What are some basic dishes that are easy to make?!
Thanks for your help :)
Answers: I'm not the greatest chef in the world, but both my wife and I have agreed it won't do me any harm to try new things! basically I'm looking for some recipes you can suggest which I can make from scratch, but are relativly cheap, nourishing and are not that hard to make.
Thanks for your help :)
* quick peach cobbler
1 cup flour
3 tsp baking powder
1 can sliced peaches
1 cup sugar
1/2 stick of butter
2/3 c. juice from peaches
Combine flour, sugar and baking powder. Stir in juice from peaches, adding water if necessary to complete 2/3 cup measurement. Melt butter in baking dish, pour batter into dish. Place peaches over batter. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until brown.
*Cheese-Beef Casserole Pie
Ingredients:
1 lb Ground beef
1 sm Package cream cheese
1 Can mushroom soup
1 c Canned corn with pimento
1 pk Refrigerated bisquits
Brown ground beef in skillet; drain.
Mix all but biscuits.
Pour in 2 quart casserole.
Top with bisquits.
Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes.
Serve.
*Herbs Lime Grilled Chicken
Ingredients:
1/2 c Lime juice
1/4 c Vegetable oil
2 tb Honey
1 ts Fresh thyme, chopped
1 Garlic clove, crushed
4 Chicken breasts, boned and skinned
In a non-metallic medium sized container combine lime juice, oil, honey, thyme, rosemary and garlic.
Whisk together until well blended.
Marinate chicken breasts in lime mixture for 1 to 2 hours.
Place on a lightly greased broiling pan.
Cook under broiler 3-4 inches (10 cm) from element.
baste once or twice in the first half of cooking time until chicken is cooked through.
*Classic Veal Marsala
INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound veal medallions
1 cup all-purpose flour
salt and pepper to taste
1 large shallot, minced
1 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 cup dry Marsala
1 clove garlic, minced
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup low-sodium beef broth
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C).
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Lightly coat the veal medallions in flour, and season with salt and pepper. Cook in the heated skillet about 5 minutes, to an internal temperature of 160 degrees F (70 degrees C). Remove from the skillet, place in a baking dish covered with foil, and keep warm in the preheated oven until ready to serve.
Heat the remaining olive oil in the skillet over medium low heat, and saute the shallot and mushrooms, scraping up any browned bits, until shallots are tender. Increase heat to medium high, and stir in the Marsala and garlic. Cook and stir until thickened. Mix the chicken broth and beef broth into the skillet, and continue to cook and stir until reduced to about 1/4 cup. Remove from heat, and whisk in the butter until melted. Serve over the veal.
ENJOY :-)
Quiche.
My mum makes a really nice one that's quite simple and cheap.
I'd have to ask her for the recipe though
Spagetti, homemade tacos, homemade pizza, grill foods.
spag boll,
pasta bake,
lasagne,
italian is easy and tasty too
pasta dishes
boiled egg
1 can of diced tomatoes + any Mediterranean vegetable (pepper, aubergine, onion etc) = adequate pasta sauce.
Boil water and add pasta. While that's cooking, dice the veg, fry with a little oil until cooked. Pour on the diced tomatoes. simmer for five-ten minutes.
Drain pasta and serve.
I'm the same as yourself and a great dish that all the family love is Spaghetti Bolognese
Preparation time less than 30 mins
Cooking time 1 to 2 hours
Ingredients
2 tbsp olive oil or sun-dried tomato oil from the jar
6 rashers of smoked streaky bacon, chopped
2 large onions, chopped
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1kg/2?lb lean minced beef
2 large glasses of red wine
2x400g cans chopped tomatoes
1x290g jar antipasti marinated mushrooms, drained
2 fresh or dried bay leaves
1 tsp dried oregano or a small handful of fresh leaves, chopped
1 tsp dried thyme or a small handful of fresh leaves, chopped
drizzle balsamic vinegar
12-14 sun-dried tomato halves, in oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper
a good handful of fresh basil leaves, torn into small pieces
800g-1kg/1?-2?lb dried spaghetti
lots of freshly grated parmesan cheese, to serve
Method
1. Heat the oil in a large, heavy-based saucepan and fry the bacon until golden over a medium heat. Add the onions and garlic, frying until softened. Increase the heat and add the minced beef. Fry it until it has browned, breaking down any chunks of meat with a wooden spoon. Pour in the wine and boil until it has reduced in volume by about a third. Reduce the temperature and stir in the tomatoes, drained mushrooms, bay leaves, oregano, thyme and balsamic vinegar.
