Wendy - THANK YOU for sharing this!!! I would love to see more like this and any exercise tips too.

Renee - funny you should mention it bc roasted veggies is on our menu this week & i’ve never tried it before. i was inspired by this video (which includes easy, healthy, roasted chicken) http://screen.yahoo.com/chow-ciao/easy-chicken-dinner-070000941.htm

bonus – his italian accent makes me feel super fancy that i’m trying this out this week.

sara @ it's good to be queen - this is for me!! thank you! looks so yummy!! {excessive use of exclamation marks.}

Jill - Like me! I have never done this!

With 4 kids I do think it’s pretty sad I’ve never tried it but I will blame the fact that we have moved nearly every two years and I STINK in the kitchen! I still, at 40yrs old, have no idea how to truly stock a pantry! How can that be you may ask, well, after beating myself up for years about it I realized, it truly is due to the fact that we have moved so darn much in such short time spans, that I’ve never been able to really get a “pantry” going.

Just when I start to get what I may see hope as becoming a functional one, we move and I give it all away meaning once again I have to start all over. UGH!

I need simple recipes like this – FAST recipes like this – DELICIOUS recipes like this that my kids will (maybe)eat.

Oh and to make it even more difficult on my end, I have one kiddo with Celiac Disease. I NEED to learn how to cook from scratch because buying things (truly)Gluten Free is EXPENSIVE and we have one teeny tiny sad little grocery budget.

So please!

Continue to post your discoveries because not only does it make me feel more secure ( *wink* ) but you seem to like a lot of the same things as I do, from actual food to simplicity in making it!

THANK YOU!

Kim Barlow - My kids love roasted vegetables (not beets or brussell sprouts). I will tell you they love it when I grate the cauliflower, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper. My husband has been on the Paleo diet for a year. Whenever we have pasta, I substitute the grated cauliflower for pasta. It’s so good. Many blessings.

tara - love roasted veggies.
my favorite.
my boys act like they’re dying, too, when i make them.
kills me.

Laura - someone mentioned MONTREAL STEAK SEASONING.
YES
YES
YES
I put it on everything.
My veggies…my chicken…my kids…

ok. not my kids. but if it made them clean their rooms, I would put it on them.

also…grilled veggies with melted fat free feta cheese or goat cheese is awesome.
so is goat cheese in pasta
or goat cheese on a spoon
or goat cheese with crackers and a bottle of wine
or just a bottle of wine

and now this has nothing to do with veggies….

Shannon - Roasted Cauliflower is DELISH! My kids will even eat it because I let them dip it in ketchup or Chick-fil-A sauce. I second the roasted broccoli, yummy.

Erica - Girl you gotta turn that oven up to 425 and roast for 20/25 mins, that gets everything a nice ‘crunch’ esp broccoli!

Barbara - Your picture had me licking my lips…..yummy! Another meal we make is cut up colored peppers and sweet onions, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with Lawry’s and cook that either in the oven or on the grill in a basket. Then serve with grilled (or baked) chicken breasts which have been marinated in fajita seasoning. When cooked, cut into strips and place on a tortilla along with the peppers/onions, avocado, salsa or “whatever”. Serve a fresh fruit salad alongside and you have a fast, healthy and filling meal that everyone seems to like. Bon appetite!

GB - Do the same with potatoes (rather than baked or french fries), add the salt, garlic, pepper, and then for some zing…cyanne pepper….yum, yum…

Lisa - Thank you for always posting such fun, simple, easy -to -do ideas! You NEVER have to worry about “dumbing-down” anything for me! I just love following your blog – it’s a highlight when I see you have a new post ! Blessings on your day! 😉

Tanya H - I’ve only done broccoli and asparagus and yes, they are AMAZING!! I drizzle a touch of lemon on ours, instead of olive oil. But I learned my kids will eat it better if I forget the lemon, lol….

Beth Ann - My husband would have tears if asked him to eat this combo, but to me it sounds yummy. Esp the poster who commented to add balsamic and serve over pasta.

Here is another veggie to try – cauliflower! All of my family will eat it roasted. I also generously sprinkle it with Season Salt (lawrys) and a drizzle a little olive oil (but you could probably use cooking spray?)

Alice H - We eat the crap out of roasted broccoli in our house!! My kids love it. It is delish! My oldest (and only daughter) will eat almost all of the roasted veggies I make. But my 2 boys will only eat roasted broccoli and potatoes. LOL!

I am not sure about the calories, but I have been using Montreal Steak Seasoning on ALL.THE.THINGS. Give it a try!

Lindsey - I love this also! I feel like sometimes it is a battle of will to get my kid to eat one teeny morsel of vegetable. Really? Ugh.

Try splashing a bit of balsalmic vinegar on it before roasting. Especially yummy on the brussel sprouts.

cara - thanks for being very real and simple. yes, i’ve done this before but something about you posting it and your awesome pics makes me want to start roasting veggies again! thanks for sharing your healthy tips!

Bethany - We started roasting veggies just a few years ago. My husband and I love it and our kids aren’t big fans either (but they’re only 2 and 4). I second tossing them with pasta and a little homemade dressing-easy vegetarian meal. Also you have to try adding fennel to the mix. Cut up the bulb part and mix it in. I’m not a fan of fennel’s licorice flavor, but when it’s roasted it’s flavor is mild and sweet. Especially good with carrots (which I never used to eat cooked…until I had them roasted).

abi - this summer i discovered how awesome grilled veggies are over salad! sounded super weird to me at first but now i can’t get enough- especially squash, zucchini and eggplant. YUM.

Amy Petz - I have roasted veggies before, but still appreciated this post. I had never thought to add sweet potatoes to the mix, or parmesan. Please keep sharing!

Melissa - Good. Good on ya. Sheesh.

Judy - YUMMY!!! What do you put with the chicken to cook it in the crockpot??

Debbie Smallie - Made these tonight…everyone loved them 🙂 Used a rotisserie chicken from Sam’s..saved me time and for $5-ish it didn’t break the bank. YUM-O!

Tanya H - http://dinnersandthings.blogspot.com/2011/03/sour-cream-enchiladas.html this is my version, haha, very close! 🙂 This was my favorite dinner growing up- often for my birthdays!

Laura H. - I just made something similar to these yesterday. I have three kids. One won’t eat anything “weird” like this, one will eat anything as long as it is “meaty”, and one is a vegetarian(like me) I made some with chicken, and some with black beans. My hubs will eat anything! I must say now that my kids are teenagers and can drive, they are hardly home for dinner. Getting harder and harder to plan meals. LOVE your blog!
Have you ever made monkey bread and called that dinner? Is that weird? Am I weird? I serve fruit along with it. There, now I feel better!

stacy - Both recipes sounds good. I looooove enchiladas. A lot. The more sour cream & cheese, the better. Thanks for sharing.

