May 19
What are some quick and easy meals to cook?
By the time we get home from work, there are some nights that we just don't feel like cooking. What are some quick and easy meals to make? It doesn't have to be extremely healthy….just not junk food every night, ya know? Crock pot meal ideas are a plus because we have one of those large ones that have the single vessel, and also has the two inserts to do two different things in one crock pot. Any ideas are appreciated!
Here is my own stew meat stew concoction for the crock pot. I fix it the night before, stick it in the fridge, so I can throw it on in the morning. OR you can make beans and rice (see below) rice my way or steamed rice, which on my cooker takes 45 min. Kids could be doing homework during this time.
Slivered onion
stewing beef
chopped celery
chopped carrots
some cilantro (optional)
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can of red beans
1 can of black or navy beans
A few dashes of worcestershire sauce
a few dashes of red wine vinegar
you can add potatoes but I don't
Same goes with cabbage
Must have 1 beer. 1/2 goes in the crock pot, the other 1/2 you drink
Combine all in the crock pot. Setting on high for about 5-6 hours. Then low to keep it warm till it's ready to eat. I will cook rice to lengthen the stew to eat throughout the week.
Mel’s Beans & Rice
Cook rice first. Then cook beans while rice is cooking.
RICE
1 Tbs. olive oil per cup of rice
Water
Salt
Heat oil in skillet on high. Add rice and fry. Stir occasionally for first few minutes. Do not walk away. When rice starts “puffing”, stir constantly until rice is about to or starts to brown. Add water till it is ¼ of an inch above rice. Add salt and stir. Turn to low* and cover. Let cook for 30 minutes and stir.
*If cooking on a flattop stove, turn to medium and cover. Cook for 15 minutes and turn off stove. Let rice continue cooking on same burner for 15 more minutes.
BEANS
2 Tbs. olive oil
½ small sweet onion, sliced thinly crescent moons
2-3 cloves minced garlic
Cumin
1 14.5* oz. can of diced tomatoes
Cilantro to taste
2 15.5* oz. cans of beans
Salt & Pepper
*These are regular cans. So it doesn’t have to be exact. You can use 1 of the large cans of beans for 2 of the regular ones. I like to use red and black beans. For every 2 cans of beans, use 1 can of tomatoes. You can also add other veggies such as bell peppers, etc. and combine with the onions step.
Heat oil in a sauce pan on medium. Add garlic, onions, and cumin. Sauté until onions is soft or till sautéed preference. Add tomatoes and cilantro. After mixture is bubbling, add beans, salt, pepper, and heat till bubbling.
Good luck and hope you like it.
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One of my favourite quick suppers is scrambled eggs. It only takes about ten minutes to make, and you can always throw in some veggies, coldcuts, or leftovers. Add some toast and some veggie sticks and it's complete!
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Boxed Velvetta Macaroni, ramen noodles, at asian grocery stores, they have alot of t.v.-ish meals that are awesome, you just have to heat them up
grill cheese and pancakes always work too
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they are made by banquet meals and are for the crock pot they are around $ 8 a bag
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CHEESY CROCK POT CHICKEN Recipe
6 chicken breasts (boneless & skinless)
salt & pepper to taste
garlic powder, to taste
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 can cheddar cheese soup
Rinse chicken and sprinkle with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Mix undiluted soup and pour over chicken in the crock pot. Cook on low 6 to 8 hours. Serve over rice or noodles
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Easy Crock Pot Chicken & Stuffing
Ingredients:
4 boneless/skinless chicken breast halves
1 can cream of celery soup or cream of mushroom soup
1/3 cup milk
1 package seasoned stuffing mix with seasoning packet (we use Stove Top)
1 1/2 cups water
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Place chicken in crock pot. Combine soup of choice and milk and pour over chicken. Combine stuffing, seasoning packet, salt and pepper (is using) and water. Mix well. Spoon the mixture the over the chicken and soup. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.
