by Laura Leigh Fields

Created on: August 19, 2008

The hustle and bustle of today's life can often cause most families to live from a paper-bag when it comes to mealtime. In most cases, it seems it can't be helped. This is especially true for busy families. Sharing your meals at the family table is very important for the growth of your relationship.

Cooking isn't really that strenuous but it does seem like it can take a lot out of you and be very time-consuming. This is why we convince ourselves just to eat out. The truth is, if you get the family involved and everybody works together, time will fly by.

There are many items that are designed to make the cooking process simpler. Your local grocery store will have a lot of pre-made cook and eat dinners, crock-pot meals, or a helper item (just add chicken, tuna or hamburger meat). All you have to do is cook according to the instructions on the package and in no time you have a meal.

One of the quickest and easiest things to make is a hamburger. The greatest thing is that they are even cheaper if you make them at home and you can fix it any way you want it.

~Quick and Easy Burgers~

You will need:

2 pounds of ground beef
1 package of vegetable soup mix
chopped red onion
1 package of shredded cheese (mixed)
Hamburger buns
(Tomato, Lettuce, Mayo, Ketchup, Mustard or whatever you like on your burger)

In a large bowl, combine beef, soup mix, onion, and cup of the cheese. Mix it together well so that all the items are blended evenly. Form the mixture into 6 patties.

Broil for about twenty minutes, turning each burger once. Sprinkle cheese on the top of each burger and cook an additional two minutes (or until the cheese is melted thoroughly).

Serve each burger on a bun with your favorite fixings and enjoy a quick and delicious dinner!

If you are in the mood for something different but still don't have all day to cook it, you should try chicken stuffers. Kids will love them and adults will be amazed how easy they are to make.

~Chicken Stuffers~

You will need:

1 six-ounce package of stuffing
2 eggs lightly beaten
1 and pounds of boneless skinless chicken breast (pounded)
1 can of condensed cream of chicken soup
cup of milk
1 tablespoon of paprika

Combine the stuffing mix with one cup of water. Let it stand for five minutes. Stir the eggs in and blend well.

Spread the mixture oven the chicken. Roll chicken so that it encloses the stuffing. Place the rolls seam down in a baking dish.

Mix the soup and milk together and pour over the chicken. Sprinkle with paprika. Bake in a pre-heated 400-degree oven for about thirty minutes. Eat and enjoy!

Another delicious and easy meal to make is mashed potatoes. Very few kids can pass them up. If you add a few extra items to simple potatoes, you can have a delicious meal. Try this recipe for loaded mashed potatoes on for size!

~Loaded Mashed potatoes~

You will need:

5 pounds of baking potatoes
8 ounces of mixed cheese (or your favorite blend)
4 ounces of finely sliced deli ham
8 ounce package of bacon bits
2 peppers
Minced garlic

Peel, cook, drain, and mash the potatoes. (Add milk and butter to consistency.) Mix in the cheese, ham, garlic, and peppers. Stir until mixed well.

Spread the batter into a casserole dish. Bake uncovered in a pre-heated 350-degree oven for approximately 45 minutes (or until well heated). Sprinkle with bacon bits. Eat and enjoy!

There are a big variety of delicious and quick family friendly meal ideas out there. Decide what your family enjoys and make a twist to suit their taste buds. Experiment and have fun taste-testing the results!

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