No Fuss, No Muss: No Cook Recipes – Summertime No Cook Recipes
Ahhh…summer has officially arrived! Here’s to days of sunshine, playing with our kids in the backyard, revving up the sprinkler, going on outdoor adventures, picnics in the park, enjoying patio-time with friends, gardening, evening walks and just plain old kicking-back!
Summer is definitely here for a good time (but not a long time), so who wants to be stuck cooking in the kitchen? We know we don’t! Here are our top favourite no-cook, no-fuss salad recipes to get you back out there enjoying your summer (while keeping your kitchen cool)!
No Cook, No Fuss Strawberry Balsamic Spinach Salad
Let’s face it, strawberries drizzled with Balsamic vinegar is just meant to be! Rinse then dry spinach leaves. Top with sliced strawberries, almond slices and cubes of feta cheese. Mix together olive oil, Balsamic vinegar and honey to taste and drizzle over top of salad. Serve with crusty bread, a glass of vino and voila – instant no-cooking required gourmet!
No Cook, Ready-In-an-Instant Chicken Caesar Salad
Everybody loves Caesar salad and this quick salad definitely hits the mark! Rinse and dry torn-up Romaine lettuce and put in individual bowls large enough to make a meal-sized salad. Top with store-bought garlic and herb croutons, cooked chunks of chicken (i.e. leftovers from the night before, a rotisserie chicken or pre-packaged sliced chicken breast from your local supermarket), grated parmesan cheese and toss with your favourite pre-made Caesar salad dressing. Oh…and to make it more fancy-smancy tuck a lemon wedge on the side of the salad!
Fast and Easy No Cook Steak and Goat Cheese Salad
One of our household fave’s! Ok…probably because it has goat cheese in it! Tear up some crunchy leafy greens (i.e. Romaine, green leaf etc) rinse and pat dry. Top with pre-cooked slices of beef (i.e. leftover grilled steak from the night before, pre-packaged cooked beef slices), pat generous dollops of goat cheese on top (plain or herb), toss in some halved cherry tomatoes and a few walnut pieces (optional). Toss with your favourite tangy vinaigrette or make your own dressing by whisking some olive oil, Dijon mustard, Balsamic vinegar (or red wine vinegar) cracked black pepper and a touch of honey. PS – we have substituted the steak with candied salmon in this recipe with much success!
No Cook Tropical Mandarin Chicken Salad
Tropical and refreshing (not to mention quick and easy)! Rinse and pat dry romaine lettuce or green leafy lettuce. Top with pre-cooked chicken, canned mandarin orange slices and pecan halves (maple crusted pecans are especially yummy in this recipe). Toss with a store bought mandarin orange or raspberry dressing. Yum!
Quick No Cook Ham and Egg Salad
Quicker than take-out and packs a little protein punch! Toss previously cooked hard-boiled egg slices, cubes of ham and fresh diced tomatoes with washed and dried ice berg lettuce. Top with your fave Thousand Island dressing and sprinkle some grated cheddar on top. Finish off your meal with a bowl of cut-up fruit topped with a dollop of plain yogurt. Woohoo!
Dinner Dash: Quick and Easy Recipes – Fun Fiesta Nachos
Nachos for dinner? Why not? Add black beans and chicken to give it a nutritional boost and turn a football favorite into a simple way to change up the same old, same old dinner routine.
Ingredients:
Nacho chips
Jalapeno peppers
Cheddar cheese, shredded
Salsa
Black beans, rinsed and drained
Onion, diced
Diced chicken, cooked (optional)
Directions:
Spread nacho chips on a cookie sheet. Add chopped jalapeno peppers, black beans, onions and chicken.
Mix the shredded cheese and salsa before putting it on the chips. Every chip had the exact right combination of salsa and cheese (without the chips getting soggy).
Broil the nachos on low until the cheese is melted and the nachos are starting to brown.
Blissful Breakfasts: Lazy Morning Recipes – Frittata Steve
Nothing beats a lazy weekend morning (especially when Dad does the cooking). Thanks to my loving husband for sharing his secret recipe (named after him).
