Conference turris::cooks

    The Sixty-Minute Gourmet, by Pierre Franey, is a set of two books
    that specializes in easy quickly-cooked recipes.  Find it at your
    library.  If you like it, buy it.
    
    					andrew

    You might also try the "Good Food" magazine (I've only seen it in
    supermarkets). It includes lots of recipes, including complete menus;
    some of these are intended as "quick fix" meals, and include not
    only a shopping list containing all ingredients, but a set of
    instructions for the entire meal.
    
    Now and then the various home-type magazines will do that, too;
    watch "Woman's Day" and "Family Circle," etc., for titles like "Meals
    within 60 Minutes."
    
    Or, try the Weight Watchers cookbooks - they have several weeks'
    worth of complete menus, most of which can be prepared fairly quickly.
    
    -b (who has the same problem - and *is* going to write that
    menu-generation program someday...)

    After work, brief commute, and unwind, typical dinners are of the
    stove top variety, sampling below:
    
    Fried rice w/Chinese veggies
    
    Tortellini's and spinach
    
    Lemon chicken and a salad
    
    Cordon bleu chicken or veal and broccoli
    
    Soup and sandwiches from leftovers
    
    My week-night rule is if it keeps me in the kitchen for more than
    20 minutes, it waits for the weekend.
                                      
    When the mood strikes, I do substantial front-work on the week-ends
    [i.e. make TONS of tomato sauce, bake bread/rolls,...]
    
    In summer, I tend toward salads: pasta salad, taboule, good old
    green salad.  Also cold soups like gazpacho and fruit soups ...
    yes, I cheat royally by using my blender and/or food processor.
    
      Annie
      [the '10-minute gourmet']

  You probably don't want to spend 2 hours preparing and eating dinner,
  right?, although I can't imagine why not. I suppose there are other
  things to do with evenings, like be with the kids, work on a hobby,
  work on the house, go shopping, read, watch television, etc. But in
  our house, what we really like to do is cook and eat. So the thought
  of diving into a complicated menu 3 or more nights a week is actually
  fun. Even so, on the evenings when we don't feel like it, we resort to
  "emergency" dinners, which sometimes even involve not-from-scratch
  courses like (blech) frozen veggies. But, even when using all fresh
  ingredients, typical short menus consist of a main course plus side
  dishes consisting of a starch (rice or mashed potatoes) and a green
  veg (broccoli, zucchini, string beans, eggplant, peas, tossed salad,
  etc.). The main course is usually one of:

  o Roast chicken
  o Broiled/grilled steak
  o Pan-fried veal or chicken cutlets pounded real thin and dredged in
    any of seasoned flour, seasoned bread crumbs, etc
  o Fish, either broiled with spices and olive oil, or cooked in the
    oven in parchment or foil with spices.
  o Boiled or butter-fried sausages (like German wursts, etc). Good side
    dish with this is sauerkraut.
  o Meat loaf
  o Roast leg of lamb (cooks faster than you'd think)
  o Grilled lamb chops
  o Sauteed shrimp
  o Numerous fried vegetable/egg/cheese concoctions.
    etc, etc.

  To help avoid getting bored with a small number of basic main courses
  and side dishes, use a variety of spices and cooking methods. Don't be
  afraid to use lots of stuff with strong flavors. We use plenty of
  curry, thyme, sage, garlic, soy sauce, olive oil, wine and sherry,
  sesame oil, pepper, onions, shallots, celery, saffron, oregano,
  butter, hot pepper, mushrooms, cognac and brandies of all sorts,
  pickles, bacon, cheeses, ..., just about everything you can find in
  the condiments section, and everywhere else in any store that sells
  anything you can eat or drink. You can turn boiled potatoes into a
  tasty gourmet course by adding enough ingredients with strong flavors.
  Use combinations listed in recipes in cookbooks as a starting point
  for what flavors tend to go well together, then experiment. The NY
  Times Cookbook and most ethnic cookbooks are good for flavor
  combination ideas, even if too complicated on many of the recipes.

  It's almost impossible to over-flavor food to the point of being
  unpleasant, but it's real easy to end up with boring, tasteless dishes
  by holding back.

