Menu Ideas

With my fam in town this past week, I realized that I really do like to cook for people, especially when I know exactly what will be on the menu and I have all the ingredients I need at my fingertips. So I think the key to actually enjoying making dinner is advanced planning, at least for me. So, my sister found this list while she was here of meal ideas that I had on a pad of paper -I thought I would share the ideas - you can find your own recipes or versions online. I prefer All Recipes for new ideas. And I also got this link to a site with a weekly meal worksheet, with menu ideas on the second page.

So, in no particular order, here are 25 main course ideas that have made their way to the Hiller house at one time or another:

1. Soup/salad/sandwiches
2. Roast and potatoes/carrots
3. Tacos (shred leftover roast for taco filling)
4. BBQ beef sandwiches (another use for leftover roast)
5. Sliders - mini hamburgers, turkey burgers with tons of toppings
6. Baked potato bar
7. Taco salad
8. Chili
9. Spaghetti and meatballs
10. Meatball subs (leftover from above)
11. Pita pockets - meat, veggies, cheese
12. Pizza - I buy ready made wheat dough at Trader Joes or Fresh and Easy
13. Mini pizzas - english muffins for crust
14. Lettuce wraps
15. Quesadillas - try different flavors like BBQ chicken, marinara sauce with cheese, etc
16. Enchiladas - layer ingredients instead of rolling for a faster version
17. Thai noodle salad with peanut sauce
18. Cobb salad - use sliced chicken fingers and hard boiled egg
19. Salmon with steamed spinach and lemon
20. Stir fry with veggies and rice (Yoshidas Gourmet Sauce - the best!)
21. Paninis - great use for leftover meats, add cheese and heat
22. Omelettes or quiche with fresh fruit
23. Chinese Chicken Salad (buy coleslaw mix to save time on shredding cabbage)
24. Chicken and artichoke hearts - baked
25. Pork chops baked with applesauce/apples