I need some easy ways to start cooking at home instead of eating out. Ideas?!


Question: I need some easy ways to start cooking at home instead of eating out!. Ideas!?
I find that between work, sleep and housekeeping I can barely find time to check my email let alone make a home cooked meal!.
Does anyone have any tried and true ways to start eating more (and healthier) at home!? I am good in the kitchen when I have the time so don't need basic recipes just ideas to speed up processes!.
Thanks!Www@FoodAQ@Com


Answers:
It's hard to make meals just for one person, but I have a few ideas that are healthy and can save you time!.

At the beginning of the week, make a big salad!. Add tomatoes, lettuce, onions, and any other kinds of veggies!. You can eat the salad throughout the week!. Just take a serving out of the fridge and add some kick with cheese and a healthy, light salad dressing!. If you want, have some chicken thawed out and fry (light oil) some chicken, then cut it into chunks into your salad!.

You can always pick up some Campbell's soup at the store and have that with a light turkey sandwich!.

Go to www!.mealtime!.org for exact recipes for tons of meals!Www@FoodAQ@Com

Yes you should get a slow cooker and use it to cook what ever you like to eat like chicken or beef or even pork! I like to make beef and noodles or chicken and noodles and using the slow cooker is easy and thoughtless! after you have cooked your main meal you can freeze it and have it all week long!. Time is the key and you need to make much when you have time and get out of the frig when you have no time! Oh and by the way bouillon cubes help enhance the flavor of your foods and I use them all the time! If you are so busy that you have no time to cook, then you need to dump something and make time!Www@FoodAQ@Com

One solution is pasta to which you can add so many sauces and which can be transformed into a complete meal without being heavy (if you prepare it at home you can avoid the big amounts of butter and cheese they offer you in restaurants)!.

Prepare big salads with some proteins inside, they can be another solution for quick complete meals (salads with prawns, chicken or cheese)!.Www@FoodAQ@Com

to start eating healthier, start out by getting some lean cuisines or any type of low fat T!.V!. dinners!. I would do those once a week or so!. Maybe less!. For recipes you could actually use on a regular basis!. Start by getting a grilled chicken from your local grocer and maybe add some type of green veggie and some Alfredo or some small helping of pasta!.Www@FoodAQ@Com

I am from Australia, and find this website very helpful!.

http://www!.taste!.com!.au/recipes/collecti!.!.!.

it combines all of the best food magazines here!.

it's probably a good idea to cook a few serves when you have time to cook a meal, and freeze the spares for other times - the freezer friendly recipes on the above site are good!.

Good luck!Www@FoodAQ@Com

You can make salads with chicken,stirfry they are very healthyWww@FoodAQ@Com

get a slow cooker!.Www@FoodAQ@Com

start with some basics and add on:
-- chicken and pork is healthier than you think and some cuts of beef are too!.

Unforgettable Chicken Casserole

3 cups chopped deli-roasted chicken (or other cooked, diced chicken meat)
2 cups finely chopped celery
1 cup (4 ounces) grated Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1/2 cup light sour cream
1/2 cup light mayonaisse
1 can reduced-sodium cream of chicken soup
1 (4-ounce) can water chestnuts, drained and chopped
1? cups French fried onion rings

Stir together first 8 ingredients in a large bowl!. Spoon into a lightly greased 11x7” baking dish!.

Bake at 350oF for 40 minutes; sprinkle onion rings evenly over top!. Bake 5 more minutes or until bubbly around edges!. Let stand 10 minutes before serving!.
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Creamy Chicken & Rice Casserole

2 celery ribs, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 Tbsp!. butter or margarine
1 cup mayonnaise
1 (10!.75 oz) can condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1 cup frozen peas
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups cubed cooked chicken
2 cups cooked rice
1 cup crushed potato chips or crushed Ritz crackers

In a small skillet, saute celery and onion in butter until crisp-tender!. Place in a bowl; add the mayonnaise, soup, peas, lemon juice and salt!. Stir in chicken and rice!. Transfer to a greased 11-in!. x 7-in!. x 2-in!. baking dish!. Sprinkle with potato chips!. Bake, uncovered, at 350oF for 25-30 minutes or until heated through!.
---------------------------------

Beef With Red Wine Sauce

3 pounds boneless beef chuck roast, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 medium onion, sliced
1 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 (1!.61-ounce) package brown gravy mix
1 (10 1/2-ounce) can beef broth
1 cup red wine
2 Tbsp!. tomato paste
1 bay leaf
Hot cooked egg noodles or rice
Garnish: chopped fresh parsley

Place first 3 ingredients in a 6-quart slow cooker!.
Whisk together gravy mix and next 3 ingredients; pour evenly over beef and vegetables!. Add bay leaf!.
Cover and cook on HIGH 6 hours, or LOW for 9 hours!. Remove and discard bay leaf!. Serve over noodles!. Garnish, if desired!.
----------------------------
Swiss Steak

1 round or cube steak, (approximately 1?lbs), see note
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and pepper
All-purpose flour, for dusting
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 (14-1/2 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 medium onion, cut into strips
1 medium bell pepper, cut into strips

Cut steak into serving-size pieces!. Season, to taste, with garlic powder and salt and pepper!. Dust meat with flour!. In heavy skillet, brown both sides of meat in vegetable oil!. Transfer to Dutch oven!. Combine garlic, tomatoes, onion, bell pepper, and 1 tomato-can measure of water!. Pour over steak and simmer over low heat until meat is tender, about 1? hours adding water, if necessary to keep meat partially covered!. Season, to taste, with additional salt and pepper!.

