Up for another recipe/meal challenge? Design the perfect meal.

[BibleBeltCatholicMom]

Now, there are rules . . .

 

1. It has to be homemade, no boxed meals but perhaps some prepkgd items (pasta with homemade sauce would pass muster but not pkgd pasta with sauce from a jar).

 

2. It has to meet your idea of wholesome. For some ppl that will include meat or cheese or whatever and for some ppl it won't. I won't define it but it should meet what you think is wholesome in that regard (as long as it doesn't break rule number one).

 

3. It has to be fairly inexpensive.

 

4. It has to be fairly quick and easy and have relatively few ingredients.

 

So, things that would be hard for me to make fit under the rules are things like spaghetti. I usually use pkgd pasta with homemade sauce. It isn't many intredients but takes a while for the sauce to simmer. It might do, though, if I didn't let it simmer so long or if I just tossed with diced tomatoes, basil and garlic w/o making the sauce.

 

Another problem food is pizza. I think that homemade pizza meets all the requirements if it's homemade but the rising time for the crust would be too time intensive. However, if you used a whole grain roll or something . . .

 

I don't know . . . I'm looking for quick, easy, weeknight doable, my kid could make it if I get sent out on an emergency, super wholesome, likeable.

 

One from my family

thick slices of toasted bread (usu homemade but not at supper time so I guess it counts), topped with roasted asparagus, topped with a poached egg, sprinkled with s/p and parmesan cheese.

 

This is delicious, everyone likes it, it has a whole grain, a veggie, and a protein. Add a fruit salad and big glass of icy water and I think that is a near perfect meal. Not exactly one to serve for company but very good, very wholesome, cheap, and anyone in my family can make it.

 

So now it is your turn. What is one meal that has everything and is super wholesome, cheap, and easy?

[LostSurprise]

I'll have to think about this, but you don't need to let pizza crust rise. Seriously. I use Peter Reinhart's Neapolitan pizza dough and while I let it 'rest' for 15 minutes or so while I get out the rest of the ingredients and wait for the oven to come to temperature I do not let it do a traditional rise. It still rises in the oven. Its a flatbread and doesn't need a lot of time to develop.

 

The longest part of making homemade pizza is waiting for the oven to rise to 450-500 degrees so you get a good crust.

[Jenny in Florida]

Black bean nachos or tacos would probably fit your criteria.

 

I pre-cook and freeze black beans. sometimes pre-seasoned and sometimes plain. I like to season with sauteed onions and a couple of tablespoons of salsa.

 

I put a bowl of those on the table and also set out:

 

- diced onions

- chopped bell pepper

- shredded lettuce

- cilantro leaves

- corn niblets (the frozen kind, defrosted)

- rice, seasoned or not (I use a rice cooker, making this almost no effort.)

- cheese and sour cream (for my husband)

- bowl of tortilla chips or taco shells

 

The chips or taco shells come in a package. The corn niblets are frozen, but a single ingredient kind of thing.

 

The whole meal is cheap, healthy and easy. It has a concentrated protein, a grain and a few veggies.

 

Edit: I make home-made pizza, too. I make and freeze sauce ahead of time or make a double portion on a night when I'm already doing pasta. I make home-made dough, but it doesn't rise before being formed and going in the oven. I don't count it as an easy meal for me, because I can just barely fit the whole family's meal in the oven at the same time, and everyone here likes theirs done in a different way. But the rising time thing isn't a problem.

Edited October 10, 2012 by Jenny in Florida

[Parrothead]

There is this dish I call Something. I use fresh veggies sauteed in olive oil then tossed with basil and served over pasta.

 

You could use a couple bags of frozen mixed veggies to keep the ingredients list and costs down. You could add chicken if that is the way your family eats. You could add a bit of shredded parm.

 

It is a quick and healthy meal.

[ILiveInFlipFlops]

Last night I made this (I'm sure I didn't invent it, but I modified a different recipe on the fly and ended up with it).

 

Saute onions and garlic in olive oil on low heat until soft. Add a 16 oz. jar of salsa, a cup of water, and a couple pounds of chicken parts (my package had 5 drumsticks and two bone-in breasts, it was perfect). Bring to a boil then simmer for an hour. Add a bag of frozen corn (and a can of black or red beans if you want to) and cook through. Serve with corn chips and a dollop of sour cream, or serve over rice (I served with GF biscuits because that's what I had).

 

If your kids are good with spices, you could also have them thrown in a little cayenne and cumin as well, when they add the salsa.

[Mrs Mungo]

Tacos/Taco Salad/Fajitas

 

Make homemade sauce ahead of time and freeze it, so the kid just has to heat the sauce and make pasta.

 

Buy pre-made refrigerated pizza crust and sauce from Trader Joe's or Whole Foods. These are wholesome, not full of preservatives.

 

Stir fry

[cjzimmer1]

Quesadillas

 

We use a whole wheat prepackaged tortillas but you could make your own. But then it wouldn't be so fast.

 

use any combo that you like onions, peppers, mushrooms, cooked chicken, beef, beans, rice, corn, spinach, shredded carrots.

