Speed cooking with style

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I know all of you like quick meals, especially when it is too nice outside to be inside. I also know you want meals to be tasty and even a little fancy sometimes. In other words, they should not taste like you had them on the table a half hour after you walked in the door. I have just the ticket today. The elegant salmon/honey recipe and the blue cheese/steak combination are fit for a king. Who would ever guess you whipped these up in 30 minutes? I also am mixing it up today. We have several main dishes but I have passed along some recipes to round out your meal: An elegant salad, hot bread and a black forest dessert - each put together in about 15 minutes. Maybe less. I know you will try the fried cabbage recipe because any time we have a cabbage recipe I get lots of feedback. So, here's one for the cabbage lovers. All these recipes today can be made in 30 minute or less. You can walk in the door and have them on the table faster than you can get into the car and drive through the fast food line. Home cooking is healthier and much more economical. Ravioli with bread on the side Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 15 minutes 1 medium green bell pepper, chopped 1/2 onion, chopped 1 teaspoon olive oil 1 garlic clove, minced 1 jar (26-28 ounces) spaghetti sauce 2 packages (9 ounces each) refrigerated ravioli or 1 large (25 ounces) frozen ravioli (any flavor) 1 1/4 cups water 12 French bread or baguette slices, 1/2-inch thick 1/4 cup butter, melted 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese 1/4 cup parmesan cheese Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Chop bell pepper and onion. In a 4 quart saucepan or skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat; add bell pepper, onion, and garlic. Cook 2-3 minutes or until veggies are tender. Stir in spaghetti sauce, ravioli and water. Bring to boil. Meanwhile, melt butter in large casserole dish (in microwave), add bread and toss to coat evenly in butter. Remove bread to another dish and set aside. Spoon 1/2 of the ravioli mixture into the same casserole dish, top with mozzarella cheese and the rest of the ravioli mixture. Arrange the bread slices, on edge, slightly overlapping around the edges and press lightly into the ravioli mixture. Sprinkle the parmesan cheese over the top and bake uncovered, until ravioli is heated thru and bread is crisp. NOTE: Toss remainder of loaf of bread in butter, arrange on a flat pan and toast alongside the casserole in the oven. Serve with casserole. You can never have too much hot bread! Serve a green salad along with this dish and you have a great meal in a hurry! Six servings, each with 630 calories, 31g fat, 1,340g sodium, 5g fiber. Fried cabbage For all you cabbage-lovers 1/2 pound bacon 2 small heads of cabbage 1 large onion Salt and pepper to taste In large skillet, fry bacon. While it is frying, core and cut cabbage into bite-size pieces, then chop onion. Add to skillet, frying on medium heat until tender. I don't know how many servings this will make - I would say four to six. However, many of the cabbage lovers I know could eat the whole thing. The combination of cabbage, bacon and onions is a marriage made in heaven. Even if there are three, not two. Pizza-teaser 12-ounce can of 10 refrigerated buttermilk biscuits Olive oil 1 Clove garlic, minced 1/2 cup tomato, chopped 1/4 cup green bell pepper; chopped 1/4 cup onion; chopped 1/2 teaspoon oregano 1/2 teaspoon basil 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, more if desired Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Separate biscuits horizontally in half to form 20 biscuits. On 13-inch round baking stone, arrange six biscuits, with edges touching, in circle. Arrange remaining biscuits, edges touching, in another circle around center of ring of biscuits. Gently press biscuits together with fingers to seal, leaving outside edges scalloped for petal effect. Using kitchen spray bottle, lightly spray biscuits with oil. Mince garlic and spread evenly over biscuits. Using food chopper, chop tomato, bell pepper and onion; sprinkle evenly over biscuits along with oregano and basil. Bake 15-17 minutes or until edges are golden brown; remove from oven. Immediately sprinkle cheese over warm biscuits. To serve, pull biscuits apart. Makes 20 biscuits. Honey thyme salmon 4 (5-ounces each) boneless fillets of salmon 2 tablespoon minced fresh thyme or 2 teaspoons dried thyme Salt and black pepper to taste 2 tablespoons honey 2/3 cup sour cream 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard Preheat grill to medium-high heat or heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Rub salmon with thyme, salt and pepper. Oil grill grate or grill pan. Grill salmon 7-9 minutes, turning once or until skin is crisp and salmon is just barely cooked through. Remove from heat and tent with foil to keep warm until ready to serve. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together honey, sour cream, and mustard. Place salmon on warm dinner plates and top with a dollop of honey mixture. Serve immediately. Makes 4 servings. NOTE: I have made salmon on a George Foreman grill and that works well. Just remember that you are cooking both sides at once, so it will only take about half the time. Blue cheese beef tenderloins 4 (5-ounces each) beef tenderloin steaks, trimmed of fat Salt and black pepper to taste 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley 4 ounces blue cheese, crumbled Preheat oven to 400 degrees and liberally season the steaks with salt and pepper. Heat oil in an oven-safe grill pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Cook steaks for 8 minutes, turning once, browning both sides. Transfer pan or skillet to the oven and cook for 10 minutes more. While