Fool-Proof Recipes For The Terrible Cook

You just spent three hours analyzing every canto in Dante’s Inferno and another two learning ionic bonding. Or maybe you only have classes on Tuesdays. Either way, you don’t have the time (or skill) to prepare glazed ham with a side of creamy au gratin potatoes after class. Don’t despair; your palate is not doomed for canned beef stew forever, even if you qualify for Food Network’s Worst Cooks in America.

Here’s a list of simple dinner recipes that are totally manageable even if you can’t dice a tomato, or accidentally caught the kitchen on fire that one time. Click on the links for detailed instructions!

Greek Yogurt Parmesan Chicken

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup Plain Greek Yogurt

• ½ Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese

• ¼ Cup Panko Bread Crumbs

• ½ (1 Ounce) Package Ranch Dressing Mix

• 1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder

• 1 Teaspoon Prepared Yellow Mustard (optional)

• ½ Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper

• 3 Small Skinless, Boneless Chicken Breast Halves, Pounded ½-Inch Thick

Preheat oven to 375 degrees fahrenheit, mix and stir everything that’s not chicken, put the yummy yogurt concoction on the chicken, bake for 20 minutes, then broil chicken on each side for two to four minutes. Boom.

Recipe courtesy of: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/235311/greek-yogurt-parmesan-chicken/

Meaty Spaghetti

Ingredients:  

• 1 Box of Spaghetti

• 1 Spaghetti Sauce Mix Packet

• 1 Can Tomato Sauce

• 1-2 lbs. Ground Beef

• Salt

• Water

• Olive Oil

Boil the spaghetti noodles, combine spaghetti sauce mix, tomato sauce and olive oil in sauce pan, ground your beef, voila. You have yourself authentic italian cuisine (kind of.)

Recipe courtesy of: http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-make-spaghetti-in-a-couple-easy-steps/

*Minor changes were made to the recipe. It’s a matter of preference whether you prefer spaghetti sauce mix for a zestier taste or canned marinara sauce for a sweeter plate.

Taco Bake

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ Lbs. Lean Ground Beef

• 1 Can Diced Tomatoes with Green Chilies

• ½ Cup Water

• 1 Cup Sour Cream

• 1 Pkg. Taco Seasoning

• 8-oz. Shredded Colby-Monterey Jack cheese

• Corn Tortilla Chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit. Ground the beef and add the tomatoes, water, sour cream and taco seasoning to beef and simmer. Assemble tortilla chips on baking dish, then layer the beef and cheese over and over until the last layer is cheese. Yeah, not exactly a vegan dish.

Recipe courtesy of: http://cantstayoutofthekitchen.com/2012/06/28/taco-bake/

Lemon Herb Chicken and Rice

Chicken Ingredients:

• 4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts

• 2 Tablespoons Butter

• Salt and Pepper to taste

• 2 Teaspoons Italian Seasoning

Rice Ingredients

• 1 Cup Uncooked Rice (white or brown)

• 2¼ Cups Chicken Broth

• Juice of 1 lemon

• 1 Teaspoon Italian Seasoning

Melt butter in pan, season that chicken, then brown it for one to two minutes on each side. Switch the chicken for rice, chicken broth, lemon juice, and the rest of the Italian seasoning and replace the chicken on top. Cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes. Make your dish fancy with a snippet of parsley or cilantro.

Recipe courtesy of: http://lecremedelacrumb.com/2015/06/one-pot-lemon-herb-chicken-rice.html

Foil Salmon and Asparagus

Ingredients:

• 4 (6 oz) Skinless Salmon Fillets

• 1 lb Asparagus, Tough Ends Trimmed

• 2 1/2 Tbsp Olive Oil

• 2 Cloves Garlic, Minced

• Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper

• 1 Lemon Thinly Sliced

• Fresh Dill sprigs, or Chopped Fresh Thyme, Rosemary or Parsley

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees fahrenheit. Cut four pieces of foil, divide the asparagus equally among them and drizzle oil and garlic mixture over the top. Rinse the salmon filets and season the bottoms with salt and pepper. Place the salmon fillets over the asparagus and pour the olive oil mixture once again, sprinkling the salt and pepper as well. Finish with dill sprigs and lemon slices. Enclose the salmon with the foil and bake for 25-30 minutes.  

Recipe Courtesy Of: http://www.cookingclassy.com/2015/02/salmon-and-asparagus-in-foil/

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