2. Either blitz the sun-dried tomatoes in a small blender with a little of the oil to loosen, or just finely chop before adding to the pan. Season well with salt and pepper. Cover with a lid and simmer the Bolognese sauce over a gentle heat for 1-1? hours until it's rich and thickened, stirring occasionally. At the end of the cooking time, stir in the basil and add any extra seasoning if necessary.
3. Remove from the heat to 'settle' while you cook the spaghetti in plenty of boiling salted water (for the time stated on the packet). Drain and divide between warmed plates. Scatter a little parmesan over the spaghetti before adding a good ladleful of the Bolognese sauce, finishing with a scattering of more cheese and a twist of black pepper.
Tip:
You can make a veggie version of this recipe by substituting soya mince or Quorn for the meat, adding it to the sauce halfway through cooking. Or simply add lots of diced vegetables to the onions, such as courgettes, carrots, peppers and aubergines.
Happy Cooking!!!!
Stir fry (chicken, seafood or meat w/ veg.)
Pasta Primavera (pasta & veg.)
My son has just moved into his own place, and asked for some lessons in cooking cheap, easy, nourishing meals. I taught him a few basics (pasta dishes, chilli, etc) but I also bought him the Gordon Ramsey book called something like Fast Food. He follows the recipes faithfully and can now do some gorgeous meals that look very, very professional (and taste fantastic). Try a really good basic cookery book and once you've mastered the basic, start to experiment. Good luck, but most of all - enjoy!
Spag bol, stir fry, lasagne.
Some basic veg which are cheap and you can just fling them all in a pan are: onions, peppers, mushrooms, garlic. Then depending on what you've got in the cupboard, you could make an omelette with some eggs, milk and butter (allow 2 or 3 eggs per person, depending on the size of the egg), spag bol, with some mince and passata, lasagne (as for bolognese, except layer alternately bolognese mixture and lasagne sheets, then a jar of white sauce on top with some rated cheese). Oven for about 30 mins at 200 C
Tip: run some olive oil round the whole of the inside of the casserole dish before putting the mixture in - the dishwasher will thank you for it!!!
Stir fry - brown off chicken or beef strips in a large pan, add garlic, onions and then veg. Add soy sauce for some flavour or a shop bought sauce. Serve with boiled rice or noodles.
i started my hubby off with simple dishes like pasta and jacket potatos its quick easy and healthy .. he made pasta bakes but even simpler is throw pasta in a pan for 10- 12 mins get either plain sauce and chop veg in or ready made sauces heat and serve... now for potatos stab it all over stick it in the microwave for around 20 mins i like mine to have crispy skin so i put the oven on and stick them into a hot oven for around 5 -10 mins (i suggest you turn them over at 10 mins in microwave though) then choose your fave topping tuna, cheese,cottage cheese, butter, beans, my hubbys fave beans and red cheese!! you can even serve with a little salad great night off food just to get you started.
Put some sausages in the oven 15-20 on about 180c cook until brown.
meanwhile peel some potatoes,when they are soft drain and mash,season with salt and pepper.keep warm!.
Get some instant gravy granules (this is the cheat bit you can get dry onions or cheats onions in tins,yes tins or frozen add these to however much gravy you want to make check the side of the granules and let them soften as the gravy thickens.
serve the mash and sausages and cover with the delicious gravy. easy,simple,cheap but very tasty and very comforting.
i have to cook simple also,so when there is something there to help you cut the corners try and use it,microwave,condiments use these as building blocks if you will,(i know that sounds a bit poncey but it works.)
good luck and have fun cooking.
Cottage/Shepherd's Pie. It is really quite easy, the steps are simple and it looks like more effort than it really is! :-)
It's my signature dish... Just search for Cottage/Shepherd's(depending if you like beef or lamb..) pie recipe on google and pick one of the recipes! Good luck!
shepherds pie
Ingredients :
1lb minced beef
1 onion
4 large patatoes
2 carrots
1 clove of garlic
1 stock cube
1 small tin of peas
Recipe :
1-Cut carrots and onions and peel potatoes
2-Put minced beef chopped onions and carrots into pot and boil in water for approx 20 to 30 mins. When cooked drain. Boil potatoes in seperate pot until soft and ready to mash.
3-Put your cooked minced beef etc into a dish eg. casserole dish add drained peas and some garlic put stock cube into 500ml of water and add to dish. Mash your potatoes and place on top of meat etc and cook for approx 20 mins until potatoes are browned
These recipes are all moderately simple, and some of my personal favorites :-) I hope this helps
Peanut Chicken Stew -
http://www.ehow.com/how_2243622_peanut-c...
Cincinnati Chili (it's beanless) -
http://www.ehow.com/how_2243620_cincicin...
Fudgy Brownie Trifle -
http://www.ehow.com/how_2243501_fudgy-br...
Banana Crumb Muffins -
http://www.ehow.com/how_2256331_banana-c...
