Cooking Gazette

Christmas is a hectic time of year. Many families find that they barely have time to breathe much less cook dishes to bring for this or that function. For this reason there are several great cheat dishes that can be purchased and prepared for the occasions and very few people will be the wiser. Though Christmas may be about being with friends and family it is not about broadcasting a possible lack of talent in the kitchen, time on hand, or a shortage of attention span that is required in order to prepare a stellar dish for your Christmas needs.

Of course, you could begin preparing and freezing large casserole favorites as early as August for the Christmas season. In this instance you could freeze all your family favorites and have great dishes not only for family functions that require a pitch in dish but also for those nights when you are far too busy to be bothered with something as demanding on your limited attention span as actually preparing a home cooked meal. This is possible the best method for each Christmas cooking known to man. If you prepare casseroles and similar dishes that work well with a holiday theme throughout the year be sure to double your efforts next time and freeze half for busier months such as November and December.

Of course there is one method that may be a little easier in the long run though a good deal more costly. This is the supreme cheater method. There are plenty of businesses that offer you the opportunity to put together or ‘assemble’ meals then bring them home to freeze and bake. This isn’t quite home made though it tastes as good and might convince those at the parties and events you attend that you are in fact an excellent cook even if you have difficulties finding your way to boiling water. Some cities have several of these meal assembly stores while others have none or only one. You need to constantly check with the menu if you are a finicky eater because they often rotate some of the more popular dishes so that they aren’t available all the time. Since the food is frozen you can typically plan your sessions for those times when they are offering the dishes you are interested in creating.

A variation on the theme above is purchasing prepared meals in the freezer section of your local supermarket. There are a few surprisingly good meals to be had especially if you are considering macaroni and cheese or lasagna for your offering. These are meals that you bring home and heat in your oven. They are often sold in foil pans, which are great for potlucks and pitch ins but not so much for looking good. If that isn’t the utmost concern these are definitely a possible fit for your needs and your plans. They also happen to be fairly budget friendly which is something most of us can agree is a great thing.

You do not have to have super powers or even a great deal of cooking talent in order to make a Christmas dinner that is delicious and easy to make when time is short. Careful planning well ahead of time is often the key to a successful Christmas season. Most of us begin our shopping early there is no harm in also beginning our cooking a little early too.

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Popularity: 26% [?]

2 boneless chicken breasts
2 cups marinara sauce
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 tsp. minced garlic
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. basil
8 ounces angel hair pasta
1 tsp. parsley
Grated Parmesan cheese
Salt

In medium pasta pan fill 3/4 full with water; add dash of salt and sprinkle of olive oil. Turn heat to medium high until water boils. Once boiling, add pasta, and allow cooking until aldente. Angel Hair pasta takes much less long to cook than other pasta so make sure to keep an eye on it. When aldente (spaghetti is cooked, yet firm), drain in colander, and rinse.

While water is heating, put oil in skillet for chicken. Put heat on medium. Put chicken in skillet. Season with oregano, minced garlic and basil. Cook until done, approximately 3 minutes for both sides. When done, place on serving plate.

In separate small saucepan heat marinara sauce. Cover and simmer. Divide mozzarella cheese onto each chicken breast. Place angel hair next to chicken onto each plate. Divide marinara sauce onto each plate, covering pasta and cheese on chicken. Sprinkle with parsley. Salt to taste. Serves two.

Popularity: 38% [?]

12 oz. chicken breast, sliced
1 bunch of asparagus, ends cut off, cut into 1 inch pieces
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. margarine
Non stick cooking spray
Salt
Pepper
2 cups rice pilaf
Stir Fry sauce

Start preparation of rice pilaf with water, tsp. margarine, and a dash of salt, in medium sized saucepan. Add rice pilaf when water begins to bowl and cover. In non-stick sprayed saute pan on medium heat, add chicken and Worcestershire sauce. Cover and allow cooking for approximately 5-6 minutes. Stir with spatula and if needed, cook more until done. Chicken should be well cooked, without any pink color and asparagus will be tender to the touch.

If stir-fry sauce is preferred, add a good amount to chicken/asparagus mixture in pan. 1/2 cup is a good measurement to start out with. Put 1 cup of rice on 2 separate plates, and divide stir-fry mixture to both plates, on top of rice.

Popularity: 21% [?]

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Popularity: 14% [?]

This Crockpot recipe for Quick Mex Chili Con Carne is absolutely delicious. It’s easy to make and is so yummy!

1-1/2 pounds lean ground beef
1-tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 can crushed tomatoes
3 tablespoons chili powder
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
1 can beef broth
Salt to taste

Brown and drain the ground beef in the olive oil. Add the onions and cook for about five more minutes. Add the ground beef and all of the ingredients together into the crockpot. Mix thoroughly. Cook on high for about five hours or low for eight to ten hours.

Toppings that will make this crockpot meal even yummier are grated cheddar cheese, tortilla chips, fresh chopped onion, and fresh chopped cilantro.

This recipe for Crockpot Quick Mex Chili Con Carne can be frozen and then reheated in a saucepan later in the week for quick dinners.

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Popularity: 19% [?]

Soft, crinkle-coated with sugar, and spicy, these old-fashioned cookies are delightful.

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/8 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon ginger

In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients. Store the mix in an airtight container.

Attach the following instructions to the jar:

Molasses Cookie Mix
3/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 egg
1/4 cup sulfured molasses
1 package Molasses Cookie Mix

Preheat oven to 375°F. In large bowl, cream together the butter, egg, and molasses. Add the Molasses Cookie Mix and beat until smooth. Shape the dough into 1-inch balls; roll in granulated sugar and place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes. Cool on wire racks. Makes 4 dozen cookies.

More Gifts in a Jar Recipes

Popularity: 18% [?]

12 tall jelly (12-ounce) canning jars with lid and rings
2 4-pound cartons Epsom Salts (approximately 16 cups)
4 pounds sea salt or Kosher salt (approximately 6 cups)
1/2 teaspoon glycerin, divided
12 to 15 drops peach essential oil
12 to 15 drops orange food color
2 pieces cardstock (for tags)

Wash, rinse and dry canning jars. Empty one carton Epsom Salts into large mixing bowl or batter bowl. Add 3 cups sea salt, stir well. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon glycerin and 6 to 8 drops essential oil. Mix well.

In second large mixing bowl, empty one carton Epsom Salts, and add 3 cups sea salt. Stir well. Add 1/4 teaspoon glycerin, 6 to 8 drops essential oil, and food color. Stir until completely blended. Color should be even. TIP: use a heavy-duty stand mixer (such as Kitchenaid-brand) to mix bath salts easily. Set mixer to lowest setting and mix until color is even–but don’t try this with hand mixers or smaller stand mixers!

Holding canning jars at an angle, layer salts in jars, alternating white and colored mixtures. Print two copies of Peaches ‘n Cream Bath Salts gift tag. Cut gift tags apart and attach to jars. Tags may be trimmed and placed beneath canning jar rings, tied on with ribbon, or taped to gift jars. TIP: decorative canning jar lids add presentation punch for a small price! Try red or green gingham lids for Candy Cane Bath Salts, while Peach lids add a designer touch to Peaches ‘n Cream Bath Salts. Find decorative canning jar lids in the canning section of the supermarket.

This recipe makes 12 12-ounce gift jars, plus a bonus of 3 to 4 cups extra bath salts. Package them in small plastic zipper craft bags for easy stocking stuffers! Makes 12 gift jars.

More Gifts in a Jar Recipes

Popularity: 15% [?]