Mastering the 20 Minute Meal

Dad’s Artery-Clogging Stuffed Hamburgers

2005-01-30T03:34:00.000-08:00

My kids and their friends also refer to this recipe as Dad’s Artery-Clogging Stuffed Burgers. But boy – are they tasty!

2 lbs Ground Beef, lean
1 pkg Dry Onion Soup Mix
1 Egg
3 tbsp Teriyaki Sauce
4 Strips Bacon, fried crispy and crumbled
½ cup shredded Monterrey Jack Cheese

Sliced Tomatoes
Lettuce
Thin-sliced Onion Rings

Mix the beef, onion soup mix, teriyaki sauce and egg in a bowl. Form into 16 thin patties. Mix the cheese and the crumbled bacon in another bowl. Spoon cheese mixture on to 8 of the patties. Seal with the remaining 8 patties, closing the edges and gently patting them flat. Grill for 3 - 4 minutes a side. Serve with fresh tomatoes, lettuce, onions and your favorite condiments.

You might never go back to regular burgers again!

Should make 8 burgers

CHICKEN STIR FRY

2005-01-17T10:38:00.000-08:00

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch-wide strips
4 tspn teriyaki sauce
2 tspn cornstarch
2 tbsp peanut oil
½ lb snow peas
½ red or green pepper, sliced into strips
¼ lb mushrooms, sliced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 8-oz can sliced bamboo shoots, drained
1 8-oz can water chestnuts, drained
¼ cup canned chicken broth
2 tbsp sesame seeds
3 green onions, sliced
1 tspn oriental sesame oil
Steamed rice

Mix the cornstarch with the teriyaki sauce. Coat the chicken with the mixture and marinate for at least 15 minutes.

Heat oil in wok or heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Stir fry the snow peas, peppers, mushrooms and garlic for a minute, then add chicken (along with the marinade) and stir fry 3 minutes. Toss in the bamboo shoots and water chestnuts and stir fry until chicken is cooked,(should be white). Mix in chicken broth. Add sesame seeds and green onions; stir fry for another minute. Add sesame oil and toss to coat. You can serve this on top of the rice with soy sauce. WARNING: Some kids like their stuff on top and some kids like it on the side! Alternatively, you can quickly boil up some Chinese noodles and use instead of the rice.

Should make 4-6 servings

OLD-FASHIONED BASIC BEEF STEW

2005-01-17T01:24:00.000-08:00

There’s nothing like the smell of beef stew wafting through your house on a cold winter day. This recipe can be cooked in a slow cooker or more quickly in a big pot if you’re in a hurry. It can also be prepped and then put into the fridge for to heat up the next day. The beef can be replaced with turkey or chicken for a change.

¼ cup vegetable oil
1 ½ lbs stewing beef, cut into 1-inch cubes
¼ cup flour
2 large cloves of garlic, chopped fine
4 14-oz. cans beef stock or canned beef broth
1 12-oz. can V-8 or tomato juice
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp pepper
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp thyme
1 tbsp oregano
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
4 bay leaves
3 lbs russet potatoes, peeled, cut into ½-inch cubes
1 large onion, chopped

1 cup coarse chopped celery

1 ½ cups baby carrots

2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Coat beef in flour. Heat the oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add coated beef and sauté until browned (approx. 5 minutes). Add the garlic and onion, sauté another minute. Place everything into your slow cooker and add beef stock, V-8, salt, pepper, sugar, thyme, Worcestershire sauce and bay leaves. Add vegetables (except the parsley). Stir to combine. Set for 4 – 6 hours.

(If you don’t want to use a slow cooker, place the meat and all the other ingredients into a large pot. Bring mixture to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, then cover and simmer 1 hour, stirring occasionally.)

Before serving, be sure to find and discard all the bay leaves! Scoop the stew into a serving bowl. Garnish with parsley and you’re ready to serve.

Should make 6-8 servings

LA-LA-LA-LASAGNA

2005-01-13T01:51:00.000-08:00

I love this recipe for its simplicity. I tried the old recipe of boiling the noodles before layering them into the baking dish (definitely adds to the cooking time and makes it more than a 20-minute meal!). Then I discovered the newer noodles that don’t need to be pre-cooked and haven’t looked back since. I generally make extra and freeze the cut portions; they’re easy to pull out and throw into the microwave in a pinch. Serve with a small salad for a really easy meal that all the neighborhood kids will love.

