Quick Dinner Recipes

I have gone crazy with ordering all the latest cooking books or magazines lately and I must say there are some great Quick Dinner Recipes out there.

The ideas popular food networks or famous chef’s come up with are amazing. I have to admit I do not have the talent to throw some ingredients into a pot and create a delicious tasting meal. I try but I know it wasn’t a hit when the pot is still full and the family isn’t requesting seconds. 

I ordered the Betty Crock Quick & Easy Cookbook a month ago and have used it almost nightly – no kidding. These are simple and inexpensive recipes and all are 30 minutes or less to prepare.

Most of these quick dinner recipes are less than $10 per family meal and many under $5 per meal. What a great concept, save money and time and get it all within one book. 

I own a lot of cook books and I subscribe to more cooking magazines than I should, so I get excited when I find one that works for me.

Of the chicken recipes I have tried so far, these are my favorite:

Barbecue Chicken and Vegetable Supper

Credits: Betty Crocker Quick & Easy Cookbook

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Start to Finish: 25 minutes

Makes: 4 servings

Ingredients:

  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/4 lb)
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 cups frozen whole green beans
  • 2 cups refrigerated red potato wedges (from 20 oz. bag) **SEE BELOW FOR SIMPLE SUBSTITUTION**
  • 1 Jar (12 oz.) chicken gravy
  • 1/3 cup barbecue sauce

Directions:

1. In a 12-inch nonstick skillet heat oil over me-high heat. Add chicken and sprinkle with salt. Cook 4 minutes turning once until brown.

2. Add beans, potatoes, gravy and barbecue sauce, stir to coat and mix. Cover and cook 5-8 minutes, stirring occasionally until beans and potatoes are tender and juice of chicken is clear when center of thickest part is cut (170 degrees).

***Easy substitution: try substituting frozen potato wedges or steak fries (no Need to thaw first)!!***

Barbecue Chicken Pizza

Credits: Betty Crocker Quick & Easy Cookbook

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Start to Finish: 20 Minutes

Makes: 6 servings

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups shredded rotisserie or other cooked chicken breast
  • 1/3 cup barbecue sauce
  • 1 package (10 oz) pre-baked thin Italian pizza crust (12 inch)
  • 3 Roma tomatoes, sliced
  • 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
  • 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro leaves (optional)

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 450 degrees. In small bowl mix chicken and barbecue sauce. Place pizza crust on ungreased cookie sheet, spread chicken mixture over crust. Arrange tomatoes over chicken and sprinkle with cheese. 

2. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and crust is browned. Sprinkle with cilantro (optional)

SPEED IT UP: No time for pizza? Substitute 6 flour tortillas, spread chicken mixture evenly over wrap within 1 inch of edge.

Top with tomatoes, cheese and cilantro. Roll tortillas up tightly.

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Recipe 101 – See How 1 Recipe Can Create So Many Variations!

There is a great new food blog worth checking out! It’s called Cooking Recipe Guide – the purpose of the site is to show people how to use 1 simple recipe and create so many different variations with it.

I think this is such an important task to learn when you are trying to create cheap meals to feed the family, stay within a food budget and most important get back in the groove with basic cooking.

One great thing about living in Utah is the things I have learned about cooking through my exposure to the Mormon church.

I am not LDS but most of my family is and the one thing I can give credit to these women within the church is that they know how to cook. Now I’m talking the basic pull from the garden recipes and recipes that are made from scratch.

I know that having the basic ingredients such as flour, sugar, baking powder and salt always stocked in my pantry will allow me to create cheap meals for my family with ease.

I am no stranger to hard times and tight money and I will tell you I have used the basic baking Recipe shown on the Cooking Recipe site more than once. Honestly I prefer to cook that way. My kids eat healthier and I save money.

So check the blog Cooking Recipe Guide out and get back to the basics in cooking!!

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