The 5:30 Challenge: 5 Ingredients, 30 Minutes, Dinner on the Table

IT'S 5:30. DO YOU KNOW WHAT'S FOR DINNER?

Long commutes and busy schedules leave us all wondering the same thing, but don't worry, because The 5:30 Challenge is the perfect solution to creating healthy and delicious meals in a snap!

Forget the fast food and frozen packaged meals — with just five easy-to-find ingredients you can have dinner on the table in thirty minutes or less every night, guaranteed. Based on the popular newspaper column from "The Atlanta Journal-Constitution," these tasty recipes are sure to appeal to any appetite, from hearty dinner entrees to satisfying seasonal salads, zesty soups, and chilies to tantalizing stir-fries, plus pizzas, pastas, and more. You won't believe how easy it is to make great meals such as:

• Lamb Shanks with Tomato and Mint
• Filet and Portobellos with Blue Cheese
• Cajun Chicken Pasta
• Mid-Week Madness Chili
• Polenta and Meatball Casserole
• Farfalle with Smoked Salmon and Spinach
• Fresh Tomato and Ricotta Pizza
• Trout Amandine
• Bacon, Tomato, and Avocado Quesadillas
• Tex-Mex Ribs

Whether you're cooking for a hungry family or whipping up something for just one or two, The 5:30 Challenge is the ideal cookbook for creating a terrific meal without spending a lot of time in the kitchen. From kid-friendly to restaurant-style, each simple, streamlined recipe is designed for maximum flavor in minimum time. Each recipe has detailed nutritional information, as well as suggestions for substituting ingredients and using easy cooking shortcuts. In addition, there are recipes for quick and tasty desserts, plus helpful tips on shopping for quality convenience products andkeeping the basics on hand for a quick meal anytime. For busy home cooks, The 5:30 Challenge is the answer to eating a great dinner every night and having plenty of time to enjoy it.

Jeanne Besser has written The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's "5:30 Challenge" column for more than three years and is the author of The First Book of Baking and Working Mom's Fast and Easy Family Cookbook. She lives with her husband and two sons in Atlanta, Georgia. Susan Puckett has been the food editor of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Food and Drink section since 1990. She has won national awards for food writing and editing and has authored four previous cookbooks including A Cook's Tour of Mississippi and Dips. She lives in Atlanta, Georgia.

Contents

Introduction

The 5:30 Challenge and How It Works

How to Use This Book

The most essential tools and appliances you need for speedy cooking

How to stock your kitchen with staples while avoiding clutter

Our favorite quality convenience foods

Flashes in the Pan Sautés, Stir-fries, and Skillet Dinners

Crispy Rye and Mustard Pork Chops with Quick-Fried Cabbage

Mole in Minutes

Beef and Broccoli Stir-Fry

Smoked Pork and Wild Rice with Dried Fruit

Thai Sweet Pork with Browned Shallots

Sole with Bananas and Macadamia Nuts

Uptown Tuna Burgers

Turkey with Lemon and Capers

Stir-Fried Asparagus with Mushrooms

Filets with Onion-Jalapeño Cream and Plantains

Portuguese Thin Steaks with Onion and Tomato Sauce

Filets and Portobellos with Blue Cheese

Tofu, Bok Choy, and Baby Corn in Black Bean Sauce

Chicken Livers in Red Wine Sauce

Pork Scallops with Rosemary-Wine Sauce

Veal Chops with Anchovy-Garlic Sauce

Trout Amandine

Spicy Scallops with Arugula and Cherry Tomatoes

Corn Chip-Crusted Tilapia

Chicken with Wild Mushroom Sauce

Bulgogi

Chicken with Caramelized Onions and Garlic

Steamed Salmon and Rainbow Vegetables

Poached Salmon with Tartar Sauce

Mediterranean Catfish

Shrimp with Hoisin Sauce

Grilled to Order

Outdoor Cooking at its Speediest

Grilled Open-Face Eggplant Sandwich

Barbecue Portobello "Burgers"

Polenta-Mushroom Stacks

Twice-Grilled Stuffed Zucchini

Cilantro-Lime Chicken

Tex-Mex Ribs

Pancetta-Gorgonzola Hamburgers

Brown Sugar-Glazed Salmon

Fennel-Stuffed Trout Wrapped In Bacon

Thai-Style Grilled Beef with Vidalia Onions and Peanut Dipping Sauce

Grilled Lamb Chops with Mango-Lime Salsa

Beef and Pineapple Skewers

Spinach-Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Honey-Teriyaki Chicken

