown Rice**
**add some chives, cumin, cilantro, whatever flavor(s) suit you

[Anonymous]

Last night I served a whole turkey, mashed potatoes, string beans, corn, celery and carrot/raisin salad.

Tonight I am serving a tomato soup/rice/hamburger thing with left over veggies from last night.

Tomorrow I am serving a roast beef cooked in crock pot for 8 hours with cream of mushroom soup poured over the meat. I will also serve rice and lettuce salad.

These meals are not for dieters unless they just like to watch portions. These are wholesome meals prepared to give energy and make for happy tastebuds.

[Anonymous]

tonite we had cajun chicken and sausage gumbo with white rice and
potato salad. goodddddd

[Anonymous]

my favorite quick easy dinner is pasta roni and shrimp, crab. I always keep shrimp and crab on hand and the noodle mixes just make it super easy . My 5 yr old loves it and hey it doesn't get better than a kid approval

[Anonymous]

tonite we will be having roti and duck curry, yesterday we had fried fish in (lolo) coconut milk with some cassava.

[Anonymous]

We had some left-over soup made from miso and tofu. We added noodles, topped with green onion, left-over tempura carrots,onion rings and mushroom with a sprinkle of hot pepper. Served with a glass of wine.

[Anonymous]

When I get really stuck, I end up making Chipped Beef or (what we
call) Texaroni. These are both COMFORT FOODS for me. and if I
really get in a bind, tomato soup with rice, along with grilled cheese
sandwiches. I'm glad hubby is very easy to cook for. We drive 38 miles
on tollway/crazy traffic to get home at night, so I usually opt for the
familar and comfortable on weeknights. Weekends is when I really
shine in the kitchen!!

[Anonymous]

Tonight I had baked wild Alaskan salmon with a macadamia nut crust (really easy to do) and smoked gouda mashed potatoes and grilled asparagus briefly marinated in a little olive oil and balsamic vinegar, lightly salted. Yum!

[Anonymous]

We had seafood pasta and chicken adobo for dinner!! macadamia nut pie for dessert!!! Yum!

Lannie

[Anonymous]

We had a easy, quick dinner tonight. It was a burrito from the freezer I microwaved, a small corn on the cob cooked over the stove top, an orange cut up, 2 lays ranch stackables chips, and a glass of milk

[Anonymous]

Tonite was scalloped potatoes with ham casserole.
so easy and good :

Just layer your casserole dish with ham and sliced onions and potatoes, then pour a can of mushroom soup over top and bake at 350 for 1 and a half hrs.

[Anonymous]

GREAT Crockpot Pork Roast and Barbeque Pork Sandwiches:

On days when you have to be busy right up to dinner time...I just take a few minutes in the morning and mix together several cans of mushroom soup, a few slices of onions, a cup of milk, and a half cup of apple juice and pour it over a pork roast (seasoned with Paul Prudhomme's Pork seasoning) in my crock pot. I cook on high for about 2 or 3, sometimes 4 hours if I'm really busy and then turn it to low for the rest of the day. It's ready in about 8 hours but there's no harm if you cook longer. It's impossible to spoil this recipe! The longer it cooks the more tender it becomes. There have been nights that we have shred it with a spoon...oh my gosh it's good! My husband would have this 3 times a week if I would cook it that often! Serve it with mashed potatoes or if you are really in a time crunch...some white minute rice is great with the gravy from the pot! Fix your vegetable and/or salad and you're done!

The next night, if there's leftovers...I take the leftover pork and shred it and pour Barbeque sauce (I use Sweet Baby Ray's) over it and heat it on the stove in a saucepan. Then just serve with your favorite bread or roll for a great barbeque sandwich! TWO nights of EASY! More importantly, two nights of easy that tastes like you should be having company because it's sooooo good!

Have fun! Jill

[Dola]

I made a box of Zatarain's Chicken Creole rice mix and added small pieces of leftover chicken to it. We also had mini Hawaiian chicken pizzas made on onion rolls.

[Anonymous]

I've suddenly found myself busier than I expected so I am totally into easy (translation: not a lot of work) recipes. My current favorite is a cola pot roast. Your favorite cut of beef (even works on a round tip roast!) in a pot with one can of cola (not diet - sorry), one bottle of chili sauce and one envelope of onion soup mix. Cover, bake at 325 degrees for 4 -5 hours - don't peek! Never fails! And leftovers (if there are any) are even better!! :P

[Anonymous]

I have to be honest, I didn't have to cook this evening. I went and played Bunko with the girls tonight, and was served grilled chicken cooked by her husband, lettuce salad, tomatoes, potato salad, macaroni salad. I normally have to cook since I child day care 3 meals per day. It felt good not to have to plan a meal for a change,
Karen (AK)

[Anonymous]

Since I have found a cookbook that I fell in love with we have been eating a different meal every night. I was getting to the point where I never knew what to have.

