:30 meals

[BonitaApplebum]

I am always on the lookout for dinners that are easy and fast to throw together. Anybody want to share ideas? I'm totally down with using "convenience" foods (jarred sauces, chopped frozen veggies, etc.) as long as they are generally healthy/whole-foodish at heart.

I am generally a cook-by-the-seat-of-my-pants cook during the week -- whatever I have in the house turns into dinner somehow -- but I like having a handful of go-to recipes that I can make pretty fast on busy weeknights. Thirty minutes is my sweet spot for cranking out dinner.

I have this cookbook but I haven't really done much with it. I am going to try to make a few recipes from it and post here about them.



ETA: sorry for the cockeyed pic -- I googled it!

[merigayle]

I spend a lot of time on my day off cooking food for the week and just reheat and eat

[diablita]

My friend Karen launched a business selling curry spice packets:
http://www.karensspicekitchen.com/

The ingredients list is on the outside, the recipe on the inside.  It takes about 40 minutes to make most of her recipes from scratch but can go faster if you prep or buy pre-prepped some of the ingredients.  It's very healthful.  I LOVE the chicken and chickpea curry (made w/ fake meat) and the veggie curry.  I made the chicken tikka masala for friends and made it with coconut milk b/c one of my friends is lactose intolerant, and they raved as well.

[BonitaApplebum]

I made this recipe from the book tonight.

I didn't have parsley, so I chopped up a bunch of arugula instead, which was nice. The sauce was much more liquidy than I planned for, even with the cornstarch -- I think it's because I used frozen shrimp and they gave off a bit of liquid. I also didn't finish with that last bit of butter, and I didn't miss it.

It was okay, but I think next time I'd do it with more of an asian spin -- instead of the lemon I'd use rice vinegar for the acid, and then add a little soy and some ginger. Then instead of arugula I could add bok choy or something (I'd probably have to cook that briefly -- I could get away with throwing it in with the pasta at the end, I'll bet). And I'd probably do udon noodles then, or rice.

Anyway, it was quick and really easy. Served it with a salad and called it dinner.

[BonitaApplebum]

My friend Karen launched a business selling curry spice packets:
http://www.karensspicekitchen.com/

The ingredients list is on the outside, the recipe on the inside.  It takes about 40 minutes to make most of her recipes from scratch but can go faster if you prep or buy pre-prepped some of the ingredients.  It's very healthful.  I LOVE the chicken and chickpea curry (made w/ fake meat) and the veggie curry.  I made the chicken tikka masala for friends and made it with coconut milk b/c one of my friends is lactose intolerant, and they raved as well.

Clever idea! I love Indian food. Sometimes I cheat and get a jarred simmer sauce from Trader Joe's. I also buy frozen naan and serve that -- so easy and everyone loves it.

[BonitaApplebum]

I spend a lot of time on my day off cooking food for the week and just reheat and eat

Leftovers are definitely a key component of fast dinners!! I almost always incorporate some sort of refactored something. Tonight there was leftover roasted cauliflower, which I just put in the salad.

[Run Amok]

You have kids to feed so that makes it more challenging.

Stirfry-- prechopped veg and frozen rice make it quick.
Frittata-- I try and pre cook the mixins on a different night of the week
Soup, salad, sandwiches
Scrambled eggs or omlettes with toast and salad
Roasted sweet potatoes with black beans and lime
Pasta with something other than sauce: leftover white beans, something green, shallots, lemon zest & parm
A pan full of roasted veggies and beans plus a veggie sausage

[hally]

I love Skinnytaste.com most of her stuff is fast, here is a link to all of the fast ones. She has kids too and is on WW so there are nutrition as well as Smart Points and some PP values.
http://www.skinnytaste.com/recipes/quick/


Pretty much everything I make takes a short time to make and mostly I made it for one person. I don't get people who don't/can't or say they don't have time to cook.
I use mostly fresh ingredients, but I do like chopped multi colored peppers from the freezer and TJ's frozen stir fry veggies, keep frozen peas and okra too.
What do I do with okra?
I saute fish or chicken, then use garlic, onion, peppers, I might add a jalapeno or other hot pepper  and tomatoes. Canned chopped are fine, get that good and hot and add some okra, maybe some corn.
I like Old Bay or Zaratains liquid or both in there but if you don't want it hot leave that out. Get it rolling and put the chicken or fish on top, cover till they are done. Serve over rice or quinoa.