Kimberlee Jost - I used to make these years ago—
rich and good. Totally forgot about them!

Deanne - Too funny….I just finished getting out the ingredients to make this recipe
for our church carry-in meal on Sunday and then sat down to look at your blog. The only differences between your recipe and mine is that I use green chiles instead of Rotel and mushroom soup instead of chicken.

jen - thanks for sharing! i love finding new, quick & easy recipes! i’m meal planning tomorrow (wild saturday night for me!) and this will will be added to the week! thanks!

Michelle Whitlow - I made this for breakfast this morning and it was SO yummy!! I halved the recipe because I was only making it for my 3 kids (and one’s a toddler). So here’s my version for anyone who wants it: I used a 1/2 loaf french bread, 1 cup canned pumpkin, 4 eggs, 1 cup half and half (I just prefer this over milk for french toast), 1 tsp vanilla (cause I love it!) and 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice.
I still baked it for 40 min and it was not mushy, not sure why others had that problem. Maybe not enough bread or your layers are too thick & the middle can’t cook is all I can think. I think the key is to make sure that you have enough bread in the pan to soak up most of the liquids. My toddler GOBBLED this up!! And she didn’t even use syrup 🙂
Thanks so much for the recipe! I’ll definitely be making it again!!

Holly - Yum! I’ll definitely be making this!!

Amy Moran - Hi Jennifer.
See my response above. I made the recipe, as well, and had results simliar to yours:(

melissa@joyineveryseason - A couple years ago there was a shortage of pumpkin during the holidays, and I literally got down on my knees to pull the last can of pumpkin in the county from underneath the grocery store shelves. It was a “As God is my witness, we shall never not have enough canned pumpkin during the holidays again” moment, thus I always have at least one extra can of pumpkin in the pantry come February. I was wondering what to do with it this year, and this recipe was definitely the answer. Let me tell you, my whole family was rejoicing that the lonely can leftover from 2012 was a large one and made two casserole dishes of this yummy goodness. Five stars on this one, it is SO GOOD! thank you, Meg!

Erin - 1. I feel the same way when I get my hair done!☺
2. So sorry about your grandmother.
3. I will make that pumpkin French toast (someday!)!

Julie - Wanted to link this in case you haven’t seen it. Go down to the bottom of the article where they talk about the Hesston team.
http://www.varsitykansas.com/2013/02/14/44559/basketball-notes-andale-boys-learn.html

Gina - Yum! That looks delicious! I will look for pumpkin purée at the grocery store today and see if I can make it this weekend. We recently (6 months ago) moved to London (UK) and I have been enjoying searching for different things in the grocery stores. Not sure if I will find pumpkin purée….should be able to. Wish me luck! Thanks for sharing the recipe.

Linda - sounds amazing I must try it!

Lindsey - Perfect timing! Thanks for sharing – I have company this weekend!

Lee Ann - I can almost smell it!
I had a dream about you last night. There was a parade in your small town – in honor of YOU! My family and I drove from Washington to see you. And then there was a “meet and greet” in the library and we sat and chatted. It was awesome! 🙂

Adrienne - I can smell it now! Yummmmmmm 🙂

הנהלת חשבונות - thanks for the explanation. i tried your recipe and the chicken was simply delicious.

karen - oh that pasta has so much sodium…use butter some milk and parm…that’s it!

Happygirl02 - I don’t enjoy cooking and my family is PICKY! I really am relieved when I find easy crock pot meals that my family will eat.
I found a website called realmomkitchen.com and it has been a lifesaver!! She has lots of crock pot meals or quick and easy meals. She has TONS of recipes to choose from. Realmomkitchen.com is my go-to website for meals. (No, I don’t know the Real Mom Kitchen lady. I just love her website) 🙂
Happy cooking!
Heather

Rach - Ditto on the not being a fan of coming up with dinner every night. And I only have to feed 2 kids and 2 adults. 🙂

Chris - Love looking at all these recipes. We make a variation of this chicken using Cheese-Its and butter instead of oil.
4 chicken breasts cut into smaller chicken fingers
1/2 bag of chees-its
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1/3 cup butter
Crush cheese-its and mix with paremsan cheese. Melt butter. Dip chicken in melted butter and roll in cheese-it mixture. Bake at 400 15-20 minutes depending on size of chicken fingers. This is really yummy cold the next day. Like fried chicken.
My other go to recipe is:
1 lb italian sausage
1 can petite diced tomatoes with garlic
1 can tomato sauce with garlic, organo and basil
Angel Hair Pasta
Brown italian sausage and drain. Add tomoatoes and sauce an simmer until warmed through. Serve over boiled angel-hair.

jennibell - Take a pork tenderloin (sometimes mine is still frozen) and put it in the crockpot with 1 can cream of mushroom, 1 can golden mushroom, 1 can french onion soups. Cook on low 8 hours. That’s it. PROMISE everyone will love it. I double the soup b/c my kids like the “gravy”. . .we serve it with Bob Evans mashed potatoes if I’m feeling lazy (instead of making them) or even better, rice. Try it and let me know 🙂
Oh, will work with a whole pork loin or if you are serving people who don’t eat (or like) pork just substitute chicken. . .maybe cook a little less.

Tanya - I’m going to make this..it looks yum and plain and that is also what my kids like.
It kinda makes me want to cry that the humongous package of chicken was under $10…what?!?!?!?
Easily, EASILY over $20 here, maybe closer to $30. #ripoff
I do a lot of breakfast for dinner with them.
Also meatballs and rice or muffin tin meatloafs with mashed and corn on the cob.

jen - wow! this list is amazing!! y’all have inspired me to dust off my crock pot and get it back in the game! for us a quick go-to meal is either pasta pomodoro which is a large can of whole tomatoes sauteed with italian seasoning, garlic, onions {i guess in the other order} then you toss your cooked pasta right in it with quick garlic bread or the sausage pasta i made last night: http://gronicktales.blogspot.ca/2012/09/roasted-tomatoes.html .
stir fry’s are always a last minute hit with my husband and me plus it cleans out the fridge and you put it on these noodles: http://gronicktales.blogspot.ca/2012/04/asian-food-love-szechuan-peanut-noodles.html .
and of course brinner – breakfast dinner! which i am doing tonight…fried egg and sausage sandwiches, potato patties and fresh fruit. these usually happen when my husband works late.

Kate S. - Don’t be too disappointed about the cost of chicken in Australia–you get what you pay for. The cheap chicken sold in grocery stores here in the US is no more nutritious than the average donut. The chickens have been raised in appalling, grossly over-crowded conditions and fed an unnatural diet mostly comrpised of corn by-products. Cheap though it may be, you and the chickens are far better off when you pay for a better product.

