I can make dinner in less than 15 minutes

ra_mom

Wed, Jan 20 2010, 1:59 pm

Hashem_Yaazor wrote:

1. If you plan menus, you save time trying to figure out what to make and you avoid the defrosting issue.
2. Even if I forget to take out something the night before, I can put in a bowl of water in the fridge, and even partially frozen, it's still cookable...especially if I am cutting it; it makes it even easier to cut it up!
3. I never liked it when my family would microwave meat to defrost -- it always seemed to cook a bit on the sides.

Temilia

Wed, Jan 20 2010, 2:20 pm

No, I also make some of these meals and they take me longer than 15 minutes.

For example people are mentioning things like rice or vegetables.
I need to rinse and check my rice. add 5 minutes.
If I make a a salad-lettuce needs to be washed and checked-5 minutes, all vegetables need to be cut up-5 minutes and I need to make a dressing-1 minute
So it takes me 11 minutes to make a salad. plus five minutes to check rice.
Most of my dinners take 25 minutes but that includes the peeling, chopping checking, rinsing etc.
Whenever I see recipes that say they take 5 minutes but the ingredients call for sliced cucumbers and chopped tomatoes. I think
well of course that's why it takes 5 minutes if everything is chopped and peeled, all you have to do is mix.

So no Hashem loves me, you are not alone. Smile

Hashem_Yaazor

Wed, Jan 20 2010, 2:26 pm

Ok, I'll admit I only buy lettuce that does not need checking after I had too many bugs when checking ones without hashgacha. It's worth it to me. Also some of my salads will be israeli salads without lettuce...

There are simple ways to learn to cut veggies quickly. When I mentioned chopping up 3 carrots, I lined them up and cut them all at the same time.
A good knife helps tremendously.

I actually have dressing in my fridge -- I make a container and leave it there; that way my kids can use it to dip in baby carrots or what not for a snack and I have it available. I spent the time making it a different day...

joy613

Wed, Jan 20 2010, 2:30 pm

Temilia wrote:

Thanks Temilia ! so nice to know I have company.

I agree that some recipes sound like a cooking show (I used to watch those by my grandparents embarrassed

). Where the chef has all the ingredients totally ready, right in front of him. Each in its own section. and every dish just looks so simple to prepare.

You don't see him running back and forth to the fridge, peeling vegetables, discovering that his oil is finished and has to go get another one from the storage closet,etc...

baba

Wed, Jan 20 2010, 3:23 pm

Temilia wrote:

Maybe if you do it all at once, it will be much easier.
Sit down when you have time and check the entire bag of rice, then you dont have to do it every time you're cooking. Check all the lettuce, dry it in one of those lettuce dryers and put it in a zip lock bag (it'll stay good for at least a week). Make a big batch of salad dressing and store it in the fridge.

gryp

Wed, Jan 20 2010, 4:01 pm

Temilia wrote:

I'm with you on that.
It also depends on how many people you're cooking for. Cleaning one chicken sure takes shorter than cleaning 3.

jelibean

Wed, Jan 20 2010, 4:35 pm

This is an awesome thread!

Here's an easy family recipe that's tried and true. I hear the grumbles about cleaning chicken, I know, but here's a tip for skinning it quickly: Use a dry paper towel to yank off the skin in one fell swoop.

Garlic Chicken

Cut-up chicken
Sprinkle with salt and pepper, garlic powder, seasoned bread crumbs (until covered evenly with crumbs)
Drizzle oil (never tried olive, just canola) over chicken
Sprinkle with paprika

(My DH, who can cook but usually doesn't, made this once with turmeric instead of paprika and it was delish as well.)

Bake uncovered at 350 F or 180 C for at least an hour. We like our chicken well-done, so I usually give it a half hour extra.

Serve with steamed green beans from bag and whatever starchy side you choose. This chicken is great cold or warm.

Inspired

Wed, Jan 20 2010, 6:18 pm

kollel wife wrote:

I'm not sure if this is relevant to others, but I don't have a fleishik microwave. So nothing fleishiks can be made without defrosting first which doesn't have to add time to the 15 minutes, but requires being organized in advance. From reading all this I'm feeling I should buy another microwave, although I don't know where I'd put it.

Is it a normal procedure to defrost chicken/cutlets/chopped meat in the microwave - why does it seem unhealthy to me in some way.

By the way, chicken wings defrost pretty fast in water, and can then be pulled apart.

I also dont own a fleish microwave. I defrost overnight on the counter when its cool weather and during the day for part of the way on the counter when its warm and then in the fridge overnight. Never had a problem.

Ronit

Wed, Jan 20 2010, 6:40 pm

Last nights dinner was good, & didn't take more than 15 minutes. Note: I cook for 3-4 people.

Pastrami chicken rollups:
1. Combine mustard, honey & mayonaise in a bowl.
2. Flatten chicken breast & smear w/ mustard mixture.
3. Lay pastrami slices on top & roll up.
4. Transfer to pan & pour spicy duck sauce on top

Smashed potatoes:
1. Place water, fresh garlic & unpeeled red potatoes (cut n 4) in a pot.
2. When it's cooked drain, add salt & a raw egg & mash.

