What should I make for dinner?

Fettuccini Carbonara - VERY delicious and very easy to make :D

5 teaspoons olive oil
4 shallots, diced
1 large onion, cut into thin strips
1 pound bacon, cut into strips
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 (16 ounce) package fettuccini pasta
3 egg yolks
1 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Serves 6.

Heat olive oil in a large heavy saucepan over medium heat. Saute shallots until softened. Stir in onion and bacon, and cook until bacon is evenly browned. Stir in garlic when bacon is about half done. Remove from heat.
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente. Drain pasta, then return it to the pot.
In a medium bowl, whisk together egg yolks, cream, and shredded Parmesan. Pour the bacon mixture over the pasta, then stir in the cream mixture. Season with salt and pepper.
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Parents make picky eaters by assuming their kids won't eat things. You really should be making meals to fit your taste and your husband's taste. Putting it out on the table and your kids will see that that is what is available and they will find favorites. I would just avoid highly hot and spicy food. But here's some ideas.

Also, you're not trying to get them to eat just anything. The purpose of a meal is some enjoyment but the main purpose is to fuel their growing bodies with good things so their developing organs and bones and immune system are strong.
Feed them good stuff!

meal 1:
Rice and lentils--I throw in things I like and I don't use cheese but here's a similar recipe to what I do:
http://www.recipezaar.com/Brown-Rice-and-Lentil-Casserole-74629
Serve with some cooked broccoli and apple slices

head of broccoli or bag of frozen broccoli
apples
bag of dry lentils
box or bag of brown rice
broth-either canned or boxed or dry
herbs and spices
optional cheese


meal 2:
homemade pancakes with sliced oranges or other fruit you all like

basic pancake recipe(you can add ground flax seed or wheat germ for extra healthiness)
2 Cups all purpose flour(unbleached)
2 TBL sugar
2 teas baking powder
1/2 teas salt
1/2 teas baking soda
1 egg
3 tbl melted butter
2 Cups buttermilk
2 teaspoons canola oil

whisk dry ingredients together in one bowl. Whisk wet ingredients in another bowl. Pour wet ingredients into dry and mix for a very short time just until most lumps are gone. If you overmix your pancakes will be tough. Lightly oil a pan that was heated over medium heat or if it's an electric giddle use 325*. spread batter down and gently form into a circle shape or any shape that tickles you. I serve with agave nectar or a berry compote that I make up quickly.
For your kids, try to avoid heavy pancake syrups. You do not want to over sugar them and get them hyper and cranky. Agave nectar is delicious and should not give them a sugar rush.

Agave nectar(my shoprite sells it in the natural section)
flour
baking powder and soda
buttermilk
fruit of choice

Meal 3:
Cooked barley--very mild tasting healthy grain served with meatballs or chicken or tofu and carrot coins. Tofu is mild and even bland tasting and my kids always loved it. I loved it because it's low in fat and high in protein.
Carrot coins can be made simple or fancy, sugary or buttery or plain. Look up recipes and find one that fits your tastes. Carrots are usually cheap and they are healthy and kids usually love the coins. I usually cook peeled sliced carrots in a small amount of water or broth til almost done, then I add some butter, salt and honey or agave nectar or even brown sugar and let the carrots finish cooking.

protein source of choice
barley(either in a box or a bag)
carrots


meal 4:
whole wheat pasta with tomato sauce and cooked spinach(or broccoli or zuchini, etc) on the side.
I used to feel bad buying whole wheat pasta because I assumed the family didn't like it as much as the white until they let me know that they loved the whole wheat so much more! You can buy prepared sauce or you can buy a can of crushed tomatoes. Saute crushed or minced garlic in olive oil, add about 1 teaspoon of oregano and the can of crushed tomatoes. Simmer about 15-20 min and add salt pepper, basil and a bit of sweetener(about a 1/2 teaspoon)

whole wheat pasta
can of crushed tomatoes
garlic
herbs
spinach or other healthy veggie(buy frozen or fresh for best nutrition)
parmesan cheese and garlic bread or salad is always good here too


Whatever you choose, just remember, you don't want your kids sitting at their prom or their wedding and insisting they only eat mac and cheese!! :)

If it's not too hot for you, it's not that hard to make good from-scratch chicken noodle soup. You need:

About 5 lbs chicken, in pieces, with bones.*
(optional) Leftover chicken meat and bones.
1 chicken breast (without bone or skin), cut into bite-size pieces.
1 yellow onion, sliced
2 full-size carrots, washed, peeled, and sliced 1/2 inch thick
2 ribs of celery, sliced 1/2 inch thick
1 lb egg noodles
1 tsp dried thyme
8 whole peppercorns, or 2 tsp ground pepper
salt
1 bay leaf
1 chicken bullion cube

This is easiest with two large pots.

