Main Dishes - Fast and Healthy Category

Table of Contents

1. Contents of Main Dishes - Fast and Healthy

Main Dishes - Fast and Healthy

Tamale Pie

16-18 servings
1 TB oil
1-1/2 Cups chopped onion
3 # lean ground beef
4 Cups (32 oz) medium salsa
4 Cups (32 oz) frozen corn
1/4 Cup chili powder (cut the chili powder in half if you prefer milder food)
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp minced garlic
1/2 - 1 tsp. ground cumin
3 Cups milk or water
1/4 Cup butter
2 Cups yellow cornmeal
1 pound cheddar cheese, shredded
1 can (16) oz large pitted black olives, drained, and sliced

1. Lightly grease 2 - 9 X 13 inch baking dishes.
2. In a 6 qt. pot, heat oil over medium high heat. Add onions and cook about
5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until translucent.
3. Raise heat to high. Crumble beef into pot and cook until the meat is no longer pink, stirring to break up clumps. Drain any liquid and fat from the meat.
4. Add salsa, corn, chili powder, salt, garlic, and cumin. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer mixture for about 15 minutes.
5. In a 3 qt. saucepan, slowly bring milk or water and butter to a boil. When butter has melted, whisk constantly as you slowly pour in the cornmeal in a steady stream to prevent lumping. Cover and simmer 2-3 minutes longer, until cornmeal absorbs most of the liquid and the mixture is very thick. Remove from heat.
6. Evenly divide the cornmeal mixture between the two baking dishes. Pour meat mixture over the top of cornmeal mixture in each baking dish and top with cheese, and olives.
7. To serve immediately, place casserole dish in 400 degree preheated oven and heat until bubbly about 20-30 minutes.
8. Otherwise, cover the baking dishes tightly with foil, label, and date. Store up to 4 months.
9. To reheat: Heat oven to 400 degrees. Place covered casserole (still frozen) in oven and bake 45 minutes. remove foil and bake 15 minutes longer, or until cheese is bubbly and casserole is hot in the center.

Ginger Stir Fry Chicken

Monterey Beans And Rice

Fifteen Minute Split Pea Soup

Curried Lentils Over Rice

Chicken A La King

Honey Glazed Chicken

Honey Glazed Chicken

With a crispy and flavor-filled coating this recipe will soon become a Family Favorite.

Mix together in a plastic bag:

1/2 Cup whole wheat flour
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper

Preheat over to 350 degrees. Oil a 9 X 13" baking dish with:

2 TB of olive oil

Dip the chicken in a little skim milk to moisten.

3 pounds of cut up chicken

Drop each piece of chicken into the mixture in the plastic bag and shake to coat well.
Arrange pieces evenly in the baking dish and bake for 35 minutes.

Combine:

1/2 cup honey
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 TB soy sauce or tamari
2 tsp. curry powder

Pour this mixture over the chicken and bake an additional 45 minutes or until done. Baste occasionally. Serves 6

This recipes is so good, I think its time for me to make it again soon!!\0

Lazy Day Lasagne

LAZY DAY LASAGNE
When preparing lasagna for the freezer there's no need to precook the noodles. 

10 SERVINGS:

12 ounces lasagna noodles, uncooked 
5-6 cups spaghetti sauce 
2 cups cream-style cottage cheese, or ricotta 
12 ounces Mozzarella cheese, sliced or grated 
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese 

In two greased 10x6x2-inch baking dishes, make layers in the following order:  half each noodles, cottage cheese, Mozzarella slices, spaghetti sauce, and sprinkled Parmesan cheese. Repeat. Make certain the dry noodles are completely covered by sauce. Wrap pans completely with foil; label and freeze.  (To make this meal incredibly rich, add one 8-ounce package cream cheese. Pinch off nickel-sized portions of cream cheese and plop evenly over lasagna just before adding the second layer of uncooked pasta.)
 
To Serve: To thaw, take meal from freezer at least 24 hours before serving. Place in refrigerator. Bake tightly covered at 350° for about 45 minutes, or until edges are bubbly and center is hot. Take cover off during final 10 minutes of cooking time. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

This recipe is excerpted from Frozen Assets: Cook for a Day, Eat for a Month by Deborah Taylor Hough. $14.95 Retail. Published by Champion Press, Ltd.

