easy but tasty meal?

Question

I'm not an experienced cook by no means. I'm a single female who has lived alone for awhile, so when I do cook, it's quick stuff here and there just for me. However, I am planning on cooking a dinner for my family this weekend, and need some easy but tasty ideas. Your help is appreciated!

Answer 1

quesadillas are good, easy, and really quick to make. also, if you have a goerge foreman grill, you can make chicken, meat, even seafood really quick on it

Answer 2

Cracker Barrel Chicken And Dumplings Recipe








Chicken and Broth

3 quarts water
1 3-4 pound chicken cut up
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 small onion sliced
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 clove garlic, peeled and quartered
1 bay leaf
4-6 whole parsley leaves
1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Dumplings

2 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoons of salt
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk

1. Bring the water to a boil in a large pot. Add the chicken, 1 teaspoon of salt, onion, celery, garlic, bay leaf, and parsley to the pot. Reduce the heat to simmer and cook the chicken, uncovered, for 2 hours. The liquid will reduce by about one third.

2. When the chicken has cooked, remove it from the pot and set it aside. Strain the stock to remove all the vegetables and floating scum. You only want the stock and the chicken, so toss everything else out.

3. Pour 1 1/2 quarts (6 cups) of the stock back into the pot (keep the leftover stock, if any, for another recipe-it can be frozen). You may also want to use a smaller pot or a large saucepan for this. Add coarsely ground pepper, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and the lemon juice, then reheat the stock over medium heat while preparing the dumplings.

4. For dumplings, combine the flour, baking powder, 1 1/4 teaspoons salt, and milk in a medium bowl. Stir well until smooth, then let the dough rest for 5-10 minutes. Roll the dough out onto a floured surface to about a 1/2 inch thickness.

5. Cut the dough into 1/2 inch squares and drop each square into the simmering stock. Use all of the dough. The dumplings will first swell and then slowly shrink as they partially dissolve to thicken the stock into a white gravy. Simmer for 20-30 minutes until thick. Stir often.

6. While the stock is thickening, the chicken will have become cool enough to handle. Tear all the meat from the bones and remove the skin. Cut the chicken meat into bite-size or a little bigger than bite-size pieces and drop them into the pot. Discard the skin and bones. Continue to simmer the chicken and dumplings for another 5-10 minutes, but don't stir too vigorously or the chicken will shred and fall apart. You want big chunks of chicken in the end.

7. When the gravy has reached the desired consistency, ladle four portions onto plates and serve hot. Serve with your choice of steamed vegetables, if desired.

My daughter-in-law made this, and it tastes just like what is served at Cracker Barrel restaurants.
She only cooks easy meals, and this one was yummy.
Even easier: Instead of preparing the dumpling dough, she used canned bicuit dough, broke off gobs, and put them in the pot. I couldn't tell the difference, and I make great chicken and dumplings.
Hope you try this one.....

Answer 3

Here is a very easy, impressive dish that uses store bought elements, and can be prepared by anyone! Here you go:

PASTA CHICKEN FLORENTINE

INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into strips
2 cups fresh spinach leaves
1 (4.5 ounce) package dry Alfredo sauce mix
2 tablespoons pesto
1 (8 ounce) package dry penne pasta
1 tablespoon grated Romano cheese
DIRECTIONS
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add garlic, saute for 1 minute; then add chicken and cook for 7 to 8 minutes on each side. When chicken is close to being cooked through (no longer pink inside), add spinach and saute all together for 3 to 4 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare Alfredo sauce according to package directions. When finished, stir in 2 tablespoons pesto; set aside.
In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook pasta for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente. Rinse under cold water and drain.
Add chicken/spinach mixture to pasta, then stir in pesto/Alfredo sauce. Mix well, top with cheese and serve.

Answer 4

I recently had a large group of people to my home and this recipe was SO EASY and was a huge hit.

Chicken with peach stuffing
INGREDIENTS

* 1 (15 ounce) can sliced peaches
* 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
* 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
* 2 tablespoons butter or margarine
* 1 tablespoon brown sugar
* 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
* 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
* 3 cups instant chicken-flavor stuffing mix

DIRECTIONS

1. Drain peaches, reserving juice; set the peaches aside. Add enough water to juice to measure 1 cup; set aside.
2. In a skillet, brown chicken on both sides in oil. Gradually stir in the peach juice mixture, butter, brown sugar, vinegar and allspice. bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 5 minutes or until chicken juices run clear.
3. Stir in stuffing mix and peaches. Cover and remove from the heat. Let stand for 5 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.

Answer 5

For the main dish, when you go to the store pick up pasta of choice, a container of pesto, and some cooked (not canned) shrimp.

Boil pasta, toss with the pesto and shrimp. Oops, probably should have gotten some real parmesan and grated it.

That and a bagged salad and dressing and some garlic bread and you're set!

Answer 6

Chicken Fettuccine is easy, and suprisingly good, using chicken breasts you can cook them either in the oven or on the grill, seasoning just with salt and pepper....
cook your fett... noodles, and use either your favortie jar sauce or make up your own, recipes are easy and easy to find. Chunk up the chicken and add it to the sauce, serve over the noodles. This goes great with a green salad, a fresh loaf of bread or garlic bread.

Answer 7

package of thin sliced chix breasts, add ham slice and shredded mozz cheese (or chedder) (which you can buy pre-packed) in the middle of the chix breasts. fold chix breast in half, put tooth pick in breast to keep it closed if having trouble. Put cambells cream of mushroom soup on top (you'll need a couple cans or one family size can). Put in oven for about 35-40min @ preheated 350 degrees. there's a main course.

make a salad as a side dish and/or some instant rice or some baked pototos.
nummy baked pototas are with using the red pototoes wash, place on aluminum foil add alittle garlic oil and some garlic/herb spice, wrap in foil place in oven....NOTE baked pototoes can take up to an hour to cook.
good luck

Answer 8

I recommend visiting foodnetwork.com -- there are a lot of easy meal ideas and recipes!