EASY SPRING DINNERS
Life in both winter and summer is really routine. With the exception of breaks for the holidays in the first and usually a vacation, in the second, schedules are unaltered, not so in spring and fall. Fall, particularly, early fall, is hectic, new schedules are introduced, projects and goals set, groups re-organized and activities introduced. Spring is equally busy with events and milestones, fairs, organizations celebrating summer hiatus, graduations, showers and weddings.
Unfortunately, during any busy time, one of the first things to suffer is family dinner, the prepping, the cooking and especially the serving. I write about this problem every September and often during the year but for first time I’ve discussed it in spring, because it can be every bit as stressful as fall. To find suitable recipes, I turned first to my book Can I help?, which is dedicated to people who cook with children and those just learning to cook.
The recipes below were selected for easy prep. Even those with several ingredients, mainly involve measuring, not chopping or prep cooking. The servings can be simply divided or multiplied and some dishes are acceptable for company presentation. Most can be made ahead and re-heated or held chilled, either for group or individual serving. Best of all, making these recipes won’t leave you, or your kitchen needing a clean-up.
Please, remember, however, that these dishes are only a sampling of the recipes I have posted for easy, quick dinners for busy people. If you just click the drop down menu in the right margin of any blog page and scroll to September of any year, you’ll find a post dealing with the subject. There are other postings throughout the years on easily prepared meals, even those on specific meats, soups and salads contain simplified recipes. You can find them in the Home Page panorama and the Archives as well. I suggest you start by consult the following blogs first: Nov.23, 2023, Aug.21, 2023, Sept.7, 2023 and Aug.10, 2023 on fish, the fastest meat to cook. Additionally look up the post on turkey leftovers on Nov. 23, 2023. The recipes are also good for skinless, boneless, chicken, slices of turkey and pork tenderloin or loin and pork chops.
RECIPES
Chicken with Mustard and Honey: Serves 4- From Can I help? by Joy Wielland -easy to divide and/or multiply
NOTE: The seasoning ingredients are placed under the skin to help them infuse the meat.
4 large chicken thighs
4 tsp. honey
4 tsp. Dijon or grained mustard
¼ tsp. ground black pepper—optional
Garlic Powder NOT garlic salt
Mix the honey, mustard and pepper, if using. Lift the skin on the chicken and place 2 tsp. of the mixture on the meat sprinkle with garlic. Place the pieces slightly separated in a roasting pan. With ½ inch of water or broth in the bottom. Bake in a preheated 350 deg. oven for 30- 40 min. or until juices run clear when pricked with a knife point.
A pan sauce can be made by adding a bit of apple juice, cider or broth to the pan drippings to deglaze.
Chicken in Orange Sauce: Serves 4- From Can I help? by Joy Wielland
4 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 oz. Orange Marmalade
2 Tbs. soy sauce
1 envelope of chicken bouillon+ 2 cups water OR 14oz. can broth
Mix marmalade and soy sauce. Slash the breasts diagonally a couple of times and marinate them several hours in the sauce mixture. Remove them and place in a comfortably fitting pan, with a ½ inch of broth in the bottom. Spoon a bit of marinade over the tops and put in a 350 deg. preheated oven. Bake 35-45 min Baste frequently using all the marinade and maintain the liquid level with the broth. Serve the pan juices as a sauce.
Fruited Chicken Salad: Serves 4
2 cups cooked chicken in large dice
2 cups seasonal fruit-berries or split grapes, melon or stone fruits diced
¼ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup sour cream
Dash curry powder
Sat and pepper to taste
¼ cup or ¼ tsp. fresh chopped or dried mint leaves–optional
Stir sour cream and mayo together well. Gently toss dressing with other ingredients until well combines. Serve on lettuce.
Poached Salmon with Dill Sauce: Serves 4
4 salmon fillets or steaks – about 24 oz.
½ cup mayonnaise
½ cup sour cream
1-1 ½ Tbs. dried dill weed-depending on taste
Mix the mayonnaise and sour cream with the dill until smooth and chill at least a couple of hours in advance to meld flavors. Boil enough water to cover, in a skillet or pot that easily holds all the fish. Slide the fish into the water and poach 5-8 min. per inch of width until it is opaque, firm and a pale pink. Remove from pot one at a time, and run under cold water until cool enough to slip off the skin and, if using steaks, carefully remove the bones without tearing the meat. Plate and chill the fish, covered to prevent drying if being made in advance. When ready to serve, place the fish and top with equal mounds of the sauce. Garnish with more dill or chopped chives.
