Best easy, little to no mess meals?

[Ameena]

Spam me with your favorites. I need ideas for stuff I can toss in a throw away foil pan, bake in the oven & eat without using a ton of dishes. I haven't been feeling good all week, and my kitchen is buried. I'm not sick...just really really tired.

 

 

Tomorrow I'm going to attempt a shopping trip. My plan is to do what I normally do when I feel like this - load up on stuff like Stouffers Family dinners {we like Grandma's Chicken & Rice Bake and the Chicken Alfredo ones}, chicken nuggets, instant mac & cheese, basically pre-cooked anything that I can fix on a sheet of foil in the oven. But doing that costs an arm and three legs honestly.

 

I would love some ideas for stuff I could toss together quickly in a throw away pan & bake at home with stuff I already have. Casseroles? Crock pot? Just something easy & no mess.

[ScoutTN]

Roast beef (a cheap cut!) in the crock pot with onions, potatoes and carrots. Leave the veggies in large pieces and toss in whatever liquid you have. Stock, broth,water,wine or beer and a good splash of spy sauce. Cook on low for 8 hrs. Throw in some frozen peas the last few minutes.

Little prep and one pot. Yummy.

 

You can even use a frozen roast.

Onion soup mix also tastes great in this.

[Tammi K]

Spam recipes

 

 For real:

Pulled pork - just s/p and pop the pork roast in a crock pot for 8ish hours. Eat on rolls.

Chilli - day 1) in crock pot  day2) chilli dogs with left over chilli, hot dogs, cheese

Chicken tenders - chicken breasts - sliced in strips, or not - rolled in mix of mayo ( or yougurt) and parm. cheese. Bake 375 on lightly greased foil/ bake tray.

Chicken Satay - same thing but with mix of peanut butter, pinch brown sugar, dollop of prepared mustard, s/p, and any other 'middle east' spices you have. Mix sauce. Thin with water if necessary. Coat chicken. Bake. Serve with rice made in oven while chicken is baking.  (Sounds complicated but it takes seconds to whip up sauce. just use what you find in the cabinet as far as spices are concerned.)

 

Sorry your having a rough week.

 

 

 

[T'smom]

This is incredibly good.

 

4 chicken breasts

2 cans cream of chicken soup

1 pkg. cream cheese

1pkg. Italian dressing mix (the seasoning packet)

 

Put that in the crockpot for a few hours.

 

Shred the chicken and serve over pasta.

 

I got this from some easy crockpot website and it's so good, we practically fight over the leftovers the next day.

[Artichoke]

We use the recipes on crockpot365.blogspot.com. Hope you feel better soon!

[ThisIsTheDay]

Deli-sliced roast beef. Sandwich rolls. 1-2 can of beef broth.

 

Throw the beef broth in a pan, heat to boiling. While it's cooking, slice the rolls (some of us like our rolls buttered) and place roast beef on top.  Close the sandwich. Pour broth into a bowl, one bowl for each person.  You have French dip sandwiches.

[momto10blessings]

Spaghetti with canned sauce ;)

[Mandylubug]

boil chicken breasts and shred for bbq sandwiches (use a bottled bbq sauce)

 

[umsami]

We like to do beef stew in a dutch oven or crock pot.  Cut up stew beef, sprinkle with salt & pepper, cut up 2 or 3 Idaho baking potatoes, 2 or 3 carrots (or half a bag of baby carrots), 2 onions, tablespoon of oregano, 1 bay leaf, splash of worcestershire if you have it, and 1 can of Campbell's tomato soup.  Depending on liquid, I might add in 1/2 cup of water. Cover and put in a 300 degree oven for about 2 to 2-1/2 hours.  Can add in frozen green peas when done.  Yum.

 

Also never forget breakfast for dinner. I wasn't feeling well yesterday and my son was so excited about the thought of having cereal for dinner.  Normally I'll do pancakes or eggs or something, but as he was so thrilled, I let them have it. :)

 

We also like to buy the frozen chicken teriyaki meatballs from Aidells…and serve those with nuked broccoli with cheese and rice.

[momto10blessings]

Put chicken breasts in crockpot and pour a can of rotel over it. When cooked, shred and serve on tortillas as tacos or burritos.

