I need some side dish recipes please?

My son is 16 months old and I'm feeling like a crappy Mom lately because I don't feel like I give him enough variety when we eat dinner. I've been working late the past few weeks to bring in extra money. So I come home late and give him whatever I can for dinner. My husband isn't very good at cooking even the easiest of meals. So really it does come down on me or we'll be eating McDonald's 5 days a week if my husband tends to things. LOL.





So please, do you have any recipes of side dishes for dinner meals that you can share? And some that are SIMPLE and fast please! And if possible, appropriate for my son to eat also (16 months old) and my stepdaughter (almost 5 yrs old).





Thanks for your help!I need some side dish recipes please?
I have found myself in the same position .


And i have found that crock pot meals are the way to go.


easy stuff like chicken almost anything....AND THE MEAT IS VERY TENDER!


put your choice of meat, ch kn-beef-pork in the crock pot with your fave. seasonings and you can add a choice of fresh veg. like pot.-carrots-or a sauce like tomato, or a gravy packet with some water about half full and put in on low and cook all day no need to tend to it maybe hubby can stir it once or twice.


and if you wanted to add pasta, just add it about 20 min before you want to eat and dinner is served. (rice about 40 min).


this style of cooking is good for BBQ, soups, pasta,you name it you can almost cook anything in a crock pot!


hope this helps!


鈾ENNI need some side dish recipes please?
I like this as a side, I loved it as a kid, but I loved to eat everything in site:





http://www.recipezaar.com/186933
Potato 'n Broccoli Supreme





3 Cups mashed potatoes, homemade (with milk)


1 3-oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened


1/4 Cup milk


1 egg


2 Tablespoons margarine


1 2.8-oz. can Durkee French Fried Onions


2 10-oz pkgs. Broccoli Spears, cooked, drained


1 Cup American Cheese, shredded





Whip together first 5 ingredients until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Fold in 1/2 can onions





Spread potato mixture over bottom and up sides of a buttered 9 x 13 pan to form shell. Bake uncovered, at 350潞 for 25 - 30 minutes.





Arrange hot broccoli spears in potato shell; sprinkle with cheese and remaining onions. Bake uncovered 5 minutes longer.








Potato Packet With Herbs





1 T. margarine or butter


1 T. minced fresh parsley


1/2 t. salt


1/2 t. freshly grated lemon peel


1/8 t. ground black pepper


1 1/2 pounds small red potatoes, each cut in half





In 3 qt. saucepan, melt margarine or butter with parsley, salt, lemon peel, and pepper. Remove saucepan from heat; add potatoes and toss to coat.





Fold 30';x18'; sheet of heavy duty foil crosswise in half. Place potato mixture on double thickness of foil; bring long sides of foil up and fold several time to seal well. Fold remaining sides of foil several times to seal in juices.





Place foil packet on grill over medium heat and cook 30 minutes or until potatoes are fork-tender





Makes about 4 cups











Creamy Vegetable Medley





1 can cream of celery soup


1/2 c. milk


2 c. broccoli flowerets


2 medium carrots, sliced about 1 cup


1 c. cauliflower flowerets





In a medium saucepan, mix soup, milk, broccoli, carrots and cauliflower. Over medium heat, heat to boil.





Reduce heat to low. cover and cook 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally





Variations: Omit milk. Substitute 1 bag frozen vegetable combination broccoli, cauliflower, carrots for fresh vegetables











Grilled Santa Fe Vegetable Kabobs





2 tablespoons oil





2 tablespoons vinegar





1 tablespoon McCormick Santa Fe Spice Blends





4 cups assorted vegetables, cut in 1 inch cubes





Combine oil, vinegar and Spice Blends.





Toss vegetables with Spice Blends mixture. Place vegetables on skewers.





Grill or broil until crisp tender.
My boys like the Lipton rice and pasta side dishes, they're fast and yummy. I also like coucous. I just recently tried Betty Crocker's sweet potatoes, that might be nice for a variety.





How about pea salad (canned peas, boiled eggs and mayo) or green bean casserole?





Mac and cheese and/or baked beans is another favorite for my boys.





Good luck!
crab cakes, pleanty of good recipes on food channel, oysters on the half shell, a soup is good on a cool evening, Grilled vegtables
cherry salad


mix 1 can cherry pie filling


1 can sweetened condensed milk


add


1 can crushed pineapple drained


8 oz. pkg cool whip


handful or two of mini marshmallows


chill


serves 8





deviled eggs





blushing pears


pears with red sugar sprinkled over the top





mix cottage cheese with fruit cocktail





pasta with sauce or rice of the same





italian cut green beans are big and flat and great for stir fries and finger foods





2 cups applesauce w about 1/2 cup apple juice or water if no juice is handy


warm this up on the stove til boiling


add 1 pkg jello stir til dissolved


pour into dish and chill in fridge











Buttered cooked baby carrots








hoping that gives you some good ideas