Grilling a metric fuckton of marinated chicken thighs on Sunday nights, serving them with grilled vegetables and a starch, and then using the leftovers over the next couple of days for tacos, pasta dishes, salads, etc.
A frequent FB meme: "Who knew that the hardest part of being an adult is figuring out what to cook for dinner every single night for the rest of your life?"
Our go to weeknight meal is a big bag of Cesar salad with a grilled chicken breast or Costco rotisserie chicken. Granted we are childless and the dogs don’t seem to mind the lack of scraps to fall on the ground during the making process.
Most of the sheet pan recipes on the New York Times cooking website are good, but the brats with potatoes and Brussels sprouts with a honey mustard glaze are excellent and quick. It’s also an easy recipe to modify for different roasted veggies.
We have had our most success with the kids when we have designated nights.
Example plan:
Mon-Cowboy Surprise*
Tues-Spaghetti
Wed-Breakfast for Dinner
Thu-Wild Card/Chef's Choice
Fri-McDonalds and a Movie Night
Sat-Sausages and Mac and Cheese
Sun-Wild Card/Chef's Choice
Having Wild Card days in there help to break up the monotony and are for when you want to try something or just want to order pizza. It is so much easier if you only have to "think" about a couple of nights a week instead of all of them, especially on work/school nights. Also makes it easier to grocery shop.
This type of system doesn't have to be rigid year-round as you can adapt it based on season. We also vary the fruits and/or vegetables. We use spaghetti with the vegetables in it (the orange kind, not the green kind, that was a disaster) and make changes to the sauce for variety and to see how they respond to different spices/ingredients. Just swap out a meal for something else if the kids stop eating it for a few weeks in a row and maybe bring it back in a few months.
And there is nothing wrong with punting when you've had a rough day and just don't feel like making something. A big bowl of Cheerios (or Kix or Life), some microwaveable breakfast sausages, and some fruit is a nutritious, filling meal for a kid.
I wonder if what veterinarians say about feeding dogs and cats applies to kids. If you are always giving them something different, do they get more finicky?
It takes about 20 minutes to make and everyone in the house loves it, from my wife down to our toddler. We have this meal at least every other week because we know there won't be a fight about it and we can throw it together so quickly. When the garden is drowning us in cherry tomatoes, (checks calendar) which is right about now, the fresh tomatoes and basil really make this spectacular, too.
It's stupid as heck, but dang if it don't work. Just the other day, wifey had no idea what to prepare, browned some ground turkey, added some basic seasoning (dangit, babby) and mixed it into a few boxes of mac n cheese.
I add a little hot sauce to adultify it, but the kids devour it. And if we tend to have some leftover veg from earlier in the week, that gets tossed in the mix to accent it more.
When all else fails, quesadillas are also simple, quick, and go over like gangbusters.
I make a variant on this https://www.seriouseats.com/new-york-style-pizza-sauce and freeze it in relatively 1 meal containers (note to self buy more tupperware) and keep pitas frozen. Sauce, chopped red onion, green pepper, and kalamata olives, topped with whatever cheese you got. Serve with salad. I love cooking, but when my brain stops working, it's pita pizza tonight.
when I make a pot of gravy, that's good for at least three more meals after the first one. I also like making burgers in brown gravy, which I guess is kinda mini-Salisbury steaks. my mom and ex both would use premade gravy, but being extra like I am, I make it from scratch every time. it doesn't take that long.
Otherwise, I'm in the same boat as you. I struggle planning a menu out anymore.
This summer, supper has (too) often been an ice cream cone. I’m serially working my way through a vast menu of flavors. I’m guessing this meal choice would go over big with your kids.
I keep butcher made sausages in the freezer, spicy Italian or chorizo. On lazy nights I cook off one link per person in a ditch oven and remove, then dump a bag of chopped kale in the pot, deglaze the brown bits with a little chicken stock and tamari, cut up the sausages and throw them back in. 20 minutes, one pot, tasty. Double the workload by making it a rice or pasta dish.