For additional questions, please contact me at marilyn@urbanhomemaker.com or call me at 1-800-552-7323.

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Lentil Rice Casserole

LENTIL RICE CASSEROLE
Takes 5 minutes to assemble. Economical, too! Lentils and brown rice mutually increase the protein value of the other. Use Sue's Kitchen Magic for the yummier flavor. If you work away from home, make it in the evening, refrigerate, and pop it in the oven to reheat for 20-30 minutes while you change your clothes and relax. Serve it with a colorful vegetable and salad or "hide" it in a burrito with chopped tomatoes, shredded lettuce, salsa, and yogurt-sour cream blend. Freezeable! Double or triple the recipe to get some meals made ahead.

AMOUNT: 4-6 servings (about 3 Cups)
Bake covered: 300° F - 2 to 2 1/2 hours

1. Blend all together in a casserole dish except the cheese (wash lentilas and rice, if needed):

3 Cups water + 1 TB Sue's Kitchen Magic  or 1 1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup uncooked lentils
1/2 cup brown rice
1 small onion, chopped or 1/4 cup instanct minced onion flakes
1/2 tsp. basil leaves
1/4 tsp. oregano leaves
1/4 tsp. thyme leaves
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
3/4 cup grated cheddar cheese, optional

2. Optional: Cover; let stand at room temperature overnight or for 7 hours for improved nutrition.

3. Bake covered at 300° for 2-2 1/2 hours or until tender and the water is absorbed. Presoaking does not speed the baking. (I cut the water by 1/2 cup and cook the mixture in my Duromatic pressure cooker for 15 mintes and allow the pressure to come down naturally.

4. Stir in grated hceease just before serving; garnish with fresh parsley. For burritos we add the cheese separately while assembling into whole grain tortillas.

This recipe is used by permission from Eating Better Cookbooks Series(6 volumes) by Sue Gregg. All rights reserved.

For more information please email me at marilyn@urbanhomemaker.com or call me at 1-800-552-7323. \0

Beef 'N Broccoli

Five Quick and Healthful Mexican Dinners

Many of us love the fresh and bold flavors of Mexican cooking, but
these meals can also be very high in fat and calories. But, with a
little planning, you can enjoy many delicious Mexican specialties with
no guilt and with very little prep or cooking time!

There are some simple ways to reduce the fat and calories in any
recipe, while still maintaining excellent flavor. Follow these easy
guidelines to easily incorporate Mexican meals into any diet plan:

* Replace full-fat cheeses with reduced-fat or fat-free
* Replace regular sour cream with light or fat-free
* Reduce or eliminate black olives
* Use fat-free refried beans, or low-sodium black beans
* Use your choice of whole wheat, lowfat or low carb tortillas, or
corn tortillas or taco shells
* Load up on fresh tomatoes, lettuce and salsa
* Go easy on avocados and guacamole, but if you're a fan - a little bit
of either can add a great deal of enjoyment to a meal

All of the following meal ideas can be made with one of many lean
proteins as a main ingredient. Try using ground turkey or chicken
breast, lean ground beef, grilled chicken breast, lean grilled beef
(such as tenderloin or flank steak), meatless soy crumbles, or even
all veggie ingredients (bell peppers, onions, mushrooms, etc.)

Meal #1: Tacos

Season any of the above proteins with taco seasoning. Serve on your choice
of tortilla or taco shell, and add cheese, lettuce, tomato, light sour
cream and salsa. Serve with fat-free refried beans or black beans.

Meal #2: Taco Salad

The only cooking you need to do for this meal is to brown some lean ground
beef or poultry (or use other protein above) - so it's very fast! Load
up on lettuce, tomato, kidney beans and salsa and go light on cheese, sour
cream, and guacamole. Crumble some baked tortilla chips on top and drizzle
with a lowfat Catalina salad dressing.

Meal #3: Fajitas

While you have several options for healthful ingredients with fajitas, the
fastest way to whip up a fajita dinner is to buy precooked chicken breast
strips and defrost a bag of frozen, sliced fajita vegetables (usually peppers
and onions). Saute vegetables until tender-crisp and serve on small
tortillas with a dab of light sour cream and salsa.