Peggy - We make these, too. But we buy our dough from our favorite pizza place. It is so easy and tastes better than my homemade dough! sometimes we cook them on the grill. Delicious!

rebecca - I love to marinate chicken in italian dressing….after I bake it I do a mixture of mayo, dale’s seasoning (liquid) and A1 (dry spices) mixed together to dip it in. YUMMY!

jimena - In Argentina is a very popular meal. Instead of dipping the chicken in oil, we dip it in eggs with parsley, salt and pepper. Try it!!
We call it “Milanesas”, and you can choose between “milanesas” made of beef or chicken. For veggie people the is a soya Milanesa. Before eating many people like adding some lemon juice over the “milanesa”.
🙂

Ginny - I do something similar but instead of oil we coat it with just whatever italian or caesar salad dressing we have in the house. it adds a little extra flavor and is just as easy! also if you spray a little cooking spray over the top of them before you put them in the oven they brown more (just a little tip someone taught me)

Linnea - Go-to dinner? What my husband affectionately calls “pasta goop,” but I prefer to call “Creamy Pasta.” He gets so excited when there’s just one serving dish on the table, because 9 times out of 10, this is what’s in it:
either 2 chicken breasts, cubed and pan fried in canola oil with Montreal Steak Seasoning (McCormick) or 1/2 lb ground beef, browned with the same seasoning.
1 crown of broccoli, cut into small florets
2 cups of tri-color rotini pasta
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
Parmesan cheese on top.
Cook the chicken or beef. Meanwhile, boil enough water for 2 cups of pasta. Add the pasta, broccoli (and salt to taste), and cook until al dente. Drain.
Combine the meat with the pasta and broccoli. Add the cream of mushroom soup – no extra liquid, just the soup – and the cheese. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top.
And that’s all, folks. Veggie, starch, dairy, and meat all in one dish. :o)
We could be extra fancy and make our own cream soup, starting with a roux and all that, but…well, you know.

Talia - First — your baking sheet looks just like mine. I won’t replace as it bakes things perfectly. Love it!
A quick and easy meal at my house is taco salad. We love it and it goes together rather quickly.

Kim Barlow - This is one of my kids favorite recipes. Mini meatloafs and they take less than 10 minutes to make.
1lbs ground beef
1 package of stove top stuffing you favorite flavor
1 tlbs of garlic powder
1 cup of water
1 cup cheddar shredded cheese (but any shredded cheese you have on hand will do)
1 cup of BBQ sauce (whatever is left in your fridge will do)
Preheat oven 350
Mix first four ingredients together. Put in a greased cupcake tin. Use a spoon to make an indentation on the top of each one. fill with a teaspoon of BBQ sauce (I just squirt in on…eyeball it).
Bake for 25 min. top with shredded cheese and bake until melted about another five min.
I have three boys and these are gone quickly. Also, you can mix this up using leftover spaghetti sauce and top with mozzarella. One of my friends uses sweet BBQ sauce, tops with cheese and those crunchy onions (my crew picked off the onions but the adults thought it was Fab).
Super easy. I got this recipe from a Kraft Food Magazine. I have even made these in a mini muffin tin for appetizers for a party. Quick, Easy and everyone asked for the recipe.

Molly B - Everyone in my house loves the beef roast cooked with pepperocini’s in the crockpot. . .we serve it with egg noodles or on buns. (I trim the stems from the peppers).
Everyone also loves my recipe for California chicken spaghetti with feta:
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/california-chicken-spaghetti/detail.aspx?event8=1&prop24=SR_Title&e11=california%20chicken%20spaghetti&e8=Quick%20Search&event10=1&e7=Home%20Page

Amy - I’m guessing you meant something more than just cereal, which is the kids’ fav. 🙂
In the summer when we have basil growing outside, this is the easiest dinner for us. Two of our kiddos won’t eat the pine nuts and basil, so extra yumminess for mommy and daddy.
http://www.finecooking.com/recipes/deconstructed-pesto-pasta.aspx
Thanks for this fun and helpful thread!!!

Rachel - Loving the comments! Great post. I haven’t seen anyone post one of our favorites.
4-6 chicken breasts, cut up
1 packet of taco seasoning (i use about half for 4 breadts/all for six)
Salsa
Peach or apricot preserves (use no sugar added for low cal dinner)
In a large pan fry (boiled is good too) chicken till almost done. Add taco seasoning, salsa and preserves to chicken. Cook till hot and bubbly. Serve over hot rice. If you like lots of sauce use all of the salsa and preserves, if not use less.
Yum!

Andrea @ Pug Life - Taco nights are a go-to meal for me.
I also really like Jambalaya from a box mix. Add a pound of sausage (and/or chicken) and you’re done in 20 minutes. It makes a huge pot of food for a few dollars.

Carolyne - WOW!!!! $9.85 for 6 chicken fillets..here in Australia you would only get 2 for that price. Aussie’s are sooooo ripped off. My jaw is on the floor…

Lori Myers - Love breakfast for dinner!! Eggs, Cinnamon raisin French toast ( just use cinnamon raisin bread), and Green smoothies! Another quick and easy meal- Deli roast beef ( 1lb) a loaf of French bread, horseradish sauce, provolone cheese. Spread sauce on sliced loaf of bread, layer roast beef and cheese. Broil for a few minutes until cheese is melted. Slice and serve. I ususlly serve with salad and fresh fruit. A quick easy dinner my family enjoys!

Penny Smith - Ok-just an information thing-not a judgement thing! I swear! But the second ingredient in ranch dressing mix is MSG!! I like the dressing idea though! Cuz wishbone makes an organic! Sounds yummy!!

Penny Smith - Ok-I suggested this too! 🙂 it’s the “bar pan”. And doing bacon the first time on it in the oven is the perfect “seasoner” 🙂

BullyMama - a great solution for your pan problem is the stone cookie sheet from Pampered Chef…it is supposed to get brown/black over time (this is the seasoning process) and hardly anything sticks to it and if it does you just scrape it off to clean it. I also love the stone loaf pan.
A good go-to recipe that I have isn’t as quick as some of the others that were posted but it is simple kid friendly and left-overs are great.
Chicken Casserole
2 bone-in/skin on chix breast and boil with 1 tsp of poultry seasoning and a bay leaf for about 20-25 min. Remove chix and cool until you are able to handle it and take the chix off the bone. In the mean-time make rice and instead of water use the broth from the boiled chix. (1 cup rice/2 cups of broth). Layer 1/2 rice on bottom of medium casserole, top with half chopped chix and 1 can Campbell’s chicken gravy. Repeat with remaining rice, chicken and another can of gravy. I then top with crushed ceasar croutons and bake at 350 for about 25 min or until bubbly. Serve with broccoli or salad and warm rolls.

