Dinner In A Flash
I actually do enjoy cooking, but when dinner time rolls around, I’m usually already mentally calculating all of the tasks that remain before I can put the little ones to bed.
So I have several “lazy” dinners that require negligible effort on my part.
- First of all, you can’t really predict when the lazy bug will bite you, so it helps to be prepared.
Right now I have a full pot of home made vegetable soup in the freezer. I made it over the weekend, but that evening we were invited over to someone’s house for dinner (score!). So I divided the soup into two 2-cup containers and froze it.
My veggie soup is 1 cup of water, 4 cups of veggie broth or reconstituted boullion, one can of rinsed beans, and whatever veggies I have on hand. This edition includes one carrot, some cabbage, tomatoes, fresh basil from the garden, sauteed onion, shallots and garlic, and a potato. I also added small “O” shaped pasta at the end. The kids actually like this, don’t scoff.
- Another go-to for me is home made macaroni and cheese. I know what you are thinking, but THIS recipe is so easy, you just mix it all in the baking dish and pop it in the oven. You don’t even have to boil the macaroni beforehand.
I REPEAT: NO BOIL MACARONI! Squeeeee!
Easy macaroni & Cheese
2 Tbsp. margarine
1 1/4 cup uncooked macaroni
2 1/4 cups milk
8 oz. shredded cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste
Melt margarine in a 9×9 pan. add macaroni and
stir till coated. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Stir in cheese. Pour milk over all. Do not stir.
Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour until golden
brown.
My appologies to the internet, but I don’t remember where I got this recipe. I use it alot, although I feel 6 ounces of cheese is enough. I have also substituted powdered milk when our resources were low, and I always use oil instead of butter, just because it is easier. Olive oil or Virgin Coconut Oil are my picks.
- Extremely lazy-tasty appliance: my Panini Maker!
We got the Panini Maker for “free” via credit card reward points, and I use it every day, some times multiple times! Of course I use it for grilled cheese/paninis, but I have also had success with French toast, and home made veggie burgers. Woohoo! Just plug it in and BAM!, you have heated and eat-ed.
Also easy: check the THIN CRUST PIZZA recipe. It freezes well, too.
This post is completely and totally true. I was inspired to write it by Twitter Moms and Samsung, because bloggers who write on this topic and post about it on Twitter Moms will be entered in a random drawing to win a Samsung French Door Refrigerator. (Go to the Twitter Moms announcement for more info.) If I win, I want to bless my parents with this prize, because their ice maker doesn’t work. And you gotta have ice.
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13 October 2009, 6:18 am
That’s my veggie soup recipe too! Though I sometimes add dried mushrooms and barley or another grain in lieu of beans.
I’m totally trying that mac and cheese recipe. I tend to make it in the crock pot (also easy) but I like the idea of baking it in the oven too.
I hope you win!
13 October 2009, 8:56 am
That was great! I actually make homemade boil-the-noodles mac and cheese in a pinch. I may have to try the no-boil mac and cheese one day.
13 October 2009, 3:28 pm
Thanks so much for the great tips! Anything to make life a bit easier is welcome in my book!
03 December 2009, 10:29 am
[...] boiling noodles (if you know what I mean…), you could use the Simple Lasagna Pan to make my no-boil macaroni and cheese! Just double or triple the recipe to fill the pan and enjoy the [...]
30 December 2009, 5:11 am
I tried the No-Boil Mac and Cheese! WOW! Easy and delicious. I kept the cheese to 8 oz. and using multiple cheeses since I didn’t have 8 oz. of any one kind. I would keep the milk to 2 cups though. There was liquid at the bottom of the dish after baking. Thanks for the great recipe-it’s a keeper!