Interest in very easy cooking?

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abbas child

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I am teaching a non-cook how to cook basic food, using the easiest methods and the least number of ingredients possible. I wondered if this information would be needed by anyone else? Let me know... But, for today, we're doing Slow Cooker Pot Roast.

Use a "Slow Cooker" rather than a "Crock Pot". A Slow Cooker heats around the sides and is usually lower than a Crock Pot.

In the following order, place ingredients into the pot...

Up to a pound of carrots-- scrubbed or peeled, ends cut off, either whole or cut across in half
All purpose potatoes (not baking or Idaho), peeled, cut into half (skip potatoes, or use 2-3)

2-3 pounds Beef Chuck Shoulder, roast or "London Broil"--but lean, with no fat. Don't cut, just lay on top of vegetables.

2 Bay leaves

half pound sliced or whole mushrooms

about a cup or more peas

One peeled onion, either sliced or halved, then each half quartered

add one pint Portobello mushroom broth (found by the case at the store that sells Kindle readers) use NO additional salt if using broth

or if no broth, add 2 cups beef broth (and no salt)
or 2 cups water, plus a teaspoon of salt.

pepper to taste

Cover, start on high heat, turn to low when it begins to bubble--which means it's simmering.

Cook about 8 hours total, check once or twice to make sure liquid is still in the pot.

Potatoes and carrots will be tender when it's ready to eat. They take longer than the beef to cook, which is why they're on the bottom of the pot.
 
Ann- im interested in what you have to offer here, though i already have a great recipe for slow cooker pot roast...
 
Ann thank you for the recipe! I am with help putting together a cookbook for my boys and husband of our favorite quick easy meals that our kids can even make. Our boys are good cooks we have been teaching them for quite a while.

Enjoy!
 
Pot roast needs about 10 hours rather than 8. Plenty of liquid in the container... carrots just firm, but could use a little more. Ditto onions.
 
Vegetable Ideas

Sauteed Spinach with (or skip) Garlic
--serves 2

Use a large saute pan or a four quart dutch oven for two servings
Tongs for stirring and transferring spinach
a bag of rinsed baby spinach (comes ready to eat)
minced garlic in a jar (refrigerate when open) or thinly sliced, peeled cloves of garlic
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
salt and pepper to taste

Pour a tablespoon or so of olive oil in the pan. Turn stove heat to medium. The oil will shimmer when it is ready. If it smokes, it has burned... cool, wipe clean and begin again.
Open bag of spinach carefully.
Place garlic in the heated oil.
Within 30 seconds, but as soon as the aroma of cooked garlic is smelled, add spinach to the pan. This looks like a lot--it will barely make two servings after it becomes limp. Using tongs, push it around so that the top raw spinach reaches the heated pan. As soon as it's all limp, take off heat, turn off stove. Serve.

Sauteed Corn with Garlic (and fresh basil if desired)


In summertime, raw fresh corn is wonderful. It also is fine as well as much easier and faster by using frozen corn which has been thawed.

Thaw a bag of corn (refrigerate overnight, or use microwave on "defrost" power)
Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 1 Tablespoon
Minced garlic, and again--from the jar is fine, use a teaspoon or to taste
Salt and pepper
Optional but really good: rinse and slice basil. Pull leaves off stem, stack leaves, slice several at a time, crossways. I would use a fourth cup of sliced leaves (4 Tablespoons).
Optional also: Balsamic Vinegar, 1 Tablespoon

Have everything ready...corn, pan, oil, garlic, large cooking spoon

Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan. 10 to 12 inches in diameter, depending on how much corn is being cooked. Heat only to a shimmer, then add garlic. In 30 seconds or less, add corn. Leave it for a couple of minutes, then stir. Add salt and pepper while the corn cooks. Cook a total of about 5 minutes. If using basil, add half as soon as the corn is taken off the burner. Let cool slightly. Add rest of basil (if using), add balsamic vinegar if using.

Hint: if doing in the summer with fresh corn, cut the corn off of the cob. Also makes a great salad by adding skinned, chopped fresh tomatoes, with the seeds scooped out and discarded... but this is no longer an "easy quick recipe". Use another Tablespoon each of Olive Oil and Vinegar if doing the salad.
 
