Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Help, ideas Needed!! & There's a Reward!

We try to eat pretty darn healthy. We try to eat real food, slow food, traditional food. But, let's be honest ... some nights we revert to take-out/fast food. *head hung in shame*

SOME nights are just THOSE nights. When you've had one of THOSE days. When doing anything much more than popping something into something else to cook is just too much. We all have those nights (and those days), so let's be honest about it. --- In our world, especially when we're still transitioning from boxed & processed to real & slow, we need some dishes that can become real "fast food." Real THOSE nights food. -- We also need a better name for that .... what are your ideas??

Usually, this is where my love of leftovers comes in. Often I'll make things in big batches (I've been a little lax lately - head hung in shame again), just to freeze part for a later meal. My Mattar Paneer is my standby for this type of stuff. Lucky for me at least, I love it and can always eat it.

Here's where I need your help though. I need some ideas on other dishes that are good to pre-start/make-up ahead of time and freeze for later. Something that is as easy to prep as tossing it in the microwave or oven. Something for when I'm too drained, I'm gripping onto the kitchen counter and hanging on for dear life, trying not to snap and kill all in a 25 miles radius like a Atomic Mama Bomb.

I wanna hear your ideas. Comment on this, leave recipes or link to recipes. I'll review them (hey look, a goal!), I'll even remember to post photos!!

And there is a REWARD: The one I end up liking the best, I'll send you a little sumthin'-sumthin' filled with homemade love. --- Ok, that sounds wrong and naughty. But hopefully you'll like it. ... and yes, I know that didn't sound any better.
AND - the person who comes up with the best name to replace 'Real THOSE nights food' will win a little sumthin' sumthin' too. If the same person wins, then they'll get a bigger sumthin' sumthin'.

Deadline???? Hmm .. let's say the deadline for this is one month from now, April 10th.

6 comments:

Carole and Chewy said...

How did I not know you had this other blog? i have no ideas on what to call "those food nights" but we have them. Trying to eat healthier since DH's heart attack last fall, and finding out basically all food is bad for us, leaving us eating more-or-less fat-free cardboard.

Lisa said...

I personally love "those food nights." hmmm Hubby does all the cooking for us so I'm not much help. He usually grills extra and we freeze it for "those nights." But, yeah, we're not above Kroger Deli Chicken.

Knitterwockey said...

Um, I think lasagna is a pretty good meal for making ahead of time and freezing. It may take awhile to cook from the frozen state but all you have to do is throw it into the oven.

You could also make up a big batch of spaghetti sauce and freeze it then have it on hand for those nights. Spaghetti is super easy. Boil the noodles, thaw the sauce and you're good to go.

Hearty soups and stews freeze well.

For something not frozen, I'm a big fan of grill cheese sandwiches and soup. Pretty easy, minimal work (if you use canned soup. Maybe something like Amy's Organic brand?) and it's comfort food.

I'm also a big fan of breakfast for dinner. Maybe make up a big batch of pancakes on the weekend then freeze the ones that are left over (just make sure to layer wax paper or parchment paper between each pancake) and warm them up in the microwave, scramble some eggs and bob's your uncle.

I hope these ideas are what you are looking for!

Anonymous said...

On THOSE nights I would call your evening meal "Dinner" or maybe, since you seem to have an interest in eating locally, "Supper."

ginger said...

On the days (lunch or supper) that I don't feel like making anything I usually tell everyone to get what they want.... leftovers, sandwich, whatever. I call it "Grab it and Growl."

ginger said...
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