Easy Recipes

[Zergling]

This is mainly an attempt to get as many ideas as possible for foods that can be made by just throwing ingredients on a a pot/pan/baking sheet, and heating and stirring. (Or some combination of the above.).

[proteanmix]

I just burned some Lemon Coconut cookies that I was looking forward to eating. This thread makes me mourn their incinerated demise even more. :cry:

[Nonpareil]

I just burned some Lemon Coconut cookies that I was looking forward to eating. This thread makes me mourn their incinerated demise even more. :cry:

I know how you feel, I tried making rice from a pot over the stove once and burnt it. I cried. I'm chinese and my family only uses a rice cooker to make rice, I never learned to do it any other way...

Another time, I tried making Banana Bread, apparently I didn't put enough butter in when buttering the tray and I couldn't get the bread out. When I turned it upside down to try to get it out of the tray, it fell into a million pieces! I cried again....I really needed my dessert! :(

Edit: I'll post my Banana loaf recipe when I get home....hopefully you won't ruin it like me!

[scantilyclad]

i always make chili, which is pretty simple to make. You just buy a pound of hamburger meat, a package of chili seasoning, 2 8oz cans of tomato sauce and a can of chili beans. After you brown the hamburger meat, you just throw it all in a pan, heat it up and its ready to go.

tacos are also easy. Just hamburger meat, taco seasoning and some taco shells or tortillas and some shredded cheese and you are good to go. I always add a can of ranch style beans to the hamburger meat and taco seasoning, it makes a little bit more food and it tastes good!

[Randomnity]

Some cornbread muffins (maybe more like biscuits?) that I like to make sometimes:

Preheat oven to 425F and get a muffin tray ready for about 12 muffins
Stir this until just combined and then stop mixing right away:

1 cup flour
1 cup cornmeal
4 tsp. baking powder
4 tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 cup buttermilk
2 large eggs, plus 1 egg white, lightly beaten
1/4 cup melted butter or oil

I substitute 1 cup milk + 1 T lemon juice for the buttermilk, since I never have that, and also add 1 tsp vanilla and/or some cinnamon and honey, and use packed brown sugar instead of white, because I like them a bit sweet. The original recipe may even taste better, I have no clue.

Scoop equally into the 12 muffin cups and bake 15-20 min, until the tops are golden.

I love this recipe cause it takes like 5 minutes, plus baking time. I like them hot with some butter and maple syrup or honey on them.

[Zergling]

i always make chili, which is pretty simple to make. You just buy a pound of hamburger meat, a package of chili seasoning, 2 8oz cans of tomato sauce and a can of chili beans. After you brown the hamburger meat, you just throw it all in a pan, heat it up and its ready to go.

tacos are also easy. Just hamburger meat, taco seasoning and some taco shells or tortillas and some shredded cheese and you are good to go. I always add a can of ranch style beans to the hamburger meat and taco seasoning, it makes a little bit more food and it tastes good!

These are the two foods I used to mostly make, actually. (I no longer make chili, since it's very easy to eat too much, but still eat a lot of tacos.)

If it helps, currently I mostly eat Tacos, soups, rice with stuff in it, plain beef and chicken, and I might make more salads i the future.

[whatever]

umm... how easy do you mean by easy? I know some things that are my default 15 minute dishes, delicious, but I know people who wouldn't really consider them easy to make!

[Usehername]

1. take a slice of bread
2. use a cup to make a hole in the middle of it
3. put on frying pan; crack egg in hole
4. cook egg inside the hole in your bread
5. eat

[whatever]

oooh- eggy-in-a-basket! how V for Vendetta! :)

[proteanmix]

I know how you feel, I tried making rice from a pot over the stove once and burnt it. I cried. I'm chinese and my family only uses a rice cooker to make rice, I never learned to do it any other way...