[mamaraby]

We usually do bowls starting with a starch/grain (rice, quinoa, pasta, potatoes, etc) topped with protein (beans, chicken, fish, beef, tofu, etc) and the some veg/cheese/whatever.

 

Tonight was quinoa (20min) topped with black beans that I drained and rinsed, corn (microwave steamer bag), pepper strips (already sliced up right after we got home from grocery shopping), spinach (earthbound farms prewashed), avocado, and salsa. I got the other stuff ready while the quinoa was cooking and in about 40 minutes we had dinner and the kids got the dishes all done in no time because it was limited to the pan from the quinoa, a strainer, a cutting board, and a knife in addition to our four bowls, spoons, and cups. I even had time to sit and read for a bit.

 

You could easily do this with brown rice from the store in the freezer section or even the success brown rice. If meat is more your thing, you can get the precooked chicken strips. Add in some beans too if you like, and then whatever veg suits your fancy. Add a little soy sauce or asian dressing and you've got another take on it.

 

You can take the same precooked chicken strips and veg, but stick them in a tortilla with some cheese. My 9yo does something like this and makes quesadillas with them. Plus, he loves doing it so much he'll make them for the entire family.

 

You can also get chopped veggies in your grocery store's produce department and about 100 different veggie mixes in the frozen section. Sometimes I think the prep part is what seems to take the most time. If budget allows then buying it pre-prepared is certainly the easiest, but if budget is tight you can help yourself out by doing a lot of prep work right away after you get home from the grocery store. From the bag to the counter/sink and then in the fridge already cut up or processed in some way. That way you make the mess once. I find the cut-up/prepped stuff takes less space in the fridge *and* once it's ready to eat, it's more likely to be used/eaten.

 

Aside from that, how old are your kids? What can you delegate to them? Can they take care of the dishes? Make simple meals?

[mamaraby]

Dp

[Ameena]

*snip*

 

Aside from that, how old are your kids? What can you delegate to them? Can they take care of the dishes? Make simple meals?

 

I'm a single mom to one dd. DD is 7.5, but she's an Aspie & a bit delayed in life skills. She can make toast {with some supervision to make sure the toaster doesn't mess up}, pour her own drinks mostly without spilling, heat up TV dinners {but not take them out when hot}, and put a frozen casserole into the oven & then turn on to the correct temp. She can unload the dishwasher & put them away mostly, but not load it on account of needing to be pre-washed for our dishwasher. Anything more than that is above her right now.

 

I think a big part of the problem is the dishes....we have plumbing issues so I have to be careful how much water I run down the pipes at a time. I can either shower or run a load of dishes in a day, but not both or the plumbing backs up. And I can't do either of those every day in a row, or it's too much for the pipes. Someday, hopefully this summer, we'll be able to get the sewer pipe rootered out which should help or solve the problem. But until then...I'm left with it the way it is.

 

[mamaraby]

I think a big part of the problem is the dishes....we have plumbing issues so I have to be careful how much water I run down the pipes at a time. I can either shower or run a load of dishes in a day, but not both or the plumbing backs up. And I can't do either of those every day in a row, or it's too much for the pipes. Someday, hopefully this summer, we'll be able to get the sewer pipe rootered out which should help or solve the problem. But until then...I'm left with it the way it is.

 

Ok, then I think I'd probably go the fewer dishes route emphasizing things like steamer bag rice/veggies. You can even get some ziplock steamer bags where you can put your own ingredients in. If you can mix that in with a few casseroles/crockpot meals that would help with variety. Cockpot liners and lining your baking pans would also help to cut down on rinsing/scrubing.

 

Oh, and a rotissery chicken is a fairly easy meal or meal starter. Take the chicken off the bones and toss the rest (container and all).

 

What about pre-scraping your dishes with a rubber scraper? That should get most of the food off and you might be able to skip the pre-rinsing step. Definitely go for a more expensive brand of dishwasher detergent. I find the pricier packs clean better in my mediocre dishwasher which helps cover over slightly less than steller pre-rinsing by my kids.

