Budget menu - family coming - need ideas -Help

[LovesTimone]

My parents are coming in a couple of weeks, they will be staying for a week.
I don't want to be cooking the whole time they are here, I want to be able to visit and enjoy the time with them. And I don't want to break the bank, we have some plans to go see some other relatives that live in our area, so that will cut out a few meals but that means we will be eating out. I want to cook something then be able to get a couple of meals out of it.
My parents do have some issues with food - my dad can not have any shell fish or tomato products - my mom has a heart condition so I have to watch really fatty foods, I try to stay away from frying when they are visiting.

I was planning on cooking a ham w/ sides for arrival day, then maybe using the ham in scallop potatoes as a side dish later on and for sandwiches.

AND

My mind is drawing a blank

Suggestions Please - Thanks

 

[pjlla]

How about a white chicken chili one night? THat is something you could make before they even arrive. If you need a recipe I can give you a link to mine... it's over on the WISH board recipe thread.

You could also do a chicken and black bean soup with cornbread... no shellfish, no tomato, and not fatty. You could cook up chicken for both recipes at the same time.

How about a good old Shepard's pie (aka: chinese pie or hamburg, corn, and potato casserole)? I think it covers your requirements and the hamburg could be browned ahead of time and stashed in the fridge or freezer. You would only have to assemble it the day you wanted to eat it. If you used a good quality instant potato or at least peeled and cooked them ahead of time, that would save even more time when your folks are there.

Pork tenderloin is a bit pricey, but super-duper easy and fits your shellfish, tomato, fatty requirements. Add steamed broccoli and brown rice for a complete easy meal!

These are things that MY mom and dad would enjoy.

Have a great visit...................P

 

[Marionnette]

My parents are coming in a couple of weeks, they will be staying for a week.
I don't want to be cooking the whole time they are here, I want to be able to visit and enjoy the time with them. And I don't want to break the bank, we have some plans to go see some other relatives that live in our area, so that will cut out a few meals but that means we will be eating out. I want to cook something then be able to get a couple of meals out of it.
My parents do have some issues with food - my dad can not have any shell fish or tomato products - my mom has a heart condition so I have to watch really fatty foods, I try to stay away from frying when they are visiting.

I was planning on cooking a ham w/ sides for arrival day, then maybe using the ham in scallop potatoes as a side dish later on and for sandwiches.

AND

My mind is drawing a blank

Suggestions Please - Thanks

Lasagna and meatballs one night, meatball sandwiches another night.

Roast beef with gravy one night, hot open face roast beef sandwiches another.

Slow roasted chickens one night, linguini alfredo with chicken another.

Roasted pork loin one night, hot pork sandwiches or bbq pork another.

 

[NotUrsula]

This month's Good Housekeeping has a feature on crock-pot meals that can double up that way. You might want to check that out.

Obviously, the old spaghetti/meatball sub combo is a no-go if tomatoes are not allowed.

I'd suggest chicken-sausage jambalaya. It freezes very well and can easily be microwaved to heat it up. Use turkey sausage if you need to watch the fat.

 

[LovesTimone]

How about a white chicken chili one night? THat is something you could make before they even arrive. If you need a recipe I can give you a link to mine... it's over on the WISH board recipe thread.

You could also do a chicken and black bean soup with cornbread... no shellfish, no tomato, and not fatty. You could cook up chicken for both recipes at the same time.

How about a good old Shepard's pie (aka: chinese pie or hamburg, corn, and potato casserole)? I think it covers your requirements and the hamburg could be browned ahead of time and stashed in the fridge or freezer. You would only have to assemble it the day you wanted to eat it. If you used a good quality instant potato or at least peeled and cooked them ahead of time, that would save even more time when your folks are there.

Pork tenderloin is a bit pricey, but super-duper easy and fits your shellfish, tomato, fatty requirements. Add steamed broccoli and brown rice for a complete easy meal!

These are things that MY mom and dad would enjoy.

Have a great visit...................P

Thanks so much I would really appreciate the link.The chicken and black bean soup also sounds right up my family alley, if you could share that as well.

 

[momof3ds]

You could still do a lasagna or baked ziti, but use a white sauce instead of tomato sauce. Go light on the cheese and use less fatty meat (ground turkey or 90% lean ground beef).

Both lasagna and ziti can be made ahead of time and frozen. Then pair with a tossed salad and you are good to go.

 

[Sandy61]

I just used up my old, not too old, potatoes and dried out baby carrots this way...

wash baby carrots and cut in half length wise
cut potatoes into wedges or chunks
toss with a little oil
add 1/4 t. pepper, 1/4 t. garlic powder, 1 t. salt OR use Mrs Dash OR anything
bake on cookie sheet at 425 for 30 min

or if adding chicken hindquarters or thighs on the cookie sheets skip the oil because the chicken will provide the grease. Cook for 45 min or 50 min. until thermometer reads 165. I also sprinkle any seasoning on chicken.

Very cheap

 

[Maddies Mama]

Put a few pounds of chicken into a crockpot & cover with water. Don't season it at all. When it's cooked to the point of fork-tenderness, take it out of the water & put it in a bowl then take a couple of forks and shred it up. Portion it out into ziploc baggies & put it in the freezer. This way, on the nights you have chicken in your meals, you can just heat it in the microwave, add seasonings that are appropriate for the meal you're having and toss it right into the dish without having to cook it or dirty a dish cooking it at that time. I use mine for enchiladas, salads, chicken alfredo, white chili, creamy italian chicken (just add a packet of italian dressing mix, a brick of 1/3fat cream cheese and a can of Campbell's heart healthy cream of chicken soup and serve over brown rice), cilantro lime chicken tacos, the list goes on and on and on.

 

[pjlla]

Thanks so much I would really appreciate the link.The chicken and black bean soup also sounds right up my family alley, if you could share that as well.

Here is the link for the chicken chili. It does call for a bit of salsa, which of course contains tomato, but as you can see in the recipe, I did say it could be skipped.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=42614415#post42614415

I don't think I've ever written a recipe for the chicken and black bean soup. It is just a basic chicken soup (chicken stock, carrots, onions, celery, garlic, chicken) with a can of drained/rinsed black beans added. You could also add corn and/or rice and/or noodles and/or potatoes. I tend NOT to add those things because we watch our carbs/calories pretty carefully. But they do make it a more filling meal.

A few other ideas I've been thinking about..... white pizza, crockpot onion soup. Not exactly "cook once, eat twice" kind of recipes, but fairly easy and quick.................P

 

[tlbwriter]

I love pork tenderloin. You can get two tenderloins (enough for 6 people) for around $10 here. Marinate overnight (my favorite is a mixture of teriyaki, lime juice, and honey) and roast in the oven at 425 for about 30-40 minutes. Yum!

 

[shoney]

For easy...all in the oven or all on the stove...

1. roast chicken, roasted lemon potatoes and roasted cauliflower. To keep fat contenet down, roast veggies in separate pan.

2. Brisket in gravy (flat cut), during last hour through in potatoes and carrots.