Fun and Delicious Recipes

Cooking can be a lot of work. It can be difficult to figure out what to make, especially if you live alone, or if you work long days. Since moving out and going through university, I have struggled with eating well, and not spending all my money on take out. Now I have my own kitchen, I am starting to cook more for myself. It is always good to have a few recipes that are easy, tasty, and relatively fast to make. 

I mostly use recipes that I grew up with, or recipes that I find online. It's easy enough to adapt any recipe to suit your needs, especially if it's something that you've made a couple of times before. 

So, here are a few of my favourite recipes. I have made each a number of times, and they each make large portions, which are excellent if you're too busy to worry about cooking every day. 

  

Recipes

Spaghetti Sauce (This can be used for lasagne, spaghetti, or whatever pasta you have handy, and it freezes really well) 

4 T. (tablespoons) olive oil

2 large onions, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 box mushrooms, sliced

2 6 oz. cans or 1 13 oz. can tomato paste

1 13 oz. can tomato sauce and 1 can water

2 t. (teaspoons) chili powder

1/2 t. curry powder

2 lbs. ground beef

1 c. chopped celery

1 c. chopped carrots

Salt, pepper

1 t. cayenne

1-2 T. basil

1-2 t. dried oregano

(All the spices are to taste. I like my spaghetti to be spicy, but you can use as much or as little spice as you want. Its always helpful to taste while you’re cooking!)

Heat oil in large pot and brown beef. Add onion, garlic, celery, carrots, mushrooms, salt and pepper. Add tomato paste, sauce and water, and spices. Cook over low heat for minimum 1 hour. Serve over cooked spaghetti and sprinkle with grated cheese.

The spaghetti can take a long time to make, but it makes a lot, so I think it's worth it if you have the time. If you don't have much time, this next recipe is fast, easy and really good. When I make it, there is usually enough for another full meal. 

Chicken Fajita Rice Bowl

Rice (prepared however you like it)

Chicken (cooked and cut up)

1 Red bell pepper

1 Green bell pepper

1-2 small onions

1 T olive oil

1 t chili powder
1/2 t cumin

1 t salt

1/2 t black pepper

If you’re using pre-cooked chicken, make the rice first, as it will take longer than making the rest (I usually use Uncle Ben’s Basmati Rice, but you can use any kind you’d like). While it is cooking, cut up the peppers and onions however you’d like. I usually cut the peppers into small pieces, and the onion into larger chunks.

In a large, non-stick skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Toss in the peppers and onions, then add the chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper. Cook until the peppers and onions have softened. Add the chicken, and toss until everything is heated through.

Once the rice is fully cooked, put it in a bowl, and top with the chicken mixture. I like to mix it up, until the rice is also coated with the spices. It’s warming, delicious, and clean up is easy as well. 

If you're sick of eating chicken all the time, shrimp is a good alternative. It cooks up fast, and it is one of my favourite kinds of seafood. 

Shrimp and Tomato with Noodles (This one is nice and easy, and another one of my favourites from when I was a kid... I always make it with egg noodles, but again, you can use whatever pasta you like best)

Olive oil

Mushrooms, sliced

1/2 lb. shrimp (you can use canned shrimp as well)

Salt, pepper

cayenne

3-4 c. hot, cooked noodles

1 onion, chopped

1 can diced tomatoes

dill weed

basil

grated Parmesan cheese

In hot oil in a frying pan, fry onions, garlic and mushrooms until onions are tender. Add diced tomatoes, salt, pepper, and spices to taste. Bring to boil. Add shrimp and cook until shrimp are pink and hot. Serve over hot noodles. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top. 

Freezer Meatballs (This recipe is great because you can make a large batch of meatballs, and then use them for anything and everything. I especially like having them around to add to pasta with plain sauce)

3 beaten eggs

3/4 c. milk

2 c. bread crumbs

2 onions, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 t. salt

1/4 t. each pepper and cayenne

3 lbs. ground beef

Combine eggs and milk; stir in bread crumbs, onion, garlic and spices. Add ground beef; mix well. Shape into 1" meatballs. Bake meatballs in large shallow baking pan in 375 F oven for 30 minutes. Makes about 36 meatballs. Eat immediately, or freeze for later: remove from pan and cool. Arrange cooled meatballs in a single layer on baking sheet do the edge do not touch. Freeze until firm and package in meal-sized portions. 

After I discovered a few recipes that I like to make and eat, cooking became fun and easy. I love being able to eat something that I made myself, and when I get to share with family and friends, it's even more worth it to see how much they also enjoy my food. Cooking is a joy, one that should be shared with as many people as possible.