Meals in under 15 minutes

So its getting to be late afternoon and you have no idea what to cook for dinner.  You’re tired of ordering out and your bank account shows it.  And you don’t want to spend too much time in a hot kitchen either. How can you make something hearty, but economical AND it’s done pretty quickly?

No problem. We’ve got you!  Here’s 3 recipes, all of which you can make in 15 minutes or less:

Coffee Rubbed Skirt Steak (w/ rice and Parmesan peas)

Ingredients

1 tablespoon finely ground coffee

1 tablespoon packed light brown sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder

1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger

1 1/2 teaspoons paprika

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon cayenne

1 1/4 pounds skirt steak

2 cans of fresh peas (frozen works well too)

1 cup of basmati rice

2 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Preparation

For Steak – 

Preheat gas grill to high. Combine coffee, brown sugar, chili powder, ginger, paprika, salt and cayenne in a small bowl. Rub coffee mixture onto both sides of steak, shaking off excess. Oil grill grates and grill steak, turning once with tongs, until cooked through, 7 to 9 minutes total for medium-rare. Be careful not to overcook.

Remove steak to a cutting board and let rest for at least 5 minutes before slicing and serving.

For Rice & Peas –

When you preheat gas grill, put peas in a small pot with 1/2 cup of water. After they boil for 5 minutes, drain, put in one tablespoon of butter stir, when butter melts, add in Parmesan cheese. Done.

Rinse rice after you put on peas (HINT: everything is cooking at the same time). ONce rice has been rinsed 3 or 4 times in cold water, put on small pot with just enough water to cover the rice. Put on low and cover for 15 minutes. Done.

Linguini A la [Insert Your Name Here] (for example: Linguini A la David (if David made the dish)

Ingredients

Salt and pepper

1 pound linguini

1 cup whole-milk ricotta

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

1 5-oz. bag baby spinach

Preparation

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add spaghetti and cook until al dente, about 10 minutes.

In a bowl, stir together ricotta, olive oil, lemon zest and nutmeg. Season with salt and pepper.

Drain spaghetti, reserving 1 cup cooking water. Return pasta to pot and stir in ricotta mixture, spinach and 1/2 cup pasta cooking water. Toss well, adding more pasta cooking water 1 Tbsp. at a time, if necessary. Serve hot.

Greek Chicken

Ingredients

1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved

1/3 cup pitted Kalamata olives

4 ounces feta cheese, coarsely crumbled (1 cup)

1/2 cup fresh mint leaves

2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil

Coarse salt and ground pepper

1 1/2 pounds thin chicken cutlets (about 8)

Directions

In a medium bowl, combine tomatoes, olives, feta, mint, and 1 tablespoon oil. Season with salt and pepper; set aside.

Heat a grill pan over high; brush lightly with oil. Season cutlets with salt and pepper. Cook, working in batches as necessary, until chicken is cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate, and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm. Top chicken with tomato mixture, and serve with your favorite toasted garlic french bread.