3 Simple menus & quick easu recipes on a busy day

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Monday is always my busiest day of the week and I seem to run out of time before I know it. Using quick simple easy recipes can still put a good evening meal on my table. I'm sure they will do the same for you.

 

[1] Ground Round Steaks 
Form 4-5 Patties from 1 pound of meat, place in a hot heavy bottom pan, turning only once. When they have reached the doneness you like, remove and place on a lipped platter. Add 1 teaspoon of beef bullion to the pan, then add 1/2 cup water, let it heat as you scrape the bottom to release the stuck on tidbits. If you want to make gravy add a little milk after turning off the heat. Use it to pour over your meat patties or use as a dipping sauce.

Steamed Sliced Potatoes and Green Beans 
Wash Potatoes, cut out any blemishes, slice about 1/4 inch thick. Place them in the bottom of a steamer and cook until almost soft. [test with a shape knife] Add drained green beans for the last 3-4 minutes of cooking. Place in bowl and dot with butter. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.

[2] Mac and Cheese w/Broccoli 
Add 1/2 cup of chopped Broccoli to the cooking pasta about six minutes after the water starts to boil, drain until no water is left in the pasta and broccoli, then add cheese mixture, butter and milk. Stir until pasta is thoroughly covered.

Sliced Tomatoes
Wash tomatoes and wipe dry. Cut into slices or quarter. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

Apple Sauce w/cinnamon
Heat applesauce in the microwave until warm but not hot, add a sprinkle of cinnamon to the top and mix. If you applesauce is unsweetened, you may want to make a mixture of 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/4 cup sugar and use it, instead of the straight cinnamon.

[3] Chicken Legs
Coat chicken legs with a mixture of 1/2 cup flour, 1/2 teaspoon rosemary and thyme. Place them on a broiler pan and cook in a preheated 375 degree oven for 25 minutes, turning once.

Corn Nibblets
Heat a 12 ounce package of frozen corn in a sauce pan with about 3/4 inch of water. You want enough water to cause steam but do not cover the corn with liquid. When corn is done, drain most of the water off and add room temperature butter. Stir until each kernel of corn is covered in butter. Serve while hot.

Tossed Green Salad
Wash and dry your fresh greens. Chop or tare into small pieces and add to a bowl big enough to toss vegetables. You may add other fresh veggies then toss with a simple vinaigrette dressing.

Dressing
1 part acid [vinegar, lemon juice, orange juice, tomato, etc]
3 parts oil [olive, vegetable, grape, etc]
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic or onion
1/2 teaspoon Italian spices or spices of your choice.

If you want to add a little sweetness, try adding 1 teaspoon of grape or apple jelly.
Whisk it all together and store in a lidded jar. Refrigerate between uses.

For more recipes, ideas and menus, come to http://www.HassiesKitchenTable.com Faylee James is a Life Coach/Writer/Speaker from Northeast Tennessee, who has an above average interest in people, cooking and living life with a smile. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Faylee_James

Great Breakfast Recipe

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My usual breakfast is a slice of homemade bread toasted with butter and jam, dunked into American coffee with milk. I look forward to that in the morning. Occasionally I'll have oatmeal porridge with dark brown sugar on it. In the hot summer I like Alpen muesli with extra raisins and cold milk.

On sundays I make pancakes with homemade blueberry syrup. If there are guests for brunch, I make eggs and bacon with them, and a fruit salad with oranges, grapefruits and pineapple and a light sugar syrup poured on it hot so it will make some juice in the fridge.

In a restaurant I want something more special than that.

Casually,my breakfast is eggs benedict accompanied by asparagus and boiled new potatoes with dill. I also like to serve it with a fruit salad with berries, bananas, kiwi, grapes, apples, and pears with a dressing made of sugar, cinammon, and grand marnier.

Weekends: about twice a year, I eat a traditional Scottish fried breakfast - not for the faint-hearted, but foreign visitors always seem keen! It contains all or some of the following, depending on personal taste - local bacon and Larne sausage, fried, scrambled or poached eggs, mushrooms, haggis, black pudding, white pudding, tattie scones, oatcakes, grilled tomatoes. Some people also offer Fried bread or tinned baked beans - I'm too much of a purist for that kind of fol derol!

Recently I saw a recipe for eggs that I've tried and really liked. Basically you bring about half a cup or so of salsa verde to a slow simmer in a small pan. Then you poach a couple of eggs in it, sprinkle grated cheese over the top and cover until the cheese starts to melt. I like it. It looks terrible, this strange, green gooey mess, but it sure tastes good.

In Germany I was surprised at the number of beers we saw on top of the breakfast table, and the number of dogs we saw under.

In Italy it is very common to stop at a "pizza a taglio" place (that's the kind of large rectangular pan pizza that is sold by the piece here, wrapped in paper to eat on the road, or on a tray for a quick supper) or at a bread bakery and pick up a piece of usually white pizza (with just oil and salt on it) for the kids to eat on their way to school or as a midmorning snack. Sometimes it's split and prosciutto or salame is put inside or most traditionally, mortadella.

Pretty healthy breakfast, actually!

Has sites about cooking and coffee: http://www.free-cooking-tips.info http://www.free-cooking-tips.info/coffe Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Neculae_Stefan

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