There are those times when everyone in the family REALLY likes one of the meals I fix. My kiddos aren’t picky as a general rule and my hubby is very adventurous (and forgiving) when it comes to my new creations in the kitchen. But we have a few meals that are definite favorites.
Tacos – a longtime staple in our house, we usually eat tacos once every 7-10 days. My family never gets tired of tacos. We don’t change them up that much either… ground [insert choice of game meat here] with shredded cheddar cheese, shredded lettuce and salsa. Sides are usually beans (pinto, refried, or black) and (Spanish or Mexican) rice. Sometimes we add sour cream, sometimes we have fresh chopped tomatoes (the family does anyway… I can’t have ’em ): ), sometimes we have calabacitas – zucchini, onions, corn and green chili all mixed together (recipe coming). But tacos is always something I can fall back on. Our family of 5 moved up to the box of 18 taco shells, and we’ll eat them all in one setting usually!
Green Chile Chicken Enchilada Casserole – when my son comes into the kitchen and asks, as he does EVERY night, what we’re having for dinner, and the answer is “Enchiladas”, I nearly always hear from him, “Oh, yummy!” in a very hungry and expectant voice. That’s how they all feel about enchiladas. We don’t have them as often as tacos, but they are a good standby, too. (recipe coming)
Breakfast for Dinner – we do this about once every 2 weeks or so, as well. We have too many good breakfast choices to only ever eat them at breakfast. Homemade waffles (regular or Winnie-The-Pooh), pancakes, French toast, omelettes, quiche, frittatas, scrambled eggs and bacon (very occasionally), etc… Somehow it’s just fun to have breakfast for dinner, and this is always a big hit with the fam.
Spaghetti – This old fail-safe comes in handy sometimes. It always seems to be a good idea with the kiddos when I decide to make spaghetti. Never had a complaint once, and it’s often chosen when I say, “What shall we have for dinner?”
Chicken Corn Chowder – I discovered this totally by accident. I looked in my cabinet one day toward the end of the month and there wasn’t a whole bunch there. I had run past my planned menu and hadn’t been to the store again, so I had kicked into the “let’s see what we can do with what’s left” mode. There was a good-sized can of chunk chicken, 2 cans of niblets and a bag of onions that caught my eye. I had soup stock, and a bit of cream left in the fridge, where I also discovered I still had some carrots. BINGO! Dinner was served! I even prefaced the meal by telling my family that I wasn’t quite sure how it was going to taste, but that it was an adventure. And the kiddos LOVE LOVE LOVED it! Who woulda thought it? Just like the enchiladas response, when I say I’m making Chicken Corn Chowder, I always get a satisfied, “YUM!” from the family.
A friend of mine, Paula, asked me for the recipe, so I’ll share it just the way I make it, which is sorta “by guess and by golly”, as my GG would always say. (I can’t have potatoes, so my chowder starts out thinner than other chowders….) In my recipe the “~” symbol means “about or approximately”…
by Sweet Mummy
Gather:
Dutch Oven or Large Pot (I have one similar to this Dutch Oven that I use for everything!)
Butter (or vegetable oil) ~ 2 tbsp
Onion, medium – white or yellow (or even green), chopped
1 large carrot, chopped (optional), or a small yam if you like
Corn (canned, fresh cut off the cob, or frozen, can even use creamed corn) ~ 1 1/2 – 2 cups (2 small cans)
Chicken (cooked breast, cubed; canned; or directly from a chicken you cook yourself, cubed) ~ 1 1/2 – 2 cups (2 large cans)
Chicken Soup Base (bouillon, or stock – I usually make mine from the chickens I roast)
Boiling Water if using bouillon
(water or stock totalling ~ 6 – 8 cups)
Parsley (dried or fresh) ~ 2 tsp (maybe less if your chicken bouillon has spices in it)
Cream ~ 1/2 cup (or milk ~ 2 cups, if it’s all you’ve got)
In a dutch oven (large pot) melt the butter and add the onion. Simmer over med-high heat until the onion is tender. Add the carrots and let it cook 2-3 minutes. Stir in corn, and cook until the mixture is heated through. Then add the chicken stirring often, just until heated through. If using bouillon, mix the bouillon in the boiling water according to package instructions (something like 1 cube of bouillon goes into 1 cup water, or whatever). Add bouillon mix or stock to the mixture in the dutch oven and heat to boiling. Add parsley. Reduce heat to medium, cooking 15 minutes or so at a gentle boil. Reduce heat to low and add cream or milk. Cook for about 5 more minutes. Serve hot with cheese bread or buns and fresh veggies on the side.
Other things to note:
Creamed corn will make a thicker mixture and can make up for not having potatoes. But be careful to stir the corn mixture well before putting the liquid in so as not to burn it.
If not using creamed corn, and wanting a thicker chowder, there are 2 things you can do: 1) toss the chicken in flour before adding it to the pot, or 2) after adding all the ingredients, take 1/4 of the boiling soup out (using a mug, about 2 or 3 scoops) and puree it in a blender. Add the puree back to the soup, stirring well.
If using milk instead of cream, you can use less stock or water.
Sometimes I add the parsley in at the beginning with the onions and corn.
Depending on the stock or bouillon used, salt may or may not need to be added. I usually let the family decide for themselves how much salt they want to add to their individual bowls.
The last time I fixed Chicken Corn Chowder, we ate out it out of big mugs, just for something different.
Family favorite meals are great memory makers. This is another one of those traditions that solidify our place in the family. Shared common experiences, especially around food on the table, have a way of helping us to remember we belong. It’s a simple thing, really!
No matter what it is (pizza, Kraft Dinner – Macaroni and Cheese – and hot dogs, tomato soup with goldfish crackers, chicken cordon bleu, meatball sandwiches, a strange combo of lunch and dessert, or whatever!) figure out a common denominator among your crew’s choice foods, and set aside times to enjoy those family favorites together.
What are your family’s favorite meals? When did you last have one of those meals together?
Check out more Family Time Fridays here at my blog, and over at Tidbits of Tammy, too!
