An Ordinary Meal: Enthusiastic Conversation!
I often wonder what ordinary meals are like in other homes. Many times I can double up my cooking, and then we have leftovers the next night … or two, or three. I am definitely not slaving in the kitchen all the time, although I wish I had more time to try out new recipes. I sometimes feel like I get stuck in a rut with my cooking. I often hear of other women who feel the same way!
Earlier this week, as it was a rare night with everybody home, I made an Alfredo Sauce and added pulled chicken, fresh spinach, and served it over pasta.
Along with freshly baked bread (frozen from Costco, bake at 375 for 23 minutes!)
And salad from the garden.
I added apricot jam and balsamic vinegar to the green beans. Delicious!
We served it up and had a tasty meal with enthusastic conversation (how can it not be zippy with 3 teenagers?)
– We always go around the table and ask about the highs and lows of the day.
– When our kids talk, we listen. We never shut them down.
– The table is a safe place. Anything can be said.
– There’s always room for sadness, passion, and a lot of laughter.
Here are some ingredients I try to keep on hand for last minutes meals like this:
1. Pulled chicken, frozen in a Ziploc bag
2. Pasta
3. Whipping cream
4. Parmesan cheese
You can then add whatever veggies you have in the fridge, like zucchini, spinach, peppers, etc.
What’s an ordinary meal that you keep the ingredients on hand for?
Hello and welcome to my home and table!
I’m Sandy—lover of food, family, cooking, THE BIG BOARD, travel, and bringing people together. Through great recipes and connection around the table, we become better, stronger, and more courageous people. Feasting on Life is real, and every time we do it, we grow a little more. Read more...
I always try to keep some Turkey Italian Sausage and a couple jars of Marinara Sauce on hand, Pasta is always in the pantry and since I can make a salad out of just about anything and always have some good crusty bread …I’ve got a got to dinner ready to go!
last night we had the yummy ravioli from costco that we bought with a coupon topped with olive oil, fresh cracked black pepper and freshly grated parmesean
.-= Kelly´s last blog ..last day! =-.
I’m a bit like you in that I often make a really large meal like Pulled Pork, Cheesy Potatoes, Green Beans etc… and end up serving the food again the next night and sometimes the next. I like to challenge myself to restyle the food like making pulled pork quesadillas and cheesy potatoe pancakes. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t but it’s always fun!
BBQ Chicken from the crockpot. Just dump int frozen chicken breasts and BBQ sauce and cook all day! I serve it with pickles and garlic toasted buns. It’s just hubby, me, and a 6 month old though. Can’t wait until she can tell us about her day! Also? I want some chicken alfredo now….
We had our ordinary meal just last night: egg fried rice. I made rice in the rice cooker (we store 25 lbs of rice at a time in our pantry), onions from the veggie basket, eggs from the fridge, poppy seeds from the cabinet and tamari sauce. And I get to enjoy the leftovers in a few minutes time.
.-= Selena´s last blog ..once upon a time…… =-.
I always keep ingredients on hand for tostadas and mac and cheese. Easy and quick. And bonus..everyone loves them. ;)
.-= Tiffany´s last blog ..Keeping His Word in My Heart =-.
We always have chicken and the fixins for some kind of sauce, we keep all of the basics in our pantry all the time. We also keep a block of cream cheese, some kind of sweet jam or jelly with chipoltes, or hot pepper in them with crackers for a quick go to for a light snack to serve with wine or your favorite beverage. Your blog took me back to when our boys, now young men, were in high school and we would have dinner around the table, it was always lively too! Now when the boys, they will always be the boys to me, my babies, come for dinner with their wives we also sit around the table and talk about their lives what is going on their friends, we try to have a dinner once a month with just us the core family, it helps us stay connected in this sometimes crazy busy world we live in. Blessings to all – Curtis and Sherrie
I usually have the ingredients to make spaghetti sauce on hand – or really any pasta basic that I can add chicken and veggies to!
.-= Kristen´s last blog ..Jen’s Cream Cheese Chicken =-.
Funny, I was just remarking last night….”I sure cook a lot…”
I have a mostly appreciative audience for the fact that I really cook, and seldom use prepared foods (my youngest doesn’t like that I cook with meat, but I refuse to let him eat only cheese pizza.)
And do a sit down dinner every night the kids are with us. With food in bowls, and a set table. And we talk and joke, and have conversations that no one else would understand without an answer key. (For instance, a lively debate over wether or not jello truly counted as a colloid. I don’t even know quite what it means, but three kids who have all completed high-school biology can all have a lively debate about it over the chicken marsala.)
I always have boneless chicken breasts in the freezer, chicken broth, and one or two bunches of herbs (cilantro and basil, typically) handy to jazz up what would otherwise be typically pretty bland (although, now that it’s summer, I have both of those growing on the deck!)
But I’m envious of those home-grown greens!
Maybe someday!
.-= Lori @ In Pursuit of Martha Points´s last blog ..Announcements and a Re-Count (No Supreme Court Necessary) =-.
It’s 7:45am and I’m dieting right now. What do those two things have in common? Well, I’ll tell ya. After reading this post, I want pasta for breakfast now.
ARGH! : )
.-= the BLAH BLAH BLAHgr´s last blog ..I HEART FACES PHOTO WALK =-.
Pasta, pasta and more pasta! {We really eat too much pasta!}
Seriously, my husband is a huge fan of plain ol’ spaghetti, so we always have that on hand. I also try to have cream of mushroom soup and rice, so I can make cheesy chicken. And taco seasoning, so I can make taco salad!
.-= Mary @ Giving Up on Perfect´s last blog ..You didn’t have to. =-.
I always have eggs on hand to make a quick frittata, spinach for sauteing or for making green smoothies, and frozen shrimp!
.-= Jenny´s last blog ..Container Planting: Garden Designers Roundtable =-.
I always seem to fall back on chicken. It’s kinda my staple food. Sometimes I wing it and make up a recipe. But, because I get bored with meals, I generally send 2 or 3 recipe cards to my friends every 18-24 months and ask them to share their new family fave – I have developed quite a nice collection of recipes to serve.
.-= Suzann´s last blog ..This and That =-.
Gingered Pear Chicken Dijon. Sounds very gourmet, but it’s super easy and I serve it with beans and rice. Or chicken salad- I make it with craisins, apples, and grapes and it’s a nice easy meal for the summer.
.-= Tara G.´s last blog ..Tripping Around =-.
I would say that I always have the fixin’s for a quick soup. Because soups are forgiving and can really be a mixture of whatever you have on hand. I’ve made many a soup out of desperation and it turned out YUMMY!
Your Alfredo sauce looks delightful!!
HUGS!
.-= Kim @ Homesteader’s Heart´s last blog ..Friday Funnies! Aging Girlfriends! =-.
I try to keep a package of Trader Joes turkey meatballs in the freezer to add to homemade canned tomato sauce (thanks Mom!) and pasta. Really quite ordinary but quick and good.