Hearty Meals In 20 Minutes Or Less
Per my family’s request, I should cook with love which, to me, equals taking my time. Let’s be clear… I don’t like to cook and sure as heck don’t want to spend an hour after work cooking anything. I am perfectly content having oatmeal and a glass of wine for dinner. Not the folks in my house though. They want real food… aka heavy, like red meat with rice and gravy or pasta.
In efforts to find a happy median, I have committed to cooking weeknights if I can do it 20 minutes or less. However, a quick interview with my family offers testimony that they do not approve. As I was told yesterday, if you cook meat in 20 minutes or less I am not eating it. Dude… I can totally cook pork steak in a 500 degree oven in 20 minutes.
If you’re like me and your family is like mine, you’ll appreciate these quick 20 minute meals and meal prep strategies. These three meals will help you nix the complaints and create happy plates.
Phase 2 Potatoes
When I was in college, the basement pub made giant baked potatoes with whatever deli topping you liked. My favorite potato included butter, meatballs w/ marinara, jalapeno peppers, cheese, chives and a boiled egg. I have no clue how I ate that regularly, but I did and it made me happy. When I had to make my own food, I boiled potatoes and when they were done, I tossed in butter cheese and sliced deli ham. I can live off of potatoes and I have finally convinced my family that they can as well.
So, at least every week or so, we have Phase 2 Potatoes. Basically, you use whatever is already in the fridge as a topping or you can have a broccoli and cheese potato. Purchase “baking” potatoes–not the giant ones. Three to four can be cooked in the microwave in 20 minutes. Or, one can be cooked in 7 minutes. Our schedules are wacky and we are never all home at the same time. So I usually make these to order.
What do you need for a Phase 2 Potato? Whatever is in your fridge, baking potatoes, cheese (I always have shredded cheddar), sour cream (not on a diet but I prefer fat free). In addition, I normally nuke some pre-cut broccoli from the deli. Once the broccoli is cooked, I toss it in olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder and sometimes a little squeeze of lemon.
The great part about these potatoes is that they can be served anywhere from with just s&p to stuffed with everything one can find in the fridge. Luckily everyone in my life likes potatoes so this is always easy to pull off.
However, be warned, my children like to eat their Phase 2 Potatoes naked. And because they are usually pretty hot when they come out of the microwave, I remove them from the skins for them.
The easiest way for me to do this is to split the potatoes in half, hold each half in my hand buffered by a paper towel, and then scoop everything out with a big spoon. While I am scooping, the kids put what they want on their potato in a bowl. Once their toppings are warmed up, we dump them over the potato and eat up.
My youngest likes broccoli, cheese and shrimp. My middle likes just butter and chicken and veggies on the side. My extra apparently doesn’t like potatoes unless they are french fried. So, he just pops a corn dog in the oven or microwave and we slather it with ketchup.
Tortilla Pizzas
Everyone in my house loves pizza. Unfortunately, they also each like a different kind. Dad loves meat, little brother eats what dad does and the girls like random stuff that you can’t get at Little Ceaser’s or from frozen pizza.
Our solution is easy, individual pizzas. Here’s what you need:
- tortilla shells
- jarred pesto
- jarred pizza sauce
- pre-shredded cheese–monterey jack
- pre-cooked meats like ground beef, pepperoni slices, sausages (casings removed), chicken, etc.
- shrimp (shells removed, deveined, medium)
- fresh veggies like mushrooms, onions, 1/2 grape tomatoes, bell pepper, broccoli, etc.
With so many different varieties you might be wondering how this can possibly happen in 20 minutes or less. Here is one of Tiki’s Rules at work: tell me what you want or fix it yourself.
Little people will adhere to this rule. The others (think teenagers and men who work shiftwork) no doubt will not. For the little ones who adore me and have no clue that I am cutting corners, I assemble per their instructions. For the others, I teach them how to do it themselves.
There are additional rules that must be followed. For instance, no one under the age of 13 can use the oven unsupervised. No one under the age of 18 can turn on the oven without notifying me. (I had a teenager forget the oven on for an entire day once.) Other than that, I have aluminum cookie sheets and we each assemble our own–2 usually fit to a sheet. Assembly takes literally 3 minutes or less if everything is readily available or prepped.
Wash hands. Preheat the oven to 350. Assemble individualized pizzas. Bake for 10 – 15 minutes or until the edges turn crispy and brown (black is not brown). While pizzas are backing, make small bowls of salad or fruit and drinks. Because the pizza is so thin, it doesn’t require that long to cool off. Slice into four sections, plate up and serve. Tastes great warmed up in the microwave as leftovers.
My fave is shrimp and pesto pizza with a sprinkling of red pepper flakes. Tastes great with a side salad and a glass of red wine.
Pasta with Veggies and Grilled Chicken
My house is filled with people who have food allergies, food sensitivities and acid reflux (probably all related). So though I love pasta with regular tomato-based meat sauce, if I fix it to often, they won’t eat it. It messes with everyone’s tummy. Selfishly, I don’t want to hear the moaning and groaning and it takes too long for the meds to work. Let’s not mention when one or more persons goes on strike.
So, I happened across a recipe when I was in my vegan phase that everyone actually liked. And… if you carefully prepare, you can have it ready in 20 minutes or less. Here’s what you need:
- Pasta of your choice–I like Barilla’s mini penne or regular spaghetti
- Shredded parmesan cheese
- Pre-sliced portobello mushrooms, cubed onions and peppers, sliced zuchinni–the veggies just need to have about the same cooking time
- Cooked and diced chicken breasts or chopped up rotissiere chicken
- Hot sauce or red pepper flakes
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Salt & pepper to taste
Choosing pasta with a short cooking time is key. I also like pasta that people don’t mind eating plain. Despite my best efforts, there is always a rebellious soul who chooses to just eat their pasta with their fingers or with melted butter.
To get this ready in 20 minutes or less, you really need to eliminate food prep. So, try to either prep your veggies in advance or purchase them in the grill packs that come in the deli. If you have the skill to work with multiple cooking tools, you could also grill them.
This meal requires everything to be prepped and cooked simultaneously.
- Toss the veggies in olive oil, salt and pepper and garlic powder. Spread on cookie sheet and insert into an oven pre-heated to 425.
- If you opted to cook it yourself, break out your grill pan or electric grill. While it is warming, toss your chicken in olive oil, s&p, garlic powder, onion powder, red pepper, paprika, a bit of cumin and a bit of chili powder. Then grill away.
- Once your water is boiling, drop in your pasta and cook to package directions.
The hardest part is getting your chicken cooked perfectly. I usually purchase the portioned frozen breast tenderloins because they come in the perfect portion size. Whatever you choose, once they are ready, slice them and place them on a plate or platter.
From there, you form a little buffet. Pasta, veggies, butter and the shredded parm. If you have peeps who are watching their carbs, they can skip the pasta and go with a plate of roasted veggies and chicken. If you have health phobics, they can do just the pasta and chicken. Whatever the feel everyone should be able to form a concoction that makes them happy. Again, a side salad can round it all out.
When everyone cooperates, you can have a hearty meal in 20 minutes (give or take).