A lot of Americans don't cook well. They have a lot of other things to do. Often they don't have time to think about home cooking. Quick, healthy, inexpensive meals aren't easy to plan, that's the problem. It's not that hard, folks. A seven day menu isn't all that hard to plan for people who know where to look. The entire family will like these dinner ideas.

Fairs and street vendors often have corn dogs, an American favorite. While a little on the unhealthy side, it's quick and good to eat. Coat the hot dogs with batter made of flour, corn meal, milk, salt, sugar and baking powder, then fry them until golden. If you want the feel of the fair, insert a popsicle stick.

In colonial times, dinner was an afternoon meal, followed by a later light meal called supper. As time went by this changed based on social class and schedule. People who performed manual labor continued with the tradition of dinner to keep up their energy. But now dinner has become the sole evening meal, the anchor to the family and transition from the work of the day to winding down at night. But supper and dinner have become intertwined, often interchanged in meaning this big meal. That doesn't mean the meal has to be large, especially for people watching their waist lines. Go more the dinner way with a lighter meal.

Try crock pot cooking. Set it up in the morning then enjoy a great meal at night. The whole meal can cook without supervision. Add some meat and some potatoes cut into quarters for a terrific pot roast. Pick up some salad and a fresh loaf of bread at the store. You can also let the bread slide if you're worried about the waist line.

The possibilities are endless with simple but delicious meals like veal cutlets, pork chops, even steaks on the grill. Use Google to find more great dinner ideas. The Internet is loaded with them.

Life is faster and fuller than ever. People do more and more, which compensates for the speed modern technology brings to tasks. Life at home sometimes takes a hit. Chores get neglected. That includes meals. Making dinner recipes easy has become a holy grail. It's nice to know there are a lot of ideas around for quick meals.

In the old days meals were made from scratch. Sausage wasn't purchase, it was ground into casings. When they ate pasta they used home made noodles and home made sauce made from tomatoes and other ingredients. Meal preparation was a matter of a whole day. With far fewer women in the work force that was hard, but not impossible. But as people began to realize they wanted more from life than cooking and cleaning every day, more and more pre-packaged and pre-prepared foods began to appear. Instant cakes became more common. Baking a cake is far easier than it used to be. In the old days it could take half a day to properly make a cake. Things are different.

Many sources now tell people how to make quicker meals. Television cooking shows are everywhere, for example. Things were tough when Julia Child talked about fancy French cooking while the Galloping Gourmet hit the sauce every day. There's more focus in today's shows on cooking for the rest of us. Techniques for combining fresh foods with pre-packaged elements are displayed. This isn't just hot dogs or scrambled eggs. The shows deliver quick cooking that looks a lot more complex.

Pre-packaged and ready made food aren't bland like they used to be. Many grocery stores now carry deli meals including already cooked chickens, meat loaf, pot roast, mashed potatoes and more. It's like buying a restaurant meal at the store, then bringing it home to eat. Many of these foods can be refrigerated or frozen to eat another day. That's another idea coming into vogue. Use the weekend to cook, then freeze the meals to eat during the week when life is busier. Some foods taste even more delicious after reheating.

It's still possible to have good meals without breaking the bank. There are plenty of places to learn about making dinner recipes easy. Enjoy meals like in the old days.

Bacon, Cheese, and Tomato Sandwiches Recipe:

ingredients

3 ea Slices bacon 3 ea Slices rye bread, toasted 2 T Mayo. or salad dressing 1/2 tsp Dried dill weed 1 ea Large tomato, sliced 3 ea Slices swiss cheese

Instructions

Place bacon on microwave rack in glass dish. Cover loosely and microwave until crisp, 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 minutes. Spread toast with mayonnaise; sprinkle with dill. Place toast slices on serving plate; top with tomato and cheese slices. Crumble bacon and sprinkle over top. Microwave uncovered on high (100%) until cheese begins to melt, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes.

Grilled Ham Steak with Mustard Glaze ;

Ingredients

1 lb. ham steak 2 t. dry mustard 1/4 cup brown sugar 2 T. Vinegar

Instructions

Combine mustard with brown sugar and vinegar. Grill ham over low coals for about 5 minutes on each side. Brush one side with marinate; turn. Grill brushed side for about 3 minutes. Repeat with other side, grilling for

another 3 minutes. Heat remaining marinade and serve with ham.

Pepperoni Onion Quiche ;

Ingredients

6 c Minced sweet onions. 1/2 c Grated Swiss cheese. 1 t Salt. 3 Eggs. 2 T Olive oil .18 Thin slices pepperoni .1/2 c Half and half .1 T Butter. 8 In prebaked pastry shell .1/3 c Yogurt. 1 T Flour. 1/4 t Pepper. 1/2 t Nutmeg

Instructions

Saute onions with oil and butter in skillet over low heat until well done, stirring often. Do not brown. Sprinkle with flour and continue cooking slowly about 2 minutes. Cool well. Beat eggs; add half and half, yogurt, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Add to cooled onions. Sprinkle half the cheese on the bottom of the pre-baked pastry shell and fill with egg-onion mixture. Arrange pepperoni slices on top. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake 10 minutes at 450 degrees; reduce heat to 300 degrees and bake 20 minutes more.

Spareribs with Mustard Sauce ;

Ingredients

10 lb Spareribs. 1 c Brown Sugar, 1 c Salt, 1/3 c Ground Horseradish ,1 c Cumin, 1/3 c Yellow Mustard ,1 c Black Pepper, 1/4 c White Wine ,1 c Honey, 1 clove Garlic, minced

Instructions

Dry Rub Seasonings: Combine salt, cumin, black pepper and cayenne pepper and mix well. Rub over entire surface of the spareribs. Creole Mustard: Combine horseradish, yellow mustard and white wine. This will keep refrig- erated for several months. Mustard Sauce: Combine minced garlic, brown sugar, and Creole Mustard in a bowl and mix well. Grill ribs bone side down, glazing with mustard sauce as it cooks. Turn several times to avoid burning, adding sauce to the upper side. Glaze ribs with the honey near the end of the cooking time (approx 15 min)