men need it to be cooked! {recipe help}

recipe-help.jpg
Now that the holidays are over, I need to start making regular dinners again. Steve was willing to eat takeout in December, but the man needs some good home cooking now! Matty’s offered to help, but most of the ingredients are plastic (it’s just as filling!). So I’m looking for some easy recipes. Emphasis on the easy!!

64 comments

  1. This chicken is super easy and it tastes good:

    6 chicken drumsticks
    Garlic powder
    salt
    cumin powder
    diced cilantro
    Place chicken in a crockpot, rub pieces of chicken with all the spices. Add:

    1 small can of crushed tomatoes in puree (or petite-diced, if you don’t mind little pieces).

    Cook on crockpot on low for 4 hours.

    Right before serving, mix 1 Tablespoon of flour with 1/4 cup of water and mix to dissolve the flour. Add to the chicken still in the crockpot to thicken the sauce.
    ——————————————–
    I serve it with brown rice.

    I’ll post a couple more recipes tomorrow.

  2. Such fun recipes! I’ll have to try all these myself. Maybe let us know of some that you try and what your favorites were?

  3. One of my favorites :

    Pasta with Leek, Mushrooms and Bacon

    Ingredients: pasta, 100 grams diced bacon, 250 grams mushrooms, 1 leek, 2 tablespoons pesto, 100 ml beef stock, grated cheese,

    Cook the pasta according pack instructions. Cook 100 grams diced bacon until crispy. Add 250 grams sliced mushrooms. Wheb the mushrooms are tender, add 1 leek sliced in rings. Cook this for a minute or 2. Stir in 2 tablespoons pesto and then 100 ml beef stock (possibly derived from approximately 1/3 cube beef stock). Take to the boil, lower the heat and let it simmer for about a minute or 10. Drain the pasta and stir this through. Serve with grated cheese.

    Have fun trying them all out !

  4. Most boxed pasta has a recipe or two on the back that are always easy…not simply pasta and sauce, but other meats and veggies too, and you can easily substitute.

  5. Do you have a crock pot? I have a TON of easy yummy recipes that we love 🙂

    One is Salsa Chicken:

    Chicken breasts (as many as you need, normally 4-6)
    1 jar of salsa

    Put chicken in crock pot,cover w/ salsa. Heat on low for 6-8 hours. Shred chicken, let sit in salsa for a few minutes to soak up some liquid. Serve over rice or in tortillas w/ cheese & sour cream.

    Yummy 🙂

  6. Wow! You’ve gotten a ton of recipes here! I’m not a great cook, but when I use one of Paula Dean’s recipes, I’m always a success! She’s a southern cook, so she uses plenty of butter, etc., so health-wise, probably not the best choice. But the food tastes delicious!

    My favorites:
    -pineapple casserole (I usually cook this with pork loin or pork chops.)
    -blue cheese-stuffed chicken (this looks like a gourmet dish)

    Roban

  7. We love chicken marsala, and you wouldn’t believe how easy it is.

    1/2 cup all-purpose flour
    salt and pepper to taste
    2 (6 to 8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in halves
    1 tablespoon olive oil
    2 tablespoons butter
    3 cups sliced mushrooms
    3/4 cup Marsala wine
    1 cup chicken broth

    In a shallow bowl or plate combine the flour and season w/ salt and pepper. Stir to combine thoroughly. Quickly dredge the chicken breast halves in the seasoned flour mixture, shaking to remove any excess flour.

    Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until very hot but not smoking. Add 1 tablespoon of the butter and cook the chicken breasts until golden brown on both sides, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

    Add 1 tablespoon of the remaining butter to the pan and add the mushrooms. Cook, stirring frequently, until mushrooms are golden brown around the edges and have given off their liquid. Add the Marsala wine and bring to a boil, scraping to remove any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.

    When the mushrooms have cooked, add the chicken stock and cook for 3 minutes.
    Lower the heat to medium and return the chicken breasts to the pan and continue to cook until they are cooked through and the sauce has thickened, about 5 to 6 minutes.

