In today’s busy world cooking is becoming a nuisance in our lives rather than the joy it should be. With both spouses working the time is just not there to prepare meals that take a lot of preparation time beforehand. Fast food takeouts are becoming more prevalent in many homes and the basics of nutrition and healthy eating are falling by the wayside. The following recipes are simple and best of all fast. Preparation time is a quick 15 minutes and cooking time 30 minutes or less. The food is healthy, low-fat and delicious. Leftovers, if there are any, will keep for 3 days in the fridge.
Quick Bake Chicken
Ingredients:
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (one per person)
- 1 lb of pre-sliced mushrooms
- 1 lb bag of washed baby carrots
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 sweet red pepper seeded and cut into strips.
- 1 can of cream of mushroom soup
- 1 can of water
Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees F.
In a medium sized skillet put 1 cup of water, the mushrooms, pepper strips, carrots and chopped onion. Cook for 10 minutes or until the onion and peppers are soft. While they are cooking spray a baking dish with Pam or other spray oil. Pour in the cream of mushroom soup and the ½ can of water. Mix well. When the mushroom mix is done pour it all into the baking dish and mix well. Add the boneless, skinless chicken breast. Flip them a few times to coat. Bake for 30 minutes. Serve with rice or noodles and a pre-mixed salad.
Total cooking and prep time in the kitchen is about 45 minutes or less.
Easy Bake Pork Chops with Apples
Ingredients:
- 1 thick chop per person (about ½ inch) or more
- 2 Delicious apples cored and diced, skin left on
- 1 teaspoon of freshly grated ginger or ¼ teaspoon of powdered ginger
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 bag of frozen Oriental Style vegetables (Arctic Garden)
- 1 potato per person, scrubbed with skin on
- Apple juice
Directions:
- Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Spray a baking dish with Pam or other oil spray. Arrange pork chops in the dish so they don’t overlap. Sprinkle with the ginger, salt and pepper. Throw the diced apple on top of the pork chops. Pour enough apple juice over the top to just cover the pork chops. Bake in the oven for 35 minutes. You can add more juice if it gets too low.
- Scrub the potatoes, prick several times with a fork and put on the oven rack around the baking dish. You want a medium sized potato smaller than your closed fist. Check the potatoes half way through cooking.
- While the pork chops and potatoes are baking, tear open the bag of veggies and put into a pot with about 2 inches of water. Cover and steam on a medium to low heat setting for about 12 minutes. They should be crisp tender.
- Serve all hot. Prep and cook time is about 45 minutes or less.
NOTES: You can now buy frozen, peeled potatoes that cook quickly. They mash quite well and for potato lovers they provide a quick easy way to have potatoes without a lot of work.
Instant Rice is a bonus and takes only 10 minutes to prepare.
Fresh noodles cook faster and have a much nicer flavour than dry noodles. They usually are found in the cooler section of your grocery either with the meat or the vegetables.
Heather O'Neil - Published poet, children's book author, mixed media artist and retired newspaper columnist. I am also the sole owner/operator of O'Neil ...