Instructions
Take 2 medium baked potatoes chopped into half inch cubes. I usually don’t have left over baked potatoes so I usually cook them in the microwave.
Dice one medium yellow onion
Dice on red pepper
Heat 3 tbsp good olive oil in a 10″ frying pan on medium heat. Fry onions with one tbsp white sugar until the onions start to brown. Add peppers and continue to cook until the peppers are softened. Reduce heat to medium low.
In a second (deep) frying pan cook 6 slices of bacon.
Add 1 tsp minced garlic to the onion pepper mixture – stir
Add potatoes to the onion, pepper, garlic mixture – stir
Once the bacon is cooked, remove the bacon from the pan, chop and add to the onion, pepper, garlic, potato mixture. Continue to cook on medium low until the flavours combine.
Wash the deep frying pan (or use another pan, but I only have two good frying pans)
Use cooking spray on the freshly washed deep frying pan and put over medium low heat.
Turn on oven to broil (low)
Beat six eggs and three tbsp milk. Add egg and milk mixture to deep frying pan. Increase heat to medium.
After one minute the bottom of the egg mixture will have set up enough to add the onion, pepper, garlic, potato, bacon mixture. (there is no way to know this, but trust me for now).
Add the onion, pepper, garlic, potato, bacon mixture to the egg mixture. The solid mixture should raise the egg level until the two levels are about the same.
Each pan can accomodate a specific amount of frittata and the ratio of egg to solids will need to be adjusted. If as you are adding the onion, pepper, garlic, potato mixture the mixture starts to pile up above the egg level stop adding the mixture and adjust the solids volume for next time.
Cook the egg and mixture until the edges of the egg begin to look cooked and somewhat dry. The centre will still be still quite runny at this time.
Transfer the pan to the oven and watch the frittata rise (somewhat) and watch the egg change from appearing runny to appearing cooked.
Remove the pan from the oven (screaming if you have forgotten to use an oven mitt). Add grated cheese. Return the pan to the oven and broil until the cheese is melted.
Remove the pan from the oven and proudly announce that Frittata Steve is ready.
Great from the Grill: Recipes for Backyard Barbecuing – BBQ Chicken (Beer Can Style)
Beer butt chicken is a family favorite and so easy it has become a weekly feature during the grilling season.
Recipe
Turn on one side of your grill to approximately medium. Grill temperature should be between 450 and 500F.
Take one whole roasting chicken.
Rinse the chicken.
Dry the chicken. Realize you don’t have a good spot to put the rinsed and dried chicken. Put the chicken on the counter. Wash your hands.
Get out a cutting board and place the cutting board on a clean part of the counter.
Put the chicken on the cutting board. Wash your hands and the chickeny counter.
Pick which of your hands will be the clean hand and which hand will be the dirty hand.
Pick up the chicken with the dirty hand. Pick up the beer with the clean hand.
Place the beer can on the cutting board.
Attempt to place the chicken on the beer can with your clean hand only. If you can just keep one hand clean a lot of hand washing is prevented. Realize that this is impossible and use both hands. Marvel at how perfectly the beer can fits in the chicken. Wash your hands.
Open both the olive oil and the spice rub container. Congratulate yourself on your foresight.
Lightly oil the chicken with your dirty hand.
Add spice rub with your dirty hand. We use Montreal Chicken Spice, but are looking for something less salty. Congratulate yourself on how none of the olive oil or spice rub ended up on the counter. Wash your hands.
Carry cutting board and beer butt chicken to the grill. Realize you are going to have to grab the chicken one more time. Place the chicken on the unheated side of the grill using the legs of the chicken to balance the chicken. Now you realize that you have two chickeny hands and have to close the grill.
Close the grill, open the door to the house, wash your hands, set a timer 90 minutes, wash your cutting board, wash your door knob, wash your grill handle.
After 90 minutes the chicken should be cooked perfectly. Please check for doneness with a meat thermometer.
