Simple Recipes

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Simple recipes tend to become staples in every home.

They're so easy, they need no recipe, and your kids can start them when you're coming home from work,
or throw together at the end of a busy day.
They are delicious, so it makes them pure winners for all.

These are our family's favorite, simple recipes.

MARINATED CHICKEN WITH TATOR TOTS

This is really as simple as it sounds, and it's one of my kids favorites.
Add a bag of washed veggies or a steamed vegetable as a side and you're in business.

**Make sure to take out the chicken early, so it's thaw for marinating.
Put the thaw chicken (we use boneless, skinless breasts & thighs) in a Tupperware and cover with Kikkoman Teriyaki Marinade for about an hour or so in the fridge.

Flame up your BBQ and cook these babies for 10 - 15 minutes; turning in between.
Wow! These are so soft and good.

**If you want to change this up a bit, and drop the tators; you can roast root vegetables or potato wedges for about an hour.
Peel & cut into chunks: potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, onions -- whatever you like.
Cook the potatoes (regular and sweet) for about 10 minutes in boiling water, then transfer to a greased baking pan with the other cut-up veggies.
Stir and coat with olive oil and dry onion mix, dry ranch seasoning or taco seasoning -- whatever your preference.
Cover with tin foil, and bake for 45 minutes to an hour at 400 degrees until veggies are tender.
Serve with Ranch Dressing. The Best in Simple Recipes :)

A few great cookbooks:

This is very similar to the above recipe.
Cut the thaw flank steak into long strips about an inch wide; cutting against the grain -- otherwise your steak may not be tender.
Marinade in Kikkoman Teriyaki Marinade for at least an hour in the fridge; longer if time permits.
Broil these in the oven until done -- that should take about 5 minutes on each side.
SO YUMMY!

Add a baked potato with the fixings; cooked mixed veggies (from a package), cooked broccoli, grated cheese or nacho cheese sauce, ranch dressing or sour cream -- anything you like.

Baked potatoes alone are a delicious simple recipe :)
My husband and 17 year old son love this meal, and it fills them up -- at least for a little while :)
Use all the toppings mentioned above; add a can of chili or make from scratch if you have time.
You could also add crumbled bacon.
This is really a meal you can cater to your family's tastes.

Enjoy!

Each of these meals can be served stuffed into store bought flour or wheat tortillas.
Of course, use the hard and crispy taco shells if you prefer that for tacos. Be sure to heat them in a 350 degree oven for about 5 minutes.

**The chicken for gyros and fajitas can be prepared exactly the same way; and only the toppings change.

GYRO INGREDIENTS:
1. Slice boneless, skinless chicken into strips and saute in a little olive oil with your favorite seasonings: chipotle, lemon pepper, or taco seasoning.
2. Cut up tomatoes -- about 2 or 3 Roma tomatoes.
3. Grate one small to medium sized peeled cucumber (squeeze out excess water).
4. Combine cucumber with minced garlic to taste, and plain yogurt (as much as needed to hold together).

Fill flour tortillas and enjoy.
This is really a fresh tasting meal.
Nacho cheese chips make a simple side.

FAJITA INGREDIENTS:
1. Slice boneless, skinless chicken into strips and saute in a little olive oil with your favorite seasonings: chipotle, cajun, taco or fajita seasoning.
2. Grill sliced green & red peppers, minced garlic and onions in a little olive oil. Add your seasoning of choice.
3. Fill flour tortillas and top with grated cheese, sour cream and/or salsa.

A SIMPLE VARIATION:
We have started to make fish tacos/fajitas using any basic white fish fillet lightly seasoned with my spice rub.
Use all the same ingredients for fajitas.
Saute the whole fish fillets in a little bit of olive oil.
This has become one of our family's favorite meals.

TACOS OR TACO SALAD INGREDIENTS: Definitely my favorite of the simple recipes. We could have this once a week.
1. Hard or soft shell tacos (heat hard shells in the oven for freshness).
2. Brown ground beef or chicken; season with packaged taco seasonings and a little bit of water.
3. Can of chili beans.
4. Grated cheese; black olives; sour cream or avocado; chopped tomatoes; chopped cucumber, lettuce and salsa.

