5 easy one-pot dinners

Streamline your supper with these family-friendly recipes:

• Greek Chicken with Olives and Potatoes
• Paella with Sausage and Peas
• Crazy Tacos in a Pan
• Salmon, Broccoli and Potato Gratin
• Slow Cooker Pork Tenderloin with Sweet Potatoes and Apples


Five easy ways to reduce pots and that dreaded dishwashing:

Think outside the pan. You can often eliminate a step in a recipe by combining several cooking processes into one. For example, steam two vegetables at once, rather than separately. Cook the potatoes in the gravy for the stew. Let the rice cook in the sauce for the chicken, instead of steaming it by itself.

Half-baked is better than not baked at all. Whenever possible, precook ingredients the night before to cut down on last-minute preparation. Cook the pasta, rinse and refrigerate to use in the next day’s casserole. Peel and steam the potatoes and broccoli, arrange in the baking dish, and it’ll be all ready for tomorrow’s dinner. Brown the chicken or ground beef ahead of time to save a step when you’re in a hurry.

The poor slow cooker gets no respect. We stuff it in the back of the closet; we hide it on top of the cupboard; we forget we even have the sad, neglected thing. Take it out and let it have fun with all your other appliances. Not only does a slow cooker produce a meal practically all by itself, but it lets you make those delicious long-simmered stews you wouldn’t otherwise have time to cook. (See the Slow Cooker Pork Tenderloin recipe.)

Two veggies are usually better than one. Add some steamed carrots or green beans to your famous macaroni casserole. Include chunks of zucchini or butternut squash in the spaghetti sauce. Throw a handful of peas into the stew. Bingo! You’ve eliminated the need to prepare and serve a vegetable separately. (This obviously doesn’t work well with kids who don’t like their food touching.)

Carrot sticks are a salad. When all else fails, cook a pot of mac and cheese, cut up some carrot or celery sticks and call it a meal. I mean, we do what we have to do. Tomorrow, for sure, you’ll make a three-course gourmet dinner, complete with candles on the table and a flower arrangement (or, at the very least, the day after tomorrow).

What are some of your favourite one-pot meals?