I need a recipe that's simple and/or easy...?

Question

My friend just moved out of her house and she can't cook quite well. Therefore, more of the recipes I've given her from some of my cookbooks don't work too well with her.

I guess you can say she has the mentality of pretty much a 7th grader when it comes to cooking.

I'm not looking for recipes for sandwiches, or salads...
something that actually needs a little bit of prep time...
and sort of something you can have for a meal.

She prefers not to use stuff from canned foods, so casseroles from cans please!!

Overall, I guess she needs a recipe even the most basic of cooks can use, while it's filling...
Do any of you guys have any recipes back from you college or high school days?

Answer 1

Can she make a white sauce and add in grated Cheddar or Velveeta and stir till it melts and makes a cheese sauce? If not, will have to cheat on this one and use undiluted cheese soup. Ham Divan is real simple though - You take frozen broccoli spears, wrap ham slices around them and secure them with a toothpick. Put them in a casserole dish. Dump cheese sauce on top and cook, covered at 350 for (jeesh, it's been so long since I looked at a recipe for this - I'm thinking about 1/2 hr or so, till the cheese is bubbling ) Then uncover it and cook it for a few more minutes till the cheese isn't so runny. Voila!

Speaking of cheating - I can't make decent gravy so whenever I cook meat and potatoes, I add some of the meat drippings to a can of undiluted mushroom soup, stir it together in a bowl and nuke it till it's hot. I use that instead of gravy.

Then there's the old standby of taking mac and cheese and adding browned ground hamburger, onions browned in the same skillet as the hamburger, a bit of blue cheese, and a drained can of chopped tomatoes - or chopping up fresh tomatoes - sprinkling bread crumbs over the top and cooking that in the oven or microwave (better in oven) until it's hot.

Or cook a small pork roast in the crock pot on low for about 8 hours. Put peeled carrots on the bottom of the crock pot. Add a layer of chopped apples. Add a layer of onion slices.
Put the roast on top of that. Sprinkle on onion soup mix and then put in a bottle of Guiness beer. Yummy!

Answer 2

Pasta. You can use all kinds of sauces that are easy to make from scratch or pre bottles and choose all different styles of pasta (spaghetti, tortellini, ravioli).You can add either meat or veggies or tofu, whatever you like once it's done.

Garlic bread.
Mix softened butter with herbs (parsley, oregeno, basil, red pepper, shredded parmesan, etc) and minced garlic and slather on the bread.
Broil for a couple mins.

I know you said no canned casseroles but this dish is always a hit when I make it and super easy.

Chicken & Rice

Cut fat off 2-3 chicken breasts (raw); set aside.

Pour 1 can each of cream of chicken, cream of mushroom (or broccoli) and french onion soup into a glass baking dish.

Stir in 1 cup of uncooked white rice, salt & pepper to taste.

Push the chicken down into the mixture and cover with mixture.

Cover with foil and bake at 375 for an hour to and hour and 15 mins.

Add cayenne pepper if you like it spicy or grated cheese or french onions before serving.

Try looking on www.allrecipes.com also.

Answer 3

Bourbon Chicken: Ingredients: 2 lbs boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces 1 -2 tablespoon olive oil 1 garlic clove, crushed 1/4 teaspoon ginger 3/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 1/4 cup apple juice 1/3 cup light brown sugar 2 tablespoons ketchup 1 tablespoon cider vinegar 1/2 cup water 1/3 cup soy sauce Directions: 1 Heat oil in a large skillet. 2 Add chicken pieces and cook until lightly browned. 3 Remove chicken. 4 Add remaining ingredients, heating over medium Heat until well mixed and dissolved. 5 Add chicken and bring to a hard boil. 6 Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. 7 Serve over hot rice and ENJOY. .....

Answer 4

This is always a winner where I work never any left.
Christmas tree cheese spread
1 envelope onion recipe soup mix,1 c butter or margarine(softened),2 tblsp milk, 2 tblsp preparred mustard,2 c shredded cheddar cheese,2 c shredded swiss cheese,2 tblsp pimentos chopped,chopped parsley
In med bowl blend onion soup mix,butter,milk and mustard. stir in cheeses and pimento. spoon into serving platter,building up mixture to form the shape of a cone. garnish by pressing parsley and if desired additional chopped pimento onto cone. chill . serve at room temperature

Answer 5

Get yourself a big rice cooker and cook up a big batch of organic brown rice that will last you the week.
Get yourself a big crockpot. Buy some organic sweet potatoes and clean them.
Wrap them in foil and place them in the crockpot (on a meat rack) at night before you go to bed.
Do NOT put any water in the crockpot.
Set the temperature on LOW and when you wake up 8 hours later, you've got fresh, hot sweet potatoes ready for your breakfast and one to take with you for lunch (assuming you put 2 in the crockpot before you went to bed)

Answer 6

Green bean casserole is easy Just put it together with cream of mushroom soup and french fried onions and bake

Answer 7

Try looking at places like kraftfoods.com or yahoo recipes.