Another thing I like is a sausage and pepper dish with Shadybrook farms turkey sausage. I use the hot but of course you could use the sweet. I take it out of the casing and saute it chopping it with a spatula after sauteing garlic and onions. Add some frozen peppers, sliced mushrooms if I have em. Throw on some jarred sauce, spice it up however you like and serve over pasta or zucchini linquini. Sprinkle cheese on. If you have it and like it add some ricotta.

[nadra24]

This roasted broccoli with shrimp is super easy and good. I find that the broccoli needs to cook about 5 minutes longer before adding the shrimp than the recipe states. This recipe is a good amount for two people, since you've got kids you can probably 1 1/2 it and then serve with rice and bread to stretch things out.

My other really fast go-to is frozen ravioli. Cook according to package instructions, mix with jarred sauce and shredded mozzarella, then bake just long enough to melt the cheese. If you used a  mix of beef ravioli and cheese ravioli, it would taste like lasagna. (Sadly teh kenyan does not like ricotta cheese so I always have to use just beef.)

[Run Amok]

I'm generally a fan of the sheet pan dinner concept: http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/quick-recipes/slideshow/sheet-pan-dinners

[BonitaApplebum]

I'm generally a fan of the sheet pan dinner concept: http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/quick-recipes/slideshow/sheet-pan-dinners

I can't even with internet slideshows anymore. What's the general premise, just put it all on a pan and roast it?

[Run Amok]

Yes, basically. 

[BonitaApplebum]

Well I can do that!!

I have an awesome baking sheet that I got from Pampered Chef. I'm not really a Pampered Chef person, but their stoneware baking pans are amazeballs. It's probably more like a jelly roll pan than technically a baking sheet, but it's so great. I have a mini one that I use in the toaster oven, too.

[caribougrrl]

I'm generally a fan of the sheet pan dinner concept: http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/quick-recipes/slideshow/sheet-pan-dinners

the Brits call that "tray bake"
http://www.jamieoliver.com/search/?s=tray+baked
http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/search/recipes?query=tray+bake#query=tray+bake&path=course/dinner

tray bake is our default quick meal

[Run Amok]

Yeah, it's like crock pot only yummy! It's nice to have suggestions of what will all bake together at the same temp for the same time, etc.

[Run Amok]

Sorry Bonita, another slide show. Several of these ideas look tasty so I'm bookmarking it here for later. I think ill.make the spinach and chickpeas thing next week

[Run Amok]

http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/slideshow/indian-favorites?mbid=social_facebook#8

[rocketgirl]

It's totally hysterical that I can post in Food now, haha.

Anyway.  I second the frittata.  Or quiche.  You can do it in 30-40 if you have stuff lying around and don't pre-bake the crust.  It's a good place to throw leftovers.

Also puttanesca.  It generally takes us 40 but it's not a particularly "active" 40.  We usually use olive oil and garlic from a jar, onions and red pepper if we have them but not critical, capers, kalamata olives (they come in the equivalent of a fruit cup now, although we do chop them finer), canned diced tomatoes (and some fresh if I have them but not critical), salt, pepper, basil, red pepper flakes.  It simmers for a while.  And then pasta.  Sometimes, we'll get fancy and do anchovies before the other stuff.  Or add a bit of fish sauce (that's anchovy) depending on how far into the week we plan to eat leftovers.  We also generally add some spinach for the nutritional value; it doesn't screw up the flavor.

More or less a take on this:  http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/puttanesca-sauce-recipe.html although we NEVER use tomato paste.  We just cook it down a bit longer.

