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You don’t want to try hard for dinner on a typical weeknight. These meals should come easy because you might not have much time. However, you don’t have to compromise on flavor.
Cup Noodles may be easy, but you can get creative without Gordon Ramsay’s help. Here are four recipes for amateur chefs that are as easy as pie.
1. Slow Cooker Pot Roast
Some recipes are synonymous with holidays. On Christmas, many people bake a ham. On Easter, many celebrate with a pot roast. This dish may seem arduous, but you can make this tasty pot roast with minimal effort. You only need a slow cooker for cooking.
Ingredients
- 3 lb chuck roast
- 1 oz dried onion soup mix
- 1 diced onion
- 3 diced potatoes
- 3 chopped carrots
- ½ cup water or beef broth
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
- Place the chuck roast inside a large slow cooker. Cover the meat well with salt and pepper.
- Layer the top with the onion soup mix and add the vegetables and water.
- Cook for at least eight hours on low heat or four to five hours on high heat.
2. Ratatouille Sheet Pan Dinner With Sausage
Ratatouille is a famous French dish that became popular in the U.S. because of the Pixar movie. Don’t worry — you won’t need Remy to make this easy Ratatouille on a sheet pan with link sausage.
Ingredients
- 20 oz Italian sausage
- 1 yellow squash sliced into ½ inch pieces
- 1 eggplant sliced into ½ inch pieces
- 1 zucchini sliced into ½ inch pieces
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes
- 4 cloves of garlic
- ½ cup of olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme
- 1 tbsp fresh basil
Directions
- Preheat your oven to 400° Fahrenheit.
- Place your sliced squash, eggplant, zucchini and tomatoes in a repeating order on a non-stick baking sheet. Drizzle olive oil on the vegetables and add salt and thyme.
- Top the vegetables with the sausage links and bake for 40 minutes. The sausage should be brown and the vegetables tender. Top with fresh basil.
3. Chicken and Corn Chowder
You need something hearty to warm your body and soul on a cold winter night. In single-digit temperatures, soup is a good call for an incredible dinner. Take a trip to New England with this chicken and corn chowder for an easy meal.
Ingredients
- 8 slices of bacon, chopped
- 3 cups of shredded chicken
- 3 medium potatoes, chopped
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 4 cloves of garlic, minced
- ½ cup of green onions
- 2 chopped stalks of celery
- ½ stick of butter
- ⅓ cup flour
- 2 cups frozen corn
- 1.5 cups heavy cream
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
- Cook your chopped bacon in a Dutch oven until crispy and remove when done.
- Add butter and cook the bell pepper, onion, and celery in the bacon drippings for about four minutes.
- Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the flour and stir for a minute.
- Add the potatoes, broth, salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes to soften the potatoes.
- Add corn, chicken and heavy cream, and simmer until the soup thickens. Top with bacon and green onions.
4. Chicken and Rice Bowl
Quick dinners can still have restaurant quality. This chicken and rice bowl takes less than 15 minutes but tastes like it comes from your favorite takeout spot. You can easily use bowls for meal prep to eat after the gym or a long day of work.
Ingredients
- ½ pound grilled chicken strips
- ¼ cup chopped onion
- ½ cup chopped bell pepper
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup uncooked instant rice
- ½ cup corn
- ½ cup peas
- 1 tsp basil
- 1 tsp sage
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tsp olive oil
Directions
- Cook the rice by following the package directions.
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Sauté the pepper and onion until tender.
- Add the chicken, peas, corn, basil and sage. Lower the heat to medium and cook for five minutes.
- Add the rice, salt and pepper and stir to combine.
Making Easy and Delicious Dinners
After a long day, the last thing you want to do is put on a chef’s apron and prepare a Michelin star-worthy meal. However, you can still create terrific dishes with minimal effort.
Use technology to your advantage and make things easy. Many slow cooker recipes only require placing the ingredients in a pot. The same idea applies to pressure cookers and sheet pan meals. These devices allow amateur chefs to make Instagram-worthy meals without strain.
About The Author
Oscar Collins is the managing editor atModded, where he writes about cars, fitness, the outdoors and more. Check out@TModdedfor regular updates!
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