December’s to-do lists tend to be among the longest of the year.
We shop, wrap, mail, clean, bake and socialize more than usual. Who has time to cook? But eating out too often can be hazardous to both the budget and the waistline.
What we need are easy-to-fix meals with few ingredients: less shopping, less cooking. And if these meals are low in fat, we might not feel so guilty about the holiday cookies, cakes and candies that come with the season.
Here, then, a few quick and nourishing recipes for the harried holidays.
Quick shrimp creole
Put on a pot of rice to cook while you throw together this savory meal. Makes two servings; double ingredients to make four servings.
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup button mushrooms
2 tablespoons flour
1/4 cup barbecue sauce
1 cup canned plum tomatoes
1/4 cup thinly sliced onions
1 green or red bell pepper, seeded and sliced thin
1/2 teaspoon salt
Pinch thyme
3/4 pound cooked shrimp
Melt butter in a large skillet. Saute mushrooms in butter until softened; remove from skillet and set aside. Add flour to skillet; cook three minutes, stirring. Add barbecue sauce, tomatoes, onions, bell pepper, salt and thyme; bring to a boil. Lower heat, cover and simmer 15 minutes. Add shrimp and reserved mushrooms; cook 10 minutes more. Serve over rice.
Low-cal last-minute souffle
This side dish can be a main dish by adding a salad and bread. Recipe from “Pure & Simple” by Marian Burros. Makes two servings.
4 eggs, separated
1 1/2 cups coarsely grated sharp Cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons dry skim milk powder
Salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a medium bowl, beat egg yolks slightly. Add cheese and skim milk powder. Season with salt and pepper. In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until stiff; add a pinch of salt. Fold egg whites into cheese mixture. Turn into an ungreased 2-cup souffle dish. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until souffle is puffed and brown. Serve immediately.
Flank steak with honey mustard
This lean but flavorful cut of beef cooks fast and pairs well with some deli coleslaw or other prepared salad. Makes enough for six servings.
1/3 cup prepared mustard with seeds
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon honey
1 1/2 pounds beef flank steak
1 pound large whole mushrooms, cleaned and trimmed
Preheat broiler. In a small bowl, mix mustard, soy sauce, honey and 1 tablespoon water until blended. With a sharp knife, lightly score both sides of steak. Place steak on rack in broiling pan. Brush with honey-mustard mixture; broil five minutes. Turn steak; arrange mushrooms around meat and brush steak and mushrooms with remaining honey-mustard. Broil five minutes or to desired doneness. Allow meat to rest a few minutes. To serve, slice steak into thin slices diagonally, against the grain.
Orange chicken
Although this chicken takes an hour to cook, it cooks itself while you do something else. Put on a pot of rice halfway through. Makes four servings.
3 to 3 1/2 pounds chicken pieces
5 medium carrots, thinly sliced
1 small can (6-ounce) frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
2 tablespoons cornstarch
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Arrange chicken pieces in a single layer in a shallow baking dish. Sprinkle carrots over and around chicken. Blend juice concentrate and cornstarch; pour over chicken and carrots. Cover and bake for one hour or until thigh meat is no longer pink near the bone when pierced. Remove from oven, baste with pan juices and serve with rice.
Ten-minute black beans with tomatoes and coriander
Here’s an easy side dish that’s a good pair with steak, grilled fish or pork. Or use as a vegetarian entree with a large salad and tortillas or flatbreads. Recipe from “Great Food Without Fuss” by Frances McCullough and Barbara Witt. Makes four servings.
1 1/2 tablespoons peanut, corn or safflower oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
1 can (14-ounce) Italian plum tomatoes, drained and chopped
1 can (16-ounce) black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 teaspoon Tabasco or other hot sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoon chopped cilantro
Heat oil in a small skillet or saucepan over medium high heat. Add onion and garlic; saute, stirring, until onion is almost translucent but still firm, about two minutes. Add tomatoes and cook, stirring, for two minutes more. Add beans, hot sauce and salt; stir to combine. Cover skillet and cook until beans are heated through, about two minutes. Remove from heat and stir in a tablespoon of the cilantro. Transfer to serving dish and sprinkle with remaining cilantro. Serve immediately.