Another time, I tried making Banana Bread, apparently I didn't put enough butter in when buttering the tray and I couldn't get the bread out. When I turned it upside down to try to get it out of the tray, it fell into a million pieces! I cried again....I really needed my dessert! :(

Edit: I'll post my Banana loaf recipe when I get home....hopefully you won't ruin it like me!

The problem with the lemon coconut cookies was they were too dry. I guess I needed more eggs and I put in too much flour. Now I have extra dough sitting in my fridge I don't want to throw away. My mouth and tummy was so ready for those cookies.

I've perfected my banana bread so well that I don't even need the recipe and I've mutated to my tastes. I throw in cranberries to make it more fun. This the Banana Loaf recipe I use. (http://www.nigella.com/recipes/recipe.asp?article=142) It's from Nigella Lawson's How to Be a Domestic Goddess.

[Анка]

this is a favorite of mine.

Simply Recipes: Heirloom Tomato Basil Mozzarella Salad Recipe (http://www.elise.com/recipes/archives/000578heirloom_tomato_basil_mozzarella_salad.php)

Heirloom Tomato Basil Mozzarella Salad Recipe

Heirloom tomatoes, sliced
Fresh basil, leaves carefully chopped as not to bruise
Fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced
Extra virgin olive oil
Balsamic wine vinegar
Salt and pepper

http://www.elise.com/recipes/photos/tomato-mozarella-salad.jpg

[whatever]

if you're a big fan of chinese food the easiest recipe that I'd suggest would be chicken and sugar snap peas in black bean sauce!

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup of frozen sugar snap peas
4 tbsp black bean paste (available in the ethnic aisle in most grocieries)
1 tsp corn starch
1/2 cup of water

throw chicken in a saucepan- cover with water and boil until done- about 15 min or so
cut chicken into strips after it's cool enough to work with
add chicken and sugar snap peas into the pan
mix bean paste, water and cornstarch in a small bowl with a fork or whisk until well mixed
add to the pan and cook until the peas are done
serve over rice which you hopefully haven't burned! :)

better and cheaper than ordering takeout!

[prplchknz]

one english muffin
sausage patty (I prefer spicy/hot over mild)
hard boiled egg
shredded cheese (preferably cheddar or pepper jack)
cream cheese
ketchup
hot sauce (preferably lousianna, but what ever you like)

1.Toast English muffin lightly in toaster (I use thomas's, but you probably could use a bagel)
2.Fry sausage
3. Slice a piece of the egg, prefferably from the middle eat or use the rest on a salad for later or whatever.
4. Spread creamcheese on half of the muffin put on sauage followed by egg then cheese. Put under broiler just enough to melt the cheese, and reheat muffin
5. take other half of muffin and squirt ketchup and hot sauce on it. spread it around.
6. Put lid on eat

If you don't like spicy food you can leave off the hotsauce and use mild sausage. You can do this however you want, this is how I created it orginally

[scantilyclad]

god this thread makes me hungry.

[Randomnity]

..
Similar to this but a bit simpler:

-fry 1-2 eggs
-make toast/english muffin/bagel etc
-fry sausage, or thick slice of ham, or use cold sliced ham, or nothing
-slice some cheese, or use the fake sliced stuff if you want
-cover liberally in pepper/salt if desired
-add tomatoes/onions/lettuce etc if desired (I like to add spinach if I have it)
-assemble into sandwich form

I make this probably a couple times a week cause it's super fast, cheap, and delicious. And reasonably healthy.

[prplchknz]

that sounds good. but I mean you can boil the egg a head of time and fry sausage as well just re heat it. and you could use slice cheese I just never have any.

oo this is a simple one

pasta cooked and drained

Pesto:
basil (fresh)
pine nuts
garlic
olive oil
parmasean (not kraft)
I like to toast the pine nuts slightly but you don't have to put basil pine nuts and garlic and cheese in food proccessor taste adjust as needed. slowly ad olive oil till you reach desired consistancy.

You can also buy this already made. but I find it simple enough to make from scratch. I never measure I'm good at eyeballing.

