How to Cook a Dinner for Two with Minimal Effort

I can cook. Really, I can. Sometimes, though, I just do not have the energy. I have three sons, and I am a stay at home mom. For those who don't HAVE sons, I have to tell you, they leave you with no energy. Every day. I do, however, like to have a private meal with my husband on occasion. It's wonderful to have a meal where there can be adult conversation, no painting with the food, and no fights about eating what is on their plates. I have learned a few short-cuts in all of this (after all, I have to make something for the kids to eat, and in case you are counting, that adds up to two meals), and my husband thinks I am doing a lot more than I am to feed him something fabulous.

The first thing you need to do is decide what to have. There are simple things to make, like spaghetti. Some meat, sauce and noodles, and voila! BUT, if you REALLY want brownie points, go for the full blown meal. I recommend chicken. You can do a million things with chicken, and can make it taste different almost every time. Boneless, skinless is easy. You can pound it flat, brown it in olive oil, and add some barbecue sauce, cheddar cheese and bacon to the top. You can also pound it flat, cook it in Italian dressing, and add green onions, monterey jack and cheddar cheeses on top. You can roll it in bread crumbs and dry ranch dressing and fry it in olive oil. One of the easiest things is to buy two cornish game hens. Put foil in the bottom of a pan, set the washed and patted dry chickens on it. Rub them with olive oil, sprinkle with sage, black pepper and rosemary. Rub it in. Place a couple of garlic cloves in the cavity and cover with another piece of foil and bake. Take the top foil off in the last five to eight minutes of baking time to brown the chicken on top. It tastes almost gourmet!!

The next thing you need to do is decide on side dishes. This is where the super easy part comes in. First, go buy pre-made mashed potatoes. There are several brands to buy and several flavors to choose from, including garlic mashed potatoes or plain every day mashed potatoes. These are so like homemade, you will begin to wonder why you ever bothered to make potatoes!!! If you choose plain potatoes, you can serve them like they are, heated of course, or you can stir in a little sour cream, bacon pieces, chives, and sprinkle cheddar cheese on top. Microwave them according to package directions. If the directions say to microwave over 3 minutes, use the cheese in the last two minutes of cooking time. If you want it to be really spectacular, toss it in an oven safe dish after microwaving and before the cheese. Add the cheese and bake it until the cheese it bubbling.

Another vegetable is nice. Canned green beans can be jazzed up by cooking them in chicken broth instead of the broth it comes in. You can also toss in a few slivered almonds to make it look like restaurant quality. Another great invention is by Green Giant. They have veggies called Steam Fresh sold in the freezer section. You just toss them, bag and all, into the microwave and steam them right in the bag. You can choose from almost any vegetable, including corn, broccoli, and green peas. They come out perfect every time. All you need to do then is put them in a serving bowl.

Another side could be pasta or rice. If you choose rice, both Rice a Roni and Uncle Ben's have rice you microwave in their package. They come in several flavors and the only thing you have to do is pour it in a bowl when it is finished. If you don't care for those, regular Rice a Roni has a lot of flavors, as does regular Uncle Ben's. There is also PASTA RONI, which come in lots of flavors and taste really good. They are simple to make with a great taste. My husband likes macaroni and cheese. Now, I could tell you to go the deluxe macaroni and cheese route, but for a special thing for him, I make it homemade. (Don't panic.) Boil macaroni noodles, drain, and add Velveeta cheese you have melted in the microwave. Add salt and pepper. Period. If you like a little sharper taste, add some sharp shredded cheddar. A handful stirred in makes a bolder cheese taste.

Now, we like bread. I know I am just giving you a fattening, carb-filled menu here, but it's a special dinner, isn't it? There are a couple of ways to go about this. Yeast rolls that come in a foil pan in the freezer section are a GREAT choice. They are so good they almost melt in your mouth. I spread a little butter over the tops before baking them. If you like biscuits, they make frozen ones of those, too! Take however many you want out of the bag and bake! They taste homemade, not canned. There is also the matter of crescent rolls. They come in a can with the canned biscuits. Simply break them apart, roll them up and bake. Fresh, hot bread with no effort!

You didn't think I would forget a dessert did you? Betty Crocker sells Warm Delights. You mix them in the little bowl they are in and microwave. That's it. They are warm and gooey and delicious. However, in order for them to STAY warm, you have to cook them and serve them right away, so you might be SEEN, and you want to look like you worked really hard!!!! So, try this: Get a large (2 quart or so) glass dish, two Sara Lee family size frozen pound cakes(thawed), 2 packages of frozen, whole strawberries (let them thaw), one package of instant chocolate pudding, and cool whip (thawed). (This WILL make leftovers) Cut the two pound cakes lengthwise 3 times, then across making small squares. Take one pound cake and spread the squares around the bottom of the dish. Pour one package of the frozen strawberries all over. Mix the chocolate pudding according to the package directions. After it has set for five minutes, spread it over the strawberries. Next spread the other pound cake pieces over the pudding, then the other strawberries. Spread Cool Whip over the top. You can decorate the top for occasions if you wish with sprinkles or colored sugar. For example, for Valentine's day, I had heart shaped sprinkles and a little bit of red colored sugar and it turned out beautiful. This will need to be stored in the refrigerator, covered.

Now, you will have a great dinner for two, you haven't used a ton of effort, so you can really enjoy it. Break out the candlesticks, the music and have a great time!