kosher kitchen

Quick, tasty and colorful dinners for spring

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The weather is warmer, the days are longer, and it’s time to get out of the house. When the sun is shining until 7 pm and the winds are warm and beckoning, no one wants to be tied to a hot stove while the simmering food cooks. Once spring arrives, we want fast, healthful meals and we want to be outside.

I used to think that fast food meant pizza or a tuna fish or grilled cheese sandwich. I even thought (mistakenly) that I could serve “healthier” boxed mac and cheese! I may have been a good cook, but I certainly wasn’t as careful or thoughtful as I could have been once spring came and the kids were out as long as possible. When I found I had 15 minutes to make dinner, I usually panicked. I was young and did not have as much information about nutrition as we have now.

By baby number three, I had a better grip on things, more knowledge, and could get a healthy meal on the table in no time. I studied nutrition and learned terms like phytonutrients and more. I watched nutrition news and read all I could, so I could ensure my family was getting the healthiest foods I could give them. 

But I still had very few recipes that would please my family, including a husband and kids ages 2 to 13! I tried a lot of homemade pizzas, but by the time the kids finished deciding what they wanted on them, it was past bedtime. I tried a lot of chicken salad and leftovers, but they were just leftovers and usually not enough for more than one meal.

Through years of trial and error — lots of error — I created a lot of quick and easy recipes. Some were no-brainers, like “breakfast for dinner” and such, but others were what my kids called “real meals” and they loved them — usually!

And so I eventually learned to get those warm-weather meals on the table in no time, even if my daughter was almost in high school. If I can do it, anyone can!

Quick cooking does not have to be fast food. It can be nutritious and delicious and can still get you out into the evening sunshine for a nice long walk. Enjoy spring!

Quick and Easy Meatballs (Meat)

1-1/2 to 2 lbs. hamburger meat

2 eggs

2 onions, finely minced

2 to 4 cloves garlic, finely minced

2 Tbsp. parsley flakes

1/2 to 2/3 cup breadcrumbs

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

3 to 4 Tbsp. canola oil or other high-heat oil like avocado or sunflower

OPTIONAL: 1/2 tsp. smoked or regular paprika

1 large jar (28 to 40 ounces) your favorite pareve marinara sauce

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a roasting pan or rimmed baking sheet with foil and lightly grease the foil. You can line the foil with a sheet of parchment if you do NOT use the sauce. 

Finely mince the onion and garlic in a food processor and scrape into a large bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Form into 20 to 24 meatballs.

Use the oil to coat the meatballs. I use food prep gloves, pour a bit of oil on my hands and then roll the meatball in my hands to give them a light coating of oil. Place in the roasting pan, place in the oven, and cook until golden, about 20 minutes.

Carefully pour the tomato sauce over the meatballs and place back in the oven until the sauce is bubbly and a bit browned in a few places. Serve over pasta in sub rolls. Makes 20 to 24 meatballs.

Simple Chicken Cutlets for Salad, Sandwiches and Dinner (Meat)

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded to even thickness, about 1/2 inch thick

1 tsp. onion powder

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. paprika or smoked paprika

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. black pepper

1/4 cup canola or other high-heat oil

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Brush a roasting pan or rimmed baking sheet generously with oil. Set aside.

Place the spices in a small bowl and mix well.

Brush each breast with oil and place on the prepared pan. Sprinkle the pieces with the spice mix and then turn and sprinkle the other side. Place in the oven and cook until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees. Remove from the oven and tent with foil. Let rest for 10 to 15 minutes. Serve with spicy mayo for a sandwich or with Orange Apricot Sauce — a kid favorite. Serves 4.

Orange Apricot Sauce for Chicken Fingers (Pareve)

1 can mandarin oranges, drained

2 Tbsp. canola oil

1 to 2 cloves garlic

1/2 tsp. ground ginger or grated fresh ginger

1/2 cup good quality apricot preserves

1/2 cup bottled teriyaki sauce (the thick kind, not the very liquid kind)

1/2 cup orange juice

1/2 tsp. cornstarch or tapioca starch

OPTIONAL: a pinch of cayenne pepper for heat

Drain the oranges and set aside. Reserve the liquid.

Mince the garlic. Place the oil in a saucepan and heat. Add the garlic and ginger and stir for 1 minute. Add the apricot preserves and mix well until softened and thinned. Add the cornstarch to the orange juice and mix well. Add the juice and the teriyaki sauce to the pan and mix well. Bring to a strong simmer. Cook, stirring frequently, until slightly reduced and thickened. Taste and add more garlic or teriyaki sauce or the cayenne, if your family likes heat. Add the oranges and heat through. Use as dipping sauce or pour over the cooked chicken, or pour over rice with the chicken. Makes about 1 cup.

Spicy Mayo (Pareve)

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 to 2 Tbsp. sriracha sauce, to taste

1 tsp. grated shallot

1/4 tsp. sugar (scant)

Mix all ingredients together and refrigerate until needed. Makes 1/2 cup. Great with chicken breast on a sandwich.

Quick Fish Parmigiana (Dairy)

My kids loved this over “pasghetti.”  It was a guaranteed way to get them to eat fish.

4 to 6 fish filets, such as flounder or sole

2 eggs

1/2 cup flour

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1/2 tsp. onion powder

1 tsp. parsley flakes

2 cups Panko breadcrumbs

Canola oil

Bottled marinara sauce

4 to 6 oz. mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup grated Parmigiana cheese

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Lightly grease a glass or ceramic 3-qt. dish. Set aside. 

Place the flour in a shallow bowl. Place the eggs in another shallow bowl and add the salt, pepper, parsley and onion powder. Mix well. Place the Panko crumbs in a third bowl.

Dredge the fish fillets one at a time in the flour, shaking off the excess. Dip in the eggs and then press into the Panko crumbs, pressing on both sides. Place on a plate in a single layer.

Heat a large skillet and add the oil. Add the fish fillets and cook 2 to 3 minutes on each side until deep golden and crisp.

Place into a glass 3-qt. baking dish and pour the sauce over parts of the fish, leaving much of the fish to stay crisp. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese over the sauce and then sprinkle Parmigiana cheese over all. Bake in the oven until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Serves 4, depending on size of fillets.