What Are Some Of Your Favorite Quick Staples For Meals?

[GFreeMO]

I was just wondering what some of you do for a quick meal when you don't feel like cooking, or in my case freezing and snowed in!

I LOVE Del Real Chicken Tamales

Kirkland (costco's) pulled pork

Ore Ida Fries and a hot dog

[Marilyn R]

I am an appliance maniac, and love my indoor (gluten-free style) girll for food emergencies. One of my favorites is to thinly slice scubbed (unpeeled) white potatoes, toss them on the pre-heated grill for 4 minutes, flip them, then stick a piece of fish or a sliced hot dog on top, and grill for another 3-4 minutes.

I also like to make gluten-free mac & cheese. Cook brown rice pasta until al dente' and add cheese and milk of your choice, a shot of mustard or worchestier sauce, s & p.

It I have Cincinnatti Chilli to serve on top of that, I'm one happy camper!

Or I fry up some Hormel Hash (it has to be crispy) and serve it with eggs over easy and hot sauce or chili.

I usually keep a couple of Wolfgang P's gluten-free soups on hand. They're expensive but fast and easy.

[julissa]

I get home late several days a week, so what I have been doing is making my pasta or rice staple, and freezing individual portions. I also freeze individual portions of chicken, meatloaf, whatever I am making when I get a chance, so I can pull out components of a meal and just make a veggie. super quick meal.

[Adalaide]

I never let myself be without a bag of Farmrich meatballs in my freezer and some pasta and Classico sauce in my pantry. When all else fails and I am beyond ideas or ambition I can throw together something resembling food in about 15 minutes.

I also keep a huge bag of frozen chicken breasts which, frozen veggies, fresh potatoes and (I know this is a terrible food sin) those frozen burgers on hand. Some days I feel like cooking and some days I just want to throw some dinner together quickly and having these things give me a whole lot of options.

I used to like to keep Hormel chili. I know at my Costco they also have some Pacific soups that are gluten free. Uh... they have some Amy's ones too but I know how some people feel about them. Oooh, last winter Kirkland also had a cranberry jalepeno meatball thing. So good!

And I know you are new to Colorado, not sure how new you are to the snow but a tip here. Get used to driving in snow. Unless there is a state of emergency and it is illegal to drive, you probably aren't snowed in.

[GFreeMO]

I never let myself be without a bag of Farmrich meatballs in my freezer and some pasta and Classico sauce in my pantry. When all else fails and I am beyond ideas or ambition I can throw together something resembling food in about 15 minutes.

I also keep a huge bag of frozen chicken breasts which, frozen veggies, fresh potatoes and (I know this is a terrible food sin) those frozen burgers on hand. Some days I feel like cooking and some days I just want to throw some dinner together quickly and having these things give me a whole lot of options.

I used to like to keep Hormel chili. I know at my Costco they also have some Pacific soups that are gluten free. Uh... they have some Amy's ones too but I know how some people feel about them. Oooh, last winter Kirkland also had a cranberry jalepeno meatball thing. So good!

And I know you are new to Colorado, not sure how new you are to the snow but a tip here. Get used to driving in snow. Unless there is a state of emergency and it is illegal to drive, you probably aren't snowed in.

Me + snow = disaster! lol...One of these days, i'll venture out into it. We are suppose to get near a foot or more tomorrow.

[Em314]

Me + snow = disaster! lol...One of these days, i'll venture out into it. We are suppose to get near a foot or more tomorrow.

Some tips from a snow-driving veteran: Always keep emergency supplies in your car (trunk, backseat, whatever), both to deal with snow and related issues (ex. sand/salt/shovel/flashlight) and in case you're stuck awhile (ex. water/snack/blanket/book to read so you don't go insane- and always have your cell phone, obviously). If you haven't yet, make sure it's in good working order, the tires are in good shape, battery is in good shape, etc. etc. Drive slow and you should be fine. =)

For super-quick snacks, right now I'm loving chex (and store brand chex, which where I shop are also labeled gluten-free).

