Bad cook needs a suggestion for dinner

[nexttripdisney]

I'm just not that great a cook. Even when I work really hard to make something new it just never seems to be very good.

Tomorrow, we are having an overnight guest (man) and I'm cooking dinner. I'd like it to be something fairly healthy yet hearty and tasty that won't take me all day.

Help.

 

[LuvOrlando]

What do you have in mind chicken,beef, shrimp, pasta? I have a lot of very yummy pasta dishes that taste much harder than they are to prepare.

 

[maslex]

Maybe something in the crock pot? You can throw it all together in the morning and it'd be ready by dinner time. Can't really screw up a crock pot meal.

 

[Christine]

I am a reluctant cook and was on here a few weeks ago looking for recipe suggestions. Someone posted a recipe site that is from Publix grocery store and I've had the most success with their recipies. Here is one that turned out great, is very hearty, very easy, and will probably impress your guess. It is for use in the crockpot; however, you can adapt it for stovetop and cook in half the time on a low simmer.

Italian Braised Beef Short Ribs with Gnocchi

1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1/4 c. sun dried tomato spread (or tomato bruschetta if you can't find the spread)
1 (1.3 oz) packet of Knorr Parma Rosa sauce mix, divided
1 tsp dried Italian Seasoning
2 lb beef boneless chuck short ribs
1 (24 oz) jar of arrabbiata specialty pasta sauce, divided (I used Paul Newman's sockaroni)
1 (14oz) can low-sodium beef broth, divided
1 (16 oz) package of gnocchi pasta (if you cannot find this, egg noodles will work great).
1/4 tsp pepper

1. Combine tomato spread, 1 tsp of the Parma Rosa saucemix, and Italian seasoning in a bowl; coat ribs with this.
2. Place ribs in slow cooker with onions, half the broth, and half of the pasta sauce. Cook on high 4-6 hours or until meat is tender. (Stovetop would probably simmer 2.5 to 3 hours sort of like pot roast).
3. Skim any excess fat from the meat mixture (I didn't have any). Whisk remaining broth, remaining pasta sauce, and remaining parma rosa sauce together in a bowl until blended. Add to slow cooker. Stir in gnocchi and cook for another 15 minutes or so until pasta is done (I browned my gnocchi in a skillet prior to this step). If using egg noodles, just cook them separately and serve the meat mixture over the noodles.

This is "sort of" like beef stew but a little better in my opinion.

I would serve this with a salad.

 

[LaraK]

I was also going to suggest a pasta. Angel Hair pasta can be dressed up easily and look gourmet. It's a nice light pasta too and quick to cook.

Another easy pasta is pasta with clam sauce...you can cheat and get canned clam sauce and then just add some fresh cheese and scallions and it looks like you've made a fancy dish. Pair with a salad and a nice fresh loaf of bread and you're golden.

 

[nexttripdisney]

Can't really screw up a crock pot meal.

I have! Think overcooked....

 

[Christine]

I have! Think overcooked....

The recipe I post above cannot be overcooked. The longer you cook it, the better the beef gets.

 

[nexttripdisney]

Italian Braised Beef Short Ribs with Gnocchi

Too many ingredients. Too many ingredients I have never cooked with before. I will try this later in the week on my bil! Thanks for the recipe!!

 

[Wall-E1]

Boston Market.
Then when you get home you transfer it to your own kitchenware. That's how it's done around our parts.

 

[nexttripdisney]

What do you have in mind chicken,beef, shrimp, pasta? I have a lot of very yummy pasta dishes that taste much harder than they are to prepare.

I'm thinking pasta, maybe with a seafood added? I can add a spinach salad, fresh bread.

I don't want to stink up the house, either. Can you tell that I'm stressing?

 

[GRUMPY PIRATE]

reservations!!

 

[Christine]

Too many ingredients. Too many ingredients I have never cooked with before. I will try this later in the week on my bil! Thanks for the recipe!!

I understand. I was quite nervous when I made it. I have never cooked with short ribs before, ever. Never heard of parma rosa sauce, and could not remember ever seeing sun dried tomato spread. Plus it was only my second time using gnocchi.

I was shocked at how easily it all came together. The worst part was getting the stuff at the grocery store (I had to go to two stores).

 

[WDWisTheBest]

Too many ingredients. Too many ingredients I have never cooked with before. I will try this later in the week on my bil! Thanks for the recipe!!

Another possibility. Domino's, Papa John's, Pizza Hut.