[meena]

This week I made this Beef and Barley soup in the crockpot: http://www.melskitchencafe.com/2014/03/slow-cooker-beef-and-barley-soup-plus-two-new-menu-features.html It was delicious and total comfort food.

 

Another favorite comfort food for us is homemade chicken pot pie. This is a great version: http://www.melskitchencafe.com/2011/02/chicken-pot-pie-crumble.html I usually add a bit of oregano, thyme, and poultry seasoning to the filling for more flavor. The crumble topping is a bit fussy, so if you are going for easy, you can just make the filling and top with premade pie crusts or quartered canned biscuits. Or forget the topping and serve over toast points.

 

A casserole we like is 3-cheese chicken penne florentine from Cooking Light found here: http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/three-cheese-chicken-penne-florentine-10000001160622/

 

My older son's absolute favorite is Cheesy Tortellini Casserole: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/cheesy-baked-tortellini-recipe.html So easy, yet so good! I use regular mozzarella rather than the smoked as stated in the recipe.

 

We are having plumbing issues now, too, so I know how you feel about wanting to streamline. Hope this helps!

[meena]

Another thing that's been working well is to cook a batch of chicken breasts in the crockpot to use in simple meals throughout the week. I made a batch by putting about 4-5 breasts in the cooker, sprinkled with a little pepper and taco seasoning, and topped with a little bit of salsa and green chile sauce. I left them on low until just done, so maybe 4 hours most? They will be so tender at that point; they tend to get stringy or rubbery if cooked too long. I then used those for quesadillas, chicken wraps, and protein for salad throughout the week.

[hsingscrapper]

One of our favorite things is sandwiches. If you have a George Foreman or panini press, you can make paninis. Cold cereal is yummy when it's hot out.

[umsami]

I'm a single mom to one dd. DD is 7.5, but she's an Aspie & a bit delayed in life skills. She can make toast {with some supervision to make sure the toaster doesn't mess up}, pour her own drinks mostly without spilling, heat up TV dinners {but not take them out when hot}, and put a frozen casserole into the oven & then turn on to the correct temp. She can unload the dishwasher & put them away mostly, but not load it on account of needing to be pre-washed for our dishwasher. Anything more than that is above her right now.

 

I think a big part of the problem is the dishes....we have plumbing issues so I have to be careful how much water I run down the pipes at a time. I can either shower or run a load of dishes in a day, but not both or the plumbing backs up. And I can't do either of those every day in a row, or it's too much for the pipes. Someday, hopefully this summer, we'll be able to get the sewer pipe rootered out which should help or solve the problem. But until then...I'm left with it the way it is.

 

 

I just want to tell you that I have a 6 year old DD and 8 year old DS (both neurotypical) and they cannot do any more than your DD.  Not sure if they would put the dishes away correctly, to be honest.   :) 

 

My Mom has septic issues, so I can totally relate.  We can't take showers or baths except for once per week, no more than two people…and on days that we shower, no dishwasher or laundry.  This is after she spent 40k to get a new field dug and septic tank put in so it's very frustrating.

[foxbridgeacademy]

 

I think a big part of the problem is the dishes....we have plumbing issues so I have to be careful how much water I run down the pipes at a time. I can either shower or run a load of dishes in a day, but not both or the plumbing backs up. And I can't do either of those every day in a row, or it's too much for the pipes. Someday, hopefully this summer, we'll be able to get the sewer pipe rootered out which should help or solve the problem. But until then...I'm left with it the way it is.

 

Did you ever make Hobo meals when camping? Cut veggies, diced chicken (from a rotisserie chicken?) seasoning and butter wrapped up in a foil packet.  after you cook it toss on a little cheese and eat it straight out of the packet (on a plate that you can just rinse and wipe dry) with bread or tortillas (use Mexican style spices and black beans!).  There are microwave bags of rice (uncle bens?) either plain or flavored (we like the sante fe) that would go great with the packets. You can do the packets with raw meat also if you chop it small.  We do this on the grill in the summer.  Keep in mind that different veggies cook at different rates so plan accordingly.  

