Quick and Easy Dinner Recipes

Getting together as a family can be a great way to bond together, and to slow down and savor food. In fact, according to studies, it has been found that families that get together and communicate with each other have children that are better balanced, have better social skills, perform better academically, have better self-esteem, and remain substance free.

Ingredients

• 2 chicken breasts, boneless
• 2 tablespoons, mustard (any of your favorite)
• ⅓ cup, cooking wine
• ⅓ cup, olive oil
• 1 teaspoon, thyme leaves (dried)

Method
Combine the wine, mustard, olive oil, and thyme in a shallow dish. Put the chicken into this mix, and coat well by turning the chicken. Cover the dish and refrigerate for 1-2 hours, in order to marinate the chicken. Remove from the refrigerator and drain the chicken, reserving the marinade.

Heat a skillet on medium heat. Cook the chicken in it until tender, basting it with the marinade, about five minutes on each side.

Ingredients

• 1 lb sirloin steak (frozen slightly and cut into thin strips)
• 2 cups, broccoli Florets (fresh)
• 1 red bell pepper (sliced into strips)
• 1 green bell pepper (sliced into strips)
• 2 tablespoons, oil
• 2 tablespoons, cooking wine
• 1 garlic clove (minced)
• Rice (cooked and hot)

For the Sauce:

• ½ cup, beef broth
• 2 tablespoons, cooking wine
• 1 tablespoon, soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon, cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon, sugar

Method
Combine all the ingredients of the sauce in a small bowl; mix them well, and set aside. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a wok, and stir-fry the broccoli, red pepper, and green pepper for about a minute. Add two tablespoons of cooking wine, cover and cook for 1-2 minutes. Remove the vegetables from the wok.

Then, heat the remaining oil, and add the meat and garlic. Stir-fry until the meat gets brown. Then, add the sauce to the meat, and cook for 2-3 minutes or until it thickens, stirring often. Add the vegetables and cook until they are hot. Serve this over the hot rice.

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 egg
• ¼ bread crumbs (dried)
• ¼ cup, chopped onion
• 1 can, stewed tomatoes (16 oz.)
• 1 can, tomato sauce (8 oz.)
• ¼ cup, rice vinegar (seasoned)
• 1 tablespoon, brown sugar
• ½ teaspoon, salt
• ¼ teaspoon, pepper

Method
Begin by preheating the oven to 350 ºF. Chop the stewed tomatoes coarsely. In a small saucepan, combine the rice vinegar, tomato sauce, stewed tomatoes, and brown sugar. Take a large bowl and crumble the beef in it, then, add half cup of the tomato mixture, breadcrumbs, egg, onion, salt, and pepper, and mix them all together.

Take an 8x8'' baking dish and shape the meat mixture into a loaf in it. Bake for 45-50 minutes. In the meantime, heat the remaining tomato mixture, allowing it to simmer, until it thickens. During the last 10 minutes of the baking, spread ¼ cup of the thickened tomato sauce over the meat. Serve the rest of the sauce with the meat loaf, sliced.

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef
• 12 oz. spaghetti
• 1 onion, chopped fine
• 1½ tablespoons, tomato paste
• 1/3 cup oil
• ¼ teaspoon, turmeric
• ½ teaspoon, salt
• ⅔ cup, water

Method
Heat the oil in a skillet, add the chopped onions, and stir-fry until translucent. Then, add the ground beef, and cook until it gets brown. Put in the turmeric and salt, and stir. Dilute the tomato paste with the ⅔ cup of water and pour it on the beef mixture. Cook for half an hour over medium heat.

Cook the spaghetti in a large bowl of salted, boiling water according to the directions given on the package. Drain it well. Combine the spaghetti and beef in a large bowl. Cover and cook on medium heat for about 10 minutes.