Meatless meal ideas to please kids of all ages?

Now you've all gone and gotten me hungry - again! It does all sound good. My latest cheese craze is baked brie, plain- no filling. I also liike feta cheese in soup and on a salad, yummy!

If I have my choice about it, I make a meatless chili that you may find suits the bill. (Chili is a staple around our house pretty much anytime it's less than 90 degrees outside.)

One 16 oz. can black beans
One 16 oz. can pinto beans
One 16 oz. can light or dark kidney beans
Two 16 oz. cans of crushed or diced tomatoes, preferably packed with puree
One onion, chopped finely
Your favorite oil (to saute)
One or two packets of your favorite chili seasoning (I like the McCormick Mild Chili Seasoning)
Salt, pepper, and cumin to taste

Optional:
Whatever vegetables you may have on hand, chopped fine (good way to sneak 'em in on your veggie-loathing family members)
Fresh or dried chopped garlic
Chopped jalapeno pepper, either fresh or canned
Textured vegetable protein (TVP) granules
One 12 or 16 oz. can corn, drained

Saute onion and optional vegetables until onions are slightly browned and limp and vegetables are cooked to your desired firmness. If using TVP, reconstitute in about 1/2 cup of warm to hot water. (When I use, I use about a half cup of dry TVP.)

In large pot place remaining ingredients (I usually don't drain the beans since I like a more liquid consistency.) Add onion and any of the vegetables you may have sauteed as well as the corn and TVP, if using. Add any other optional ingredients to taste, adjusting seasonings as appropriate. Heat through on medium heat for about 20 minutes.

We like this served with cheese and sour cream and tortillas, tortilla chips, or rice.

Enjoy!
Lynn

Snivel, wow, your chili sounds so good! I usually serve chili with cornbread or crackers & never thought of using tortillas or tortilla chips! They'd surely go for that around here.
As for the sour cream topping, I only heard of that for the first time last year. I have since learned that it's not uncommon but it was a new one on me. We tried it & loved it. Thanks for adding another great recipe to my collection!

I don't know what it is, but I especially love recipes that came from "someone", you know? I looking at cookbooks, but there's just something a little special about a recipe another cook gives you.

Thanks again to all!!!

Jeanus, mmmmmmmmmmmmm baked brie. Now that sounds delicious. I usually only think of that around winter holiday times, why is that? Why not enjoy in March, like you?? Thanks for the inspiration!

Do they have those chunks of soy protein (not tofu!) in the States? They look like rocks, you gotta wet them, and then you can grind them into phony chop meat.

Not bad in chili or pasta sauce.

Hi guys,

Well, I have been in a total non-cooking mood. just don't wanna do it!! BUT, last night I made Jackie May's spaghetti bake & they LOVED it! 4 of the kids were home & one brought a friend & they all really loved it. Dh & I did too.
I hope you don't mind that I fooled around with it just a tiny bit, I omitted the sugar & added more sauce than it called for because we like things extra-saucy!

Delicious. Thanks again & I intend to get around to all of the dishes eventually. Though at the rate I'm going it'll be a while. Just not into the kitchen these days...tend to be sort of an all or nothing gal. When I'm into cooking & read cookbooks like crazy, when it's gardening, that's all that's on my mind. Right now it's travel! Whoooo hoooo! I wanna go play!

As soon as I'm back into it, I'll get back here & try them all!
Many thanks, dear sisters!

How about a meatless lasagna. I substitute artichoke hearts and mushrooms in the meat sauce, use extra spinach in the ricotta and the cheeeeese it up! (fresh mozzerella if you can get it, I can't, fresh grated romano and parm. maybe even a little bit of provolone).

Even my ALL MEAT ALL THE TIME husband will eat that meal. If I don't TELL him there's no meat in it (my children love My Big Fat Greek Wedding, so they've taken up saying "He don't eat no MEAT? Thats ok, that's ok. Mom will make LAMB")

Of course, you can also do a peel and eat night if you can find shrimp on sale. My children will stuff themselves on cold shrimp and cocktail sauce and I can sometimes find it really inexpensive.

Off Topic: I am not Catholic, but I observe Lent in the terms that I believe self sacrifice is a positive thing, that learning to do w/o something we love is healthy. This year, I dragged the kids in on it too. Instead of making them give something up, I have encouraged them to pick up one new good habit; making thier beds, washing hands and face before schoo, not arguing (riiiiight, but it was worth a shot) and I have worked hard to give up yelling!

If you check the Dining In: Cooking and Recipes (you gotta sign in) there's a recipe for a Porcini Mushroom and Red Mushroom Tart.

Eating it doesn't seem like much of a sacrifice though!

It comes for a book called, wait for it, The Art of the Tart!

Marian, I've had this one home from the library!
Our branch has a section of new non-fiction as well as new fiction. The first place I go is to the new-non part & see what's there. I get to see lots of great things before they become lost in the stacks.

The title probably attracted me, gotta appreciate folk's humor!

I tried to find the recipe at nyt but didn't. Perhaps I'll just check the book out again & this time, actually cook from it!


Red, Shrimp! Yummm. Great idea, and I even have some from Market Day in the freezer.

Thanks ladies!