[Adalaide]

Some tips from a snow-driving veteran: Always keep emergency supplies in your car (trunk, backseat, whatever), both to deal with snow and related issues (ex. sand/salt/shovel/flashlight) and in case you're stuck awhile (ex. water/snack/blanket/book to read so you don't go insane- and always have your cell phone, obviously). If you haven't yet, make sure it's in good working order, the tires are in good shape, battery is in good shape, etc. etc. Drive slow and you should be fine. =)

For super-quick snacks, right now I'm loving chex (and store brand chex, which where I shop are also labeled gluten-free).

Excellent advice. I always keep an emergency kit in my Jeep, year round. I simply keep seasonally appropriate stuff. And always always always a book, yes! I like to keep fruit snacks and since it isn't that big a deal with the nuts for me, things like Trio bars or Kind bars. I also keep a Mio or a box of those powdered single water flavor packets because I can't stand plain water. Yes, kind of snobby to think that even in an emergency I'd want flavored water but whatever. At least I'm honest with myself.

Oh my gosh, a house without Chex is hardly a house! That would be almost as bad as a house without Pebbles. Have on hand at all times: Chex, peanut butter, powdered sugar, chocolate chips. Also probably Pebbles, butter (or some such) and marshmallows. Who needs meals when you have have muddy buddies and krispy treats!!!

[GFreeMO]

Thanks for the driving tips! They are really needed. Great idea about keeping things in your car for emergencies.

I hear ya on the Chex. I have been loving the apple cinnamon Chex.

Can you make krispy treats with smart balance light?

[Adalaide]

I use... I don't know some random dairy and soy free something or other so I would assume you can use anything that calls itself margarine or butter. I'm far too lazy to go up a flight of stairs to check but if I remember I'll report back after lunch.

[GFinDC]

Some more idears...

Thread For gluten-free, Dairy, Soy, Corn And Nightshade Free Recipes

Super Easy Meal Ideas Anyone?

[Adalaide]

My "butter" is Smart Balance. Not sure which one but one of them and I use it for krispy treats. Go for it! I recommend Cocoa Pebbles with peppermint or pumpkin marshmallows.

[mushroom]

I find that the 'lite' versions often are disasters in baking. I tried frosting a carrot cake with 'lite' cream cheese and it was a runny mess. 'Lite' has its place, but not in frosting Have no idea how it would work in Krispy Treats, but probably the same principle.

[bartfull]

I keep an LED flashlight in my car that cranks instead of using a battery. I always have light available that way. Jumper cables are a must too. Instead of a blanket, I have a sleeping bag. It will keep me warmer.

[Adalaide]

I keep an LED flashlight in my car that cranks instead of using a battery. I always have light available that way. Jumper cables are a must too. Instead of a blanket, I have a sleeping bag. It will keep me warmer.

My husband has one of those flashlights. He thinks I need one too. I'm like dude, if you seriously think I'd rather crank that than be in the dark you probably never met me.

[Takala]

Carrying supplies- not just for cold weather. I carry a lot of extra water in my car(s), and this summer had to rescue 2 dogs who were badly overheating because they had been left out in the back of a pickup truck bed, in the parking lot of a grocery - me, 2 other people, and a store employee who went back into the store to try to find the owners, all were all trying to get these poor dogs rehydrated before they passed out or worse. The way it caught my attention was that the one started howling and crying and then tried to leap out, nearly strangling itself, so I had no choice but to try to do something, but others also came running up. I have never seen dogs drink that much by percentage of their body weight before, when the owners finally showed up to this scene of people wetting their dogs down and pouring bottle after bottle of water in a dish for them to lap up, I really had to bite my tongue to be diplomatic about how freaking dangerous this was. PARK IN THE SHADE, people. ALWAYS OFFER WATER WHEN YOU STOP. HEAT KILLS. I loved this one lady who rummaged in her car and found a tupperware box for us to use, bless her, and I had my dog's travel bowl with me.

