Easy Meals To Cook

When one grows tired of planning meals and cooking what do, you do. Well, I borrow a few simple ideas from a delightful cookbook called “The Best Of Cooking With 3 Ingredients” by Ruthie Wornall. Her unique cookbook contains simple yet yummy recipes to fit any occasion.

Ruthie proclaims that when she married, she could not cook! So, this wise young woman started collecting recipes containing only 3 ingredients. She set out to prove that quick, easy and elegant meals do not have to be complicated or expensive; and that she has done. Thank you Ruthie!

After a time, she decided to write cookbooks and share her 3 ingredients, cooking expertise with others. When Ruthie approached her husband with this idea he remarked, “You might sell 100 books”. In March of 2006, her various cookbooks approached 150,000 in sales. At that point, she said, “I took pleasure in reminding him that behind every successful woman is a very surprised man”…

Ruthie has written a series of 12, 3 Ingredient Cookbooks. Here's just one of her tasty Valentine Menus --- Happy Cooking and Happy Valentine’s Day!

Cornish Hen A La Orange

4 (18 ounce) Cornish Hens rinsed and dried

3 tablespoons margarine, melted

1 (10 ounce) jar of orange marmalade

Place hens in a greased, 9 x13-inch baking pan. Mix together the melted margarine and orange marmalade; set aside. Bake hens at 350° for 30 minutes. Pour orange mixture over them and bake for 1 hour longer, basting several times.

Pecan – Rice Pilaf

½ cup pecan halves

3 tablespoons margarine, melted

1 (6.7 ounce) package wild rice

Sauté Pecan halves in melted margarine. Prepare wild rice according to package directions. Stir pecans into rice. Serve hot with chicken or pork.

Strawberry – Soufflé Salad

1 (6 ounce) package strawberry gelatin

1 cup boiling water

2 cups mashed strawberries

Stir gelatin in the boiling water until dissolved. Add mashed berries and mix. Refrigerate until mixture begins to thicken, and then whip with an electric mixer to a very stiff froth. Serve in sherbet dishes or small bowls.

Green Beans Almondine

2 (10 ounce) packages frozen green beans, thawed

1/3 cup slivered almonds

3 tablespoons margarine, melted

Cook beans according to package directions and drain well. In a small saucepan, sauté almonds in melted margarine. Stir almonds and margarine into green beans and serve.

Cookie Kisses

1 (18 ounce) refrigerated, chocolate chip, cookie dough

1/3 cup flour

36 chocolate kisses, unwrapped

Cut dough into 9 slices. Cut each slice into 4 pieces. Place 1 piece of dough in each greased cup of a mini–muffin pan. Press with spoon coated with flour to form cups. Place 1 chocolate kiss in each cup. Bake 10 to 12 minutes. Let cookies cool in pan 15 minutes before removing to cool on a rack.