Meal #4: Mexican pizza/tostada

Start with your favorite size of tortilla(s) on a cooking sheet. Spread
with fat-free refried beans, sprinkle on some frozen or canned corn
kernels and a modest amount of reduced-fat cheddar or jack cheese. Place
under broiler until cheese melts. Top with shredded lettuce, chopped
tomatoes, a few chopped black olives, diced avocado, salsa, chopped
cilantro and a dollop of light sour cream.

Meal #5: Southwestern Chicken Salad

Start with a large bowl of torn lettuce, add strips of grilled chicken
breast, chopped tomatoes, diced red onion, corn, black beans, chopped
cilantro, diced avocado, and salsa. For a quick side dish, spray flour
tortillas with cooking/butter-flavor spray, onion powder, and garlic powder
(chili powder, too - if you like a little kick!) and broil until crispy.
Cut into wedges and serve with salad.

For a change of pace, try new combinations that you maybe haven't
assembled before, such as steak fajitas, or tacos with seasoned meatless
crumbles. By varying the main ingredient in these meals, as well as the
optional toppings, you'll be able to make nearly endless tasty new
combinations according to your own or your family's tastes. And, you'll be
eating quick meals that taste great and won't disrupt your healthy diet!

If you would like to purchase Erin's Cookbook called Healthy Express Cookbook:
101 Fresh, Light & Quick Dinners click on this link.

To download a recipe sampler from Erin, go to this link:

Healthy Express Cookbook: 20 Fresh, Light & Quick Dinners

© Health-E-Meals.com, 2004

Shepherd's Pie

SHEPHERD'S PIE

1 pound lean ground meat, browned
3/4 C.chopped onion or reconstituted dried minced onion
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp oregano
1-2 cans green beans, drained
1 - 103/4 oz. can tomato soup, or 8 oz. can tomato sauce,
3 C. mashed potato, use leftovers or prepare dried potato granules[

Brown the ground meat with onions. Drain well. Stir in seasonings and tomato soup or sauce. Layer meat mixture in a 2 quart casserole, top with layer of canned green beans,Heat through. Pour Spread mashed potatoes on top and sprinkle with paprika. Bake in 350° oven until bubbly and hot. 4-6 servings.

Soup Recipes Tried and True, Savory, and Simply Delicious

POTATO CAULIFLOWER SOUP
"This recipe is fast and easy and often requested"

4 medium potatoes, quartered
2 onions, quartered
1 head cauliflower, cut up
2 cups water or chicken broth (homemade is best)
2 Cups milk, water, or broth
1 TB Spike
1 - 8 oz cream cheese, diced
1/4-1/2 Cup butter
salt and pepper to taste

Combine vegetables with water or chicken broth in an 8 qt stock pot. Bring to a boil, and simmer vegetables until potatoes are soft, about 15-20 minutes. If using a Duromatic TM pressure cooker, bring veggies to a boil and allow pressure to stabilize at the 2nd red ring for 5 minutes, allow pressure to drop naturally. Add 2 more cups of milk, water, or broth, diced cream cheese, and butter over medium heat, and stir until cheese and butter are melted. Add the spike and salt and pepper to taste, if desired. Serve!
Serve with Banana or Blueberry Muffins, raw vegetables, applesauce.

BLACK BEAN AND PUMPKIN SOUP

1 TB Chili powder
1 tsp. cumin seed
1 can (14 1/2 oz) diced tomato
1 cup coarsely chopped onion
1 or 2 canned chipotle chilies, drained Or 1 - 4 oz diced green chilies
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 TB olive oil
2 cans (15 oz) reduced sodium black beans or 4 Cups cooked black beans
2 Cups chicken broth
1 16 oz can pumpkin or 2 cups homemade pumpkin puree
1-2 tsp salt or to taste
1/2 tsp. black pepper or to taste

Garnishes (optional):
fresh cilantro
lime wedges for garnish, if desired
1/2 Cup grated Monterey Jack cheese

Saute chili powder, cumin seed, chopped onion, garlic and chipotle chilies in olive oil until onions are translucent, stirring frequently over medium high heat. Add diced tomato, and black beans to sauteed mixture and simmer for 10 minutes. Transfer the mixture into a blender and blend (in batches if needed) until pureed. Transfer the mixture back into a soup pot, add the pumpkin puree, and chicken broth simmer for 10-15 minutes. Adjust seasonings. Serve with desired garnishes with cornbread or homemade rolls. The flavor will improve greatly if the soup is made ahead and reheated to be served later.

