Anonymous wrote:Gazpacho, cheese, and baguette.
Salmon burger paninis.
Tuna melts.
Make your own pita pizzas in the toaster oven.
I don't have a recipe for it, but I make a dish with frozen shredded potatoes, frozen peas, onion, and shrimp, heated up together. I use mild curry as the spice.

NP- This sounds yummy. Do you have a recipe?

Pasta dishes:

- Cut up grape tomatoes then toss with olive oil, basil and salt. Add the cooked pasta and toss. You can also add cut up mozzarella cheese (I use the bocconcini). You can could also cook the tomatoes a bit if you like, but they are great uncooked also.

- Cut up deli ham (mild, simply cooked ham. Not virginia ham or honey ham). Cook in butter or olive oil in a pan until browned to your liking. Add frozen petite peas and cook until peas are unfrozen. Add to the cooked pasta, toss in a little more butter to melt and add parmesan cheese if desired.

- Melt butter in a pan, add fresh sage leaves and cook until sage has infused the butter. You can also brown the butter a little bit. Toss with cooked pasta and then add parmesan cheese if desired.

- Sautee sliced mushrooms (any kind) in butter with a little salt. After they are cooked add heavy cream. Cook for a bit and then add cooked pasta and combine. This one can be a bit heavy so only add the amount of cream you wish. Or you can cut the cream a bit with some chicken broth (only a bit, though).

Other dishes:

- Cook basmati rice (about 1-2 cups). Sautee 1/2 onion and 2 garlic cloves in a pan with olive oil. Add 1 package ground turkey (i lb?). Cook until turkey browned. Add some dried oregano, dried basil and worcester sauce (about 1 teaspoon each). Add one small can of chopped tomatoes and cook until combined. Then add about 1 cup of the cooked rice. Combine and cook for a few minutes. It can then be used to stuff peppers, put in a taco shell or just eaten plain.

- "Breakfast for dinner" = scrambled eggs with a little cheese added, cut up grape tomatoes or other quick veggie we have on hand and then cut up fruit. Add toast if the kids are really hungry. This is my go-to when it's a tough night, but I still want my kids to have a meal with some protein.

Meatloaf patties. I make a meatloaf mixture (even better if I can make it the night before), but then form into patties and cook in a skillet. They cook much faster than baking a loaf. In a separate skillet, warm some olive oil and add mixed chopped veggies - yellow squash, bell pepper, onion, mushrooms, whatever is on hand.

Or I form the same mixture into meatballs and drop into a pot of simmering tomato sauce with lots of thyme and basil. Cook directly in the sauce. Serve over pasta or brown rice, with a salad.

My other fast go-to is skillet chicken cutlets. Slice and/or pound breasts into thin slices so that they cook quickly. Season (I like a variety on Penzey's spice mixtures), cook over medium heat. Serve with steamed broccoli and dinner rolls. The whole thing can be on the table in 15 min.

black beans and rice. saute some onions, throw in smoked paprika, cumin, cayenne, garlic. add two cans of black beans, one can chopped tomatoes. let simmer until thickened, stir in some frozen corn, garnish with avocado, cheese, cilantro, and whatever else you'd like. serve over the rice. can also put inside a tortilla.

Nachos - every Thur night at our house.

Brown ground turkey. Add grated zuchini and carrot (and grate them ahead of time). Add 1 packet taco seasoning (can use mild if spice is an issue). Add a handful of grated cheese. Service with tortilla chips. Can also include a veggie side since the other grated veggies disappear into the meat.

(1) sauted shrimp with white rice: 20 mins
(2) couscous takes 5 minutes); throw in some raisins and serve with pretty much any reheated meat
(3) buy a rotisserie chicken and serve with:
-- new/fingerling potatoes sliced, boiled, and then tossed with dill, garlic and butter or olive oil (this takes just minutes)
--cut-up fruit
--sliced cucumbers tossed in sour cream, dill and salt

My kids also loved quick-steamed carrots with a touch of butter, brown sugar, raisins and dates as a side