Dinner rut again

[UnderProtest]

I'm in a rut again with dinner.  I feel like we have rotisserie chicken, flank steak, and ravioli every week.  I need help, please!  Easy, relatively healthy meal ideas are needed!  I've given up worrying about the foods my husband will or will not eat so its pretty open.  Plus he has been working and traveling a lot lately so he's not around for dinner.

[So_Fetch]

We are in a rut too - but with different dishes than yours, so I'll offer up our regulars.

Minestrone soup - www.eatyourselfskinny.com/olive-garden-inspired-minestrone-soup/
It's so good - and even better reheated for lunches.

Tacos (green chicken or regular ground turkey)

Slow cooked black eyed peas and ham - www.skinnytaste.com/slow-cooked-black-eyed-peas-with-ham/
We've only had this once, but I was surprised at how tasty and filling it was.

Turkey lettuce wraps - www.eatyourselfskinny.com/healthy-turkey-lettuce-wraps/

[mbcdefg]

Ditto, I haven't had the inspiration or energy to come up with dinner plans lately. 

Lately we've been eating more salmon. I buy it at Whole Foods on the way home from work. MH likes it with a sriracha/soy sauce quick marinade and panko coating ... I usually just do salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Usually served with microwaved vegetables, and microwaved brown rice and quinoa mix (I buy a big box at Costco). 

I buy this Korma Curry simmer sauce at Shop Rite, for dinners where I barely want to do anything. Brown up some chicken in a big pan, throw in some broccoli or green beans to cook for a bit, then dump in this sauce (when it's empty add a little water, shake up the jar to get the rest, and pour it in and stir it up) and let it simmer a bit. Serve over rice. No idea how authentic this is, but it's tasty and fast. Raisins and/or cashews are good to throw in at the end if you have them. 

Quick random meal: boil pasta (usually penne or butterfly or shells), saute sliced sausage and some kind of vegetable (broccoli, spinach, green beans) in a pan with EVOO, add lots of minced garlic, deglaze with white wine, then drain the pasta and dump it all into the pasta pot. Add some Parmesan cheese. 

Another quick random meal: boil a bag of frozen gnocchi, top with homemade meat sauce (just ground beef, tomato sauce, sauteed onion and garlic, Italian herbs and spices; good for weekend batch cooking), mozzarella, maybe throw in some spinach.

Whenever I go to Trader Joe's I get a couple bags of the frozen gnocchi alla sorrentina - add to a skillet, throw in some spinach to wilt down, done. 

Tonight I'm making this garlic chicken ... when I worked for a newspaper we worked late every Friday and they'd order us dinner from a local Spanish restaurant and I always ordered this. I slice potatoes really thin with my mandolin and fry them, and pour the sauce over the chips: 4plates2table.com/2011/08/18/the-food-of-spain/ 

I might make this tomorrow: www.pink-parsley.com/2012/08/skillet-lasagna.html 

White beans and spinach, sausage optional (quick meal): itsmysideoflife.com/2012/06/white-beans-and-spinac/ 

I use leftover Costco rotisserie chicken for this "tamale" skillet: www.jocooks.com/bakery/pies-bakery/chicken-tamale-casserole/ 

Zucchini fritters: www.budgetbytes.com/2011/01/zucchini-fritters/ 

This is tasty but definitely a heavy meal: www.cookingwithsugar.com/moms-chicken-a-la-gloria-a-family-favorite-chicken-recipe/ 

White bean soup (pretty quick): www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/white-bean-soup-shooters-with-bacon-recipe.html 

This is a good pot roast recipe for the crockpot. It makes its own yummy gravy. I like it for a beef roast, didn't care for it with a pork roast: www.ayearofslowcooking.com/2009/12/supuer-simple-cranberry-roast-beef-or.html?m=1 

Takeout-style beef and broccoli: rainydaygal.com/2011/02/03/beef-with-broccoli/ 

Shrimp and rice casserole: www.deepsouthdish.com/2008/11/shrimp-casserole.html#axzz4Sel42ygz 

Chili cornbread skillet lasts us a couple of days. www.budgetbytes.com/2013/10/chili-cornbread-skillet/ (I use this cornbread recipe: allrecipes.com/recipe/76594/grandmothers-buttermilk-cornbread/)

Steamed mussels - cleaning them can be a PITA, but after that it's pretty easy: cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1017709-steamed-mussels-with-garlic-and-parsley 

This one is a "fancy" dinner if you have some time. It's not very difficult but it takes a while. I do this when I have extra money to get the big meaty short ribs from the butcher: www.cookstr.com/Beef-Recipes/Short-Ribs-Braised-in-Porter-Ale-with-Maple-Rosemary-Glaze 

Or I'll buy a nice big flank steak and make ropa vieja, and serve over rice or on a big sandwich: www.mybigfatcubanfamily.com/2016/07/crockpot-rope-vieja-recipe/ (Or I'll ask MH if we can drive down to the place in Asbury Park that makes it really well, lol)

I try to keep pizza dough in the freezer at all times, and I usually bake up some buffalo wings with it: www.annies-eats.com/2008/08/15/perfect-pizza-crust/ Regular pizza, or chicken bacon ranch, or white pizza. 

[niq]

I really like the cookbook How To Cook Everything. There are enough fairly simple recipes that I can cook in under an hour, lots of sauces so that you can make weeknight dinner "cook protein, pour sauce in and reheat, serve next to a steamed vegetable maybe with pasta or rice", and usually there's some unattended cook time so I can clean at least half of the mess I made.

www.amazon.com/How-Cook-Everything-Recipes-Anniversary/dp/0764578650/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1481574553&sr=8-1&keywords=how+to+cook+everything

[megstoo]

This week it's all about the crock pot for us. Tonight is mississippi roast and tomorrow (or Wednesday) is spicy chicken tortilla soup. Both of these meals will give enough for left overs.

[Pom]

It's been humid today after a week of cold weather, so I made a cold pasta salad: shells, mozzarella, olives, sliced smoked sausage, package of shredded broccoli slaw with creamy Italian dressing. I'll pair that with pulled BBQ pork tonight. Tomorrow night with Grilled Chicken, Sundried Tomatoes and Goat Cheese crumbled on top.

Other cold weather rotations: White or Bean Chili, Leftover BBQ pulled pork quesadillas, Crockpot Chicken Tacos, Grilled Salmon with Chile Sauce.
Pasta rotations 1 x per week: Spaghetti or Tortellini Bake, Angel Hair with Clam Sauce, Chicken and Noodles

[moolarkey]

Stuffed peppers are easy to do and in the crock pot. I pour a little premade spaghetti sauce (I use Mid's italian sausage sauce, it really is like homemade) in the bottom of my big crockpot. I cut the tops off the peppers and clean them out. In a bowl I mix ground beef, an egg, salt, pepper, chopped onions, sometimes a little rice, a litte bit of the spaghetti sauce. I put the peppers in the crock pot, pour the rest of the spaghetti sauce over the top. I either cook them on high for about 5-6 hours or on low all day.

I just made them yesterday.

[livinitup]

I try to do a sandwich 2-3 times a month. Last week it was mozzerell, tomato, basil on french bread. Tonight it was BLTs. We pick healthy sides. Everyone loves it.

[Roc A Bee]

I just had Taco Bell so I may not be the best to answer. But this time of year I love my crock pot. A pot roast, pulled pork or BBQ beef or chili are always hits.