: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