LASAGNA SOUP

Ingredients:
1 lb bulk Italian sausage
2 cups onions, chopped
1 cup carrots, diced
2 cups mushrooms, sliced
2 tablespoons garlic, minced
4 cups chicken broth
1 can Italian style stewed tomatoes, chopped (14 12 oz)
1 can tomato sauce(10 34 oz)
1 cup campenelle or penne or bow tie pasta
2 cups fresh spinach, chopped
1 cup provolone cheese or fresh mozzarella, diced
14 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
4 teaspoons thinly sliced fresh basil

Directions:
Brown sausage in a large saucepan over medium-heat. Add onions and
carrots; saute 3 minutes. Stir in mushrooms and garlic, and saute
another 3 minutes.
Add broth, stewed tomatoes, and tomato sauce, and bring to boil.
Drop in pasta and simmer until cooked, about 10 minutes, or according
to package directions. Stir in spinach and cook until wilted.
Place 14 cup cheese into serving bowls and pour soup on top. Garnish
with Parmesan and basil.
Serve soup with salad.

CHICKEN BARLEY VEGETABLE SOUP WITH HERBS
"This simple, hearty and flavorful soup will remind you of the bounty of your summer garden. Its assortment of herbs and vegetables will warm you down to your toes. It has become a family favorite with or without the chicken added."

6 chicken thighs, skinned
2/3 cup barley
8 Cups chicken stock or water
2 stalks celery, chopped
3 small carrots, sliced
1 Cup chopped broccoli florets (optional)
1 large tomato, peeled and chopped or 2 Tablespoons tomato
powder (optional)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tablespoon tamari, or soy sauce or Bragg's liquid aminos
1 teaspoon basil
1/8 teaspoon oregano
1/8 teaspoon thyme
Dash of cayenne pepper
2 Tablespoons minced fresh parsley

Put all of the ingredients except the parsley into an 8 qt. stock pot or 5 liter or larger pressure cooker such as a Duromatic Pressure Cooker . Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat. In the Duromatic, bring ingredients to second red ring and pressure for 15 minutes; allow pressure to drop naturally. Or simmer the soup conventionally for 1-1/4 hours, stirring occasionally.

Remove the chicken thighs from the soup. When cooled slightly, remove the meat and cut into bite sized pieces. Return the meat to the soup. Simmer the soup an additional 10-15 minutes if desired. Adjust seasonings to taste, and add the parsley and serve.

FAST AND EASY SPLIT PEA SOUP
"If you use a pressure cooker the soup cooks for 15 minutes"

4-6 slices bacon cooked crisp, drained, crumbled and set aside
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup carrots, diced
1 large onion, diced
1 cup celery, sliced
2 cups split peas, washed (1 lbs)
7-1/2 C. homemade or commercial chicken broth (4 cans) or equivalent
1 TB Italian seasoning
salt & pepper to taste

Using leftover bacon grease in a 5 Qt Duromatic Pressure Cooker or 6 qt stock pot, saute the onion, carrots, and celery until wilted, add garlic and saute for one minute. Add broth, washed split peas, and seasonings and bring to a boil. In a Duromatic Pressure Cooker, cover the pan and bring the pressure up to the first red ring and cook for 15 minutes, allow the pressure to come down naturally. If using a stock pot, simmer the soup mixture for 45-60 minutes. Taste the pea mixture to make sure the peas are soft. If so, blend and puree the split pea soup mixture in a blender in 4 Cup batches, reserving 1 cup of soup mixture to be "lumpy". Combine pureed soup mixture, adjust seasonings, garnish with crumbled bacon in individual soup bowls and serve. Note: For higher elevations add one minute cooking time for each 1000 feet of elevation above 2000 feet, if using the Duromatic . For example, if you live at 5000 feet add 3 minutes to the cooking time. Makes 8-10 servings.

Serving Suggestions: Corn Bread, honey butter, pear halves on lettuce.

HAM-BROCCOLI CHEESE SOUP
Serves 6

This recipe is also from my friend Shauna. I made it once and had several requests for the recipe. It is quite simple, and always adaptable to what you have on hand. Use a crock pot to make ahead.

