Goddess Magazine Stories/Articles

Quick Recipes that are Sure to Please (June/July 2012)

You have last minute guests making a surprise visit at seven. It's almost four now. You can't just serve them chips and dips; you're going to have to run down the street to the supermarket and get supplies for a dinner, but you don't have enough time to prepare a huge, thought-out spread.

We all love food, but what do we do when we are in a bind, especially in this era, where time is of the essence and we fight to make the most of it? Well, I've compiled a few appetizing, quick meal ideas, ranging from Chicken Pot Pie to Lobster Tail, just add your favorite side dished to them. They are sure to please and leave you and your guests' bellies full!

Quick & Easy Chicken Pot Pit

Serves: 6

Preparation Time: 5 min (Yes, you read correctly!)

Cooking Time: 37 min

Ingredients:

2 (10-3/4-ounce) cans cream of broccoli or chicken soup, not diluted

1 cup milk

¼ tsp dried thyme

¼ tsp black pepper

1(16-ounce) package frozen chopped mixed veggies of your choice

2 cups cubed cooked rotisserie chicken

1 (12-ounce) can refrigerated biscuits

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F

In an ungreased, 9 X 13 baking dish, combine first 4 ingredients. Top with vegetables, then chicken.

Bake 15 minutes then remove from oven.

Cut each biscuit into 4 pieces then arrange over chicken. Bake 22 more minutes, or until biscuits are golden. Cool for 10 minutes and serve.

Chili Bread Bowl

Serves: 8

Cooking Time: 40 min

Ingredients:

2 lbs. ground beef

1 tsp minced garlic

1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes

2 (15-ounce) cans red kidney beans (do not drain)

1 ounce envelope onion soup mix

3 tbsp chili powder

8 Kaiser rolls

Directions:

In a large pot, combine the ground beef and garlic over medium-high heat, and brown for 10 minutes.

Add the crushed tomatoes, kidney beans, onion soup mix and chili powder. Mix well and bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to low, and simmer 30 minutes.

While it simmers, cut a 1 ½ inch circle off the top of each roll and remove bread circles. Reserve circles to serve with chili for dunking. Hollow out rolls, leaving ½ inch of bread around sides, creating bowls.

Place bread bowls on plates and spoon chili into them, allowing chili to overflow.

Beefy Stir Fry

Serves: 6

Ingredients:

1 tbsp sesame oil

1 ½ lbs beef flank steak, cut into thin strips

½ lb fresh snow peas

1 large red bell pepper, cut into ¼ inch strips

2 tbsp minced garlic

1 tbsp grated fresh ginger

3 tbsp light soy sauce

½ tsp black pepper

2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds (Toast the sesame seeds by placing them in a small, non-stick skillet, turning frequently over low heat until golden.

Directions:

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add steak strips and saute 2 to 3 minutes, or until browned. Remove steak and set aside.

Add snow peas, bell pepper, garlic, and ginger to skillet. Saute 4 to 5 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.

Add soy sauce, black pepper, and browned sesame seeds to skillet. Return steak to skillet and simmer 2 to 3 minutes, stirring until completely mixed and heated through.

Why get take-out if you can make and serve in half the time it takes for delivery?!

Almost Lobster Tail

Serves: 2

Cooking Time: 25 min

Ingredients:ick

2 tbsp ,melted butter

¼ tsp paprika

1/8 tsp salt

1/8 tsp black pepper

2 (6-ounce) Monkfish fillets (found in most grocery stores and fish markets)

1 tbsp. plain bread crumbs

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F

In a small bowl, combine butter, paprika, salt, and pepper; mix well. Place fish on a baking sheet and brush evenly with butter mixture. Sprinkle bread crumbs evenly down center of fish fillets.

Bake 15 to 17 minutes, or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Serve immediately.

Easy peasy, right? Take that Rachel Ray!