Andy Starnes, Post-Gazette Red Lentils with pineapple, mango and bananas (see recipe near the end of the article).

By Amy McConnell Schaarsmith, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Some people describe the evening rush to get dinner on the table as a race against time. I think of it as a war against fast food.

	Andy Starnes, Post-Gazette Red lentils, bananas and a mango go into the dish pictured above. Click photo for larger image. Related article One-dish cooking: Your pantry list

Most of us have a fairly narrow launch window after work in which we have the energy to prepare an evening meal. Sometimes we spend that energy at the grocery store, shopping for last-minute ingredients for a meal planned in desperation. Other times, that energy is consumed by shuttling kids to after-school activities, paying bills or doing other household duties, leaving us too exhausted to do anything other than surrender to takeout yet again.

As Gen. Douglas MacArthur once said, "No general can make something out of nothing." And as with any war, success in beating back fast-food forays depends largely on advance planning and preparation on your part.

With a plan in place, ingredients on hand and some dishes made in advance, you can reduce your reliance on frustrating -- and too often, unhealthy and expensive -- catch-as-catch-can dinners for you and your family. In these recipes, even somewhat expensive cuts of meat such as lamb or exotic fruits such as mango are stretched for several meals, and ultimately will cost you far less than ordering a pizza or buying a takeout meal.

One-dish meals such as those I include here are one weapon in your arsenal. They can be made in advance and frozen. They are useful for family dinners on busy weeknights, and also work well as modern, updated versions of the casseroles and other covered dishes that good cooks have long taken to potluck meals and shared with neighbors, family members and friends who are too elderly, sick or disabled to cook for themselves.

Another weapon at your disposal is the weekly meal plan, decided before you grocery shop for the week and inclusive of a few make-ahead dishes to lighten your weeknight load, as well as of ingredients for a few quick meals.

When planning for the week, I try to make two dishes in advance over the weekend; in the winter, spring and fall, that's usually roasted beef, chicken or pork of some kind, along with a soup, stew, chili, curry or casserole like the ones suggested here. In the summer, I might just make one meal ahead -- marinated flank steak on the grill, which can be sliced for salads and tucked with lots of fresh vegetables into pita pockets or wraps, or a chilled pasta or rice salad that can be served as a main dish or side dish -- and count on grilled meals for several other dinners.

Meanwhile, I also plan on eating at least one pasta meal. One easy combination is fresh vegetables and either chicken or shrimp over whole-wheat linguine tossed with olive oil, sauteed garlic and lemon juice. Another great pasta meal is a red sauce of some kind using canned tomatoes (or in season, fresh tomatoes) combined with fresh herbs, garlic and some mix of peppers, mushrooms, meat or anchovies (in the case of puttanesca sauce) and good parmesan cheese over short, chunky pasta such as ziti or rigatoni.

For quick dinners, I also stock a 5-pound bag of frozen stir-fry vegetables and another 5-pound bag of frozen chicken tenderloins, which can be sauteed as you need them in some sesame oil, red pepper flakes, minced ginger and garlic, soy sauce and oyster sauce and served over hot brown rice for a fast, healthy, Asian-inspired meal.

To save money, my husband and I often buy meat, fish and poultry in bulk from warehouse stores (which also sell other staples such as olive oil, grains, canned tomatoes, stocks, cereals and large bags of frozen vegetables, chicken and fish at greatly reduced prices), then repackage it at home into meal-sized portions in resealable plastic bags and store it in our basement freezer. Cuts such as pork chops, chicken breasts, burgers and steaks can be thrown on the grill and served with a side of steamed or grilled vegetables and a tossed salad when we can't manage anything else.

You'll improve your chances of pulling together a quick dinner -- or tackling a slow-cooked one over the weekend -- if your pantry is properly stocked with staples. (We include a suggested list online.)

I keep photocopies of my list of staples in my kitchen, checking off supplies as we use them up and adding any additional perishable supplies needed for particular recipes. I'm an incorrigible list-maker, and keep a separate list of purchased perishable and frozen items in the fridge and freezer so I don't forget about them and let them go to waste. Yes, my husband thinks I'm crazy -- but he sure doesn't mind saving money by not wasting food!

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BAKED CHICKEN AND ASPARAGUS RISOTTO

	Andy Starnes, Post-Gazette Baked Chicken and Asparagus Risotto. Click photo for larger image.