I like this thread! The past couple of days I've been immersed in cleaning up my kitchen notebook with just these ideas - to make it a resource for my husb & daughter when I can't be the main cook. I'm identifying quick and simple recipes, and laughing at some of the recipes I stuck in there that I will never, never make--- even without ALS. It's a bit of an involved project, though. Ann, I like your explicit instructions. thanks!
 
Just another reason to love you, Ann.
I will be trying these soon!
Thank you
 
Glad to do it, Rox, Sue and Liz. I taught my father to cook as we talked on the telephone. He's become a good cook and now tells me about new things he's invented... By teaching him (he loves making crock pot soups), I learned some easy to miss tips. Now it's Phil's turn to learn, and he wants healthful meals...preferably without a green vegetable.:mrgreen: As I find something that works, I'll post it here. Please join me-- our tastes surely won't be shared by everyone.
 
Love this idea, as I so run out of ideas on what to cook. I have gained 35 lbs since my husbands DX, and since I have quit working(was a waitress who walked a good 10 miles per shift). I weigh 162 lbs, which I didn't even weigh while pregnant! I just started the "17 day diet" which was featured on Dr Phil, and The Doctors. So that is going to mean cooking a one meal for me (healthy), one for my husband(soft) and one for the kids(tasty).
 
Ann,
We certainly learn something new everyday! I always thought crock-pot and slow cooker were one and the same! Steve uses a crock-pot.

I like this thread. Maybe I can find other chicken recipes!

Judy
 
I'd posted this already in the "Here's What's Cookin" Thread, but this was Phil's first Crock Pot meal attempt. Next time will be the Brunswick Stew (see bottom)

Easy Crock Pot Chicken Stew (for non-cooks)

In a Crock Pot place:

1 and a half pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast or tenders
1 can drained Great Northern beans (we use 2 cans)
1 can diced or stewed tomatoes, including liquid
(optional: minced garlic (can be from a jar; refrigerate what is left), sliced onion)
dried basil, marjoram, thyme, pepper

Cook on high heat until simmering, turn to low, continue cooking several hours. It's cooked here for about 6 hours total, and can stay on the higher heat if necessary.

Easy transfer to Brunswick Stew: Use one can only of beans. Add a pkg of bbq chicken or pork and one can drained whole kernel corn. May want more BBQ Sauce.
 
Oh, I left out a red pepper and also a yellow pepper from the Chicken Stew seen above. Sorry!
To cut a whole pepper easily, first slice lengthwise, cutting it in half. Then, using your hands, pull out the seeds and white part inside of "ribs". Cut each half lengthwise into strips, followed by cutting across, making cube sized pieces.
 
Paul Newman's Minestrone Soup, His recipe because it used his brand of sauce...

1--pound ground beef*, brown on medium heat in a 4 quart pot on the stove. Using lid, drain off fat into an empty can.

Add the following and simmer, covered, 12-15 minutes, until tender:
1 large chopped onion
1 stalk rinsed and chopped celery
1 carrot, rinsed and chopped
1/4 head shredded cabbage
1 can lima beans-drained
1 cup frozen peas
3 (or more) cups water

Then, add 2 cups (16 ounces) Pasta Sauce
Simmer for 5 minutes.
* I imagine ground chicken would also work.
 
Grinders

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Ingredients:

1 pound ground beef (or chicken), cooked [medium heat until no pink shows], and drained of fat.
1--6 oz can tomato paste
pinch salt
1/2 Tablespoon each: Oregano and Parsley
1-2 Tablespoons chopped onion
1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese
6 rolls, cut in half
Mozzarella cheese for the top

Mix ground cooked meat with tomato paste and all other ingredients except the rolls and Mozzarella cheese in the pan used for cooking meat.

Place halved rolls on a baking sheet (cover the baking sheet first with aluminum foil or parchment paper for easy clean up)

Divide the meat mixture and cover the 12 roll halves

Bake at 350 degrees middle shelf of oven for 20 minutes.

Remove from oven with hotpads, and top each roll with Mozzarella cheese, bake 5-10 minutes longer.
 
Hey,can I come over for supper?All,looks good to me!

Hugs Ken
 
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