re: Meals during the week

Quick and easy meals?

- Loose meat spaghetti with store bought sauce
- Air fried salmon with sweet potatoes
- Breakfast food - bacon, eggs, pancakes, etc.

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Costco sells their rotisserie chicken for under $5 and it's a great bargain, plus well cooked.

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I've found several different meals at Sam's where they've pulled their extra chickens for prepared meals- alfredo, chicken salad (I add pickles and spicy mustard), enchiladas- one of our favorites is the taco kit- comes with seasoned chicken, cheese, cabbage, limes, tortillas, and a cup of salsa and cilantro lime crema. Delicious, and the kit is enough for 12-15 tacos. It lasts more than 1 meal in our house.

We did:
Red Beans Rice and sausage
Tacos
Leftovers
Spaghetti
Pizza
BBQ
Roast nd gravy on the regular rotation
And the wife would throw in crock pot all day meals as a mixup.

I've been cooking a big meal on Sundays that we can eat at least two more times during the week. Then I usually do some kind of tex-mex, tacos, enchiladas etc. and then stir fry.

For something simple and quick, I like to mix diced chicken w/ broccoli and brown rice in the instant pot. Once finished, top with hot sauce and chopped green onion. Doesn't take much effort and always have leftovers.

ETA: I also like making ground turkey quesadillas with carb balance tortillas. I've found that to be a pretty low maintenance meal, too. Not many dishes involved.

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Another good deal is to buy the 2.25 lbs packages of rotisserie chicken breast meat to use in various dishes, such as chicken tacos, chicken pot pie, etc. Those packages were $11 pre-covid. I think they've gone up to $15 now.

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I buy chicken breasts when Rouses puts them on sale. They often sell split breasts for $.99 a lb. and they are easy to cook. That way 2.5 lbs. of them run $2.50 for the meat and a few dollars to cook.

1. Red beans & rice (obviously)

2. Chicken Teriyaki - A teriyaki sauce is very easy to make, but there are great jarred varieties. Just cook chicken thighs, rice, and a side of broccoli.

3. Pork Tenderloin - Serve it the first night with potatoes and a veggie. Grill enough to have leftovers. The second night, dice up the meat, throw BBQ sauce on it, and put it on a bun.

4. Sheet pan Fajitas - Don't have time to grill? Wash, slice, and season your chicken in advance. Throw the meat, onions, and peppers on a baking sheet in the oven.

5. Something with red sauce - Last week I did a baked ziti. Also very easy. The only real cooking is browning the meat/sausage and boiling noodles. Use a jarred sauce, like Monjuni's. The kids love it! Serve with a salad/bread.

I probably keep 20 meals on rotation. It helps to write it down and plan in advance. I definitely like to put a hot meal on the table most nights of the week, and even though I love to cook, and don't want to deal with a marathon cooking session daily.

ETA: If y'all haven't tried the seasoning blends from Red Stick Spice, definitely check them out. You can cook basic chicken breasts 50 different ways!