Alfredo
a cup of heavy cream
1/4 cup butter
garlic
parmasean (not kraft) or something similar.

melt butter add cream and let simmer for roughly five minutes add cheese and crushed garlic

shrimp and prawns sauted

put everything in large bowl toss with pasta and serve feel free to add different vegetables I sometimes add spinach and mushrooms.


now this one I made pesto using lemon and parsley and garlic. and it's completly vegetarian

Put into a food proccessor.
A bunch of Parsley
about a half a lemon completely peeled (I did use the juice of the second lemon)
3 clove garlic more or less depended on how garlic you like (I used roughly 4, it was fairly garlicy)

blend, taste adjust accordingly

paramesean cheese as much or as little as you like blend again taste

while food proccessor is on slowly add olive oil, when you reach the consistancy you like turn off and set aside. You can also stop the food proccesor every now and then to check, and if you get it too thin add more parsley.

I didn't measure formally so use your judgement

Slice/chop fresh mushrooms depending on how you like them put frying pan on stove with minimum amount of olive oil. The pesto already has alot of oil you just don't want the mushroom's to stick.

While that's cooking. chop tomatoes in half for the last minute or so of cooking the mushrooms throw them in to heat them up a bit.

Somewhere between the pesto, mushrooms, tomatoes make the pasta. It's going to depend on whether you're using fresh pasta which takes less time, (about 2 minutes too cook) or boxed (6-10 minutes) when pasta is done drain put in bowl, pour pesto sauce add tomatos and mushrooms add goat cheese (I used to crumbles) toss and serve.

Serve with salad and bread. If you want you could even make a nice steak to go with it.

I didn' put measurements because it's one of those dishes that depends on personal taste, and you know you're own taste better then me. I also don't remember how much of what I used except it was good. The key is tasting frequently.

I tend to love to cook and be creative in the kitchen.. The second pasta dish I created for my mom for mother's day. I also post this on another message board. glad I did cuz I could not remember exactly what I did. BTW my mom made home made pasta for this as it was a special occasion. Just didn't get around to making it until my brother birthday (June 14)

[Randomnity]

Alfredo
a cup of heavy cream
1/4 cup butter
garlic
parmasean (not kraft) or something similar.

I'm going to try that, I love alfredo sauce and I've never gotten around to experimenting/looking up a recipe for it before, for some reason.

[prplchknz]

It's so easy. of course I find cooking second nature.

[prplchknz]

I miss cooking, but I have no one to cook for. My mom use to have me make dinner occasionally. I really don't like cooking for myself, I like the food I make I just don't want to cook for myself I like making something with someone else in mind.

[Bethy]

Easy Marinara sauce: 1 or 2 cans tomato puree, a few cloves of fresh garlic, chopped or crushed (you can use garlic powder if you must, but it's not as good), and olive oil (enough to coat the bottom of a pot).

Heat up the olive oil in a pot, then stir in the garlic. Add the tomato puree and let simmer for about 40 minutes.

You can throw in some Italian sausages, too, but if you do, cook for at least two hours, to make sure they're fully cooked.

[scantilyclad]

the other night i had marinated some chicken in some Allegro seasoning and put it in the oven.
The plan was to have the boneless skinless chicken, some rice a roni (chicken flavored) a side salad and ranch style beans.
After the chicken was done, i got a pregnant craving type thing to just mix it all together. I cut the chicken into bite size pieces and added the rice, the beans some lettuce and a little bit of a ranch dressing and it was delightful. After my boyfriend had saw what i had done and teased me for it, he did the same thing.
It was kind of like a chipotle burrito bowl.

anyway, it was easy to make. heh

[Falcarius]

Falcarius decides to wait patiently for Shimpei to tell him some nice not-so-easy recipes.:coffee:

[Zergling]

Since I've now seen just how amazingly easy hard boiled eggs are to make, I'll probably be making a lot more of them now. (It wasn't the type of food described in the original post, but it does seem like something to write down.)

