# How about 3-4 ingredient recipes?



## LadyCook61 (Mar 1, 2008)

Sometimes I don't feel like following a recipe with a lot of ingredients, just want to make a simple meal , it can be in the skillet, crockpot, dutch oven, regular oven.  Sometimes I will just open a can of Tuna, a can of cream of whatever soup I have on hand and cook some noodles with it.  Or even a can of ham, can of chicken breast instead of tuna.


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## Bilby (Mar 1, 2008)

Unless I am trying to empty out the fridge, I seldom have more than four or five ingredients in my meals.  A lot of pasta dishes are that way for me.


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## Andy M. (Mar 1, 2008)

Steak, salt, pepper.

Pasta, olive oil, garlic

Omlet = Eggs, cheese, bacon

Pilaf = Rice, butter, pasta, chicken broth.

Tuna Salad = Canned tuna, mayonnaise, minced onion.


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## LadyCook61 (Mar 1, 2008)

Andy M. said:


> Steak, salt, pepper.
> 
> Pasta, olive oil, garlic
> 
> ...


Looks like the same things I cook and use 



Bilby said:


> Unless I am trying to empty out the fridge, I seldom have more than four or five ingredients in my meals. A lot of pasta dishes are that way for me.


I enjoy pasta dishes too, sometimes all I need is one or two ingredients to make it really tasty.


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## CanadianMeg (Mar 1, 2008)

Lemon Chicken Pasta.

Brown chopped chicken breast in a pan. Add cooked pasta, lemon juice and coarse oregano. Stir over heat to let pasta pick up browned bits from bottom of pan. Add a bit of finely shredded mozza and black pepper.


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## LadyCook61 (Mar 1, 2008)

CanadianMeg said:


> Lemon Chicken Pasta.
> 
> Brown chopped chicken breast in a pan. Add cooked pasta, lemon juice and coarse oregano. Stir over heat to let pasta pick up browned bits from bottom of pan. Add a bit of finely shredded mozza and black pepper.


 mmmm sounds delicious! thanks for sharing.


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## YT2095 (Mar 2, 2008)

Yogurt, chicken, tandori massala

Flour, salt, beer

cucumber, onion, lemon juice.

and that`s what I`m having tonight


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## LadyCook61 (Mar 2, 2008)

YT2095 said:


> Yogurt, chicken, tandori massala
> 
> Flour, salt, beer
> 
> ...


sounds good except for the beer  I don't drink or use alcohol in anything, but that is just me, I don't like the taste.


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## YT2095 (Mar 2, 2008)

meh, the alc content is only 4.5% and soon vanishes when toasted.
you don`t really taste it ether, it works as a raising agent more than anything else 

each to his own though


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## LadyCook61 (Mar 2, 2008)

YT2095 said:


> meh, the alc content is only 4.5% and soon vanishes when toasted.
> you don`t really taste it ether, it works as a raising agent more than anything else
> 
> each to his own though


I understand


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## *amy* (Mar 3, 2008)

I like to poke around RealSimple, and have made a few dishes - pasta & ricotta meatballs.

Food : RealSimple.com

i.e.

http://food.realsimple.com/realsimple/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=663107


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## QSis (Mar 3, 2008)

Mix bowtie pasta with a lot of butter, some barely cooked scrambled eggs and a little parm cheese.

This comfort food is great for someone who doesn't feel well, and even better for someone who does!

Lee


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## Mac-n-Cheese! (Mar 3, 2008)

diced potatoes with chopped onions and bacon. (salt, pepper and any other sesoning you like.) just fry it up.

french toast - bread, eggs, cinnamon, syrup

my fav - bag o' salad, 1 cooked chicken breast( cut into pieces), can of black beans, can of corn. (and whatever dressing you like)


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## GotGarlic (Mar 4, 2008)

Salt and pepper don't count as ingredients, right? They're in practically everything, or should be 

Chicken Paprika: Mash 2 tbsp. unsalted butter, 3 cloves minced garlic, 2 tsp. paprika, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. pepper together to form a paste. Carefully loosen the skin from 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts and work butter under the skin. Sprinkle the skins with 1 tsp. paprika, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. pepper. Broil skin side down on center rack 12-16 minutes, flip over, broil another 10-16 minutes till skin is slightly crispy. Move pan to highest rack and broil till skin is brown and crisp, about 1 minute.


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## Jeff G. (Mar 4, 2008)

peanut butter, toast, maple syrup.

sliced potatoes, onion, oil, salt, pepper.. fry the potatoes with onion--a meal in itself

Macaroni and cheese(box mix), can of chili beans.  Make the mac& cheese, stir in the chili beans... surprisingly tasty..

