Look what's for dinner in 15 minutes!

I like to remind people that dinner is easy - you just have to know what you want.  Maybe look in the fridge, freezer and pantry and get some ideas going. After that, it's prep and cook.  If you just do it, and don't let it overwhelm you - it's easy.  Most dinners can be made in under 30 minutes, and sometimes 20.  Also, quick and easy doesn't mean you forego the healthy aspects.  Look what we had tonight...

Years ago, I realized you should have 3 things each time: protein (meat?), starch, and veggies.  So, when you're getting your ideas together, check each one off.  Start with the easy stuff like starch (rice, pasta, or potatoes), and then the meat and veggies.  Caseroles are good because you can combine things.  Our meat choices exclude red meat because we don't buy it (that's a separate blog) - but doesn't mean we don't eat it.  We typically have fish, seafood (shrimp), or chicken.  Frozen - and want it tonight?  No problem.  A sink full of water and submerged frozen food will thaw in under 30 minutes.  Veggies?  What do ya got?  We have broccoli, zuchini, carrots, lettuce, cabbage, and frozen peas and corn always hanging around - run out, buy more. Pick something!  A tossed salad takes minutes.  We buy the organic romaine heads, 3 to a bag and eat one for the family's salad...shred a carrot and slice up some purple cabbage - done.

Here's what we had for dinner.  (A few days ago, ground turkey was on sale.  We use it for so many things I got 4 and froze some.)  We had Turkey burgers, steamed veggies, and French fries.  Talk about quick!  I mixed the ground turkey with seasoned bread crumbs (about a cup), and sea salt, pepper, garlic powder, and soy sauce.  4 patties on a plate.  Spread frozen fries on a cookie sheet.  Slice up some zuchini and yellow squash, and carrots. That was about 10 minutes.

Timing dinner is rule number one - you want everything done at the same time so items don't finish ahead of each other and sit and get cold.  You want everything served at once - hot.  Oven on, fries in, start the grill, cook turkey burgers, and start the veggies.  I've got steamed veggies pegged at 8 minutes so they go last.  Tonight was good - everything done at once....all sat down to a hot dinner - nothing over cooked!

Barb and I like Dijon mustard on the burgers.  Ketsup with the fries, and beverages for all - bon appetit!