1 Can Evaporated milk
3 TB flour (whole grain, preferred)
2 C. diced cooked ham
2 C. chopped broccoli (stems and florets)
1 TB. olive oil
1/4 - 1/2 C. chopped onion
4 C. water
1 C. light cream
1-2 C. shredded Swiss or Cheddar cheese
1/2 tsp. thyme
1/2 tsp. savory
1/4 tsp. garlic powder, or to taste
salt, pepper, to taste

Saute the onion in the olive oil until wilted in the bottom of 8 cup or larger stock pot. Stir in the flour. Using a wire whisk over low heat, mix the evaporated milk with the onion/flour mixture. Stir in the water and bring up the heat until the soup base is slightly thickened. Add the ham, broccoli, light cream, salt, pepper, and herbs to taste. Simmer for up to one hour, depending on how much time you have. When ready to serve, stir in the Cheese until melted, and adjust the seasonings to taste.

CHICKEN CHILI CORN CHOWDER
6-8 servings

This soup is a great variation to chili, very elegant, and delicious! Serve with hot "good earth" rolls.

3-4 Cups cooked, diced chicken (1 1/2 lbs. boneless)*
1/2 C. finely chopped onion
3 TB flour, whole grain preferred
2 TB olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 C. chicken broth ( I use Frontier chicken broth powder and water to equal 2 C)
2 C. hot water
1 tsp. cumin, ground
2 C. half and half
2 C. Monterey Jack
1- 16 oz can cream style corn
1 - 4 oz can green chili, chopped
1/4 tsp. hot pepper sauce - (optional)
salt and pepper to taste

Saute onion, and garlic in olive oil until translucent in a stock pot. Stir in flour over low heat and slowly stir in chicken broth, and water. Heat until thickened slightly. Add cumin, half and half, cream style corn, green chilies, and hot pepper sauce (opt) to the soup base and simmer together for 15-60 minutes. Add chopped chicken, stir in shredded cheese until melted, adjust seasonings to taste. (Don't boil the soup once the cheese is added or it will become stringy.) To serve: garnish with chopped medium tomato and 1/2 C. fresh minced cilantro.

*A quick way to cook up 1 1/2 lbs. of boneless chicken breasts is to pressure cook them in a Duromatic Pressure Cooker for 8 minutes at the 2nd red ring and allow the pressure to come down naturally. While soup base is simmering,

PANTRY MEALS - EXTRA FAST AND EASY

Every mom has those panic attacks when dinner is upon them and preparations have not been made ahead of time. If you will keep some basic ingredients in your pantry, you will be prepared for healthier alternatives to Hamburger Helper, Pizza Delivery, or other prepared/processed foods. If you don't have all the ingredients, substitute or omit the ingredient.

If you keep chopped onions and green peppers in your freezer, or dried minced veggies, you will save even more time. Keep browned ground meat in one pound containers and 2 Cup portions of diced chicken in your freezer to save even more time.

Frozen ground meat can be quickly defrosted in cold water or in a covered skillet over medium heat.

LAYERED MEXICAN CASSEROLE

1 lb , lean ground beef
1 onion, finely minced (use from freezer or dried minced)
1 pkg taco seasoning or 1/4 Cup Frontier Taco Seasoning
3/4 Cup water
2 Cups cooked pinto beans or refried beans from a can or homemade
1 - 18 oz can Enchilada sauce or spicy tomato sauce
1-2 Cups shredded Cheddar or Jack Cheese
3 Cups slightly crushed tortilla chips
1/2 head lettuce, shredded
2 tomatoes, diced
2-4 TB sliced black olives

Brown the ground beef with onion. Drain well. Add taco seasoning mix with water and simmer until liquid is absorbed. In a 9 X 13 casserole dish, layer the crushed tortilla chips. Top with a layer of beans. Next layer browned ground, seasoned ground beef mixture. Pour enchilada sauce over all. Top with shredded cheese. Bake in a 375° oven for 20-25 minutes or until the casserole is bubbly and cheese is melted.

Garnish with shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, and black olives. Serve immediately.
Serving Suggestion: Offer guacamole, extra tortilla chips, raw veggies such as carrots, celery, radishes, jicama, and cucumbers.