 

I will saute onions, peppers, and mushrooms, add whatever other ingredients I have on hand. Dump in a jar of salsa (all our salsa is made from veggies I grew myself and canned by me so I don't consider it a processed food) add extra cumin if desired. Spray outside of tortillas with Pam (or brush with butter or oil of choice), fold in half (oil outward) fill half with mixture sprinkle some cheese fold top over and Bake in preheat oven (450-500) for 8-10 minutes. Can be eaten as a meal or serve a salad or other fresh veggies or fruit with it.

[Gisel_le]

[quote name=BibleBeltCatholicMom;4386020

 

 

 

So' date=' things that would be hard for me to make fit under the rules are things like spaghetti. I usually use pkgd pasta with homemade sauce. It isn't many intredients but takes a while for the sauce to simmer. It might do, though, if I didn't let it simmer so long or if I just tossed with diced tomatoes, basil and garlic w/o making the sauce.

 

 

FYI> I make sauce with veggies, seasoning, diced tomatoes, and a small can of tomato paste to make it saucy. It doesn't take long because the paste thickens it without waiting for the tomatoes to reduce. HTH

[Annie G]

There is this dish I call Something. I use fresh veggies sauteed in olive oil then tossed with basil and served over pasta.

 

You could use a couple bags of frozen mixed veggies to keep the ingredients list and costs down. You could add chicken if that is the way your family eats. You could add a bit of shredded parm.

 

It is a quick and healthy meal.

 

I LOVE your name for this!! I frequently saute veggies and put over whatever starch is leftover in the fridge- rice, pasta, or whatever. Today it was over a potato baked in the microwave, and I used zucchini, onion, mushrooms, bell pepper, and at the last minute, diced grape tomatoes. I make this combo for breakfast or lunch about 5 times a week. I'm so excited to finally have a name for it.g

 

For the OP- sauteed veggies with some diced chicken added in the last few minutes, and then add a tablespoon or two of EITHER pesto or soy sauce- it's our go-to meal because nearly every veggie works this way. It's fast, and we usually have leftover rice or pasta to serve it on.

[anneofalamo]

A cure to the pasta sauce is to make a ton of it on one day,and then put in freezer bags for upcoming meals:

 

Chicken Rigatoni (our name)

Take bag of defrosted pasta sauce add 1/2 cup of whipping cream)makes it so creamy and good) and cup of mozzarella cheese.

cut up chicken in small bite size pieces and cook in olive oil along with some garlic (onions if wanted)

add to sauce

boil rigatoni noodles, the ones that look like pipes is what we use. Add to sauce

add chicken and pour in casserole dish

sprinkle with cheese and serve with salad or green beans

I make 2 at a time, one to freeze one for that day.

 

Add prepackaged meatballs (or ones you made prior and are frozen) to defrosted sauce and have meatball sands I add green peppers and italian sausage also

 

bread pork-pan friend (in olive oil) and pasta sauce over with noodles

 

This is good for white sauces, red sauce or green chile' sauces too! You make your sauce in BIG bulk and then rotate with meats or cheeses.

 

and Parmesan mixed with mayo over Chicken is divine baked!

 

Salisbury steak (burger cooked in small servings, take out) make your favorite beef gravy, return burger pieces and let simmer 10-15 minutes, serve over noodles, rice or mash pots with vegi of choice

 

BBQ chicken with homemade coleslaw

 

my kids make all the above and get such a joy out of cooking...I make with them a few times, and then watch on the sidelines, they now can get it going if I am dead to the world or somewhere else. Huge help!

[Sara in AZ]

Strange. Spaghetti is one of my fast dinners. If the meat is already thawed I can make the sauce in the amount of time it takes the noodles to boil. Also, I'd you google "easy pizza dough" there are plenty of crusts that don't have to rise. The one I use lets the yeast/sugar/water sit for 5 min., but that's it. I've used straight whole wheat flour and it gets perfectly fluffy. I can do pizza in probably 45 min. start to finish.

 

Chicken quinoa stirfry is pretty easy. Cook a cup or two of quinoa in chicken broth. While the quinoa boils, sauté a couple of diced chicken breasts or tenders until done. Throw in some sliced onion, and a couple of sliced peppers, any color, and some minced garlic. When veggies are done, add the quino to the pan and sprinkle some basil in (fresh is best) and there you go.

[whitestavern]

A couple that came to mind quickly:

 

chicken diable (throw some chicken breasts in a pan, cover w/a mixture of melted butter, curry powder, honey and dijon) bake til done. Add your fav veg and starch or salad

 

veggie fajitas (saute all colored peppers, onions and mushrooms that have been tossed with garlic, olive oil, cumin & chili powder...put them in a warmed tortilla w/lots of guac and high quality hot sauce)

 

spicy chicken thighs (toss in mixture of paprika, salt, garlic powder, cumin, cayenne and broil...during last few minutes brush w/mix of honey & vinegar). Add your fav veg and starch or salad

 

quiche

 

stir fry (empty fridge of any and all appropriate veggies. Add meat if interested. Saute w/oil and garlic. Add soy, fish sauce, sesame oil, ginger-whatever spices you like. Serve over brown rice.