By Maggie Blackwell
For the Salisbury Post
he kids are back in school. You work all day, pick them up and head home. Everyone is tired and cranky. You know you shouldn’t feed them McAnything one more day this week. But what can you prepare quickly that has some modicum of nutrition?
Relax. There’s one level beyond fast food. It’s frantic food.
Each of these recipes can be prepared in just a few minutes, and they are satisfying and pretty nutritious. Keep the basics in stock in the pantry and you are prepared for a quickie meal.
The tuna supper is an old family favorite. I learned it from my mom, and my kids prepare it for their own children ó that’s four generations of frantic food. There’s something about this recipe that makes it a comfort food ó we all love it.
The chicken casserole does bake for a half-hour, but it uses items you likely have on hand and requires no chopping, sautéing or measuring.
Seven-layer burritos are so much fun to make! Why not set out the ingredients and let the kids make their own? If they are about 7 or older they can handle this simple job once they see you make one, so they know about how much to use. Overfilled burritos do not fold well! Again, if you’ve had the foresight to make rice ahead of time, the frozen rice can save you tons of time when you’re in a pinch.
The recipe calls for prepared guacamole. I love, love, love Wholly Guacamole, which can be found at the local grocery. There are two plastic sealed packages inside a cardboard box. Ask the produce man where to find it ó they seem to move it around a lot. You can keep it in the freezer a long time, then toss the plastic package into a bowl of hot water when you need it. In about 10 minutes it’s ready to use.
Or, if you use guacamole frequently, just keep it in the fridge.
I’ve also included the perfect cheese omelet because I rarely see a good “how-to” on them, and being an omelet wizard can earn you esteem from your kids, friends after a long party, and weekend guests. It whips up in a minute ó and who doesn’t love an omelet?
Keep in mind that the first two recipes do call for cooked rice. Did you know you can freeze cooked rice? Make it ahead of time (I have a rice cooker and love it), put it in a zip-lock bag and freeze; warm it up in the microwave when you need it.
Please use a bowl, not the bag! There have been charges that microwaving in plastic can contribute to cancer. Some say this fear is unfounded. I say where there’s smoke, there’s fire, and I do not heat anything in plastic.
Tuna Supper
1 large can tuna, water-packed (we like albacore)
1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
Handful frozen green peas
2 C. cooked rice
Cook rice (or microwave frozen rice).
Drain tuna and put it in the saucepan with the can of soup and the green peas. Simmer just until warmed through.
Pour the heated mixture over the rice and serve.
On less frantic days, brown some sliced almonds in the toaster oven and sprinkle on top. You can also replace the peas with asparagus.
Depending on appetites, you may have to double the recipe to serve four.
Chicken Casserole
1 C. chicken broth
1 can condensed cream of chicken soup
1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 pounds chicken breast, sliced into strips (you can buy it this way at the market)
4 C. hot cooked rice
1 C. cashew nuts
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray 9-by-13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray.
Combine the broth, cream of chicken soup, mushroom soup and soy sauce in a large saucepan and bring to a boil; add chicken, rice and 3/4 cup cashews.
Mix well and pour mixture into baking dish. Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup cashews on top.
Bake at 400 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through and no longer pink inside.
7-Layer Burritos
10-inch flour tortillas
1 can black beans
Rice
1 package prepared guacamole
Sour cream
Cheddar cheese
Salsa
Lay tortilla on waxed paper (to keep counter clean). Microwave rice if it’s frozen. Drain and rinse beans.
Imagine a rectangle about 2 inches by 6 inches vertically in the center of your tortilla and place your ingredients there, in the order listed.
Fold over one edge along the long side of your assembled ingredients. Follow with the bottom edge, then the other long edge. Finally fold over the top edge. Transfer the whole assembly on the waxed paper to the microwave and warm it for about a minute. Serve with more salsa and/or sour cream on top, if desired.
The Perfect Cheese Omelet
Don’t let the length of the recipe intimidate you. Omelets are a snap to make.
2 eggs
1/3 C. milk or half-and-half, or so; with a little practice, you can just pour in a good dollop.
1/2 to 3/4 C. sharp cheddar cheese
1Tbsp. butter
Crack eggs into small mixing bowl and add milk or half-and-half. Beat with a wire whip about half a minute, until the mixture is a consistent yellow color and there are little bubbles just around the edges.
Spray a nonstick pan with nonstick spray. Add butter and melt it over medium heat.
When the butter is melted and sizzling just a little, but not brown, pour in the egg mixture. Turn the heat down to medium-low.
Here is the secret. Watch the egg mixture carefully. The edges will cook first. Soon as the edges are cooked, carefully lift the edge of the egg, and tilt the pan so the uncooked egg goes from the center to the edge, under the cooked portion. Do this in several places around the edge of the omelet.
Each time the edge is cooked through, repeat step 4 until there is no more raw mixture in the center.
Sprinkle the cheese in a band across the center of the omelet.
Carefully lift one edge of the omelet and place it atop the edge on the opposite side of the pan, creating a semicircular omelet. Press it a little to allow anything that might not be totally cooked to come out the edges and cook. Season with sea salt and coarse, freshly ground pepper.
Serve your perfect omelet to your amazed children or friends. You may even give a little “Ta Da.”
You can put just about anything in an omelet: mozzarella, mushrooms, asparagus, chopped tomatoes (be sure the goopy part with the seeds is all drained out), bacon, ham, spinach, fresh parsley.