I’ve said before that food really isn’t my thing. I only eat because I’m hungry. Chocolate and sweets on the other hand…….Let’s just say I’m very fortunate to have high metabolism
As I was working on my dinner menu for next week I realized just how bored I’ve become with the dishes that we cook. I’m looking for some new dinner ideas. Even though we cook $5 dinners- My $5 is an average. So, I’m open to trying any dish. I would love for you to leave a comment with a new dish to try or send me an e-mail. Thanks in advance for helping use get out of a dinner rut!
Have you made the roast? We usually use pork roast, then red potatoes, carrots, 3 cups water, 1oz packet dry ranch dressing mix, 1 packet dry italian dressing mix. YUMMY!
We have a couple of other easy meals we like, but might not work if you are doing GF.
There’s always meatloaf…that’s what we had tonight. Word to the wise…don’t let your husband handle the “seasoning”. lol Mine has a cast iron stomach…I don’t.
Enchiladas are actually really easy. I hear they freeze well, but I haven’t tried that…they never last that long when I do make them.
Breakfast casserole…I know it freezes well.
Cornbread casserole…freezes well.
I actually haven’t had pork roast like that since you made it for me almost a year and a half ago!
I will definitely put that on the list.
@ Becky- Me and meatloaf don’t mix very well, but I will be sure to look into the casseroles. A breakfast casserole would be nice to mix up our breakfast for dinner nights.
Thanks ladies!
we make “meaffins” – meatloaf in muffin pans :o) the kids LOVE it! and it takes about 1/3 of the time as a loaf to make.
1# ground beef/venison
1 egg
“handful” of oatmeal (i don’t measure, i just dump!)
2-4 tablespoons worchestershire sauce or country bobs all purpose sauce (CB is my FAVE!)
plop into cupcake/muffin pan at least 3/4 full – they can even be up to the top since meatloaf really doesn’t expand.
cook at normal temp for meatloaf, just way less time. i’m thinking it’s about 20-25 minutes for 3/4 fill.
to make it more fun, “frost” them with mashed potatoes and sprinkle with corn :o)
enchiladas are amazingly yummy. i have never froze them before, as we eat them all right away.
look at the back of bisquick – there’s a recipe for impossibly easy cheeseburger casserole. YUM! add a small can of corn on top of the meat for some veggies. hugely popular in our house of 6.
This is what we do at our house (Sister C’s)…
http://supersavingsisters.blogspot.com/2011/01/hey-mom-whats-for-dinner_22.html
For example, every Monday, I know I need some sort of chicken dinner. Takes away the “ugh, what am I going to make tonight” for the most part. Each week I’ll change it up – Chicken tacos, chicken and rice, chicken nuggets, etc.
PLUS – Make sure you are using http://www.supercook.com! Type in the ingredients you have on hand, and it lists a number of meals you can make with what you have! We went 3 months without eating out – this has saved me from doing the “lets us run uptown real quick” for dinner issues.
But I truly love my weekly meal schedule/planner. It also helps my hubby figure out what to make for lunches (I work over the lunch hour) for the kids. Otherwise they sometimes don’t get fed until 1 if he has to think too much about it lol!
Happy Meal Planning!
Calico Bean Bake is a favorite in our home, it is easy to make and inexpensive. Here’s the link: http://swappinspoons.blogspot.com/2010/11/calico-bean-bake-for-dinner.html
Ok, now you have me going through my recipes. Lol.
I have not made this in a while, so I may just have to make this later int eh week
Breakfast Casserole for Lunch —Cost $3.75 to make!
Link: http://swappinspoons.blogspot.com/2010/08/breakfast-casserole-for-lunch-cost-375.html
We like Hawaiian Haystacks (rice, cream of chicken, shredded chicken, toppings (cheese, peas, tomatoes, anything really)). We like allrecipes’ “cowboy skillet” too (modified a bit). Fried rice. Chicken Puffs (chicken, crescent rolls, cream cheese, seasonings). Allrecipes’ “Amish Yumazuti” is cheap and easy.
http://www.tammysrecipes.com/node/4357
okay – this is not a meal, but it’s gf brownies!!
These ideas are great everyone- keep ’em coming!
@ S. Davis- I forgot to mention that Turkey’s on a normal diet again. He limits bread products by preference-won’t even eat cake! He still has the same problems but they’ve yet to diagnose him. When we moved to TX the Drs. wouldn’t recognize any of the information already collected so we started over. He’s scheduled to see an endocrinologist in a few weeks and hopefully we’ll get to the bottom of his food issues and he will start growing!
Nacho Pie: cover the bottom and sides of a pie dish with crescent rolls and pinch seams together. Brown ground meat and add taco seasoning. Spread refried beans on bottom of crust, then layer meat, then sour cream, crushed tortilla chips (we use doritos, whatever flavor we have on hand) Sprinkle with generous amount of shredded cheese and bake, 20 or 30 minutes at 350, (until crust is golden) Serve with shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, gaucamole, etc….
I like the unique ideas everyone has shared. We get into a rut too and lately I have been making too much Mexican food which is fine to me but, my family is getting tired of it. I’m ready for Taco salad, chef salad, just more vegetables in general. Years ago when i went to England I discovered Ratatouille, not the movie:), it’s a vegetable dish with tomato, onion, eggplant, zucchini and green pepper. I’m hoping most of that will grow in my garden so I can make some. I’m hungry for fresh food instead of processed stuff which is not only unhealthy but, tasteless and boring. Anyone have more salad ideas?
Back to my Mexican food kick. The nacho pie sounds good and maybe instead line the bottom with corn tortillas and use a healthier chip instead of doritos. Thanks for the idea.
Angela
Erin,
Here are some of my families favorites.
Pulled Pork
Shake and Bake Chicken (I make paremsean shake and bake myself)
Ham and Scalloped Potatoes
Shrimp stir fry with fried rice
For lunch they love my latest invention
Avacodo and sprout sandwich with swiss cheese
We do Tostodas with beans and various toppings
Lots of soups with varied items inside
Lots of wraps which the kids pretty much just make these up as they go with whatever leftovers I have seem to have last week they were throwing in spanish rice, chicken , and sour cream.
Maybe a few of these ideas help
we do lots of fish too.