Dinner Solved!

Making meals every single day can be difficult,to say the least.  In fact, it can seem like a very effective form torture. And by the time dinner rolls around I often feel a lot like this! 

There have been times when I just don't have the time or energy to make dinner and that makes for times when I let things be called dinner that really shouldn't be. Some of the things I have fed my kids for dinner include- ice cream, cereal, left over birthday cake, pancakes, popcorn, cookies... (I could keep going, but I will stop there.) I do try hard to make a well balanced meal most days of the week. So when one of those days come up that I just don't really want to make anything but my kids have already had ice cream for dinner once that week, I do have a few 'go to' dinners that I can whip up in less than an hour that take a minimal amount of work and have a short  ingredient list.

So here is one of my recipes that my husband and kids all approve of.

Quick and Cheap Beef and Broccoli 

1lb ground beef 

1 package of frozen broccoli florets (or you can use the equivalent in fresh)

2 cups rice uncooked 

1/2 cup soy sauce

1 1/2 cups water- divided

2 T cornstarch

2 t sugar

garlic powder

ginger powder

First up- Defrost 1lb of hamburger (obviously, if yours isn'tfrozen omit this step)

 Cook 2 cups of rice according to package directions

 While you are waiting for the hamburger and rice get out all your ingredients (not pictured is 1-1/12 cups water, and 2 t sugar).

Then start browning the 'burger

When it's cooked add the soy sauce and 1 cup water.

 Mix the corn starch into the remaining 1/2 c water and throw that in too, then you can sprinkle in the garlic, ginger and sugar to taste.

 Toss in the broccoli ... 

Cover and simmer until broccoli is cooked and your sauce has thickened. This usually takes less than 10 minutes.

 And voila! Dinner is ready! 

 The time was 6:12 pm when I started defrosting the hamburger and it was 6:50pm when I took the last picture. That's a pretty quick and easy dinner!

 And it looks yummy too!

It gets a thumbs up from this kid who eats his broccoli like candy first!

What are some of your 'go to' dinners? And what are some things that you have passed as dinner at your house? :0)