quickandeasycooking

The calendar may say October is almost here, but where I live the weather is still pretty hot. No hearty stews or warming soups for us just yet; instead we’re still making hot weather dishes. Tonight’s Taco Salad fit that bill. It was quick, easy and refreshing. And it was no-cook, since I already had taco meat in the freezer. Just a quick thaw in the microwave before putting it together in only a few minutes.

Just use what you have on hand. I found romaine and spinach in the frig, but you could use iceberg or any other type of lettuce. I threw the taco meat on top, open a can of black olives, diced up some tomatoes and chopped a few green onions. I topped the whole thing with taco cheese and crushed tortilla chips. We used blue cheese dressing, but I think ranch is good on this, too. For the “bread,” I warmed flour tortillas in the microwave. If I had a ripe avocado, I would have added that, as well. Good, good, good!

My mother makes great stuffed potatoes (you may call them twice-baked potatoes). But she does it the old-fashioned time consuming way. Not me! I use the short-cut method, and they come pretty close to being as good as Mom’s. 

All you have to is scrub a couple of baking potatoes, pierce them several times with a fork and microwave on high until they’re done. Different microwaves cook differently, but in general, you’ll need to cook about five to six minutes, turn them over, then give them another five or six minutes.

Cut the potatoes in half lengthwise (careful, they’re very hot!) and scoop out the pulp. Combine the pulp with butter and mash. Add some sour cream or cream cheese. If you want, mix with electric mixer, but it’s not absolutely necessary. Add bacon bits and cheddar cheese. Stuff potato shells with mixture. Top with more cheese. Slide in a hot oven for just a few minutes to melt the cheese. Enjoy!

With all the bad money news right now, everybody is looking for ways to save a few dollars. Here’s one I do a few times a year: the pantry challenge.

Have you ever thought your family could eat from what you already have for months? The meals may not be gourmet, but they can still be healthy and delicious. Most of us have so much tucked away in pantries and freezers and cupboards that we don’t even know what’s there.

So a few times each year I decide I will only buy milk, juice and bread until we eat up everything in the kitchen. I don’t think we’ve ever gotten to the Mother Hubbard look, where the cupboards are truly bare. But we have come close. Not only does this save money, but it takes care of those items that are coming dangerously close to the expiration date. It also stretches your creativity!

So give it a try this week. Two bags of pasta, some frozen artichoke hearts, Cheerios and a package of gravy mix? Put on your creativity hat!

I’ve never been a fan of pepper steak, but when I looked into my frig last night it seemed to be calling my name. I had one strip steak, half of a red pepper, half of a green pepper and plenty of onions. My husband loves Chinese food, and this was close enough to qualify. It turned out great, and I already had everything in my kitchen!

I’m not giving you amounts, because this is one of those recipes that can easily be adjusted. Use more of something; use less of something!

All you need to do is cut up a steak into strips. I used New York strip steak, but you can substitute any other cut. Then cut up green, red or yellow peppers (or a combination of all) into strips. Do the same with onions and celery.

Brown the peppers, onions and celery in olive oil. Remove from the heat and saute the steak. Then put the veggies back in and add some garlic and crushed red pepper.

All that left is mixing a package of brown gravy mix with about a tablespoon of soy sauce. Pour it into the skillet and cook for a few minutes with the steak and veggies.

Serve over rice.

I love Costco. I mean, I really love Costco. Talk about quick and easy cooking! You can get some great stuff there.

They have yummy take and bake pizzas. Add one of their ready made salads and a bottle of wine, and you’re good to go. The chicken Alfredo is fantastic. My family says the Alfredo doesn’t have enough pasta in it, so I just boil some more and add it. Now, this delicious dish stretches even further.

You can pick up shrimp cocktail to go, a loaf of just baked bread and a fruit platter. The chicken pot pie feeds at least 10 hungry people and, although I’ve never tried it, their meat loaf looks divine, covered in sauce and nestled next to mashed potatoes.

Costco also has great roasted chickens; hands down, they’re the best I’ve ever eaten. They’re usually larger than the ones you pick up at your grocery store deli.

For quick seafood meals, try the salmon filets or stuffed salmon. Pair with boil-in-the-bag rice, and you’re ready to eat in minutes.

If you need to entertain at the last minute, or just feed the normal crowd around your kitchen table, Costco is the quick and easy answer.

My super Target has flavored herb butters for sale, but they’re quite expensive. Her butters are so easy to make at home, there’s no need to pay through the nose for them. They complement and dress up so many different dishes. With herb butters, you can transform an ordinary dish into a spectacular one.

Flavored Herb Butter

1 stick of butter, softened to room temperature

1 tbsp of lemon juice

1 tbsp of mined parsley

1 clove of refrigerated garlic, finely minced

Beat the butter with an electric mixer until it is fluffy. Then add the lemon juice, mined parsley and minced garlic. Beat well, until all the ingredients are blended. Shape into a stick of butter, and roll in wax paper.

For variety, add 1 tbsp. of fresh herbs to the butter, such as basil, rosemary or dill. Basil butter is delicious on grilled salmon. If you use dried herbs, only use 1 tsp. because dried herbs are more potent than fresh ones.

Herb butter is easy to freeze. Put the stick of wax paper wrapped butter into a freezer bag before freezing.

Cheese and potatoes are my two favorite foods. And they always go great together. Here’s an easy recipe for Au Gratin potatoes.

Au Gratin Potatoes

¼ cup of butter or margarine

¼ cup of flour

1 cup of chicken broth

1 cup of whole or 2 percent milk

1 cup of grated cheddar cheese

4 cups of sliced baking potatoes

Salt and pepper.

Beat the butter and flour together to make a paste. Heat the broth and milk over high heat until boiling. Stir in the butter/flour paste until it has thickened. Lower the heat to medium and stir for two to three minutes. Add the cheddar cheese and stir until it has melted. Layer the potato slices in a greased 9×13 baking dish and season with salt and pepper. Pour the cheese sauce over the potatoes. Bake at 350 degrees about 1 and ½ hours.

You can leave the potatoes unpeeled for better nutrition. Make sure you scrub them well.

Chocolate Mousse is a classic dessert, but most of us never make it. Here’s a recipe for a thick chocolate mousse that you can serve at your next dinner party. But it’s so quick and easy, you might want to make it for dessert tonight!

One Minute Chocolate Mousse

1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla flavoring

1 cup of heavy cream

Place the chocolate chips, egg and vanilla flavoring in the blender. (You can also use a food processor.) In a saucepan, scald the heavy cream until little bubbles form around the edges. Do not boil the cream. With the blender running, pour in the hot cream and blend for one minute, or until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Pour the mouse into four individual serving dishes. Cool slightly, then cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for several hours until set. Serve with whipped cream.

The hot cream should cook the egg, but remember the USDA warns against eating raw eggs. Use your own judgement.

You can substitue any appropriate liqueur for the vanilla flavoring, such as Amaretto, Kahlua or Grand Marnier.

Enjoy!