What are your home cooked everyday dinners? I need ideas.

[DreamingOfASilentNight]

In need of inspiration. Finding myself cooking the same family meals all the time.
For reference I have DH and Dd7. They eat most things ( obviously the 7 year old would choose plain pasta or pizza margarita daily out if preference!) I don't eat meat but can deal with my own requirements. I'm trying to figure out some alternative options to cook for them which can include meat.

Current regulars are:

Coq au vin,
Boef bourginon
Mushroom risotto,
Baked Ratatouille
Linguine with prawns and tomatoes with rocket
Salmon with sweet chili sauce
Noodles with stir fried vegetables and pressed ( or sometimes steak)
Rigatoni ortalano ( a tomato based sauce with onions aubergines and courgettes)
Jacket potatoes with fillings
Cod loin with baked tomatoes
Occasional macaroni it cauliflower cheese
Bolognese.
Meatball spaghetti

Although there are quite a few options they are just on constant repeat. I'm trying to come up with some other options that are largely unprocessed but additionally don't take an eternity ( it loads if pans and equipment) to cook. Throw me some ideas please.

God I hear you.... the daily grind of thinking what to cook really gets to me.

Pasta carbonara/ tomato and slow cooked beef
Fajitas
Chicken orzo pasta
Chicken casserole
Beef casserole (shin beef is my new favourite)
Sausage mash and Yorkshire pudding
Steak and chips
Chicken curry
Homemade chicken nuggets
Chilli made with shin beef (mine not mince fans)
Roast dinner

It strictly from scratch but a super quick dinner is ramen made with itsu ramen in a carton. I used chopped cooked chicken too so it's literally ready in the time it takes for the noodles and veg take to cook.
Can be customised in the bowls with chilli/nuts etc...

Not strictly

Carbonara is so easy and appeals to everyone in my house.

• Cook spaghetti and reserve a little pasta water
• Fry some chopped bacon and crushed garlic
• In another bowl , beat 1 egg and 3 yolks together
• Grate 45g parmasan into egg mixture
• Drain spaghetti, take off heat, stir in egg mixture, add the bacon and mix well.
• Add a little pasta water it too thick.

Takes about 10 mins to do.

I dont cook hate cooking so its something from a packet for me.

So draining isn’t it thinking of what cook every single day. It’s the worst job. I meal plan and every week have one ‘freezer tea’ one takeaway and on a Saturday I will cook something a bit more exciting that isn’t something we have often and might take a bit longer to cook. The other 4 days are usually mainly variations of;

Shepherds/cottage pie
Sausage, mash and veg
Tomato and broccoli pasta (so cheap and easy and everyone’s fave)
Chilli
Homemade soups
Beef stew with crusty bread and pickled cabbage
Fajitas
Lasagne (veggie or mince, I like to do both)

Fish pie: mixed raw fish, chuck in a dish with grated carrot, grated cheese and creme fraiche, seasoning. Top with mash and more cheese if you like. Bake for 20-30 mins..
Spinach potato and chickpea curry: Fry onion and garlic, add potatoes, tin of chickpeas and a couple of tbsp curry paste, stir so it's all coated then add a tin of tomatoes. Bring to boil and add frozen spinach. Simmer till potatoes are cooked. Improves the next day too!
Jamie Olivers giant meatballs. Very easy and delicious (I think the fish pie is a version of a Jamie Oliver recipe too)
Spinach pancakes, baked in cheese sauce. Maybe a Delia Smith recipe?

Sausage casserole (hairy bikers recipe, delish)
Harissa chicken with orzo/veg (not based on a specific recipe but rub some Harissa on chicken thighs and air fry, chop whatever veg is in fridge, fry in a deep pan/wok, add orzo and some harissa paste, cover with stock, lid on, and cook til liquid absorbed, stir in a spoonful of cream cheese if I have some, serve with chicken on top, and some grated Parmesan)
Five a day chicken lasagne (Em the nutritionist recipe)
Spag Bol
Stir fry with sesame chicken
Gochuchang salmon with stir fry veg
Beef and veg chilli
Veg and chickpea curry
Chicken tray bake with peppers/courgettes/new potatoes
Butternut and spinach dhal
Chicken and spinach curry

Chickpea curry
Lentil bake
Peanut butter chicken/tofu with noodles
Pulled bbq chicken (cooked in the slow cooker), with rice/wedges
Chinese 5spice beef (again, in the slow cooker) with rice/noodles
Sausage and bean casserole with mash

Lasagne
Moussaka
Chilli con carne
Beef stew with dumplings
Home made burgers
Make your own pizzas & choice of toppings
Loaded potato skins (lots of recipes online)
Chicken (or lamb) korma, rice & naan breads
Thai green chicken curry

These are some we make at the residential children's home where I work. I'm in charge of the menus. Staff eat with the young people, so it's a fine balance keeping everyone happy.

