ThriftyRambler’s Guide to Quick Evening Meals, Part 1
Do you ever have busy days when you come home from work or errands to find everyone hungry and looking to you? Well, we present, “ThriftyRambler’s Guide to Meals in a Hurry!” All of the following suggestions will have you and your family eating dinner within twenty minutes of walking in the door. And it will be a fabulous, healthy, home-cooked meal in that short amount of time.
Meals that go from Zero-to-Done in twenty minutes:
*Quesadillas: We use pre-packaged whole wheat tortillas and bake them in the oven with cheese, to use less oil. You can easily add olives, spinach, etc. to the quesadilla prior to baking. Serve with tortilla chips, salsa and sour cream. Boil off some frozen corn while you set the table, and you’ve got a satisfying meal.
*Simple-Homemade Mac and Cheese: It takes less time than you would think. Put your pasta water on to boil. While the water is getting hot, you have about ten minutes to change, get the mail, and set the table. When the water comes to a boil, and you pour in your pasta noodles, get out some butter, cream cheese, and cheddar. Put a smaller pot of water on to cook a side vegetable, or break out the salad mix if you prefer. Grate the cheddar and set aside. Drain the pasta, pour it back into the still-hot pasta pot. Add a few tablespoons of butter, a few tablespoons of cream cheese, about a half cup of cheddar, and mix well. Sprinkle in a bit of salt and pepper, if you like. If it gets too thick, add a few tablespoons of milk. You now have a creamy and delicious homemade mac&cheese, in less than 20 minutes.
*Quinoa Salad : In just a couple of minutes you can create this wonderful, feta-riffic salad for your family. Pair with some chips or crackers, and a garden salad, and you have a satisfying meal in twenty minutes!
Meals that You prep in advance, and finish in less than Twenty Minutes:
*Pasta Marinara: Make the sauce at a convenient time, a few days earlier. Bake bread the night before for maximum freshness. Set your pasta pot on the stove full with water,
before you leave for work in the morning. When you get home, flick on the water. While that comes to a boil, you can settle into home… Add a salad, or a side-vegetable that cooks while the pasta is boiling, and you have a hearty meal.
*Mini Pizzas: Use your homemade Marinara to spread on top of English muffins or Daddy bread. Then add some mozzarella and sliced veggies. Throw in the oven for about 6 minutes and serve up a platter of fresh and quick, pizzas!
*Sweet Potato Enchiladas: Assemble and cook your enchiladas the night before- leaving off the cheese on top. When you get home, sprinkle with shredded cheddar and reheat! Add some tortilla chips and salsa, and your meal is complete!
*Dips and Chips: Make some dips a few days in advance—bean dip, hummus, artichoke dip- whatever your family likes. Make some Daddy Bread the night before. When you get home, put the bean dip and artichoke in the oven to warm up. Break out some salsa, and toast up some Daddy Bread and you have a fun, simple meal!
With minimal advanced planning, you can create fun, homemade meals on the fly!
This TR family likes to travel. Our weekends are filled with jaunts that typically take us at least an hour from home. And about once a month, we can be as far as two or more hours afield.
