Dinner Recipes
Wild Rice Beef Bowl and Salad
* 3/4 to 1 lb. of Just About Any Steak
* 30 Minute or Precooked Wild Rice
* 1/4 of an Onion
* 1 Tablespoon of Minced Garlic
* Two Teaspoons of Olive Oil
* Lettuce for Two
* Two Sliced Tomatoes
* Two Chopped Stalks of Celery
* Parmesan Cheese or Chopped Green Onion or Parsley Optional
With your first 10 minutes of prep time, start the water boiling for the sealed rice packet and follow the directions on the outside of the box. For a salad, cut up some lettuce, celery, tomatoes and whatever other vegetables you want and put it in a bowl and refrigerate. By now you should be able to cover the rice and turn down the gas so the rice is simmering for 30 minutes.
For the second ten minutes, cut the meat into bite sized pieces and the onion in long pieces and put them in a bowl. Put a tablespoon of minced garlic -- you can get pre-minced garlic at the store -- and top it off with two teaspoons of olive oil. Stir the ingredients together. Place in the fridge until your baby is almost asleep. If the rice is done by now, simply turn off the gas and put the pan on a cool burner for later.
The final ten minutes is simply turning on the frying pan and heating two tablespoons of olive oil. Place the meat in the pan and stir until cooked -- maybe five minutes. Near the end, add the wild rice so that it gets heated up again. I like putting a bit of parmesan on top of this. Other options could be chopped parsley or green onion. Serve in a small bowl and place the salad and dressing on the table and you have a nice, easy dinner!
Fiesta Tamale Casserole
Preheat oven 350 degrees
Spray a 1-1/2 quart shallow casserole with non-stick spray
* 1 15 oz. can Beef Tamales in Chili Sauce
* 1 2.25 oz. can sliced black olives, drained
* 1 11 oz. can fiesta-style corn, drained
* 1/3 cup raisins
* 1 cup canned red enchilada sauce
* 1/3 cup diced onion
* 1/3 cup diced green bell pepper
* 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
* 1/2 cup Jalapeño Monterey Jack Cheese
Remove and discard the individual parchment wrappings from each tamale, and place the tamales in a mixing bowl. Mash well with a large spoon, then add the sliced black olives, fiesta style corn, raisins, onion, green bell pepper pieces and enchilada sauce. Mix well. Pour into the casserole, top with the two shredded cheeses and bake for 30 minutes or until casserole is bubbling and all the cheese has melted.
Serve with corn muffins and a tossed green salad.
Easy Stroganoff
* 1 large onion, cut into thin slices
* 1 3-oz. can sliced mushrooms
* 3 tablespoons butter
* 1 lb. top sirloin or top round steak cut into thin 3" strips
* 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
* 1/4 teaspoon pepper
* 1 cup sour cream (regular, not low fat)
* 1 tablespoon granulated flour
* paprika
* cooked noodles or oven rice
Note: For yummy, tender, extra-thin meat slices, wrap the steak in plastic wrap and put it into the freezer for an hour or two. Remove when partially frozen and slice paper-thin with a very sharp knife.
In a separate bowl, sprinkle the steak strips with the flour, garlic salt and pepper. Mix together and set aside. In a small bowl, stir the sour cream with a spoon until it becomes smooth. In a large frying pan or electric skillet on medium heat, saute the onion and mushroom slices in butter until onion is soft.
Add the steak and saute for about 5 minutes on the same heat. The meat should not brown and should not be over-cooked. Remove pan from heat, stir in the sour cream and return briefly over very low heat only long enough to warm up the sour cream. (Do not boil or the sour cream will curdle.) Serve as quickly as possible over a bed of hot cooked egg noodles or oven rice. Sprinkle paprika over stroganoff before serving.
Easy Oven Rice
Preheat oven to 350
(Note: converted rice is recommended for this method because regular rice
can easily turn mushy if it is overcooked.)
* 1 cup converted-style rice
* 2 cups water or broth
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1 tablespoon butter
Add all ingredients to an ovenproof casserole which has its own lid. Cover and bake 45-50 minutes or until all the water is absorbed and the rice is fluffy. Halfway through the baking process, give the rice a stir with a fork to distribute the melted butter. If doubled, increase the baking time to one hour.