Fry up hamburger with onion and garlic--loose meat sandwiches..

Fresh tuna, wasabi, pickled ginger, soy sauce....


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## JillBurgh (Mar 4, 2008)

How about letting me slip in a 5-ingredient recipe?

Here's my favorite cake:
Lemon Olive Oil Cake

It's simple and was actually featured in a "5 or less" ingredient column in Gourmet last year.


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## LadyCook61 (Mar 4, 2008)

To all who responded to this post, thank you for the tips and links.


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## radhuni (Mar 6, 2008)

One of my favorite dish. Boiled scented rice with ghee, boiled potatoes and half boiled egg and a chili.

Smash all of them with a pinch of salt and enjoy the taste.


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## AMSeccia (Mar 6, 2008)

We had marinated and grilled (boneless) chicken last night with wild rice, bearnaise sauce and green beans.  The girls also got apples and bananas.  

Tonight it was a BLT.  But with good bread and field greens (lettuce snob here).  

Good food sure doesn't need to be complicated!


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## LadyCook61 (Mar 28, 2008)

I bought a cookbook, 4 Ingredient recipes.


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## Alix (Mar 28, 2008)

Chicken Cacciatore

chicken breasts or deboned thighs
brown sugar
tomato soup/salsa/oregano
mozzarella

Place chicken in casserole dish. Sprinkle brown sugar on each piece. Mix one can tomato soup with 1/2 can of salsa and shake some oregano in there. Stir it and spoon it on top of the chicken. Sprinkle grated mozza over all and bake in the oven for 30 minutes or so. Serve with pasta.


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## GotGarlic (Mar 28, 2008)

- Chicken parts, olive oil, any dried herb (rosemary, thyme, oregano) or seasoning mix (Italian, Greek, Southwestern), salt, pepper - rub chicken with oil, sprinkle with seasoning mix, salt and pepper, roast at 375*F for 45 minutes-1 hour till done.

- 1 lb. Yukon Gold (cut in 1-inch cubes) or fingerling potatoes (cut in half), any dried herb (rosemary, thyme, oregano) or seasoning mix (Italian, Greek, Southwestern), salt, pepper - in large bowl, toss ingredients together, then spread in a single layer on a sheet pan and roast with chicken, above

- Can of diced tomatoes, 2 cups fresh or frozen green beans, 2 cloves garlic, minced, oregano, olive oil, salt and pepper - Heat olive oil in saucepan, add garlic, saute 30 seconds; add tomatoes and oregano - simmer 15 minutes. Mash a little with potato masher or spatula. Add beans, salt and pepper to taste, cook till heated through.


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## Fisher's Mom (Mar 28, 2008)

LadyCook61 said:


> I bought a cookbook, 4 Ingredient recipes.


I bought that one, too. And the sequel - _More_ 4 Ingredient Recipes!


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## Michael in FtW (Mar 31, 2008)

I guess I have to agree with the comments made in the front of America's Test Kitchen's book, Quick Recipes - why limit yourself to 4 ingredients when 7 would make it better ... why limit yourself to 30-minutes only when 45 would make it exceptional?

Even Rachal Ray has admitted on TV that she can't make her 30-minute meals at home in just 30 minutes.

The only reason to limit the number of ingredients is convenience ... isn't that what the big craze was about back in the '50's with frozen vegetables and canned soups, etc?

Humm ... isn't that what Sandra Lee is promoting in her "Semi-Homemade" show/books?

IMHO - it's just a matter of knowing when and where to pick your battles. I grew up on short-cut cooking ... it isn't that bad.


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## flukx (Mar 31, 2008)

fettucini alfredo - noodles, butter, flour, milk, S&P + herbs


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## Jeekinz (Mar 31, 2008)

OMG...I have a bazillion recipes. I don't count EVOO, salt and pepper as ingredients though.

*Bacon wrapped shrimp with sage* (Rachel Ray) Butterfly the shrimp and insert a sage leaf, then wrap with a small piece of bacon and secure with a toothpick. Cook in a skillet until browned and serve with Jack Daniels spicey brown mustard.

*Sausage & Peppers* Sausage, bell peppers, crushed tomatoes and a bun. Obviously you could add different herbs and onion as well.

*Braised chicken legs and thighs* Brown the chicken in a skillet, add sliced onion, whole canned tomatoes and chicken stock. Cover and simmer for 30-40 minutes. Remove cover, season and reduce the sauce for about 10 minutes. Serve with rice.

