Just married... Any fairly easy recipes to share?

Question

I have been married only 2 months. I am a pretty good cook, but I just don't know all that many recipes that I can work with! I was just wondering if anyone had any recipes they could share with me that are not too time consuming (no more than 2 hours to make or so... minus marinating) and consist of (perferably) chicken, beef, or pork? Besides that, I am open to almost anything! Just throw some ideas at me please! I'm finding i am cooking the same things over and over agian!

Oh when I meant 2 hours, I didn't mean I was going to prep for two hours, just including the cooking time...lol because it takes 1 and 1/2 hours to bake a whole chicken, I didn't want to wait around all day for something to bake. Thanks!

Answer 1

Two hours....!?!??! Wowser... You got way more time on your hands than me! Since you have time to spend on it, though, I recommend recipes.com. Or, if you're very health conscious, cookinglight.com. Cooking Light, in particular, has some of those recipes that you might find at really nice bistros. I just never have the time to make them! Good luck!

Answer 2

Chicken or pork chops are good just baked with BBQ sauce added the last 30 minutes. Turn over after 15 minutes, and add more BBQ sauce and cook 15 more minutes.

Beef cut into thin strips can be baked or cooked in the skillet (but not fried, just use oil spray), and served over rice.

Chicken breast meat boiled while boiling Reames or store-brand frozen noodles, then cut up and add the chicken in the last 10 minutes of cooking the noodles. If you are not watching sodium, you can use chicken bouillon to flavor the noodles while cooking.

Congratulations on your marriage. And, remember, he can do some of the cooking as well, or at least ask him to do the cleanup.

Answer 3

Stuffed Eggplant

(pretty yummy even if you don't like eggplant)

1 whole egplant
6 medium sized tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1 large onion (or 2 small), chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 cup grated cheese (cheddar or mozarella are fine)
2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
blank pepper


METHOD

Pre-heat oven to 350. Cut eggplant in half lengthwise and scoop out insides, which you put aside. Bake the eggplant shells for about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, chop the reserved eggplant insides into small pieces. Heat a large skillet or saucepan and add olive oil. Sautee chopped onions until they begin to turn transparent. Lower flame, add chopped tomatoes and eggplant and cover pot. Let simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. When the ingredients start to really mix together as eggplant softens, add parsley, parmesan and black pepper to taste.

When eggplant mixture is complete, scoop into shells and top with grated cheese. Bake for another 10 minutes at 350.

You may vary this recipe in many ways. I have added or replaced the vegetables (carrots, celery, small cubes of pumpkin or squash, canned kernel corn, fresh mushrooms are lovely). You could also brown some minced beef or chopped boneless chicken, pork or mutton (seasoned lightly) with the onions at the beginning for a really hearty dish which you can serve with rice. A glass of red wine is always nice as well.

Answer 4

Okay- here's a fewI have a good recipe for Vermiglio Chicken. It's easy and you can determine how much you want to make. There are no strict measurements- use as much as you want and pick which chicken parts (breasts, drumsticks, & thighs... or a wholechicken, cut up. They should have skin attatched to keep it juicy- If you like, you can loosen the skin and season under it and remove the skin altogether after roasting. The same seasoning can be used for a whole chicken, too.

VERMIGLIO CHICKEN
Chicken pieces (see above)
Wine vinegar
Garlic powder
Salt & pepper
Oregano or basil

preheat oven to 375.
Rinse chicken and pat dry with paper towels. Arrange in an oven-proof dish. Sprinkle with vinegar, then spices. Bake in the oven until meat is about 180 degrees and juices run clear (varies, but about an hour) Baste about 1/2 way- more if you think it needs it. I don't eat the skin, but my husband does and it's better crisp, so don't baste after the 1/2way mark if you save the skin. Don't overcook.

And to go with it...

GARLIC PARMESAN RICE
Fix some rice- brown or white(not instant or converted). Cook according to directions, adding a scant (small) teaspoon or so of chicken boullion for every cup of water you use. Omit salt. After the rice has cooked, lightly mix in butter or margarine, garlic (powder or diced) and Parmesan cheese. Don't stir too much or the rice will be gummy. Try this on tortellini and pasta, too. Kids love it on rotini.
Another recipe is for Italian sausage and grapes. Again, you determine how much.

BAKED SAUSAGE
Italian Sausage (mild or hot)
Seedless grapes ( I like black grapes for this. Red are ok too- don't use green)
Balsamic vinegar
Prick sausages and put in microwave-safe bowl or, if using stovetop, a saucepan. Add water to cover. Bring to boil & parboil about 5 minutes in microwave, 15 mins. on stove. This will cook out some of the grease. Meanwhile heat oven to 400 degrees.
Arrange grapes in bottom of an oven proof dish. Top with the sausages and sprinkle with vinegar. Bake about 1/2 hr or until sausages are 180 degrees.

The grapes are very good this way (!)- even my meat & potatoes husband likes them. Try some of the more gourmet sausages, too.

How about this-

PORK CHOPS De MOTTAI
Thin sliced boneless pork chops( or pound boneless chops)
Flour to dredge the chops
garlic powder
A lemon, or fresh lemon juice (about 1/2 cup?)
A little olive oil
A little butter
a little wine- A splash?1/4 cup? It depends on how much you make/like. Add a little at a time and taste.(wine is optional- I use it if I have some leftover. White is good, but it doesn't matter. Don't use cooking wine- too salty.)

