OK, what's your favorite REALLY quick after work dinner -- something that you put together in say 20 mins? I need new ideas!

how about 5 - 10 minutes?

Easy Stir-fry! (it just sounds complicated when you write it out - wow!)

1 bag of that 90second microwave rice (whole grain! yum!)
frozen veggies of choice (mix and match whatever you like or use up some fresh veggies! even better!)
soy sauce or peanut sauce or general tso sauce (you get the idea)
meat or tofu or beans and/or peanuts
1-2 tbls vegitable oil
diced garlic (i get it in a jar and it has ginger too!)
1 egg (optional)
one huge deep pot

put the pot on med-high and add oil and sautee garlic for a minute or so
add meat or tofu or whatever protien you are using until browned
dump in all frozen veggies on to of protien
cover pot
microwave the rice and dump into veggies and protien
add to pot with veggies and protien
add sauce (how ever much it takes to coat everything but isnt too salty so go slowly and taste! have hubby and kid taste so they stop whinning about how long dinner is taking)
stir frequently
make a little hole in the middle, crack the egg into the whole and scramble it FAST!
give everythign another stir to make sure it's all cooked (not so much fun to bite into a frozen broccoli!)

SERVE!

bask in the glow of compliments from your adoring fans

We do stir fry, too! Almost exactly like yours. I've come up with a variation of this stir-fry as well because we were getting tired of the same stir fry. Use the exact same ingredients except omit the soy sauce and the egg. Have the same veggies, the same rice and then throw some black beans or lentils on top. Delicious! And you can make the beans in the slow cooker while your at work if you buy them dry. You can make a bunch of the vegetables and rice ahead of time and have two different meals out of it!

oceans mom! i ALMOST added 'beans' to the protien list! i bet if you swapped the soy for say... enchalada sauce and used black beans and corn in your 'veggie/protien' mix you could get a very yummy mexican style stirfry...

i think you just inspired tonights dinner

so just had to update - i made the following for dinner last night and it was fab:

1 tbsp of vegetablel oil
1 tbsp of dried minced onions (or 1/2 cup of real onion, whatever)
1 tbsp of ground cummin
1 pkg 90second whole grain rice
1/2 small jar of mild enchalada sauce
1 can black beans (no salt)
1 can corn (no salt)
frozen veggies (optional but i used the peas/carrots/greenbeans mixture and it was YUMMY)

heat up the oil and add onion until browned and then add cummin
microwave rice and add to pot and let it sizzle for a bit and stir it around!
add beans and corn and stir
add enchalada sauce and simmer on low for oh 5 minutes or until thicker
add frozen veggies if using and simmer for another 5 minutes to cooke the veggies

It's very good next to a salad or with tortillas - i just ate it as is! my husband added shredded cheese to the top and you could of course add some meat in there, but you have protien in the beans

RAVE REVIEWS

Wow! I just had the same thing sans enchilada sauce. Too bad I didn't read your post sooner! I have to make it with enchilada sauce next time. That sounds really good.

You know what I did do once, also. I took the same veggies and tofu and used one of the Lawry's marinade sauces. I think it was tequila lime or something like that. That was good too.

The variations on stir fry are endless. We should see how many variations we can come up with!!

Spaghetti with clam sauce
Boil spaghetti
Clam sauce:
2 cans minced (or chopped cans)
Olive oil
(tab butter optional)
Garlic (minced in jar about teaspoon)
1 1/2 tablespoons flour
Salt and pepper to taste (dill optional)
Small pot:
Heat on medium
put in olive oil (and butter if adding)
add in flour (whisk gently or you get lumps)
garlic
clams (juice and all)
seasonings,

Drain spaghetti
Put clam sauce on top or do seperately
Yummo
Optional to add: White wine (any kind is okay), pine nuts, or hot stuff...(I don't like it but you can add, I'd say not much though)

whoops, meant canned clams ladies (and gents)
P)

Fabulous thread! I'm going to print some of these out and try them. Here's our favorite EASY summer recipe:

SHRIMP, CORN and BASIL (serves 4)

Corn from 4-5 ears (fresh is definitely best, but can use frozen)
1 pound (or so) raw shrimp (can use frozen)
Salt, pepper to taste
Handful of cut scallions
Handful of fresh chopped basil
Butter or olive oil

Melt butter (or oil) in large pan on med/high heat. Add corn, cook for about 5 minutes. Add shrimp, cook for about 5 minutes or until shrimp is opaque. Salt/pepper to taste. Add scallions and basil, toss for a minute or two and serve.

Serve with salad and bread, and there's your meal. We scarf it down!!

This is something I cooked up last night at the last minute. All the ingredients were in the house and I needed to put something together. It was so good, I could have eaten the whole thing myself.
The Andouille sausage is a little spicy, some kids might not like the bite of it. Any sausage can be used.

Scrumptious & Quick Andouille Sausage Polenta Bake
Ingredients:
Any pre-cooked Polenta
Package of Andouille Sausage (Any sausage will do)
Jar of Chunky Garden Vegetable Past Sauce (any brand/flavor choice will do)
½ cup Chopped mushrooms
chopped basil (fresh or dried) to taste
Mozzarella Cheese (sliced or shredded)

Preparation:
Broil Sausage for 15 minutes while setting up the rest

Spray baking dish with non-stick spray. ( I prefer an olive oil spray but again use personal choice)
Slice polenta into ¼ inch slices and place in bottom of baking dish
Sprinkle mushrooms over polenta
Pour ½ jar of sauce over polenta and mushrooms
Place pre-broiled sausage on top
Pour remaining sauce over sausage
Top with mozzarella cheese

Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes

When I am totally stuck for time I rely on a hearty omelet. I add any leftover veggies; bits and pieces of chicken, seafood, etc. - anything that's leftover that's not enough for two; a little shredded cheese (I keep the bags of pre-shredded in the freezer); always a hit of "strong cheese" (my son's term) such as feta, bleu, gorgonzola (also from the freezer); a touch of crumbled bacon (yup, from the freezer) and some fresh or dried herbs. If it gets too big to fold, I finish it in the oven. I almost always have our favorite bread in the freezer cut into two servings per person portions and I chuck that in the convection oven before I start the omelet.

I do the eggs two to one in that I use one additional egg white to every two whole eggs I use (or thereabout), use lowfat cheese, make sure the veggies are at least 1/2 - 2/3 of the bulk of the filling and try to use fresh herbs when I can to give lots of flavor without adding fat.

Of course my 11 yo DS won't touch eggs.......<sigh>

Now I'm hungry.............

Oh, Bren, what a great idea -- my 4 yr old adores eggs, but I've never made a dinner omelet. On the list now, Thank you. And thank you for the great quick recipes, everyone -- I printed out this page