Around 15 bucks for the large. Time in the kitchen=zero. Stress=zero

 

[Jessica14]

I know its not for this time of year necessarily, but you can do a pasta salad. One box of rotelli or penne (whole wheat or plain) cooked and cooled. Then add one box of mixed veggies, some Perdue short cuts (or chopped ham or turkey-buy some at the deli counter and cut into strips), and some cheunks of cheese low or whole fat. Pick a couple of salad dressings to put on the table with some salt and pepper and let people pick what and how much to add. It's easy and can be as healthy as you want it to be. You could also serve this warm and just use grated parmesean cheese instead of chunks so they wouldn't melt in the hot pasta.
Jessica

 

[doxdogy]

Chili with a side of cornbread. For the cornbread take a box of Jiffy cornbread mix, replace the milk with a small can of creamed corn. Put in dish and bake according to the box. Makes a good and hearty meal.

 

[LuvOrlando]

Beef can't be overcooked in a crock pot, unless you go more than a day or run out of fluid. Chicken and pork can though, I discovered the hard way that if it says 4 hours they mean 4 hours.

This is amazing & easy:

http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/Creamy-Chicken-and-Pasta

& so is this,

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/...-for-long-vodka-cream-pasta-recipe/index.html

Just remember that when you boil pasta, make sure you salt the water first, then make sure the water is a nice strong boil and when you drop the pasta in start the timer & when the timer sounds drain it immediately.

 

[TLuvsD]

Go buy a roast. Sear it in a frying pan (heat the pan, put in some olive oil. When the oil is hot, put in the roast. Roll it so each side gets brown.) Spray the crock pot with pam (or olive oil). Put in the roast. Add two cans of Campbells Cream of Mushroom condensed soup, and about a half a packet of dry Lipton soup mix. Cook for about 6 to 8 hours on low...or 4 to 6 on high. Cook some eggs noodles or make some mashed potatoes (try those Idaho instant if you need to, you will have plenty of gravy). Add a vegtable of choice (I'd likely do asparagus, but any will do). Rolls and butter. Pick up a dessert, or make brownies.

 

[shortbun]

Bake a chicken, bake some potatoes and make a salad with a store bought dessert. Just rub the chicken with oil, salt and pepper and some garlic. Baked potatoes go at least an hour in the oven OR I bake them mostly in the microwave and finish them in the oven to get the skins crisp. The other good thing for a man is pork chops. I add a lot of cinnamon to about a cup of wochestershire sauce and marinate some medium thick chops then I skillet fry them. Peel some potatoes, cut them in big chunks and boil them. Toss the boiled potatoes in butter and fresh chopped parsley-yummy and nearly fool proof. Again, salad with croutons and store bought dessert-cake or something.

 

[MickeyMomOfThree]

This is one of our favorite meals and very easy. It is more home cooking then fancy, but maybe it would work for you.

Ingredients-
1 Chicken Breast, Cooked and Shredded (can add more if desired, I use less to keep it budget friendly)
1 pound Mushrooms
2 T Butter
2 T flour
2 C Half and Half
2 Chicken Bouillon Cubes
1 Bag Egg Noodles
Garlic Salt to taste

Directions-
In a large pan, cook down a pound of mushrooms washed and sliced. You don’t cook them in anything, just let them cook down till the water in them cooks out. It will seem like a lot but they cook way down.

Once they have cooked down and all the water has cooked away put 2 tablespoons of real butter into the pan. When it melts add 2 tablespoons of flour and mix to coat the mushrooms in a sticky butter-flour mixture.

Now slowly add 2 cups of half and half. (You can also use cream but they taste about the same, the only difference is cream makes it thicker, but half and half is better for you.) By adding it slow you will get it to thicken up and start the sauce when it mixes with the butter/flour. Let this cook a bit to thicken. While it is cooking put in 2 chicken bouillon cubes and let them cook down till the break apart and stir them in well.

While it is simmering you need to boil up a bag of egg noodles.

Once the noodles are done, you drain them and mix them with the mushroom sauce and the chicken and you season it with garlic sauce to taste. Not too much, but it makes the meal extra tasty.

 

[Pig Pen]

Try this 4 step recipe from the Food Network. It's flexible and you can use whatever ingredients you have in the pantry. I have used chicken with veggie broth and white wine, pork chops with apple cider, steak with red wine and beef boullion, etc.)

1. Cook meat - Season meat (use boneless breasts, pork chops, or steak) with salt and pepper, dredge in flour. Heat olive oil in a pan and add meat. Saute until cooked through. Take meat out and let rest on a plate. Cover with foil tent.

2. Add aromatics - In same pan, over low heat, add aromatics (onions, garlic, peppers, seasonings like oregano, thyme, whatever you have on hand.)

3. Add liquids - Measure out 1 cup of liquid (broth, apple juice, beer, wine, balsamic vinegar, salsa, whatever combo you want). Add to the aromatics in pan. Turn up heat, cook down liquids by half.

4. Finish sauce - Remove from heat, add 2 tbsp butter and stir. Season to taste. Add meat to pan, drizzle sauce over top, and let sit for a minute.

Serve over a bed of cooked spinach, noodles, mashed potato, rice, etc. Drizzle the rest of the sauce over the top.