The other thing that we've gotten a huge amount of use out of is this little bitty LED flashlight which runs on a few batteries and has a strong magnet that I can stick on the metal at the front interior of the jeep, so it can be accessed quickly. It has a flasher as well as a regular beam, and if traffic suddenly goes crawling or stopped, I've taken it and turned on its flasher so my whole interior is lighting up as well as my conventional flashers on the vehicle - people drive like crazed squirrels on crack out here on the freeways, and this might reduce my chance of getting rear ended. It is also handy to stick under the hood as a spot beam if you're looking for something in the dark .

The thing with driving in snow, or in other slick conditions that ice up frequently, where it is not flat, or the roads otherwise are not plowed and salted as if in an urban area, is that if you possibly can, go ahead and get a 4 wheel drive vehicle, even if this means selling your current one and getting a used one, even though they are heavier and tend to get lesser gas milage, and they need to be handled just a bit differently. Yes, they are sometimes awkward to get into, until you get the hang of stepping up on a running board, but otherwise, there is nothing like 4 wheel drive for snow. For trucks, this is almost mandatory as a safety element, as you have to put weight in the cargo bed, otherwise you are a menace on the highway. But even putting weight in the back of ANY vehicle, 4 wh drive or not, in winter, is going to help you with traction on the road. Bags of kitty litter make handy weight, and then they can also be used for spreading it to gain traction. The other thing is make sure your tires that you purchase are highly rated for traction, and don't drive on tires with lousy tread. This means your tires with "aggressive" tread may become more noisy on a dry, clean highway, so what, it's better than sliding around. Consider getting a pair of snow chains for your tires, if you don't have 4 wheel drive. You should have a small shovel in the car, along with a broom, for moving snow if you have to, if you park somewhere and then it dumps on you. Make sure you replace your windshield wiper liners or blades every autumn at Halloween, which is usually just before the weather goes bad, because the first week of snow, that is when everyone else bought the size you needed. Also top off the windshield wiper fluid then. As for driving, just drive a bit slower, and give yourself a lot more braking distance. If it is really snowy or foggy a lot (we sometimes get this incredible winter fog here, called tule (too lee) fog, which comes up in the evening) get a set of good fog lights put on the vehicle, too, if it doesn't have them already. I learned this the hard way when my otherwise wonderful new (used) vehicle didn't have them, the low beams were still aimed sorta high, and it took me over an hour to drive a dozen miles home the first time it fogged up on our back roads, which are sort of crudely marked and which have very interesting bridges and ditches, none of which I wanted to end up in. You may want to consult your state's DMV rules about what sorts of running lights you can use on the highway, also. If you don't have triple AAA emergency service yet, or the equivalent, go ahead and get that, for those surprising times your car just won't start because the battery or something else went pffffffffizzzzzzzz.

Soon, with some preparation and practice, you too can be driving in snow. Next week: training your spouse not to take a weenie car through floodwaters or, life as a commuter through a rice- growing area.

[Adalaide]

A note in addition to everything Takala said, which is all good advice. Make sure you keep your emergency kit where you can get to it. If, under the worst circumstances roads are really bad and you slide off the road and other people are too, you don't want to be getting out and fishing in the trunk. You want to be able to get to your stuff from inside your vehicle. I do agree that having a 4WD is a good idea, especially in CO, but if you have never driven one before or a larger vehicle wait to buy one until weather is better. Get comfortable with it during good weather so you won't be driving something you aren't particularly comfortable behind the wheel of in the snow. Better you are driving a car you are comfortable driving than an SUV or truck you aren't. I drove a small Escort for many years in PA and have never been in an accident. Also, yes, an emergency kit for all seasons is truly essential. If you break down in the middle of summer and have to to walk somewhere or wait for help in blistering heat you'll be grateful for that 90 degree water stored in the back seat, no matter how hot it is when it hits your mouth.

