We're rolling into soccer (and other after-school activity) season, and I need more ideas of dinners that can either be served at room-temperature (like big dinner salads, see below) or that can cook themselves (I can program the oven to start at a specific time, then I just need the first person home to take the dish out). Or stew-y things that will cook in a crockpot.
Oddly, baked mac-n-cheese does not work well as the second kind, because if you let it sit in the oven for a while (before the timed start) the pasta soaks up all the cheese sauce and the result is strangely dry.
I have some ideas, but would love more thoughts:
Nicoise salad (potatoes, green beans, fish, and loads of other stuff including olives and anchovies)
a German-inspired version of the idea of Nicoise salad (so red cabbage, potatoes, sliced sausage, mustard vinaigrette)
A veggie casserole that's potatoes, white beans, broccoli, black olives, garlic-y tomato sauce and munster cheese layers
enchilada casseroles (with salad or a cabbage/carrot/rice wine vinegar slaw)
giant white bean bake with toast and green salad (via Smitten Kitchen)
beef stew (with appropriate sides)
This list looks very potato-heavy. Pasta (unless it's baked) is probably out because of the no-last-minute requirement. Other ideas? I'd love for some of these dinners to be vegetarian, and I can prep stuff during the day, as I work at home. We also have a rice cooker...