This is pretty much a mindless go-to for us.

[BonitaApplebum]

It's totally hysterical that I can post in Food now, haha.

I know! I recall you used to have a pretty hands-off attitude to cooking.

[seattlegirl]

This ain't fancy, but it's good comfort food:
http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/hamburger_and_macaroni/


I like this, too, or a variation on this theme:
http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipe/smothered-squash-and-pinto-beans

[ihop]

I have an awesome baking sheet that I got from Pampered Chef. I'm not really a Pampered Chef person, but their stoneware baking pans are amazeballs. It's probably more like a jelly roll pan than technically a baking sheet, but it's so great. I have a mini one that I use in the toaster oven, too.

I have the larger one and use it all.the.time.  I think it is at least 12 years old!

[BonitaApplebum]

One of my quick go-to meals is quiche. A little longer than :30 because of baking time, but that's not active time so I'm cool with it. It's also a great way to use whatever leftovers are kicking around.

I use frozen pie shells because ain't nobody got time on a weeknight to make those from scratch. I don't have a strict recipe, but I use eggs and cream cheese as the base for the quiche, and then add chopped ham or something if I have it. Other good things I've used recently -- chopped leftover (cooked) broccoli or spinach, mushrooms (I just saute quickly in a pan first), fresh chives. My MIL uses canned salmon in hers which sounds  but is actually kind of tasty, but I never buy that. Caramelized onions are also a good add if I have any left over from another meal (takes too long to make them just for this, though).

Anyway, I put the chopped whatever stuff in the bottom of the pie shell (I sometimes prebake the pie shell a bit but honestly I feel like nobody even notices the difference when I'm in a rush and skip that step). I blend the eggs and the cream cheese (room temperature or softened in the microwave if I didn't set it out) with a stick blender and pour over the chopped ingredients. Then I sprinkle shredded cheese on top (I am often lazy and buy it pre-shredded), sharp cheddar is my favorite but I'll use whatever I've got. I bake for about half an hour at 350. Sometimes it needs a little longer, check for doneness.

This is also a nice dish to make a head and then serve at room temp. I usually add a salad and call it a day.

[rocketgirl]

Ooh, we have not specifically done cream cheese in quiche, although we have used leftover cream cheese-rotel-chorizo dip in a quiche.  And a heck yeah to pre shredded cheese.  I generally have cheddar, mozaarella, and an Italian cheese blend around.  SOmetimes if I have feta, I'll sprinkle some on top of my quiche depending on how I've seasoned it.

I don't use the frozen shells, but do use the pre-made crust you unroll and stick in a pie plate.  But if I don't have that, no crust at all is fine as long as you use cooking spray or oil the pie plate.

[BonitaApplebum]

Oh yeah, I use the unrollable pie dough too. And I like feta in my quiche, but the kids don't. That's okay, I always make two at a time...

[Cool Foot Luke]

I am quite lazy, and have two go-tos that are very fast. I generally have more time than that, so I don't need more than two in the rotation.

1) Pasta with veggies and white beans - can be complete in the amount of time it takes pasta to cook, plus two minutes.

Start pasta water boiling. While water is heating up, chop whatever veggies are nearby (shallots are a favorite, usually bell peppers, mushroom, zukes). Also dice tomatoes, but do that separately. Add pasta to boiling water, then heat up olive oil in a big pan (I also like red pepper flakes, but DBF is not into heat). Add garlic, add diced veggies, season with salt and pepper. Timed right, the pasta should finish cooking right about when the veggies are done. Drain the pasta, then stir into the veggies. Add diced tomatoes and white beans and bring up to warmth. Sometimes I use canned beans, sometimes I have a container of pre-soaked beans in the fridge. Top with balsamic vinegar and Parmesan.

