cuisine
easy weekday meals
easy does it
Deciding what to fix for dinner every night (and then actually making it)
can be a major chore. It needs to be easy and quick; it needs to be
economical; it has to be delicious. Try these easy weeknight dinner
recipes that hit all three marks.
Nacho Chicken Casserole
Using rotisserie chicken in this spicy,
cheesy dish is a huge time saver.
Asian Beef with Noodles
Savory and satisfying, this dish calls for
just a few ingredients.
Ingredients:
-1/4 pounds ground beef
1
2 packages (3 oz. each) Orientalflavored instant ramen noodles,
broken up
2 cups frozen vegetable mixture, such
as broccoli, carrots, red peppers
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
2 tablespoons thinly sliced scallions
Method:
Heat large nonstick skillet over medium
heat until hot. Add Ground Beef; cook
8 to 10 minutes, breaking into 3/4-inch
crumbles and stirring occasionally.
Remove from skillet with slotted spoon;
season with one seasoning packet from
noodles. Pour off drippings.
Place noodles in skillet. Add vegetable
mixture, 2 cups water, ginger and
remaining seasoning packet; bring to
a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer
3 minutes or until noodles are tender,
stirring occasionally. Return beef to
skillet; heat through. Stir in green onion.
Recipe and image courtesy of
beefitswhatsfordinner.com
Hint:
Fabulous Frit tata
A frittata (just a thicker, baked version
of an omelet) is a protein-packed,
one-dish wonder. Start with this basic
frittata recipe, and then feel free to add
whatever add-in ingredients you like.
Serve it with a simple green salad on the
side, or if your family needs some meat,
grill some smoked turkey sausage.
Ingredients:
2 cups shredded cooked chicken
1 ½ cups taco skillet sauce (we love
Frontera brand) or enchilada sauce
½ cup sour cream
¼ cup milk
1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
About half a regular size bag of tortilla
chips
½ cup sliced black olives (optional)
½ cup sliced scallions (optional)
Method:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Ingredients:
8 large eggs
½ cup whole milk
1 tablespoon butter
Salt and pepper to taste
¾ to 1 cup chopped veggies of your
choosing
1 - 1½ cups of cheese of your choosing
Combine the sour cream and milk in a
bowl; set aside.
Method:
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
In a skillet or saucepan, cook the
cooked chicken with the skillet sauce or
enchilada sauce on medium low heat or
until warmed through.
Mix eggs, milk, half of your cheese and
salt and pepper in a bowl.
With a spoon, spread a bit of just the
sauce on the bottom of 9 x 13 casserole
dish. Then add a layer of tortilla chips.
Next, add a layer of chicken and sauce.
Drizzle 1/3 to ½ of the sour cream
mixture over the chicken and top with
½ of the olives. Top it all with cheese
and repeat the layers once, ending with
cheese on top. Bake for 20 minutes or
until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Top with scallions.
Melt the butter in a large, ovenproof
skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté
your veggies in the butter until wilted
and soft (2 to 3 minutes depending on
the veggie). Pour the egg mixture over
the veggies and let cook without stirring
for two minutes to set. Transfer the
skillet to the oven and cook for about 25
minutes. Top with the remaining cheese
and cook for 5 more minutes, or until
the cheese is melted. Cut into wedges
and serve.
Whenever rotisserie chickens are on special, buy a bunch and pull off the meat. Toss the skin and
divide the meat into approximately 1-cup servings. Place each serving in a freezer-safe zip-top bag,
and you’ll have cooked chicken at your fingertips for salads, soups and casseroles.
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