Here are some super easy meals to please your family when you're too tired (or too broke) to go out to eat but you don't feel like cooking. You don't eat these items everyday, so they will be treats for your family. Enjoy!

French Dips
Spread the inside of the French Dip sandwich rolls with butter and brown on a griddle.  Heat sliced roast beef from the deli department in the microwave until heated through.  Put a generous amount of meat on each sandwich roll.  They're easier to dip if they're cut in half.  Serve with a small bowl of canned beef broth heated in the microwave.

Hot Wings
Season & marinade your chicken wings earlier in the week (and store them in the refrigerator) so the hard part's already done when Friday comes. Add breadsticks if desired (try the frozen kind). Serve with cheese cubes, raw celery, and dipping sauce. 

Breakfast Basics
Don't you love eating traditional breakfast foods at night? Face it, "breakfast" is much easier to prepare, and goes over extremely well for a once-in-the while dinner. Make a few of your family's favorites - grits, biscuits, eggs, etc.. If you're extra ambitious, serve with  easy-make fruit smoothies (frozen fruit & yogurt mixed together in a blender). 

Pizza Creations
Buy large cheese pizzas from your local grocer and add the meat & veggie toppings your family likes. Take the opportunity to try different ingredients to sample on parts of the pizza (pineapple, meatballs, anything goes). You might create a masterpiece! A fresh garden salad makes this a complete meal! 

Cheeseburgers
Use easy-to-broil frozen patties and add cheese slices immediately after removing them from the oven. Lay out the buns, veggies,  and condiments, and serve with sweet potato fries. Delicious! 

Po' Boy Sandwiches
Cut French baguettes in half. Add sliced cheese, deli meats, sliced tomatoes, lettuce, and condiments of your choice. Serve with chips and fresh melon. 

Custom Pasta Plates
Pasta is so easy to make - even days before you have to serve it. Warm up the pre-cooked pasta (any kind) plus 2-3 different types of sauce from the jar (marinara, alfredo, butter sauce). Cook both smoked sausage and Italian sausage in the microwave, and let your family customize their pasta creation. Serve with warm bread. 

Hot Tamales
Boil tamales until completely cooked. Unwrap tamales and line them at the bottom of a baking dish. Layer  with chili and shredded cheese, then bake until bubbly. Serve with your favorite corn chips. 

Baked Potato Bar
Bake large potatoes. Lay out a variety of toppings and let your family help themselves. Some great additions: shredded cheese, butter, bacon bits, chopped beef, sour cream, chives, onions, sliced ham.

Email us about your favorite quick and easy Friday dinners. We would love to find out what you do and will be publishing a page soon with the best suggestions! info@coastalbendmamas.com

My Favorite Taco Soup Recipe

I hope you enjoy this soup, it is one of my favorites. I wouldn't say it was low calorie, but it is very filling and yummy! I am about to put the ingredients in my crock pot for tonight. Stay warm ~ Judy