Turn on the oven to Warm- You will keep the chops on an ovenproof dish as you finish with them.
Add garlic powder to the flour- about 1/2- 1 tsp. for every cup of flour
Put the flour in a large plastic storage bag (easy) or in a dish such as a pie dish (messier)
Dredge the chops completely in the flour and, 2 or 3 at a time, saute them in the olive oil over med. heat. They'll cook quickly. Let them get light brown on each side and remove them to the dish in the oven- keep as separate as you can so they stay a little crisp on the edge. When all the chops are done and in the oven, lower the heat under the pan and add some butter and wine , stirring up brown bits. If you use margarine and no wine, you'll have to use a little oil, too, so the sauce stays more liquid. Add the lemon juice and remove from the heat. Serve the chops with the lemon sauce over it.

I hope these appeal to you. I sent these to my sister when she got married (she is not by any stretch a cook) and she wrote back how much they liked them ,blah, blah blah, and how easy they were...her husband had no trouble making them at all!!! You might also look into
savingdinner.com
It is a subscription service that gives you weekly menus (and grocery lists!) and will save you time and hassle. They have different options and they're reasonably priced.

Answer 5

Chicken Ritz Casserole

Ingredients:
5-6 chicken breasts, cooked
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cheddar broccoli soup
about 1/4 soup can of milk
1-1/2 c. sour cream
2 c. cooked minute rice (1 c. prior to cooking)
dash salt and pepper
30 to 40 Ritz crackers, crumbled
Butter
Cooking Instructions:
Cook chicken and remove chicken from bone and cut up. Place chicken in casserole dish. Mix together remaining ingredients. Pour mixed ingredients over chicken. Top with crushed Ritz crackers; dot with butter. Bake at 350F. for 45 mins.


Garlic Chicken Breasts with Brown Sugar
This is so easy and very good!
Tbs oil
6 or more garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbs brown sugar
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts

Preheat the oven to 500F.

Heat the oil over medium heat, add the minced garlic and cook slowly, stirring constantly, until softened. Make sure the oil is not too hot. You don't want to brown the garlic and it can get to that point quickly if you're not careful.

Take it off the heat after 5 minutes or so and add the brown sugar and stir it in.

Line a shallow roasting pan with foil and spread oil across the foil. Lay your boneless skinless chicken breasts across it, spread the garlic/oil/brown sugar mix across the chicken. Bake for 15 minutes, or until done.



Beef Stroganoff Soup
1/4 C. butter

1 lb. tenderloin tips cubed

2 cloves garlic minced

12 oz. mushrooms sliced

1 large onion diced

1 C. shredded carrots

1 pint of water

1 T. beef base

Roux made of 1/2 C. butter and 1/2 C. flour

salt and pepper

1 pint of whipping cream

1/2 C. sour cream

1/4 C. chopped chives

In a 5 qt. pot, melt the butter and add tips, garlic. Cook until meat is browned, about 5 minutes.

Add mushrooms and onions. Saute until onion is translucent.

Add carrots, water, beef base, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes.

Make roux by melting butter and add flour to it. Stir until smooth and cook 2 minutes. Gradually add to soup, stirring all the time. Add whipping cream and taste to adjust seasonings. Remove from heat and add sour cream.

Ladle soup into bowls and top with chives.

Makes 6 - 8 servings.

Answer 6

My hubby works 14-16hours a day and gets home at various times. So I also have to be able to fix quick dinners. One that he asks for several times a week is chicken tacos. It only takes about 10 minutes total to prepare. I buy pre-cut potatos. I poke holes in the bag and stick it in the microwave for 6 minutes. I then take pre-cut, pre-cooked, frozen chicken(i use tyson) and heat it in a skillet for about 5 minutes(till it is heated through) then add a can of Glory red beans and rice. Then put the potatoes. Heat for about 1 more minute. Place on tortillas with taco sauce and fixings. Since I have started working nights this is one of the best meals I can make.

Answer 7

This is such an easy recipe and quick.

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup chopped nuts (pistachios are the best)!!
salt and pepper

Wash chicken and pat dry.
Mix nuts salt & pepper in a ziploc bag.
Shake chicken pieces in mixture to coat evenly.

Put extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet and fry until chicken
is golden brown on both sides. Temperature should be 175.

You can use this as an entree or let chicken cool, and use in
salads.

It's really delicious.

Congratulations on your marriage.

Answer 8

Check out www.recipezaar.com. Full of great recipes and reviews. I always find a winner. Warning, it can be addictive. You'll spend 15 minutes cooking and the rest of the two hours surfing the site!

Answer 9

One recipe that I taught my three girls that is easy and they love to make is:

Take about a pound of ground beef and add any spices you like.
Make into patties and fry in a pan.
Remove patties from pan and drain fat.
Take a can of cream of mushroom soup and a half to 3/4 can of milk and stir together in the pan with the drippings until well mixed.
Put patties back into pan covering with the soup, cover and let simmer until everything is hot.

Serve over cooked egg noodles.

Hope that helps.

Answer 10

My Grandmothers Family Famous

Upside down cake

1 box of white cake mix
1 can of cherry filling
1 can of crushed pineapple
4 table spoons of butter

Preheat oven to 375

Mix or blend cherries and pineapples and pour into a small square glass cooking pan, pour cake mix ontop of the gooey red mixture
put 4 tablespoons of butter on each side of the pan and put in the over for about 35 minutes.

Story Behind this dish: My Grandma who passed away two years ago use to make this dish for Christmas, and for my Birthdays MMMM I still make it and remember my Grandma

Please let Betty's Dump Cake live on in your family as it has in mine and may my Grandma smile down on you while you cook it to give it her own special touch!