What should I make for dinner? (see ingredient list and time constraints)?!
What should I make for dinner? (see ingredient list and time constraints)?
I want to cook dinner for my girlfriend for when she gets home from work tonight. I have the ingredients listed below and need to be done (or close to it) by the time she gets home around 10 PM (EST...approximately an hour and a half from now).
I have:
Fresh Basil
Fresh Cilantro
Tomato-Basil flavored chicken breasts
mushrooms
pasta sauce
olive oil
vegetable oil
onions
some frozen mixed vegetables
garlic
fresh-ish cheese raviolis
sliced wheat bread
I do have some other random things, but these are the things that I can find that might go together. She has very adventurous tastes and says she doesnt care what I make, to surprise her...so help me think of something good please!
Answers:
Saute the onions and mushrooms in a little olive oil until the mushrooms are done. Take the chicken breasts, brown them in a skillet with olive oil for a few minutes on each side, then add the pasta sauce, some chopped fresh basil, the cooked onions and mushrooms, and simmer until the chicken breasts are done. If wheat bread is all you have, take some butter and garlic and spread it on the wheat bread and put it under the broiler to make garlic toast. If you don't have any other kind of pasta, you could heat up the raviolis and serve the chicken with pasta sauce on top of the raviolis. Sounds good to me!
so, you seal the chicken breasts and finish them in the oven. put a pot of water on for the pasta, in a pan saute the onion with olive oil, add the mushrooms and garlic, saute more then add a little pasta sauce and some water, keep warm. cook the cheese ravioli,drain and add to the mushroom sauce. tear the basil up ready togo. servethe chicken breast carved over the pasta with the basil strewn over the whole dish. serve with fresh wheat bread. get a kiss!
Here's what to do. You'll have to figure out the timing of things on your own a little bit.
I would cook the raviolis according to directions so they are done about the time you want to serve them.
Saute the chicken breasts in two tablespoons of olive oil. They should take about 5 minutes per side (if they are thicker than an inch, it will take longer). These you want to rest for five minutes before serving. Garnish the chicken with some Cillantro leaves.
The pasta sauce can be heated up, and chop some of the fresh basil (1 tbls chopped) and add it to the pasta sauce right before it is served. Mushrooms can be sauted (if fresh) and added to the pasta sauce if she likes mushrooms.
Mince some garlic (1 tbls) with 2 tbls of olive oil and, brush on the sliced wheat bread and put under the broiler or in a toaster oven to toast as an appetizer or as a side.
I wouldn't worry about the vegetables unless you really want them as an additional side.
Okay make the ravioli...
warm pasta sauce on stove and serve on the side..
okay now chop up garlic and dip wheat bread slices into olive oil.. sprinkle garlic and italian (not mozarella) cheese (if you have it) on top. bake until they look like descent garlic bread slices.. sprinkle chopped basil on top of sauce and ravioli and serve as a candle light dinner.. very romantic!
also tasty!
Get out your frying pan and pour in about two turns of olive oil.
Chop into small pieces one onion and 2 cloves of garlic.
Chop up a few mushrooms and take out the frozen vegs
Cut the chicken breast into strips.
Chop up some of that cilantro
On a medium flame heat the olive oil and toss in the onions, stirring gently until they 'sweat.'
Throw in the garlic being careful not to let it burn.
Throw in the mushrooms and vegs and saute'. Add a bit more olive oil if necessary.
Add the chicken strips.
You didn't say if the ravioli was cooked already. If not, cook them.
When the chicken looks cooked, add some of that pasta sauce and if you have it in the house a bit of white wine or chicken stock or broth. If you only have chicken bullion, you'll have to dissolve it in a cup of boiling water.
Now, you should have onions, garlic, mushrooms, vegs, and chicken bubbling in a tomato/wine or broth mixture, yes?
Do you have any milk or cream in the house? Half and half? Add a tablespoon..dribble it in to make the sauce pink.
Serve over the cooked ravioli and garnish with fresh chopped cilantro.
You might want to toast some of that bread-once toasted, rub it with a crushed piece of garlic-that's it!
