Ready, Set, Cook! 5 Minute Meals Your Family Will Love

With everyone on the go these days, it seems as if the family dinner has taken a back seat to after-school activities, and overtime. Even rarer is having the entire family sit at the dining room table for dinner on any given night.  While there are ten-minute meals, and the popular 30-minute meals on TV; would you be interested to know there are actually 5 minute meals your family will love? Yes, indeed! Here are a few recipes you can whip up in no time.

Angel Hair Pasta: This is, by far, the easiest pasta to prepare.  It takes less than five minutes to cook because of its thinness.  Available in your local supermarket, just boil a pot of water; add salt; throw in the entire box of angel hair, and cover.  Literally, within minutes, you have a most delicious meal.  Note: Prepare a large pot of the sauce on the weekend; use several containers to store and freeze; and take the container out of the freezer and place in the fridge until you are ready to cook.  You can always use a freezer bag to store excess pasta. When you wish to have the pasta again, just use the microwave to thaw it out.

Chicken: Cook a whole chicken or chicken breasts on the weekend; and freeze. Remember, the thinner the breasts, the faster they will cook – so pound them out until they are quite thin. This is another 2-3 minute meal you can prepare any night of the week.  You can also cut up the chicken breast to make a delicious salad.

Pork Chops:  These can be cooked for two minutes per side.  Boil a bag of rice; add a quick and easy salad, and another fast meal has been prepared.

The secret to preparing 5 minute meals is preparation.  When you buy salads and other vegetables on your next shopping trip; wash them and put them into a plastic zip lock bag. This will cut down the time needed to slice and dice.  Cook your sauces on the weekends, as well as other meat and poultry dinners you may wish to have during the week. Freezer bags are wonderful for preserving any kind of food you prepare.

There are also side dishes available at your local supermarket, such as Mac and Cheese. Four minutes in the microwave and you have a delicious side dish for the entire family.
Get ready; get set; cook!

A Wine For Every Meal

Did you know having a glass of red wine a day is a healthy part of your diet regimen?  Do you also know what wines compliment foods best?  If not, here are some tips and suggestions on a wine for every meal.

Traditionally, red wine can be used for poultry; beef; veal; ham; pasta; lamb; and pork.
What kind of wine? For poultry, ham, pork and veal, try a red Zinfandel or Beaujolais. For beef, pasta and lamb; a cabernet sauvignon or merlot would suffice.

White chardonnay would compliment strong cheeses; pork, poultry and seafood, including shellfish.  A white Zinfandel or rose wine could accompany appetizers; mild cheeses; desserts; ham, lamb, poultry; and seafood.  Sparkling wine such as Spumante or Champaign could also be served with appetizers; mild cheeses; and desserts. The rule of thumb when serving wine for a particular meal is selecting a light-bodied wine with lighter food and a full-bodied wine with heartier, flavorful dishes.

In addition, here are some suggestions on how to serve wine.  First, quickly chill the wine by placing the bottle in a bucket of ice water for ten minutes, rather than in the freezer.  Chill sparkling wine in the refrigerator for at least four hours before serving, or chill in ice water for twenty to thirty minutes.  When filling a wine glass, you need to allow the wine to breathe; thus, filling it half way is suggested.

If you still have a problem deciding on what wines to service with your meals, here is a safe bet.  When choosing white wines, pick out a Pinot Grigio (deliciously light and dry);
Sauvignon Blanc; Riesling; or Champagne (only for the most suitable occasions), and other Sparking wines.  Rose wines can include White Zinfandel; and Red wines can include Beaujolis, Pinot Noir and Merlot (which is full-bodied wine perfect for any pasta dish as well).

Remember, you don’t have to spend a fortune on wine.  A simple Pinot or Merlot will suffice, and both are affordable.