    My kids love this, and the Marsala keeps well. We start some rice and a steamed veggie before we start the chicken. Dinner is done, with prep time, in about 30 minutes. :o)

  8. Speedy Chicken Stir-Fry

    8 oz angel hair pasta, uncooked
    2 cups broccoli florets*
    1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
    1/2 cup Kraft Asian Toasted Sesame Dressing (I use closer to 3/4)
    2 TBS soy sauce
    1/4 tsp. each ground ginger, garlic powder, crushed red pepper
    1/3 cup dry roasted peanuts

    Cook pasta as directed on package, adding broccoli to the boiling water for the last 3 minutes. Meanwhile, spray a large non-stick skillet with cooking spray, heat on medium high. Add chicken; cook 6 to 8 minutes or until cooked through, stirring occasionally. Stir in dressing, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, and crushed red pepper; cook a couple minutes stirring occasionally.
    Drain pasta mixture; and dole out onto plates or bowls. Spoon the chicken mixture evenly over top the pasta. Sprinkle with the peanuts.

    *** You can substitute snow peas for the broccoli too!

  9. I like making a thai chicken kind of dish, i don’t call it a curry because I don’t put enough curryish ingredients in but the thai flavour is still there (don’t be intimidated by the number of ingredients it is really simple) i don’t use measurements, just what looks good:

    chicken breast or tenderloins diced (could probably substitute with prawns or fish)
    onion
    mushrooms
    coriander
    light coconut cream
    minced ginger
    minced garlic
    lemongrass
    chilli to taste (if i make it for our 1 year old i just use a little sweet chilli sauce for the flavour but if it’s just for the adults i will chop up a chilli or 2)
    red capsicum(bell pepper), broccoli, bok choy (or pak choy, any of the choys lol), carrots & lebenese cucumber to steam and serve with rice

    Steam Veggies & Cook Rice your normal way.

    Splash some olive oil in the frypan/wok and cook onion, mushrooms, garlic & ginger, after the onions have started to turn clear chuck in the chicken. Keep stirring every few minutes so the chicken doesn’t brown but cooks through. Once the chicken is mostly cooked pour in the coconut cream as well as the coriander & lemongrass. Leave to simmer until the cream has thickened, serve over rice with veggies on the side.

    The most time consuming job in this recipe is chopping up the veggies to steam so I have been known to cheat and use the frozen stir fry veggies cooked in a microwave steamer and at the end of the day it tastes just as good…

  10. I would definitely suggest checking out the Pioneer Woman Cooks site. And, don’t be afraid of all the butter. You can usually cut it down just a bit!

  11. Mexican Casserole….

    2 cans chili (veggie or with meat)
    1 can black beans drained
    1 can kidney beans drained
    1 can corn drained
    1 small can sliced olives drain
    1-2 cups shredded cheese
    box of cornbread mix
    sour cream for topping

    dump first five ingredients into a 9 x 13 pan. add shredded cheese and stir. make cornbread mix according to package directions and spread over top of 9 x 13 pan. bake at 375 degrees for 30 – 40 minutes. done when cornbread is brown and toothpick comes out clean. top with a little sour cream and eat up!

    we try to eat for the week as follow….1 night chicken/turkey dinner, 2 nights fish and the rest vegetarian…then we usually eat a red meat once every two weeks. if this recipe falls on my chicken/turkey night I will use turkey chili…if it falls on a veggie night I use trader joe’s veggie chili with tofu…my hubby and children have no idea and it tastes just as yummy!

    Good luck….we are back to eating at home regularly too!

  12. I have a different version of White Chicken Chili…

    Jar of White northern beans(Randalls-large)
    8 oz of hot pepper jack cheese
    1 jar of salsa
    2 tablespoons of cumin
    3-4 chicken breasts

    I’ve actually mad this without the chicken, more as a soup and it’s really good too.

