20 Minute Express Recipes for Busy People

146 Pages·2013·1.96 MB·English

by  Ericka Smits

20 Minute Express Recipes for Busy People
by Ericka Smits

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All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any
means, including scanning, photocopying, or otherwise without prior written permission of the
copyright holder. Copyright © 2013

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Table of Contents

Preface
10 Tips for Super-Fast Cooking
Chapter One - Appetizers, Snacks & Beverages
Creamy Asian Dip
Layered Bean Dip
Fresh Green Veggie Salsa
Shrimp Salad-Stuffed Endive
Sun-Dried Tomato Crostini
Marinated Tortellini
Chicken Lettuce Wrap
Pomegranate Fizzer
White Cranberry-Peach Spritzers
Spiced Mocha Latte
Chapter Two - Breads
Cornmeal Pancakes
Cherry Wheat Pancakes
Blueberry Waffles
Sweet Mini Muffins
Apple-Cinnamon Crescent Puffs
Baked Amaretto French Toast
Cornmeal Biscuits
Easy Drop Biscuits
Parmesan-Basil Biscuits
Buttermilk Cornmeal Sticks
Chapter Three - Main Dishes
Sweet Hot Pork Medallions
Steak Florentine
Mushroom-Smothered Salisbury Steak
Rosemary Lamb Chops with Garlic-Balsamic Sauce
Seared Chicken Breast with Pan Gravy
Chicken, Artichoke, and Mushroom Fettuccine
Cornmeal and Pecan Crusted Catfish
Pan Grilled Salmon with Pineapple Salsa
New Orleans Style Shrimp
Vegetarian Tortilla Pizza
Chapter Four - Soups and Sandwiches
Easy Texas Chili
Turkey and Tomatillo Chili
Spicy Barbecue Chicken Soup
Coconut Chicken and Rice Soup
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Mexican Gazpacho
Curried Chicken Salad Sandwiches
Chipotle-Raspberry Turkey Wrap
Balsamic Roast Beef Sandwiches
Apple, Slaw and Ham Sandwiches
Mediterranean Goat-Cheese Sandwiches
Chapter Five - Salads
Couscous and Chicken Salad
Chef’s Salad with Dijon Dressing
Tex-Mex Layered Salad
Asian Chicken Salad
Sesame Tuna with Cucumber Salad
Crab and Mango Salad
Black-Eyed Pea Salad
Wilted Radicchio-Chickpea Salad
White Bean and Artichoke Salad
Southwestern Salad with Guacamole Dressing
Chapter Six - Side Dishes
Garlic-and-Lemon Roasted Green Beans
Asparagus Gremolata
Brussels Sprouts with Tomato, Olives, and Bacon
Carrot-Edamame Sauté
Moroccan Carrots
Cabbage Sauté with Apples
Middle Eastern Roasted Cauliflower
Grilled Chipotle-Lime Corn
Curried Potatoes and Peas
Chapter Seven - Desserts
Brandied Mixed Fruits
Autumn Fruit with Honey-Yogurt Sauce
Orange-Mint Berries
Fruit Kebabs with Lemon Dip
Toffee Dip with Apples
Melon with Strawberry Sauce
Peach Shortcakes
Zabaglione with Fresh Fruit
Blueberry Fool
Amaretto Strawberries over Angel Food Cake
Conclusion

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Preface

All information in this book has been carefully researched and checked for factual accuracy.
However, the author and publisher make no warranty, express or implied, that the information
contained herein is appropriate for every individual, situation or purpose, and assume no
responsibility for errors or omissions. The reader assumes the risk and full responsibility for
all actions, and the authors will not be held responsible for any loss or damage, whether
consequential, incidental, special, or otherwise that may result from the information presented
in this publication.

The author has relied on her own experience as well as many different sources for this book,
and has done her best to check the facts and to give credit where it is due. In the event that any
material is incorrect or has been used without proper permission, please contact the author so
that the oversight can be corrected at: [email protected]

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10 Tips for Super-Fast Cooking

Most people, when thinking of cutting down the time spent in the kitchen, believe that this
means buying more take-out and/or processed foods that are laden with calories, fat and
sodium. But it doesn't have to be that way. Anybody can prepare a meal that will keep their
time in the hot kitchen to a minimal yet without sacrificing on health. Here are a few super-fast
cooking tips and tricks to help you save on preparation time while still making healthy meals
for you and your family.

Tip No. 1: Use Pre-cooked Meats

You can often buy roast beef or roasted turkey in the deli section of your local grocery store.
Both are lean meat choices. You can even request extra thick slices of roast so you can dice it
and use in your recipes.

You can also get fresh off the rotisserie or grill chicken breasts, whole chickens, and half
turkey breasts in most supermarkets. Just remove the skin and shred or cut the meat as needed
for your recipe.