[Lookin4theBestNU]

I've recently been teaching someone how to cook who didn't know how to do anything. Anyway, I suggest two things. I have a cook book called 5-ingredient recipes that would be right up a beginners alley perhaps something like that could help. Two is look down your soup aisle at the grocery. On the back of the can they generally have really, really simple recipes you could look into. Here is one of mine that is super simple not to mention inexpensive.

Easy chicken stroganoff
1 can cream of mushroom soup undiluted (cream of chicken if you don't like mushrooms)
1 small container sour cream (8 oz. though I like a bit more generally)
1 small pkg wide egg noodles
1 small can sliced mushrooms undrained (can be omitted if you don't like them)
1-2 boneless skinless chicken breast OR canned chicken OR leftover rotisserie chicken

Get your water boiling for your noodles, adding a heavy dash of salt to the water. Cook your chicken...if using boneless skinless cube then saute sprinkling with salt and pepper for about 6-8 minutes until no longer pink. In a small saucepan over low heat put your soup, sour cream and mushrooms until warm. Do not boil. Cook your noodles right before serving draining well. Add your chicken to the hot soup mixture. (If you skipped the mushrooms it will be a little thick but still good or it can be thinned.)Serve this over your hot noodles.

You will be impressed with how rich and easy this dish is to make. Congrats on your hard-boiled eggs.

[prplchknz]

ooo I might have to try the stroganoff, that looks really easy. Something I could do drunk or asleep.

[shen]

This is mainly an attempt to get as many ideas as possible for foods that can be made by just throwing ingredients on a a pot/pan/baking sheet, and heating and stirring. (Or some combination of the above.).

k, grab a flying pan, throw in some oil, chop up some fruit in season, add kale and other greens, add nicely flavoured couscous, mix, add raisins, add bits of old nuts, sprinkle any herbs you got growing around(dandelions from the weed garden if your feeling lazy to go shopping) cook for a minute, and SCOFF ON:party2:
oh and bubble and squeek, oh thats just left over sunday dinner thrown in a frying pan.....yumm....
but if you want sushi.....fry rice in pan, get nori seaweed(grill it for minute) wrap up rice, stick creatively bits of food on top, add pickled ginger, shoyu, wasabi, chill in fridge for a bit, and party:D

[shen]

ooo I might have to try the stroganoff, that looks really easy. Something I could do drunk or asleep.

hehe i keep looking at your name and think of purplechickens...must be the food thread :yes:

[Ms. M]

I got this out of the coupon section ages ago, and it's a staple around here. Served with the Ore-Ida potato wedges - yum!

6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (2 lb.)
2 Tbsp. lemon juice, divided
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 pkg. (3.5 oz.) Crumbled Feta Cheese
1/4 cup finely chopped red or green pepper

PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Arrange chicken in 13x9-inch baking dish.

DRIZZLE with 1 Tbsp. of the lemon juice. Season with salt and black pepper. Top with cheese; drizzle with remaining 1 Tbsp. lemon juice.

BAKE 35 to 40 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Sprinkle with red/green pepper.

[prplchknz]

hehe i keep looking at your name and think of purplechickens...must be the food thread :yes:

thats the idea, prplchknz+vowels =purplechickenz-z=purplechicken+s=purplechickens

[Shimpei]

Falcarius decides to wait patiently for Shimpei to tell him some nice not-so-easy recipes.:coffee:

:wubbie: ok, let me think a bit. I'll get back soon.

[CzeCze]

thats the idea, prplchknz+vowels =purplechickenz-z=purplechicken+s=purplechickens

Wow, I read it as 'people checkers'...

[prplchknz]

Wow, I read it as 'people checkers'...

I actually like that better. Hmm too stalkery perhaps?