    PIZZA ROLLUPS FOR THE KIDS! Easy but great for picky eaters!

    1-2 tubes of crescant rolls
    jar of pizza sauce
    cheese
    any pizza toppings that you normally use

    Unroll the tubes. Take the dough in rectangle sections and press down the seam(to make the rectangle) add sauce, cheese and toppings. Now fold up the sides and ends leaving the middle open. Bake according to directions on package. Easy but the kids love them!

  13. OOH. I’m a lot like Lindsey up there. I guess I should say, I used to be. And I should be now, but that’s ok. 🙂 I used to do a lot of freezer meals, b/c I could do all my cooking in 1-2 days, and be done for a while. Love reading recipes, too, so thanks for asking. If I can find the one I’m thinking of, I’ll post it. Happy, blessed, cooking!

  14. Baked Chicken pieces (40 min if thawed)
    with Minute brand rice (10 min) (make it with chicken broth instead of water for more flavor) and a steamed veggie (broccoli, asparagus…) (10 min).
    It doesn’t get any easier than that.

    If you want something faster bake some fish with butter and olive oil and seasoning (10 min).

  15. One of our classic favorites is just a big pile of spaghetti, some garlic bread and a side salad. Its incredibly easy, cheap, and filling. 🙂

    Also wanted to let you know that my blog has changed locations, and I am having a Grand-Re-Opening giveaway of Jewelry & Starbucks cards, so stop on by if you get a chance! 🙂

  16. WHITE CHICKEN CHILI

    No kidding, this recipe is dump and heat, so it takes no more than 5 minutes! and it’s oh.so.good 🙂

    In a large pot, empty:
    a 48 oz. jar of Great Northern Beans-undrained (I use Randall brand),
    1 jar of salsa (your favorite brand),
    4 cups of sharp cheddar cheese;shredded,
    chicken (I use 2 cans of chicken breast, drained, and break up the chunks with my fingers) or you can use some pre-cooked rotisserie chicken, shredded.

    Heat all ingredients over medium-high heat until cheese is melted completely. I never thin this out because it’s a great consistency as is, but you can always add a bit of water or broth if you’d like it thinner.
    I serve with green onions and sour cream as condiments and also love to scoop this up with fritos!

  17. Tortilla Soup – even men like this soup and it’s easy! I don’t like to use the Ancho Chilis (not a flavor I like). Go easy (1/4th) on the Anaheim chilis so it’s not too spicy for your boys. I like to make a big pot and freeze half for a later meal. If you buy a pre-roasted chicken at the grocery store it’s even easier. All the different toppings you can use are fun too. http://www.williams-sonoma.com/recipe/recipedetail.cfm?objectid=21BF67F9%2DFF35%2D4CE1%2D9B24C4BE7A11789C

  18. This is my FAVORITE new easy recipe. It is cheap, makes a ton, and you can freeze the rest to pop in the oven for another lunch or dinner.

    Meat Stromboli

    3 loaves frozen white bread dough (it comes in packs of 3)
    a bunch of lunch meat whatever kind you like
    any kind of cheese you like
    pasta sauce

    I usually do ham, turkey and provolone cheese. Follow the rising directions on the bread dough package. Roll out the dough flat. Stick in the meat and cheese. Fold the dough over it. Cut it up in to 4-6 inch sections. Bake it at 375 until its golden brown and puffed up. We like to dip ours in the pasta sauce.

  19. Easy nachos

    1 can of corn
    1 can of black beans
    Some cheese
    chips
    Sour cream

    lay out your chip, put shredded cheese on, then some black beans and then the corn, toss it in the microwave till cheese is melted about a minute then add sour cream on top and serve.

  20. Stuffed Shells – So easy!

    1 box large shells – Boil them till tender

    Mix
    1 container ricotta cheese
    2 cups mozzerella Cheese
    1 egg
    Some parmasean cheese
    some basil flakes

    Stuff the mixture into the shells and place in casserol dish then top with a jar of ragu or favorite spaghetti sauce and bake for 30-40 minutes at 350

    Yummy!