*An easy, but more time-consuming improvement on this recipe is to skip the tomatoes and make your own marinara sauce

2) Field Roast with Kale and shallots (in development)
This can also be done with pre-cooked sausage, but DBF is a vegetarian, and field roast is easy and tasty. Heat olive oil in pan. add sliced shallots. Cut the sausage or field roast into 1/2" slices. Sometimes I slice mushrooms, too. After the shallots look almost done, push them to the side of the pan (lazy!), and add the field roast or sausage and brown. Cut up kale into slightly larger than bite-size pieces. Stove will start to crackle at you. Add a little bit of white vinegar or cheap white wine and wait for it to cook off. That helps the kale to cook down. I usually need to add a bit of salt, often just with a dash of soy sauce.

This can also be done with swiss chard - which tends to cook down more, so you might not need the vinegar. chard is also saltier, so you might not need any salt.

I can usually do this in about the same amount of time it take to cook mashed sweet potatoes, with skins on, of course (lazy!), in another pot. I like my potatoes a bit lumpy, so I usually only mash them with a wooden spoon.

[BonitaApplebum]

What is field roast?

[diablita]

tasty stuff

[BonitaApplebum]

But what *is* it? I have never heard of grain meat.

[diablita]

who cares?  It's *artisanal* (nauseatingly overused buzzword here)

I think it's soy and wheat gluten.  I don't eat it very often anymore because we have a local (artisanal, local, sustainably sourced!!) brand called No Evil Meats but it is very good.  Or I use Quorn products made from mycoprotein (mushroom-based).

[Run Amok]

Love field roast. They are a local company and were one of the first to do something tastier/better than tofu dogs. They actually got their start in my dads bakery. It doesn't taste like meat or have the texture of meat, but is tasty. 

[BonitaApplebum]

Interesting. I never heard of it before. Maybe I will try one next time I'm cooking for veggie folks.

[diablita]

their Celebration Loaf for the holidays is wonderful

[wherestheportojohn]

  food 

[Cool Foot Luke]

Interesting. I never heard of it before. Maybe I will try one next time I'm cooking for veggie folks.

I personally prefer the apple sage sausage to the roasts but both are good.

[Run Amok]

Yep,  I prefer the sausages. The Chipotle ones are good with black beans and sweet potatoes.

Made this last night. It's a 30 minutes curry. I used frozen spinach and used my food processor for all the chopping.  I also used 2 tbs of a good curry mix and a whole jalapeño. We liked it. I liked the spinach on its own and think I'll just do.that with some sesame seeds soy sauce and tofu later this week. 
http://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/curried-chickpeas-with-spinach-and-tomatoes

[Run Amok]

It's a Melissa Clark kind of evening here these lemony lentils with brown rice and some yogurt. Yum! Takes about 30 minutes give or take. http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1016062-red-lentil-soup-with-lemon

[nadra24]

Lately I'm kind of obsessed with this shrimp scampi. For two of us I cut the recipe in half and add just a little bit (like 1/2 cup dry) of cooked pasta. I think next time I will use broccoli instead of pasta for myself.

It calls for clam juice but I'm sure that white wine would also be good. (better? I don't know, I suppose it depends on your taste but as a non-drinker I appreciate the alternative.)

[triciaflower]

I have that 30 minute cookbook and I love it!!

The beef stroganoff and sloppy joes are in our rotation because they are so fast and good.

I usually throw stuff together out of whatever we have and call it dinner.

Some of my recent meals:

beefy vegetable soup. Brown ground beef, drain fat and sauté onion, celery and carrot with the meat. Add beef stock and some herbs of your choice. Toss in whatever vegetables you have on hand, and maybe some frozen mixed veg, and a can of diced tomatoes. Simmer until desired veggie doneness.

Noodles with chicken and spinach in a garlic Alfredo type sauce. Lots of cream and Parmesan. So not exactly healthy. But it came together quickly.




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[ihop]

I like the sloppy joes in that book too!

[omega lambda]

One of my favorites is a quick marinara, pasta and a salad.

I throw the marinara together (crushed tomatoes, salt, pepper, basil and bit of sugar) and let it simmer for as long as it takes to get the rest going but for at least 30 minutes.  Cook the pasta, assemble the salad and voila!