Depressing dinners

[nappymad2]

I'm making chilli for tea... Again. Need some recipe inspiration. Thought we could maybe share ideas for good easy cheap family meals on here.

I'm doing 'special' fried rice tonight (special in that it is never the same recipe twice!) - leftover chicken from roast, couple slices of hams chopped up handful of frozen sweetcorn & peas(cooked in mic for minute). Boil some rice, quickly rough scramble some eggs until half cooked, throw in everything else and rice, stir well until rice is coated.

Can also use any other leftovers, broccoli, spring onions, asparagus, carrots, pork, etc etc. I splosh some soy sauce on it at the end to add a bit of colour and taste but you don't have to.

What about using baked potatoes with the chilli rather than rice...or soft tortillas? (although that is a bit more expensive than dried rice!)

Thanks penfold12 this is exactly the type of thing I'm after. Easy and adaptable. Never thought of using eggs in that way - will give it a go. My boys love soy sauce (think because it is salty) so think they'd like this.
Yup I've tried jazzing the old chilli up - I got Tesco value tortilla chips to have with it and a blob of yoghurt on the top makes it look a bit more interesting.
Tell me what you're having tomorrow - look forward to it! - we'll be left over chilli :)

Thanks nappymad...I think you may be right about the salt appeal of soy sauce

Not sure for dinner tonight. Going to be sticking some lentil soup in slow cooker (ham ribs, red lentils, onion, carrots, pots and a pinch of curry powder) - when veggies are soft, take a few ladles out, blitz the rest then add the removed amount back in again - jsut to get a bit of mixed texture

Also think I may make some cauliflower mac cheese - got a few bits and pieces of cheese lying around which need to be used. I use carrs sauce flower as it easier than making a 'proper' sauce and you can use water/stock as liquid if you don't have milk or want to save calories. I always pop a little mustard in to add interest. Got some old french stick lying about as well (you know, the little bit at the end which is always left) so might blitz that into breadcrumbs and sprinkle on top - lower in cals and healthier than topping with cheese for the oven.

Anyone doing anything interesting? (apart from chilli LOL!)It is soooo difficult trying to think of meal ideas that, as nappymad sys, are versatile, cheap and nutriticous (sp)...and will be eaten by everyone

My goodness I can't believe how much stuff you've managed to use up - have you heard of the Love Food Hate Waste - they'd love you!! I love lentil soup - my recipe is really boring but it actually tastes good - 1 onion chopped, 1 carrot chopped small, 8oz of red lentils - sweat in a little oil for 15mins (stir a fair amount to make sure the lentils don't stick). Then add 3pts of stock and one tsp of dried mixed herbs and simmer for 1hr. At the end add half a tin of tomatoes and then blitz to make smooth. You can add any extra veg you like to this to use them up if need be.
I'm doing breadcrumbs too this evening. One of our weekly staples is baked salmon fillets (just wrapped in foil and baked for 15 - 20mins) BORING!! so recently I've put breadcrumbs mixed with orange zest and a little olive oil on the top - so much better. You can also mix some orange juice with mayonnaise to go with it but that isn't very healthy I suppose.
Like the sound of that sauce flour - is that different to cornflour?