CHICKEN A LA KING
Serve over Bread, Toast, or Rice

2 Cups diced chicken from freezer or a can
1 TB chicken bouillon or chicken broth powder
1/4 C. dehydrated onion
1/4 C. mushrooms (canned or dehydrated)
2 TB dehydrated green peppers (or 1/2 C. chopped from freezer)
1/3 C. oil
1-1/3 C. milk
1/2 tsp. turmeric
1/3 C. flour
1-1/3 C. water

Cut chicken into small chunks if needed. Heat oil in a skillet and
saute vegetables. Blend in flour and spices. Dissolve bouillon
in water and add to vegetable mixture. Add milk. Boil for one minute. Serve
over rice, toast, etc.

SHEPHERD'S PIE

1 pound lean ground meat, browned
3/4 C.chopped onion or reconstituted dried minced onion
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp oregano
1-2 cans green beans, drained
1 - 103/4 oz. can tomato soup, or 8 oz. can tomato sauce,
3 C. mashed potato, use leftovers or prepare dried potato granules[

Brown the ground meat with onions. Drain well. Stir in seasonings and tomato soup or sauce. Layer meat mixture in a 2 quart casserole, top with layer of canned green beans,Heat through. Pour Spread mashed potatoes on top and sprinkle with paprika. Bake in 350° oven until bubbly and hot. 4-6 servings.

30 Minute Meals - Fast and Easy

Make Meals in 30 Minutes or Less
By Jill Cooper

Jill Cooper is co-author of Planning for Leftovers, Quick Dinners, and Pretty for Pennies - Homemade Bath & Beauty

I was having dinner at my son's house the other night and my daughter-in-law had fixed "old fashioned" baked potatoes. You know, the kind you make in the oven and not the microwave. Boy, they were good. It seems that so many things taste better slow cooked in the oven.

We started talking about how much longer it took to cook them in the oven compared to the microwave. That started me thinking. Yes, it does take longer in actual cooking time but in some ways it is easier. When I bake potatoes in the oven, I get them ready and in the oven an hour before dinner and then just forget about them until dinner is ready. Then, all I have to do is set them on the table and dinner is served.

When I microwave them, I tend to start cleaning them and preparing them at the same time that I'm trying to make a salad and heat up the veggies. While I'm doing all of that, I have to remember to keep turning the potatoes and if I am cooking several, I have to put a few in the microwave and when they are done, pull them out and add more, all of this at the same time that I am trying to prepare the rest of the meal.

Why is it that, even though we have faster methods of cooking our meals, they seem to have become more frenzied and hurried than years ago? Then it dawned on me -- With the introduction of the microwave and the idea that meals can be prepares in 30 minutes, most people do nothing to prepare or plan their meals until 30 minutes before they are going to eat. So 30 minutes before dinner you find yourself trying to thaw something, cook it, and slap it on the table and at the same time talk and deal with tired, hungry, cranky kids. Let's not forget how exhausted you are at this time of day, too.

We need to warm up our ovens and start using them again the way our grandmothers use to do. Here are some tips and ideas that prove that cooking meals in a conventional oven instead of a microwave can be just as quick and easy, not to mention how much more delicious they taste and smell.

I think we underestimate the power of coming home and smelling something yummy cooking. We automatically seem to relax, feeling that "all is well with the world". I really think it can change the whole atmosphere of your home for the evening.

I am not living in a dream world. You can fix meals the way our grandmothers did. I hear some readers saying, "Our grandmothers weren't ever as busy as we are and so they had time to fix large meals." I can hear our grandmothers chuckling at that statement. My husband's grandmother had to help on the farm from early in the morning until evening. She took care of a large home garden, canned, cleaned house every day, did laundry without a washer or dryer and still provided meals not only for her family, but up to 20 farm hands as well. She had to do it all without a refrigerator, microwave, or a grocery store and the nearest water was a mile away from her house.

My mother-in-law would go to work as early as 7 am and work until 9 pm 6 days a week, but she still managed to make three large meals each day. If you're thinking, "That's great if you want to spend all your spare time in the kitchen," consider that they spent less time in the kitchen than we do with less of the conveniences and still managed to have well balanced delicious meals each day.

What was their secret? -- They had never heard of 30 minute meals. Even if they had they would probably have laughed and wondered who would spend so much time on a meal? They knew that the key to a quick meal wasn't how fast you could cook, but how organized you were. You can easily have a meal on the table in 15 minutes if you are organized and plan ahead.

