Dinner for when you just can’t even

A quick meal I learned from my husband uses a simple formula: Starch+veg+protein stir fried in fat in a skillet.

The most common iteration is an onion and a bag of frozen mixed vegetables stir fried with cooked rice (either leftover or made for the meal) and a 6oz package of sliced frozen smoked sausage. We like to let the rice get crunchy on the bottom of the skillet - yum!

Another version is an onion and about 4 cups of cabbage stir fried with potatoes (diced or sliced fresh, frozen, or precooked - if cooked add after onion and cabbage are cooked) and 6oz of sliced frozen smoked sausage.

Seasoning in our household is usually simply salt and pepper, though I use this formula with other veg and meats for curry (I add coconut milk if I have it and omit the starch and serve rice on the side).

Add broth and you have soup.

It's always fast and easy! I regularly cook 20lbs of chicken leg quarters at a time simply so I can have shredded chicken in quart bags in the freezer to use in meals like this. I make broth with the skin and bones and freeze it in quart bags as well.

Katherine Burelle wrote:

Erika Bailey wrote:"My go to quick meal is Shakushaka"  --Katherine Burelle
Goodness!  That is usually a meal I do in the fall when I have too many peppers and tomatoes to count and they are taking over my counter!  I always think of it as a couple of hours of cutting veggies...I am sure there's a simpler way.
   I tend to freeze ahead single serving meals of whatever for my spouse to take to work, and those do the trick when no brains are left.  Alas, bread and eggs, my go-to of younger days is less effective now as my spouse is intolerant of gluten and allergic to eggs!
       

Hahaha yes certainly not a couple of hours, I wouldn't recommend it if that were the case. It takes maybe 30 minutes prep included. Has your husband tried turkey or duck eggs? I know a few people with chicken egg allergies who are fine with duck and turkey eggs.

Alas, it is chicken, duck, turkey, quail, etc.,  as well as the flesh of said birds.  He was even in an egg toss and another pair hit him with an egg, and it turned into hives.  When he eats them his lips look like he's just gotten some over-jealous collagen injections!  
I definitely make up piles of the lunches ahead of time on days where I have more gumption (like today!) since he can't just order out for lunch with his co-workers.  Too many food restrictions! He's lucky I am someone with a solid chemistry background so I can find ways to work around everything.  For a while it was dairy as a problem too!  Gluten-free, vegan baked goods are a challenge...

thomas rubino wrote:Isn't that what chocolate chip cookies and milk are for???
Ice cream???
Chocolate cake topped with ice cream???

Are there no other confirmed chocoholics out there???
Am I the last one???

Scary mid day thoughts indeed!

I was going to say: a pint of ice cream [dairy free for me] (especially during the summer when it’s still hot in the evening.)

I do like the organic millet ramen from Costco, as a soup for with stir fry veggies for a done in 10 minutes dinner.

Or I do any type of pasta and about 3-5 minutes before it’s al dente I throw in a veggie with the noodles in the boiling water and then add tomato sauce after it’s strained. Boiling the veggies Al dente with the pasta saves me one more pot/pan to wash.

White rice in the rice cooker or instant pot is done in 4 minutes paired with some steamed veggies topped with sesame oil and an Asian sweet or soy sauce is another go to when I don’t have time or desire to put forth more effort.

"Quick" and "meal" doesn't go together. If I had to fry/cook/bake/toast/boil anything...that's a lot of work and takes long time. Longer when one is hungry  Forget it!
Canned tuna and a dollop of mayo, mixed, on a bread or bun is good and filling. Besides, on those rare days, it's everyone fend for them selves.  "I ain't doing nothin"

Jan White … I’m interested in making Rice or Pasta in a Thermos .. I have several and that would be great for work lunches. …


Jan White:
“If I've got enough in me to boil water, I'll make pasta or rice in the thermos, which is totally hands off. Ive always got a couple jars of dried kale, mustard or radish greens around, so I throw a couple handfuls of that in, too. “

I love this topic. You all have great ideas! My go-to meals are peanut butter and celery, popcorn, and my fave breakfast is a tortilla with bacon, spinach and shredded cheese, heated til cheese melts. I make a pound or two of bacon every two weeks and keep it in the fridge. I keep favorite salad add-ins chopped and waiting so I can pile a plate with a salad, and top with a can of drained albacore and spicy ranch dressing. I've been known to eat a baguette with butter and a glass of wine if I get home late from work.when hens are laying well I make a huge batch of scramble with a meat and veggies then add cheese and roll up burritos and freeze for grab and go breakfast burritos.  I use a microwave to heat them either at home or the office or field office.  Lastly, I keep a few boxes of deluxe Mac and cheese which I add frozen peas to water and Mac while cooking, then drain, add the goo cheese and a can of albacore for " Mac and cheese with tuna and peas'. But mostly I heat and eat my canned stews and soups and meat.

I buy shrimp to keep on hand for when we need something quick and easy.  It takes about 15 minutes under cold running water to thaw.  Place shrimp on top of some ice with Cocktail Sauce on the side and it is good to go.

Another quick meal idea that I do is I also throw frozen hamburger patties on the George Forman Grill, and make some mashed potatoes and brown gravy.

Well, it's not a premade 'meal' but it is canning meat and veg to have a full pantry and gives me an instant selection of mix and match for times like this.  

Weds. was one of those days.   It was cold and raining and I worked a 10 hr day.     I came home, did chores, fed the dogs..  and then went to the pantry.   I grabbed a jar of beef short ribs,  a jar of canned pumpkin and had just enough energy to go grab a last harvest of fresh parsley.   It made a super fast one pot of pumpkin stew in under 10 mins to throw together and heat up.    

I typically make a very meaty pasta sauce several times a year, so I almost always have a jar at hand.

On my worn-out-but-starving nights, I heat a quart in a saucepan and have it over toast.  Kinda like a manwich, but not gross tasting.