LibraryGirl62 - We call it Ashley-Solow Casserole
1 box Velveeta Shells and Cheese
1 jar fav pasta sauce
1 pound hamburger
Cook the hamburger. Cook the shells. Add the Velveeta sauce, the jar of pasta sauce and the hamburger to the shells. If you want to be fancy, put in a casserole dish and sprinkle with shredded cheddar cheese and bread crumbs and bake at 350 until the cheese is melty and the bread crumbs are toasty 🙂
SO much Yummy!!!

donna - i have 6 kids and trying to please everyone is not easy. here is the one easy meal that they all love and it is so easy to make -{thank you to the person that invented the crock pot}…..In a crock pot – throw in as many chicken breasts as you need! Add a can of cream of chicken soup and that’s it!!!! Once the chicken is done I throw it on top of some boiled wide noodles and make a salad, throw some frozen peas in the microwave, add some bread and dinner is served!!!!

Duryn - I know everyone has a different version of “goulash” but we take ground beef, browned with a little cumin, garlic and diced onions. Then add chunky vegetable soup and a little plain tomato sauce. Served over white rice and a bit of cheddar cheese on top.. If my 9 year old could have this evey day, he would 🙂

Laurie B - This is exactly the kind of meal my 2 very picky daughters love. I use 2 cloves of garlic and let it simmer with 5 tbsp of butter. Then we dip the chicken in that and coat it in a mixture of 3/4 C Panko bread crumbs, 1/4 C of parmesan cheese and salt and pepper to taste. Then bake. It is SO delicious. It’s also one of my fave meals. We eat it with pasta too 🙂 We also love chicken tacos. Just cube chicken and cook it then add the taco seasoning and then serve up in your tacos/nachos. Surprisingly my kids love these tacos better than beef. 🙂

Valerie @ Chateau a La Mode - I love to make easy peasy chicken tacos…you need one whole roasted chicken already cooked from the the market, jar of fave salsa and warm flour tortillas. If I’m feeling really fancy I’ll add a can of refried beans with shredded cheese on top. This was a fun post. Loved seeing everyone’s ideas.

renee - this pork tenderloin (my mom’s recipe) is SO easy. I always have all the ingredients around and it takes about 3 minutes to make the marinade in the food processor. So whenever the pork tenderloin is on sale, I buy a couple pounds and make this 🙂 http://renandben.blogspot.com/2011/12/pork-tenderloin.html
we eat this fish ALL THE TIME! again, i always have all the ingredients. it’s quick and healthy. i have it down so that i can do it in 10 minutes start to finish http://renandben.blogspot.com/2012/06/easy-summer-meal.html

Heidi Jo the Artist - Tacos!!! I cook big batches of meat and freeze in meal size portions, so on nights we are busy/I don’t feel like cooking, I can just take it out of the freezer and thaw, and boom, tacos! I recommend after you cook a big batch of meat to split it in half or thirds, etc. (depending on how much you bought/how much your family eats) and put in the fridge/freezer right after you are done cooking. Then when the meat is gone for the meal that night, your kids/hubby aren’t taking from another meal. We do either beef or chicken tacos. Then soft tortilla shells/hard shells/tortilla chips. A lot just depends on what we have on hand, if I’m doing it as a quick meal. We almost always have salsa on hand, one of my favorite healthy foods. Everyone loves it in my family, including the kids, so I usually buy the really big jugs, a couple at a time! That way we rarely run out. Then depending on what you have on hand… cheese, lettuce/spinach, tomatoes, beans-refried/other (good, cheap filler, to help make your meat go farther, for those that will eat them), olives, avocado, sour cream, cilantro, jalapeños/other peppers, guacamole, sometimes I will have a couple of salsas too. Somewhat healthy, depending upon what you add to them. And then everyone is happy because they can choose what they have on their taco. I have found that kids really like choices, and this is one of our kids’ favorite meals at our house. Another version that your kids would love (I bet) are “walking tacos”, what kid doesn’t love Doritos. Easier clean up for you too. 😉 We started doing them for our camping trips this summer, huge success!

holly - Shredded chicken soft tacos… Could not be easier or more delicious! 6 thawed chicken breasts in the crock pot, pour one jar salsa over the top and pour one packet of taco seasoning over that- stir. Cook on low for 5-6 hours or high for 3-4 hours, and shred the chicken once done. It soaks up all the liquid and basically falls apart if you cook it on low! Serve with cheese, lettuce, sour cream, jalapenos. SO good!

Chris - I rarely admit this to anyone… I love Hamburger Helper. My husband… hates it. It stems from his mother making it seven nights a week. (Hey, but they DO have all those flavors!)
So anyway, my go to meal is Hamburger Helper. HOMEMADE Hamburger Helper. It is the best and not one person complains when I make it, including my husband. It is so simple and I always have the ingredients on hand. Here is the link to the recipe.
http://iowagirleats.com/2012/01/26/bachelor-food-redo/

elma - This is so easy as my kids are picky:
9-10 Lasagna noodles cooked
1 large jar of prego or ragu sauce
1 pkg mozzarella cheece
1 pkg colby or other cheese
1.5 -2 lbs. hamburger
Brown the hamburger and drain add sauce.
Put a little meat mixture on the bottom of a 9 x 13 dish then layer noodles then hamburger mixture then cheese and repeat 2 to 3 times.
Bake in oven @350 for 30 min. My kids love this and it is good and easy.

Tracy Fisher - My kids favorite…. Sweet pot roast… 1 chuck roast, 1 pkt Lipton onion soup mix (dry), and one can of Coke (no diet, no store brank… real Coca Cola). Pour dry souop mix and coke over roast. Cook on low in crock pot for 9 hours… remember SLOW AND LOW! it is the best! and the left overs are always used for french dips the next night. yum! i think we’ll have that for dinner soon. my mouth is watering. tracy

Lee Ann - Oh! And this mac n cheese! So fast and creamy!
http://heavenlyhomemakers.com/high-five-recipe-creamy-mac-and-cheese
Thanks for posting this. I’m loving reading through all of the comments!

Michelle - Homemade chicken pot pie! Here is my recipe for it, but now instead of screwing with the crust, I just put it in a glass baking dish and top with instant biscuit dough!
http://www.sowonderfulsomarvelous.com/2011/02/homemade-chicken-pot-pie.html

Sarah{Handbags*N*Pigtails} - I make a similar version of this recipe using crushed up Cheez-It crackers. Its delicious!

Nicole Russell Willis - My easiest is chicken breasts in crock pot with salsa! Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Awesome for a few nights of chicken tacos, chicken taco salad, chicken nachos, etc!
I love your idea, going to use that soon!

elma - Do you cover the pan in the oven??

