One of the biggest problem during my daily existence is deciding what to cook for dinner. I am so fed up with making this decision on a daily basis. I want to scream everytime someone askes me What's for dinner?

If anyone if up to it, could you share your dinner menu, perhaps it will give me some inspiration as to what to prepare in my own kitchen.

help...

Today, I made (from-scratch) red beans & rice with turkey smoked sausage. Choco-chip cookies for dessert too.
Friday I made a big pot of chicken & black bean soup.
The other day, I made pecan-maple chicken & baked sweet potatoes.
Tomorrow I'm planning to make some chicken with an herb rub, and either plain rice or saffron rice. (that is, if our power stays on. We're in the middle of an ice storm here =P )
(I eat a LOT of chicken.)

As a kid, one of my favorite things my mom would do when she was very busy, or didn't have anything planned for dinner, was make some ham & swiss sandwiches on nice rolls, then wrap them in foil and bake them in the oven for like 10 minutes.
I do that now, though sometimes I use the George Foreman grill instead of the oven. Hot sandwiches always seem fancier than cold.

Keep frozen pizza dough & pizza makings on hand. It's easy and requires next to no effort.

When I don't have any ideas, I see what I've got in the kitchen and grab one of my cookbooks that's arranged by type of food (like all the chicken recipes are together). That usually takes care of things real quick.

I know I'm a few hours late for suggestions for your Sunday dinner, but there's a few for Monday.

-B.

banshee..wow you go girl!

thank you so much for the great ideas. We eat alot of chicken too..that's why I tend to get bored. No beef, no pork in this household.

btw, I went to the grocery store after reading your message earlier this morning and I have decided to make red beans and rice with jerk chicken for dinner tonight.

ooh yeah, I hope your power didn't go out...and sorry to rub it in but it is in the lower 80's here today

thanks again

Whew, well our power stayed on, so I did indeed get to make my herb-rub chicken!
Do you have a good recipe for jerk chicken?? All the jerk seasonings/sauces I've found here just suck. I want the real stuff!

Here's another chicken/pasta dish that I really enjoy...plus it only uses 2 pots, so cleanup is easy:

Cut up an onion and saute it in oil until it's a little translucent, but still crisp. Use a slotted spoon to remove to a bowl, keeping as much oil in the pan as possible.
In the same pan, saute chicken cut in bite-size pieces until done. Season with salt, pepper, basil & oregano. Scoop out the chicken and throw it in the same bowl as the onions.
Put some Roma tomatoes, sliced into thin wedges, in the pan and add salt. Saute until the tomatoes release a lot of their juice. Put the onions & chicken back in and lower the burner to medium-low heat. Add a healthy splash of balsamic vinegar. There should be a fair amount of liquid, if not, add a little water.
Meanwhile, cook some orzo pasta (or another kind if you don't like orzo). Drain it completely & put it back in the pot you boiled it in.
Put the chicken & veggies in with the pasta and mix well. Season with more salt, pepper, basil & oregano as needed.
Just before serving, mix in crumbled feta cheese.

It is SOOOO good!

Can you tell I like to cook?

-B.

ooh girl, your recipe sounds delicious, will have to pick up some feta cheese and balsamic vinegar on my next trip to the grocery store...i have all the other ingredients already.

as for jerk seasoning...try GRACE Jamaican Jerk Seasonings...comes in a Jar, can be found in most grocery stores and all the ethnic west indian stores.

Combine about 3 tablespoon Jerk Seasonings
with 2 tablespoons of Soy Sauce....I prefer Mushroom Soy Sauce....
and 1 tablespoon Oil.
Dry rub your chicken with Goya Adobo
and 1 packet of Sazon Goya
Then the Jerk Mix and let it marinate overnight.
You can either bake it or grill it..your choice.

As for dinner today, Thankfully my Aunt is sending dinner over my household. She making her delicious Chicken Fried Rice.

btw, if you need a good, quick easy curry recipe, let me know. You can use it with Chicken, fish, shrimp, vegetables or any other meat of your choice...served with rice.

pizza with salmon...hmmmm

the most exotic I get with my pizza is green peppers and pineapple...yumm!!!

btw, thanks for the recipe. I can never have enough chicken recipes.

YES I'd love a good curry recipe!!
I found a nice curry powder (can't remember the brand) and it made a real tasty dinner, but that's not really my area of culinary expertise. I know it could've been better.

My favorite spice dealer doesn't seem to stock Grace jerk seasoning, so I'll have to hope one of the stores around here has it. The grocery I was at earlier didn't. If it comes to it, I can order it online; now that you've mentioned jerk chicken I really really want some! LOL.

