Dinner in 30; a practical guide.

This will be my first post that could be considered in the "mommy blog" category, so bear with me.
On any given night, I can have a complete dinner on the table in about 30 minutes. Not because I am Super Mama, but because I have had a lot of practice under fire. The first 5 years of my almost 6 with children I had an office job and my kids were in full time day care. That meant Monday - Friday the kids and I would leave the house around 7:15 am and get back about 5:45 pm. Bedtime, or the bedtime goal, was 7:30 pm. Do you see the time constraints for dinner, bath, and quality time before bed? Since I love to cook, and especially love to cook for my family, I had to figure out how to cook dinner and have it on the table in around 30 minutes. So if you are challenged in the dinner-fixin' area, here is my advice to you....take it for what it's worth.

Must haves:

• Pampered Chef Deep Dish Covered Baker: This marvel can cook a whole chicken in the microwave in 30 minutes. For real. The chicken is browned and juicy. You can also do a pork tenderloin in about 12 minutes. If you don't have a Pampered Chef contact, Karla Burdette can hook you up!
• Southern Living Easy Weeknight Favorites Cookbook: This is a compilation of their favorite easy weeknight recipes found in the magazine, plus tips and tricks. When I worked, I used a recipe from this cookbook almost every night. Some of our favorites are below. I think the cookbook is only available through a Southern Living At Home rep, and mine moved to Seattle.
• Frozen vegetables: No brainer I know. I love Today's Harvest. This brand is out of Birmingham and has the best frozen vegetables I have found. They come in large resealable bags. The broccoli is big and more floret than stem, the green beans are green not brown, and the fried okra is the best ever. (Tip for frying; to check if the oil is ready, stand up a wooden spoon handle in the hot oil and if you see tiny bubbles around the handle, the oil is ready.) I find Today's Harvest at Publix.
• Italian Seasoning: I always have a bottle of dried Italian Seasoning and have just discovered McCormick's Fresh Ground Italian Seasoning. It is fabulous. Italian Seasoning can add spice to anything.
• Frozen Talapia: You can find this at any grocery store, but the best deals are at the warehouse stores. The best thing is each fish is individually frozen and in it's own bag, so you can pull out only what you need. They thaw in about 20 minutes in a bowl of cold water. Cook in 10. Dinner done!

Tips:

• Plan ahead: I only plan ahead about 5 or 6 times a year. When I do, it is fantastic! Take one day a week, for me usually a Sunday afternoon, and cook what you can for the week. Cook up an extra large package of hamburger meat, cool, and store in around 1 pound servings in freezer bags in the freezer. You can also pre-cook chicken breasts, but take them out of the oven with about 5 minutes left until they are done. Once cooled, wrap in foil and freeze. When you re-heat, they won't dry out but will finish cooking. Cook a ham. Don't be afraid of a ham. Buy a pre-cooked ham and just follow the directions on the package. Once cooked, slice it all and freeze what you won't use that week.
• If you have little ones, keep natural applesauce (Musslemans) on hand. This is a great filler if you need something extra for them at supper, or for them to eat while you cook!
• Keep a stocked pantry and refrigerator: This is not a daunting task. If you have some basics on hand, then it will be easier to cook with out a plan! It may take some trial and error to find out what you need and what you don't. I have a bottle of gumbo file powder that is almost 10 years old. I am not sure why I don't toss it. Remember, not everyone will stock their pantry with the same thing.  
• If you aren't Martha Stewart, Giada Delarentiss(?), The Barefoot Contessa or Paula Deen: Don't kid yourself. Cook what you feel comfortable cooking.

Recipes

• Oven Fried Talapia

                        Pre-heat oven to 450. Thaw talapia. Pour about 1/2 cup of milk in a bowl. Pour about 1/2 cup store bought breadcrumbs in a bowl and mix with a few shakes of Parmesan cheese and a couple of tablespoons of Italian Seasonings. Dip each fillet in the milk then in the breadcrumb mixture. Place in a lightly greased 9 x 13 Pyrex dish, or foil covered cookie sheet. Bake for 10 minutes or until fish flakes with a fork.

• Poppy seed Chicken

                         3 cups chopped cooked chicken (rotisserie!)
                         1 can cream of chicken soup
                         1 8 ounce carton of sour cream
                         1 tablespoon of poppy seeds
                         Sleeve of Ritz crackers, crushed
                         1/4 melted butter
                                  Preheat oven to 350. Mix the first 4 ingredients together and pour into a greased 11 x 7 baking dish. Mix the crushed crackers and the melted butter, top the casserole. Bake for 30 minutes.

• Pork Tenderloin

                      Marinate the tenderloin in Moore's. (You can put that together in the morning.) Grill for about 25 minutes. Or, bake on 375 for about 25 - 30 minutes. Or, cook in the Deep Dish Covered Baker for 12 - 14.

• Sauteed Asparagus

                         Wash asparagus and cut off tough ends. Heat about 1 - 2 tablespoons olive oil with about 1 teaspoon of butter in a large skillet. Add asparagus and saute on medium heat about 5 minutes. Crush a garlic clove and add to skillet. Continue cooking, stirring often, until desired tenderness. I usually cook a total of about 8 minutes.

• Grilled Zucchini

                       Slice 2 - 4 zucchini length wise. Place in shallow plate (I use a pie plate) and pour a tablespoon or two of olive oil. Sprinkle with coarse salt and pepper, generously. Grill on a grill pan, or on an outdoor grill, about 3 minutes per side.

• Easy Spaghetti Sauce

                           1 can fire roasted tomatoes
                           1/2 can tomato soup
                           Olive Oil
                          Fresh Ground Italian Seasoning

                     Heat tomatoes in a pot, on medium heat,  crushing some of the tomatoes as you stir. Add the 1/2 can tomato soup and about 1 - 2 tablespoons olive oil. Stir. Cook about 8 to 10 minutes and add the Italian Seasoning, about 1 - 2 tablespoons. Cook until the sauce reduces about 1/4, about 10 minutes.


The secret to cooking quickly, and with little ones around, is simple dishes.