quick and easy dinners

anyone have any ideas/suggestions on quick 15 min dinners that use minimal ingredients? just want to get some ideas as im running out.. i feel like i am cooking spaghetti w/ diced tomatoes or chicken cutlets all the time for DH

Re: quick and easy dinners

anything piccata

i like to use tilapia.

heat extra virgin olive oil & butter over medium heat. dredge tilapia in flour seasoned with salt & pepper. brown on both sides and remove from pan. deglaze pan with some white wine. add a splash of chicken brother and the juice of half a lemon. when it reduces a bit, add some lemon slices & parsley and add fish back in and cook until cooked through.

you can also add capers to that and an extra swirl of butter at the end.


you can make batches of marinara sauce on the weekend or whenever you have time, then use that in dishes throughout the week.

one thing we like is baked tortellini. it's not ready on the table in 15, but the prep is super quick!

cook tortellini in salted boiling water for about 4 minutes (want it to still have some bite to it). meanwhile, mix marinara sauce, 1/3 container of mascarpone cheese, some fresh herbs (whatever you have on hand), salt & pepper. add tortellini and top with sliced fresh mozzarella and some freshly grated parm. bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Re: quick and easy dinners

I get a bunch of chicken cutlets, divey them up into zip lock baggies and freeze them. Before freezing I put marinades or dry rubs on the cutlets.

I get this marinade called soy vey. It is a huge hit. I make it with udon noodles and stir fry veggies.
Other marinades I make are bbq sauce (home made), brown sugar chili spice rub, or honey and dijon mustard with French herbs.

Another big hit is turkey meat balls.

Message edited 7/19/2010 11:11:37 PM.

Re: quick and easy dinners

Grill (or fry) kielbasa. Serve on kaiser rolls with sauerkraut and mustard. Pierogies on the side (I like a little sour cream on them). Very quick & easy.

Re: quick and easy dinners

one that works for me is:

season chicken (usually thighs) with salt and pepper, and put them in a screaming hot pan to brown the outsides, then lower the heat and add any store-bought "marinade" you're in the mood for... i've also done it with mustard and/or honey. cover and let cook through on the lower heat for about 40 minutes... tah dah, all done.

during those 40 minutes i do other things around the house, so i'm not "babysitting" the stove... love my timer.

i serve this with just about any side: rice, potatoes, green salad, veggies

not a 15 minute meal, but you're not over a stove the whole time

Re: quick and easy dinners

I make a frittata when I need an easy meal.

Basically you are putting scrambled eggs in a (oven proof) frying pan until it is mostly cooked and then throwing it into the oven for a few minutes until it is finished.

To prepare the eggs depends on what you want (or have) to put in it.

For example, I know I have spinach and shredded cheese leftover in my fridge.

I will saute some onion, then mix the eggs, some of the cheese, a splash of milk, spinach, and salt and pepper together then put that in the pan mixing it with the onions. When it is mostly cooked on the stove, I will put more cheese on top and throw it in the oven.

I have used asparagus, tomatoes, cooked broccoli - whatever you have around.

Oh, then when you take it out of the oven (don't over cook - it gets dry) flip it onto a plate.

Re: quick and easy dinners

At least once a week I do quinoa, some sort of fish and a sauteed green - kale, baby broccoli, whatever - or a green salad. I'll put a simple vinaigrette on the fish, broil, bake or pan-fry, and then serve it over the quinoa.

I also am a big fan of roasting veggies and potatoes in large quantity and keeping them in the fridge so they are ready as an accompaniment for a quick dinner - maybe served along with some fish or other quick protein.

And hearty salads with mixed greens, random veggies, olives, already diced chicken or goat cheese or marinated tofu or leftover steak is also good.

I usually try to spend a night or two a week prepping things so that I have them on hand for subsequent nights when I can't spend as much time on dinner. And in summer I buy fewer things that require a lot of cook time - so we might plan on sandwiches on really good bread with leftover meat from the night before and a salad, or something like that.

Try Real Simple mag for ideas, too.

Re: quick and easy dinners

any kind of grilled chicken

or any meat in the broiler with rice and veggies

Re: quick and easy dinners

thanks ladies!

Re: quick and easy dinners

a quick meal that my DH loves is chicken with bruschetta. if i have the time i made it myself otherwise i buy it premade. season the cutlets with breadcrumbs or panko, bake, add sliced fresh mozz- broil for a few minutes until melted then top with bruschetta!

Re: quick and easy dinners