Eight Tips For Quick Dinner Recipes Over Christmas
Around Christmas quick dinner recipes are a must.
Things get out of hand very quickly with Christmas parties for school and work, parties with friends, nights out singing carols or going to church, volunteering with local charities…it’s a bit crazy!
Of course at the same time you’re probably trying to buy and wrap Christmas gifts, cook Christmas cookies and cakes, as well as plan and prepare for your family Christmas dinner.
So when do all the normal things like housework and cooking dinner happen?
Well, often the simple answer is that they don’t!
It’s bad enough eating all those lovely festive goodies on Christmas day and feeling the weight settle on your hips so don’t make it worse for yourself by living on fatty take-out in the days before and after.
Here’s what I do to keep the family fed and healthy (and extra money to pay off the overloaded credit cards).
Use the freezer: If I think of it, every time I cook a casserole, soup or pasta sauce in early December I stick half of it in the freezer for emergencies. Even if I just remember to do this 2 or 3 times then that’s got the days immediately before Christmas covered.
Mince: Where would we be without minced meat? It’s just so quick and easy to prepare. I always seem to serve up our entire yearly allowance of Savory Mince around Christmas. Likewise with rissoles. They make such easy dinner recipes; I always make use of them.
Pasta: What could be easier than making up a simple sauce while some pasta boils? Too easy. Stick to simple, fresh ingredients like basil leaves tossed with olive oil, or lemon juice and cracked black pepper. Add a simple side of lettuce and red pepper and you have some healthy dinner recipes. If you have more time, add more ingredients. If you’re really in trouble, see the next point.
Go pre-made: Normally I’d rather eat cardboard than have to eat some salt laden, over processed gunk from the supermarket, but I make an exception at Christmas. Just add as much health as you can to it at home. Add extra chopped mushrooms or peppers and good grated cheese to frozen pizza; serve bottled pasta sauce sparingly with good pasta and a large, fresh salad; chop extra veggies into tinned soup; use brown rice instead of white with a frozen Asian stir-fry mix, and so on.
Keep it simple: If you’ve been eating up big at parties in the days before, then there is nothing wrong with just having melted cheese on toast one night. Or use up some left over dips with heaps of vegetable crudités. Avoid the crackers and chips.
Top up with water: At most parties and gatherings you’ll probably find yourself drinking alcohol (Christmas spirit!) or soft drink. The kids are probably filling up on cordial and soft drink too. On the nights when you are actually at home, ban anything that comes out of a container and just drink plain water. Give your body a break.
Don’t forget the fruit: If someone says they are hungry and you tell them to have an apple, they’ll probably turn up their nose at the idea. However, I’ve found that if I have fruit chopped up and on a plate or in a container in the fridge, it miraculously disappears. Likewise, if I slip a plate of fruit or veggies slices onto the table while we’re talking or watching TV, the same thing happens. Give it a try.
Leftovers: Lastly I’ve got to mention leftovers. Some people just throw away any food left after a meal. I guess I come from a frugal household, and I can’t bear to see good food go to waste. As long as food is put away and stored properly, it can nearly always be served up the next day. Sometimes leftovers can be given a make-over, like roast lamb being turned into Shepherd’s Pie, or a heap of roast veggies added to whisked eggs and cooked up as a frittata, both are quick and easy dinners.
Often I’ll just reheat everything and serve it out. We call this ‘bits ‘n’ bobs’ for some reason. It might be last nights roast and veggies with a bit of the previous night’s pasta on the side, something like that.
Yes, I know there will be nights in the weeks leading up to Christmas and probably after, where I just can’t face cooking a full meal, but MOST of the time we eat well and healthy using these quick dinner recipes.
Hope you all have a very Merry Christmas and healthy and prosperous New Year!
I’ve got a heap of easy dinner recipes for mince and pasta on my website. They’re free so help yourself!
About the Author
Nerida Murray is the editor of Better-Living-Ideas.com.
She says home life is all about kids, pets and food! Life should be enjoyable, simple and nurturing for the whole family.
She is passionate about helping families to get the most out their home life and researches and writes articles on everything from toddler toilet training, to teenager depression, to choosing unique pet names, and easy dinner recipes.
|
|
1,000 Mexican Recipes $35 Mexican cooking is made wonderfully accessible with this comprehensie yet personal cookbook. Offering 1,000 recipes for traditional fare from all the regions of Mexico, as well as dishes inspired by the nueva cocina of today”s top Mexican chefs, this cookbook covers what home cooks need and want to know about Mexican cooking. Throughout, the author shares the cultural and culinary heritage of the people and food of Mexico from her perspective as a traveler and impassioned enthusiast of the country. Home cooks will delight in the mouthwatering recipes such as Corn with Chipotle Butter, Chicken Quesadillas, Pork Chops with Poblano Chile Sauce, and Mexican Coffee Flan. There are two dozen kinds of salsa and more than 45 delicious chicken dishes, plus much more — enough exciting choices to fill weeknight dinner and special occasion menus for years! |
|
|
100 Great Lite Bites $3.87 Put down those chips-there”s a smarter way to grab a quick bite. Busy lives often cause us to select our meals based on speed and convenience rather than on freshness, flavor, and nutrition, but now you can have it all. These simple-to-follow recipes reject empty calories and heavily processed foods in favor of an abundance of widely available organic and unprocessed fare that can help raise energy levels and keep them high all day. The 100 recipes encompass dishes for breakfast, a light lunch, and dinner, as well as an assortment of great-tasting snacks. From soups and appetizers to innovative sandwiches and wraps, from fresh and fabulous salads to desserts, here”s a variety of delicious ways to eat smarter. |
|
|
100 Great Risottos $102.39 With its near limitless versatility, and delicious, satisfying flavors, risotto is surely one of the world’s most enjoyable foods. Recipes for 100 wonderful risottos are included here, all created by one of the best-known authorities on Italian cooking. You’ll enjoy all these creamy rice dishes, from those suitable for a simple family dinner to extraordinary risottos elegant enough for the swankiest soirie. Among the mouthwatering recipes offered are Scallop Risotto, Risotto with Mussels, Duck Risotto, Risotto with Zucchini and Their Blossoms, Roasted Pepper Risotto, Risotto with Spinach and Walnuts–even a surprising and delectable Strawberry Risotto. In addition to the recipes, you’ll find advice on selecting and properly using cookware, deciding which of the many risotto rice types is best suited for each particular dish, recipes for richly flavored base stocks, and time-tested tips for achieving a perfect risotto every time. |
|
|
101 Best-Ever Chicken Recipes $6.1 The latest in the bestselling series from BBC Good Food Magazine, 101 of the best chicken recipes. Chicken is one of the most versatile ingredients. It”s perfect for economical quick-fix dishes, for a special dinner, for guests, at home, or eaten hot or cold. It can be easily transformed into a flavorsome snack or a tasty treat. With 101 ideas, there”s a chicken recipe for every occasion from warming classics and perfect convenience food to a taste of the exotic and meals to impress. With straight-forward, tried-and-tested recipes taken from Britain”s top-selling BBC Good Food Magazine you can be sure of mouthwatering chicken meals whatever your mood. |
|
|
101 Easy Everyday Recipes $14.95 Dinner in 30 minutes or using 5 or less ingredients? Don”t choose just one…101 Easy Everyday Recipe is filled with both! The latest addition to the best-selling Gooseberry Patch photo cookbook series will save time and simplify shopping lists. Even better, each is accompanied by a mouthwatering full-color photo! Special chapters full of skillet suppers and super-simple breakfasts make this a book they”ll use again and again. |