Easy quick dinner Ideas

[eagl]

Quick egg fried rice.

Cook up some rice as described in my last message.

Chops some scallions and onions.

Scramble some eggs, and start cooking.  As the first bits of the egg solidify, pour in the rice, scallions, and onions, and stir.  The more you stir, the smaller the bits of egg will be.

As the eggs fully cook, stir in some margarine and salt to add a little more flavor.  Soy sauce or other flavorings are optional.

For variety, cook some frozen peas and mix them in at the same time you add the rice, scallions, and onions to the partially cooked eggs.  Add in grilled/fried chicken slices/cubes for more protein.  For more variety, try sprinkling on a little bit of parmesan cheese.

Total time:  10-15 min depending on how long it takes to cook the rice.  Start with the rice and prep the other stuff as the rice is cooking to multi-task and save some time.

[Gunslinger]

Originally posted by TweetyBird
Rolling enchiladas is for sissies - you're gonna mess them up wihen you eat them anyway

Seriously, instead of rolling them I just make a casserole. This is recipe is sodium concious (if you're watching the bp)

2 lbs ground chuck
1 pack of taco seasoning( like taco bell or whatever)
12-14 cornt tortillas (Manny's seem to have the least sodium)
1 10oz can of enchilada sauce with the least sodium (Casa Fiesta where I shop)
A 10-14 oz pack of frozen seasoning blend vegies (onions, bell pepper, celery etc.)
1 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
minced garlic if desired
nonfat sour cream if desired


Brown the ground chuck, add the vegies seasoning (and a teaspoon of minced garlic) and let it simmer covered until the vegies are soft. Add about 3/4 cup water and the taco seasoning mix and let it cook on a medium heat uncovered until most of the liqud is absorbed. As its tightening up, stir in 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese. If using sourcream, take it off the heat and stir in 1 cup.

In a 12x 10 pan, pour in a little enchilada sauce to coat the bottom of the pan (1/3 or so of the can). Layer the bottom of the pan with corn tortillas breaking them as needed to fit the shape of the pan. Spoon over 1/2 of the meat mixture. Spread 1/3 of the enchilada sauce over the meat. Layer again with the corn tortillas, breaking as needed. Put the othe half of the meat mixture over that. Again,  put the last layer of corn tortillas. Spread the remaining 1/3 can of enchilada sauce over that. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of cheddar cheese on top.

Cover with foil and put in a preheated 350 deg (F) for about 20 -25 minutes.

If you serve 12, you'll be under 600mg of sodium and about 350 calories. If you serve 8, youll be about 800-850 mg sodium and 550-600 calories.


Not the best enchilada recipe, but quick and easy, and reasonable on sodium.

[Gunslinger]

Originally posted by TweetyBird
Rolling enchiladas is for sissies - you're gonna mess them up wihen you eat them anyway

Seriously, instead of rolling them I just make a casserole. This is recipe is sodium concious (if you're watching the bp)

2 lbs ground chuck
1 pack of taco seasoning( like taco bell or whatever)
12-14 cornt tortillas (Manny's seem to have the least sodium)
1 10oz can of enchilada sauce with the least sodium (Casa Fiesta where I shop)
A 10-14 oz pack of frozen seasoning blend vegies (onions, bell pepper, celery etc.)
1 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
minced garlic if desired
nonfat sour cream if desired


Brown the ground chuck, add the vegies seasoning (and a teaspoon of minced garlic) and let it simmer covered until the vegies are soft. Add about 3/4 cup water and the taco seasoning mix and let it cook on a medium heat uncovered until most of the liqud is absorbed. As its tightening up, stir in 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese. If using sourcream, take it off the heat and stir in 1 cup.

In a 12x 10 pan, pour in a little enchilada sauce to coat the bottom of the pan (1/3 or so of the can). Layer the bottom of the pan with corn tortillas breaking them as needed to fit the shape of the pan. Spoon over 1/2 of the meat mixture. Spread 1/3 of the enchilada sauce over the meat. Layer again with the corn tortillas, breaking as needed. Put the othe half of the meat mixture over that. Again,  put the last layer of corn tortillas. Spread the remaining 1/3 can of enchilada sauce over that. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of cheddar cheese on top.

Cover with foil and put in a preheated 350 deg (F) for about 20 -25 minutes.

If you serve 12, you'll be under 600mg of sodium and about 350 calories. If you serve 8, youll be about 800-850 mg sodium and 550-600 calories.


Not the best enchilada recipe, but quick and easy, and reasonable on sodium.

wow I'm gonna try that next week when my wife goes back to work.  I do alot of the chicken fingers and such but I don't like to feed my kids just that plus I have to eat too.

Like I said I call those "white boy enchiladas" but they are yummy and leave enough for leftovers.  Thanks though.

I'll second what RPM said but for me its 4 minutes on either side high heat......depending on the thickness.  Also I really like that Montreal steak seasoning...gives it a bite

[NUKE]

Originally posted by midnight Target
Threw a chuck roast in the crock pot for about 6 hours .. had some mexican seasonings join in... shredded beef burritos.

get a pressure cooker and make it in about 30 minuts MT

I love cooking crap in the pressure cooker.

[JB88]

ew.

[-dead-]

Originally posted by eagl
To cook rice the EASY way - Add equal amounts of rice and cold water to a pot.  Cover and bring to a boil.  Simmer until the water is pretty much gone.  Uncover until the rice is as dry as you like.  If it looks like the water boils off too fast, just add a little more water, but if the heat isn't super high then equal amounts of water and rice, or maybe a touch more water than rice, will be fine.