Coconut Crusted Tilapia: Serves 4- From Can I help? by Joy Wielland (The coconut is optional)
4 Tilapia filets – about 1lb
1 cup plain Panko
½ cup sweetened coconut flakes – toasted
½ cup + mayonnaise
Lemon pepper
Step I- Preheat oven to 350 deg.. Toast coconut on a piece of foil until golden, about 4 mins. watching that edges don’t burn. When cool mix with Panko.
Step 2 – Place fish on a lightly oiled cooking surface, a pan or baking sheet. Completely cover the tops with a thin sheet of mayonnaise, more like a veneer. Dust lightly with lemon pepper.
Step 3 – Sprinkle with Panko-coconut mix, and bake 8 mins. per 1 inch width of filet, until top is golden, fish puffs slightly and edges bubble. Serve at once
Note: I put the breading mix in an empty herb bottle with a shaker top. It’s easier to apply. Tilapia’s flavor is very mild, only needing a sheer coating of mayo, just enough to make the bread crumbs stick, but it must be mayo, not yogurt. It adds a zing of taste and enough fat to let the fish brown.
Salad Nicoise-Recipe modified for easy prep: Serves 2-3 Ideally this should be made with grilled Tuna steaks thinly sliced, but canned works well.
1 head Boston lettuce – sometimes called “Garden” or “Bibb” – if not available buy Romaine or even Iceberg
(1)15 oz. can whole Irish potatoes.
1 cup frozen cut green beans
2-3 hardboiled eggs – peeled, halved lengthwise and chilled
1 small red or Bermuda onion in fairly thin slices
3 large or 4 medium tomatoes peeled and cut in medium slices OR pint box cherry or grape ones
(1) 5oz can colossal pitted ripe olives – drained
(2) 5 oz. cans solid white Albacore Tuna in water – drained
Kosher salt
White wine
Dried tarragon
Fresh ground black pepper
DRESSING RECIPE BELOW
Crain and cut the potatoes in halves. Boil eggs with beans until eggs are hard and the beans still crisp about 10 min. Drain well, run under cold water to stop the cooking and cool. Peel eggs. Place the potatoes and beans in an oblong container, so they can spread to marinate, with ½ cup white wine and 2 tsp. dried tarragon. Allow to marinate at least ½ hr. or all day. Separate the lettuce leaves, wash well and allow to air dry. Cover a large platter with the leaves. Pile the tuna in the center, and attractively arrange the other ingredients, in separate sections, in a surrounding circle. Sprinkle with the salt and fresh pepper.
Dressing:-Wisk all ingredients together well
2 Tbs. minced shallots – onions will substitute
1 Tbs. dry mustard powder
2 ½ Tbs. red wine vinegar
1 ½ Tbs. fresh lemon juice
½ cup olive oil
NOTE: In a hurry it’s possible to substitute Caesar or Balsamic vinaigrette
Pork Rosemary: Serves 4- From Can I help? by Joy Wielland Chicken would seem to be a good substitute meat in this recipe.
4 loin pork chops at least 1 inch thick
2 Tbs. oil
3 tsp. FRESHLY ground pepper
3 Tbs. chopped fresh Rosemary plus four sprigs
Kosher salt to finish
Mix oil, rosemary and pepper in wide bowl. Dip the chops in, one at a time, pressing as much of the herb mixture into their surfaces as possible. Put the chops flat in a plastic bag, and spoon over them the rest of the oil and herbs in the bowl. Marinate overnight, or if planning to use later in the week, use the trick of freezing, then thawing in the marinade. Simply place them, frozen, in the bottom of the refrigerator the night before you plan to use them. If they are still a bit frozen the next afternoon, give them an hour or so at room temperature.
Preheat broiler or grill. Again, press as many of the herbs into the meat as possible before placing them in the pan or on the grill. Brown both sides of the chops well, turning twice using
half the marinade to baste them as you start, and the rest as the chops are turned. When browned, move chops to side of grill, or turn oven to 375 degrees, and continue to cook until pork is done,
about 8 min. Test by making a small slit in one of the chops, or by using a thermometer. Sprinkle lightly with kosher salt and serve garnished with a sprig of rosemary.