[Jen]

Baked Salsa Chicken Recipe
Ingredients:
4 chicken breast, boneless and skinless
1 jar Salsa, your favorite brand
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
2 tablespoons sour cream

Directions:

Place chicken in a 8x8 baking dish. Cover with salsa. Bake at 375 for 45 minutes.

Top with cheese and broil during last 5 minutes of baking time to brown cheese.

Garnish with sour cream and more salsa. Serve with corn or flour tortillas.

http://www.aneedtofeed.com/photogallery/photo00026962/Salsa%20Chicken.jpg

[scantilyclad]

oh yes, now that looks good.

[prplchknz]

Baked Salsa Chicken Recipe
Ingredients:
4 chicken breast, boneless and skinless
1 jar Salsa, your favorite brand
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
2 tablespoons sour cream

Directions:

Place chicken in a 8x8 baking dish. Cover with salsa. Bake at 375 for 45 minutes.

Top with cheese and broil during last 5 minutes of baking time to brown cheese.

Garnish with sour cream and more salsa. Serve with corn or flour tortillas.

http://www.aneedtofeed.com/photogallery/photo00026962/Salsa%20Chicken.jpgI tried this last night. Very yummy. Of course I did one chicken breasts but so easy and so tasty. The chicken tasted perfect not to done and and not too raw either.

[Jen]

I tried this last night. Very yummy. Of course I did one chicken breasts but so easy and so tasty. The chicken tasted perfect not to done and and not too raw either.Oh good! I'm glad you liked it. :)

Another quicky meal-
Rotisserie chicken (any flavor, usually found at your local grocery store)
Pepperidge Farm herb flavored stuffing made with chicken broth instead of water. (takes minutes to make)
Chicken or Turkey gravy- Canned or powdered. We use Bisto from the UK. :alttongue:
Pillsbury (or local store brand) crescent rolls

http://www.pouletcatering.com/images/retail_products_rotisserie.jpghttp://www.thefoodhall.es/images/dry_goods/bisto_chicken.jpghttp://www.americansweets.co.uk/ekmps/shops/statesidecandy/images/pepperidgeP20farmP20herbP20seasonedP20stuffingP20m ix_(medium)%5Bekm%5D400x300%5Bekm%5D.jpghttp://www.lattaplantation.org/sugarpop/images/doughboy.gif

This can also substitute for the lazy ass persons Thanksgiving feast. :D

[GZA]

I'm currently trying to teach myself to be a good pasta chef. I read recipes and take note of recipes I eat to learn. I don't have alot of different ingredients right now (I'm 16 and I don't buy my own food), but I find a good speghetti and meatball recipe goes like this:

Speghetti (how ever much you need)
Tomato sauce (I use anything from the most basic, plain, canned sauce, to imported tomato sauce with different flavours. This morning, I used the basic canned tomato sauce)
Garlic (Take a leaf of garlic and cut it up into the smallest bits possible)
Onion (do the same thing with this as you do with garlic. The onion is more optional as far as I'm concerned)
Parmesan cheese
Meatballs (I just get frozen italian style meatballs at the grocery store personally)
Hot sauce (I don't like it too hot so I get Frank's Red Hot Original)

Put the meatballs in the oven and let them cook. Meanwhile, cook the speghetti. Take a pot/pan and heat it up at a fairly low heat and pour in the tomato sauce and the garlic and onion bits. Turn the heat up to medium heat untill it bubbles and stir it. When the meatballs are done, cover them in Frank's Red Hot sauce. Now mix the speghetti in the sauce and put the meatballs on top.

Yah, I know, very basic, but very good. The garlic in the sauce of the pasta itself is a good flavour, and the slightly spicy meatballs are a good counter flavour. Taking a bit of the speghetti and eating it with a meatball is very satisfying, especially when you made it yourself.

Thats all I have to add to this, so far.

Any tips for other good pasta recipes?

[Ivy]

Jen's salsa chicken is also easy in the crockpot- just cover the chicken with salsa and cook 'til done. AWESOME over jasmine rice.