  21. Sweet and Spicy Chili is from Simplify Supper.

    2 lbs. beef stew meat
    2 cans chili beans
    2 cans diced tomatoes with basil, oregano and garlic (already included in the can)
    1 cup brown sugar
    4 celery stalks (chopped up)

    I put the above ingredients into the crock pot on low and let it cook anywhere from 8-12 hours depending on how nuts the day is and how late dinner is! The longer it cooks the more tender the meat is.

  22. Try Pulled Pork Sandwiches:
    Buy the McCormick Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Pork seasoning pack at the grocery store . . . then all you need is a pork roast, some ketchup, brown sugar & cider vinegar and pop it in your crock pot.
    We serve pulled pork on hamburger buns with french fries and some fruit . . . definitely an easy family favorite!

  23. Italian Chicken
    marinate chicken breasts in Zesty Italian salad dressing overnite
    cover with salsa and grated cheese and bake

    350 for 45-50 minutes

  24. Okay heres an easy one I got from Clean eating mag. I have made several times.

    I am single so you can modify for larger quantites.

    2 chicken breasts
    1/4 whole wheat flour
    2 T oil, I use canola
    1 can artichoke hearts
    1/4 cup lemon juice
    1/4 cut chicken broth
    zest of 1 lemon
    2 T capers( I added this to recipe, lov them)
    1/2 t oregano
    1/4 t pepper
    1 yellow onion-thinnly slice length wise
    1 clove garlic

    Butterfly chicken,and cut in halves. cover chicken in flour with oregano and pepper. heat oil in pan and brown chicken for appx. 4 minutes each side. Remove chicken saute remove.Cover with foil to keep hot.Saute onion slightly brown and then add garlic coook for 1 minute. Add broth add drained artichokes, capers, lemons and zest. bring to simmer. Add chicken back in. I leave on top then cover with lid and cook approximately 5-8 minutes. This helps finish cooking off chicken. Kind of steams it and leaves chicken moist. It sounds long But I get done in less than 30 minutes. I don’t know if your kids will like but I think its awesome. Not overly garlicly. I am not a big fan of garlic. In fact I kind of tweak a little if I want a bit more juice or more lemon flavor I’ll add more broth or lemon juice or just zest.

    I have been eating with baked sweet potatoe fries with oil, chili pepper and a bit of cayenne. These might be for kids maybe just plain sweet potatoes. It also helps with my wanting of dessert because these are sweet.

    I hope you try. ENJOY!

  25. easy chicken tacos
    4 chicken breast halves and a jar of salsa in the crockpot. Cook on high for 4 hours, shred chicken, cook 2 hours longer.

    use whatever taco toppings you love!

  26. i suggest lobster tail, with risotto. maybe some homemade cream puffs for dessert? my personal favorite is homemade ravioli’s with butternut squash and braised lamb filling.

    ok, im totally joking. i just made all that up. (and i dont even like seafood). =)

    how about a baked potato bar? or, all time favorite, (kinda messy!) a make-your-own-pizza night! trader joes has everything you need…=)

  27. 1 can (drained) each of
    kidney beans
    black beans
    pinto beans
    corn
    Add a jar of your favorite salsa

    Sometimes we’ll eat this exactly as above with tortilla chips, cheese, and sour cream, and sometimes I’ll add some water (about a salsa jar’s worth) and cook it on the stove (just until it’s hot) to make soup. Couldn’t be easier, and my 2yo LOVES it!

  28. ok, so this isn’t necessarily easy, but i like to make a HUGE pot of chili then i put family size portions in ziplock freezer bags and they lay flat on top of each other in the freezer. when i want some for dinner i pull out a bag, soak it in some warm water and heat it on the stove. i also always have it with marie calendar’s cornbread from cotsco, topped with honey butter. i make the chili really healthy too, with tons of veggies. if you want, come over some night and we can prep a huge batch together – i just used my last bag. its great for those nights when you don’t want to cook. sorry about the long paragraph!

