What's for Dinner Tonight: A Week's Worth of Meal Ideas

More and more often, Mom is looking for quick and easy recipes to make that allow her more time with the kids after a long day at work or running errands.

Gone are the days that mom has enough time to stand over a frying pan of hot grease. Gone are the days that she has to place each piece of chicken into the fryer for some good old fashioned fried chicken. With this recipe, Mom can cook all of the chicken at the same time, get the same friend effect and have less grease to clean up.

Oven fried chicken is an easier way of getting that home fried chicken taste, with less mess and less time standing over the frying pan too!

Prep time: 10 min

Cook time: 45 min

Ready in: 55 min

Yields: The number of pieces you make

Ingredients

• 1 Package Chicken Thighs
• 1 Preferred Seasoning
• 1 Onion, Sliced
• 2 Cups Flour
• 2 Tbsp Vegetable Oil

Instructions

1. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Using the vegetable oil, coat the baking pan.
3. Open the chicken and separate the pieces.
4. Put flour in a large bowl.
5. Season each piece of chicken with your preferred seasonings.
6. After seasoned, place chicken in flour bowl and completely cover with flour.
7. Once floured, place chicken on pan.
8. Slice onion and place one ring on each piece of chicken.
9. Place pan in oven and bake for 45 minutes or until chicken is cooked completely.

10. Let cool for 5 minutes.

11. Serve and enjoy dinner!

As a mom, I am constantly on the hunt for those easy to make recipes that take very little time or money.

We grew tired of the box meals many, many years ago; when I began throwing things together and testing them out on the family. They never seemed to mind lol. Luckily, I've always been successful in my little mixtures.

This recipe came together completely by chance. I wanted a different kind of taco. I began pulling things out of the cabinet and adding them to the beef I had browned.

This is what I came up with and I hope you'll enjoy it.

Without further adieu...

This is for those of you looking for an easy to make recipe for tacos but you are tired of the traditional beef and cheese like we were.

Prep time: 5 min

Cook time: 10 min

Ready in: 15 min

Yields: Serves a group of six (with seconds)

Ingredients

• 1 Pound Hamburger or Turkey Meat
• 1 Can Whole Corn
• 1 Can Black Beans
• 1 Can Rotel Tomatoes
• 1/2 Cup Chopped Onions, Optional
• 1 Bag Mozzarella Cheese, Optional
• 1 Package Corn or Flour Tortillas

Instructions

1. Brown the meat and drain excess grease.
2. Add the can of corn.
3. Add the can of black beans.
4. Add the can of Rotel Tomatoes.
5. Add onions if desired.
6. Simmer for ten minutes on medium heat.
7. Fill tortillas with meat mixture.
8. Top with cheese if desired.
9. Roll the tortilla like a breakfast burrito. (The picture shows the taco as open so you are able to see the final result of the meat mixture.)

My Dad says Yankee's make the best chili and I guess he was right because he has won many cookout contests with this recipe since moving to Texas over thirty years ago.

Never-the-less this is a yummy recipe that we beg for every winter.

Try it topped with shredded cheese and saltine crackers.

Prep time: 10 min

Cook time: 2 hours 30 min

Ready in: 2 hours 40 min

Yields: Makes a large pot of chili.

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 Pounds Lean Ground Chuck
• 1 Pound Lean Ground Pork
• 1 Cup Finely Chopped Onion
• 4 Cloves Finely Chopped Garlic
• 8 Ounces "Hunts" Tomato Sauce
• 1 Cup Water
• 3 Tablespoons Chili Powder
• 2 Tablespoons Ground Cummins
• 2 Tablespoons Beef Bouillon, (6 cubes)
• 2 Teaspoons Oregano
• 2 Teaspoons Sugar
• 1 Teaspoon Cocoa
• 1/2 Teaspoon Ground Coriander
• 1/2 Teaspoon Hot Sauce

1. Brown meat in a large pan.
2. Drain the meat.
3. Add onion and garlic.
4. Cook until tender.
5. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well.
6. Bring to a boil.
7. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for two hours.

The next time you are craving potato soup, skip the restaurant and make it at home.

It'll be cheaper in the long run and will last longer than that $5.00 bowl.

