Fast Dinners

Post and images by guest blogger, Rebecca White, of A Pleasant Little Kitchen. 

Visit her full blog or find out more about her here. 

All evenings are not created equal and the dinner cooked each night needs to fit the need of each day.

An intricate recipe doesn't work on those busy weekday nights, but take-out doesn't always have to be an option either.

Quick, delicious and satisfying meals can be attainable on those hectic nights--- and you might walk away feeling better satisfied because a home cooked meal was served.

A few ways I accomplish quick weeknight meals are by:

Purchasing premade ingredients: Whether it's store bought pizza dough, or pre-sliced fruit, some nights it takes a village to get dinner on the table. Check out Market Street's refrigerated section for Brooklyn’s Pizza Dough. Also don't forget to take a peek at the variety of sliced fruit in the produce section for a quick fruit salad.

Making breakfast for dinner: A quick frittata makes an easy dinner. Crack the eggs, add some cheese, give a good whisk and pop in the oven. Prep is a breeze and cook time is about 15 minutes.

Using quick cook-time proteins: Shrimp and scallops have extremely low cook times, which makes getting dinner on the table much easier. Be sure to chat up the fish monger next time at Market Street. Their assistance is a great help to point you to whatever seafood item fits your need (and budget).

Doing some prep work ahead of time: If I know a busy day is on the horizon, I will do a quick five to ten minute prep the night before or the morning of. For example, I will dice vegetables or even cook sausage and let it sit in the fridge before it's time to cook. Tricks like this will save you minutes when it's cook time.

Say it with me, I CAN cook dinner on a busy weeknight...I CAN cook dinner on a busy weeknight.

Well said, my friends.

Start this week with these three fast dinners that will leave you with time to spare on those busy weeknights:

chive and cheese frittata + Market Street’s fresh fruit slices + crusty bread from Market Street’s bakery

spicy garlic shrimp and avocado salad + Market Street’s fresh made tortilla chips + two-minute margarita

roasted radish and sausage pizza + arugula salad

Recipes: 

Chive and Cheese Frittata

Serves 2-4

Author note: I used to resort to the “flip” method of frittatas until I read Marcella Hazan’s Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking. Hazan preferred the “non-flip” method that simply leaves the frittata in the oven until it is completely cooked. I have since resorted to this method. Also, I don’t find it necessary to have a non-stick pan to have a successful frittata. With enough butter or olive oil to coat the skillet, the frittata comes out nicely. Finally, don’t be afraid to eat this anytime of the day– breakfast, lunch or dinner. It’s great with crusty bread and a nice salad.

Ingredients   

5 eggs

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ cup chives, chopped

¼ cup shredded mozzarella

¼ cup grated parmesan

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Directions

1) Heat the oven to 350 degrees.

2) Meanwhile, place the eggs and salt in a medium size bowl and lightly beat.

3) Next, add the chives and cheese. Lightly beat to incorporate. Set aside.

4) In an 8-inch skillet, melt the butter on the stovetop. Once melted, swirl the butter around the pan to coat the bottom and sides.

5) Add the egg mixture into the skillet and then place in the oven.

6) Cook for 16 minutes, or until the eggs are cooked all the way through. Run a spatula carefully around the edges of the frittata to loosen it from the pan. Slide onto a cutting board, slice and serve.

Spicy Garlic Shrimp and Avocado Cucumber Salad

Author note: Eat this salad with a side of tortillas to scoop up all the goodness.

Avocado Cucumber Salad

Ingredients

1 pound spicy garlic shrimp (see recipe below), chilled

2 cups cucumber, peeled,seeds removed and sliced into bite sized-sticks

1/4 cup red onion, diced

2 avocados, cubed

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

juice of 1 lime

Directions

1) In a large bowl, combine the cucumber, red onion, avocado, salt and lime. Stir to combine. Place in the fridge and let chill for 30 minutes.

2) Pour onto a platter, top with the chilled spicy garlic shrimp. Serve immediately.

