Otay, Serious here...<P>I love to do these things (having two kids ages 8 & 9)...<P>Cook meals on Sunday for the week to freeze and on the particular day of the week rethaw. No cooking during the week. And if the recipe is simple (like chili) it doesn't take much time.<P>Get a crockpot. Cut up vegetables and meat and whatever else the night before (I have specific recipes) and then just put it in the crockpot in the a.m., you've got a meal when you get home.<P>Chicken (skinless, boneless) with rice and velveeta and broccoli is easy to make when you get home. I have so many recipes that have accumulated! Very good thread, Bill.

I'll ask Santa for a crockpot!<BR>They come with recipe books.<P>I like your Idea of cooking ahead. Much better than a Health Choice(YUK).<P>Thanks Connor.<BR>Bill<P>------------------<BR>BB<BR>

Hey BillJ,<P>WOW, the seven layer salad is what Val used to make all the time to take to covered dish events that we attended. Everyone went nuts over it. We even have two special glass serving dishes that showed "the product" in a most impressive way. I never tried it, it has too many colors. I stick with the more plain and bland stuff. Only two colors allowed for me.<P>I'd tell you to get one of those "Fry daddy" thingies. Chicken is brain food! No wait, that's fish, well chicken eat fish, so it's still good. I love the nuggets too. Guess what I had for lunch today?<P>My recipe for you would be to call the nearest pizza joint and go pick it up 15 minutes later. My forte is the grill. New York strip.<BR><P>------------------<BR>Wishing us all the Best.<P>Medic<P><BR>

Medic,<P>Try the salad, I didn't think I'd like.<P>I'm not toobad on the grill myself toobad it's at W's house.<P>I'll ask santa for a fry daddy also.<P>Bill<P>------------------<BR>BB<BR>

Bill,<P>I posted his earlier, God knows where it ended (not on your post).<P>Children go through stages of eating just certain type of food or even just one dish- Not to worry. When my daughter was 3 she could go on for days eating only Fruit Loops for breakfast & dinner, and macarroni & cheese or french fries for lunch-the main meal in Mexico.<P>Anyway he likes chicken, here's a simple recipe:<P>Ingredientes:<BR>1 whole chicken<BR>1 lemon or orange<P>1. Wash the ingredientes<BR>2. Take the lemon/orange and make some holes in it with a fork<BR>3. Stick it up the chicken (the lemon/orange), in the middle, where they put the little plastic bags with the guts.<BR>4. Put the chicken in a dish with just a little water in it, or spread butter in it.<BR>5. Cook it in the oven at the right temperature depending on size of chicken.<P>That's it! You can add some salt if you wish and can also be made with quail, turkey, etc., and instead of lemon or orange you can also use strawberry, mango, etc.<P>Serve with your salad and chilled wine or beer (for U, not the kid!!)<P>Bon apetite, monsieur.<P>ThisAlex

I have a two year old and I think sometimes the key is to provide 'dipping' sauce. I'll cook large noodles and put speghetti sauce in a cup and she can dip her noodles. For veggies I have her dip them in a yogert. I'll also arrange her food on a plate to make it look like a funny face...green beans for hair, kiwi for eyes, sliced peaches for nose and mouth. There are a ton of crockpot recipies on the internet!! I'm feeding five kids right now and have three crockpots. There are times I use all three!! I also use the cookie cutter idea and I let her cut up her own sandwiches. Another...very cheap...idea is rama (sp) noodles? I can get them at 6 for $1.00. They have all sort of flavors. If you want cooked vegies I use vegetable soup because the vegies are already small enough I don't have to cut them up. A cute story....last week I made steak and was informed by Gabrielle (2) that she won't eat 'snake' too funny!

Hi William,<P>Now that cold weather is upon us you can make Dot soup. Take Cream of Tomato soup and cut up some hot dogs and you have a feast for the wee little people. <P>Food for my neice and nephew was always hit or miss. Megs went through a phase where she would hide food and save it for later. Uggghh have you ever vacumed up a half of a rotten bannana? It is just too discusting for words.<P>Matt has always loved food. He is such a little saint. Oh I miss them so much. <P>But try the dot soup most kids like it.