Amy - Breakfast tacos – scrambled egg with some grated cheese and a slice of bacon in a tortilla with a side of hashbrowns (pre-shredded) just cooked in a pan until crunchy with salt and pepper with a side of fruit.

Allison - Don’t feel bad my cookie sheets look about the same. I keep asking for some for Christmas but nobody will get me any. Maybe that can be my belated birthday gift to myself 🙂 Oh and this chicken recipe is going on my must-try list!

Jeana - My tgo to meal is tacos. Ground beef, chilli powder, garlic powder, and cumin. Add a can of tomatoes and green chillies. Serve with any toppings. So easy.

rebekah - Tacos, plain and simple.

Molly - My kids would love that, thanks for posting. I was just thinking I need some new chicken recipes.
My kids like meatloaf in the mini muffin tins. You can even add shredded cheese into the meatloaf mixture or on top. I just mix it all up spray the tins with cooking spray, fill them most of the way to the top, then coat with brown sugar, mustard and ketchup and bake.

Stacy - Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Bottle or two of your fav. BBQ sauce.
Pour about 1/4 cup in the bottom af a baking dish
Place chicken in baking dish
Pour remaining BBQ sauce over chicken, enough to cover them
Bake for 1 hour on 350 degrees
Serve with mashed potatoes and corn.

Rebecca Torzewski - That is a great, quick idea. Another way to make a quick chicken meal and one of our faves is, instead of using oil, we use beaten eggs. Cut the chicken into strips, dip into flour, egg, and then breadcrumb/parmesan mixture. When you use the flour and egg for some reason the bread crumbs stick to it, and when you fry it up you have crispy chicken strips — so good, and quick!

Prairie Jenn - Make your own mini pizza night:)
Sometimes we make our own crust…sometimes we just use flatbread.
Sometimes I make marinara sauce…sometimes we just buy a jar of it.
We set up a toppings bar…cheese, pepperoni, veggies, more cheese;)
Everybody makes their own mini pizza and we put them all in the oven till brown and bubbly.
Easiest dinner ever!

Stephanie - My fastest, no-brainer meal……boneless, skinless chicken breasts in a crockpot (fresh or frozen), bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce. Cook on low, 6 hrs. or so. At the end of the day you have pulled bbq chicken sandwichs! Spoon it on a roll, steam some broccoli, add some french fries….the end!

Kate B - Here’s what I’m planning for dinner tonight. We love this recipe.
http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/herbed-chicken-dumplings-10000001842347

Lorelei - I love cooking! Our main meals are pasta/chicken or rice/chicken. We steam veggies while we cook our rice (rice cooker + steamer) and while that’s going we cook chicken. Usually just in a pan with some oil, maybe garlic and lemon. When it’s all said and done we like to top it off with a sauce, usually a bottle of sweet chili sauce, but sometimes a peanut sauce. I also love to bake homemade mac n cheese in the winter. Lots of cheese, milk, butter, tons of mac (the smaller elbows) with something like crumbled chips on top. I try not to make it too often because it’s so bad for you, but it’s definitely a favorite comfort food.

sullyj - I am with you..I would MUCH rather be up all night with a hungry baby, than cook. I’m terrible at it, but my kids are so sweet to always say it’s good (despite what their face might be saying) I do make a chicken/spinach dish that all my kids (ages 3-8) always ask me to make. Just cook cubed chicken in chicken stock (1 can) add 1 block of cream cheese until it cooks into the chicken stock and becomes creamy. Seperately, cook and drain 1 pkg spinach and Cook 1 box penne pasta. Add pasta and spinach to creamy chicken mixture and you’re done. It is super good and easy! I will be trying your chicken tomorrow night!

seriously sassy mama - My family likes the meatball sliders I make. I got the recipe from Giada De Laurentis. They are so yummy and very easy to make.

Lennie Jackson - I make ham and potato casserole that is super yum.
2 cups ham chunks
1 bag hashbrown potatoes
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 bag shredded cheese
Mix and put in 9×13. Bake 30 min at 350. I usually broil the top for a few minutes so it is a little crispy around the edges.
Serve with the easiest beer bread ever!!! 1/2 cup sugar, 3 cups self rising flour and 1 can of beer. Bake 45 min at 375. SO YUMMY!!!!
Good luck!!!

Whitney - Hi Megan,
This is very similar to my “quick chicken” recipe. Instead of oil, I use an egg and some milk. And I don’t use parmesan cheese, just bread crumbs, salt, and pepper. I bake it in the oven but on a rack, and then broil for the last few minutes so it gets nice and crispy (turning it so both sides get crispy). The end.

Brantlee - All of your recipes that I have tried are family favorites. This one sounds yummy as well. My go to recipe is actually your meatball recipe. So good!

Amanda - This is my go to meal when we are going to have company over and I don’t have time or don’t want to cook.
Crock Pot French Dip
Beef roast
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 cup water
1 1/2 tsp Kitchen Bouquet
1 package Lipton Onion Soup mix
Put all of it in the crock pot in the morning and enjoy on buns for supper. Mmmmmm!

Cristen - My kids would love that chicken! Two favorite, easy to make meals are taco rice and chicken with rice. For the taco rice we us ground beef with taco seasoning over rice and then add whatever else you want or have on hand. We like cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, and tons of salsa! I try to keep frozen taco meat in the freezer for stuff like this and then just make a huge pot of rice in the rice cooker. The chicken with rice is SOOOO simple! 3 chicken breast cut up, 1 can of diced tomatoes with chilies, 1 can of chicken broth, and 1 cup of rice. Cook chicken first and then add everything else. Simmer 20 minutes with lid on. Add 1 cup of cheese. Easy!

Alice H - 3 Envelope Roast
3 pound beef roast (such as chuck roast)
1 envelope of dry Italian salad dressing mix
1 envelope of dry ranch salad dressing mix
1 envelope of dry brown gravy mix
2 cups water
Put the water in a measuring cup that is larger then the amount of water you are using. Now add and mix all three envelopes of dry salad dressings to the water. Mix until blended completely. Brown the roast (if desired). Add the meat to your cooker. Pour the water, salad dressing mixture over the roast. In the slow cooker cook it on high for about 4 hours on low about 8 hours.
http://realmomkitchen.com/356/3-envelope-roast/

Courtney Walsh - We make these too…funeral potatoes. YUM. 🙂 They’re a favorite for sure!!!

Kristin S - Meg, there are NO words. I’ve made a version of this for years but never with FROSTED flakes. Brilliant salty/sweet.
Goodness.

Valerie @ Chateau A La Mode - Even in LA these potatoes are a hit, BUT I have never made them with Frosted Flakes, that is too weird, but I will definitely try it because it looks amazing!!!! Happy New Year!

Maria - In the oven now…can’t wait!