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Crock Pot Pork Roast with Sweet Potatoes
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 (2 pound) boneless pork roast
salt and pepper to taste
4 sweet potatoes, quartered
1 onion, quartered
6 cloves garlic
1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth
Heat oil in large heavy skillet. Season meat with salt and pepper, and brown in oil. In a slow cooker, layer sweet potatoes, onion and garlic. Place browned roast on top of vegetables, and pour in chicken broth. Cover, and cook on low setting for 6 hours.
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Crock Pot Mashed Potatoes
10 potatoes, peeled and sliced
1/3 c margarine
1 pkg cream cheese
1 c sour cream
2 eggs separated
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 c bread crumbs
Cook potatoes until tender. Drain & return to pan. Combine 1/4 of the margarine, all of the cream cheese, sour cream, egg yolks, salt, pepper. Mash potatoes on low until smooth. In a bowl, beat egg whites until stiff. Put into potato mix. Put into Crock Pot. In a bowl, mix 2 tbsp of the margarine & bread crumbs, mix well and put on potatoes. Cook on High for 3 hours & top browns. Will have a light texture. Serves 6.
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You can pan fry cube steaks for sandwiches and make some oven fries or home fries at the same time. Zap the potatoes in the microwave to speed up timing or keep some already baked in the fridge for easy use during the week. Add a salad or coleslaw or steamed veggie. Noodles or rice don't take that long either. Just add a little butter and parsley to either for a filling side dish.
Pan fry pork chops. Broil or grill chicken or steak or good hamburgers.
Make an omelet for dinner adding in your choice of fillings.
Keep a couple Convenience foods in your freezer for quick fixes!
References :
Here is my own stew meat stew concoction for the crock pot. I fix it the night before, stick it in the fridge, so I can throw it on in the morning. OR you can make beans and rice (see below) rice my way or steamed rice, which on my cooker takes 45 min. Kids could be doing homework during this time.
Slivered onion
stewing beef
chopped celery
chopped carrots
some cilantro (optional)
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can of red beans
1 can of black or navy beans
A few dashes of worcestershire sauce
a few dashes of red wine vinegar
you can add potatoes but I don't
Same goes with cabbage
Must have 1 beer. 1/2 goes in the crock pot, the other 1/2 you drink
Combine all in the crock pot. Setting on high for about 5-6 hours. Then low to keep it warm till it's ready to eat. I will cook rice to lengthen the stew to eat throughout the week.
Mel’s Beans & Rice
Cook rice first. Then cook beans while rice is cooking.
RICE
1 Tbs. olive oil per cup of rice
Water
Salt
Heat oil in skillet on high. Add rice and fry. Stir occasionally for first few minutes. Do not walk away. When rice starts “puffing”, stir constantly until rice is about to or starts to brown. Add water till it is ¼ of an inch above rice. Add salt and stir. Turn to low* and cover. Let cook for 30 minutes and stir.
*If cooking on a flattop stove, turn to medium and cover. Cook for 15 minutes and turn off stove. Let rice continue cooking on same burner for 15 more minutes.
BEANS
2 Tbs. olive oil
½ small sweet onion, sliced thinly crescent moons
2-3 cloves minced garlic
Cumin
1 14.5* oz. can of diced tomatoes
Cilantro to taste
2 15.5* oz. cans of beans
Salt & Pepper
*These are regular cans. So it doesn’t have to be exact. You can use 1 of the large cans of beans for 2 of the regular ones. I like to use red and black beans. For every 2 cans of beans, use 1 can of tomatoes. You can also add other veggies such as bell peppers, etc. and combine with the onions step.
Heat oil in a sauce pan on medium. Add garlic, onions, and cumin. Sauté until onions is soft or till sautéed preference. Add tomatoes and cilantro. After mixture is bubbling, add beans, salt, pepper, and heat till bubbling.
Good luck and hope you like it.
References :
my mom
Stir fry-
Use chicken or fish as it cooks more quickly, a selection of chopped fresh veg like mushrooms, peppers, baby corn, courgettes etc, and whatever herbs and spices you have in the cupboard with glug of olive oil - or for greater variation, go for jar/stir in sauces like sweet and sour etc. - mghtn't be fresh produce, but you could do far worse, and these are quick, easy and cheap!
