One-dish meals mean you can concentrate all your efforts on one dish, and your dinner is ready as soon as the dish is. Invent your own specialty using the following formula:
Choose one Sauce Maker:
- 1 can cream soup (mushroom, chicken, potato, asparagus, etc.)
- 1 can cheddar cheese soup (try fiesta nacho for kick)
- 2 cans diced tomatoes, undrained (try Italian or Mexican seasoned)
Choose one Vegetable:
- 1 can drained green beans, sweet peas, asparagus cuts and tips, corn, or chopped spinach
- 1 1/2 cups thawed frozen broccoli, corn, green beans, peas, or spinach.
Choose one uncooked pasta/rice:
- 2 cups elbow macaroni
- 1 cup regular rice
- 4 cups wide egg noodles
- 3 cups small pasta shells
Choose one protein:
- 2 (6 oz) cans tuna, drained
- 2 cups chopped cooked chicken, ham or turkey
- 1 pound ground beef, browned and drained
Choose one or more extras (optional):
- 1 (3 oz) can sliced mushrooms, drained
- ¼ cup sliced ripe olives
- ¼ cup chopped red or green bell pepper
- ¼ cup chopped onion
- ¼ cup chopped celery
- 1 (4½ oz) can chopped green chilies
- 1 packet taco seasoning mix
Choose one or two toppings:
- ½ cup shredded Mozzarella, Swiss, or Cheddar cheese
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ cup breadcrumbs
- 1 cup cracker crumbs
- 1 cup herb-seasoned stuffing mix
Include all the Basics:
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup water
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
Combine the Basics with Sauce Maker (omit sour cream and milk when using tomatoes). Stir in Vegetable, Pasta/Rice, Protein, and, if desired, Extras. Spoon into a lightly greased 13 x 9 baking dish.
Bake, covered, at 350° for 1 hour and 10 minutes. Uncover and sprinkle with toppings; bake 10 more minutes.
Makes 6-8 servings.
Before beginning, start your rice. Cook 1 cup of white rice with 2 cups water, loosely covered, in the microwave for 17 minutes, stirring twice.
Choose one Protein:
- 1 pound fresh or frozen medium shrimp in shells, thawed, peeled and deveined
- 1 pound boneless pork, partially frozen and thinly sliced into bite-size strips
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 pound beef top round steak, partially frozen and thinly sliced into bite-size pieces
Choose one Vegetable 1:
- 8-10 baby carrots, thinly bias (diagonally) sliced
- 1 cup broccoli flowerets
- 1 cup fresh asparagus cut into 1 inch lengths
- ½ cup cauliflowerets, thinly sliced
Choose one Vegetable 2:
- 2 cups chopped Chinese cabbage
- 1 cup fresh pea pods, halved lengthwise
- 1 cup fresh mushrooms thinly sliced
- 2 medium tomatoes, cut into wedges and seeded
Choose one Crunchy Ingredient:
- 1 8 oz can water chestnuts, drained and thinly sliced
- 1 cup walnut pieces
- 1 cup dry-roasted peanuts
- 2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
Include all the Basics:
- 1/3 cup cold water
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp dry white wine (optional)
- 2 Tbsp cooking oil
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 4 green onions, thinly sliced
- ½ cup fresh bean sprouts
Prepare your choices from Protein and Vegetables 1 and 2; set aside. Stir water into cornstarch; stir in soy sauce and wine. Set aside.
In covered saucepan cook Vegetable 1 in boiling salted water for 3 minutes. Drain well; set aside. Preheat wok or large skillet over high heat; add cooking oil. Stir-fry garlic in hot oil for 30 seconds. Add green onions and stir-fry 1 minute.
Add Crunchy Ingredient and bean sprouts. Stir-fry 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from wok. Add Vegetables 1 and 2. Stir-fry 1 minute. Remove from wok.
Add more oil, if necessary. Add half of the Protein to wok; stir-fry 2 to 3 minutes until browned. Remove Protein. Stir-fry remaining Protein 2 to 3 minutes. Return all Protein to wok. Add Crunchy Ingredient and bean sprouts.
Stir soy sauce mixture; stir into wok. Cook and stir till thickened and bubbly. Return Vegetables 1 and 2 to wok; cover and cook 1 minute more.
Serve with rice.
Serves 4 to 6.