None of this boil for x minutes and keep covered then remove from heat and let sit for x minutes and don't remove the lid or the rice will stick together...  Bah.  Just use equal parts rice and water and simmer until the water is all gone/absorbed and it'll be fine, as long as you only simmer the water and don't cook at too high a heat.

 Wrong! Cooking rice the easy way = buy rice cooker, put in rice (after washing 3 times) add water til it's about 1cm over the rice, turn on rice cooker. Do something else until rice cooker turns off. That's it.

[TweetyBird]

Now how are ya gonna make jambalaya with a rice cooker?

[-dead-]

Originally posted by TweetyBird
Now how are ya gonna make jambalaya with a rice cooker?

You don't - you make rice with it, hence the appellation "rice cooker" rather than "jambalaya cooker".

You can make jing pai guat or ham yok beng and the like with it though - just stick it in a plate on a stand on top of the rice. If the cooker's big enough you could steam a fish with the thing (although you shouldn't ever steam fish that's been dead for more than an hour or so).

[Lizking]

I'll stick to a pot and a lid-that is all the rice cooker I need.

[TweetyBird]

Here�s an easy recipe for beef stroganoff. Its not what I�d consider quick (not under an hour) but its pretty easy and you can probably do it in an hour and a half. Its also sodium conscious (I gotta watch my salt )

No fuss beef stroganoff

1 pound ground chuck
8 oz of sliced mushrooms (fresh � no can or jar)
1 cup nonfat sour cream
1 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes (use the DelMonte �zesty jalapenos� style for a little tang)
2 teaspoons Worcesterchire sauce
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 onion diced
� cup or so of parsley flakes or fresh parsley
3 beef bouillion cubes
3 cups egg noddles (uncooked)
�-1/2 tsp pepper (to taste)

Brown ground chuck. Add onions, garlic, and mushrooms and sweat till onions become clear. Add 3 cups of water and 3 beef boullion cubes and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer covered for 10 minutes, adding pepper to taste (simmer longer if something good is on TV). Add tomatoes and worcesterchire sauce and bring to boil. Add egg noodles and simmer until noodles are tender. Remove from heat, stir in sour cream and let stand for 5 minutes.

Serves 7. About 300-320 calories, under 600 mg of sodium per serving, and pretty tasty - like homade hamburger helper with 1/2 the sodium.

[indy007]

Poultry In Motion:

Ingredients:
1 package of boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 bottle cheap white wine
1 small onion
1 yellow bell pepper
1 red bell pepper
1 package fresh mushrooms
1/4 stick butter

Chop all of the vegetables as finely as possible.  Melt the butter in a frying/sauteeing pan.  Sautee the vegetables until they are nearly cooked, then add enough white wine to cover the pan  about 1/8" deep.  Add or subtract wine depending on your personal preference. Allow to heat for a while, then add the chicken breasts to the pan, and cover the pan.  Allow to simmer for about 15 minutes, or until all of the chicken breasts are thoroughly cooked through.  Serve with the sauce left over in the pan, and some rice as a side dish, if desired.  Red wine also works if you prefer that, but white is supposedly 'ideal' for poultry dishes.


Chicken Alfredo Rolls:

ingredients:
1 box of lasagna noodles
2 pounds of boneless chicken breasts
2 jars of garlic alfredo sauce (or make your own, time permitting)
2 cans of chicken broth
mozorella cheese (preferably the kind suspended in water)
2 bags of kraft mixed italian cheeses (2 pounds)
lemon pepper, black pepper, seasoned salt
A couple of fresh lemons

Put the lasagna noodles and 2 cans of broth in a large pot, fill to cover noodles with water. Place them on the stove and give them time to boil. Cut the chicken breasts into small chunks. sear them in a skillet over high heat with olive oil, liberally dust with the peppers & salt to taste. Squeeze 1/2 a lemon over each panful of pieces as they sear.

When the noodles are tender, drain them and let cool for a few minutes. In a large baking pan, use a lasagna noodles to roll up a few pieces of the chicken, along with some cubed mozorella cheese (more the better) place the rolls, seam side down, in the baking pan. when you've run out of noodles, use the rest of the chicken for chicken salad. Cover the rolls with 1 bag of the kraft cheeses. Now cover them with a layer of alfredo sauce. Then, cover them with the other bag of kraft cheese. Finally, bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Served best with garlic bread (with virgin olive oil), chicken salad, & good riesling.

Brace yourself for the impending heart attack.

[TweetyBird]

Here's an easy desert you can make in advance. Its best after sitting in the fridge for a day (gives the raisins chance to plump). Just spoon out a tablespoon or two on a sucer and serve cold or microwaved for 30 secs.

1 can of apple pie filling
1 pack (8 whole sheets) of graham crackers ( 1 box has four packs)
A little cinnamon

Dump the can of pie filling in a pot and heat on low. Add about 1 cup of water and about 3/4 - 1 cup of raisins. Heat till its bubbling  and begin crushing up the graham crackers into the filling. Add water as needed to keep at the consistancy you like (it should stay slightly firm). Refrigerate overnight to let the raisins plump.

A couple of tablespoons make an easy desert hot (microwaved) or cold.
You can use amost any pie filling for this and mix them (e.g., apple and cherry). You can also substitute other dried fruit for the raisins. You can add a little texture by spinking some crushed grahams over before serving. If your neurotic, add a little vinilla extract..

Its a quick and easy fruit crumb desert that gets better in the fridge.