What to make for dinner?

Recently (Wednesday) Kristen @ We are THAT family asked how everyone makes supper without heating up the kitchen every night. 

(so forgive my late Wednesday link up)

Since I love to plan meals ahead of time, I often do not think about the heating up the kitchen thing while I am planning.

As I was off to get a few groceries today, I decided to try and plan some meals that will not heat up my kitchen every night.  So here is what I did:

 

1. Bought a MEGA pack of chicken breasts, boiled 5 for chicken salad, and marinated the rest to grill.  {Meal 1 : Chicken Salad, raw veggies & some fruit}

2.  Defrosted a pound of ground beef & cooked it up for taco meat, while I cooked chicken – heats up the kitchen the same but more food cooked at one time. {Meal 2 : Taco Salad}

3.  We will grill the chicken tomorrow – LOTS OF IT.  {Meal 3 : Grilled Chicken Greek Salad} {Meal 4: Loaded burritos with grilled chicken}  {Meal 5: Grilled chicken with side of grilled veggies}

These are in no particular order but I know have a plan for 5 great meals in my fridge and all I have to do is grill the chicken or mix everything up.  I think I will make a big batch of rice tomorrow for the grilled chicken meal and make extra to have for the stuffed burritos.  {cook once, eat twice}

Another tip I learned this week : instead of serving an entire chicken breast half, slice a chicken breast into thirds before you cook it or before you serve it.  Chicken breasts are so large these days that a third is usually plenty of meat for a meal and it will stretch it tremendously!  They can always get seconds.  Melissa D’Arabian says that if it is left on your plate it is trash, but if it left on the platter it is left-overs.  So true!!  She is the one who offered the tip to slice the chicken too!  Check her out HERE. 

Happy Cooking (without heating up the kitchen)!!