[Juliebove]

I always keep stuff in the house to make soup. Back when I could eat chicken, I would use chicken broth, canned chicken, celery, onion, carrot, peas go well with this too, and either some rice or pasta. I can't have chicken now so... I would use either tomato juice or V8 or if I have none in the house then watered down tomato sauce and then whatever veggies I have in the house. Maybe some rice or pasta.

But probably my favorite quick meal is three cans of beans (different kinds), one can of corn and a jar of salsa. You can drain the beans or not, depending on how soupy you like your chili. The original recipe was just this. Heat through and serve over rice. But I like to Dr. things up and I will usually add some onions, cilantro if I have it and chili powder.

I also always keep refried beans in the house and will eat them warmed up with tortilla chips or as tacos either in taco shells or warmed tortillas. I just really love beans!

For this coming week, I'll cook up a package of dried beans. And I'll make some Spanish rice. Normally I would have cooked ground beef in the freezer but we just ate it all. But I do have chopped onion and bell peppers that I bought when cheap and froze them.

So the night before I will just take some of those out to defrost. Then all I'll have to do is brown the meat, add it to the rice and seasonings (salt, chili powder and salsa), add water and the veggies and cook. I use brown rice. It's a very easy dish and it will make a lot so we can eat it for several days.

[Em314]

Excellent advice. I always keep an emergency kit in my Jeep, year round. I simply keep seasonally appropriate stuff. And always always always a book, yes! I like to keep fruit snacks and since it isn't that big a deal with the nuts for me, things like Trio bars or Kind bars. I also keep a Mio or a box of those powdered single water flavor packets because I can't stand plain water. Yes, kind of snobby to think that even in an emergency I'd want flavored water but whatever. At least I'm honest with myself. Oh my gosh, a house without Chex is hardly a house! That would be almost as bad as a house without Pebbles. Have on hand at all times: Chex, peanut butter, powdered sugar, chocolate chips. Also probably Pebbles, butter (or some such) and marshmallows. Who needs meals when you have have muddy buddies and krispy treats!!!

[GFreeMO]

We are going to get over a foot of snow between now and Wed night! I will be taking all of your tips to heart!! Lets hope that I don't fling myself off a mountain or end up in the river!

[GFreeMO]

I always keep stuff in the house to make soup. Back when I could eat chicken, I would use chicken broth, canned chicken, celery, onion, carrot, peas go well with this too, and either some rice or pasta. I can't have chicken now so... I would use either tomato juice or V8 or if I have none in the house then watered down tomato sauce and then whatever veggies I have in the house. Maybe some rice or pasta.

But probably my favorite quick meal is three cans of beans (different kinds), one can of corn and a jar of salsa. You can drain the beans or not, depending on how soupy you like your chili. The original recipe was just this. Heat through and serve over rice. But I like to Dr. things up and I will usually add some onions, cilantro if I have it and chili powder.

I also always keep refried beans in the house and will eat them warmed up with tortilla chips or as tacos either in taco shells or warmed tortillas. I just really love beans!

For this coming week, I'll cook up a package of dried beans. And I'll make some Spanish rice. Normally I would have cooked ground beef in the freezer but we just ate it all. But I do have chopped onion and bell peppers that I bought when cheap and froze them.

So the night before I will just take some of those out to defrost. Then all I'll have to do is brown the meat, add it to the rice and seasonings (salt, chili powder and salsa), add water and the veggies and cook. I use brown rice. It's a very easy dish and it will make a lot so we can eat it for several days.

Thanks for the ideas!! I love the the beans idea. Your post is making me hungry.

[Adalaide]

We are going to get over a foot of snow between now and Wed night! I will be taking all of your tips to heart!! Lets hope that I don't fling myself off a mountain or end up in the river!

Don't fret, the storm is so fizzled it is pathetic. They said we'd get over a foot too. Psh... inches, just inches. Done snowing here though so it is ON ITS WAY!

Get to the store today and you won't be flinging yourself off any mountains. Don't forget the Chex, Pebbles, and other goodies to make treats with. Oh right... and my margarine, butter type thing I use is the one with flax in it. Because in my head it sounds healthier. Anyway, it makes amazing treats.