Family Dinner for the Average Joe
You know I have spent a lot of time scanning the internet for recipes for my family. Some quick recipes for nights when the kids have sports and some that take a touch longer to make. I find its really hard to find something that 6 people agree on for a meal especially with having smaller children. I am no chef by no means and a lot of the recipes I run across always include an ingredient I have either never heard of or never buy!
I wanted to throw this week worth of dinners together for those other busy mothers that also have a hard time finding something their family will chuck down the hatch even in a hurry before game time. Also note that I make a lot of homemade meals. I don't generally measure anything. I learned from my mother and grandmother and I do a lot by sight! Don't be afraid to adjust some of these recipes to taste or sight.
Crockpot Dinner Monday - Beef Manhatten
My family loves Beef Manhatten! It's quick and easy to make on those days when you don't have much time to cook and during sports season with the kids. I don't do anything special with mine just the basics and it's a hit.
Beef Roast into crock pot
1 container beef broth 48 oz fill the rest with water to cover beef
add 1 small cut in strips onion or onion soup
Cook 6-8 hours
When beef pulls apart easily remove and shred. (By this time the other items should be finished and you'll be ready to serve.)
Mashed potatoes
6-8 large potatoes
2 tbsp butter
milk enough to wet and thin potatoes
2 tbsp Hellmans Mayo
Boil potatoes until tender. (I personally do not use a mixer but you are more then welcome to! I smash with masher) drain well. Add butter and mash. Once mashed add milk till thinned. (Maybe 1/2 c) Add Mayo and smash again then stir with large spoon. (The mayo gives it a nice flavor and smooth creamy look and taste) Salt and pepper to taste.
Gravy
1/4 c butter
1/4 c flour
2 c beef brother or 4 tsp bouillon granules (heat in microwave 1 1/2 min - 2 min till hot)
Melt butter in sauce pan. Add flour and mix. Cook till a little brown enough to cook off flour taste. Slowly add broth and let thicken. salt and pepper to taste.
I use french bread sliced lightly butter and put in oven till brown. Layer french bread, beef french bread. Cut in half. Add mashed potatoes to middle top with gravy.
Taco Tuesday
1 lb Hamburger
1 taco season packet
shredded lettuce
shredded cheese
sour cream
1 can refried beans
1 tomato cut into squares
hard or soft taco shells
Brown hamburger, add seasoning packet, add 1/2c water (or whatever packet calls for) simmer.
Add your favorite ingredients to shells.
Pizza Wednesday
2 boxes Jiffy pizza crust mix
pizza sauce
1 pkg pepperoni
1 small can black olives
1 sliced green pepper
Mix and bake crust mix according to instructions. Add your favorite ingredients.
Darling Dumpling Thursday
I do my dumplings by sight so this recipe will be approximate. Watch for texture add flour or milk till lightly sticky.
3 cups cooked chicken (I boil this in chicken broth until tender 1-1 1/2 hours)
2 cups flour
1 tsp salt and pepper
2 Tbs. butter
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 48 oz chicken broth chicken broth
2 small cans cream of chicken
1 c milk
Cook chicken in broth (add water if needed). Once tender remove and debone if needed. Shred chicken add back to broth.
Dumplings
Flour in large bowl mix baking powder then salt and pepper. Cut butter into flour. Add milk slowly until dough is lightly sticky. Dump onto floured surface and knead. (Don't over knead) Just until able to roll dough out. Use pizza cutter to cut small squares. (remember these will rise just a touch so cut smaller squares)
Add cream of chicken soup to broth and stir until mixed well. Add dumplings. Cook 10-15 minutes until dough is cooked through.
Friday Biscuits and Sausage Gravy
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
3 tsp baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup milk
I wanted to throw this week worth of dinners together for those other busy mothers that also have a hard time finding something their family will chuck down the hatch even in a hurry before game time. Also note that I make a lot of homemade meals. I don't generally measure anything. I learned from my mother and grandmother and I do a lot by sight! Don't be afraid to adjust some of these recipes to taste or sight.
Crockpot Dinner Monday - Beef Manhatten
My family loves Beef Manhatten! It's quick and easy to make on those days when you don't have much time to cook and during sports season with the kids. I don't do anything special with mine just the basics and it's a hit.
Beef Roast into crock pot
1 container beef broth 48 oz fill the rest with water to cover beef
add 1 small cut in strips onion or onion soup
Cook 6-8 hours
When beef pulls apart easily remove and shred. (By this time the other items should be finished and you'll be ready to serve.)
Mashed potatoes
6-8 large potatoes
2 tbsp butter
milk enough to wet and thin potatoes
2 tbsp Hellmans Mayo
Boil potatoes until tender. (I personally do not use a mixer but you are more then welcome to! I smash with masher) drain well. Add butter and mash. Once mashed add milk till thinned. (Maybe 1/2 c) Add Mayo and smash again then stir with large spoon. (The mayo gives it a nice flavor and smooth creamy look and taste) Salt and pepper to taste.
