Looking for some simple dishes for the average cook? With the demands and stresses of corporate America, many people, particularly millennials, don’t have a lot of time to cook. Many millennials admit that their cooking skills are limited due to a parent not teaching them to cook. According to a survey conducted in January 2015, 45 percent of people ages 18 to 24 and 64 percent of those ages 25 to 34, considered themselves as good or decent cooks.
For the same survey, 53 percent of millennials admit to eating out at restaurants once per week. For those that live at home with their parents or have a spouse or roommate that cooks, it is not a big concern. However, for the single millennials that live alone, they rely on carry-out, processed foods, or anything that is a “quick fix”. However, eating out becomes expensive. Further, unless you ask, the food may be genetically modified. Processed foods may be high in sodium, sugar, and fat. If one has limited cooking skills, you can still prepare healthy, easy meals from scratch. Here are some simple dishes for the average cook.
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Soup
This goes beyond ramen noodles. Squash, vegetable, and tomato soups are easy to prepare and require few ingredients. Soup is one of the top simple dishes for the average cook.
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Chicken Cacciatore
You’ll need chicken (legs, thighs, or wings), tomatoes, and salsa. You may add additional spices to your liking. Bake in the oven between 2 and 2 1/2 hours. Serve with rice.
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Steak
Add seasoning to your favorite cut of steak and broil in the oven. If you like onions with your steak, cut and sauté in butter on the stove top.
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Tacos
Tacos are delicious and very easy to make. You’ll need ground beef, taco seasoning, taco shells, lettuce, tomato, onion, shredded cheese, sour cream and salsa. You can make taco salad as another option.
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Salmon Cakes
Season a fillet of wild salmon and bake until done. (Do not use canned salmon). When cooled, shred the salmon and add an egg, bread crumbs, seasonings (salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder), and chopped onion. Shape into patties and fry in oil, cooking on both sides. Freeze the uncooked salmon cakes.
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Pasta
Spaghetti and meatballs is simple to make. Try preparing ravioli and fettuccine dishes too.
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Salad
You can’t mess up a salad! For a garden salad, use both romaine lettuce and spring mix or other fresh greens. Add cucumbers, tomatoes, red, yellow, and orange peppers. (A colorful salad is appealing to the eye). For added flavor, include red onion, pomegranate seeds, blue or feta cheese. For salad dressing, you may simply use olive oil and red wine or balsamic vinegar. To make Caesar salad, use romaine lettuce, Caesar dressing, and croutons.
You now have one dish to try each day for one week. Feel free to mix and match and get creative. If it doesn’t turn out right the first time, it’s fine. Try again until you get it right. Cooking is trial and error.