Santa Fe Pie: Serves 6- From Can I help? by Joy Wielland
1 lb. ground beef – or sausage or a mix
1 green pepper diced
1 large onion diced
1 ½ cups minute rice
2/3 cup water
(2) 14 oz. cans Mexican style stewed tomatoes
8 oz. shredded Mexican blend cheese
(1) 10 oz. container refrigerated pizza crust
In a lightly sprayed skillet, cook meat, onion and pepper over medium heat, until meat is brown and vegetables are soft about 5 min. Add rice, tomatoes and water. Bring to a boil. Pour mix into a lightly greased 13 x 9 inch baking pan or casserole. Stir in 1 ½ cups cheese. Cover with the pizza crust, cutting 6 to 8 slits in the top. Bake in a preheated 425deg oven for 10 min. Sprinkle remaining cheese over the top and bake until crust is golden and cheese bubbles.
Pork Loins with Apricot Glaze: Serves 4- From Can I help? by Joy Wielland
(2) 1 lb. Pork Tenderloins – Commercially prepared in plastic sleeves*
(1) 12oz jar apricot preserves
¼ cup Balsamic vinegar
1Tbs Teriyaki sauce
3 tsp. minced fresh ginger-powdered will do
2 tsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. Tabasco sauce
Kosher salt
Ground pepper
1 tsp. salt – divided
1 tsp. pepper – divided
Remove wrappers from pork and pat dry. Rub each with ½ tsp. salt and ½ tsp. pepper. Heat grill or broiler. While heating grill or broiler, melt jam in a small saucepan with vinegar, Teriyaki sauce, Tabasco, garlic and ginger. Brush meat with glaze and place on a foil lined pan or on grill and cook 4 inches from heat source 10-15 min for the grill, 15 – 20 min. under the broiler, basting and turning every few minutes, until internal temperature reaches 150 degrees. Allow to rest, tented under foil 5 min., before slicing.
Make a Sub Antipasto: Serves 4- From Can I help? by Joy Wielland For those who love subs this is a do-it-yourself opportunity. For those who want something lighter it’s simply a salad. Surprisingly, nearly all the ingredients can be found, in quantity quoted in a dollar store.
4 0z.Genoiasalami or pepperoni
4oz.Deli sliced ham
6 oz. sliced or cubed cheese- Swiss, Cheddar or Provolone – not American
2 small onions sliced thin or 1 bunches scallions trimmed
(1) 5 oz. can black olives -optional
(1) 5oz. jar stuffed green olives -optional
4 plum tomatoes sliced
4 hard-boiled eggs sliced
(1) 12 oz. jar pepperoncini – or banana peppers – optional
1 head Boston (Bibb lettuce) or Romaine –leaves separated or ½ head iceberg lettuce shredded
Accompaniments for table-
1 bottle Italian or balsamic vinaigrette
Shakers of salt, pepper, garlic powder, basil and oregano
4-6 Italian rolls – sliced open
Arrange all the ingredients but the accompaniments one on a large platter. Place the others near
and let people make subs or fill salad plates. I strongly advise offering all of the options, but it’s a matter of preference.
Frank, Bean and Potato Casserole: Serves 4- From One Pot Meals by Bon Appetit-A child can actually put most of this dish together.
8 hot dogs cut in 6ths to make 48 pieces
(1) 15.5 oz. can pinto or kidney beans – drained juice reserved
(1) 14.5 oz. diced tomatoes – drained juice reserved
2 cups frozen cut green beans
1 Tbs. oil
1 onion thinly sliced
1 envelope bouillon powder-beef, chicken or vegetable
4 potatoes
Salt and pepper to taste
Cook onion in oil until soft. Mix the bouillon with reserved tomato juice and bean juice combined to make 1 cup. Add to pot along with all the other ingredients except the potatoes. Ring to a boil, add more reserved juice if necessary to get a stew-like consistency. Pour into a 1 qt. casserole. Microwave the potatoes about 2 min, until just crisp. Thinly slice and arrange to completely cover the top of the casserole. Bake at 400 deg. for40 – 45 min. until potatoes are golden. Serve hot. Can also be cooked in individual pottery bowls and re-heated when needed.