[Ivy]

I'm a crappy cook- I mostly just "assemble." Some of my standbys, from whick I mix & match as desired:

Baked beans, vegetarian

Yams

Frozen veggies steamed in the microwave- "California mix" (cauliflower, broccoli, & carrots) is good with a baked potato, and that's a meal once a week or so here

Canned green beans cooked Southern-style (aka "cooked to death"-- drain out most of the water from a big-ass can, put in a pan with a couple teaspoons of oil, a generous sprinkling of salt, and a slightly more generous sprinkling of sugar)

Jasmine rice, curry powder, garbanzo beans, nice with a green salad




I have a weakness for chicken pot pie, but it's more work than I like to do for dinner most of the time, so I'll take frozen veggies (potatoes, carrots, peas, whatevr else) and a chicken breast, boil them 'til they're tender, drain, and throw them in a refrigerated piecrust with a can of cream of chicken or mushroom soup and a little milk.

I also use the crockpot a lot. I sometimes make barbecue chicken in it with several of those frozen breasts, a cup of vinegar, a half cup of water, and a bit of salt & sugar. Cook that until it's tender, then lift the chicken out and shred it with a fork. Mix some of the vinegary fluid left in the pot with tomato sauce or barbecue sauce, and then mix that back in with the chicken. Makes good sandwiches with coleslaw, much healthier than pulled pork BBQ.

[WobblyStilettos]

I have a recipe for a victoria sponge cake that I've used since I was old enough to know what cake was:
6oz self raising flour
6oz caster sugar
6oz butter/margarine
3 eggs
1 heaped teaspoon of baking powder

stick it all in a bowl and mix together (an electric mixer is best) then when it's nice and smooth stick the mixture in two round greased cake tins and put it in the oven for about 20mins (try not to check on it like very minute cos that'll make it sink). Remove from oven, let it cool adn then put some jam on top of one bit and put it together like a sandwich, then drizzle some icing on top :wubbie: it's heaven :D

edit: to make it vanilla just put in a couple of drops of vanilla essence, to make it chocolate replace 2oz of the flour with 2oz of cocoa powder or drinking chocolate :D

[Grayscale]

i make some good chili... fairly easy to do. goes great with cornbread. will look for the recipe and post later

[Grayscale]

2 lbs. ground beef
1 large onion
3 cans drained chili beans (pinto beans will also work)
2 cans tomato sauce
1 can prepared beef stew
1-2 tsp. chili powder (i usually add more)
salt and pepper to taste

1. In a large pot brown beef over medium heat with onion until browned.
2. Drain grease and stir in chili beans, tomato sauce and beef stew
3. Season with chili powder, salt and pepper
4. Cook until simmering

simple and delicious :drool:

[niffer]

Yogourt

+

Ovaltine mix

=

A delicious chocolate-esque pudding

[Anja]

Here's one that a starving youth can live on for a week. (No health questions on this one, please.) The initial expense may be a bit much, but it's filling, makes a lot, is quick and keeps very well in the refrigerator.



1# pasta such as seashells, macaroni, raddiatore, wheels, bow ties, etc. White, whole wheat or rainbow.
Small pkg. tortillini stuffed with cheese. I use the rainbow.
10 oz. pkg frozen vegetable pieces. Italian blend, brocolli, cauliflower, etc.

Cook pasta according to directions and after draining add the thawed veggies while noodles are still warm.

Add any/all of the following ingredients as available or desired:

1 can garbanzo beans, drained
Sliced black olives
Sliced fresh mushrooms
Minced onion
Sliced pimiento olives
A handful of sunflower seeds
Marinated artichoke hearts
Fresh chopped spinach
Cherry tomatoes


If you are not vegetarian you can add some pepperoni. Probably pork or chicken would work as well.

Pour your favorite Italian dressing over it and store in refrigerator. Stir once or twice occasionally. In twenty-four hours this will be marinated and ready to eat and eat and eat.