Maggie Nunez - my hubby loves these cheesy potatoes, my sister makes them for him at family gatherings. i have never tried making them, your twist with the frosted flakes sounds interesting, gonna have to make them for hubby one day. Thanks for sharing!

Jacci in Ohio - Lol – I live in Ohio, which is kind of a Great Lakes/Midwest blend 🙂 I was *just* planning to get the ingredients for these potatoes to take to a neighbor who had back surgery. I’m like a few other commenters… I prefer the shredded hash browns and plain corn flake topping. Have you ever noticed that pre-shredded cheese doesn’t melt as well because of the anti-caking agents used in packaging it? Lame details, i know. It’s good no matter how you make it! But, I like to shred my own sharp cheddar and add real diced onion. Makes it feel a little more “homemade” to me that way. Enjoy your NYE tonight, Meg! And thanks for posting through Christmas Break!

Holly - Yummy! Where i come from these are called funeral potatoes. Maybe because of the ingredients, but more likely because there is usually a big dinner put on for the family by our community when someone dies and these are always on the menu.

Ami Davis - I make the same dish every Christmas with a few substitutions to make it vegetarian.
In my recipe, I use cream of celery soup and mexican/southwestern spicy shredded cheese. I also use vegan butter and tofutti sour cream. The final change is panko bread crumbs instead of frosted flakes. The end result is a yummy savory dish that we have as a breakfast casserole with biscuits. Delish!

Melissa - Must. Try.

Laura Phelps - SO TEMPTED…
but one by one we have been hit here with a nasty tummy bug
and sadly, NICK has it today…New Years Eve 🙁
I am thinking all this butter and crunch and butter and butter and cheese and butter might have to wait.
hmph
does look good
Belle would eat the entire tray
and ya know, I have always wanted to stop in on a church potluck in the midwest
putting that on my new years resolution list
(will you take me???)
HAPPY NEW YEAR
GOD BLESS YOU AND YOUR FAMILY!!!!!!
love you

angela - We make that at EVERY gathering but I have never put the crunch on top. Great idea! We call it Hash Brown Casserole…because we are creative like that!

Oberheu.wordpress.com - Love these potatoes! And I have adapted them to work in the crock pot. I take them to work any time we have a potluck:). I have learned a new trick to cut some of the fat- greek yogurt! I substitute it for the sour cream and it works awesome! Same flavor with less fat. No one has noticed and I don’t feel quite as guilty eating them:).

Michelle From Australia - Why do we Australians not have recipes like this? No Hobby Lobby, no Walmart, no Reese’s Pieces, no so many other things. Sigh….Happy 2012 Meg!

Paula - We love these cheesy tatters too. I have always made with corn flakes not frosted flakes. You have me wondering now about the frosted. I have also tried with crushed potato chips but it’s not as good as the corn flakes. Frosted? Really? Hmmmm…..

katie - I make the version without the flakes. Thought – make with chopped onion and chopped green pepper added. yummo!

shannon - I Love these too! My mom always made them for holiday dinners and now I make them, they are sooo good 🙂

Kerstie - Oh YES, definitely before the diet! Or, maybe I can wait and make them for Easter!!
I live in California, and I like the “mid-west” recipes you share.

Heidi C - My mom used to make these with plain cornflakes until one year she only had frosted flakes……it was AMAZING!!!! 🙂 Thanks for reminding me about these, I may have to make them tomorrow!

happygirl - My cholesterol levels flew through the roof just READING the recipe. (although the frosted flake crunch has me wondering) Thanks.

Terrie G - This is a staple at our house!! Always requested by my kids.
Only I have never used the frosted kind…only the plain.
The Crunchies are the BEST part!
Have a HaPpY NeW YeAr MeG!!
Thanks for all you have shared this past year!
Love the constant inspiration!! 🙂

Kimberly Dial - I know this is a bit late but did you post the pumpkin muffin recipe & I can’t find it? They look delicious and I was tempted to make them this evening ….

Heidi Jo the Artist - Yummy!

Tess S. - the great 2010 pumpkin scare. i kid you not… i was in panic mode. PANIC mode. i bought TONS of pumpkin. and used it all. it was a pumpkin-palooza bake fest for 2 straight months.

Jenny Joy - I made your muffins tonight. Oh. My. Goodness. AMAAAAAAAA-ZING, indeed!!! Thank you for sharing it. 🙂

Desiree - We had the same problem here, no pumpkin. And it was the holidays! I was in shock that I couldn’t find it anywhere, and it took forever to reappear. I can’t wait to try your recipe, thanks for sharing!

Rachel - I just used my Big Pampered Chef scoop to scoop out a hole of buttermilk biscuits from a can to make homemade donuts. We got donuts and donut holes from those awesome scoops.
My husband almost always uses the scoops to scoop out watermelon.
I love pumpkin muffins too.

ashley jensen - I had (can’t find it) a pumpkin muffin recipe where you mix 1 can of pumpkin with 1 box of cake mix (spice works best). You might have to add one other ingredient but I can’t remember! Slap some cream cheese icing on them and they are to die for!

dixie - we were also out of pumpkin here in maryland! now every time i see it i stock up out of fear. i seriously have like 7 cans in my pantry right now. maybe it’s a conspiracy that libby started! ha! love your blog meg!! also, love parenthood!!

Jeannette - I remember the pumpkin shortage too…..I freaked out a little because Thanksgiving just ain’t Thanksgiving without my Granny’s homemade pumpkin pies. I will say she had already stocked up so we had us some yummy pie. This year I bought a bunch extra too and still have a few so I too will make muffins, sounds like breakfast for us in the morning :o)
I don’t have a cool pampered chef scoop but I do have an ice cream scoop that looks almost the same and that’s what I use!!!

Jenn - I love my Pampered Chef scoops. I have two sizes and use them for everything that needs scooping. Thanks for sharing.

betsy - Those muffins look yummy, but I was mostly distracted by your super cute Jayhawk tshirt! Love it 🙂
Rock Chalk, Jayhawk!

Jen@thecottagenest - I know exactly what you are talking about the pumpkin. I was in such a state about it that I ordered a case of organic pumpkin from amazon. Yep. I’ve still got several cans so you can bet I’ll be making these. Although maybe not especially soon as I am doing weight watchers right now! Also, I want you to know that we love your crescent chicken recipe. I hope to try your blueberry buckle recipe soon. Love blueberries!

courtney - Every year we are at a pumpkin loss here in Hawaii. The commissaries just don’t carry enough of it. So when Amazon put the organic pumpkin on sale after Christmas many of my baking friends stocked up!

Renae - This is a little strange because yesterday I said something about you being similar to me and last night I went to a Pampered Chef show and bought the scoop for muffins! Then I just looked at your house pics and on the HUGE (gorgeous btw) chalkboard featured with Talby is my FAVORITE bible verse of all time! I hear Twilight Zone music playing!! Can’t wait to try the pumpkin muffins, think we’ll love them.