Baked Pork Chops with Cranberry Sauce
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
* 6 loin pork chops
* 2 tablespoons of cooking oil
* 1 16-oz.can whole berry cranberry sauce
* 1/2 cup orange juice
* 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper
Heat the oil in a large skillet and brown the pork chops on both sides. Remove to a 9 x 13 ovenproof casserole. Combine the cranberry sauce, orange juice, salt and pepper in the skillet, cook until bubbling and smooth, pour over the pork chops, cover with foil, and bake for 45 minutes or until meat is thoroughly cooked. Depending on the size of the pork chops, this may make more than one meal.
Serve with Mom's Oven Rice.
Hamburger Pizza
Oven 375 degrees
Spray a pie plate or tin with nonstick spray.
* 1 pound ground round or sirloin
* 1/4 cup Parmesan-flavored bread crumbs
* 1 egg, slightly beaten
* 1 finely chopped onion
* 1 teaspoon garlic salt
* 1 teaspoon coarse ground pepper
* 1 cup canned Italian-style tomatoes, drained, and minced
* 1 2.25 oz. can sliced black olives, drained
* 1 3 oz. can sliced mushroom stems and pieces, drained
* 1/4 cup minced green bell pepper
* 1 teaspoon Italian herb seasoning
* 1 cup shredded Mozzarella Cheese
* 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar Cheese
* 1/4 cup grated Parmesan-Romano Cheese
In a large bowl, mix the ground beef, bread crumbs, egg, onion, and salt and pepper with a fork until well blended. Press the mixture into the pie pan to form a shell. Bake for 15 minutes and pour off any liquid which has collected. Then spread over the base of the shell, the tomatoes, olives, mushrooms, green bell pepper. Sprinkle the Italian herb season over all. Then top with the Mozzarella, Cheddar, and Parmesan-Romano cheeses. Return to the oven and bake an additional 15 minutes, or until all the cheese has melted.
Makes 6 hefty wedges. Serve with a tossed green salad and sliced French or garlic bread. Refrigerate leftover pieces to reheat for lunch the following day.
Marsala Turkey Cutlets
* 2 tablespoons butter
* 2 fresh turkey breast cutlets
* 1 large can mushroom slices, drained
* 1/2 cup chopped onion
* 1/4 teaspoon each marjorham and thyme
* 1/4 cup Marsala wine
In a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, melt the butter until it begins to froth. Add the turkey cutlets and cook for 2 minutes on each side. Remove from the skillet to a warm plate. Add the onion and mushrooms to the skillet and saute for about 5 minutes or until the onions are soft. Lower the heat, add the Marsala, marjorham and thyme, and simmer for 3 minutes. Return the cutlets to the skillet, heat through, and serve.
Seafood Enchilada Casserole
Preheat oven 425 degrees
Spray a shallow 3-quart ( 9-1/2 x 13-1/2) casserole with non-stick
spray.
(Note: the imitation crabmeat can be substituted with one pound of
frozen, cooked shrimp pieces, thawed and drained. )
* 2 8 oz. packages imitation crabmeat
* 1 small onion, halved and thinly sliced
* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 2 19 oz. cans Green Chili Enchilada Sauce
* 1 package (10) whole wheat tortillas
* 1 2-cup bag shredded four-cheese Mexican-style cheese
* 1/3 cup chopped Italian (flat leaf) parsley or cilantro, or a
combination of both
* 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
* 1/4 teaspoon pepper
* 1/4 cup (about two) green onions, finely minced
sour cream (optional)
In a small saucepan, sauté the onion slices in olive oil until soft. Set aside.
Invert the imitation crabmeat from its package onto a cutting board so
that it retains its packed shape. With a broad knife, slice through it
to make half-inch size pieces. Put into a large mixing bowl, along with
the sautˇed onions, parsley, green onions, garlic salt and pepper. Mix
well until all ingredients are well combined and the crabmeat has
separated into small pieces.
Cut the tortillas in half. Arrange a third of the halves over the
bottom of the casserole. Sprinkle half of the crabmeat mixture and a
third of the shredded cheese over the tortillas. Pour over one cup of
the green chili enchilada sauce. Repeat the process for the next layer,
using the other half of the crabmeat, another third of the tortillas,
and another cup of green enchilada sauce. Top with the remaining third
of the tortillas, the last third of the cheese and the rest (about 2
cups) of the green chili enchilada sauce. Bake for 20 minutes or until
the casserole is bubbling hot and all the cheese has melted.