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes

• 1 pound fresh asparagus, rinsed
  
• 4 cups chicken stock
  
• 3 fresh parsley sprigs
  
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried
  
• 1 bay leaf
  
• 6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, rinsed, patted dry with paper towels and cut into 1-inch cubes
  
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  
• 3 tablespoons butter
  
• 1 large onion, peeled and chopped
  
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
  
• 2 cups Arborio rice
  
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
  
• 3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 10- by 14-inch baking pan.

Break off woody stems from asparagus, reserve spears and place stems in a saucepan with chicken stock, parsley, thyme and bay leaf. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Strain and discard solids and return stock to the saucepan. While stock is simmering, slice asparagus spears on the diagonal into 1-inch pieces and set aside.

Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken to the skillet in a single layer and cook, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes or until chicken is opaque. Remove chicken with slotted spoon and set aside. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, for 3 minutes until onion is translucent. Add Arborio rice and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.

Add white wine, increase heat to high, and cook, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes or until wine is almost evaporated. Add chicken stock and chicken and bring to a boil. Scrape mixture into the prepared baking pan, cover with aluminum foil and bake for 10 minutes. Remove foil, stir in asparagus and bake for an additional 15 to 20 minutes, or until rice is soft and has absorbed liquid. Stir in parmesan cheese and serve immediately.

Serves 6 to 8.

Ellen Brown

LAMB STEW WITH WHITE BEANS AND SAUSAGE (CASSOULET)

	Andy Starnes, Post-Gazette Cassoulet Click photo for larger image.

Prep time: 25 minutes
Cook time: 2 1/4 hours

• 6 slices bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
  
• 2 pounds lamb shoulder or boneless leg of lamb, cut into 1-inch cubes, rinsed, and patted dry with paper towels
  
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  
• 2 large onions, peeled and diced
  
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
  
• 2 cups dry white wine
  
• 2 cups beef stock
  
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
  
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried
  
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried
  
• 1/2 pound kielbasa or other smoked sausage, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
  
• 2 15-ounce cans white cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
  
• 10-ounce package frozen baby lima beans, thawed
  
• 1/4 cup olive oil
  
• 1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs
  
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
  
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place bacon in an ovenproof Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Cook until crisp; then remove bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside. Discard all but 2 tablespoons bacon fat.

Sprinkle lamb cubes with salt and pepper. Add lamb cubes to Dutch oven and cook until browned on all sides. Remove lamb cubes and set aside.

Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, for 3 minutes or until onion is translucent. Add lamb cubes, white wine, beef stock, tomato paste, thyme and rosemary. Stir well, bring to a boil, cover and place in oven.

Bake for 1 hour. Add kielbasa, cannellini beans and lima beans and bake for an additional hour or until lamb is tender.

Increase the oven temperature to 400 degrees. Combine olive oil, bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, and parsley in a small bowl; mix well and sprinkle on top of cassoulet. Bake uncovered for 15 minutes or until top is browned. Serve immediately.

Serves 6 to 8.

Ellen Brown, "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Cover & Bake Meals"

RED LENTILS WITH PINEAPPLE, MANGO AND BANANAS

Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 40 minutes

• 1/2 pound red lentils, rinsed and picked over to remove broken lentils or pebbles
  
• 3 (14.5-ounce) cans vegetable stock
  
• 2 celery ribs with leaves, halved
  
• 1 medium carrot, scrubbed, trimmed and halved
  
• 8 fresh parsley sprigs
  
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
  
• 1 small onion, peeled and diced
  
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
  
• 2 teaspoons coriander
  
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  
• 28-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained, 1/4 cup juice reserved
  
• 1/2 cup golden raisins
  
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
  
• 20-ounce can pineapple chunks packed in pineapple juice, drained
  
• 2 bananas, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
  
• 1 mango, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
  
• 3 cups cooked basmati rice, hot

Place lentils in a Dutch oven with vegetable stock, celery, carrot, and parsley sprigs. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes or until lentils are tender but not mushy. Some liquid will remain in the pot. Remove and discard celery, carrot and parsley sprigs and drain lentils. Return lentils to Dutch oven.

While lentils cook, heat oil in a large, heavy saucepan over low heat. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, for 3 minutes or until onion is translucent. Stir in coriander and cinnamon and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.

Add tomatoes with reserved juice and raisins to onion mixture. Simmer, uncovered, over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in pineapple, bananas and mango and cook for an additional 5 minutes.

Add tomato mixture to cooked lentils in the Dutch oven and gently fold ingredients together. Serve immediately over hot rice.

Serves 6 as an entree, 10 to 12 as a side dish.

Ellen Brown