¾ lb. lean ground beef
¾ lb. ground Italian sausage

1 26-ounce jar marinara sauce
1 ½ cups water
½ cup finely chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1-lb. box no-cook lasagna noodles
1 15-ounce container part-skim ricotta cheese
1 cup mozzarella cheese, coarsely grated
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350°F. Sauté beef and sausage in a large skillet over medium-high heat in olive oil until cooked through, mixing in the chopped onion and garlic (about 5 minutes).

Mix spaghetti sauce and water in a large bowl. Cover the bottom of a 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish with 1 cup of sauce. Arrange 3 noodles on the sauce sauce. Spread 1/3 of ricotta over noodles. Then spread 1/3 of mozzarella cheese, 1/3 of the meat mixture and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese over the ricotta. Top with another cup of sauce. Repeat layering with noodles, ricotta, mozzarella, meats and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Place a final layer of noodles on top and pour the remaining sauce over the noodles. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan. Cover with foil. Place on middle rack.

Bake 45 minutes until noodles are tender and lasagna is completely cooked; uncover and cook additional 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand at least 15 minutes before cutting into squares for serving.

Should make 8 servings

TURKEY (OR CHICKEN) NOODLE SOUP

2005-01-13T01:24:00.000-08:00

Well, we just came off the Christmas holidays and cooked a lot of turkey! Of course, Grandma was here from Louisville visiting the kids so it was a great excuse to make lots of everything. Anyway, with a 20-pound turkey, we ended up with a lot of tasty meat, even after more turkey dinners and turkey sandwiches. So… time for Turkey Noodle Soup! With some fresh-baked bread or popovers, a hearty winter meal.

1 ½ - 2 lbs. cooked, diced turkey (or chicken) meat
2 14-oz. cans Cream of Chicken soup
4 14-oz. cans Chicken Stock
1 cup baby carrots
½ cup finely chopped celery
¼ cup finely chopped onion
¼ cup finely chopped parsley
1 12-oz. package of wide egg noodles
2 tbsp butter (¼ stick)
Salt and pepper to taste

I like to toss everything into a large slow-cooker, stir it all together and set it for 6 hours. If you don’t have a slow cooker, bring the stock and the cream of chicken to a boil and add in the meat to cook completely. Lower to a simmer and add in the other ingredients, stirring thoroughly. Soup’s on in 30 minutes.

Should make 8 servings

Basic Spaghetti and Meatballs

2005-01-05T16:32:00.000-08:00

1 pound lean ground beef (or turkey)
1 egg
½ cup seasoned bread crumbs
2 tablespoons grated Romano or Parmesan Cheese
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
1 ½ cups Spaghetti Sauce
8 ounces spaghetti, freshly cooked
Additional grated Parmesan

Combine meat, egg, crumbs and cheese in medium bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste. Roll into 1½ -inch meatballs. Drop the meatballs into a boiling pot of water and cook for 2 – 3 minutes until lightly cooked and formed. Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add meatballs and cook until brown.

Warm Spaghetti Sauce in small saucepan over low heat. Pour sauce over spaghetti and meatballs. Serve warm with fresh grated Parmesan Cheese.

Should make 4 servings

Cinammon Apple Bake

2004-06-16T00:33:00.000-07:00

4 large apples (we love Fancy Delicious but any juicy crisp variety will do)
¼ cup melted butter
2 tablespoons cinnamon
1 tablespoon Allspice
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon nutmeg

Pre-heat oven to 350°F. Core and peel the apples. Slice the peeled apples into thin slices. Mix apple slices with melted butter into a covered baking dish, then sprinkle in the spices and brown sugar. Cover and place on middle rack of your oven. Bake for 35 – 40 minutes until apples are tender. Uncover and cool for 5 minutes before serving. This will become a favorite for years to come. Add cranberries in season for a perfect Thanksgiving and Christmas side dish that your guest will drool for as soon as they walk in the door.

Should make 4 servings.

Au Gratin Potatoes

2004-06-16T00:16:00.000-07:00

If your family likes to have its dose of starch with the main meal, plain old potatoes can get pretty boring very quickly. Easy-to-make potato dishes can make a delightful surprise to any meal (and you can tell the difference from the packaged stuff you find in your grocery store).

4 large potatoes
¼ cup finely chopped onions
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons of butter
1 cup grated cheddar cheese

Optional:
2 tablespoons fresh parsley or parsley flakes
¼ cup Bacon Bits or crumbled crisp bacon

Pre-heat oven to 400°F. Wash potatoes well and leave skins on potatoes for added flavor. Slice potatoes into thin slices with a sharp knife. Mix all ingredients loosely into an 8X8 glass baking dish, saving some of the grated cheese to sprinkle on top. Place dish in middle rack of oven and bake for 40 – 45 minutes until potatoes are completely tender. Remove from oven when done and allow to cool 5 minutes before serving.

