Simple Suppers-Pasta with Tomatoes and Chickpeas

I came home from vacation on a Sunday night to an empty fridge.  I was so tired of eating fast food that the thought of another French fry made me want to chuck.  Luckily, while we were making family feasts on our trip, my sister whipped up a yummy dish.  It was a sauté that included chickpeas, and a can of diced tomatoes along with some other veggies and my all time favorite spice...cumin.  It inspired this simple and speedy pantry dinner.  So, if you are too tired after a long day to make a labor intensive meal(or you have NOTHING in your fridge), try this. 

Pasta with Tomatoes and Chickpeas

 

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp. olive oil

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp. cumin (or more to taste)

1 tsp. coriander (or more to taste)

1 can (15-ish oz.) chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 can (15-ish oz.) diced tomatoes

about 1/2 box pasta

salt and pepper

feta cheese, crumbled for topping (or parmesan or none if you have NOTHING)

 

Directions:

Heat a large pot of water to boiling and add pasta and salt and cook according to box directions.

While pot heats and pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat.

Add garlic and cook, slowly being careful not to burn it, until straw colored and sticky.

Add cumin and coriander and cook 30 seconds, until fragrant.

Add chickpeas and crank heat up to medium.  Cook any residual moisture off beans.

Add tomatoes and raise heat to medium-high, allowing sauce to thicken slightly.

When pasta is almost done, scoop out of water with tongs or pasta scoop and toss directly into sauce.

Toss pasta and sauce together.  If it seems dry, add some pasta cooking liquid.

I grow parsley, so I minced some up and tossed it in to add a little color.

Serve topped with cheese.



Simple Sides-Summer Vegetable Sauté

For me, summertime meals are all about simple cooking that makes the most of all the beautiful, fresh produce at out fingertips.  Here is Ohio, we are just beginning to get early crops of squash, so last night for dinner, I decided to whip up one of my people's favorite side dishes.  It is simple to make and easy to manipulate, depending on what you have on hand.  I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

Summer Vegetable Sauté

 

 

Ingredients:

olive oil

zucchini (I used 3 small-ish ones), sliced

yellow squash (I used 3 small-ish ones), sliced

bell pepper (I used about 1/2 pepper because that was all I had, but I like more), chopped

salt and pepper

 

Directions:

Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium- high heat.

Add olive oil and heat until shimmering.

Add veggies and cook, stirring occasionally until browning and cooked to your liking (we like them more firm than soft).

Season to taste with salt and pepper.

 





Simple Suppers-Chicken Noodle Skillet

Need a quick and comforting meal for dinner tonight?  Chicken and noodles is one of my people's favorite dinners and this version is simple, fast and full of good stuff (and a can of Cream of Chicken soup, but you can't win them all right?).  You probably have everything you need on hand and it takes 20 minutes start to finish.  Boom.  Dinner.  Done.

Chicken Noodle Skillet

Ingredients:
1 lb. chicken breast, cut into bite sized pieces
1 Tbsp. oil
1 onion, chopped
1 cup peeled, sliced carrots (about 3)
1 cup broccoli florets (I also peel and chop the stem and toss it in)
1-1/2 c. noodles
2 c. chicken broth
1 can Cream of Chicken soup
1 Tbsp. parsley

Directions:
In a 12" nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat until rippling.
Add chicken and onion and cook, stirring frequently until it is beginning to brown.
Stir in remaining ingredients, except parsley.
Heat to boiling, cover, reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes.
Uncover and continue to simmer about 5 more minutes, until chicken is cooked through and noodles are tender.
Stir in parsley and serve!



Simple Suppers-Tuna Cakes

Ever get home from work at 7:30 only to find a pack of hungry animals waiting for you at the door?  I know, the story of your life.  Mine too. 

These cakes are easy, fast and you probably have everything you need to make them on hand.  Make some mac and cheese and a side of peas and you are golden.