steaks are in the oven, mix together the parsley and blue cheese. Remove steaks from oven and top with blue cheese. Place pan or skillet back in the oven for 1 to 2 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly. Remove from the oven, let rest about 2 minutes and serve. Makes 4 servings. Seafood fettuccine alfredo 1/2 pound peeled and deveined shrimp 8 ounces crab meat (can use the imitation crab) 1 package fettuccine spinach noodles (can substitute regular noodles) 1 package "Knorr" Alfredo Mix 1 small package chopped broccoli, partially thawed. Parmesan cheese Steam shrimp and crab 10-12 minutes. While seafood cooks, boil water for fettuccine. Make Alfredo mix as directed, then add shrimp and crab. Toss to coat. Add broccoli to mixture. Cover, let simmer 5 minutes. Cook noodles. Spoon mixture over noodles. Serve with tossed salad and garlic bread. Makes 4 servings. Ranch biscuits 2 cups biscuit mix 4 teaspoons dry ranch salad dressing mix 2/3 cup milk 2 tablespoons butter 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes Pinch of garlic powder In a bowl, stir biscuit mix, salad dressing mix, and milk until combined. Drop biscuits 2 inches apart on a greased baking sheet. Bake at 425 degrees for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown. In a small bowl, combine butter, parsley and garlic powder. Brush over warm biscuits. Makes 9 biscuits. Artichoke tossed salad Prep/total time: 10 minutes 2 cups each torn romaine, leaf and iceberg lettuce 1 jar (6 1/2 ounces) marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped 1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms 1 can (2 1/4 ounces) sliced ripe olives, drained 1/2 cup Italian salad dressing In a salad bowl, combine the lettuce, artichokes, mushrooms and olives. Drizzle with salad dressing; toss to coat. Serve immediately. Makes 6 servings. 10-minute Black Forest trifle A cake, pudding, fruit and cool whip and you have the prettiest, coolest dessert on the block. You can mix any kind of cake, pudding, and fruit. Today we are using a chocolate pudding, chocolate cake and canned cherry pie filing, which translates into Black Forest. 2 cups cold milk 1 package (3.4 ounces) instant chocolate pudding mix 1 layer or loaf of frozen, purchased chocolate cake, thawed 1 can cherry pie filling. Cool Whip Fresh berries, optional In a small bowl, whisk milk and pudding mix for 2 minutes. Let stand for 2 minutes or until soft-set. Cut the cake into 1-inch cubes; place in a 2-quart glass bowl or a trifle bowl. Top with pie filling, then pudding. Cover and refrigerate until serving time. Garnish with a layer of Cool Whip and add fresh berries before serving. Makes 6 servings. NOTE: You can make your own box-mix cake, but then this would not be a 30 minute dish, although it doesn't take much more time than that. Short cut Spanish rice 3 cups cooked rice (about 1 1/2 cups dry) 1 tablespoon oil 1 medium onion, diced 1 small or 1/2 large green pepper, diced 1 teaspoon garlic powder Salt and pepper, to taste 1 tablespoon dry taco seasoning or more, according to taste 1 1/2 cups prepared salsa, hot or mild Steam or boil rice according to package directions to measure about 3 cups. Cook rice slightly on the dry side (steaming is best). Heat oil in a large skillet; add onion and green pepper; saute until tender. Add spices and salsa, cook 5 minutes. Stir in rice, taste and adjust seasonings if needed. Cook just long enough so everything is blended and piping hot. Makes 4 servings. NOTE: Be sure to shake the taco seasoning packet before measuring so the spices get mixed. You can change this to a main dish by adding 1/2 pound of hamburger or diced ham and sauteing with the onions and peppers. Tip of the week When chopping an onion for a recipe, throw three or four extra in the chopper or food processor. Use what you need for the recipe and store the remainder in a covered container in the refrigerator. Next time you need chopped onions, they will be ready. Onions last a long time in the refrigerator and even longer in the freezer. Quick salads Quick shrimp salad: Top salad greens with cooked and chilled shrimp and 1/2 cup snow peas, drizzle with a sweet dressing and sprinkle with chow mein noodles. Southwestern salad: Top greens with sliced chicken, canned corn, salsa and dressing. Chicken salad: Mix salad dressing or mayonnaise with diced chicken, apples, celery, peanuts or walnuts. Serve on a bed of lettuce. Readers Corner One of our radio program listeners, Frances Schott, has sent us a recipe for rhubarb preserves. She said she listens to our radio show every Wednesday and is going to try the rhubarb jam recipe I read on the radio show. I will pass along both recipes below: From Frances: Easy rosy rhubarb preserves 5 cups rhubarb, cut into small pieces 1 cup crushed pineapple, drained 3 cups sugar 1 small package strawberry gelatin Combine rhubarb, sugar and pineapple. Place over low heat and cook until mixture thickens and is clear. Remove from heat and stir in gelatin. Pour into jars and store in refrigerator or freezer. Frances said she put the ingredients together with exception of gelatin and put it in the refrigerator over night, then put the gelatin in the pot and cooked it in the morning. Here is the one I read on the radio last week: Strawberry-rhubarb jam 2 1/2 cups fresh of frozen strawberries, crushed 1 1/2 cups finely diced fresh or frozen rhubarb 2 1/2 cups sugar 1 can (8 ounce) crushed pineapple, undrained 1 package (3 ounces) strawberry gelatin In a large kettle, combine strawberries, rhubarb, sugar and pineapple. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in gelatin until it dissolves. Pour into refrigerator containers, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Let stand until cooled to room temperature. Top with lids. Refrigerator for 3-4 weeks. Makes 1/2 cup.