Hint: Cook this in a slow-cooker on low for a most fabulous dinner!. Low heat on a slow cooker is about 200 degrees F and high heat on a slow cooker is about 300 oF!.
Note: to ensure tenderness, it is necessary to have the butcher run the round steak through a cuber
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Chili Sauced Pork Chops
1/4 cup apricot jam or preserves
1/4 cup chili sauce
1 tablespoon sweet-hot mustard or brown mustard
1 tablespoon water
4 boneless pork top loin chops, 1 inch thick (about 1-1/2 pounds total)

Directions
1!. For glaze, cut up any large pieces in apricot jam or preserves!. In a small saucepan combine jam or preserves, chili sauce, mustard, and water!. Cook and stir over medium-low heat until heated through and well blended!. Remove from heat!.

2!. Trim excess fat from pork chops!. Place chops on unheated rack of broiler pan!. Broil 4 to 5 inches from heat for 8 minutes!.

3!. Turn pork chops; brush generously with glaze!. Broil 8 to 12 minutes more or until juices run clear!. Spoon any remaining glaze over meat before serving!.
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Creamy Ziti with Sausage
8 ounces dried pasta such as ziti, tagliati, rigatoni, or mostaccioli
12 ounces fresh Italian sausage links, sliced
1 2-1/2 cup portion Basic Italian Sauce, thawed or 1, 27- to 30-ounce jar meatless spaghetti sauce
1/3 cup whipping cream, half-and-half, or light cream
Shredded Parmesan cheese (optional)

Directions
1!. Cook pasta according to package directions!. Drain; keep warm!. Meanwhile, in a 2-quart saucepan cook sliced sausage over medium heat until cooked through, turning frequently!. Drain well!.

2!. Add thawed Basic Italian sauce to saucepan with sausage; bring to boiling!. Stir in cream; heat through!. Toss with hot pasta; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, if desired
-------
Baked Macaroni & Cheese

1 lb!. macaroni, boiled al dente, according to pkg!. directions
2 cups white sauce** (recipe below)
2 c ups yellow cheddar
2 cups Muenster cheese

Add cheese to white sauce and stir!. (Save a bit of cheese for the topping!.) Stir sauce into macaroni and place in a buttered casserole dish!. Place in 350° oven until slightly brown and bubbly on top -- 25-30 minutes!.

**White Sauce:
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup milk
4 Tbsp butter
3 Tbsp flour

Heat the milk and cream together almost to a boil!. Melt butter in saucepan, then add all the flour stirring constantly!. Let cook for 4-5 minutes, continuing to stir!. Remove from heat and add warm milk and cream while whisking -- if sauce is too thick, add a touch more milk!.
---------------
Miami Macaroni and Wisconsin Cheese

Ingredients:

2 cups pancetta in 1/4" dice
3/4 loaf of 12" x 2" baguette (dry)
8 ounces unsalted butter
1 1/2 pound rotelli (corkscrew) pasta
1 1/2 quart (6 cups) heavy cream
2 1/2 cups milk
8 ounces (2 cups) Wisconsin Parmesan cheese, finely grated and divided
12 ounces (3 cups) Wisconsin Fontina cheese, cut in 1/4" cubes and chilled
salt to taste
pepper to taste

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F!.

Spread the pancetta on a baking pan and bake for 6 to 8 minutes, or until just crispy!. Drain on paper towels and set aside!.

Crush and crumble the baguette into semi-fine bread crumbs, using a food processor if you wish!. You will have about 2 cups!.

In a large sauté pan, melt butter over medium heat!. Add crumbs and toss to coat, toasting and stirring frequently until golden brown!. Set aside!.

Boil the rotelli in boiling salted water until al dente!. Drain the pasta and set aside in a large mixing bowl!.

Heat a large sauce pan!. Add heavy cream and milk!. Bring to boil!. Simmer until reduced by one-third!. Slowly whisk in 1 1/4 cups Parmesan cheese and the reserved pancetta!. Continue to simmer and reduce to a thick and creamy consistency!.

Add the cream mixture to the pasta along with the Fontina cheese!. Toss quickly and season with salt and pepper to taste!.

Butter twelve 5- to 6-ounce individual casserole dishes (or one 12" x 18" casserole)!. Fill the dishes with the rotelli!. Divide breadcrumbs and remaining Parmesan cheese over the tops!. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes (longer if in large pan), or until hot and bubbly!. Serve immediately!.Www@FoodAQ@Com





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