 

As for the dish situation, when you're feeling better.... my sister had an issue with her septic and din't have the $$ to fix it right away.  She bought 2 sink size wash/dish pans ($2-$3) she'd either use them to soak her dishes (instead of rinsing) or she would wash/rinse the silver wear and cups.... then toss the water out the back door.  Not ideal but it was doable for awhile.  For showering look into getting a Navy style shower head.  Saves tons of water if you're willing to use it.

[Susan in TN]

Does it have to be a hot meal? How about croissants, fruit, and chef salad?

[Ameena]

Did you ever make Hobo meals when camping? Cut veggies, diced chicken (from a rotisserie chicken?) seasoning and butter wrapped up in a foil packet.  after you cook it toss on a little cheese and eat it straight out of the packet (on a plate that you can just rinse and wipe dry) with bread or tortillas (use Mexican style spices and black beans!).  There are microwave bags of rice (uncle bens?) either plain or flavored (we like the sante fe) that would go great with the packets. You can do the packets with raw meat also if you chop it small.  We do this on the grill in the summer.  Keep in mind that different veggies cook at different rates so plan accordingly.  

 

As for the dish situation, when you're feeling better.... my sister had an issue with her septic and din't have the $$ to fix it right away.  She bought 2 sink size wash/dish pans ($2-$3) she'd either use them to soak her dishes (instead of rinsing) or she would wash/rinse the silver wear and cups.... then toss the water out the back door.  Not ideal but it was doable for awhile.  For showering look into getting a Navy style shower head.  Saves tons of water if you're willing to use it.

 

I need to get a navy showerhead - thanks for reminding me. Will check into that tomorrow when I go to Home Depot.

 

I like the hobo packets idea - we don't have a grill {yet} but I would think the oven would work.

 

I just want to tell you that I have a 6 year old DD and 8 year old DS (both neurotypical) and they cannot do any more than your DD.  Not sure if they would put the dishes away correctly, to be honest.   :)

 

My Mom has septic issues, so I can totally relate.  We can't take showers or baths except for once per week, no more than two people…and on days that we shower, no dishwasher or laundry.  This is after she spent 40k to get a new field dug and septic tank put in so it's very frustrating.

 Okay then I don't feel so bad...I always worry about her life skills being lacking. It's only in the past couple of months she's stepped up to doing most of those things. I sat her down & had a talk with her that if she could step up & do a bit more, it would free me up to do more too since I'm working hard to keep us afloat financially.

 

Our issue is "probably" either a crushed sewer pipe or tree roots growing through it. Not sure yet as we haven't had the funds to scope it. I don't know if it would work for you, but I rigged our laundry to drain out into the back yard using a $15 hose from home depot. Not pretty, but neither of the neightbors care, and it works. Laundry, especially if you have an older washer like I do, uses a TON of water.

[FO4UR]

Saute meat and veggies in a big pan or wok.  It's a 1 dish wonder.

 

 

Heat olive oil on med, mix in seasoning of your choice.  When it's sizzly, add meat.  When meat is almost done, add veggies.  Eat.

 

 

To make it super simple, buy meat already cut up in fajita strips and frozen stir fry veggies in a bag. 

[jenn-]

There was a period in my life with 3 very young kids (and another one that wasn't all that much older) that we relied heavily on paper plates/bowls, and plastic silverware.  Was it the most environmentally friendly time period?  Nope.  But it is was we needed to survive at the time.  Now the kids are all trained to quickly rinse out their cups and their silverware and return it to their place at the table.  It never fails that we run out of spoons in less than a day if we don't do that.  With such a small family, you could probably get away with doing this for several days and just getting a new set of dishes in the morning and using them all day.  That would cut back the number of times you need to do the dishes.

[Baseball mom]

Oven Baked Fajitas
 
1 pound chicken or beef cut into strips
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 tsp chili powder
2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp salt
1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes with green chilies (rotel)
1 medium onion, sliced
1 large bell pepper, seeded and sliced (any color)
12 flour tortillas

Toppings such as cheese, sour cream, and guacamole – if desired

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease/spray with cooking spray a 13×9 baking dish.

 

In a bowl add the meat, veggies & rotel.

Add in the seasonings & oil.

Toss to coat everything.

Pour into baking dish

Bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes or until meat is cooked through and the vegetables are tender.
Serve on tortillas with desired toppings.