Place your cutting board in a lasagna pan and take to the grill. Remove the chicken from the grill and place on the cutting board in the lasagna pan. Remove the beer can from the chicken using a fork.
Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes covered in foil. Cut up the chicken. Congratulate yourself that all the juice from the chicken has been contained in the lasagna pan.
Please note that if you plan ahead a bit several of the hand washing episodes can be avoided.
Easy Peasy Recipeezys: Spaghetti Blow On My Knees (aka Bolgonese)
A yummy kid-friendly recipe that is always a hit at our house is Spaghetti Bolognese. But since Bolognese is a tough word even for the most articulate 4-yearold to pronounce, we changed the name to the much simpler “Spaghetti Blow on My Knees”!
Spaghetti Blow on My Knees
Ingredients:
1 package (454 grams) of spaghetti (preferably whole grain)*
1 small onion, chopped
1 Teaspoon Olive Oil (or other cooking oil)
1 pound ground beef (regular, lean or extra lean)
1 jar pasta sauce (a little less if you want your sauce to be more thick)
2 tablespoons cream cheese*
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese (optional)
Directions:
In a large skillet, heat up olive oil and stir in onions. Cook onions until transparent.
Add ground beef and cook on medium-high heat until browned and cooked through.
Stir in pasta sauce and cream cheese. Bring to a boil to melt the cream cheese and reduce heat.
Let simmer on low for about 10-15 minutes stirring occasionally.
While sauce is simmering, cook spaghetti according to package directions.
Top spaghetti with sauce and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.
* Use whole grain spaghetti for added nutrition
** Herb & Garlic cream cheese adds more zip to the sauce then regular cream cheese or you can add a teaspoon of ready-made pesto for even more flavor!
Fast from the Freezer: Freezer Meals – That’s A’more Pizza Pie Recipe
Pizza. Let’s face it, who doesn’t love pizza? Pizza made at home is quick, easy, sure to please, and can be on the table faster than waiting for delivery!
That’s A’more Pizza Pie (Freezer Recipe):
Ingredients:
Pizza shell (individual 8 inch or 12 inch)
Pizza sauce*
Grated Cheese**
Assorted Toppings***
Directions:
* Pizza or any tomato pasta sauce will do nicely, however don’t be afraid to be creative with sauces as they can lay the foundation for some delicious gourmet pizza creations such as bbq sauce for bbq chicken pizza with broccoli, red onion and cilantro, pesto sauce for a vegetarian pesto pizza with artichoke hearts, sun dried tomatoes and olives, and alfredo sauce with chicken, bacon and red onion.
** Think outside the mozzarella box! Add grated parmesan, Gouda, cheddar or marble cheese, dab with feta or goat cheese. Whatever cheese you have on hand that turns into melted goodness will do!
***Chicken, pepperoni, salami, ham, prosciutto, sausage, shrimp, peppers, mushrooms, tomatoes, grilled eggplant, zucchini, onions, fresh basil, spinach, canned artichoke hearts, olives, sun dried tomatoes, whatever you have on hand!
For fun, use the individual 8 inch size and let the kids make their own. Just put out the toppings and let them go to town creating their own special individual culinary pizza masterpiece!
For added convenience, freeze your pizza shells and buy pre-grated cheese (which you can also keep in the freezer next to the shells).
Delivery….sma-livery!
Meals in Minutes: Emergency Pantry Pasta Salad
It happens. The week gets crazy. Groceries get eaten. And suddenly it’s 5 o’clock and there’s no time to dash to the store and you need to get something ready for dinner! That’s where a well-stocked pantry can be a lifesaver!
Emergency Pantry Pasta Salad
Ingredients
4 cups pasta, cooked and drained
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can nibblet corn, drained
1 red onion, diced
1 red pepper, chopped
Your favorite southwest salad dressing
1 tablespoon of mayonnaise
Directions
Cook and drain pasta
Drain and rinse black beans and corn
Combine all ingredients and add enough salad dressing and mayonnaise to coat the pasta!