Tomato sauce (use for pasta or serve with chicken and rice)
For this you can use fresh tomates if you like, but an even quicker method is to use a couple of tins of chopped tomatoes. Add a clove or two of crushed garlic, one smll chopped onion (I like red) paprika, mixed herbs and finely chopped veg like mushroom and courgettes, and simmer until it liquifies and becomes a sauce. You can use this with anything, and you can also stir in a cuple of tablespoons of single cream for a nice change.
Spaghetti Bolognese -
Put the spaghetti in a large pan of water to boil while you do the rest.
Brown off the minced beef in a pan and drain off the fat. Add 1 small chopped onion and a clove of crushed garlic, cook til soft. Add chopped mushrooms and other veg if you like and cook till they soften. Add the tomato sauce, 1/2 pt of beef stock, a sprinkle of oregano and salt/pepper. Simmer for a few mins for the flavours to permeate.
This one does take a little longer than the others, and it helps to have the tomato suce pre-prepared, but it's still pretty quick as mince cooks so fast.
You don't say if you have kids, but keeping readymade pizza bases in th fridge is a good idea - when you get home, all you have to do is throw on the tomato sauce, cheese and whatever else you like (use a lot of veg for a healthy option) and bung it in the oven for 15mins or so.
Also try to keep a lot of pasta, spaghetti, rice, tinned tuna and tinned veg like corn, and jar sauces for pasta in the cupboard - that way, you'll awlays have something you can whip up quickly.
Crockpot meals are great but usually better when cooked slowly for a couple of hours or so - this is what makes them so tasty.
Good luck!
References :
My family love's these easy delicious recipes. I got the first one from the back of the stove top box. The second one is from the back of the Bisquick box. There are also lots of good recipes on the back of the Campbell's soups labels.
STOVE TOP One-Dish Chicken Bake
1-2/3 cups hot water
1 pkg. (6 oz.) STOVE TOP Stuffing Mix for Chicken
1-1/2 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
1 can (10-3/4 oz.) condensed cream of mushroom soup
1/3 cup BREAKSTONE'S or KNUDSEN Sour Cream
HEAT oven to 400ÂşF.
ADD hot water to stuffing mix; stir just until moistened.
PLACE chicken in 13×9-inch baking dish or 2-qt. casserole. Mix soup and sour cream until well blended; pour over chicken. Top with stuffing.
BAKE 30 min. or until chicken is done.
Hearty Chicken Pot Pie
1package (16 ounces) frozen mixed vegetables, thawed
1cup cut-up cooked chicken
1can (10 3/4 ounces) condensed cream of chicken soup
1cup Original Bisquick® mix
1/2cup milk
1egg
Total Time: 15 min
1. Heat oven to 400ÂşF. Mix vegetables, chicken and soup in ungreased 2-quart casserole.
2. Stir remaining ingredients in small bowl with fork until blended. Pour into casserole.
3. Bake 30 minutes or until golden brown.
High Altitude (3500-6500 ft) Heat oven to 425ÂşF.
I usually cut up the boneless skinless chicken breast and boil it in a frying pan in some water until it is no longer pink. Then I mix it with the vegetables and soup.
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Crock pot Pot Roast
2 cans - cream of mushroom soup
1/2 pkg dry onion soup mix
1 1/4 c water
5-6 lb pot roast
Mix all ingredients - add to crock pot.
put on med for 7-8 hrs
(I use Bob Evans mashed potatoes here)
Not crock pot - but easy
Pepper Steak
1 1/2 - 2 lbs of beef strips ( the meat dept should have it prepped -"for stir fry" works the same)
1 large green pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Uncle Ben's (microwavable) rice
Slice green pepper into strips. Heat olive oil in pan on medium heat - add meat and green pepper, salt and pepper to taste. Stir frequently - takes about 15 minutes.
Serve over rice.
