Easy Home Cooking Recipes Part 1

Filed in archive Around The Kitchen , Recipes on May 26, 2010

© erix!

According to research, 56 percent of Americans eat at least three dinners per week that are not prepared at home. Dinners outside of the home are often high in carbs and fat. And we all know that too much fat and carbs is bad for our health.

Cooking at home need not be difficult. Here are a few easy to do home cooking recipes (found via) that are nutritious to eat:

Garden Platter

1 3/4 cups of broccoli florets
3/4 cup of cauliflower florets
1 zucchini, sliced
1 yellow squash, sliced
12 cherry tomatoes
8 ounces of sliced mushrooms
1/4 cup of butter
1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder
1/4 cup of grated Parmesan cheese

Cut the broccoli and cauliflower into pieces about 2 1/4 inches long. Arrange the broccoli around the edges of a 12 inch microwave safe serving plate with the stems pointing toward the center. Place the cauliflower between the broccoli. Place the zucchini and yellow squash in the center of the plate. Microwave on High for 5-8 minutes or until the vegetables are tender-crisp. Drain if needed. Add the tomatoes and mushrooms to the vegetables. Place the butter and garlic salt in a 2 cup glass measure. Microwave on High until melted. Drizzle over the vegetables and sprinkle with the cheese. Microwave, uncovered, on High for 1 -2 minutes or until the tomatoes and mushrooms are heated through. Other vegetables may be substituted.

Sweet Potato Casserole

4 yams or sweet potatoes
1/2 cup of packed brown sugar
1/4 cup of margarine
Nutmeg to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Peel the yams and cut into chunks. Cook in boiling water in a saucepan until tender; and drain. Place in a shallow dish sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Sprinkle with the brown sugar and dot with the margarine. Sprinkle with nutmeg. Bake for 30 minutes or until cooked through. Brown sugar substitute may be substituted for regular brown sugar.

Fresh Peach Crumble With Blueberries

2 1/2 cups of fresh or frozen peaches
1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/3 teaspoon of cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg
3 teaspoons of margarine

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Layer the peaches in a 8 inch baking pan sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Mix the graham cracker crumbs, cinnamon, nutmeg and margarine in a bowl. Sprinkle over the peaches. Top with a handful of fresh blueberries. Bake for 45 minutes. Serves three.

Oriental Ground Beef Skillet Supper

1 lb. of ground beef
6 oz. of Ramen noodles, and packets of oriental flavor
2 cups of water
2 cups of frozen broccoli florets, thawed

Brown the ground beef in a skillet, stirring until crumbly, drain. Add the Ramen noodles, content of one of the seasoning packets and the water to the skillet. Bring to a boil. Cook for three minutes or until tender. Add the thawed broccoli flowerets and simmer another five minutes or until liquid has been absorbed. Serve hot.

Pasta Shell Salad with Cucumbers and Red Onions

16 oz. of medium shell pasta, cooked in salted water, drained
16 oz. of frozen peas, thawed
1 medium cucumber, thinly sliced and cut in half
2 tablespoons of red onion
Toss with Ranch Dressing

Mix all of the above and chill before serving.

Almond Bibb Salad

1 head of Bibb lettuce, torn into pieces
1/4 head of Iceberg lettuce, torn into pieces
1/2 cup of thinly sliced celery
2 green onions, sliced
1/2 cup of vegetable oil
4 tablespoons of Splenda
1 tablespoon of fresh parsley, chopped
3/4 teaspoon of salt
1/4 teaspoon of red pepper sauce
11 oz. can of drained mandarin oranges
1/2 cup of sliced almonds, toasted
1 small purple onion, thinly sliced

Prepare lettuce, green onions, parsley, oranges, celery and red onion. Place in a big bowl. Roast almonds and cool.

Mix vegetable oil, Splenda, salt, red pepper sauce. Add almonds to the greens. Shake well and let it set a few minutes and shake again. Keep at room temperature. Add dressing to the salad right before serving and toss. Tip: I increased the oil, Splenda, salt, red pepper sauce in this recipe to make more dressing for such a large bowl of salad.

Kielbasa Skillet Supper

1 pkg of Polska kielbasa, sliced
4 tablespoons of butter
28 oz. bag of frozen small or quartered potatoes
16 oz. bag of frozen mixed vegetables
1 teaspoon of seasoned salt
1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese

Combine potatoes and mixed veggies. Cover and cook 8 minutes. Add sliced sausage, cover and cook for 10 more minutes. Make sure the potatoes are completely tender. Mix the salt and cheese and pour over the kielbasa and vegetables before serving.