  29. I have made many variations of this paella / jambalaya depending on what I have to hand.

    I generally start by frying onions with some slices of chorizo and a splosh of red wine if i haven’t finished the bottle! Then I add some chicken or turkey, some peppers, mushrooms, brocolli (I try to cram in as much veg as possible) then throw in some rice, long grain, risotto, whatever. Add some stock to cover, throw in whatever spices you want (i like paprika and chilli). I might also add some prawns or mussels toward the end for a more special meal. Serve it when the rice is cooked and there is still a small amount of liquid left (so it isn’t too dry) You need to check and add extra liquid if needed.

    This is one of my stand by meals and can usually be cobbled together quickly from whatever we have to hand. And the kids love it (but not so much if I dont have chorizo in!)

  30. Hey, thanks, Lisa. These are tips I need, too. I can’t wait to get into my own place again to start cooking – and I HATE to cook, but I’m willing to do it more now. And crockpot things I like to do, too. I just don’t get up in time to get it done before I have to bolt out the door.

  31. Just last night I made this-and it’s turned into a staple around here…I buy those pre-marinaded pork tenderloins (cheap too!) pop in a casserole dish sprayed w/ Pam and bake (I tend to bake longer than recommended-about 45 minutes) then throw it on the grill for a few minutes for added flavor. Last night we had the peppercorn one and the kids gobbled it up and enough for a little leftover for lunch the next day. We just did mashed potatoes and broccoli-easy! YUM!

  32. Here’s one of my favorites. It’s easy to tailor to the spices you have on hand. I don’t even measure them any more, I just dump them on in…makes it spicy!

    Spicy Black Beans with Bacon

    Ingredients:
    1/2 lb bacon, chopped
    1 large onion, peeled and chopped
    2 large garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
    1 1/2 tbs. chili powder
    2 tsp. dried oregano
    1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
    1 can (4 oz.) of diced green chilies
    2 cans (15-16 oz.) black beans, rinsed and drained
    1 can (16 oz.) diced peeled tomatoes
    salt and pepper to taste

    Directions:
    1. Cook the bacon in a large heavy saucepan (I use our huge cast iron) over medium heat until light brown.
    2. Add the onion and garlic and saute until the onion is translucent.
    3. Add all the remaining ingredients. Simmer until the mixture is thick, stirring frequently. (I usually let it go for about 20 minutes or until our rice is done in the rice cooker.)
    4. Season with salt and pepper.

    Number of servings: 4

  33. LOVE my crockpot! LOVE one-pot meals too.

    You know what else is great…breakfast meals for dinner. Egg omlets, hash browns, toast yummy!

  34. Our favorite chicken recipe takes:

    Olive oil
    1/2 purple onion (chopped)
    6-8 chicken tenders (I buy them frozen in a bag)
    Seasoning salt
    Chili powder
    Black pepper
    2 Avocados
    Lime juice

    Saute chopped onion in olive oil and then place chicken in same pan. Shake seasoning salt, chili, and black pepper on chicken and cover pan. Cook for 5-7 minutes. Turn chicken and cover with seasonings again. Cover and cook another 5-7 minutes. Cut avocado into small chunks. Place chicken on plate, add avacado, onions and then shake lime juice over the top.

  35. If you like pizza and want something that your kiddo’s can help with you can make pizza bagels.. just take bagels..Place them on a cookies sheet.. spread on the ragu and add the cheese.. bake at 350 degree oven for about 10 min… quick and easy but still good.. and it’s fun for the kid’s too…

  36. My favorite super easy recipe is –

    -4 chicken breasts
    -fresh or frozen green beans
    -one can Italian stewed tomatoes
    -one can chicken broth
    -garlic powder, salt/pepper
    -Brown rice

    -Brown chicken on both sides in olive oil in a Dutch oven (or other oven safe pot)
    -Add stewed tomatoes, chicken broth, green beans and season with garlice powder and salt and pepper
    -Bring to a boil then transfer to the oven
    -Bake until the chicken is cooked through and green beans are tender
    -Serve over brown rice – yum!!

