In today’s society, it is often hard to find time to get the family together around the table for a home-cooked meal.  Yet the health professionals tell us we Americans need to eat a lot less fast food.  And the psycologists tell us we need to spend more time together as a family around the dinner table.  So what’s a busy family to do?  Make time to eat a home-cooked meal, together as a family, at least three times a week.  Get the children to set the table.  It’s a good learning experience for them, they learn to feel like an important part of the family, it saves mom and dad some time, the family experiences together time, etc.  And remember, this is just a family dinner.  Everything doesn’t have to be perfect.  So what if the placemats and napkins don’t match…let the kids have some fun and feel important.  Make gentle suggestions and never be critical.

Following is an easy menu that can be made quickly, especially when everyone helps out and works together.    And it won’t break the bank with the skyrocketing grocery prices of today. Give it a try this week.

SALISBURY STEAKS WITH ONIONS

1 lb lean ground beef

1 egg

1/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs

1/4 tsp salt, optional

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 1/2 tbsp butter

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

1 1/2 tbsp flour

1 1/4 cups low-sodium beef broth

1 tsp dried parsley

Preheat broiler.  Line broiler pan with foil and spray with a non-stick cooking spray.  Combine beef, egg, bread crumbs, salt, garlic, pepper and Worcestershire sauce in a large mixing bowl.  Mix well.  Shape into 4 patties.  Place patties on prepared broiler pan and broil, turning once, until no longer pink in the center; approximately 10 minutes.  Meanwhile, melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat.  Seperate onions into rings and add to skillet.  Saute about 4 minutes or until translucent.  Sprinkle in flour and cook, stirring continually, about 2 minutes.  Gradually stir in broth and cook, stirring continually until broth thickens; about 2-3 minutes.  Stir in parsley.  Pour onion gravy over the cooked patties and serve immediately.

Note:  Want to sneak in a vegetable?  Grate a carrot into the beef mixture before forming patties.

Make this 7-layer salad the night before and refrigerate.  When you get home from work, soccer games, music lessons or whatever, your salad is ready and waiting.

7 LAYER SALAD

4 cups bite-sized mixed lettuce pieces

1 cup chopped green bell pepper

1/2 chopped mild or sweet onion

1 box frozen peas

6 hard-boiled eggs, sliced

1 pkg (8 oz) shredded low-fat cheddar cheese

6 slices crisp fried bacon, crumbled

1 pkg Ranch Dressing mix

1 cup mayonnaise

1 cup low-fat plain yogurt

In a clear salad bowl, layer the following ingredients in this order: lettuce, bell pepper, onion, frozen peas and eggs.  In a small mixing bowl, mix together the Ranch Dressing mix, mayonnaise and yogurt.  Add atop the layers in bowl.  Add cheese and bacon.  Cover tightly with a lid or aluminum foil, plastic wrap, etc.  Refrigerate overnight before serving.

ZUCCHINI AND YELLOW SQUASH SAUTE

2 medium zucchini

2 yellow squash

2 tbsp olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tomato, peeled, seeded and chopped

1 tsp dried oregano

pinch of dried basil

Salt and pepper to taste, optional

Scrub zucchini and yellow squash; cut into 1/4-inch slices.  In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat.  Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for about 30-45 seconds.  Add the zucchini and yellow squash to skillet.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender–about 5-6 minutes.  Stir in the tomato and oregano.  Simmer 1-2 minutes longer.  Add salt and pepper, if desired.

For dessert, here is a quick and easy recipe for parfaits.

CHOCOLATE ORANGE PARFAIT

2 cups fat-free milk

1 pkg sugar-free instant chocolate pudding

1/2 cup nonfat dry milk powder

3/4 tsp grated orange peel + more for topping

1 cup evaporated skim milk

In a large bowl, combine skim milk, pudding mix, nonfat dry milk and 3/4 teaspoon orange peel.  Mix at low speed until just blended, 1 to 2 minutes.  Using a seperate, clean, chilled bowl and chilled beaters, beat evaporated skim milk until soft peaks form.  Fold into thickened pudding mixture. Spoon into dessert glasses and sprinkle with grated orange peel.  Top with sugar-free whipped topping if desired, reserving the topping grated orange peel to go on top of the whipped topping.

Note:  This recipe, without the topping, has 13 g protein and 26 g carbs

Source by Linda Wilson

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When you have a busy schedule it’s not always easy to find time to shop for, prepare and cook hot, healthy meals with fresh food. I’ve certainly found that anyway. Rather than go down the microwave ready meal route I’ve got a few favourite easy recipes that I make if I haven’t got much time and the ingredients are usually already there in my cupboards. Following you will find my 3 favourite quick and easy recipes:

Spaghetti And Cheese On Toast

My scary ex mother in law introduced me to this snack. It’s hard not to think about her when I prepare and eat it but it hits the spot and tastes so good that the memories fade into a delicious oblivion.

Ingredients:

Tin of Spaghetti or Spaghetti Hoops – whatever size or brand you prefer. I use Heinz.
Bread For Toasting – I use wholemeal but any will suit
Cheese – Cheddar is best and I use low fat
Spread – Optional but I use low fat.

Method

Lightly toast your bread and at the same time heat the spaghetti up, but don’t overheat. Grate enough cheese for your needs. Put a thin layer of spread on your toast and then cover with the warm spaghetti. Cover the spaghetti with grated cheese and then pop under the grill until the cheese is melted to your taste. Transfer to a warm plate and eat.

