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  1. #1
    Join Date
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    Default tired of spaghetti

    I am SO tired of spaghetti. We have it about once a week because that's DH's go-to meal when he has to stop at the store on the way home. It's so quick because we just cook the meat while the noodles boil, pour in some sauce, and it's ready to eat. My go-to recipe for quick cooking is black bean burritos where we just cook the meat and (pre-cut and frozen) red peppers, pour in some beans and salsa, and eat. We already had that recently though.

    Can someone please give me another QUICK idea? Anything that involves cutting up meat or vegetables will not make the cut.
    DS1 - 8/09
    DS2 - 9/11

  2. #2
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    oops. wrong forum. I need to eat and sleep.
    DS1 - 8/09
    DS2 - 9/11

  3. #3
    abh5e8 is offline Emerald level (3000+ posts)
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    fried (or scrambled) eggs, toast, veggie and fruit are my quickest dinner. (veggie = left over warmed up or bag frozen veggies in microwave. fruit = fresh, whole).

    another quick option (to make ahead/freeze) is a crustless quiche (eggs, milk, S&P and tons of chopped veggies = onion, garlic, peppers, mushrooms, spinach lightly cooked and mixed in. bake with some cheese on top. freeze.)

  4. #4
    gobadgers is offline Platinum level (1000+ posts)
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    Our go-to quick meal is quesadillas. Melt cheese between tortillas, chop up an avocado (or better yet, get a package of pre-made guacamole), heat up a can of refried beans, open a jar of salsa. Serve with salad if you need something green. We have this nearly every week!
    -Christine

    DD, 9/07
    DS, 5/09
    and a very tolerant pup

  5. #5
    sunnyside is offline Sapphire level (2000+ posts)
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    I'm sorry, but I was thinking this was going to be about a bargain on spaghetti sauce or something LOL.

    We do breakfast for dinner as well, and also soup and grilled cheese. We do our grilled cheese with sharp white cheddar, basil, and cherry jam. The soup is premade at the grocery store, and we try to get Tomato usually. It's quick and easy to make. Easier than breakfast, really.

    We also do salmon and broccoli pretty often.
    Just brush on some olive oil, salt and pepper and bake at 425 until done. Steam the broccoli. You do have to cut the broccoli, but it's about the easiest thing to do, I do it after it's steamed.
    I like to keep frozen rice in the freezer for these occasions. You just cut the corner of the bag and toss into the microwave for one minute.
    Mama to two sweet girls - Summer 2010 and Spring 2015

  6. #6
    brittone2 is offline Blue Diamond level (20,000+ posts)
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    Any interest in bulk cooking? I don't mean a full fledged 30 meals in 1 afternoon type of thing, but maybe take one day per week and make a large pot of chili or a big pot of soup, etc and freeze maybe 2/3 of it. Once you do that a few times, you'll have a bigger selection to draw on, all without taking that much more time than making the original meal. I don't know if that's more time intensive than you want, but you save time for several nights afterward so IMO it really is not time consuming.

    We also do things like roast two chickens in one big pan, then debone and cube. That takes some work, but you can take that and use it as an easy start to wraps, quesadillas, salads, etc. At costco the other day I saw they are even selling their rotisserie chicken deboned and packaged vs. having to do it yourself.

    This week I threw a pork shoulder in the crockpot and shredded it, then served with salsa verde and black beans. Easy, lots of leftovers to freeze. Last night I put a bone-in turkey breast from wegman's, along with a few extra chicken breasts. It came out great. It took about 6 hrs but I didn't have to do anything in the meantime.

    We have a great local farm with various loose sausage. My favorite is their turkey/ginger/scallion blend. So good, and it is great served over cooked greens, turned into mini meatballs in a soup (with greens and simmered with a hunk of ginger), served over cabbage, or you could do rice/quinoa/noodles. We had ours with some cucumbers lightly dressed with some peanut ginger dressing that took about 2 mins to make.