Shann - I DO remember the pumpkin shortage. I have 8 cans in my cabinet at the moment. 🙂 And, I also have a Pampered Chef scoop also called the muffin/really-big-cookie-scoop. And, I also have a yummy pumpkin recipe like yours. I also make it into mini bread loafs and pass out pumpkin love to my neighbors. Pumpkin stuff rocks…doesn’t it? 🙂

Dana@Bungalow'56 - Yup! But mine is called an ice cream scoop.
Go figure?

Christa aka the BabbyMama - You had canned pumpkin disappear, too? Seriously, there was not one can in my local market for more than six months. Do you have any insight into why that happened? It gave me the creepers.

Amanda-ThriceBlessed - I love anything pumpkin! I started making my own puree this year with our leftover Halloween/Fall decor pumpkins, it is super easy. Bake, puree, and freeze. I don’t have to worry about finding it in a can.
I have the scoop but its the medium sized, I use it for my cookies and to scoop melon in the summertime.
I’ve been through the recipes, the enchiladas and cresent chicken have been added to our family dinners!

Jen - Can’t wait to try this recipe… I use my PC scoop for muffins and cupcakes too, but I also love it when I make pancakes… Perfect size!

Jenny B. - I went to look for your 365 button, but got sidetracked by your scrapbook pages. 🙂 I do all digital scrapbooking now, and I LOVE IT. I remember spotting some scrapbooks on one of your shelves in a photo a while back, but I never noticed that you had pages posted online. Fun!

anna - dear meg,
stop posting yummy delicious food that i want to eat all of the time…
love,
anna

Leah - Okay, I’m a total nerd because I click through your rainbow squares quite often getting inspired with ideas. I’m doing my own 365 right now, so I’m loving your photos. And your house photos are great too! AAAAAMazing!

Krista - Love your recipes Meg, they’re not too time consuming, and they’re with NORMAL ingredients!
Just printed off your chicken enchiladas and baked french toast. I was driving in the car and started thinking about the enchiladas…Have to make them soon! YUM!

Cari - Yummy! I could totally go for a pumpkin muffin right about now. And since I, too, have several cans in the pantry thanks to the WEIRD pumpkin shortage, I guess all I need to do is get off my rump and make some! 😉

Laura Phelps - that pink Starbucks donut DOES look happy
shoot…
snowed in (again, and oh my gravy I just might kill my kids or myself today!)
and I have no pumpkin
…I think…
hmm..
maybe I do
regardless, think I need to go make me something HAPPY
it is WILD over here today

Tanya H - Yes I read your rainbow boxes! I keep wanting to try your meatballs and peanut butter pie! 🙂

Alana Gray @ Gray Matters - I’m doing my first 365 this year – I’d love to know how you created your pics in that format. So happy and colorful! Thank you.

RLG - LOVE pumpkin muffins.
All of your recipes are so good.
You’re sweet to share.
Have a great weekend. xo

Tara - Meg, Thank you for your beautiful blog – when we were considering moving to a small KS town after my husband finished school I was scared – would it be too rural? Would I find friends? But your blog made me brave — if someone as wonderful as you with a beautiful family and a gorgeous home can live in a small KS town, then surely there must be more wonderful small-KS-town people, right? 🙂 Anyway, we’re here now, and it’s been a few months, and what-do-you-know, the small KS town is a good place to be. Thanks for sharing your life!
Tara

Lindsey@ Piecefully Home - I love pumpkin muffins, but i always feel so funny making them when it’s not autumn. weird, i know! i have to get over that. 🙂
i esp. love chocolate chips in my pumpkin muffins. we also love pumpkin biscuits for breakfast, but, again, only in the fall. 🙂

Molly - How funny – I’ve been making pumpkin chocolate chip cookies all week! Must be something in the air… I love the scoop idea. Right now I use a measuring cup and it makes a big mess.

Rachel / cREaTe - i made some chocolate chip pumpkin muffins a couple years ago & they were SO GOOD! although, add semi-sweet chocolate chips to almost anything & it’s a winner – banana bread, zucchini bread. however, i’m making cheddar beer bread today & i will not be putting any chocolate in there. i love your recipes & have some bookmarked, just waiting to try! 🙂

Kerri - Gosh – back in October, I couldn’t find the pumpkin either! I thought I was confused. Luckily my Grandmother had a stock pile! Like you, though, as soon as I saw it in the store, I bought a stack!

elisabeth (bovagoods) - LOVE pumpkin! i make pumpkin cookies with cream cheese frosting every fall. no one else in my house eats them and i end up eating every single one in about two days. yum. your muffins look reeeeeeallly good too. the glaze. i feel the same way.
i have the medium scoop from PC. i use it for cookies and cup cakes. LOVE it for cookies. makes them all uniform and the same size. and no sticky fingers. 😉 just saw above, someone uses it for pancakes. brilliant!

Lisa - funny, I just made pumpkin-chocolate chip muffins yesterday! yummy!

shea - I’, not a huge fan of pumpkin but these look yum. I love using scoops for baking. I have a few different sizes and use them for cookies, pancakes, muffins, etc. I like to pretend I’m a perfectionist with everything uniform. Oh yeah- we also use them for ice cream!

Jill - Stores out of canned pumpkin would be tragic. I get teased by friends for making pumpkin bread year-round. Whatever. I use my big scooper for making meatballs also. Yes, they are big meatballs.

shannon - I actually just made your recipes (rainbow cake) my kids loved it. I will have to try the pumpkin muffins next. They do look yummy.

Angel/TaDa!Creations - I did exactly the same thing! I now have 12 cans of pumpkin sitting in my pantry. I’d prefer 24, but I didn’t want to be rude. I figure 12 is enough to make pumpkin pancakes twice a month until it comes back in the fall. Here’s my favorite recipe http://tadacreations.blogspot.com/2010/01/pumpkin-pancakes.html Now I’ll have to give your muffins a try too. They look delish!

Mari - I use the big scoop for muffins and cookies. The small scoop works well too– but then I’d end up eating more of the mini muffins and cookies. That would ruin my diet. 🙂

Kirsten P - Meg, I remember when the stores didn’t have any pumpkin. A store employee told me the pumpkin crop was so poor in 2009 that they didn’t even harvest and can pumpkin. It was a long year because I make pumpkin pie all year long, not just at Thanksgiving. So glad the pumpkins are OK now. 😉

Heidi Jo the Artist - I’m going to have to try this! I love about anything I can dip a tortilla chip into. 🙂 I’m a big fan of layering tortilla chips with cheese, salsa, sour cream, lettuce, olives and whatever else I have on hand that sounds good at the time! 🙂

nicole - yuuum!! this looks incredible! 🙂

Martina - My mom always made minute rice (the microwave box kind) growing up. I never liked it that much. Then my Brazilian friend introduced me to regular rice cooked in a rice cooker. I got hooked! It takes longer but it’s just as easy and I much prefer the taste.