That’s a really quick, filling and easy recipe and you can either make it as a snack with one round of toast or a meal with 2 rounds of toast.

Jacket Potato With Tomatoes, Cheese & Onion

After I got divorced I was broke and needed to add cheap but nutritious meals to the menu, and as I was working 2 jobs the meals had to be quick to prepare and energy giving. This was one of the cheapest meals that I made and it never got boring.

Ingredients:

Large Baking Potato
Tin Of Plum Or Chopped Tomatoes
Small Very Finely Chopped Onion Or Dried Onions
Grated Or Crumbled Cheese – whichever you prefer

Method

Either bake the potato for 50 minutes or microwave for 7 minutes. Slit the cooked potato open and place the onions in the slit. Cover the onions with cheese and pour the tomatoes on top. Place in microwave and cook on full power for 3-4 minutes.

I’ve sometimes added cooked, sliced mushrooms instead of or with the onions, or used low fat cheese slices instead of grated cheese. I also use baked beans instead of tomatoes on occasion.

Really Super Noodles

I experimented and added to a tip in a magazine for this quick meal.

Ingredients:

Pack Of Bachelors Barbeque Beef Super Noodles
Tin Of Plum Or Chopped Tomatoes
2 Cooked Sliced Sausages
Dried Onions

Method

Break up and place the noodles in a pan with the included flavouring. Add a small amount of dried onions and add the tinned tomatoes instead of water. Stir and keep stirring while bringing to the boil. Simmer for 2 minutes and then add the cooked, sliced sausages. Simmer for another couple of minutes and your very quick meal is ready.

The beauty of this recipe is that you can experiment with different ingredients and still get a tasty meal. For instance sometimes I add pre cooked beef strips instead of sausages, or I use chicken flavoured noodles and pre cooked chicken strips and leave out the onions.

Health & Diet

I suppose that it depends how you look at it, or how you prepare the meals whether you think they are healthy or not. The meals have varying amounts of carbohydrates, protein, calcium and iron and we need them all to live.

Are they fattening? Rigid dieters might say yes but I don’t think so as long as you don’t over eat and you swap ingredients for low fat alternatives. In fact I have included these meals when dieting and lost weight while feeling well and healthy.

Source by Patricia A. Jones

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When it comes to making a classic dessert to go along with our family dinners, this is one of my favorite recipes to make. What I really like about this Peach Cobbler recipe is the fact that its made with fresh, not canned, peaches.

Once you have it baked, you can serve it with some vanilla ice cream, vanilla yogurt or with some whipped topping on top. You will want to refrigerate any left-overs in an airtight container.

Fresh Peach Cobbler Recipe

3 cups fresh sliced peaches
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup vegetable shortening
3 tablespoons cold milk
1 egg, well beaten

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. You will need to use a 2 quart glass baking dish to make this recipe.

Place fresh sliced peaches in the bottom of your baking dish that has been lightly sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. In a small bowl, combine the 2/3 cup granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour and the 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon until they are combined. Pour this mixture on top of the sliced peaches. Dot the 2 tablespoons of butter on top.

Re-using the same bowl, combine the 1 cup all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder and the 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir in the 1/3 cup shortening, 3 tablespoons milk and the well beaten egg until all ingredients are well combined. Place this mixture on top of the other ingredients in your baking dish.

Bake in a preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes or until done.

Source by Shelly Hill

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Quick chicken recipes are one of the meals to serve to your family, guests or any special occasion you’ve arranged. We all fell in love with the taste and gastronomic experience these meals offer. I know that most of us don’t have the skills to prepare a remarkable chicken meal but you don’t have to worry because there are lots of resources. Cook books, online food tutorial or asking a friend’s recipe will help you prepare that chicken recipe you always wanted. To begin, there are many recipes available most are complicated to prepare but if you don’t want to ruin the dinner, you can choose among the easy quick chicken recipes available.

Ask yourself first, how simple or easy your recipe is going to be? How many guests are you to impress? And how much are you willing to spend for the entire meal? These are the factors that you need to consider before going to the grocery and start shopping. Many quick chicken recipes are simply easy to prepare but will cost you more on the ingredients such as spices and seasonings. There will also be elaborate cooking techniques that you need do to perfect the recipe. However, if you put your focus into it, for sure, your guests will praise you for your cooking efforts.

Let’s start by knowing some simple recipes that may impress your guests. To start your party, let them be stirred with your Lemon Chicken Soup. Ladle into fine bowls, garnished with thin slices of lemon and fresh tarragon leaves. An excellent way to start the meal! If they are begging for more, offer them a Chicken Salad Slider. A simple salad served in toasted bread; the salad is a combination of mayonnaise, chicken chunks, fresh celery and nuts. Proceeding to the main course, your guests will surely be joyous if they try your Roasted Chicken with Potatoes. How about you entice your guests with your Honey Orange Barbeque Chicken? With the subtle flavor of honey and orange harmonized together, your guests will beg for more. For your health conscious friends, let them taste a special Penne Pasta with Chicken, Wild Mushrooms and Peas. It is a divine fusion of food texture and taste.

What do you think of these recipes? They are all easy to prepare, cook and serve; I promise you! Refer to a cook book or an online food website to get a copy of the following recipes. You don’t have to be a master chef to impress your guests. Within your limited skill in cooking you can be a kitchen superstar! Try one or all of these quick chicken recipes; your guests will surely be delighted with these meals.

Source by fastlossweight

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