Cut into squares and serve with a dollop of sour cream on top.
How to Make a Salad
Part of my series of articles that go into more detail on how to cook basic foods -- creating a salad is something you can do every day.
Snack Recipes
Granola Strawberry Yogurt Parfait
* Cup of Yogurt
* Half a Cup of Granola
* Strawberries or Other Fruit
Cut up a few strawberries and place in a serving bowl. Add yogurt and granola and mix. This is a tasty morning or afternoon snack that provides calcium!
Pita Pizzas
Oven 350 degrees
(Note: Combine with soup and salad for an easy supper meal!)
* 2 pieces of whole wheat Pita Bread
* 1/3 cup Pizza sauce (from squeeze bottle)
* 1/4 cup diced ham bits; or 12 thin slices pepperoni; or 1/4 cup diced leftover chicken
* 2 tablespoons minced green onion
* 2 tablespoons minced green bell pepper
* 1/4 teaspoon Italian herb seasoning
* 1 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese
* 4 tablespoons grated Parmesan-Romano cheese
Spread the pizza sauce evenly on both pieces of Pita bread. Then top each piece with an equal quantity of the remaining ingredients, ending with the cheeses. Place on a cookie sheet or piece of heavy duty aluminum foil and bake 10-12 minutes or until cheese is melted.
Guacamole
* 4 ripe avocados
* 2 tablespoons minced red onion
* 2 minced tomatoes
* 3 tablespoons lime juice
* 3 crushed cloves of garlic
* salt to taste
Halve the avocados and scoop out the insides into a mixing bowl. Mash the avocado with a fork. Mix in tomatoes, red onion, lime juice, salt and garlic. Continue mashing with the fork to the desired consistency.
Serve with tortilla chips or use as a spread for a turkey sandwich.
Lunch Recipes
Tuna Salad Salad
* Two Cans of Tuna
* 2 Stalks of Celery
* One Heaping Tablespoon of Mayonnaise
* One Medium Sized Pickle Slice
* Chopped Black and Green Pimiento Stuffed Olives
* One Teaspoon of Sweet Relish
* Lettuce
Open the tuna and put it into a bowl after draining the water out in the sink. This can be achieved by keeping the lid on with your fingers after it is open and draining it in the sink. Chop up and add the celery and pickle. Begin with one heaping tablespoon of mayonnaise. More can be added to taste. Mix well and place on top a few leaves of lettuce for a nice salad. The above can obviously also be used on bread for a sandwich... A dash of pepper and garlic salt is good for this recipe as well.
Tuna Salad Sandwich
Use the recipe above. Spread mayonnaise on both slices of bread, fill with the tuna stuffing, add a slice of cheese and assemble the sandwich. Then, melt a pat of butter in a non stick pan and brown the sandwich first on one side and then the other. Add more butter, sparingly, as
necessary.
Cut in half and serve. This isn't one of our most low-cal recipes but it sure tastes good!
Bean and Turkey Mexican Torta
* 3 to 4 tablespoons of oil
* 1 can (15 ounces) of refried beans
* 4 1/4 inch slices of jalapeñ0 jack cheese
* 1/2 ripe avocado
* salsa, hot sauce and salt to taste
* 1/2 pound sliced turkey meat
* 2 sandwich rolls
This Mexican "sandwich" is exquisite! Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a skillet over medium heat and add beans. Cook, stir and mash beans into a smooth paste (10 or 15 minutes) which will look similar to mash potatoes. Cover and put burner on low. Over medium heat, place remaining oil.
Scrape out some of the bread from the center of half of each roll and lay them scraped side down on the skillet until golden brown (2 minutes). Spread the beans on the inside of the roll and then pile the turkey, avocado and jalapeño jack. Add salsa or hot sauce to taste, cover with the tops of the rolls and serve.
Breakfast Recipes
Case Study: Scrambled Eggs and Toast
* 4 Eggs
* 3 Pieces of Whole Grain, Crunchy Bread
* 1/2 Cup of Medium Cheddar or Monterey Jack Cheese
Sometimes I try to make meals within 30 minutes by looking at it as three 10-minute segments. While I'm making my coffee, I'll turn the stove on to warm (170 degrees). I'll take out the eggs and put the bread in the toaster. Then I get out the butter and put a tablespoon of it in the pan. As soon as the toast pops up, I'll butter it and put it in the oven on a small plate to keep warm. You can also put in a couple of plates for the meal at this point if you like.