*Brats and Beer *One package of Johnsonville originals slightly grilled. Place in a small foil baking tray with sliced onion and 1 1/2 bottles of your favorite brew. Place back on the grill for 20-30 minutes or until done. Flip the brats every so often and replenish the beer if it evaporates too much. Serve on a bun....or by itself with mustard.

*Chicken Cesar Salad *Buy one of those salad kits and either cook your own or buy the already cooked chicken. Mix salad, top with chicken, shave some Parm on top, pour some Pinot Grigio.

*Bleu Cheese Wedge *Quartered iceberg, chunky bleu cheese dressing, bacon bits and sliced radish.

*Cheese steak *Mince some leftover steak, sautee onion and green pepper, put on a toasted bun and top with cheese.

*Some Kind of Chicken Roll *Pound chicken breast into thin cutlets season with salt and pepper. Add a thin layer of drained frozen spinach, then a layer of cheese. Parmesan, harvarti, swiss, asiago or fontina work great. Truss with butchers twine and sautee until cooked.


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## Jeekinz (Mar 31, 2008)

*Loaded baked potato *Baked potato with shredded cheddar, bacon bits, sour cream and chives. Theres no limit to your creativity here.

*Complete dinner* NY Strips w/salt and pepper, mushrooms sauteed in evoo, roasted asparagus with garlic and red paper flakes. 4 ingredients besides the spices and evoo.


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## waaza (Mar 31, 2008)

I know this is a bit of fun, but it can have a serious side as well, good discipline for the cook, although I would ask for a definition of 'ingredient'. For example, would a sauce, to go on meat/fish, be one ingredient, or several? a spice mix one, or several?

I have found it possible to balance a (simple) dish with just three ingredients, balanced for sweet/sour, water/oil and pungent/smoothness. Sometimes it takes four things if one of the ingredients is very s/s, w/o or s/p. Howevr, sometimes even two will do, try fresh root ginger and fresh pulped mango, or lime juice and pulped chilli/oil (oh thats three).


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## Jeekinz (Mar 31, 2008)

waaza said:


> I know this is a bit of fun, but it can have a serious side as well, good discipline for the cook, although I would ask for a definition of 'ingredient'. For example, would a sauce, to go on meat/fish, be one ingredient, or several? a spice mix one, or several?


 
I totally agree with that. In fact, I try to limit the ingredients because I find the finished dish tastes better. You know "Less is More" or "K.I.S.S."  Why bother, if you can't taste what your putting in there?

I dont particularly like making recipes with a million measurements and ingredients, it feels too much like work. I'll get through the first 2 steps then just wing it after that and hope for the best.


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## Angie (Mar 31, 2008)

What I'm having for supper..eating it right now!

Ciabatta bread
Oscar Meyer Chicken Breast Rotisserie Style lunch meat
Homeade thick cheese sauce
..heated...


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## Katie H (Mar 31, 2008)

I'm always  trying to  have breakfast dishes for  our Sundays that are not just  the same-old, same-old and still  not get too goofy  for the "bank," if you understand what I mean.

This weekend, I realized I had a small portion of  cream cheese that needed to be used up and I had  noticed, too, that the chives in my herb outside herb garden were "standing proud" after  the winter.

So....I  mixed about 4  large eggs  and, mmmm,   maybe 3 or 4 tablespoons of cream  cheese  cut into cubes and allowed  to come to room temp and added something like 2 tablespoons of scissors-snipped chives.  Whisked all together and set aside.

Then I  heated up 4 tablespoons of salted butter in my nonstick skillet.  Added the egg  mixture  and scrambled to our preference, which is very  wet and  soft.  Turned out  onto our plates and sprinkled a  touch of more  chopped chives.  Awesome!!  I'll definitely do  that again.

The eggs were served with crispy-fried smoked bacon slices and homemade English  muffins.  Buck cleaned his plate.


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## Calya (Apr 17, 2008)

I just boil some pasta, put it in an ovenproof dish, mix a can of pasta sauce in it, put cheese on top and bake it.


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## quicksilver (Apr 24, 2008)

*     EGGS.  anyway,shape or form.  With anything in or out. Bacon, ham, pepperoni, burger, steak, potatoes, tomatoes, broccoli, onions, scallions, mushrooms, peppers - any kind,salsa, 1,001 types of cheeses, 1,001 types of toast or english muffins, biscuits, cornbread.*
*     It's my once a week (at least), easy, night off treat.*

*     The perfect prepared food.*
*     The prefect food: banana    -never tried with eggs. humm.*


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