You CAN Cook Dinner in 30 Minutes

If I can cook dinner in 30 minutes, then you can too! That means you can avoid some of those last-minute, forgot-to-take-the-meat-out, didn't-plan-dinner-tonight, or don't-want-to-eat-that-late runs for fast food or something prepared from the grocery store! Of course you can always fix spaghetti, but this takes it a step further and actually involves meat for dinner!

I am the s.l.o.w.e.s.t. person I know in the kitchen. Truly. So if I can make a dinner in 30 minutes, then I guarantee that you can do it. Now these meal ideas do require having a few basic ingredients on hand, but I try to make sure I have them so I can use a quick recipe when I need to. These recipes mainly use hamburger and quick-frozen chicken breasts or tenderloins as they're quick to thaw out if you forgot. I now prefer chicken tenderloins as they thaw and cook much faster than chicken breasts, not to mention better portion control.

Forgot to plan dinner? Take a look at what you have on hand, pick a quick recipe, and start thawing your hamburger or chicken, if necessary. The quickest way to defrost is by using your microwave. If you don't have one or don't prefer that method, try thawing in cold water in your sink {this will end up taking longer than 30 minutes}. It's best to put the meat into a sealed plastic bag and fully submerse in cold water. Water must be changed regularly to keep it moving and cold. Meat can also be cooked right from the frozen state - it just takes longer.

While your meat is thawing, take advantage of the time and prep or cook your side dishes. Set the table and get all serving dishes out and ready to go.

Here are some of my go-to quick meat dinners:

• Montana Taco Salad
• Tex-Mex Chili Pasta
• Skillet Sausages and Peppers
• Seasoned Parmesan-Coated Chicken
• Pan-Glazed Chicken with Basil
• Poached Chicken Breasts with Apples
• Chicken-Tortellini Soup

The fastest & the fave of those is the pan-glazed chicken. It's truly simple, quick, and delicious!

I am certainly not the expert on fast meals, which is why I say that you can do it if I can! Here's a good resource for more quick dinner ideas: 10 Minute Dinners. And you can find some more 30-minute meal ideas at Mel's Kitchen Cafe.

I know that some of you are very good at fixing quick dinners and avoiding the extra expense of fast-food and supplemental grocery store runs. Will you share your favorite fast meal ideas? I'm even including a linky at the bottom so we can share ideas and help each other out. I would love it if each of you found at least 1 idea that you know can be your backup if you haven't planned dinner.

You CAN cook dinner in 30 minutes! 

Do you find yourself making too many fast-food trips due to poor planning? Do you have go-to quick dinners? Share in the comments!

Day 3 of #31Days. Find all the posts in this series by clicking here for my Anything I Can Do, You Can Do Too page.

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Have a blessed day friends!