Do you dream of reading on the couch with a glass of wine while the kids make dinner? Yes, it's possible. (And, yes, messier. But worth it.) Think of mealtime as an edible art project. You'll need a few ground rules and some adult supervision, plus these simple recipes from Weelicious's Catherine McCord.
Anna Williams
7-Layer Vegetarian Tostadas
Ingredients
- 2 ripe avocados (or 1 cup prepared guacamole)
- 2 tablespoons lime juice 4 tostadas (flat, crispy tortillas) or 4 cups tortilla chips
- 4 cups romaine lettuce, chopped or torn
- 1 15-ounce can vegetarian refried beans
- 1 cup mild salsa or fresh pico de gallo
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup sliced kalamata olives
- 1 cup Mexican cheese, grated (or a mix of mozzarella, Cheddar, and Monterey jack)
Directions
- Mash the avocados with the lime juice in a bowl.
- Stack all the ingredients (order subject to interpretation) on each plate and serve.
Pasta with Pesto Chicken and Caramelized Cherry Tomatoes
Ingredients
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3/4 pound bow-tie pasta
- 1 rotisserie chicken
- 1/2 cup pesto
Directions
- Preheat toaster oven (or regular oven, with adult supervision) to 400° F.
- Toss the tomatoes, olive oil, and salt together on a baking sheet. Bake until the tomatoes start to burst, 25 minutes.
- Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to the package directions.
- Shred the chicken and toss with the pasta, pesto, and roasted tomatoes. Serve warm.
Shrimp and Rice Noodle Stir-Fry
Ingredients
- 1 8.15-ounce package udon noodles
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon cold water
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 cup snow peas, sliced in half
- 1 cup grated carrots
- 1 15-ounce can baby corn, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 pound large cooked shrimp (peeled and deveined)
- Chili-garlic sauce, for serving
Directions
- Cook the noodles according to the package directions. Rinse.
- Stir together the soy sauce, honey, cornstarch, and water in a small bowl; set aside.
- Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the oil and snow peas. Cook, stirring as needed, until warmed, 2 minutes. Add the carrots, baby corn, and shrimp. Cook until the shrimp are warmed through, about 1 minute.
- Pour in the soy sauce mixture and cook until the sauce starts to thicken, about 20 seconds.
- Add in the cooked noodles and stir until the noodles and vegetables are coated and heated through. Serve with the chili-garlic sauce.
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