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20 Craveable Meals, 1 Hour

By Brian Lagerstrom
In one hour, you can have a whole week’s worth of great meals. These dishes will leave you wanting more. You might like them so much you don’t even make it the full week.
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 20 meals
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Ingredients 

CHICKEN

  • 2 kg boneless, skinless chicken thighs
  • 900 grams chicken stock
  • kosher salt
  • black pepper, ground

GROUND BEEF

  • 1 kg 85/15 ground beef
  • 2 white onions, small diced
  • 4-5 garlic cloves, minced
  • kosher salt
  • black pepper, ground

RICE

  • 600 grams medium grain calrose rice
  • 800 grams water
  • olive oil
  • kosher salt

SPAGHETTI

  • 1 kg spaghetti
  • kosher salt
  • olive oil

VEGGIES

  • 2 bunches broccoli raab
  • 4 large red bell peppers
  • 2 white onions
  • 1 red onion
  • 4-5 garlic cloves

PICKLED RED ONIONS

  • 200 g water
  • 200 g white distilled vinegar
  • 40 g sugar
  • 4 g kosher salt
  • red onions, thinly sliced

PANTRY

  • flour tortillas
  • ranchero sauce, equal parts mayonnaise & salsa
  • romaine lettuce
  • carrots
  • cucumbers
  • pickled ginger
  • seaweed/nori
  • spicy mayo, 1 part sriracha & 2 parts mayonnaise
  • feta cheese
  • cherry tomatoes
  • pepperoncinis

Greek Vinaigrette:

  • 50 g white balsamic or champagne vin
  • 125 g olive oil
  • 25 g grainy mustard
  • kosher salt
  • black pepper, ground
  • dried oregano
  • 1 clove garlic

ASSORTED TOPPINGS AND INGREDIENTS

  • marinated artichokes
  • black beans
  • shredded mexican cheese
  • korean BBQ sauce
  • kimchi Bibimbap sauce
  • eggs
  • your favorite brand of chili crisp
  • peanut butter
  • soy sauce
  • Calabrian chilies
  • tomato paste
  • unsalted butter
  • parmesan cheese, grated

Instructions 

  • Bring a large pot of water to boil.

Chicken & Rice:

  • Place the chicken thighs into a pot and cover them with chicken stock. Throw in a heavy grip of salt and pepper. Bring the pot to a boil and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover the pot with a lid and cook for 45-55 minutes until the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 180℉/82℃
  • When the chicken is fully cooked, transfer it to to a container along with about ½/100mL cup of the cooking liquid. Shred the chicken and store in the fridge until ready to use.
  • Simply combine the rice, water and a pinch of salt into a rice cooker and press the button and walk away.

Veggies:

  • Chop the broccoli rabe into 1-inch pieces. Slice the peppers & 1 white onion. Slice the red onion and keep separate. Medium dice 1 white onion and mince the garlic cloves. Keep everything ready to go for the next steps.

Pasta:

  • Boil spaghetti in salty water until just past al dente. Drain and toss with olive oil, store in an airtight container in the fridge.

Broccoli rabe:

  • Cook the broccoli rabe for 60 seconds in the same boiling water you cooked spaghetti in. Drain off the broccoli rabe and store in the fridge in a paper towel lined container.

Pickled Red Onions:

  • Combine water, vinegar, sugar, and salt in sauce pot and bring it to a boil. Stir in the sliced red onions, remove the sauce pot from the heat. Allow the onions to cool to room temperature in the liquid and store in the refrigerator

Ground Beef:

  • Preheat a wide heavy bottomed pot over medium-high heat, add in a long squiggle of olive oil, ground beef and a large pinch salt. Brown the beef and break it apart well into pea sized pieces. When the beef is starting to brown, add diced white onion, minced garlic and a pinch of salt. Cook for 5-10 minutes over medium heat, stirring often. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Place in a container and refrigerate.

Peppers & Onions:

  • Preheat a large sauté pan over high heat. Add olive oil, sliced peppers, white onion, a strong pinch of salt. Sauté until the veggies have started to blister and soften. Remove the pan from the heat and tent with foil to steam for 5 minutes. Place veggies in a container and store them in the fridge.

FINISHED DISHES / ASSEMBLY

    CHICKEN FAJITA TACO

    • Heat tortillas, reheat shredded chicken with peppers and onions. Add to tortillas and top with ranchero sauce and pickled red onions.

    SUSHI BOWL

    • Heat rice, rabe, & shredded chicken in microwave. Add shredded carrots, sliced cucumbers, pickled ginger, shredded nori, & spicy mayo.

    GREEK CHOP SALAD

    • Combine chopped romaine w diced cucumbers, sliced pepperoncinis, halved cherry toms, pickled red onions, chopped pepper/onion mix, shredded chicken. Dress with greek vinaigrette, top with crumbled feta.

    MEDITERRANEAN CHICKEN PASTA

    • Heat nonstick with olive oil, add chopped pepper/onion mix, chopped rabe, chopped artichokes, chopped garlic. Add spaghetti & shredded chicken, splash of vinegar or lemon juice, few Tbsp water, & a generous sprinkle parmesan. Warm and toss over low heat.

    BURRITO BOWL

    • Heat beef, rice, pepper/onion mix, & beans in microwave. Add shredded cheese, shredded lettuce, pickled red onion, & salsa or ranchero sauce.

    BIBIMBAP

    • Heat beef in nonstick, add ½ cup korean bbq sauce to glaze. Add to bowl with warm rice & rabe. Top with shredded carrot, sliced cucumbers, kimchi, bibimbap sauce, & a sunny side up egg.

    CHILI CRISP BEEF NOODLES

    • Add 2-3 Tbsp of chili crisp to large nonstick, add chopped rabe & 1 cup of ground beef mix. Toss & warm. Add a handful of spaghetti, ¼ cup of water, 1 tbsp of peanut butter & 1 tbsp of soy sauce.

    SPAGHETTI SALSA ROSA

    • Heat nonstick pan w olive oil, add 1-2Tbsp chopped Calabrian chiles, 1 tbsp tom paste, ½ cup finely chopped onion/pepper mix, 3-4 tbsp of water & 2-3 tbsp of butter. Swirl to melt & emulsify. Add a large handful of spaghetti and toss to combine. Off heat add generous amount of parm. Top with parm & black pepper to serve.

    Notes

    This is more of a method than a recipe.  Look at the list of ingredients as more of a shopping list.
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