Now we have chicken at least twice a week and fish at least once a week, sometimes twice. (Usually on Friday, but not necessarily.) This was at first difficult as my husband is a beef eater, and chicken and fish are not his favorties. I try to make something pork at least once a week, a casserole, soup/sandwiches, or vegetarian meal once a week, and keep the beef to once or twice a week.

By doing this, we do not get bored with what we are eating and the variety is so great, especially if you keep trying new recipes and quit falling back on the "ole" standbys. I am going to try to make the "ole" standbys that have been our favorites for years for special occasions or only once in a while, so that we can appreciate them more.

I hope you all could understand what I was trying to say here, as it is late and I am tired. *smile*

Happy Eating!!!!
Susie

[Anonymous]

Dear Mr Ron Douglas,
During my life, in parallel to my study I have got a good experience of preparing dinners for me and for my friends.One of my lovely dinners is okra in tomato sause with beef.I make it in this way.
Beef cut in small pieces and put it in a ban with boiling water until become soft.During this time I fry okra on olives oil until become golden.then I add okra and tomato slices to the ban with beef and for a little time let them cook togather for about 10 minutes.At the end don't foreget to add garlic. In this way we get a very smooth and relishful tomato with okra souse.Next step is preparing cooked rice which must be "Loose".
How to eat every hungry know how. At one plate you put sause & at another put rice or you can put rice and over it okra sause in one plate.
Good appetite

[Anonymous]

1lb of beef mince, can of tomatoe soup, 3 teaspoons fo mixed herbs, 2 onions chopped into little pieces, 2 teaspoons of sugar, mix all together and cook for 20 minutes thicken with flour and water. Have mashed potatoes on the side makes a great and taste meal and very good for children plenty of iron.

[Anonymous]

Great question!! I sure got a lot of ideas for dinner now.
Last night I didn't really feel like cooking, so I made my husband's favorite. Just put chicken breast and a can of mushroom soup in the crockpot. When it's done I chop this up and put it over mashed potatoes. Easy.

Katie

[Anonymous]

It's always quick and easy to throw together:

a box of mac and cheese
a can of tuna (drained); and
a can of peas (drained)

Cook the mac and cheese normally and then throw in the peas and tuna and mix it up.
We call it the Special and the kids love it......i'm pretty fond of it myself. It's great for those day that i work late.

[Anonymous]

I want a healthy food for dinner so I steamed one dressed chicken. Place whole chicken in a steamer lined with bits of ginger, spring onions , black bean sauce and sesame oil. Let boil the water under the steamer until the steam cooks the chicken When done remove chicken from steamer and place in a strainer to cool and drain excess water and fat.

For sauce, combine kikkoman soy sauce and lemon juice. Eat with plain steamed rice.



F

[Anonymous]

WHEN I TELL PEOPLE THAT I MADE DEEP FRIED FISH AND SPAGHETTI AND GARLIC BREAD AND SALAD THEY ALWAYS SAY THAT IT DOESN'T GO TOGETHER BUT IT REALLY IS DELICIOUS.

I MAKE MY SPAGHETTI WITH GROUND TURKEY WITH TOMATO SAUCE AND OREGEO TOMATO PASTE AND A LITTLE SUGAR AND THEN POUR IN A PAN AND PUT SHREDDED CHEESE CHEDDER AND MOZZERELLA.

ADN THEN

I PUT SOME GINGER AND GARLIC MARINADE ON THE FISH AND COAT WITH YELLOW CORN MEAL OR DRAKES COATING AND DEEP FRY THE FILETS.

[Anonymous]

Last night I made a Taco Pie and served it with chopped lettuce, tomato, and onion, sour cream and salsa.

1 tube of crescent rolls
1 to 1/12 lbs. lean ground beef
1 pkg. taco seasoning
small can sliced black olives (optional)
1 c. sour cream
medium sized bag of Fritos
2 or so cups of shredded sharp chedder

Brown meat and drain, add seasoning as if you were making tacos. While meat is browning, separate rolls and press into a 10 inch pie pan to form crust. Crush a layer of Fritos over crust. Sprinkle about 1/3 of cheese over Fritos. Add meat mixture on top of cheese, spread sour cream over meat. Put more cheese on sour cream, top with more crushed Friotos and rest of cheese. Bake at 400 for about 25 minutes.

[kb8ogn]

I have found a website that has helped me answer that question. I joined a yahoo group. Flylady.net. Thanks to her organization system, I now have a menu on my refrigerator for the next 2 weeks. I know what we are having for dinner and when I go grocery shopping, I check the menu to make certain I have everything I need to make those dinners.

My family now knows what is for dinner and life is good....

[saurus]

we're having bread and water as there is nothing in the kitchen

[Anonymous]

Last night we had chicken adobo with rice