Crikey we have about 5 on repeat. Kids won’t touch veg it’s soooo boring.

Midweek roast with chops, roast spuds, veg
Prawn curry (made with peppers, onions, sweet chilli sauce - could use tofu)
Nasi Goreng (Malay fried rice) with chicken and/or prawns
Flan (can make veggie versions)

I do similar. I love the Nissan beef ramen noodles, with sliced steak and a boiled egg. So good and so easy!

Thanks

Chicken tomato and mascarpone pasta.
stir fry with egg fried rice.
lasagne.
spaghetti and meatballs.
mac and cheese with grilled marinated chicken and roast veg.
home made burgers.
creamy garlic chicken and mushroom pasta.
Mexican style rice.
Curry of various varieties.

all can generally be thrown together in less than 30 mins.

Oh I just remembered an unexpected one that’s been going down a treat with my DD currently - prawn saganaki - I made it a few weeks back after realising we had all the ingredients in (well except ouzo but you can use white wine or skip the booze part) and we had it with pitta and salad and DD wolfed it down. I chucked some extra veg in, and it’s now a fairly regular one we have.

I was so glad to find something different to our usual rotation that was easy enough and everyone enjoyed. I won’t say my recipe as I do just tend to whack whatever I have in it and it’s far from authentic, but there’s loads of recipes online.

Liking your style!

Ours.
Roast Dinners
Fish and homemade chips with lemon juice.
Pasta and Sauce with Garlic bread.
Ham or tuna Salad.

Pork Steak marinated in Pepper Steak, Salad and garlic bread.
Spaghetti bol.
Stir Fry.
Quality butchers Sausages.
Filled Steak

I think your list is fab! Mine is so boring in comparison I am embarrassed to share 😂😂😂

Your meals sound delicious and nutritious!

I also want to run myself headfirst into a wall when planning meals and the sheer fucking mundanity of it all.

What I found helps is keeping it as seasonal as possible and disregarding whatever recipe doesn't use the food in season. Then it's marginally less boring. So every 12 weeks I start a new rotation.

Spring is generally pea shoots, rocket, lambs lettuce, courgette, leek, new potatoes, figs, - late spring will be asparagus, wild garlic, broad beans, rosemary flowers - and meat/fish will be lamb chops & steak, chicken & sea bass & salmon - leaving behind the cheesy mash/mince/stews & casseroles of winter.

We are having variations of fig & goats cheese tart, chicken & leek pie, leek and potato soup, roast chicken with baby new potatoes & salad, lamb steaks with orzo & rocket, sea bass and parmentier potatoes with rosemary, peashoot & lambs lettuce salad with shaved goats cheese, salmon with courgette risotto & rocket

Then come late April/May it will be an overdose of asparagus & broad beans, peas mint & broccoli & spinach, wild garlic pesto etc

Pork and apple stew
Pork shoulder Chops cut up
Onion
Carrot
Apples
Apple juice (a litre)
Bung in some herbs , a chicken stock cube and a little boiled water if needed
Bung it in the oven on low for an hour or so.
Food of the gods

Enchiladas
Frittata
Sausage traybake with mustard dressing
Roasted tomatoes, courgette and potatoes with basa fillets and a basil and olive oil dressing
Lentil stuffed peppers
Shakshuka stuffed peppers
Bagel or pita pizzas
Halloumi or chicken tacos

We make
-sweet plantain with rice & peas and brown stew chicken (I’m sure you could find a veggie alternative)
-sweet potato curry with rice & home made naan
-home made wraps with fajita spice veg/chicken and cheese and sour cream and guac and black beans
-brown pasta with spinach and mushrooms and garlic,olive oil & Parmesan
in a lazy day I make homemade nuggets with home made chips and veg

my kids eat about 93 cucumbers a week so there is plenty of that too