This yummy White Cake and rich and creamy Frosting -
http://www.ehow.com/how_2243457_moist-wh...
http://www.ehow.com/how_2243483_deliciou...
And, even though it's not THAT unusual, I love making chocolate chip cookies...especially with this recipe. The cookies stay soft, even days after baking =
http://www.ehow.com/how_2253572_soft-cho...
Lemon pepper chicken is one of my easy recipes. Very tasty.
4 skinless, bone-in chicken breast halves (8 to 9 ounces each)
1/4 cup fresh tarragon leaves
MINCED
3 cloves garlic
Coarse salt
1 thinly sliced lemon
4 large, soft lettuce leaves
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
Directions
Place chicken breast halves in a single layer on a heatproof plate. Sprinkle tarragon leaves and garlic over chicken; season with salt. Arrange lemon slices on top. Lay lettuce leaves over chicken.
In a 12-inch skillet fitted with a round rack, bring 1 inch of water to a simmer over medium heat. Place plate with chicken on rack. Cover; simmer until chicken is cooked through, 25 to 30 minutes (add more water as needed).
Transfer chicken to serving plates; discard lettuce. Pour steaming juices into a small bowl; stir in mustard. Spoon sauce over chicken.
Hoped this helped a bit. xxx
Easy Chicken Parmesan
INGREDIENTS:
4 boneless chicken breasts, pounded to 1/2 inch thickness
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
seasoned bread crumbs
2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil
8 slices mozzarella cheese, or more
1 jar (16 oz) spaghetti sauce
Parmesan cheese
PREPARATION:
Whisk together the egg and milk. Dip the chicken breasts in milk and egg mixture and then in bread crumbs. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken in the hot oil on both sides until golden, about 3 to 4 minutes on each side.
Set chicken in a baking dish.
Slice 8 pieces of mozzarella cheese and put two on each chicken breast. Pour 1 jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce over all. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and a little more mozzarella and bake at 350° for about 25 to 30 minutes, or until bubbly. Serve with spaghetti, garlic bread and a nice green salad.
Casseroles are easy and fairly cheap,it,s mostly a matter of putting chicken pieces,or cubed beef or sausages for instance,intoa a nice big casserole dish,adding chopped or sliced vegetables of your choice,use a casserole mix,pour that over and cook slowly in a low oven for a couple of hours.Sorted!hope you both enjoy your efforts and remember practice makes perfect.
Quick Chicken Parmesan
4 Boneless Chicken Breasts, pounded flat
1 jar Spaghetti Sauce (I use Prego mushroom and garlic)
3 oz. Mozzarella Cheese, grated
2 cups Italian Bread Crumbs
2 oz. Parmesan Cheese
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1 egg, plus 1 tbs water, slightly beaten
Mix Italian breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, and garlic salt together in bowl. Beat 1 egg in another bowl, 1 tbs water and a dash of garlic salt. Dip chicken in egg, then in crumbs and fry in oil until brown on each side (10 – 15 min each side). Pour spaghetti sauce over chicken and sprinkle with cheese, cover so cheese melts and serve. Makes 4 servings.
Serving Suggestions:
I serve this with Fettuccini Alfredo and garlic bread.
Creamy Fettuccini Alfredo
1 – 8 oz. Package Philly Cream Cheese (I use the light version – 1/3 less fat), cubed
? cup (3 oz.) fresh grated Parmesan cheese (I like De Giorno, don’t use Kraft)
? cup margarine (I use I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter Light)
? cup milk (I use 1% or 2% low fat)
8 oz. fettuccini, cooked, drained (I use the fresh Contadina low fat one)
In large saucepan, combine cream cheese, Parmesan cheese, margarine and milk.
Stir over low heat until smooth. Add to drained fettuccini and toss lightly. Sprinkle with fresh Parmesan cheese if desired. Makes 4 servings.
Don Joses’s Beef, Shrimp, or Chicken Fajitas
Marinade:
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tbs corn oil
1 tbs lemon or lime juice
1 tbs worcestershire sauce
dash of salt and pepper
4-5 boneless chicken breasts, cut in strips, 2 lbs beef sirloin cut in strips or 1 ? lbs of
shrimp, shelled and de-veined
1 tbs corn oil 1 large onion, sliced
1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 red or yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
12 small flour tortillas, heated
Combine all ingredients in the marinade together in a plastic container or zip lock bag, mix. Add chicken to coat. Marinade for at least 15 minutes, turning several times. Add oil to large skillet and heat on medium-high. Add chicken and saute until brown. Add onion and bell pepper and saute until cooked but slightly crisp. Serve on tortillas. Garnish with sour cream and shredded Cheddar or Jack cheese.