ISO: Last Minute Dinner Ideas

[randomkid]

Sometimes I have dinner planned, but DD will be in such a mood or I get distracted with something else that I don't have time to cook the meal. What do you keep on hand to have for dinner at the last minute that only takes a few minutes to prepare?

Last night, DH and I had tuna sandwiches because we got home too late (6pm) to really make a meal and get DD to bed on time. Of course, it took us about an hour to figure out what to have.

Looking for ideas other than pasta. That's always easy, but I need something else to fall back on.

Thanks,

[megs4413]

frozen chicken....just pop it in the micro to thaw....add some seasoning and bake it in the oven. i also keep frozen veggies and dry stuffing (stove top in the cannister) in the house so it's a QUICK and painless meal..not the tastiest, but it will work!

[daisymommy]

Hamburger patties that have already been precooked on the grill, then frozen. I also keep buns on the freezer too. They thaw out in about 15 seconds in the microwave. Add some frozen fries baked in the oven, or BBQ potato chips this time of year.

Precooked and frozen Sloppy Joe sauce/beef. Heat and put on a bun.

Chicken breasts frozen in marinade. Thaw in the micro, toss on the grill for 10-15 minutes, and add whatever veggies or salad are in your fridge.

Pre-cooked taco meat, frozen in a baggie. Keep taco shells on hand, maybe a can of healthy refried beans. We always have cheese, lettuce, and tomato in teh fridge too. Just heat up the meat in the microwave.

A bag of frozen pasta mix (I like the Stouffers brand type), with some Pepperidge Farm garlic Toast in the toaster oven.

A frozen pizza (always have 1-2 on hand).

Chili. Just dump all the canned ingredients into a pot along with a bag of your pre-cooked ground beef from the freezer, and it takes 30 minutes to cook on the stove-top. Add some Pilsbury cornbread twists from your fridge (always have that type of thing in there, or biscuits, etc.) or some tortilla chips, cheese.

Spaghetti. Either straight from the jar with fresh cooked pasta, or cook your own sauce and freeze in batches. Thaw, and toss with hot pasta. Serve with your garlic toast or salad which we always haev on hand.

Other things in my freezer that are precooked:
-Soup
-BBQ Pulled Beef for sandwiches
-Stuffed Burritos and Enchiladas

Honestly, I cook so much stuff ahead on the weekends or when the kids are napping, and freeze it, that I could pull diner out of the freezer and have it done in 30 minutes any day of the week.

[randomkid]

If only I would plan ahead like you do! Can you come to my house some weekend and stock my freezer?

Thanks for the ideas. Now to get myself motivated!

[jillc]

Trader Joe's pre-cooked, pre-packaged pot roast. Microwave for 3 minutes & it's done. And it's delicious. Can keep in fridge for a few weeks. Can also freeze.

Pasta w/veggies as a side dish:
Boil your pasta noodles & throw in some frozen veggies during the last two minutes of boiling. Drain & toss with a little olive oil & lemon juice/lemon pepper & sprinkle some shredded parmesan.

I just found that Safeway has a yummy frozen veggie blend (which I usually don't care for) - it's a Primavera blend & has spinach, broccoli, red pepper & julienne carrots.


Great message thread. Hope this helps.
Jill

[pb&j]

Frozen Pizza
Frozen burritos jazzed up with salsa, cheese, sour cream, guacamole, etc
Tuna melts

And an easy pasta dish from Rachael Ray - it's a little snazzier than everyday pasta:
Cook and drain 1 box of gemelli, macaroni, rotini, or similar
Return pasta to pot and stir in 1 container pesto and 1 15 oz container ricotta
Pour into 9x13 baking dish
Top with 1 jar pasta sauce
Top with shredded mozarella and grated parmesan
Put under broiler until cheese is melted and beginning to brown

It's incredibly easy, and takes about 15 min start to finish, and can feed a whole crowd. If you're feeling ambitious, you can brown some ground beef/sausage/chicken while the pasta's cooking and add that.




-Ry,
mom to Emma, stillborn 11/04/04
and Max, 01/05/06

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[ctmom]

there are already some great ideas here...
Lazy Beef Stroganoff
Browned ground beef mixed with a jar of brown gravy and a dollop of sour cream served over noodles.
Toss a big batch of salad greens in a salad spinner and when it is completely dry, place in a big zip lock type bag with a paper towel to absorb and extra moisture. This way you have salad, ready to eat, for a few nights instead of having to wash some every night. Get a rotisserie chicken, or even open a can of tuna, and serve over the greens for a meal.
I also always try to have prepared pesto, or even the Knorr's stuff and frozen ravioli or tortellini to serve in a pinch...

HTH!

Mary
dd#1 2/01
dd#2 12/03

[boolady]

Frittatas or omelets. You can throw in whatever you happen to have in the fridge-- cheese, vegetables of any kind (I love spinach, tomatoes, etc.), ham or other meat, etc. When I do this, I just usually make a quick salad. HTH!

[randomkid]

Thanks for all the great ideas, ladies! I just have to learn to shop better so I have things readily available to cook. That's a big part of the problem in our household. Now, I can put some of these things on my grocery list and DH won't be eating a peanut butter sandwich for dinner. Good thing he isn't a picky eater - LOL!

[kboyle]

where oh where is this magical pre-cooked, pre-packaged tj pot roast? i've never seen such an animal, or is it in the frozen section, i only go for the stuff that i want there, no perusing the freezer bins for me.

also, breakfast for dinner also works in a flash for us. some scrambled eggs (over easy for me & DH) toast, some thinly sliced potatoes & onions in a pan with olive oil , S&P & garlic powder & we have a meal, if we've got a breakfast meat, then we are in business!

i've ALWAYS got texas toast garlic bread in the freezer and a jar of our fave tomato sauce in the pantry, so all i have to do is cook some frozen brocolli & spaghetti and we've got dinner in about 15min

[Mommy_Again]

I keep fresh tortellini that is sold in the dairy section (Buitoni or Contadina) and a jar of Gia Russa Alla Vodka sauce. I buy both on sale b/c they are pricy. The pasta keeps in the fridge for a few months and then freezes.

[wreckgirl1]

A can of black beans, a jar of salsa, and tortillas. We usually have some kind of cheese around, and we often have an extra cooked chicken breast in the freezer (we try to keep 1-2 on hand - just throw an extra one on the grill whenever you make them). Drain the beans, microwave the beans, meat, and any other stuffing for a minute to heat, then make burritos. If you have the other extras around (onions, etc.) that is great, but we have been known to in times of desperation wrap some beans with a slice of cheese in a tortilla and hand it to DD. Even if you have lots more ingredients, it only takes a few minutes.

Cynthia

[cchavez]

zatarains brown rice jambalaya...(boxed) add some smokes sausage, shrimp or chicken....serve w/ a veggie side....very quick and yummy!

[jillc]

I know you said no pasta, but...

I always keep frozen cooked coctail shrimp in the freezer & they thaw out under running water in about 5 min.

I also freeze little jars or cubes of spinach pesto.

Cook some pasta & throw a cube of frozen pesto into a sautee pan with some thawed shrimp. Cook the shrimp in the pesto until the shrimp is heated & the pesto is saucy. Toss with the pasta. Throw a handful of pine nuts on top, if you've got them. Add a little shredded parmesan & enjoy.

Did this one earlier in the week when we found all this stuff in our freezer. ;)

Jill