10 Quick and Easy Meal Ideas

When I was about 16, I began cooking for my dad and I when my mom was at her second shift, full time job. Being an only child and a child of a father that really didn't know much about cooking, it was all up to me. I can't really complain because I truly loved it. I loved experimenting and listening to my father compliment me on every dish I served. Because I loved cooking and took great pride in it, I would spend hours in the kitchen, perfecting every little detail about the meal, down to the way the silverware was placed inside the perfectly folded dinner napkin. Thirteen years, three children and one husband later I finally realized that perfection is not an option. Time is much more valuable than perfection. After all, I used to spend 2 hours on a meal that was gone in 15 minutes. My focus now is quick and easy. Every mom should have a list of quick and easy meals. Slaving in the kitchen all day does not prove that you are a better mom or love your kids any more than the next mom, it just shows that you don't know how to use your time wisely. The more time you spend in the kitchen, the less time you are spending with your kids and husband. You'll also find out that the crockpot can be your best friend. Below are 10 fast and simple recipes that are common in my household and I haven't had any complaints yet. Since we are a family of five, you may have to adjust the ingredients according to your family size or be prepared to have some leftovers for the next day, which can also lead to saving even more time!

Mushroom Steak- Place a family size pack of beef steaks in a large crockpot. Add one can of condensed mushroom soup. Add a little water, a pinch of salt and a pinch of pepper. Cook on high for about 6 hours. The steak will be tender and full of flavor. To make it more flavorful, add a slice of swiss cheese to the top of each steak.

Chili- Brown 2 lbs of ground beef in skillet. Add cooked ground beef, one can of tomato juice, one package of chili seasoning, one can of diced tomatoes, half an onion and one can of kidney or chili beans. Let cook for 3 hours. Serve on top of fritos and add shredded cheese to the top.

Creamy Chicken- Place 6 boneless chicken breast in a 13in x 9in baking dish. Add one can of condensed cream of chicken soup. Bake at 400 for about an hour. Remove when chicken is done.

BBQ Pork Chops- Place about 6 pork chops in large crock pot. Add one bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce. Cook on high for about 6 hours.

Meatloaf- Mix 3 lbs ground beef, a package of meatloaf seasoning, a can of diced tomatoes, half an onion, 2 eggs and 6 crackers, salt and pepper (if desired) in large bowl. Once the mixture is evenly mixed, transfer into large crock pot and pack until the top is even. Add some ketchup to the top and cook on high for about 6 hours.

Homemade Vegetable Soup- In large crockpot combine one or two cans of vegetable juice, half of a bag of frozen sliced okra, one can of each of the following vegetables: corn, green beans, peas, diced tomatoes, carrots and sliced potatoes. Cook on high for about 3 hours.

Shrimp Mac & Cheese- Prepare 2 boxes of macaroni and cheese (the kind that comes with the creamy cheese). Cook 2 bags of salad shrimp and add to macaroni and cheese. Next, slice a can of black olives and add to mixture. My kids love this one!

Chicken and Dumplins- Place 3 boneless chicken breasts and one can chicken broth in large crockpot, cook on high for 6 hours. Remove chicken and place in large bowl to the side (leaving the juice in the crockpot). Add frozen dumplins to crock pot or cut up canned biscuits to bite size pieces and add to crockpot. Cook until done and add dumplins and juice to chicken.

Tuna Casserole- Cook one bag of egg noodles according to directions. Add 2 cans of tuna, peas, mayonaisse and salt and pepper (if desired) to noodles. Put in refrigerator until chilled.

Creamy Chicken & Bisquits- Place 6 boneless chicken breasts and one can of condensed cheese soup to crockpot. Cook on high for 6 hours. After chicken is nice and tender, shred it by taking a fork and pulling the pieces apart, then add one can of carrots and one can of peas. Next, prepare bisquits as directed. When bisquits are finished, open each bisquit on plate and serve chicken mixture on top.