Whether it”s football or soccer games, cheerleader or dance team practice, civic meetings or simply long days at the office, most families are on the run more often than they like. The frenetic pace often dooms family time around the table or kitchen counter.
The popularity of televised programs such as Rachel Ray”s “30-Minute Meals” on the Food Network, and cookbooks like “The Best 30 Minute Recipe” (America”s Test Kitchen, 2006) and Betty Crocker”s “30-Minute Meals for Diabetes” (2008) testify to our need for time-saving help.
If pasta with arugula and chorizo (a fresh sausage) that can be prepared in just 10 minutes, tasty chicken tacos in 20 minutes, or almond chicken you can have on the table in about half and hour sound like handy ideas for your household, read on for recipes gathered from speedy-meal sources.
Time-crunch tips
Your best bet for quick prep is to stick with simple, one-dish meals, advises AP Food Editor J.M. Hirsch. Some of his other tips include:
- Make friends with fresh pasta; it cooks in just minutes and has a wonderful texture.
- Fresh herbs taste best, but dried are faster
- Opt for veggies that need little or no prep.
- Meat that cooks quickly — or is already cooked — saves time and can add tons of flavor.
- If cheese will be melted or tossed in with other ingredients, get the shredded or crumbled varieties.
Dozens of rapid recipes can be found online at Web sources like family.go.com/food, fastrecipes.com, cdkitchens.com/recipes and 20minutesupperclub.com.
Enjoy — and make the most of the time you save.
FRESH PASTA WITH ARUGULA AND CHORIZO
Preparation: 10 minutes
Servings: Four
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Pinch red pepper flakes
8 to 9 ounces chopped or crumbled chorizo, casings removed
12-ounce package fresh linguini
3 cups arugula
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
- Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, in a large skillet over high, heat the oil. Add the garlic powder and red pepper flakes, then heat for 30 seconds. Add the chorizo and sauté until browned and crisp, about five minutes.
- Meanwhile, add the pasta to the water and cook until just al dente (still firm when bitten), about three minutes.
- Drain the pasta, then add it to the skillet with the chorizo. Toss well, then add the arugula and cheese. Toss again until the arugula is wilted and the cheese melts. Season with salt and pepper.
(Recipe from AP Food Editor, J.M. Hirsch)
CHICKEN TACOS
Preparation: 30 minutes
Servings: 12
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 cup minced onion
Two garlic cloves, minced
One serrano chili, minced
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 1/2 cups shredded, cooked chicken
Twelve flour tortillas
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic and chili and sauté until the onion has softened, about six minutes.
- Add the tomato sauce, cumin, and salt and continue to cook for one more minute. Add the chicken and cook until heated through, about two minutes.
- Taste, and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Serve in tortillas with toppings of your choice. Makes about 3-1/2 cups.
ALMOND TOPPED CHICKEN,/b>
Preparation: 30 minutes
Servings: Four
Four boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
5 tablespoons butter, divided
1/3 cup slivered almonds
3 tablespoons lemon juice
- In a skillet, cook chicken in 2 tablespoons of the butter until juices run clear, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a serving plate and keep warm.
- Add almonds and remaining butter to skillet; cook and stir just until almonds are lightly browned. Stir in lemon juice; heat through and spoon over chicken.
(Recipe from www.cdkitchens.com/recipes)
APPLE GLAZED PORK CHOPS
Preparation: 30 minutes
Servings: Four
1/2 cup apple jelly
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
Four 1-inch thick pork chops
Two small baking apples, cored and sliced
- Combine the first four ingredients in a saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally until the jelly melts. Keep warm.
- Place pork chops on a rack in a broiler pan. Broil 5 inches from heat, seven minutes on each side.
- Remove the pork chops from the oven and brush one side with jelly glaze and broil for three minutes. Flip and brush the other side with glaze; top with apple slices and drizzle with the remaining glaze. Broil three minutes
(Recipe from www.cdkitchen/recipes.)
Jan Swoope is the Lifestyles Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 44 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.