For taco salad, use more lettuce and add nacho cheese chips.
Make into a salad.

CRUST: This will vary based on your family's tastes and desired thickness of crust.
You can use Boboli crust;
Large flour tortillas brushed with a little bit of olive oil;
Rhodes frozen bread dough.

**If you use the Rhodes frozen bread dough, you will need to set out a loaf or two, depending on your family size, in the morning, so it can rise.
Then in the afternoon or when you get home, pat it to your desired thickness and place in a greased and floured pan.
If you like it thick; brush with a little olive oil and bake for about 5 minutes before you top it.

Add your favorite toppings:
Jar of spaghetti/pizza sauce, alfredo or pesto sauce.
Turkey pepperoni -- you can get this in the lunch meat/cheese section of your grocery -- a light and yummy version of pepperoni.
Green pepper, onions, black or green olives, capers, toasted pine nuts, feta cheese, sausage or ground beef, mushrooms.

Really anything to suit your fancy.

But a few things to think about: If you use fresh mushrooms, you will want to saute them up a little before topping pizza because they can generate a lot of moisture on the pizza.
You can always choose the turkey version of sausage -- it really is delicious and can be found in the packaged meat section cooler.

Top your creation with mozzarella cheese, and pop it in the oven for 10 - 15 minutes at 375 degrees.
Enjoy this simple recipe.

Cook chicken per package directions.
Cook hash brown potatoes per package directions.
Steam a vegetable of your choosing.
Such a simple recipe!

PACKAGE RAVIOLI

This is so easy and delicious! Cook ravioli per package directions and add your favorite sauce: marinara, alfredo or pesto.

You can saute some chicken pieces if you want meat.

This can include any lunch meat; crusty bread; guacamole; cabbage coleslaw or broccoli slaw.
Your imagination is the limit!

HOT PESTO CHICKEN SANDWICH

1. Pound boneless, skinless chicken breast pieces to about 1/4 inch thickness.
2. Saute chicken pieces in a little bit of olive oil and minced garlic until cooked through -- this doesn't take very long.
3. Toast ciabatta bread; spread lightly with bottled pesto sauce.
4. Place grated or sliced mozzarella cheese on pesto and broil until melted and slightly browned.
5. Place chicken pieces on top and top with ciabatta bread.

This is so tasty; my husband's favorite.

REUBEN OR RACHEL SANDWICH

A Reuben is made with pastrami slices and a Rachel is made with sliced chicken or turkey.
Simply heat meat slices in a little water on the stove; drain on paper towel.
Heat a can of sauerkraut.
Toast ciabatta or rye bread; add sliced swiss cheese and broil until melted and the edges are browned.

Spread Thousand Island dressing on bread and assemble ingredients in sandwich.

BURGERS WITH ALL THE FIXINGS

Use lean ground beef or ground chicken or turkey; make into patties.
Add toppings: sauteed mushrooms, sliced onions, lettuce, tomato, pickles, ketchup, mustard, mayo, cheese and/or bacon.
Don't forget the bun.

TUNA MELTS

Can of tuna; mayo; boiled eggs chopped up; onion, finely minced or celery, cut up -- anything your family likes.
Toast english muffins; line with tuna mixture; add cheese slices and broil in oven until cheese is melted.

Oh so easy and good.
Serve this with chips or soup.

This is one of those do-it-yourself meals and everyone's will be a little different.

Slice boneless, skinless chicken into strips; marinade for about an hour in Kikkoman Teriyaki Marinade; saute on range until done.
Cut up vegetables:
Cabbage, carrots, onions, garlic, green beans -- anything your family likes.
Make a pot of rice.
Set out oils and seasonings and marinades.

Have several frying pans available and let everyone make their own creation.

FRIED SPAM AND OMELETTES

You need to use a small omelette pan for the eggs.
Place 1 - 2 T. of butter in omelette pan; melt.
In separate bowl, mix 2 or 3 eggs with a fork.
Place eggs in buttered omelette pan.
Move egg around pan, lifting edges; cook until fairly firm.
Flip omelette.
Add cheese slices, bacon or veggies.
Lift one side of egg omelette and place over itself.

Fry up spam slices.

To taking the stress out of dinner & simple recipes,
Julie

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