| You've just gotten home from work. You've got a | | | | and easy meals. For example: Saute the chicken |
| splitting headache. The kids are screaming. You glance | | | | breasts in olive oil, add a few slivers of garlic and a |
| inside the fridge for something fast and easy. Nothing. | | | | chopped onion. Cover with two cups of water. Add a |
| It's the freezer next but nothing inspires you. What do | | | | couple of cubes of chicken bouillon and a cup of rice. |
| you do when you want quick, easy meals? Be | | | | Bring to a boil, simmer for about 20 minutes until the |
| prepared with a well stocked pantry. | | | | rice is cooked and the chicken is no longer pink in the |
| There's nothing worse than realizing no matter how | | | | middle. Add a cup or so, of frozen peas, a few |
| creative you are dinner isn't going to fix itself from a | | | | squeezes of lemon juice, heat through and dinner is |
| box of cornflakes, a can of tuna fish, and grape jelly. | | | | ready. No fuss, no muss and you're good to go. |
| The key to quick and easy recipes is having what you | | | | Change the type of rice, the meat, and vegetables and |
| need in the pantry. You don't have to have a huge | | | | you have several different meals. Pork with wild rice |
| storage facility or spend a fortune. A well stocked | | | | and apples is delicious. |
| pantry has the basics of rice, pasta, nuts, frozen | | | | Another alternative is pasta. Have a variety of pastas |
| vegetables, flavored oils, and herbs. It goes without | | | | in your cabinet with a selection of dried herbs such as |
| saying you'll have onions, garlic, salt, and pepper on | | | | basil, oregano, tarragon and a few different kinds of |
| hand. And of course you'll always have a few | | | | nuts like walnuts, hazelnuts, pine nuts, and almonds. |
| cheeses in the fridge. Add cans of beans, tomato | | | | Keep several different oils in your cabinet like olive oil, |
| sauce, tuna fish and your well stocked pantry will | | | | almond, and walnut. Cheeses add the finishing touch |
| provide a variety of quick and easy dinners. | | | | and the protein. Cook the pasta about 10 minutes, add |
| Every meal should have a protein, vegetable, | | | | the frozen vegetable of your choice about 5 minutes |
| carbohydrate and of course taste good. Boneless | | | | before the pasta is done. Drain and return to the |
| chicken breasts have a myriad of uses, cook quickly, | | | | cooking pot over the hot, but turned off, stove top |
| and nearly everybody likes chicken. Boneless pork | | | | burner. Sprinkle the pasta with the dried herb and oil of |
| chops are fast and easy too. Buy several packages | | | | your choice, mix well. Portion out on the serving plates. |
| of both and portion them into your dinner size servings. | | | | Top with a tablespoon or so of nuts and a 1/4 cup of |
| For two of you, put two chicken breasts in one | | | | grated cheese and once again your dinner is ready. |
| package, two pork chops, two fish fillets, etc. | | | | Here are a few variations to try: parsley, walnuts, |
| Pasta and rice should take care of the carbohydrate | | | | cheddar cheese, and walnut oil; tarragon, almonds, |
| part of the meal. Both require less work than potatoes | | | | Swiss cheese, and almond oil; basil, pine nuts, |
| and cook faster. | | | | Parmesan cheese, and olive oil. |
| Add a few packages of frozen vegetables and | | | | Quick, easy recipes are quick and easy if you're |
| you've got the start of a number of great tasting quick | | | | prepared with a well stocked pantry. |