    The easiest way to uncomplicate the weekday meals is to plan ahead.
    This may mean doing the prep work on weekends or just planning the
    menu or dish. If you read the recipe on the weekends,  and make sure
    you have the ingredients, the weekday preparation is much less
    complicated. Some of the seasonings can be measured and kept for
    the day of the meal, cutting down prep time. 
    
    Choose simple meals. chicken, steak, meat loaf. 
    
    Cook larger portions for the weekend meals and use leftovers for
    weekdays.
    
    

    One way to cut down on time spent on dinner when you get home is
    to slow cook things lke roasts and turkeys. When you get up in the
    morning pre-heat your oven to 400 degrees. Then put your roast or
    ather animal in the oven and turn the heat down to the temperature
    that you want the animal being cooked to be (i.e. 140 for a rare
    roast). You can leave it in the oven all day long and it will be
    perfect and tender when you get home. all you will have left to
    do is to prepare a vegetable and some bread or potatoes or some
    other form of starch.
    
    						Geoff

    One of the best possible additions to our kitchen with both
    of us working .... our CROCK POT!
    
    Neat stuff.  Prepared in advanced, or the night before.
    Shove it into the pot in the morning, arrive home, unwind
    with a martini (or whatever) make a salad, and voila!
    
	/phil/
    

    THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR ADVICES. I WILL FROM NOW ON PREPARE MY
    MENU ON WEEKENDS. I THINK THAT IS A GREAT IDEA.
    I AM NOT A GREAT COOK, BUT MY NEWYEAR RESOLUTION IS TO BECOME
    A BETTER COOK.
    
    MY HUSBAND DOESN'T LIKE LEFTOVER SO THAT WON'T BE A GOOD IDEA
    FOR ME. BESIDES I DO NOT REALLY KNOW HOW TO USE THEM EITHER.
    
                                            ROLL::CASAS
    

    One thing I rely on is chicken.  When I buy it, I get either legs
    or thighs (since we both prefer them).  I usually get quite a bit
    at a time.  Since I'm calorie-conscious, I take the skins off,
    and remove all the surface fat that comes off easily.  I use a
    sharp paring knife for removing the fat.  Then I package the meat
    in ziplock freezer bags, the smallest size, 4 pieces per bag.
    It's quite simple to take a bag out of the freezer in the morning
    and make a simple skillet chicken dish in the evening.  If I forget
    to defrost it, then I just add about 15 minutes to the cooking time.
    Here's the dish I made last night, along with variations to suit
    what you have on hand:

    	Easy skillet chicken with rice and a salad
        
    First, put a pot of water (2 cups) on the stove to boil.  This is
    for the rice or rice pilaf.  You will find directions on the package.
    Note that the butter, in either rice or rice pilaf, is optional.
    You can leave it out and the dish will taste fine.  Skinny folks
    can butter their rice at the table.
    
    Next, put 1/2 cup of water in a deep frying pan (I use a medium
    size cast iron pan).  Add seasonings.  This may be any or many
    of the following:
    	1/4 cup sherry (I get cheap regular sherry not the cooking sherry)
 	1 teaspoon bouillon granules
    	1/2 teaspoon of one or two herbs (parsley, tarragon, thyme,
    			basil, oregano, or a pinch of sage)
    	one or two tablespoons of soy sauce or worcestershire sauce
    		(either the dark or the light worcestershire)
    	garlic (to taste, I like it and will use 2-4 cloves....)
    Put the pan on the stove over medium heat.  While the sauce is coming
    to a simmer, slice into thin rings:
    	one medium size onion
    and add it to the pan.  When the sauce simmers, add:
    	four chicken thighs or drums or two chicken breasts.
    Put them on top of the onions, cover the pan, and reduce the heat
    so that the sauce is just barely bubbling.
    
    By this time your water will be boiling, so you can add the rice
    to the water and reduce the heat on that pot also.

    Both dishes will take about half an hour to cook.  Watch them so
    they don't simmer too quickly, and watch the rice towards the end
    of the cooking so it does not burn.  If it's sticking but is not
    quite done, often you can turn it off and leave it on the burner
    to finish.  At any rate, you have half an hour to set the table,
    make salad, and relax!  If any of these tasks take longer, don't
    worry.  Just turn the burners off.  Both dishes can sit without
    getting overcooked.
    
