Quick Dinner Ideas that Prepare in a Snap

Quick dinner ideas are every family’s goal. These are quick dinner ideas that are fast to prepare, but they cook all day. After all, who wants to come home after a long day of working or driving the kids around a cook a long and involved dinner? Here are a few of my favorite quick dinner ideas. They make dinner a breeze and clean up is easy too.

Each of these dishes can be prepared in the morning and left to cook all day in a crockpot. They are perfect during the week while you are at work or even on a Sunday when you would rather being hanging out with your family instead of trapped in the kitchen. For quick clean up use any of the available crockpot liners out on the market.

Quick dinner idea #1

Southwest Chicken

�· 1 can (15 oz) black beans, (make sur eto rinse the beans)
�· 2 cans (15 oz) whole kernel corn, drained (to leave out salt use frozen corn)
�· 2 cans Rotel tomatoes with green chilies
�· 5 or 6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (about 2 lbs)
�· 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese ( or any cheese you have in the fridge)

PREPARATION:

In a 3-1/2- to 5-quart slow cooker, mix together the black beans, corn, and 1/2 cup of the salsa. Place the chicken breasts on top of the black bean mixture, then pour the left over 1/2 cup salsa over the chicken. Cover and cook on HIGH for 3 to 3 �½ hours (if you are leaving this all day while you are at work cook it on low during the day and turn to high when you get home), or until the chicken is tender and done; do not overcook or the chicken will become tough and dry. Sprinkle cheese on top; cover and cook until the cheese melts, about ten minutes. This should serve six people. If you are on a budget and would like to extend it try adding more veggies. Also, you can substitute ground beef for the chicken. Brown the ground beef first. Follow the same instructions and leave this on low for 8 hours while you are at work.

Quick dinner idea #2

Scalloped Potatoes and Ham

�· pounds potatoes peeled and sliced
�· 1 cup chopped onion
�· 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
�· 1 cup cooked diced ham
�· 1 can (10 3/4 oz) cream of mushroom soup or cream of celery soup
�· 1/2 cup water

PREPARATION:

Combine potatoes, onion, cheese and ham in slow cooker. In small bowl, combine condensed soup & water; pour over potato mixture in slow cooker. Cover and cook on HIGH for 4 hours (or again on low all day while you are at work), or until potatoes are tender. Gently stir just before serving. Serve this with warm dinner rolls and biscuits and a salad and you have a whole meal. This dish should easily serve 6 people.

Quick dinner idea #3

Boston Butt BBQ

INGREDIENTS:

�· pork shoulder, this is also called a Boston butt
�· 1/4 cup of water
�· salt and pepper lightly
�· a few bottles of your favorite BBQ sauce

PREPARATION:

Place the meat in the slow cooker with water, salt and pepper. Cover and cook on HIGH for 1 hour. Turn to LOW and cook 7 to 9 hours longer, until very tender. Remove roast and discard fat and juices. Chop or shred the pork; return to slow cooker. Mix a little barbecue sauce into the meat for flavor. Cook for about 1 hour longer, until hot. In the South they would serve this with a couple sliced of white bread and some veggies for a side. Elsewhere they would serve it on hamburger buns. Buy some premade coleslaw at the grocery store and you have a whole meal. Make sure to have lots of extra BBQ sauce!