Iris - I was at a loss of what to make for lunch so I tried your idea. I skipped the meat and the chips because I was too hungry to wait to prepare the chicken, and didn’t have any chips so I just added more rice and used a salsa sauce we got in Costa Rica. YUMM!!! Thanks so much for the idea. I could eat this several times a week too.

Melissa - Tried it. {minus the meat} love it. Will be having for lunch again today!

Valerie @ Chateau a La Mode - I’m always looking for something to eat for lunch that is NOT a sandwich. I think I will have to try this….looks yummy.

Emily Zimmerman - Hello! Looooove you blog!!! And I read all the time! You have me cracking up out loud! Love the new recipe! Can’t wait to try it out tomorrow for lunch. Those ingredients are staples in my house. Have you tried black bean corn salsa?? It’s black beans, corn, diced tomatoes with jalapenos, diced red and yellow pepper, diced red onion. Serve with chips…Yummy! Also try diced tomatoes with jalapenos, a package of cream cheese and sausage. Heat and serve with chips. You won’t be able to pull yourself away from the bowl 🙂 Enjoy!!

Kristin S - Meg, awesome combo! My friends make fun of me for having this for dinner at least twice a week:
Pop tortilla in toaster oven – toast
Spread with 1/2 can rinsed/drained black beans and then some shredded cheese. Toast again.
Pile high a ton of romaine lettuce.
Sprinkle with sour cream and plain tomato salsa (I like Trader joe’s restaurant style)
I’m going to try yours next…

the domestic fringe - That’s awesome! I’m going to make it. Thanks.
-FringeGirl

Jess - Yummy. Just like Chipotle. I would definitely add lots of cilantro…it would make it SO much better. And maybe some avocado. Have you made PW restaurant salsa? So good. You might need some of that too. 🙂

Candy - Yumm, yummy, yumm! I do almost the exact thing, but use a lot of sour cream and salsa instead of rotel!

jenn - Oh yum. I make something similar, but when I make it, I make a TON – grilled chix, some lime juice, cilantro, black beans, purple onions, cheddar and pepper jack cheese, brown rice, etc. and I make a TON – and buy three dozen tortillas, I stuff ’em, roll ’em, and wrap ’em up in saran wrap, and load ’em into the freezer, and wha-la – three dozen frozen lunches!!! When the husband takes them, by the time he eats lunch, they’re perfectly defrosted and ready to warm in the microwave. I highly recommend it!

Sarah - I would love that COLD, with LOTS of cilantro. You would love cilantro, I just know you would.

Lindy Mint - Yes, but what’s for dessert?

Flower Patch Farmgirl - This has my name written ALL over it. And I decided a very long time ago that tortilla chips aren’t nearly as bad as, say, a potato chip. No way. No can do. Just put it out of your head.

Kristen Chapman - Dude, that is going to be my lunch tomorrow. Sold.

katie - oh, i can picture myself throwin’ down on that, especially while on the computer(very dangerous to eat and blog)!!

Laura - Seriously, it scares me how much we have in common. I fix this all of the time as well, but I either use turkey smoked sausage or no meat. I make it exactly as you do, even with the ro-tel tomatoes. Yum! Sometimes I use brown rice, just depends on what is in the cabinet. Sometimes I saute onion and bell peppers before mixing together. Just depends on how much time I have.

Barbara - how do you handle the chicken part of the dish? leftover chicken breast? deli chicken? I don’t eat chips or rice, but i could easily see this being a delicious taco salad kind of thing… I would definitely add a nice fat blob of sour cream, though! yum!!

Keri - This sounds and looks yummy. I’m sure most of the people in our house would eat it. We love Mexican foods. I’m sure this would be yummy with taco seasoned ground beef too. Mmmmm. I think i’ll have to try this one evening.

mel - that lunch is right up my alley! i *love* nachos with my homemade hot sauce/salsa. it is my go to lunch. this would be a good change up from that though. i never think to make rice. and, i would definitely have cilantro. i even add it to salad. love it! and avocado! 🙂

Beth - This is not a mean post….
Yuck…I am such a picky eater….now my husband would love this spicy dish since he loves hot foods…I will have to try this for him only though. I would have to fix the real rice as in the 25 minute rice…he can tell the difference.
Now I fix something like this but baiscally it is hamburger meat, cheese, sour cream and refried beans layered in a dish with my chips…I am sure you have heard of this before…
Well hope you don’t think this was ugly…I just like to tell the truth in anything I post…hehehe…but I am sure lots of others will love your dish. I still love your blog, Meg!

Amber Pamper - I make something similar to this but I sautee it all up with onions, cumin, and cilantro. mmmmm. Then I make a quesadilla out of it. 🙂

Amanda - totally like Chipotle burrito bowl. LOVE! thanks for the recipe. I forgot it was something we could make at home. duh!

Kelly - My favorite lunch is very, very similar to this. 🙂 Yummmmmy!

jenn - Oh YUMMMM….now I’m going to have to go to the store and get the stuff to make your throw-together lunch. 🙂

sarah - Yummo! I was thinking how good that would be on tortillas as I was reading through and then you mention it. Will for sure be giving this a try!

CK - Yum! Add some sliced avocado in that and I would be hooked for life! Thanks for sharing.

Nancy from the Chicago 'burbs - Yum, that looks so good. Thanks for a great idea.

sara @ it's good to be queen - oh yum, this looks great. i’m adding all that stuff to my grocery list. yummmmmmm….

Shana - LOTS of cilantro!

erica - I make a “Texas Caviar” that is similar to this w/ black beans, fiesta corn, Rotel (w/ lime & cilantro), avocado, and a few spices. So good on everything from chips & chicken to burgers & eggs…YUM!

Trish @TheOldPostRoad - My husband – who rarely cooks – makes something similar that we call Hoppin John. This week he used black beans and rotel instead of the usual redbeans and tomatoes. I need to tell him about the chicken, cheese, and chips.
-Trish

angela - I do something kinda’ like that but I use Feat cheese….’cause you know, Feta makes everything Betta!!! 🙂

Jenny - This does look yummy.
I would definitely add cilantro (coriander, as we would call it). It is one of my favourite flavours.
I have never made rice in the microwave either – always on the stove.

Gemma - Hi Meg!
This looks so yummy..will have to try and make the same kinda thing : )
Gemma x

Dana@Bungalow'56 - This looks like something I could hunker down and eat in a beach house in San Diego ; )
Dana