    I added about a cup of peas to the chicken sauce for the last
    five minutes of cooking, just to have another veggie without
    having another pot.
    
    I've made the recipe pretty long since I've included lots of
    instructions, but don't be put off by the length.  This is quite easy
    to make and does not take too long.
    
    --Louise

    COMPLICATED!!  BAH HUMBUG!!  I'm a bachelor.  Do you think I'm going
    to spend my precious time cooking?  No way!
    
    Get some Shake n' Bake for your chicken.  It takes about 35 minutes.
    				or
    Brown a pound of hamburg in a skillet.  Add some Aunt Milly's spaghetti
    sauce.  Add a bunch of Italian spices to taste.  Serve over spaghetti.
    
    Have soup and sandwitches.
    
    Have bisquick pancakes.
    
    Have Shake n' Bake pork chops.
    
    
    Why does this have to be sooo complicated.  If you want a complicated
    meal, wait for the weekend.   What's the big deal?
    
    Hi Geoff!
    
    dave    

    
    Get a microwave oven!  We got one for X-mas.  I love mine!
    
    I never used to cook dinner, because I didn't want to spend a
    long time in the kitchen after coming home from work.  (Plus I
    don't really like to cook that often, I only enjoy it when the
    mood strikes)
    
    But now... ZAP!  Meat is defrosted, no more trying to remember
    to take it out of the freezer in the morning.  ZAP!  4 minutes,
    and the meat is browned.  ZAP! Ten more minutes and it's all 
    done and ready to eat!
    
    I know I've cooked more dinners since we've had the Microwave, than
    in the whole time we've been together! (1 1/2 years)
    
    Rich (my SO) even can heat up leftovers in it! (All by his little
    self!)
    
    I Loovee my Microwave!!!!!!
    
    Bye, Y'all
    
    Corinne
    

    
    I know alot of times there are some newlyweds and bachelors or
    bachlorettes out there who need some quick,simple and delicious
    recipes so lets all help them out.
    
    I'll start...
    
    First of all if you like rice I would definalty invest in a rice
    cooker it will simplify your life more that a clothes washer or
    dryer (I'm not kidding)
    
    Secondly here are a couple of simple but fantastic chicken recipes.
    
    ! Honey Corn Flake Chicken
    
    I made this up out of desperation for something sweet when I was
    trying to diet!
    
    Pour a bowl of Honey. When the honey drips down the side of the
    jar after pouring has stopped-- lick it off. Next take boneless
    chicken breasts (no need to bone them yourself just buy them that
    way ) and brush honey thickly all over one side of the chicken.
    Now lay it in a bowl of crushed Kelloggs Corn Flakes (honey side
    down) and brush honey on the bar side (thickly) and turn it over
    and coat this side with corn flakes. Make sure the entire breast
    is completely coated. Do this to however many chicken breasts are
    needed. Bake on broiler pan for 25 minutes at 350.
    
    It's a real treat!!
    
    
    ! Cinnamon Chicken
    
    
    Believe it or not this recipe came with a package of Panty hose. 
    
    
    
    Combine a few tablespoons of flour and twice as many table spoons
    of cinnamon. Beat two eggs. Roll boneless chicken breast in the
    flour and cinnamon and then dunk in the beaten eggs.  Plas in HOT
    skilet with 2 or 3 tablespoons of heated oil for 2 minutes. Then
    bake at 350 for 20 minutes. This makes a very crispy cinnamon crust
    on the chicken.
    
    As Chef Tell says "Very simple very easy"   A
    

    
    Good luck (these are so easy you won't even need it!!
    
    Barbara
    

    Sausage & Rice Cassarole
    
    2 Cups cooked rice
    1 pkg sausage (sweet or hot)
    1/2 cup scallions - chopped
    1/2 cup green peppers - chopped
    1/2 cup mushrooms - chopped
    1 can cream of mushroom soup
    
    
    Cook rice
    Slice and saute' sausage 
    Add scallions, peppers, mushrooms to sausage and saute 5 min.
    Dump everything into a bowl and mix well.
    Put in 'Pam-ed' cassarole dish
    Bake at 350 for 25 min.
    
    options:
    Leave out or add extra mushie, peppers or onions
    Sprinkle breadcrumbs on top before baking
    Use chicken & cream of chicken soup instead of sausage & mush soup
    
    Beth

    If she has a microwave: (This can be done in the oven too)
    
    piece of fish for two (haddock, cod)
    can of crushed tomatoes
    1 zucchini - sliced 1/4" thick
    1 squash - sliced 1/4" thick
    
    
    Put fish in "Pam-ed" cassarole dish
    put in fish
    dump tomatoes on top
    put squash & zuch on top
    
    zap for 8 min, check to see if fish is done. If not, zap 2-3 more
    min.
    