 

This could be done in a disposable pan. 
 

[Pippen]

There was a period in my life with 3 very young kids (and another one that wasn't all that much older) that we relied heavily on paper plates/bowls, and plastic silverware.  Was it the most environmentally friendly time period?  Nope.  But it is was we needed to survive at the time. 

I did this right before, during, and after my hysterectomy. I stocked a tub of disposable serving stuff and paper towels and parked it on the counter. It really cut down on work for that period in my life.

[Garga]

1 can refried beans

1 can enchilada sauce (I like the green sauce but red is good, too.)

another can of enchilada sauce

onion, chopped

tomatoes, chopped

cheese

10 flour tortilla shells.

 

Mix can of beans, 1 entire can of enchilada sauce, and chopped onions.  Spoon the mixture into the middle of the tortilla shells.  Roll them up.

 

Heating Option 1--single serving: Put 2 of them on a plate.  Spoon a bit of enchilada sauce from the 2nd can onto the 2 shells.  Sprinkle with some cheese.  Microwave for 3 minutes.  Top with chopped tomatoes.

 

Heating Option 2--all of them:  Roll up all 10 shells, put in a baking pan.  Pour the enchilada sauce from the 2nd can onto all the shells.  Sprinkle with some cheese.  Bake for 20 minutes at 350.  Top each serving with chopped tomatoes.

[KungFuPanda]

For EASY meals, I like:

 

Jar of sauce, pound of browned beef or sausage, and pasta.

 

Kielbasa, frozen pierogis, sliced onion - one skillet

 

Ravioli, cheese, sauce baked (it's like cheating lasagna)

 

Spaghetti with canned clams

 

For baking, I like to roast a meat (chicken, beef, or pork tenderloin) with potatoes and carrots

 

We also like corned beef or pork roast in the crockpot.

 

I find that pizza and Chinese food are so cheap that they're hardly worth the work to make it. Also, even though tacos/burritos are a production the leftovers last for days.

[Ottakee]

I agree with going with disposables and/or soaking your dishes to cut down on washing water.  I wash all of our hand wash dishes and stack them in the other side of the sink.  Once they are ALL washed then I rinse them as it saves a lot of water vs. trying to rinse them as I wash them.

 

Another simple meal is Black Bean Tacos

1 can corn, drained

1 can petite diced tomatoes (drained some)

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 packet taco seasoning mix.

 

Heat this all together. (you could even heat it in a Tupperware container in the microwave to save on a pan).  Put on flour tortillas and sprinkle with cheese and roll up.  This is easy to add in left over ground beef, taco meat, diced or shredded chicken, rice, etc.

[Indian summer]

On shopping day, I buy a precooked chicken and precooked potato wedges or potato salad. Whatever's left over, I use for another meal the next day, usually, i make chicken soup. Noodles or rice would be the easiest addition.

 

Homemade subs are easy and kids can assemble their own, if they are old enough.

 

Sandwiches. Egg salad, tuna, cold cuts, pb&j.

 

Eggins are easy. Omelets baked in muffin cups. Line your muffin cups or use silicon for less mess to clean.

 

Prepackaged salads.

[Ausmumof3]

I just want to tell you that I have a 6 year old DD and 8 year old DS (both neurotypical) and they cannot do any more than your DD. Not sure if they would put the dishes away correctly, to be honest. :)

 

My Mom has septic issues, so I can totally relate. We can't take showers or baths except for once per week, no more than two people…and on days that we shower, no dishwasher or laundry. This is after she spent 40k to get a new field dug and septic tank put in so it's very frustrating.

I agree mine couldn't do more either...

[KungFuPanda]

Here's one: Lazy Meatball Subs

 

Open hoagie rolls and fill with frozen meatballs and a dab of sauce poured from the jar. Wrap in foil and toss in the oven until meatballs are hot. I'd set a meat thermometer to beep, but if you want it fast you can thaw the meatballs in the microwave. Once they're hot, open sandwiches and add shredded mozzarella. Heat until cheese melts and serve. Toss the foil. No pans! If you want to be gourmet, cook some frozen fries . . . also on foil :-) serve with baby carrots if you must.