30-minute meal #2

Tuna Casserole

It's not top choice cuisine, but it's simple, cheap, and will keep you from starving to death.  And it tastes pretty good too.

You need:
2 cans of tuna (drained)
1/2 bag of wide noodles (I use the wheat ones)
1/2 family-sized bag of frozen mixed veggies
1 can cream of chicken soup (mushroom or celery work well also)
milk (enough to fill the soup can)
8-10 crackers, crumbled
seasoned salt
black pepper
paprika
garlic powder

Boil a large pot of water and add frozen veggies and noodles.  Bring to a boil again and let cook on high until the noodles are done.  Turn off the heat and drain the noodle/veggie mix.  Add in tuna, soup, and milk.  Combine and season to taste.  Pour the mixture into a microwave safe dish with a lid.  Spread evenly in dish and spread cracker crumbs on top.  Sprinkle paprika on the casserole and cook in microwave on high for 5 minutes.  Let rest for 5 minutes, then serve and enjoy.

30-minute meal #1

Yesterday I posted a list of meals that could me made in 30 minutes or less.  Here is recipe #1.

1. Spaghetti
You will need:
1/2 pack spaghetti noodles
1 lb ground beef, turkey, or chicken
1 jar spaghetti sauce, flavor of your choice
Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp garlic (powder or chopped)
1-2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp parsley

Bring a large pot of water to boil and add spaghetti noodles.  Let boil for 8-10 minutes until cooked.  Set aside.
In a medium sized pot, brown ground beef (or turkey, chicken) until completely done.  If using ground beef, rinse and drain before continuing onto the next step.  Once meat is finished, add spaghetti sauce.  Add seasonings, sugar, garlic, and parsley.  Mix well and heat thoroughly.  Drain spaghetti noodles and add sauce to large pot.  Serve with garlic bread (which cooks in less than 10 minutes in the oven) and a tossed salad (bagged varieties take no time at all).  Meal #1 done.

30-minute meals

I had a discussion with my friend yesterday and she was lamenting about how much she eats out weekly. She mentioned she's often too tired to cook when she comes home from a long day at school. I asked her what she makes for dinner, she said something crazy like duck a l'orange. I pointed out her first problem is she's doing too much. Her second was she didn't have any go-to recipes she can make quickly. So here are ten 30-minute or less (includes prep time) meals anyone can make. I'll post individual recipes on the blog in the coming days.
1. Spaghetti. A staple in my household, spaghetti takes about as long to cook as it does to boil the noodles.
2. Tuna casserole. Another go-to meal...usually made when I'm low on time or food in the fridge.
3. Grilled chicken salad. It's as easy as throwing seasoned breasts on the George Foreman, cutting up lettuce (or using bagged), and adding croutons.
4. Jambalaya. The recipe is already on the Stew, but I'll repost later.
5. Tacos. Brown ground chicken or turkey, add seasonings, scoop into a shell, add toppings. Done.
6. Chili. Simple and spicy.
7. Hamburgers and fries. Make this meal healthier by using lean meat on the grill and serving with baked sweet potato fries.
8. Oven fried chicken tenders. These cook relatively quickly and go great with a side of fries.
9. Baked salmon with rice and vegetables. Bake the salmon, boil the rice, heat the veggies.
10. Sausage and potatoes. This is a budget friendly meal and pretty filling as leftovers until next payday.

I'll post recipes for each dish in the upcoming week. Enjoy!

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