    Serve with Rice Pilaf

    1 pkg skinless, boneless chicken breast
    1 small container sour cream
    1 can cream of mushroom soup
    4 slices low-salt ham
    4 slices mozz or swiss cheese
    
    Cut breast so there are 4 
    lay piece of ham and cheese on each
    roll up and place in baking dish
    mix sour cream and soup
    pour over top
    bake uncovered for 35-45 min
    

    There's a recipe for Broccoli and Garlic Pasta in here that is GREAT
    and very easy. We have it frequently.
    
    Any kind of spag. dish is easy. (Make a recipe card up for it,
    sometimes you're at a loss to think up things to make - this could
    be a reminder).  Add to the card that she could serve it with meatballs
    (include a recipe) or sausage or garlic bread (with or without cheese),
    etc.
    

Crock pot ideas (great during the winter):

		PORK IN ONION-VERMOUTH SAUCE (It tastes great!!!)

	4 boneless center cut pork chops
*	1 can cream of onion soup (yep, campbells makes it)
	1 soup can vermouth (the stuff in martinis)

Trim chops well (they are small so I cook 2 per person) and place in
crock pot.  Mix soup and vermouth in a bowl and pour over the soup.
set crock pot on high and cook for 6 - 8 hours.  Cook for 10 -12 hours
on low.  Add pepper to taste.  You can also add chopped onion, green
pepper when you start cooking for additional flavor.

Serve over rice or noodles and add steamed green beans or a salad. 

* If cream of onion soup is not available, use cream of mushroom and
  add chopped onion to the recipe.  Just for the record, the alcohol
  in the vermouth is cooked out by the time the meat is cooked.

		POT ROAST

	1 small pot roast
	1 med. onion
	2 med. potatos (or more)
	4 med. carrots
	1 can beef broth
	1 soup can red wine
	Pepper to taste

Trim the meat well and cut into chunks if necessary to fit into the
crock pot.  Chop onion into 4 - 6 pieces and add to pot.  Add broth
and wine.  Cook on high for 7 hours, add veggies and continue cooking
for another hour or until tender.  Cook on low 8 - 10 hours (you can
add the veggies after 8 hours and continue cooking until tender, but
I generally steam them separately when using the low setting on the
crock pot).  

You can make a gravy by pouring the liquid from the crock pot into
a pan, straining out the onion pieces by pouring the liquid through
a colander, and heating to a simmer on the stove.  Mix 1 tablespoon
flour with enough water to make a smooth paste and then add more
water to equal 1/4 cup water.  Pour into barely simmering broth, stirring
constantly, and continue to cook until slightly thickened.  If you
stir constantly, you can get a gravy without lumps AND without adding
more fat to your diet by making a roux.

FAILSAFE GRAVY:  Mix equal parts flour and fat (butter, margarine, olive
oil) in a small pan.  Cook over low - med. heat until the flour and
fat form a smooth paste and the flour colors to the desired hue for
your gravy (this is a roux).  Add the strained broth to the roux and
stir until smooth.  Cook for at least 5 minutes or until thickened
to desired texture.  If the gravy thickens too much, add more liquid.

    This old _Gourmet_ recipe has been a mainstay at our house for years.
    
    PARMESAN CHICKEN                                         
    
    2 Boneless, skinless chicken breasts, split
    2 Cloves garlic 
    1/4 Cup, + Parmesan cheese, finely grated
    1 Cup, plus Dry white wine
    1/4 Cup butter 
    1/4 Cup olive oil 
    3/4 Cup flour
    
    Mix the flour and the parmesan on a plate and dredge the chicken
    in the mixture, pressing the cheese into the flesh. Melt the butter
    with the olive oil in a large skillet. When the foam subsides, saute
    the garlic, BUT DO NOT BROWN. Remove the garlic and saute the chicken
    until brown, five minutes a side. In a heat-proof baking dish, add
    the wine, the chicken and the butter/oil mixtures. Sprinkle additional
    parmesan over the chicken and bake for 30 minutes at 350.

