more easy meals

Crunchy Taco Salad

1 lb ground beef or turkey (buy what is on sale, with the seasoning, you can't tell the difference!)
lettuce
salsa
tomato
tortilla chips (or doritos!)
chili beans in chili sauce OR taco seasoning

Brown beef/turkey and drain. Stir in chili beans or taco seasoning and water and simmer about 10 minutes. Divide lettuce into 4 servings and spoon a portion of the meat on top. Top meat with salsa, tomato (and cheddar cheese, green onion, and sour cream if you prefer), crumble tortilla chips (or doritos) over each salad.

Beef fried rice

Remember that left-over pot roast???

Shred pot roast leftovers. Cook and chill rice (depending on the number of servings you need). Heat beef in skillet lightly coated with oil (olive or vegetable or whatever you prefer), and add soy sauce to taste. Stir in cold rice, and whatever vegetables you h ave on hand (yes, I use leftover veggies in this all the time). If you don't have leftover veggies, grate a carrot and dice a small amount of onion. Heat thoroughly and serve.

Balsamic chicken

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/4 onion, sliced (or more if you prefer)
balsamic vinegar
olive oil

Heat oil in skillet and add chicken breasts and balsamic vinegar. Cook chicken thoroughly. When chicken is done cooking remove from skillet and set aside. Add onions to skillet and saute until tender. Add chicken back to pan and re-heat. Serve with rice or pasta and a veggie.

Turkey-Broccoli Casserole (great for Thanksgiving leftovers!)

2 10oz packages of frozen broccoli
2 cups coarsely chopped cooked turkey
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup milk
grated cheddar cheese

We cook our broccoli before making this because the first time I followed the recipe exactly, the broccoli wasn't cooked all the way...might have been the old oven, but still...ick!

So...cook broccoli (or at least heat thoroughly!). Preheat oven to 375. Layer broccoli in a 12x8 inch baking dish. Spread turkey evenly over broccoli. Mix soup with milk until smooth and pour over turkey. Sprinkle grated cheese on top and bake for 30 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Chicken with beans and rice

If you have leftover chicken, this will make good use of it! We sometimes have a whole roast chicken as a meal, and this is one way I use the leftovers so that we don't get bored.

Leftover chicken
Zataran's family size red beans and rice or black beans and rice

Cook beans and rice as directed, adding diced, cooked chicken as it is approaching a boil (really, as soon as you have the rice, water, and spices in the pot, start adding the chicken). Once all the chicken is added (use as much as you like), cover and cook as directed on the rice and bean package.

This is a fairly fast and filling meal. My children are fairly picky eaters and both of them love this!

Shrimp and fries

Another fast and easy (and inexpensive) meal....not gourmet, but better than fast food!

Pre-cooked, de-veined, peeled shrimp or easy-peel shrimp
french fries or tater tots

Cook shrimp until pink (or simply re-heat if they are pre-cooked). Meanwhile, cook fries or tots as directed on package. Serve with salad.

*if the shrimp are easy peel, I would suggest thawing them before tossing them into the water...makes it a LOT easier on your hands if you are peeling them cool instead of boiling hot - my kids freak out if they have to peel their shrimp...go figure .