No, this doesn't mean you have to microwave or fry everything to have a quick meal. Slow cooking something in the oven not only makes things taste better but sometimes is quicker.

Our grandmothers' secret to quick meals

1. Keep your meals simple.

2. Be organized.

3. Decide what you are preparing the night or the morning before.

4. Thaw anything you need the night or the morning before.

5. Prepare as much of the meal as you can during the slow time of your day and when you are most refreshed. (This is very important.)

6. Slow cook meats in the oven or in a crock pot.

7. Keep your kitchen clean so you have an uncluttered work area.

Here are some ideas on what to prepare. These aren't elaborate gourmet meals. If you are too busy to cook dinner, then you are to busy to make gourmet dinners. Stick with the basics and keep it simple like our grandmothers did.

Roast: Place a roast in a crock pot or pan. Peel five potatoes and carrots and drop them in with it and turn on the oven. This takes five minutes. Clean and cut broccoli, celery and cucumbers for a salad -- five minutes. At dinner time, chop lettuce and tomato for the salad, adding the already prepared veggies. Then put the meat and the fixings on a platter -- five more minutes. Voila! Dinner in 15 minutes.

Stew: It takes me seven minutes to cube meat*, peel five potatoes, carrots and onions, toss it into a pot and to season it. At dinner time, I put bread or dinner rolls on the table -- one to two minutes and I have dinner in nine minutes.

*Ask your butcher to cube or slice all your meat for you. They usually charge nothing or just a few cents per pound. It saves not only time in cutting but in clean up too.

Chicken: Toss a chicken in a pan or crock pot -- two minutes. Clean potatoes to put in with chicken or to bake in the oven -- three minutes. At dinner time, warm a veggie -- two minutes. Slice some fruit -- three minutes. Dinner in 10 minutes.

Lasagna: Put noodles in a pot to boil -- one minute. Fry hamburger, get out cheese, tomato sauce and the rest of the fixings; mix sauce while noodles boil, 7-8 minutes. Layer everything -- two minutes. Cover and put in the fridge for dinner the next day or that evening. Put the lasagna in the oven to heat while getting out of your work clothes, checking the mail, etc. Set the table and cut a salad -- five minutes. Dinner is served; 15 minutes.

Beef stroganoff: Make your beef stroganoff in your crock pot. (If you don't want to use a crock pot, this recipe usually takes very little time just stirring it up in a pan.) Dump everything but sour cream and noodles, into the crock pot -- three minutes and simmer all day on low. Clean carrots, celery sticks and broccoli for a relish dish (five minutes) and put it in the fridge. At dinner time, boil egg noodles (5-7 minutes). While they are boiling, add sour cream to sauce and set the table. Total time: 15 minutes.

Chili: Mix everything in a pot the night before. Depending what you put in, it should take 5-10 minutes. Simmer throughout the next day.

Soup: Do the same as with the chili.

These are just a general example of ways to fix meals easily and quickly. It isn't really a matter of time as much as it is a matter of being organized and getting things done before you are too exhausted to think.

If you have meats thawed and the ingredients on hand, most things can be tossed together in about the same time as it takes to order and wait to get your food at a fast food place.
Also, remember when you have your oven going to try to cook more than one thing in it. For example, if you are going to be baking a casserole, bake a pan of brownies, muffins or baked apples at the same time.

Jill Cooper raised two teenagers alone on $500 a month income after becoming disabled with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Jill Cooper is co-author of Planning for Leftovers, Quick Dinners, and Pretty for Pennies - Homemade Bath & Beauty

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Quick Dinners eBook- is designed to help you with meals you can prepare in 20 minutes or less. Quick Dinners includes 24 recipes, 34 tips, 10 menu plans, dessert ideas and a weekly menu worksheet. Using these easy dinner plans, you can be in and out of the kitchen faster and at a much much lower cost than eating out.

Pretty for Pennies - Homemade Bath and Beauty, Great Gift!

Pretty for Pennies is included as a chapter in Dining On A Dime but not in Not Just Beans.
What do foot massage oil, chocolate lip balm and almond lotion have in common? You can find these and other frugal recipes in Tawra's new Frugal Bath and Beauty Guide, Pretty for Pennies. This 32 page booklet contains 33 recipes and 69 frugal tips.

Another article by Jill is Acres of Apples, Frugal to the Core