    (If I have them on hand, I’ll garnish this with chopped roasted almonds. Sounds weird but is delicious!)

  37. A variation on the barbeque chicken in the crock pot is to do pulled pork…I buy the pork loins at Costco…just cover with water,sliced onions and a tablespoon of Worchestershire Sauce…cook till tender. Take the meat out and when cool enough shred…pour barbeque sauce over it and Yummy! I serve on it on rolls when feeding a crowd…good with Mac’s and Cheese or store bought cole slaw or potatoe salad.

    Not to be preachy though…remember that this is your family that you are feeding…nothing is more important to their well being than good food and a relaxed dinner time. So often I feel the only message we hear is to hurry up and cook…these busy days will pass quickly and you will miss them when your boys are grown!

  38. Meatloaf:

    1 lb hamburger
    1 egg
    3/4 cup oats
    1 tsp salt
    dash of pepper
    1 – 8 oz can tomato sauce

    Mix together with your hands in a large bowl. Place in bread loaf pan (or a 9″ square or round cake pan if you don’t have a loaf pan). Bake on 350 degrees for 1 hour.

  39. Breakfast Cassarole
    I make this up ahead of time so easy and no cooking for the rest of the week (for Breakfast).
    1 can of cresent rolls
    1 lb of sausage
    6-8 eggs
    Cheddar cheese shredded
    Splash of milk

    Roll cresent roll as one piece into a 9×13 pan
    cook sausage
    Shread cook sauage over the entire pan
    pour eggs & milk after beaten and salt & pepper is added (to taste)
    then add the cheese.
    cook at 350 til eggs are done 20-25 minutes
    cool and refrigerate til needed.
    reheat in microwave.

    I love we can eat this and not dirty the kitchen and no one has to wait

  40. My new easy favorite:

    RICE KRISPIES Parmesan Chicken

    * 3 cups RICE KRISPIES cereal, crushed
    * 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
    * 1 teaspoon dried basil
    * 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
    * 1 egg
    * 1/3 cup milk
    * 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
    * 6 boneless skinless chicken breasts

    DIRECTIONS

    1. In large plate or shallow pan, combine crushed cereal, Parmesan cheese and herbs.
    2. In medium bowl, beat egg and milk slightly. Stir in flour; mix until smooth. Dip chicken in batter, then coat with cereal mixture. Place in single layer on foil-lined baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray.
    3. Bake at 180 degrees C (350 degrees F) about 35 minutes or until no longer pink in centre. (Do not cover or turn chicken while cooking.)

    Mmmmmm….

  41. Taco Soup

    1 can of cream of chicken soup
    1 box of chicken broth
    1 cup of water
    1 small can of green chilies
    1 can of corn
    1 roasted chicken (already cooked at the store) or cook 3 or 4 chicken breasts.
    1/2 to a full package of taco mix

    Throw it all in the crock pot for the day or on the stove top on med-low for 1-2 hours.

    Just before serving take 1 cup of soup out and mix with 1 cup of sour cream. Whisk well and put back into the soup.

    Serve with corn chips, cheddar cheese and sour cream.

    This is the best soup ever. Easy, filling and my girls love it.

  42. Not sure if your family likes rice, but an easy meal is pre package flavored rice with chicken or sausage added. I buy Zataran’s family boxes, of Dirty Rice or Jambalaya anything you like. Then add Italian Sausage or Chicken to it. Quick and very good, then maybe have pickles, cottage cheese,or salad etc with it. My family love’s it!
    Good Luck

  43. I just don’t think you can beat a crock pot meal. This morning, I took some chicken breasts and threw them in the crock pot with some bbq sauce. I bought some whole wheat buns and made some coleslaw. I’ll serve our shredded bbq chicken sandwiches with a little side salad….EASY and pretty healthy.

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