Variation: Substitute artichoke hearts for the black beans and nibblet corn and use balsamic vinegar in place of salad dressing.
Dinner Dash: Mama’s “May I Have More?” Manicotti!
When you’re craving comfort food, this is one of our family’s favourite “go-to” recipes that is always a big hit. Our son even asked for it to be made for his birthday supper! Make extra if you want leftovers as they won’t be left for long. After about 10 minutes of baking, the delicious smell of the baking manicotti will waft through your kitchen and draw everyone to the kitchen so there will be no need to yell “Dinner’s ready”!
Mama’s “May I have Some More?” Manicotti!
Ingredients
12 manicotti shells
1 jar of pasta sauce (640-680 ml)
2 cups ricotta cheese
1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
1 egg
¼ cup pesto
Directions
Cook manicotti shells according to package directions (or use “Ready to Use” shells to save cooking time).
Rinse with cool water and set aside. Spread pasta sauce on the bottom of a shallow baking dish and cover the entire bottom.
Mix together the ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese (reserving about a quarter cup of mozzarella to sprinkle on top of dish before baking), parmesan cheese, egg and pesto.
Spoon cheese mixture into each shell and place in the dish on top of the sauce.
Pour the remaining pasta sauce over the manicotti and sprinkle with the reserved mozzarella cheese.
Bake at 350F for about 25 minutes or until golden and bubbly.
Easy Peasy Recipeezys: “Come and Get It” Crowd Pleasing Chilli
This chilli is a definite kid favorite! It’s simple and quick to make and tastes even better the next day! Perfect for those cold weather nights or when you need to fill your family’s bellies with a hearty meal before sending them off on sports activities! Toast some bread and cut into sticks for little ones to dip into their chilli. Also great when topped off with grated cheddar cheese and a dollop of sour cream!
“Come and Get It” Crowd Pleasing Chilli
Ingredients
½ cup chopped onion
1 lb ground beef (ground turkey also works well)
1 can baked beans (maple or molasses are our faves)
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can condensed tomato soup (undiluted)
1-2 tbsps chilli powder
Directions
In a large saucepan, cook the beef and onion until the meat is no longer pink.
Add in the baked beans, diced tomatoes, tomato soup and chilli powder. Mix well. Bring to a boil and reduce heat. Let simmer for about 10-20 minutes and serve.
PS – if you want to be a sneaky you can add some finely grated carrot to the meat mixture for an extra boost of nutrition. They will never know it’s there!
No Fuss, No Muss Crockpot Cooking: Crockpot Beef Bourguignon
If you’ve ever made Beef Bourguignon, you will know why it’s the recipe that got Julia Child’s published. That’s why we were thrilled when Sophfronia Scott (Business by the Book) shared her favorite crockpot version of this beloved classic!
“Here’s my absolute fave! It was printed on the side of the box of my slow cooker when I bought it. Loved it so much I xeroxed it before recycling the cardboard! I then passed the recipe on to a dear friend when I bought her a slow cooker this past Christmas! Here’s the beef!” ~ Sophfronia Scott
Crockpot Beef Bourguignon with Potatoes
Ingredients:
6 strips of bacon, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
3 pounds beef roast, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 large carrot, peeled and sliced
1 medium onion, sliced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 can (10 1/2 oz) condensed beef broth
3 tablespoons flour
1 1/2 cups red or burgundy wine
3 tablespoons tomato paste
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 teaspoon ground thyme
1 bay leaf
10 small potatoes
1/2 pound small white onion peeled
1 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
Directions:
Cook bacon in large skillet until crisp. Remove and drain.
Add beef cubes and brown well. Place browned beef cubes in stoneware.
Brown carrot and onion. Season with salt and pepper and stir in flour.
Add broth, mix well and add to stoneware. Add cooked bacon, wine, tomato paste, garlic, bay leaf, potatoes, onions and mushrooms.
Cover and cook on LOW for 10 hours, or HIGH for 6 hours.