Spicy Garlic Shrimp

Author note: Two mixing bowls are required for this recipe. This recipe is easily doubled.

Ingredients

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

4 garlic cloves, chopped

1 teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon cayenne

½ teaspoon paprika

zest of 1 lemon

juice of 1 lemon

¼ cup chopped chives

1 pound shrimp

Directions

1) Heat the oven to 400 degrees.

2) In a medium sized mixing bowl place 2 tablespoons of oil, 2 cloves of chopped garlic, ½ teaspoon of salt, ¼ teaspoon of cayenne, ¼ teaspoon of paprika and the lemon zest. Stir well to combine

3) In a second medium sized bowl place 1 tablespoon of of oil, 2 cloves of chopped garlic, ½ teaspoon of salt, ¼ teaspoon of cayenne, ¼ teaspoon of paprika, juice of 1 lemon and the chives. Stir well to combine and set aside.

4) Add the shrimp to the first bowl (the bowl without the chives) and turn the shrimp several times to coat.

5) Pour the shrimp mixture onto a foil-lined baking sheet. Spread the shrimp out into an even single layer.

6) Place the shrimp into the oven and cook until pink, about 8 to 10 minutes.

7) Remove the shrimp from the oven and with a slotted spoon place the cooked shrimp into the second bowl.

8) Turn the shrimp several times to coat well. Place in the fridge and chilled

Two Minute Margarita

Author note: This recipe is a combination of several margarita recipes that I’ve used over the years. When there is time, I juice the limes myself, but in most instances, I use store-bought fresh limeade. For this recipe, seek out the freshest store-bought limeade and rid yourself of the unnecessary packaged premade margarita mix. It doesn’t take long to whip up this margarita; in fact, it takes about 2 minutes.

Ingredients

3 ice cubes (plus more for the individual drink)

2 ounces tequila

1/2 ounce orange liquor

3 ounces fresh limeade

1/2 teaspoon agave syrup

squeeze of lime juice

pinch of salt

lime slices

Directions

1) Place the ice cubes into a cocktail shaker (or plastic cup as I do), and pour the tequila and orange liquor over the ice. Shake or stir to chill.

2) Pour the chilled liquor in a glass filled halfway with ice.

3) Add the limeade, agave, lime juice and salt into the glass. Stir well.

4) Finish with a slice of lime and serve.

Roasted Radish and Sausage Pizza

Author note: This is a non-recipe simply because pizza is a personal creation. Adjust the toppings to your liking. Additional cheese, like parmesan or pecorino, would work well with this pizza.

Ingredients

pizza dough

tomato sauce

1 1/2 -2 cups radishes, sliced

1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

pinch kosher salt

1 shallot, thinly sliced

uncased sausage (I prefer spicy), about 3 links worth

mozzarella cheese

Directions

1) Heat the oven to 400 degrees

2) In a small bowl combine the radishes, oil and salt. Evenly distribute on a foil-lined baking sheet. Roast for 10 minutes, until tender. Remove from the oven.

3) Increase the heat to 500 degrees.

4) Meanwhile, cook the sausage until slightly underdone.

5) Roll out the pizza dough. Place a layer of tomato sauce on the dough. Next add a handful of cheese to cover the sauce.

6) Add the sausage, radishes and shallots. Top with a sprinkling of cheese.

7) Place in the oven and cook until the dough is golden and the cheese melted and browned.

Arugula Salad

Author note: This salad is incredibly flexible. Add whatever bits of herbs and vegetables you have lying in the fridge. Nuts or a boiled egg would turn this side dish into a protein rich meal. Gruyere, manchego, goat cheese or feta also work very well with this salad.

Ingredients

6 cups arugula

2 shallots, chopped

3/4 grated parmesan cheese

3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

juice of 1 lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions

1) Add the arugula, shallots and cheese into a large bowl.

2) Top with the vinegar, oil, lemon juice and salt. Toss well and serve immediately.