Should make 4 servings. Add one potato and adjust ingredients for each additional serving.

Robert's Easy Meatloaf

2004-06-09T01:46:00.000-07:00

Meatloaf is terrific comfort food. Served with mashed potatoes and green peas, it’s as basic a meal as it gets. For some reason, most kids seem to love the texture of meatloaf and it certainly has appeal to kids of all ages. My kids’ Grandma loved it and wanted to take this recipe home with her to try out on her Mother (she’s 98!).

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large red (or white) onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 cup catsup
½ pound ground pork
½ pound ground veal
½ pound lean ground beef
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 ½ cups breadcrumbs
½ cup parmesan cheese
1 5.5-ounce can V-8 or vegetable juice
½ cup finely chopped fresh parsley
1 ½ teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 350°F. Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté onions until just tender (about 5 minutes) then add garlic; sauté another minute. Put the onions and garlic into a large bowl. Add ½ cup ketchup and all remaining ingredients; mix together lightly. Mold into 9x4-inch loaf on large baking sheet (or just use a bread pan); spread remaining ½ cup catsup (or more for catsup lovers) over top and sides.
Bake until thermometer inserted into center registers 165°F, approximately 1 hour. Let stand 10 minutes. Place on a serving dish, slice and serve.

Grown-up add-ons:

1 ½ teaspoons oregano
1 ½ teaspoons basil
1 grated lemon peel

You can always slice and freeze half of the loaf for sandwiches. Yumm-mm.

Should make 8 servings

Basic Chili

2004-06-09T01:45:00.000-07:00

This is a great recipe to cook in a slow cooker. Easy to whip together, chili can be left to cook all day long and the flavorful aroma makes a wonderful buildup to an easy sit-down meal.

1½ pounds chicken or turkey strips or ground beef
1 medium onion finely chopped
1 tablespoon minced garlic
3 14.5 oz. cans dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 12 oz. can tomato paste
2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped
¼ cup chili powder
2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 cup beef broth

Fry the meat in 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil with the garlic and onions until just cooked. Stir all the ingredients into a slow cooker, mixing completely. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cover and set to cook for 4+ hours, stirring occasionally if possible. If you use canned, chopped tomatoes, you can really prepare this meal in 20 minutes.

For adult tastes:

You can add:
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon chili pepper flakes
1 tablespoon oregano

Should make 5 - 6 servings.

Sweet Baby Carrots

2004-06-09T01:21:00.000-07:00

1½ cups baby carrots rinsed
2 cups of water
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon allspice

Bring water to a boil on high heat, add carrots and reduce to medium heat. Add other ingredients and simmer covered on low heat for 35 – 45 minutes until carrots are nice and tender.

Should make 4 - 6 servings.

Twice-Baked Potatoes

2004-06-09T01:19:00.000-07:00

Fun and easy for the whole family to learn and make together. Twice-baked potatoes are a terrific hit with any meal and add another way to enjoy potatoes.

4 medium-sized potatoes (one for each person)
¾ cup grated cheddar or mozzarella cheese
½ cup of sour cream or milk
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons crumbled crisp bacon (or Bacon Bits)
2 tablespoons chives (fresh or dried)

Puncture each potato with a fork. Bake the potatoes in a pre-heated 350°F oven for approximately 1 hour until completely cooked. Check by poking with a fork. Remove potatoes and carefully slice each one in half. Mix melted butter, sour cream and ½ cup of the grated cheese in a mixing bowl. Using a spoon, scoop the insides of the potatoes into the bowl (be careful – hot!) carefully saving the skins and placing them on a baking sheet. Mash and mix together. Scoop mashed potato mix back into the skins. Sprinkle remaining cheese, crumbled bacon and chives on top of the potatoes. Place baking sheet back into the oven for another 5 minutes or until cheese melts. Remove from oven and serve with main course.

Makes 4 servings.

Popovers

2004-06-09T01:00:00.000-07:00

1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 cup milk
Melted butter for brushing the popover pan

Sift the flour and the salt together into a bowl. In another bowl, whisk together the eggs and the milk. Add the milk mixture to the flour mixture and stir until smooth. Preheat oven to 450°F., heat a muffin pan (9 to 12 muffins) or nine 2/3-cup custard cups for 5 minutes, or until it is hot, brush the cups with the melted butter, and fill them half full with the batter. Bake the popovers in the middle of the oven for 20 minutes, reduce the heat to 375°F., and bake the popovers for 20 minutes more until they’re golden brown and crisp. Brush remaining butter lightly on the popovers as soon as you take them out of the oven. Serve with preserves – expect no leftovers.

