Its 4 pm. Everyone is hungry and needs to be somewhere. Your son needs to be at soccer in an hour, your daughter has gymnastics, your husband has been called back to work and you need to feed everyone fast. What to do?
Quick meals to the rescue! I keep the following items in my pantry/fridge to make a quick meal that does the job. Its not going to be extremely fancy, but it will be tasty.
In my pantry, I keep:
- Minute Rice (white and brown)
- Pasta
- Pasta and Pizza Sauce
- Instant Potato Flakes
- Refried and Black Beans
- Salsa con Queso
- Cream of Chicken Soup
- Baking Mix
- English Muffins
- Tortilla Chips
In my fridge, I keep:
- Precooked meat (chicken, beef, pork)
- Precooked rice and pasta (if I've planned ahead for a meal)
- Eggs
- Cheese (mozzarella, cheddar and co-jack)
- Biscuits in a can
In my freezer, I keep
- Ready to serve breakfast sausage
- Soy based "Meat" crumbles
- White meat chicken nuggets
- Frozen vegetables (peas, carrots, broccoli)
I plan a loose schedule for most weeks, especially the crazy/busy/insane ones. I may write down several meal ideas on a piece of paper and that goes on my fridge. I cross off the idea I used and still have others I can make in a hurry. I keep items around that can be made fast. I also precook meats and pastas so I can heat and serve a meal. You can also precook entire meals and reheat portions as needed, such as a casserole or a soup. I try and think of meals that can be put on the table in less than 20 minutes. Such as this recipe:
Cheesy Rice
Ingredients:
- 3 lbs cooked rice (I precook Riceland or comparable type of rice the night before, Minute Rice does not work too well)
- 1 can black beans, drained
- 1 – 2 cups frozen corn
- Salsa con Queso (I use about 1/2 a bottle of Pace Four Cheese Queso since it contains no artificial colors.)
- Leftover Chicken, Steak or Soy Protein (optional)
Set up black beans to drain. Reheat rice in microwave for a minute or two. Heat corn in microwave for a minute. Add drained black beans, corn, and meat (if you choose) to rice. Pour on cheese sauce and stir. Heat in microwave until hot, usually two to three minutes. Stir again and serve.
With careful pre-planning, dinner can be nutritious and fun; not a disaster.
What are some of your favorite meals? Do you need inspiration for quick meal ideas? Join us at Blissfully Domestic Living!
When Jennifer isn't finding new things to do with salsa con queso or baking mix, you can find her at Toast on the Ceiling, sharing her everyday misadventures. Photo on this page by her.
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