Moving: Need some food/meal ideas please

[Denvergirlie]

So we are moving on Saturday, we've already been eating out a ton as we dash back and forth around town preparing for the move, I can't afford nor do I desire to eat anymore food grabbed on the go.

Any ideas on some easy things I could start/ make ahead/ shop for Friday morning, for Friday nights dinner, and all 6 meals on over the weekend. I have a feeling things won't quite down until late Sunday afternoon

I am sometimes really bad with meal planning, and we will be a bigger group of 5-7 instead of our normal 2-3. We have friends helping with the move and sounds like they are going to spend the night on Saturday (move is about 45 minutes away).

Any good and easy ideas? I'll also have two adults that will only eat a small amounts of chicken, but it's got to be more of a garnish than a feature of the meal for them.

I really want to elminate cooking, especially Friday night and until Saturday evening.

I'm running a blank... all I can think of is frozen pizza (putting this in the oven does not constitue cooking to me) and pancakes, maybe soup and bread?

any ideas? I'm willing to do some food prep on Thursday evening or Friday morning, but maybe a max of an hour.

thanks

[robugmum]

I'd do a big pot of chili - whatever recipe you like. Its quick and simple to throw together, especially if you use tinned or jarred beans.

[LauraLoo]

Baked spaghetti and a salad. (Make ahead, refrigerate or freeze)

Any type of casserole that you could pop in the oven to reheat. We like tuna noodle or chicken, rice and broccoli.

[mumkimum]

Ditto on the chili - maybe do it with some baked poatatoes (or do that as it's own meal - just get a variety of potato toppings for them).

Quiche or quiche-style individual 'egg muffins' are good too, and re-heatable (or good cold if made ahead).

Pasta salad. Or a grain or lentil salad (cook rice or lentils, chopped veggies, simple dressing - great wrapped in tortillas as a sandwich)

[napless]

Crustless zucchini quiche

I second the recommendation for quiche. This one is really easy. It has no crust! I can have it in the oven in 10 minutes (but I've made it sooooooooo many times - it may take you 15!) You can make it ahead of time and reheat it. If you are making more than one, have a separate mixing bowl for each one, and mix them simultaneously. This is what I always take to families with new babies.


Preheat oven to 375F/190C.

1 medium zucchini, in one inch/2 cm cubes

2 cups/500 mL cottage cheese

3 eggs, beaten

1 cup/250 mL Cheddar cheese, cubed

3 Tbsp/45 mL melted butter

3 Tbsp/45 mL flour

1 clove garlic

1 tsp/5 mL dried basil

1/2 tsp/2 mL salt

1/4 tsp/1 mL pepper

Grease a pie plate.
In a bowl, combine all of the ingredients. Mix well.
Pour into the pie plate.
Bake for at least 1 hour, until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.

[ju1ia]

as a last ditch effort, you could run to your local natural food store and buy a premade lasagna or casserole. I know those are usually better than what I can make anyway!
tortilla soup is one of our faves...
saute onions with some chopped chicken, then add a (drained) can of beans, a (drained) can of corn and a can of diced tomatoes (Ro-tel makes them Mexican style), plus some chicken broth. season (salt, pepper, cumin & oregano if you have them handy) serve over tortilla chips and topped with cheese and/or sour cream.. yum!

[Denvergirlie]

Thanks ladies.

I put together a box with the crockpot and variety of cannd items to make a chicken taco type soup for Saturday evening.

I am going to hit the grocery store a bit later today and grab a few frozen pizza's as well.

Breakfast's and dinner tonight still need to be addressed but I will come up with something. I need to clean out the refrigerator today and bet that I can put together a veggie tray of some sort.