We’re well on our way into winter, the time change makes it seem like night comes even faster, plus the upcoming holidays can put a little stress onto everyone. This means that fun, healthy meals enjoyed by the whole family are harder to come by – especially on weeknights! Although some cuts like lamb shoulder or hams take some time, there are plenty of cuts that can be ready for you to enjoy in much less than 30 minutes. The best part is that even when you completely forget about dinner, each of these cuts thaw very quickly. If you don’t want to use the microwave, I always place the wrapped meat in a large bowl or directly in the sink filled with cool water. This will allow the meat to thaw in anywhere from 20 to 30 minutes. Here are some of our favourite quick weeknight meals.
Pork Schnitzel
Traditional schnitzel means preparing a plate of flour, a plate of lightly beaten egg and a plate of seasoned breadcrumbs. Lightly dredge each piece of pork in flour, then in the egg and finally into the breadcrumbs, pressing the breadcrumbs onto the pork gently so they have a nice even coating. Traditional breadcrumb coating isn’t necessary – the pork is delicious cooked all on it’s own with salt and pepper.
Too cook, heat oil and/or butter in large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Gently lay the pork into the pan and cook until golden brown and crispy, about 3 minutes per side. Remove to paper towels to drain. Serve with pasta or a side salad.
Variations and Additions:
Marinara: pour your favourite marinara sauce over the schnitzel. Top with parmesan or mozzarella. Put this on a bun and it makes a fabulous lunch the next day too!
Mustard Sauce: Add ¼ cup mustard and 2 tbsp cream to pan once schnitzel have been removed and plated, boil and add lemon juice and simmer until sauce is slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Pour over schnitzel.
Anchovy and Herbs: Remove schnitzel from pan, and add 3 chopped anchovies, 1 tbsp capers, and 1/4 white wine to pan – simmer for 4 minutes. Stir in a tbsp of chopped parsley and tbsp of butter and pour sauce over schnitzel.
Minute Steak
Minute steaks cook very quickly in a fry pan or skillet. Simply heat the pan to medium-high, add a little oil to the pan, salt and pepper the steaks and cook them on for two minutes a side for medium rare. You can use your favourite marinade beforehand – if there’s time – but it’s just as easy to toss you’re the steak in the marinade immediately after it’s cooked.
Once cooked you can 1) slice and add to a fresh salad 2) removed from pan, sauté vegetables, slice and add back in for a quick stir-fry 3) roll up in a tortilla withvegetables and cheese for fajitas. Minute steaks also make great sandwich additions for lunch the next day!
Sausage
Although simple sausage on a bun is easy, there are plenty of things you can do with sausages, as they are already so full of flavor. We cook ours in a fry pan or skillet over medium-high for 10-12 minutes, turning often. Let rest for 5 minutes and slice. You can then add to pasta sauce, wine-steamed mussels, or make hearty “breakfast for dinner” and add to omelets or frittatas. You can also have sausage with:
Stew – Add chopped carrots, diced onion, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper to wiped out skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Add a 15-oz can of white beans, rinsed and ¾ cup wine and simmer for 5 minutes. Fold in the sliced sausage and tarragon or herb of choice.
Polenta – Cook a cup of instant or quick polenta according to the package directions. Wipe out sausage pan and add a minced garlic clove, cook, stirring for 1 minute. Add chopped Swiss chard, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper and cook, tossing, until wilted, 3 to 4 minutes. Fold in the sliced sausage. Serve the sausage and chard mixture over the polenta
Pork Chops/Butt Steaks
You may not think of pork chops as a quick meal, but they can be so quick-cooking, that they’re very easy to overcook. It’s a relatively inexpensive cut that can do wonders for a weeknight meal.
We’ve always pressed upon the need for a good digital thermometer as it’s the best way to know your food is exactly how you want it. For pork chops, between 120 and 130°F is medium-rare. Meat will be firm and rosy pink – still super juicy. Between 130 and 140°F is medium. The meat will be mostly white and quite firm, but still juicy. Anything higher than this and you’ll have the overcooked, tough pork chops that very few people will enjoy. With enough experience you’ll know exactly when to pull them off the heat – but you can use the instructions below as a guide.
Rub a little oil on to the chops and season with salt and pepper. Heat skillet or fry pan to medium heat. Place chops in pan and turn every couple minutes to get a good golden crust. Pork chops should be done after 8-10 minutes of cooking. Alternatively, you can sear the pork chops for a couple minutes on each side, then slip them into a 450F oven for 8 minutes. Either way, don’t forget to rest the chops – transfer to a plate or cutting board and pour pan juices overtop. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.