Quick Dinner

Today is a 'park day' for the homeschooling community in our area, and I have offered to organize some games for the kids today - should be relatively amusing considering they range in age from 3 weeks to 10! 

So, as we will probably get home quite late and somewhat hungry, this is one of my standard quick fix meals (that may very well offend some purists, but here goes anyway!). 

This is the original recipe:

1 packet brown onion soup

1 packet cream of mushroom or chicken soup

1 litre box mango juice

6-8 chicken breasts

Sprinkle the soup packets over chicken in a large rectangular  dish, pour juice over and bake till cooked! Serve with rice and salad.

Now I have used all kinds of chicken cuts - pieces (drumsticks and thighs), breasts on the bone (this is the most economical - I then take the chicken off the bone once it's cooled down and then it's like a casserole) and skinless breasts (these cook fast like this).

I prefer the cream of chicken as the rest of my family is adverse to mushrooms, and I once made it with apricot juice which didn't work so well! I also add a chopped onion to begin with, and to make it stretch I use beans and carrots (thinly sliced) covering the casserole dish. Works like a charm and it's never failed! So this dish has already been cooked (it's lunchtime now) and the salad can be made ahead too. Then while the kids are bathing later, I'll cook the rice - and voila - dinner is served!

What are your quick never fail meals?

ps -I've also replaced the juice with water in tough times, and it still works!