Here's a Hungarian favorite -- Chicken Paprikash (a 3-pan dish!)

Begin with a container of sour cream (16 oz, I think; the "regular" size) and some milk. Put the sour cream in a small saucepan and whisk in milk, a little at a time, until it's smooth and just thick enough to coat a spoon. Put it on medium low to medium heat and warm it slowly. Once warmed, whisk in a bunch of paprika (Hungarian hot paprika is best, but regular works. Use Szego brand if you can find it.) The sauce should be a nice orange...if it's pink, you need a bit more paprika. Add a can of diced tomatoes & the juice. Keep it on low enough heat to keep the sauce warm, but not boiling.
Meanwhile, saute an onion (or more, depending on taste; I use a LOT of onions in this) in oil until it's nice & soft. Season with paprika, salt & pepper. Remove to a bowl.
Put some chicken in the same pan - you can cut it into bite size pieces, strips, or use whole breasts - season with MORE paprika, salt & pepper, and saute until cooked through.
Put the onions back in with the chicken, and carefully pour the sauce over everything. On medium heat, simmer the whole thing for about 10 minutes.
While simmering, boil a bag of egg noodles.
Serve the chicken over the noodles!

-B.

mmm sounds good, but would it still be as good if I eliminate the onions?? my kids do not like to see "stuff" in their food...but I guess I use a smaller amount and chop it really fine.

My curry... I like hot, spicy food, I use lots of pepper, you can use this recipe without the additional pepper and it will still be spicy. I would also recommend Lalah's curry powder, it comes in a tin....small tin can last a whole year. You will also need another spice called Garam Masala, found in ethnic East and West Indian stores, your spice dealer probably has it.

Use boneless chicken breast cut into cubes.
You will need
1 small onion chopped
chopped scallions
*1/2 of a scotch bonnet pepper chopped (optional)

In a small bowl mix:
2 tablespoon curry powder
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 tablespoon goya adobo
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 packet of goya sazon
with enough water to make into a loose paste. set aside

In a large pan, heat 2 tablespoon oil over high heat
saute chopped onions, scallions and pepper
add curry mixture
allow to heat until sauce thickens
add chicken
stir until all chicken is coated
cover for 5 minutes
stir and add enough water (1/4 cup) to make curry sauce
lower heat to medium high
and let cook for 10 more minutes with cover
remove cover and check chicken for doneness.
cook remaining 5 minutes with no cover

total cooking time is about 20 minutes.
serve over hot rice.

definitely recommend a cool dessert after having this for dinner.

Originally posted by worldwatcher
One of the biggest problem during my daily existence is deciding what to cook for dinner. I am so fed up with making this decision on a daily basis. I want to scream everytime someone askes me What's for dinner?

If anyone if up to it, could you share your dinner menu, perhaps it will give me some inspiration as to what to prepare in my own kitchen.

help...

A small portion of instant potatoes ( 4 cheeses) add some ranch dressing with butter, couple splashes of salt, garlic powder, basil, thyme, and oregano..
Preheat on low, add add water, milk, butter to pot, to heat.. 30 mins just add the instant potatos and stir.
Takes 1 min...

** Note: cook last** (above, I mean)

Get some chicken drums, they are tasty and easy to make. Buy some seasoning powder so you can put chicken in bags.. Place in oven..

This whole thing should take 3 minutes to do...

Wait for 30, then Eat... More protein then carbs = healthy..


Another easy one:


Cook Ham in oven and make corn on side...
Takes 30 mins to cook but 2 mins to prepare.


Another:

Mediteranean shimp pasta... place in fryer with lid.
Takes 10 to cook... Add basil, thyme, garlic, splash of salt... Don't forget your oil!!

Very yummy... You buy it in the frozen food section..


Another: Prep time : 4 mins.

Boil broccoli - takes 10 min

Instant Potatoes and butter... mmmm - 10 mins

Steak - 45 mins

If you add all of these together on your fork it is soooo
yummy...

Try at applebee's first so you don't have to cook it.
Then after you eat it, you will... hehe so good.

thanks truelies, I will definitely try the side dishes, but we do not eat, I mean I do not eat Beef or Pork, so I don't cook it either.

I do the bag seasonings with the chicken, stuff like shake and bake and oven fry and all those bags mixes stuff too...but i get tired of it all..

actually today I didn't even cook, no one is home for me to cook for, so I had take-out chinese.