Makes 9 popovers.

Real Barbeque Pork Ribs

2004-06-09T00:50:00.000-07:00

Admittedly, this isn’t a real 20-minute meal. But it is absolutely one of my all-time favorites. And kids do love them (must be the finger-food appeal!). I have no idea how many copies of this recipe I’ve given out but it’s definitely been one of the most requested. If you prepare lots of marinade and dry rub in advance, then this is one of the easiest meals to prepare. The marinade will stay fresh for quite a while in the fridge and I’ve actually used the dry rub in many of my other recipes for an extra kick.

3 - 5 pounds of boneless pork ribs (depends on how large a group you’re feeding)

Boil the ribs in a big pot of water for 20 - 30 minutes on medium high heat. This removes a lot of the fat and helps tenderize the meat before marinating. Drain and place the ribs in a Zip-Loc bag or a mixing bowl with 1 - 2 cups of the marinade depending on the amount of ribs you’ve cooked up.

Barbecue Sauce Marinade

4 cloves of finely chopped garlic
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup tomato paste
1 cup mustard
½ cup Worcestershire Sauce
½ cup vinegar
½ cup apple cider (or juice)
2 tablespoons ground pepper

Mix the ingredients in a medium bowl and use 1 - 1 ½ cups for marinating the parboiled ribs. Refrigerate remaining marinade for future use. Great on chicken too!

Dry Rub

¼ cup chili powder
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons pepper
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon cumin

Mix these spices up in a small bowl and pour into a seasoning bottle. Sprinkle liberally on both sides of marinade-coated meats.

Pre-heat your oven to 225°F. Once the ribs are well-coated with marinade, place on a broiling pan and sprinkle generously on both sides with the dry rub. Bake for 4 - 5 hours, turning once. Remove from oven when thermometer inserted into center registers 160°F. Pre-heat your grill. Brush another coat of barbecue sauce on the ribs prior to placing on a medium-high grill for 5 minutes a side.

Should make 4 servings

Another Cooking Blog? Why I Decided to Start Posting Kids' Recipes.

2004-06-08T22:51:00.000-07:00

To paraphrase an old saying, “The best way to a child’s heart is through his or her stomach.” There’s nothing like sitting your kids down to a meal that they’ll enjoy and also happens to be nutritious for them. Unfortunately, with all the daily distractions of life, it’s gotten hard to find the time to cook a decent meal that kids will actually eat. In a two-parent household, juggling after-school activities alone can be a full-time job in itself. Being a single parent makes it even harder. When I first joined the ranks of single Dads, I realized I was in rare company. There were very few resources to draw from; cooking was just one of many skills that sometimes took a backseat to custody battles, housecleaning, laundry and kid carpooling. And juggling a paying career with all of that made it even more interesting.

My book started off as a simple idea a long time ago. Some of the other parents would pester me for recipes after their kids went home from one of our meals. And sometimes we’d trade recipes and ideas. The recipes had to be simple and easy to assemble and prepare while still being healthy. Over time, I learned more about what kids like (and what they DON’T like!). In these rushed times, it’s still better to sit down to a real home-cooked meal than to gorge on a fast-food or frozen dinner meal. In fact, it’s just better for any family to sit down together. I’ve been cooking for my family over many years now and my kids have grown up through a lot of changes and adventures. Of course, tastes also change as we grow so my cooking adapted. Spices and seasonings gradually got added and more exotic ingredients got introduced into the meals. So you could say that this book is a labor of love that has evolved over many years.

I first started collecting my thoughts and recipes at the beginning of this year (2004) as a New Year's Resolution. I wanted the final volume to be more than simply a collection of recipes. This collection represents 20 years of life with my two wonderful kids who have shared some incredible ups and downs with me. We've survived a difficult divorce and custody battle, dealt with their Mother's advancing bipolar disorder and subsequent suicide, as well as several complete re-starts in our lives. Throughout all of these life changes, we managed to choose and celebrate traditions that provided us with something to look forward to year in and year out. And that simple tradition of sitting down to a home-cooked meal was the one thing we could do any time and anywhere we called home.

While I now have more than 80 recipes written, I want to publish this book with closer to 100 recipes. I also want to test these recipes out with an audience before making the final selections for my book. I'm also going to interject occasional anecdotes and sidebars that I hope will hold the reader's interest. Blogging seemed like a fantastic discipline to get all of this done -- if I post something 5 - 7 times a week, then my entire book should be written in a matter of months. And hopefully with a lot of useful feedback that might help me make it a success! I also hope readers will try at least a few of my recipes and write me -- your comments and ideas will be most welcome.