Dinner Dash: Cooking for the 5 O’clock Rush – 3 Fast and Simple From the Pantry Favorites

It’s 5 o’clock. It’s been a long day. You’re tired and the kids are starving and grumpy. Your husband is eyeing up the take out menu (again). Instead of ordering in pizza or (UGH) going to McBarf’s, try these fast and simple pantry favorites!

Good Old Shake n’ Bake Chicken with a Twist

4 bone-in chicken breasts
2 red bell peppers
4 Portobello mushrooms
1 small onion
1 packet of Shake n’ Bake
A pinch of garlic powder
A sprinkle of paprika
1 tablespoon of oil
1 or 2 tablespoons of water
Salt and pepper to taste

Slice red peppers, onion and Portobello mushrooms and spread over bottom of a non-stick pan (or non-stick foil in pan) and drizzle with oil and a wee bit of water (a couple of tablespoons).

Sprinkle vegetables with pinch of garlic powder and paprika. Lightly coat chicken breasts with Shake n’ Bake and lay on top of peppers, onions and mushrooms and place uncovered in 375 degree oven or 60-70 minutes.

Serve with one of our delicious salads and (minute) rice on the side and voila! A great dinner for four in under 20 minutes!

So Simple Shrimp Fettuccine

Fettuccine
1 bag of frozen shrimp
2 tomatoes
2 (or 3) cloves of garlic
A pinch of salt
A pinch of pepper
1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon of butter

Cook enough fettuccine for your family and set aside.

Then, melt butter in a heavy non-stick frying pan, add balsamic vinegar and very finely chopped garlic, and stir until garlic starts to go transparent then add diced tomatoes and shrimp.

Stir until shrimp is cooked (about three or four minutes until they turn pink, it should be heated through but not overcooked!) Put cooked fettuccine in a big bowl and pour contents of frying pan in.

Toss until well mixed then put shrimp and fettuccine mixture into smaller serving bowls and salt and pepper to taste.

Best Steak Dinner in 20 minutes…Ever!

Flank steak
Small bag of baby potatoes
Red wine
Brown sugar
Dark soy sauce
4 cloves of garlic
Dry mustard
Curry powder
Olive oil
Thyme
Salt and pepper
Lemon Juice
Butter or margarine
Parmesan cheese grated

Marinade in the morning or when you get home from work (preferably let sit for 60 minutes – enough time to chill with a glass of wine).

In a Ziploc bag mix in 1/2 cup of soy, 1/2 cup of wine, 1/3 a cup of olive oil, 3 crushed or chopped garlic cloves, salt and pepper (to taste), teaspoon of dry mustard and a scoop of brown sugar (not an ice cream scoop but a decent amount).

Zip the bag closed with air and shake to mix. Put in the steak and seal, air out. Let sit through the day or at least for an hour.

To cook the steak on the BBQ: Cook for 5 minutes per side for perfect medium rare or 4 minutes per side for rare on medium heat.

To cook under the broiler: Cook for the 5 minutes a side for rare, about 6 minutes a side for medium rare (set the broiler to high if you have variable heat).

Chop up the baby potatoes in quarters and microwave in a bowl of water for 6 to 7 minutes. Once partially cooked, place in heated frying pan with a pre-melt a tablespoon of butter or margarine with equal amount olive oil. Add a diced garlic clove, salt and pepper and thyme to taste. Fry until lightly brown. Mix in a bowl with Parmesan cheese.

Serve with the coolest steak dip around!
2 tablespoons of mayo and equal part sour cream
Combine and add curry powder until the color is almost that of the powder itself
Add a splash of Tabasco (optional)
Shake of thyme

It only takes 20 minutes to cook a healthy, tasty meal that costs way less than more expensive cuts of meat.