Gravy
1/4 c butter
1/4 c flour
2 c beef brother or 4 tsp bouillon granules (heat in microwave 1 1/2 min - 2 min till hot)
Melt butter in sauce pan. Add flour and mix. Cook till a little brown enough to cook off flour taste. Slowly add broth and let thicken. salt and pepper to taste.
I use french bread sliced lightly butter and put in oven till brown. Layer french bread, beef french bread. Cut in half. Add mashed potatoes to middle top with gravy.
Taco Tuesday
1 lb Hamburger
1 taco season packet
shredded lettuce
shredded cheese
sour cream
1 can refried beans
1 tomato cut into squares
hard or soft taco shells
Brown hamburger, add seasoning packet, add 1/2c water (or whatever packet calls for) simmer.
Add your favorite ingredients to shells.
Pizza Wednesday
2 boxes Jiffy pizza crust mix
pizza sauce
1 pkg pepperoni
1 small can black olives
1 sliced green pepper
Mix and bake crust mix according to instructions. Add your favorite ingredients.
Darling Dumpling Thursday
I do my dumplings by sight so this recipe will be approximate. Watch for texture add flour or milk till lightly sticky.
3 cups cooked chicken (I boil this in chicken broth until tender 1-1 1/2 hours)
2 cups flour
1 tsp salt and pepper
2 Tbs. butter
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 48 oz chicken broth chicken broth
2 small cans cream of chicken
1 c milk
Cook chicken in broth (add water if needed). Once tender remove and debone if needed. Shred chicken add back to broth.
Dumplings
Flour in large bowl mix baking powder then salt and pepper. Cut butter into flour. Add milk slowly until dough is lightly sticky. Dump onto floured surface and knead. (Don't over knead) Just until able to roll dough out. Use pizza cutter to cut small squares. (remember these will rise just a touch so cut smaller squares)
Add cream of chicken soup to broth and stir until mixed well. Add dumplings. Cook 10-15 minutes until dough is cooked through.
Friday Biscuits and Sausage Gravy
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
3 tsp baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup milk
Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, salt in large bowl. Cut butter into mixture add 3/4 c milk. Dump dough onto floured surface and knead (Do not over knead or you will lose the fluff in the biscuit). Cut with glass or biscuit cutter.
1 roll sausage
1/4 c flour
2 1/3 c milk
1 tsp oil
salt pepper to taste
Brown 1 roll of sausage (your preference) remove from pan. Add 1 tsp oil (if there is little grease left from sausage). Add flour to brown and cook off flour taste. Add milk (more or less if you want thick or thin gravy). Salt and flour to taste.
Saturday Chili
1 lb hamburger or 1 roll sausage or half of each
2 cans kidney beans
1 can stewed tomato (we like the fire roasted)
1 large can tomato juice
1 onion sliced
2-4 tsp brown sugar (to taste)
1 pkg chili powder
Optional cut green or red pepper
Optional 1 can drained mushrooms (or you can use fresh we've done both)
Brown meat add to crock pot with the other ingredients. Cook 2-4 hours.
Sunday Fun Day - Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup
I love to add things to my grilled cheese!! You can add any cold cut you like. You can even do this with say beef roast on texas toast bread.
Butter bread butter side down in pan, add cheese, add cold cuts of preference (I like honey ham) Top with other buttered bread butter side up.
Heat tomato soup according to can. ENJOY!
I apologize for the lack of photos! This was a spur of the moment post as I sat here thinking of what to make for dinner. I hope you enjoy these dishes as much as I do!
1/4 c flour
2 1/3 c milk
1 tsp oil
salt pepper to taste
Brown 1 roll of sausage (your preference) remove from pan. Add 1 tsp oil (if there is little grease left from sausage). Add flour to brown and cook off flour taste. Add milk (more or less if you want thick or thin gravy). Salt and flour to taste.
Saturday Chili
1 lb hamburger or 1 roll sausage or half of each
2 cans kidney beans
1 can stewed tomato (we like the fire roasted)
1 large can tomato juice
1 onion sliced
2-4 tsp brown sugar (to taste)
1 pkg chili powder
Optional cut green or red pepper
Optional 1 can drained mushrooms (or you can use fresh we've done both)
Brown meat add to crock pot with the other ingredients. Cook 2-4 hours.
Sunday Fun Day - Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup
I love to add things to my grilled cheese!! You can add any cold cut you like. You can even do this with say beef roast on texas toast bread.
Butter bread butter side down in pan, add cheese, add cold cuts of preference (I like honey ham) Top with other buttered bread butter side up.
Heat tomato soup according to can. ENJOY!
I apologize for the lack of photos! This was a spur of the moment post as I sat here thinking of what to make for dinner. I hope you enjoy these dishes as much as I do!
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