* I myself prefer to get a whole chicken and break it down into pieces by cutting it up with a cleaver. It's not that hard to do, you just have to look for the joints to cut the legs, thighs, and wings off. When I do this I like to cut the chicken breast off of the chicken instead of buying one separately. Whole chicken is the most economical. You can also buy "leg quarters" which are very cheap: legs and thighs attached. It'll be easier if you cut them up but you don't have to. Plain legs or plain thighs are all right too, just be sure you don't use any kind of boneless chicken, and don't use all white meat, it doesn't have the flavor.

1. Take your raw chicken pieces, except for the extra chicken breast, sprinkle with salt, and cook at the bottom of your soup pot over medium heat, until browned on both sides. You may have to do more than one batch if your pot has a small bottom. Remove the chicken and set aside; drain the fat but don't clean the bottom.

2. Add the sliced onions to the pan and let them cook until they begin to soften, then re-add the chicken you set aside before. Cover the pot, let it stew for 10 minutes; be sure the heat isn't too high: you should not see juices evaporate immediately.

3. Add the leftover chicken, the bay leaf, the thyme, the pepper, and add water to cover everything. Bring to a boil over high heat, then turn the heat down to a low simmer. Let simmer for as long as you can; at least 30 minutes but up to 3 hours. Skim the fat off the surface if you can.

4. Put a strainer in your second pot, and pour all the soup through the strainer to remove all the pieces. Taste the soup; if thin, add the bullion cube. Add salt to taste.

5. Return to the heat, and add the celery and carrots. (Optionally, you may add bite-size pieces of raw onion at this point, if you like them in your soup.) Add the remaining chicken in bite-size pieces. Add the dry noodles; let the soup cook for 10-15 more minutes, until the noodles are soft. Add some rough-chopped parsley at the last minute for yourself.

It's healthy: if you skim the fat it's practically non-fat, it's got plenty of protein and some vegetable. And I think kids will like it, it's simple flavors, and easy textures for the 1-year old (maybe, except the chicken pieces). Ours likes it, especially the noodles.

The only hard part is the straining but I think it's necessary with young children, or there could be small bone pieces in it. Oh, and this blows canned chicken noodle soup like Campbells out of the water.

CHEESY NOODLES

Yield
4 servings
Measure Ingredient
16 ounces Egg noodles
5 tablespoons Butter
⅓ cup All-purpose flour
2½ cup Milk
½ teaspoon Salt
¼ teaspoon Pepper
2 cups Processed cheese, cubed
1 Medium tomato, sliced, if desired
3 tablespoons Butter, melted
⅔ cup Dry bread crumbs

Cook noodles in boiling water to desired tenderness. Rinse with cold water; drain well. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 F. Heat 5 tablespoons butter in medium saucepan over medium heat until melted. Stir in flour until smooth. Add milk; cook and stir until thickened. Add salt and pepper. Bring to a boil; cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add cheese; stir until smooth. Add noodles; toss gently. Pour into buttered 2-quart baking dish. Top with tomato slices. Toss together melted butter and bread crumbs; sprinkle over tomatoes. Bake 25 to 30 minutes.

how about sausage and mash with gravy? you could also serve it with some carrots to make it a bit more healthy. thats simple enough to make :)

i think they might like spaghetios because they are little and it is soft and so it wouldnt hurt ther mouth and the directions are just on the can that you get a the super market

Spaghetti
just buy noodles and prego.
yum

Alfredo noodles. Just cook the noodles, and add the sauce, It's really simple,and yummy!
Add corn too it.!

Just buy frozen fish fingers or chicken because they are 'finger' foods, best for children (I recommend Birds eye, they do 100% meat) .

Buy a pack of mix vegetable, the more colourful the more attractive to children. Stir fry.

A small bowl of pasta with tomato sauce.

Cocoa Pebbles. The milk will turn into chocolate milk. Milk is very healthy and the chocolate makes it delicious. The sugar will give your kids lots of energy.