Finally, you can find cooked shrimp at the fish counter or in the frozen fish section of your
local supermarket.

Tip No. 2: Have a Main Dish Salad

A cool, light, and quick to fix main dish salad is a perfect choice for a hot summer supper. Just
open a bag of salad green or spinach leaves and pour into a bowl and you have the base
ingredient for your salad. All you need to do is throw in the rest of the ingredients and toss.
Practical add-ins for your salad include reduced-fat cheese, baby carrots, grilled chicken,
dried cranberries, cherry tomatoes, walnuts, etc.

Tip No 3. Make It Vegetarian
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When preparing your meal, the best way to save time cooking meat is to skip it entirely.
Consider easy vegetarian entrées like beans and cheese burritos, vegetarian burgers (they only
take about 4 minutes to brown in a nonstick frying pan), egg-based entrées such as omelets, and
vegetarian sandwiches containing cheese and/or roasted vegetables.

Tip No 4: Heat up a Classy Frozen Entrée

There are many appetizing frozen entrées to be found in your local supermarkets. There are
even many savory low-fat choices for people looking for vegetarian, fish, lean mean, or ethnic
cuisine.

Tip No. 5: Add Some Store-Prepared Gourmet Items

You can save time in the kitchen without sacrificing elegance. All you need to do is buy a few
gourmet food items. These items are often prepared by Whole Food Market and similar ritzy
markets. Look for items such as:
� Freshly made avocado-mango salsa (this is a great option for gourmet style

quesadillas, meat entrées, tacos, and more).
� Roasted vegetables (these are great for sandwiches, quesadillas, tacos, and

more).
� Grilled salmon and/or chicken breast (these are great for pasta dishes, main

dish salads, and more).

Tip No. 6: Whip Up a Stove-Top Meal

Even during those hot summer evening, most of us are prepared to spend five minutes over a
stove top if the result is a fresh and healthy meal. You can easily whip up the following with
only a nonstick frying pan:

� Grilled sandwiches (you may also consider using a Panini press)

� Quesadillas

� Omelets

� Fried rice (if the rice is pre-cooked)

� Bacon Lettuce and Tomato sandwich

� Fajitas (these can take as little as 5 minutes to make if you purchase pre-cut

meat and use bottled fajita sauce.
� Sloppy Joes

Tip No. 7: Make a Microwave Meals in Minutes

I will share three of my favorite quick and easy microwave meals:

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� Make nachos by simply layering multigrain tortilla chips, canned vegetarian

refried beans or black beans, shredded reduced-fat cheese, chopped green onions
and tomatoes, and grilled or roasted chicken breast (if desired) on a microwave-safe
plate and cooking on HIGH for a minute or two.
� Make a burrito by filling a whole-grain flour tortilla with your fillings of

choice, wrapping everything up into a burrito shape, and microwaving it for a minute
or two.
� Make an easy to assemble baked potato. Simply pierce each potato a couple of

times with a fork and microwave on HIGH until cooked throughout. Meanwhile, get
your toppings ready (consider these tasty toppings: shredded reduced-fat cheese; fat-
free sour cream; chopped chives or green onions; and/or turkey bacon bits.) Your
favorite canned chili can also make a great topping too; just heat the chili in a
microwave-safe bowl.

Tip No. 8: Use No-Fuss Veggies and Beans

These veggies are easy to use in recipes because they require a small amount of preparation
time:

� Bags of baby carrots

� Asparagus spears (just trim off the ends and you can cook them whole)

� Bags of washed spinach leaves

� Potatoes and sweet potatoes (just pierce each a couple of times and

microwave)
� Cherry and grape tomatoes

� Canned tomatoes (for some recipes, you will want the ones with seasonings

added)
� Canned beans (just rinse them and add to the recipes)

� Bags of precut broccoli and cauliflower florets

Tip No. 9: Serve a Low-Fuss Fruit Salad

You can whip-up a side serving of fruit salad by simply rinsing and tossing the following
fruits:

� Raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries

� Grapes (red and green)

� Apple slices in bags

� Bananas (just peel and cut into slices)

� Canned pineapple chunks (in juice)

� Strawberries make for an easy garnish. Just rinse and serve them with their

leafy tops.

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Tip No. 10: Use Bottled Sauces, Dressings, and Marinades

These are some of the most convenient products available at your supermarket:
� Bottled light salad dressing (for green salads and pasta salads, or you can use

the dressing as a marinade)
� Bottled marinara and pizza sauce

� Bottled salsa, taco sauce, salsa verde, and enchilada sauce

� Teriyaki sauce

� Fajita sauce

� Asian cooking and dipping sauces (hoisin, sweet and sour sauce, and more)

� Pesto sauce

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