I get pre-shredded cheese so I don't have to spend time grating but one could grate the cheese in the second ten minutes. You could also crack the eggs into a bowl and mix them with a fork. By now I've usually been called away to do something with our baby or I'm bringing a glass of water to my wife or something...
Once the morning breast-feeding is done and your baby's eyes are closed, you can go back for the next ten minutes to finish by turning the burner on under the pan. By the time you are finished scrambling the eggs and throwing some cheese and perhaps some finely chopped green onions on it -- you can serve breakfast. Another good optional item is to cut up an orange in quarters and put one or two on the plate. 10-10-10 is an effective way to look at breaking down food production.
Cheese, Turkey and Egg Quesadillas
* 4 Tortillas -- Preferably Whole Wheat
* 4 Eggs
* Two Pieces of High Quality Turkey Lunch Meat
* 1/2 Cup of Medium Cheddar Cheese
* 4 Tablespoons of Fresh Medium Salsa
* 2 Tablespoons of Butter
Put 1 tablespoon of butter into a pan. When it froths, fry the four eggs over medium heat until the top side turns opaque, then gently turn it over and cook the other side.
In another pan, big enough for one tortilla, melt the rest of the butter. Place one tortilla face down in the butter, move it around a little and take it right out. Place a second tortilla in the pan and layer the turkey, two tablespoons of salsa, two of the over-medium eggs you just cooked and then some cheese on the tortilla as it is cooking. Cap it off with the first tortilla, placing the tortilla butter side up.
By now, the quesadilla should be getting golden brown on the bottom. Carefully turn it over and make the other side golden brown. Repeat the process with the other two tortillas and ingredients. Cut the finished quesadillas into triangles and divide evenly on two plates. This dish can be served as a breakfast, snack or other meal.
How to Make an Omelette
* 4 eggs
* 4 ounces of cheese: Cheddar, Monterey Jack or Swiss
* 1/4 cup of vegetable or meat filling
* 1 tablespoon of butter
* Optional: 2 tablespoons of salsa
First, have your filling ready. Vegetables can be sautˇed, turkey or other meat can be sliced. A small amount of leftovers from last night's meal can be a perfect filling for an omelette as well.
Place the butter in the skillet. Turn on medium high (so the butter doesn't melt so fast and foam so rapidly it burns.) Already have eggs in a bowl and beaten, along with some salt and pepper, and maybe a tablespoon of water. I do not use milk because milk will make eggs burn. Have the eggs beaten before you place the butter in the skillet so you are all set when the butter is, as they call it, "a point" in French, or "just at the right point." This means it has foamed up and risen slightly. This is exactly the moment you want to pour the egg mix in.
When the eggs begin to solidify around the edges (not harden) use the spatula to lift them slightly, tilting the pan to allow the uncooked mix to run beneath the cooked portion and keep doing this until the entire omelette has nearly completely cooked. Add filling, flip over in half, turn to low heat and leave on just long enough to allow ingredients to warm up, then cut in two and serve.
Baked Artichoke Frittata
Oven 325 degrees
2 shallow individual baking ramekins, sprayed with olive oil flavored
pan spray
* 4 eggs
* 4 canned baby artichokes (water-packed), sliced into small pieces
* 1/2 ripe tomato, diced
* 4 heaping tablespoons sour cream (regular, not lite)
* 1/2 teaspoon basil
* 1/2 teaspoon each garlic salt and coarse ground pepper
* 1/2 cup finely grated pecorino cheese
In a small bowl, break two eggs and add 2 heaping tablespoons sour
cream, 1/4 teaspoon basil and 1/4 teaspoon each garlic salt and
pepper. Beat on medium speed with a mixer until the sour cream and eggs
are completely combined and the mixture is beginning to turn frothy.
Pour into a ramekin and dot with half the diced tomato and artichoke
pieces. top with 1/4 cup grated pecorino. Repeat the process with the other 2 eggs.
Bake at 325 for 20 minutes or until the cheese has melted, the eggs are
bubbling and no longer runny in the center.
Serve at once with fresh muffins, juice and coffee.