 

Tuna Cakes

 

 

Ingredients:

2 cans tuna packed in water, drained

1 c. bread crumbs, divided

1 carrot, shredded

1/2 onion, grated

1 egg

1 Tbsp. mayo

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. onion powder

1/2 tsp. salt (I would use more, but I like things heavily seasoned)

1/4 tsp. pepper

2 Tbsp. oil

 

Directions:

Set aside 1/2 c. of the breadcrumbs.  Combine the rest of the ingredients in a bowl and let sit for a few minutes so the breadcrumbs can soften up and do their gluey job.

While mix is sitting, heat oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat until shimmering.

When pan is almost ready, start making cakes.  I used about a handful of the mixture for each cake and it made six cakes.

Dredge the formed cakes in the additional crumbs and place in the hot pan.  Cook about 5 minutes per side, until golden brown and crispy.

 

 

***You don't have a stock of breadcrumbs?  Whaaaaat?  Check out my breadcrumb post NOW!***

 

***Want to make perfect cakes?  Form an "okay" sign using your middle finger and thumb.  Fit your ball of tuna mix in the circle and, using your fingers as a guide, pat your cake to fit.*** 

 

***Scared your kids (or husband) won't eat them?  One word.  Ketchup.***



Simple Suppers - Pork Lettuce Wraps

Looking for a really quick Asian inspired dinner?  Try these super easy lettuce wraps courtesy of Cooks Country magazine.  They are AWESOME!  I made some rice to go on the side and dinner was done in the time it took the rice to cook.  I made a few changes for ease and time.  The original recipe calls for a pork tenderloin that you grind up yourself in the food processor.  Yeah.  Not gonna happen.  Ever.  Use pre-ground.  Duh.

 

Pork Lettuce Wraps

 

 

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp. oil

1 lb. ground pork (or chicken, or turkey, yum)

1/4 c. hoisin sauce

3 Tbsp. soy sauce

2 Tbsp. water

1 Tbsp. Asian chili-garlic sauce

1 red bell pepper, chopped into 1/4" pieces

1-8 oz. can water chestnuts, drained and chopped

1 Tbsp. grated fresh ginger

1 head Bibb lettuce

 

Directions:

Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in a 12" nonstick skillet over med-high heat until just smoking.  Add pork and cook, breaking up with a spatula, until no longer pink.

While pork cooks, whisk hoisin sauce, soy sauce, water, and chili-garlic sauce together in a large bowl.

When pork is cooked, add to bowl with hoisin mixture.

Heat remaining 1 Tbsp. oil in now empty skillet over med-high heat until shimmering.  Add bell pepper and water chestnuts and cook until pepper softens (about 4 minutes).

Add ginger to skillet and cook until fragrant (30 seconds).

Add pork mixture back to skillet, bring to a simmer and cook until thickened (about 1 minute)

Serve in lettuce leaves.

 

**You can find hoisin sauce and Asian chili-garlic sauce in the ethnic foods area of most supermarkets.

 

**Want something besides lettuce?  Try Nappa cabbage for a little more crunch.

 





Simple Suppers- Unstuffed Peppers

Who has time to pre-boil, stuff and then bake peppers?  Ain't nobody got time for that (Overused?  Probably.  Don't care)!

 

 

Unstuffed Peppers

 

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp. oil
1 onion, chopped
3-4 bell peppers, chopped (I used red, green and yellow)
1 lb. ground beef
1 tsp. garlic powder
1-1/2 c. rice
1-28 oz. can tomato sauce
1-14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes
1/2 c. water
salt and pepper

Directions:
Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat.
Add onion and peppers, sprinkle with some salt and pepper, and cook until they begin to soften (3-5 minutes).
Add ground beef and cook, breaking up with a spatula, until no longer pink.  Stir in garlic powder.
Add rice, sauce, tomatoes and water.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 20 minutes, until rice is tender.
Check seasonings and serve!

*I serve this topped with shredded cheese!*