Anyone Can Find Time to Cook….Anything
If you are ordering in too often or standing in the kitchen the time you should be setting the table for dinner, wondering what you’re going to cook, here’s some help.
There are online resources, such as this one, that are all geared to help out with the dinner ideas, but how about having them delivered right to you inbox. Even here at Earthly Eating you can sign up for email updates when you want them quick and fast without clicking through webpage after webpage looking for what it is you are wanting to cook or even get ideas on how to cook a certain meal. Here’s a list of a few that can help lead you in the right direction.
1. Cooknik: Cost $15 for six months for five menus a week. This service from allrecipes offers five-star entrées and side dishes, plus prep tips. Each recipe is quick or has a do-ahead idea that helps you cut even more time out of dinner preparing. One meal each week is vegetarian, one helps feed a crowd of eight and can be cut back for fewer people, or you can either make the whole eight serving size and keep the left over for lunches or weekend meal plans.
Sample Recipe from Cooknik: Chicken Parmigianino
Prep time and cook time: 35 minutes
Makes 6 servings
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3/4 cup panko bread crumbs
3/4 cup Parmigianino Reggiano cheese, freshly grated
2 large egg(s), beaten
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups prepared marinara sauce
1 fresh mozzarella ball, sliced
coarse salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1/4 cup Italian parsley, chopped, for garnish
Place the chicken breasts on a cutting board in between two sheets of plastic wrap. Using a mallet, pound chicken thin. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
Combine breadcrumbs and cheese in a shallow bowl. Dip the chicken in the beaten egg, then dredge in the breadcrumb mixture, turning to coat both sides.
Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Place the chicken in the skillet (you might have to do in batches, or use two skillets) and cook until golden, 3 minutes per side. Spread the marinara sauce onto the bottom of a baking dish. Preheat the broiler.
Transfer the chicken pieces to the baking dish, placing them on top of the sauce. Top each chicken piece with slices of fresh mozzarella. Broil about 4 inches from the heat until the sauce is hot, cheese is melted and chicken is cooked through, about 5 to 8 minutes. Garnish with parsley and serve.
2. Saving Dinner: Cost $18 for six months for six menus a week. Choose from 12 different menus, like ones that are heart healthy or weight conscious. Your membership also includes a shopping list, nutrition values, pre-prep tips and even side dish ideas to make ahead or prepare at the same time. Each recipe idea they give you takes less than 20 minutes to make and prepare. There is also directions on freezing and reheating to even help more.
Sample recipe from Saving Dinner: Cuban Pork
PREP TIME 1 Hr 30 Min
COOK TIME 15 Min
1 1/2 pounds boneless pork chops
1 pint water to cover
1 lime, juiced
1 sprig fresh thyme
8 black peppercorns
1 tablespoon garlic powder, or to taste
1 tablespoon onion powder
salt to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
1 lime, juiced
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
In a large saucepan, combine water, juice of one lime, thyme sprig, peppercorns, garlic powder, onion powder and salt. Bring mixture to a boil. Add pork chops, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until meat is very tender. Add more water as necessary to keep chops covered.
Turn off heat and let the chops rest in the broth for 30 minutes. Remove chops from broth and shred, removing excess fat; set aside.
In a large frying pan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the shredded pork and fry until it is almost crisp, about 5 minutes. Add the onion and garlic and continue to cook until the onion is just tender yet slightly crisp, about 10 minutes more. Add the juice of one lime, mix though and toss with cilantro. Serve and enjoy.
3. Six O’Clock Scramble: Recipes are geared toward people who want a healthy meal but don’t want to spend that much time thinking about it. Each recipe takes about 20-30 minutes to prepare. A lot of the recipes have 10 or less ingredients in the list as well.
Sample recipe from Six O’clock Scramble: Risotto With Mushrooms And Sausage
Serves 6
Cooking Spray
3 tbsp olive oil plus more for brushing
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 lb Italian sausage (your choice, hot or sweet)
Salt and Pepper
1 onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, chopped (or 1 tbsp jar chopped garlic)
1 green pepper, ribs removed, seeded and chopped
1 lb mixed mushrooms, thinly sliced (variety your preference)
2 cups Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
4 cups simmering chicken stock
3 tbsp butter
3/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese (or Parmigiano-Reggiano)
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
3 tbsp basil, julienned
2 tbsp rosemary, finely chopped
Spray grill rack well with cooking spray, and preheat grill to medium-high. Brush chicken and sausage well with olive oil. Season chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. Prick holes in sausage casing with a fork. Grill chicken and sausage until well browned and cooked through. Drain on paper towels. When cool enough to handle, cut into slices. Set aside.
In a large saucepan, heat 3 tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, green pepper and mushrooms. Cook until onion is translucent, but not brown. Add rice, stirring constantly, and cook 5 minutes more, making sure rice does not brown. Add wine, stirring constantly, and let totally evaporate. When wine is evaporated, begin adding stock 1/2 cup at a time, letting each addition evaporate before adding the next addition.
After fourth addition of stock is added, begin tasting rice. Rice should be al dente when done. You need to keep tasting rice, because, depending on rice, you may or may not have to use all of the stock. Add chicken and sausage after fourth addition of stock is absorbed.
After last addition of stock is absorbed, remove from heat, and stir in butter, Romano, parsley, basil and rosemary. Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.
Note: If you don’t have access to a grill, you can sauté the chicken and sausage, or roast in the oven.
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Earthly Eating Recipe
Southern Apple Pie
Serves: 12
For the pie filling:
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
6 cups apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
1 cup dark raisins
2 unbaked, ready-made 9-inch pie crusts
For the Glaze:
1 large egg, beaten
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place 9-inch pie crust into deep-dish pie plate.
Combine brown sugar, granulated sugar, flour, lemon peel, cinnamon and nutmeg into a large bowl. Mix well.. Add apples into sugar mixture; stir until coated. Stir in raisins. Spoon into prepared pie crust.
Place pie crust on top of filling. Trim edges, pressing against edge of pan. Using a sharp knife, cut steam vents in pie crust. To glaze, lightly brush crust with beaten egg. Sprinkle with sugar.
Bake until crust is golden brown- 35 to 40 minutes. Place on wire rack and cool for 30 minutes.
Happy Eating!
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