I really need a 30 minute meal idea

I really need a 30 minute meal idea

by Average working dad
(Average US suburb)

How can I really cook a 30 minute meal for my family?

I boiled water and followed directions on the box.

I barely had time to boil the water before baseball practice started for the kids.

3 nights a week they have baseball practice at 6:30. I get home at 5:15. I need a couple of minutes just to say hello and whatnot. I don't have a lot of time to be creative with dinner.

Any thoughts on rapid meal preparation?

Thanks

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I really need a 30 minute meal idea

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Jul 02, 2009
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Chopped garliceAlthough
by: Debbie

I have bought garlic in jars at the store and always found it to be off-tasting and somewhat rancid. Does this happen with yours, and what do you keep the garlic in, olive oil? This would be a great time saving tool. Thanks.

May 01, 2009
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Quick meal
by: Cornelius

One of my favorite quick meals is as speedy as steaming vegetables.

I usually do this with broccoli or asparagus and large shrimp, (and a lot of garlic) but you can do it with basically anything similar. You can even do it with cooked leftover meat like chicken or beef, as long as you take care to only get the meat hot, and not overcook it.

As Chef Todd said, a little advance preparation is in order, in this case in regard to garlic. I buy peeled garlic cloves for the express purpose of chopping them up fine and putting them in a jar. Then when I need minced garlic, I have a supply that is much better than that expensive runny stuff you buy in the store. Garlic keeps a long time in the fridge like this, and no worries about it sprouting. It's also a lot cheaper this way, and only takes me a couple minutes.

Anyway, I put the vegetable on to steam, and get a large saute or frying pan heating. About the time I see the first wisps of steam coming from the veggies, I put butter in the pan to melt. After it does, I add my seasonings and the garlic, sautee the garlic for a bit, then add the shrimp. (Don't do this in too hot a pan; you don't want to brown the garlic or the shrimp, or whatever meat you are using.)

Everything gets done at about the same time, at which time I plate the shrimp, retaining any butter and garlic that is not stuck to the shrimp in the pan. I then plate the veggies, pour the butter and garlic over them, and serve. This whole procedure goes really quickly, and again, you should have about fifteen minutes to spare.

In my opinion it works best if you use a relatively flavorful veggie, so even though they both have the same butter, garlic, and seasonings on them they don't taste alike. Halved Brussel sprouts would work very well for this. It helps to keep the seasonings simple, too, like maybe only salt.

And if you must have carbs, you can always nuke some dinner rolls or a leftover pasta dish.

This is a quick and easy meal to prepare, and when you do it with something like shrimp or scallops it even seems a little fancy.

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May 01, 2009
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Submitted by: Cornelius

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One of my favorite quick meals is as speedy as steaming vegetables. I usually do this with broccoli or asparagus and large shrimp, (and a lot of garlic) but you can do it with basically anything similar. You can even do it with cooked leftover meat like chicken or beef, as long as you take care to only get the meat hot, and not overcook it. As Chef Todd said, a little advance preparation is in order, in this case in regard to garlic. I buy peeled garlic cloves for the express purpose of chopping them up fine and putting them in a jar. Then when I need minced garlic, I have a supply that is much better than that expensive runny stuff you buy in the store. Garlic keeps a long time in the fridge like this, and no worries about it sprouting. It's also a lot cheaper this way, and only takes me a couple minutes. Anyway, I put the vegetable on to steam, and get a large saute or frying pan heating. About the time I see the first wisps of steam coming from the veggies, I put butter in the pan to melt. After it does, I add my seasonings and the garlic, sautee the garlic for a bit, then add the shrimp. (Don't do this in too hot a pan; you don't want to brown the garlic or the shrimp, or whatever meat you are using.) Everything gets done at about the same time, at which time I plate the shrimp, retaining any butter and garlic that is not stuck to the shrimp in the pan. I then plate the veggies, pour the butter and garlic over them, and serve. This whole procedure goes really quickly, and again, you should have about fifteen minutes to spare. In my opinion it works best if you use a relatively flavorful veggie, so even though they both have the same butter, garlic, and seasonings on them they don't taste alike. Halved Brussel sprouts would work very well for this. It helps to keep the seasonings simple, too, like maybe only salt. And if you must have carbs, you can always nuke some dinner rolls or a leftover pasta dish. This is a quick and easy meal to prepare, and when you do it with something like shrimp or scallops it even seems a little fancy.

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Apr 30, 2009
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30 Minute Meals
by: Chef Todd Mohr

I'd much rather that people leave at least their first names and location, but I decided to answer this anonymous question because it is something that many people struggle with.

First, advance preparation is very important. See the previous comment on this page about pre-cutting and pre-portioning items for later cooking.

Secondly, choosing the correct cooking method is necessary to keep your time to 30 minutes. This means no oven roasting or poaching generally. Saute is the quickest way to get dinner on the table when done correctly.

From the fridge or freezer, take out your protein product, vegetables, starches, liquids, and flavorings. Review the saute method video at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5efUBiAE-I. Get the pan hot, add some fat, saute protein product, add vegetables, deglaze with liquid, season and put on top of rice, potatoes, or pasta. You'll have 15 minutes to spare!

Check out Chef Mohr's South of France Chicken for quick saute:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIEDb8MHXzY

Chef Todd

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I really need a 30 minute meal idea

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I really need a 30 minute meal idea