OK, so school’s back in swing. And football, soccer, volleyball, cheer and dance team practices have parents running to and fro. So who has time to get dinner on the table? Well, you do, with some help from these 30-minutes-or-less recipes.
Some of these dishes call for ingredients you can pick up at the Hitching Lot Farmers’ Market in Columbus, Mondays 4-6 p.m. and Thursdays and Saturdays from 7-10 a.m., and at the Starkville Community Market, open 7:30-10:30 a.m. Saturday mornings. Support local growers while treating yourself and your family to the enhanced taste that often comes from just-harvested produce.
Among today’s time-savers is a Monterey chicken dish from momswhothink.com. It gets a savory zing from bacon, a blend of cheeses, barbecue sauce, chopped tomatoes and chives. Perfect served with roasted or herbed potatoes.
If meat-and-potatoes has worn out its welcome at your house, a quick, colorful vegetarian linguine is a nice change. This pasta dish recipe comes from tasteofhome.com. It uses fresh mushrooms, zucchini and other vegetables, as well as basil and provolone cheese. It’s a contest-winning recipe that’s also diabetic-friendly.
A takeout-inspired recipe for sweet and sour chicken from dashrecipes.com goes from grill to table in less time than it takes to get food delivered. Or, if sandwiches suit the occasion, try the tuna melt recipe, with sun dried tomatoes, mozzarella cheese and delicious country bread.
For an Asian-influenced diversion, a shrimp and soba (buckwheat) noodle dish flavored with gingerroot and other spices offers variety.
You’ll find many more 30-minute options using beef, pork and chicken at sites like dashrecipes.com. Incorporate them into your recipe rotation for time-savers at your fingertips.
Kitchen shortcuts
Speaking of quick work in the kitchen, a few gourmet chefs share some of their “secret shortcuts” at delish.com. We tend to think the major players make everything from scratch, shun store-bought and even grow their own ingredients. Take heart. Professional chefs, just like us, look for ways to save time and effort without shortchanging flavor.
When time is short because of work, school or play, don’t panic — you can put food on the table and still have time to enjoy family and friends.
VEGETARIAN LINGUINE
Makes six servings
6 ounces uncooked linguine
2 medium zucchini, thinly sliced
1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
2 green onions, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large tomato, chopped
2 teaspoons minced fresh basil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 ounces provolone cheese, shredded
3 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese
(Source: tasteofhome.com)
TUNA MOZZARELLA MELT
Makes two servings
1 (6 ounce) can water-packed tuna
2 tablespoons light mayo
4 slices country bread, toasted
1 ounce part skim mozzarella cheese
4 large basil leaves
2 slices sun-dried tomatoes
(Source: dashrecipes.com)
SHRIMP WITH SOBA NOODLES
Makes four servings
8 ounces uncooked soba (buckwheat) noodles
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 pound uncooked medium or large shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon finely chopped gingerroot
1 1/2 cups baby-cut carrots, cut lengthwise in half
8 ounces green beans, cut in half
1 3/4 cups Progresso chicken broth (from 32-ounce carton)
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon cornstarch
(Source: bettycrocker.com)
SWEET AND SOUR CHICKEN
Makes eight servings
8 chicken drumsticks
1/2 cup sweet-and-sour sauce
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon peeled, grated fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tablespoons soy sauce
Scallions, chopped
(Source: dashrecipes.com)
MONTEREY CHICKEN
Makes four servings
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 tablespoons Bull’s Eye barbecue sauce
4 slices crisp bacon
1/2 cup Monterey jack and cheddar cheese blend
Fresh tomato, chopped
Chives
(Source: momswhothink.com)
Jan Swoope is the Lifestyles Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
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