We for a while had a shared google doc between my family, my BIL's and my SIL's family where we posted recipes or meal ideas we were planning to make for the week and it turned into a really helpful living document. I guess this thread serves a similar purpose
My most reliable weeknight dinner is a recipe I cribbed from the back of a box of pasta when I was living by myself for the first time. I tried to find it on their website but it looks like they've updated since then. My wife likes it, it tastes good fresh and OK as leftovers. Plus most of the ingredients keep for a while so if we don't get to it they don't go bad.
Sautee a chopped up onion in about 1/4 c olive oil. After the onions have cooked, add some artichoke hearts (I use the seasoned ones in a jar, and I use the whole jar because I like artichokes). When those have cooked, add some diced tomatoes and capers. Mix with 1 lb cooked penne, season to taste and serve with parmesan and parsley. Optional: add chicken for protein.
I came up with a Chicken Chili that even my picky “beige diet” teenager likes—seasonal dishes be damned. Given my Mexican heritage it’s more geared toward my tastes. It’s quick, easy, and tasty. I cook almost every meal and eyeball most seasonings; but if you are interested in my measurements, let me know. Given your skill-set I think you’ll know what to do. :)
Ground chicken, can Del Monte Vegetable & Bean Blend – Mexican Style, Rotel Mexican Blend, can pinto or black beans, can roasted tomatoes, red onions, garlic, bell pepper, chicken broth, and seasonings—cumin/ancho/chili powder/salt/pepper
Grilling a metric fuckton of marinated chicken thighs on Sunday nights, serving them with grilled vegetables and a starch, and then using the leftovers over the next couple of days for tacos, pasta dishes, salads, etc.
A frequent FB meme: "Who knew that the hardest part of being an adult is figuring out what to cook for dinner every single night for the rest of your life?"
Our go to weeknight meal is a big bag of Cesar salad with a grilled chicken breast or Costco rotisserie chicken. Granted we are childless and the dogs don’t seem to mind the lack of scraps to fall on the ground during the making process.
Most of the sheet pan recipes on the New York Times cooking website are good, but the brats with potatoes and Brussels sprouts with a honey mustard glaze are excellent and quick. It’s also an easy recipe to modify for different roasted veggies.
https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020747-sheet-pan-sausages-and-brussels-sprouts-with-honey-mustard?smid=ck-recipe-iOS-share
It’s hard to beat brinner. Granted, my approach to it involves scrapple, but any breakfast meat, some French toast, eggs- easy and delightful.
When I have some time, the SE version of Pasta E Ceci is a good way to go plant-based and use up some rosemary. Makes the house smell great too.
Babish’s recipe for scampi is pretty great too. I haven’t made that in a bit, need to do that soon...
We have had our most success with the kids when we have designated nights.
Example plan:
Mon-Cowboy Surprise*
Tues-Spaghetti
Wed-Breakfast for Dinner
Thu-Wild Card/Chef's Choice
Fri-McDonalds and a Movie Night
Sat-Sausages and Mac and Cheese
Sun-Wild Card/Chef's Choice
Having Wild Card days in there help to break up the monotony and are for when you want to try something or just want to order pizza. It is so much easier if you only have to "think" about a couple of nights a week instead of all of them, especially on work/school nights. Also makes it easier to grocery shop.
This type of system doesn't have to be rigid year-round as you can adapt it based on season. We also vary the fruits and/or vegetables. We use spaghetti with the vegetables in it (the orange kind, not the green kind, that was a disaster) and make changes to the sauce for variety and to see how they respond to different spices/ingredients. Just swap out a meal for something else if the kids stop eating it for a few weeks in a row and maybe bring it back in a few months.
And there is nothing wrong with punting when you've had a rough day and just don't feel like making something. A big bowl of Cheerios (or Kix or Life), some microwaveable breakfast sausages, and some fruit is a nutritious, filling meal for a kid.
