Make dinner in a hurry with these recipes that will have your meal ready in 30 minutes. Along with taking less time to make, these recipes can also help you clean out your fridge.
Note: Each recipe serves 4.
Italian Shrimp & Spaghetti
Directions: Place 1 pound frozen, raw shrimp in sealed plastic bag and submerge it in a bowl of cold water. Meanwhile, bring a pot of water to a boil for your spaghetti noodles. In another heavy-bottomed pan place 1, 17-ounce jar of pasta sauce and bring to medium-high heat. Cook 1-pound spaghetti according to the package directions. Remove the tails and de-vein the shrimp, blot on paper towels, and then stir into the pasta sauce. Cook 4-5 minutes or just until the shrimp is opaque. Serve the shrimp over spaghetti and top with fresh grated Parmesan cheese.
What’s in the fridge? If you have extra tomatoes, chop them and then heat them with the pasta sauce.
Breakfast Hoagies
Directions: Whisk 6 eggs with 1 tablespoon milk. Place 1 tablespoon butter into a large nonstick skillet and bring it to medium-high heat. Cook the eggs, breaking them apart as you go, adding salt and pepper to taste. Fill 4 hoagie buns immediately with the scrambled eggs and top with shredded cheddar cheese.
What’s in the fridge? Mix cut-up pieces of deli ham in with the eggs before cooking.
BBQ Chicken Over Rice
Directions: Remove all of the meat from a rotisserie chicken and cut into small pieces. In a heavy-bottomed pan bring 1 tablespoon olive oil to medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 3 minutes then add in 1 cup bottled barbecue sauce and cook until heated through. Serve over prepared rice. (I like to pair this with New Orleans Style boxed rice).
What’s in the fridge? If you already have leftover chicken, this is a great way to use it up!
BLT Wraps
Directions: Prepare 1 pound bacon. (Look for the pre-cooked version to save even more time). Heat 4 pitas in the microwave for 20 seconds. Spread ½ tablespoon low-fat mayonnaise or plain Greek yogurt on each pita. Cut 4 tomato slices; halve each slice. Shred 3/4 cup iceberg or romaine lettuce. Top each pita with 2 or 3 slices bacon, tomato and a sprinkling of lettuce.
What’s in the fridge? Boost the flavor of the mayonnaise by adding a teaspoon or two of chopped up sundried tomatoes (packed in oil).
One-pot ‘Baked’ Ziti
Directions: Cook 1 pound ziti pasta al dente. Drain the pasta. Add one 17-ounce jar marinara to the pasta pan and bring to medium high heat. Stir in the cooked pasta along with 1/2 cup each mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses and one 15-ounce container ricotta cheese. Heat through and serve.
What’s in the fridge? This recipe works well with added cut-up cooked vegetables, sliced pepperoni or even diced ham.
Beef Fajitas
Directions: Cut 1 pound round steak, 1 medium-sized onion, and 1 green or red pepper into thin pieces. In a heavy-bottomed skillet, heat 1/2 tablespoon olive oil. Add the peppers and onions and cook until just softened. Remove from pan. Add another 1/2 tablespoon olive oil to the pan and when heated to medium-high cook the steak, sprinkling with salt, pepper, 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin and 1/2 teaspoon each garlic powder and chili powder. Serve the steak, onions and peppers in flour tortillas.
What’s in the fridge? If you have any almost empty jars of salsa, use it on these fajitas to give them a bit of spice.
Asian Pork Noodle Bowl
Directions: Trim 4 pork cutlets (around 1 pound) into bite-sized pieces. Cook the pork in 1 tablespoon olive oil that’s been brought to medium-high heat. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon each garlic and onion powder as it heats. Cook 1 pound Chinese noodles. Heat 1 bag Asian vegetables in the microwave. In a large bowl, toss together the noodles, vegetables, pork and 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, and 1/2 teaspoon each sesame oil and ginger powder.
What’s in the fridge? Leftover thin spaghetti pasta, vermicelli or rice will work in this recipe too (in place of the noodles).
What are your favorite quick and easy dinners? Share in the comments below.