Bacon-Wrapped Chipotle-Glazed Shrimp with Banana-Sweet Potato Mash

Wasabi-Soy Scallops

Grilled Bratwurst with Onion-Mustard Sauce

Grilled Strip Steaks with Olive-Artichoke Relish

Hot from the Oven

Pizzas, Frittatas, Casseroles, and Anything Baked, Broiled, or Roasted

Tropical Pork with Crispy Sweet Potatoes, Pineapple, and Onions

Broiled Shrimp with Rosemary and Garlic

Pork Tenderloin with Caramelized Pears

Oven-Baked Ziti

Rolled Chicken with Cheese and Greens

Mexican Fish Fillets

Mustard-Pecan Catfish

Fresh Tomato and Ricotta Pizza

Vegetable Frittata

Black Bean Chilaquiles

Crunchy "Oven-Fried" Chicken

Polenta and Meatball Casserole

Portobello Pizzas

Cheeseburger Pie

Dana's Chicken

Barbecued Chicken Pizza

Chicken Enchiladas

Chile Rellenos Bake

Chicken Breasts with Sage and Onion Polenta

Blackberry Salmon

Grouper with Fresh Tomato-Caper Sauce

One-Pot Wonders: Soups, Stews, Chilis, and Chowders

Spicy Broccoli-Cheese Soup

Corn and Crab Chowder with Vanilla

Mushroom-Barley Soup

Carrot and Ginger Soup

Cold Cucumber-Yogurt Soup

African Peanut-Yam Bisque

Stuffed Spud Soup

Italian Vegetable and Meatball Soup

Frogmore Stew

Mid-Week Madness Chili

Coconut-Shrimp Curry

Rustic Chicken Stew with White Beans and Kale

Greek Lemon Soup

Mexican Chicken Soup

From Pasta Pot to Plate Noodles — Topped, Tossed, and Ready to Serve

Cajun Chicken Pasta

Kid-Friendly Asian Beef and Noodles

Linguine with Garlic and Spinach

Pierogi and Spicy Black Beans

Grilled Corn and Red Pepper Feta-ccine

Seashells with Feta, Bacon, and Peas

Linguine with Basil, Tomato, and Brie

Noodles with Greek-Style Meat Sauce

Spaghetti alla Carbonara

Salmon and Broccoli Ravioli

Siciliano Spaghetti with Anchovies and Nuts

Farfalle with Smoked Salmon and Spinach

Fusilli with Sausage and Leeks

Fettuccine with Lemon, Pesto, and Shrimp

Linguine with Gorgonzola Cream Sauce

Angel Hair Pasta with Fresh Tomato-Clam Sauce

Salad Nights: forget the rabbit food

Mixed Field Greens with Pears, Walnuts, and Feta

Strawberry-Spinach Salad with Pecans and Blue Cheese

Steak, Watercress, Radish, and Cucumber Salad

Tuna and Garbanzo Bean Salad

Thai Peanut Noodle Salad

Pasta Salad with Scallops, Peppers, and Pine Nuts

Fried Chicken Salad with Pickled Okra and Cheddar Cheese

Spinach, Smoked Trout, and Plum Salad

Wilted Chicken Salad

Shrimp-Stuffed Tomatoes

Tropical Chicken Salad with Mango and Macadamia Nuts

Black-Eyed Pea and Smoked Turkey Salad with Roasted Peppers

Black Bean-Pepper Jack Salad with Cumin-Lime Dressing

Brown Rice Salad with Oranges and Broccoli Slaw

Antipasto Salad

Wrapped, Rolled, Filled, and Folded Sandwiches, Quesadillas, and More

Smoked Salmon Pinwheels

Mediterranean Wraps

Italian Rolled Sandwiches

Roast Beef and Boursin Wraps

Turkey Club Rolls

Messy Pepper Sandwiches

Coca-Cola Sloppy Joes

Lettuce Wraps with Moo Shu Pork

Melted Mozzarella, Prosciutto, and Fig Jam Sandwiches

Bacon, Tomato, and Avocado Quesadillas

Caprese Sandwich

Sausage and Pepper Calzones

Zap Happy

Microwave Meals Without the Plastic Containers

Kielbasa with Sauerkraut and Apples

Lamb Shanks with Tomato and Mint

Simplified Sole Veronique

Tortilla Pizza with Broccoli and Olives

Red, White, and Green Tortilla Pizza

World's Easiest Homemade Lasagna

Grecian Chicken and Artichoke Casserole

Chicken, Asparagus, and Goat Cheese Packets

Turkey Breast with Cranberry Relish

Cheesey Crab-Stuffed Potatoes

Ham- and Chutney-Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

Short and Sweet Perfect Endings

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Swirl Rice Krispies Bars

Fresh Melon with Mint

Berry Gratin

Gingered Pears in Parchment

Walnut-Raisin Stuffed Baked Apples

Almond Macaroons

Balsamic Strawberries with Mascarpone

Chocolate-Dipped Coconut Macaroons

Brie and Blueberries with Gingersnaps

Harried Man's Rugalach

Chocolate-Hazelnut Napoleons

Ice Cream Mud Pie

Index