Asparagus with honey mustard dressing:
1. Add dill cube, parsley cube, & chopped walnuts to the honey mustard mixture from the chicken.
2. Serve over defrosted chopped asparagus.

gryp

Wed, Jan 20 2010, 6:45 pm

Inspired wrote:

kollel wife wrote:

No microwaves here either. I do the same. The key is advance planning.
Anyway, I don't think it's good for the meat (ie, bacteria) to be defrosted in a microwave or in hot water.

qtwife

Wed, Jan 20 2010, 8:05 pm

Sloppy Joes:
Sautee Onion
Put in the meat
Rub in 2 Carrots
Tomatoe Sauce
Spritz in Ketchup
Add spices and 3 TB Sugar
cook for half hour on low flame
Serve on Burger Bun w/ Sauce

Sauce:
Mayo
Duck Sauce
BBQ Sauce
Squirt Ketchup
Squirt Mustard

Grilled Chicken w/ Mushrooms:
Marinate chicken in equal amount oil,soy sauce Honey spices and a drop of sugar
grill on Goerge Foreman

Minute Steak:
Slice Onions
Place minute steak on top
pour over BBQ Sauce or Duck Sauce or a mixture of both
Put Cut up Potatoe in the Bekala
Bake on 350 for 3 Hours HEAVEN!!!

TzenaRena

Wed, Jan 20 2010, 8:23 pm

1.First course: Breaded Tilapia , adapted two different recipes from Quick and Kosher, using my preferred ingredients ie. leaving out all the frills. No crushed nuts, squeezed lemons etc.

Dip fish in mayonaise preparation: thin the mayo with water and lemon juice. then coat with bread crumbs. drizzle with olive oil and soy sauce. Broil at "low" setting in my parve oven. This was quick to prepare, and quick to bake. And delicious.

boiled or steamed zuchinni to accompany the fish.(peeled and sliced )

2. Second course:
while the fish was baking, I prepared chicken cabbage soup.
saute an onion, soak, wash, and check cabbage leaves. (1/2 cabbage), and sautee, add tomato sauce, tomato juice and water and bring to a boil, and add ground chicken balls, which are a quick to prepare. mixture: 1 lb. ground chicken, an egg, a chopped onion, some breadcrumbs, a bit of water, spices to taste. Boil till cabbage is soft, and chicken balls are done.

3. My kids peeled and chopped cucumbers and tomatoes for salad.

4. Baked butternut squash in fleishig countertop conv. oven. (Just scrub clean, cut open, remove seeds and bake in oven.)

That was the combination, although I will usually not serve both fish and chicken in a weekday meal . It happened to be that our married kids came over, dd's friend was studying with her, and I had no idea what to make with "nothing in the house" and no time to shop. Miraculously the freezer yielded forgotten treasures that I had BH not had enough time to use before last Shabbos. Very Happy

(Yes,the fish and chicken had to be defrosted in their respective ovens Wink

)

shanie5

Wed, Jan 20 2010, 10:29 pm

Hashem_Yaazor wrote:

Well last night I sauteed ground beef, added in a can of tomato sauce, a can of water, a diced tomato, spices like oregano and onion powder and chili powder, macaroni, a can of beans that had been sitting in my pantry for way too long (I got it as a backup when we had a bean infestation for cholent), and cooked it covered for about 15 minutes on low, stirring every so often...

The night before I served a pumpkin soup with chickpeas (I used canned pumpkin leftover from making muffins), tuna burgers, and scalloped potatoes...I cut up the potatoes while the burgers fried on my non-stick griddle.

Sunday night I made chicken soup without the soup and served it with leftover chicken soup and lukshen from Shabbos: Cut up chicken cutlets into bite sized pieces, sauteed it while I peeled and cut 3 carrots, a sweet potato, a stalk of celery, and 2 potatoes into chunks and threw them in when the chicken was done. (I forgot the onion I was going to put in). Sprinkled in a lot of dill, and sauteed it for a couple of minutes while I got a cup or so of soup and poured it in. Covered and let simmer for a half hour, stirring twice in the middle.

Thursday night I made a mushroom barley beef soup that I cooked in the crockpot while I was at work so I could cook for Shabbos when I came home. It was very filling with enough meat and barley and mushrooms and onions and carrots in it to be an entire supper.

Last Weds. night I made homemade pizza. Dough took 5 minutes to make (I have posted the recipe before). A few minutes to roll out. Used canned pizza sauce. Chopped up veggies and used some frozen (like broccoli which I only buy frozen), and so it probably took 5 minutes to assemble it as well. 15 minutes prep time, 15 minutes baking time.

Last Tues. night was tacos like others mentioned -- brown meat, season (I also put in some tomato sauce), make rice as well for stuffing it, and put salad in.

Last Monday night I and my kids ate at my in-laws (before they left for E"Y), so I just made some ziti for my husband. If I was eating it as well, I would make a vegetable or salad on the side as well, but I knew he wouldn't touch it.

Last Sun. night was a stir fry with chicken, broccoli, garlic cloves sliced, and cashews. I seasoned with seasoned salt and paprika, put in a splash of orange juice and let it simmer out. I made turmeric rice on the side (sautee rice for a bit, add water and spices you usually use + turmeric to make it "fancy" and cook as regular)...

Can u post your recipes for pumpkin soup and mushroom barley beef soup please.........

NewYorkgal31

Wed, Jan 20 2010, 11:05 pm

pobody's nerfect

"Philly Sandwiches
An all-time fave in our house!

1 package flip steak or pepper steak
1 onion
1 green pepper (optional. DH hates this part so I leave it out)
1 clove garlic, chopped, or the equivalent from the jar
salt & pepper or steak seasoning
buns or hoagie rolls

Saute all ingredients together until soft and cooked through. Spoon onto sliced rolls. We like to then add some pareve Caesar dressing, in place of the usual cheese. Delish! "

I made this tonight it was really good except the steak came out a little tough. can u give me some tips for it to come out softer and juicer as my DH says lol! thanx!!

pobody's nerfect

Wed, Jan 20 2010, 11:09 pm

NewYorkgal31 wrote:

try cooking it on a low flame for longer