I also do lots of quick meals like store bought roasted chicken, Bob Evans mashed ready made mashed potatoes, Green Giant steam in microwave veggies, pre-seasoned chicken breast strips (the lemon pepper ones are good)
References :
Beef tips
1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
4 pounds beef or sirloin tips
1/2 cup chopped green onions
2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
1 can (10 1/2 oz.) condensed beef broth
1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons tomato paste or ketchup
1/4 cup dry red wine or water
3 tablespoons flour
Buttered noodles
Combine 1/2 cup flour with the salt and pepper and toss with beef cubes to coat thoroughly.
Place in crockpot. Add green onions and drained mushrooms.
Combine with beef broth, Worcestershire sauce and tomato paste or ketchup.
Pour over beef and vegetables. Stir well.
Cover and cook on low setting for 7 to 12 hours.
One hour before serving, turn to high setting.
Make a smooth paste of red wine and 3 tablespoons flour. Stir into crockpot. Mix well.
Cover and cook until thickened. Serve over hot buttered noodles
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CROCK POT PIZZA
1/2 lb. ground beef
1/2 c. chopped onion
1 (8 oz.) pkg. Kluski egg noodles, cooked & drained
1 can pizza sauce, any flavor or spaghetti sauce
1/4 c. water (or as needed to moisten)
PIZZA TOPPING:
Mushrooms
Pepperoni
Gree n pepper strips
Olives
Onions
Shredded Mozzarella cheese
Brown ground beef and onion together. Pour pizza or spaghetti sauce, egg noodles and water over beef mixture. Simmer until heated through. Put in crock pot on low heat. Add pizza topping. Let cook until heated through and cheese is melted
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Casserole in the Crockpot
1 package (16 oz) frozen broccoli cuts, thawed and drained
3 cp cubed fully cooked ham
1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
1 jar (8 oz) process cheese sauce
1 cp milk
1 cp uncooked instant rice
1 small onion, chopped
In a slow cooker, combine broccoli and ham. Combine the soup, cheese sauce, milk, rice and onion; stir into the broccoli mixture. Cover and cook on low 4-5 hours or until rice is tender.
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Shredded Pork
Pork Butt Roast
Put into crock pot after rubbing a bit of olive oil and salt and pepper on it. Cook on low for 2 hours, pour a can of Coke on it and add some brown sugar, continue cooking for 2 more hours. Remove roast and put in a large bowl, drain the juice from the crock and disgard. After roast has cooled enough to handle either shred it with two forks or cut into chunks and put in your food processor and shred.
Put shredded meat in bowl and cover with your favorite BBQ sauce (we love Sweet Baby Ray's) mix well and return to crock pot and heat through. Serve with some crusty buns and pickles.
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Baby Back Ribs
* 2 1/2 pounds pork baby back ribs, cut into serving size pieces
* 5 cups water
* 1 medium onion, sliced
* 2 celery ribs, cut in half
* 2 teaspoons minced garlic, divided
* 1 teaspoon whole peppercorns
* 1/2 cup barbecue sauce
* 1/4 cup plum sauce
* 1 dash hot pepper sauce
DIRECTIONS
1. Place the ribs in a 5-qt. slow cooker. Add the water, onion, celery, 1 teaspoon garlic and peppercorns. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or until meat is tender.
2. In a small saucepan, combine the barbecue sauce, plum sauce, hot pepper sauce and remaining garlic. Cook and stir over medium heat for 5 minutes or until heated through. Remove ribs. Discard cooking juices and vegetables.
3. Coat grill rack with nonstick cooking spray before starting the grill. Brush ribs with sauce. Grill, uncovered, over medium-low heat for 8-10 minutes or until browned, turning occasionally and brushing with remaining sauce
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chicken and rice.. in the a.m. throw chicken (either bone in or boneless will do though boneless is less hassle bone in is more tasty) garlic, salt, pepper and any other seasoning you choose and water in the crock pot and set it on low to med setting. cover the chicken by several inches with water. when you come home either take the chicken out and take it off the bone or chop it up if you used boneless. stir minute rice into the water and turn the heat to high. once the rice is cooked add a can of cream of mushroom and a can of cream of chicken soup undiluted and stir in chicken. heat through. this also freezes great for left overs or lunch later on in the week. fyi i use chicken stock in the place of water if i am not using bone in chicken.
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