    Our dinner in a pinch when we don't want to go out is a rotisserie chicken and green salad. Can he pick something like that up to give you some more variety?

    eta: we have had little antipasto plates for lunch (more common) or sometimes dinner (especially in the summer heat. Salami, cheese, crackers if you eat them, olives, veggies (I realize you don't want to cut). My kids call it "tooth pick lunch" when we have it for lunch. H ave you ever seen the Mark Bittman 101 simple meals in 10 mins or less? It was published for avoiding intensive cooking in summertime heat, but there are some good ideas for year round IMO. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/18/di...anted=all&_r=0 We do a good bit of things like that in between bigger cooking adventures.

    One other idea: costco, etc. carry those various chicken sausages (chicken/feta/spinach, apple, etc.). They are heat and serve and great for cooking dinner in a pinch IME. That and a frozen veggie plus a salad, or quinoa/rice/etc. and a salad or frozen veggie is a 15-20 min meal. Sausage that just needs heated and hummus to dip in can be good. Just add a quick side or two. Canned Eden beans and a frozen veggie?
    Last edited by brittone2; 12-16-2013 at 07:50 PM.
    Mama to DS-2004
    DD-2006
    and a new addition-ds born march 2010

  7. #7
    brittone2 is offline Blue Diamond level (20,000+ posts)
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    Have you ever made Joe's Special? Nothing earth shattering, but reasonably healthy for a quick meal and something we do for a quick dinner sometimes.
    http://www.food.com/recipe/joes-spec...ach-eggs-96477
    http://www.saveur.com/article/Recipe...c-Joes-Special
    http://allrecipes.com/recipe/joes-special-scramble/

    You can skip quite a few of those ingredients without any big deal (have never used basil in ours, for ex).

    Ground turkey cooked with peeled, grated fresh ginger, a few splashes of soy sauce and fish sauce (and sriracha if you like it) served on romaine leaves (top with chopped peanuts if you have them, no crisis if you don't. Grate some carrot on top if you want, add in some water chestnuts or green onion if you like them, good with cilantro on top if you like it, whatever. Quick lettuce wrap. My kids like this and it is yummy and fresh tasting.
    Last edited by brittone2; 12-16-2013 at 08:19 PM.
    Mama to DS-2004
    DD-2006
    and a new addition-ds born march 2010

  8. #8
    Join Date
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    Default

    Fresh fish is so quick to cook if picking up from the store and different from the ground beef/chicken. Would your family like fish tacos? Grab the prechopped vegetables in the produce and some tortillas. Or fish with frozen stir fry and a side or rice. Super quick and easy.

    We make a double batch of something to freeze at least once a week so our freezer is our go-to in a pinch b/c soups thaw in a pinch (hey, days are rough here w/ DH working long hours so I plan for crashes), but fish or a rotissere chicken are our stop by the store emergencies. We do not do the rice, but we have bought fish and a couple bags of frozen stir fry veggies and had dinner on the table in 15 minutes or served over a southwest style salad with canned black beans, tomatoes, & corn. With the chicken we have made wraps or usually just a big salad.

    Yes, the grilled chicken sausages are great. DH loves those! I always buy them on sale so they are frozen, but they would be a great stop-by-the-store option and if your weather is okay, so quick to grill.

    Good luck! I know it is so tough. Just keeping trying a few of different approaches and you'll find the 3-4 emergency meals you can rely on so that you'll be looking forward to spaghetti!

  9. #9
    elbenn is offline Diamond level (5000+ posts)
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    I do scrambled eggs or fried eggs on croissants or English muffins.

  10. #10
    Join Date
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    Default

    Scrambled eggs, toast and fruit
    cut up already cooked sausage and brown it in frying pan, cut up apple and add it to the pan until softened, then add fresh spinach and cover, cook until spinach is wilted. Serve with mustard and crusty bread
    cheese ravioli and Alfredo sauce
    grilled cheese sandwiches with carrots and fruit
    refrigerator biscuits and can of chicken noodle soup
    Hot dogs rolled up in refrigerator crescent rolls


    Catherine

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