Enjoy!
Use the garlic and wheat bread to make garlic bread. Simply put some butter and the garlic together either in a microwave or on the stove, melt it together and spread it on toasted wheat bread.
Use the other ingredients for a chicken cacciatorre. Cook the ravioli (but make sure they're fresh!). Put some of the olive oil in the pan, lightly brown the onions and garlic (if you have some leftover from the garlic bread recipe), add the pasta sauce, mushrooms (sliced) and cilantro and bring to a simmer. Pour over the cooked, tomato-basil seasoned chicken chicken breasts and ravioli. Garnish with the basil. Throw the frozen vegetables in a little bit of boiling water until just cooked, then serve that as a side dish. Hope that helps!
I would saute the mushrooms and onions and garlic in the olive oil, and once it's simmered for a while, add the chicken breasts. Let them cook until done (white and flaky in the inside, not pink and muscle-y). Let it simmer for a bit and turn over the chicken periodically so that it doesn't get over-done on one side. If you have an iron skillet, it's better to cook in that, because you can brown things better. Take off the heat and garnish with fresh basil and cilantro.
Meanwhile, cook the raviolis by boiling them in water... you don't need to do it long (see online cookbooks), just enough so they're not cold and hard. Add the pasta sauce, cook and set to the side.
Saute the mixed vegetables in vegetable oil and if you have any onions or garlic left go ahead and add it. Set to side.
On a small saucer, pour some of the olive oil and grind some black pepper into it, maybe sprinkle a little of the basil if you still have some. Cut the bread into quarters (four little triangles) and warm it up for just a few minutes in the oven, under the broiler -- be careful not to let it burn though! Take out and wrap in a cloth napkin in a bowl or basket just before dinner. Dip in the basil / oil and eat with your chicken, pasta and veggies.
Enjoy!
If your chicken breasts are frozen, put them in an oven-safe glass dish with approximately 1/4 cup of water. Cover and warm (250 degrees) while you prepare the sauce.
Sauce:
Saute garlic, mushrooms, and onions in olive oil. Saute until the onions are translucent.
Warm pasta sauce on low heat. Add chopped basil and cilantro to taste - reserve part of it for garnish. Add sauted garlic, mushrooms, and onions.
** Take the chicken breasts out of the oven. Put chicken breasts on a plate. If the ravioli is pre-cooked, then you can simply put a small layer of sauce on the bottom of your baking dish, and then pour the ravioli on top of it. Layer your chicken breasts on top of the ravioli. Pour remaining sauce over the top of the chicken. Bake in the oven on 360 for 30-40 minutes. If you have any parmesean, mozerella, or other Italian cheese, sprinkle it on top for the last 5 minutes of cooking.
Bread:
Do this after the main dish is done cooking, or put it on the bottom rack for the last 10-12 minutes of the cooking time.
Toast bread on a cookie sheet. Lightly brush it with olive oil and rub with a garlic clove.
Steam the mixed vegetables, or put it in a microwave-safe dish with a couple tablespoons of water and cook until tender. Serve as a side dish.
Use remaining basil and cilantro as garnish.
Hi Chris W,
basil,
cilantro,
mushrooms,
onion,
garlic,
cheese ravilos,
chicken,
Put chicken on foil 1st,
then all the above ingredients with 1/4 cup water added into foil before closing foil packet,
foil packets( 6x6" enough foil to make a tent by crunching in the sides & top),
This like steams all of the above, then browning in broil that way no oil is used, all the flavor is produced,
Bake in a 350 degree oven for 25-30 mintues,
Open foil packets and broil about 5-8 minutes until golden brown,(watch it closely so as not to burn it)
Nuke the veggies with couple Tablespoons water & dot with butter(can be done after g/f arrives),
Heat up the pasta sauce on low,
Set the table, silverware, glasses, napkins, a candle or two (candle lit dinner)
When your girlfriend gets home, nuke veggies & while doing that-
Arrange food onto plates with pasta sauce,
using the wheat bread for mopping up all the juices,
& a glass of chilled wine if you have some.
Enjoy & have a good night. :0)