I wonder if what veterinarians say about feeding dogs and cats applies to kids. If you are always giving them something different, do they get more finicky?
I wish I could claim this as my own, but fine folks at The Kitchn deserve all the praise in the world for this: https://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-gnocchi-skillet-with-chicken-sausage-amp-tomatoes-206429
It takes about 20 minutes to make and everyone in the house loves it, from my wife down to our toddler. We have this meal at least every other week because we know there won't be a fight about it and we can throw it together so quickly. When the garden is drowning us in cherry tomatoes, (checks calendar) which is right about now, the fresh tomatoes and basil really make this spectacular, too.
It's stupid as heck, but dang if it don't work. Just the other day, wifey had no idea what to prepare, browned some ground turkey, added some basic seasoning (dangit, babby) and mixed it into a few boxes of mac n cheese.
I add a little hot sauce to adultify it, but the kids devour it. And if we tend to have some leftover veg from earlier in the week, that gets tossed in the mix to accent it more.
When all else fails, quesadillas are also simple, quick, and go over like gangbusters.
Pita pizza.
I make a variant on this https://www.seriouseats.com/new-york-style-pizza-sauce and freeze it in relatively 1 meal containers (note to self buy more tupperware) and keep pitas frozen. Sauce, chopped red onion, green pepper, and kalamata olives, topped with whatever cheese you got. Serve with salad. I love cooking, but when my brain stops working, it's pita pizza tonight.
A consistent hit in our house, always leftovers for lunches or a second dinner, easy ingredient list: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/16881/burrito-pie/
Other staples for the mains are chicken thigh slow cooker concoctions or marinated and grilled pork loins. Living in 12-month grill weather helps.
when I make a pot of gravy, that's good for at least three more meals after the first one. I also like making burgers in brown gravy, which I guess is kinda mini-Salisbury steaks. my mom and ex both would use premade gravy, but being extra like I am, I make it from scratch every time. it doesn't take that long.
Otherwise, I'm in the same boat as you. I struggle planning a menu out anymore.
This summer, supper has (too) often been an ice cream cone. I’m serially working my way through a vast menu of flavors. I’m guessing this meal choice would go over big with your kids.
I keep butcher made sausages in the freezer, spicy Italian or chorizo. On lazy nights I cook off one link per person in a ditch oven and remove, then dump a bag of chopped kale in the pot, deglaze the brown bits with a little chicken stock and tamari, cut up the sausages and throw them back in. 20 minutes, one pot, tasty. Double the workload by making it a rice or pasta dish.
We for a while had a shared google doc between my family, my BIL's and my SIL's family where we posted recipes or meal ideas we were planning to make for the week and it turned into a really helpful living document. I guess this thread serves a similar purpose
My most reliable weeknight dinner is a recipe I cribbed from the back of a box of pasta when I was living by myself for the first time. I tried to find it on their website but it looks like they've updated since then. My wife likes it, it tastes good fresh and OK as leftovers. Plus most of the ingredients keep for a while so if we don't get to it they don't go bad.
Sautee a chopped up onion in about 1/4 c olive oil. After the onions have cooked, add some artichoke hearts (I use the seasoned ones in a jar, and I use the whole jar because I like artichokes). When those have cooked, add some diced tomatoes and capers. Mix with 1 lb cooked penne, season to taste and serve with parmesan and parsley. Optional: add chicken for protein.
I came up with a Chicken Chili that even my picky “beige diet” teenager likes—seasonal dishes be damned. Given my Mexican heritage it’s more geared toward my tastes. It’s quick, easy, and tasty. I cook almost every meal and eyeball most seasonings; but if you are interested in my measurements, let me know. Given your skill-set I think you’ll know what to do. :)
Ground chicken, can Del Monte Vegetable & Bean Blend – Mexican Style, Rotel Mexican Blend, can pinto or black beans, can roasted tomatoes, red onions, garlic, bell pepper, chicken broth, and seasonings—cumin/ancho/chili powder/salt/pepper