    Fish with Cheese and Shrimp Stuffing.
                
    This recipe is great because you don't have to measure anything,
    just add to taste.
    
    4 Pieces of Sole (Grey or Lemon)
    Monterey Jack and Sharp Cheddar Cheese
    Salad Shrimp
    Bread Crumbs (I like the Italian ones)
    Lemon Juice                        
    
    Place the Sole on a flat surface.  Cube the cheeses.  Place about
    2 of each type of cheese onto each piece of Sole.  Sprinkle the 
    shrimp over the fish and cheese.  Roll the fish and secure with 
    toothpicks. Sprinkle bread crumbs over the fish.  Pour a little 
    lemon juice over entire thing.  Bake in oven at 325 degrees for 
    about 10 to 15 mintes (when cheese has melted the fish is usually done).
    
    Serve with fresh veggies.
    
        

    Super Easy Cajun Chicken.
    
    I made this up in deparation to please my new husband.  He
    LOVED! it and it was the easiest thing I've ever made.  The
    chicken seems to hold in all its juices which I've never 
    managed before.
    
    Some boneless breasts of chicken
    Beat some eggs (enough to dip all chicken)
    Dip chicken in egg and then roll in seasoned bread crumbs
    
    Put the chicken into a tin pie plate with the thick ends against
    the edge of the plate.  I make enough for two people and it fits
    perfectly.
    
    Sprinkle Cajun Seasoning.  
    
    Bake at 325 for 10-15 minutes (I usually cut a piece open)

>    Bake at 325 for 10-15 minutes (I usually cut a piece open)

Only 10-15 minutes to cook chicken breasts?  When I bake just plain chicken
breasts, I cook them at 375 for 35 minutes!  I find it hard to believe that
they would cook completely in 15 minutes at 325!

--Sharon

    Lately we've been making a variation of this - heat a cast iron pan on
    the grill till hot.  Add a little oil and heat.  Sprinkle one side of
    chicken breasts with Cajun seasoning, put in pan sprinkled side down,
    then sprinkle tops. Cook till done.  This isn't authentic, but avoids
    the usual butter or egg dip.
    
    I'm going to try to bake them, though because the pan is a bear to get
    clean without having to reseason each time!
    
    Terry
    

    re: .2  I agree it sounds like a short time and the first time I did
    	    this I was surprised.  Maybe it is because the chicke touches
    	    the tin quite a bit.  I'd be interested in knowing if you try
    	    this recipe and need to cook it for 1/2 hour.
    
    re: .3  Depending on the kind of Cajun Seasoning you use, your kitchen
    	    can look like a bomb went off.  We did try this ONCE!  We had
    	    to leave the kitchen because of the smoke.  Also I hate doing
    	    dishes, so I shy away from recipes that stick.
    
    	    aud...

    re .1 etc.
    
    Please could someone provide information on what's in Cajun Seasoning
    for those of us who don't use packet seasoning (:-}), and don't anyway
    have access to shops that are likely to sell it.
           
    From across the pond ...
           
    Jacquie

RE: .6

An equal parts mixture of cayenne pepper, salt, garlic powder, and onion powder
would be approximately correct.

--PSW

    RE .6
    
    Here's another.  It's called Creole Seasoning and sounded pretty good. 
    Probably what you would pay quite a bit for under a Cajun named label.
    
    Makes 1/2 cups  T = tablespoon     t = teaspoon
    
    2 T (scant) salt
    2 T (scant) paprika
    1 T garlic powder
    1 T onion powder
    1 T freshly ground black pepper
    1 1/2 t cayenne pepper
    1 1/2 t dried thyme crumbled
    1 1/2 t dried oregano crumbled.
    
    Mix thoroughly and store in airtight container.
    
    Flo

    The Cajun Seasoning I used in my reply is very similar to
    the one described in .8, but it also has Cumin (sp?)
    
    aud...