Life is busy, and we pick our battles. We want a home-cooked meal, but we also want to unwind from a busy day. That’s why so many grocery stores stock a constant supply of pre-made meals and ingredients.
But there are ways to have weeknight homemade dinners that come from items found in your pantry, even if it’s one night a week. You can do homemade, and it can be done tonight.
Things to keep in mind:
* Using a single vessel, like a baking dish or sheet pan, can be the key to creating a weeknight dinner. There will be a few bowls, but that’s OK. Just because a meal is cooked in a baking dish doesn’t mean it’s a casserole.
* The oven can be your best friend for weeknight cooking. Just remember to utilize quick-cooking proteins and vegetables in your meals (think fish, ground meats, asparagus and even cauliflower rice).
* Use the broiler. This often-forgotten feature of the oven is amazing. Broiling meats and veggies that are cut or pounded thin can lead to a quick meal.
The following two dinner recipes can be prepped in 15 minutes and cooked in one vessel.
Rebecca White of Plano blogs at apleasantlittlekitchen.com.
Mediterranean Turkey Patties with Spiced Cauliflower Rice
1 pound ground turkey
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon za’atar spice blend
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided use
3 tablespoons hummus
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
1 egg
1 pound cauliflower rice
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
Greek yogurt, for topping
Lemon wedges, for serving
Kalamata olives, for serving
Place the oven rack right below the broiler. Heat broiler to 550 F.
Spray a large rimmed cookie sheet with canola oil or line with foil.
In a large bowl, combine the ground turkey, Worcestershire sauce, za’atar, 1 teaspoon salt, hummus, breadcrumbs and egg. Stir well. Using an ice cream scoop, scoop out balls of the ground turkey mixture and place onto one half of the baking sheet. Gently press down on the meatballs to create flat patties.
In another bowl, combine the cauliflower rice, olive oil, cumin and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir well to combine. Place on the other half of the rimmed baking sheet.
Broil for 4 minutes, then flip and broil the other side of the patties for an additional 3-4 minutes or until the turkey patties reach 165 F. Stir the cauliflower rice twice.
Remove from the oven. Serve the turkey patties and cauliflower rice with Greek yogurt, fresh lemon wedges and kalamata olives.
Makes 4 servings.
Shrimp and Asparagus Gratin
1 large shallot, diced
2 garlic cloves, chopped
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Zest from 1 lemon
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided use
1 pound shrimp, peeled, deveined and tails removed
1 pound asparagus, ends removed and cut into bite-sized pieces
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup white dry wine (like pinot grigio)
Heat oven to 400 F.
In a large bowl, combine shallot, garlic, butter, salt, lemon zest and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Stir well. Add shrimp and asparagus to the mixture and stir well to combine.
In a small bowl, toss the breadcrumbs with 1 tablespoon olive oil.
Place shrimp mixture into a large gratin dish (or a shallow baking dish). Add the white wine and then top with breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese. Bake 15-20 minutes or until the shrimp is cooked and the top is browned. Salt to taste and serve with crusty bread.
Makes 6 servings.