After-Work Eats: Easy One-Pot Recipes
Want to ditch the fast-food drive thru’s and feel better about what you’re eating throughout the week? Here are 4 Hearty meals that aren’t too complicated and won’t have you cleaning 20 dishes after preparation. These are some recipes I frequent and are easy to make even if you don’t consider yourself a cook.
Burger Bowls
What you’ll need:
· 1 lb Ground Beef
· Lettuce
· Shredded Cheese
· French Fries
· Onion
· Tomato
· Pickles
· Burger Sauce
Additional Toppings: Bacon, Avocado, Mushrooms, Fried Egg.
Instructions:
1. Add to a skillet, your ground beef and brown it completely.
2. If your fries are frozen, cook them however you wish and when they are cooked, assemble your bowl starting with lettuce on the bottom and add your toppings on top. Cover with your favorite burger sauce (mine is Whataburger patty melt sauce) and enjoy!
Salmon Bowls
What you’ll need:
· Salmon
· Avocado
· Cucumber
· White Rice
· Green Onion
· Yum Yum Sauce
· Carrots
· Sesame Seeds
· Sesame Oil
· Garlic Powder
· Onion Powder
Instructions:
1. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. While it is warming, slice your raw salmon into bite size pieces and toss in your favorite seasonings and a tablespoon of sesame oil. (Remove the skin before you slice it up if you don’t like the skin)
2. Cook your rice until tender and set it to the side.
3. Next you will need to prepare your toppings. Slice your cucumber into bite size pieces and your avocado into slices. If you opted into adding carrots to your bowl (I personally don’t), you can prep those by shredding them if you’re fancy or take them out of the bag if you bought them pre shredded.
4. Lastly assemble your bowl. Rice on the bottom and add your toppings however you choose. Top off with sesame seeds, green onions, and yum yum sauce then enjoy!
One Pot Lasagna Soup
What you’ll need:
· Lasagna noodles
· 1 lb ground beef and/or 1 lb ground Italian sausage
· 1 container of Beef Broth
· Ricotta Cheese
· Mozzarella Cheese
· Parmesan Cheese
· 24 oz jar of marinara sauce
· Heavy Cream
· 1 can of crushed tomatoes
· 1 tablespoon of tomato paste
· 5 Garlic cloves (or Minced garlic)
· ½ White Onion chopped
· Italian Seasoning
· 1 cup spinach (bagged is fine)
Instructions:
1. Brown your meat of choice in the pot you plan to have your soup in (I recommend a large Dutch oven) You will also need to add your onion and garlic at this point to sauté
2. Once your meat is cooked completely, and the onions are translucent, add in your beef stock, tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, and marinara sauce. Add in your Italian seasoning mix as well.
3. Let it come to a boil. Once it is boiling, break your lasagna noodles into 2-inch pieces and drop them in. (I recommend using around ½ of the box, depending on how many people you’re cooking for)
4. It should take around 7-10 minutes for your noodles to become al dente, at this point you can add heavy cream to add richness to your soup. A ½ of a cup should be plenty but add it to your taste.
5. Once your noodles are cooked completely, you can add your spinach to the pot and allow it to wilt. It shouldn’t take long at all, once it has all been incorporated you are ready to assemble your soup bowls!
6. Add your cheeses on top of your soup, a spoon full of ricotta (or however much your heart desires will make it extra rich) and enjoy! (and thank me later)
Olive Garden Crock Pot Chicken
What you’ll need:
· Chicken Breasts (2-3 pieces)
· Penne Pasta (or any medium size pasta will do (bowties, ziti, etc)
· 1 block of Cream Cheese
· 1 bottle Olive Garden Dressing
· 1 bag Mozzarella Cheese
Additional Ingredients: Asparagus, Broccoli, & Spinach
Instructions:
1. To your crockpot, add your raw chicken breasts, full olive garden dressing bottle, and a stick of cream cheese. Set on low for 6-8 hours or high for 4-5 hours.
2. Once your chicken is done, shred your chicken. Boil your pasta until it is al dente and add it to the crock pot. Add your mozzarella cheese on top and mix to combine.
3. If you opted to make vegetables on the side, you could steam your asparagus, broccoli or spinach, or you could bake it separately, whatever is easier for you.
4. From here you are ready to assemble your bowls and enjoy!
