You may be noticing an increase of boxed skillet suppers that advertise, “ just add meat and veggies” in the grocery store over the last couple years.

Restaurants often have a skillet dish on their menu and even breakfast skillets are very popular now.

For the most part, I enjoy a skillet dinner in restaurants as it is often make with fresh ingredients and arrives to your table ‘piping’ hot. But, when cooking at home, the trend is to use the boxed dinners. The boxed ones have powdered ingredients for the sauce. Preservatives are often added to the ingredients  to keep the pasta or rice from getting stale. Not to mention the high fat, calories and sodium. Preparing your own skillet supper is a much healthier choice. You have more control on the fat, salt and calories. Plus the added benefit of adding your families favourites.

If the idea of making from scratch seems too time consuming or you don’t feel confident creating your own, follow these tips and you will be a confident “Skillet Chef” in no time.

It really doesn’t take any longer preparing than the boxed option.

A GENERAL RULE OF THUMB IS FOR EVERY ONE CUP DRY INGREDIENT (carb) ~ YOU WILL NEED 2 CUPS OF LIQUID

These amounts will feed a family of 4 adults ~ Choose one option from each following categories:

~ Protein ~ Carb ~ Liquid ~ Veggie ~                                                                               

Protein:

ground Turkey, raw

Turkey Breast, boneless, skinless

Sausage, raw cut into bite size pieces

1 can Tuna packed in water or flavoured

Carbohydrate:

1 cup converted long grain rice (not minute rice)

1 cup long grain wild rice

1 cup pasta  –  elbow, spiral, fettuccini

Liquid Options:

1 cup chicken broth + 1 cup ranch dressing

1can low fat mushroom soup + 1 can water

1 can tomato soup +1 can water

2 cups tomato or clamato juice

Vegetable Options:

Use 2 cups of Fresh or Frozen. These are just suggestions. Use your imagination, or what needs using up in fridge

Frozen peas, carrots, onions

Broccoli, cauliflower, snap peas water chestnuts ( good with breast and rice)

mushrooms, onions, red pepper, broccoli

onions, celery, peas (good with tuna)

Here’s how to assemble. Very similar to the instructions on the boxed version.

Preheat skillet with 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil ~ add raw meat with ¼ cup onions and some 1 fresh minced or 1 Tbsp. garlic powder. Cook meat for 5-10 minutes.

Add 1 cup of your carb.(pasta/rice)  + liquid+ spices you like, but not salt (soup/dressing have sodium in it) you can add later if needed. Add fresh veggies/frozen veggies. Bring to slow boil, reduce temp to low. Cover, cook for 15 minutes for pasta. 20 minutes for rice. Remove cover, stir gently, if  too thin, increase temp to medium continue cooking another 5 minutes. Too thick? Add more liquid, a little at a time.

Add grated cheese and cover, simmer until cheese is melted.

Ta Da! Your own Homemade Skillet dinner