Prep time: 15 min

Cook time: 20 min

Ready in: 35 min

Yields: Makes a Large Pot of Potato Soup

Ingredients

• ¼ Cup margarine
• ¼ Large onion finely chopped
• 6 Potatoes, peeled and diced, more can be added for larger batch
• 2 Carrots, diced or shredded
• 3 Cups water, add more for larger batch
• 1 – 3 cooked strips of bacon cut into pieces
• ¼ Tsp. garlic powder
• 2 Tbs. Chicken bouillon
• Salt
• Black Pepper
• 3 Tbs. Flour
• 3 Cups Milk
• 1 Tbs. parsley
• ¼ Tsp. Thyme

Instructions

1. In a large saucepan melt the butter.
2. Add onions and cook over medium heat until onions are clear.
3. While onions are cooking, boil the potatoes, carrots, and bouillon in the water until tender. Do not overcook.
4. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Go back to the onions add flour and garlic powder to make a paste.
6. Gradually add milk and stir well to keep from lumping.
7. Stirring the onion mix consistently and add to the potato and carrot mixture.
8. Stir in parsley, thyme and bacon.
9. Simmer for a few minutes.

10. Serve hot with a side of crackers and shredded cheese.

Looking for something easy for dinner tonight?

It doesn't matter if you are cooking for a small dinner party or a large family meal; no one wants to spend all day making a meal, much less one that comes out of the box.

If you are looking for a meal that only takes an hour to make but looks like you spent all day cooking over the hot stove then try this sweet and sour chicken recipe.

This recipe goes well with Hot Water Cornbread.

After the dishes are cleared away and everyone has had a chance to digest this delicious chicken recipe, complete the meal with dessert. Use this recipe for Wacky Cake to have everyone licking their lips.

Prep time: 15 min

Cook time: 1 hour

Ready in: 1 hour 15 min

Yields: Makes sixteen chicken legs.

Ingredients

• 1 Package Chicken Legs
• 1 Box Minute Rice, White
• 1 Jar Grape Jelly
• 1 Jar Chili Sauce
• 2 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
• 1 Can Pineapple Slices
• 1 White Onion, Sliced into Rings
• 1 Green Bell Pepper, Sliced
• Season All
• Salt
• Pepper
• Cooking Spray

Instruction

1. Empty the jar of grape jelly into a mixing bowl.
2. Empty the jar of chili sauce into the mixing bowl with the grape jelly.
3. Pour two tablespoons of lemon juice into mixing bowl.
4. Using a hand mixer, thoroughly mix the ingredients until no longer lumpy.
5. Set the mixture aside.
6. Take the chicken legs out of package and rinse under cool water.
7. Season the chicken with Season All or your mix of salt and pepper.
8. Dip one chicken leg at a time into the jelly, chili sauce and lemon juice combination.
9. As you dip each chicken leg, place it in the oiled baking pan.

10. Using the remaining mixture, pour over the chicken.

11. Take pineapple slices and put one on top of each piece of chicken.

12. Pour the pineapple juice into the baking pan.

13. Place slice onion rings on top of chicken in between the pineapple slices.

14. Cover with foil to cook half way through. This will keep the pineapple and onion from overcooking or burning. At half way through, uncover for the last half of cooking and add the bell peppers.

15. Bake until the chicken is completely done.

16. Once the chicken is done, make the Minute Rice. Add a tablespoon of butter as the rice fluffs.

Try a quick and easy dinner recipe my mother used to make for her four kids and something I make for my two children now. We think it's delicious and maybe you will too.

Prep time: 10 min

Cook time: 20 min

Ready in: 30 min

Yields: Serves 6-12

Ingredients

• 2 Lbs Hamburger
• 2 Cans Pinto Beans
• 2 Cans Whole Kernel Corn
• 1 Onion, Chopped
• 1 Bag Tortilla Chips
• 2 Cans Rotel Tomatoes
• 2 Pkgs. Taco Seasoning
• 2 Cans Stewed Tomatoes
• 1 Bag Shredded Cheese

Instructions

1. Brown hamburger meat and onion.
2. Add salt and pepper to taste and drain.
3. Add all ingredients except cheese and chips.
4. Bring to boil and simmer for 15-20 minutes.
5. Top with cheese.
6. Serve with tortilla chips.