By Dennis Oda, Star-Bulletin
KCC student chef James Huang preps
the ingredients for his one-dish pilaf.

So many pots, so many
quick-fix ideas

By Betty Shimabukuro
Star-Bulletin

AT our house the favorite one-pot meal makes it to the table in 10 minutes, and doesn't really qualify as a recipe because it's too simple.

First you throw your favorite pasta into a pot of boiling water. While that's cooking, chop up a bell pepper (or whatever vegetable is lurking in the fridge and doesn't require peeling). Toss the vegetable into the pot for the last minute or so of cooking time. Drain everything, then return it to the pot and pour in a jar of ready-made spaghetti sauce.

The pot goes right to the table and everybody digs in.

This is a respectable one-pot meal, but it's a cheat because it uses prepared sauce. The following recipes use a variety of cooking styles to bring substantial meals to the table without cheating.

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THE CASSEROLE

This is a tough category because so many recipes call for pre-cooked noodles. We were also trying to avoid those high-sodium condensed soups.

This recipe comes from Quick Cooking, a bimonthly magazine full of simple dishes. One regular feature is called "Catchall Casseroles," consisting of readers' tested recipes. Quick Cooking (Relman Publications, $2.99) is available at Borders Books and Music.

Apricot Almond Chicken

1-1/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup uncooked brown rice
1 small onion, chopped
1/4 cup each green and red pepper, chopped
1/4 teaspoon each dried thyme and marjoram
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
4 tablespoons apricot preserves
1/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Combine broth, rice, vegetables and spices in a greased 13-by-9-inch baking dish, mix well. Top with chicken. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 55-60 minutes, until rice is tender.

Uncover stir rice. Spread preserves over the chicken and sprinkle with almonds. Bake 10 minutes longer, or until meat juices run clear. Let stand 5 minutes. Serves 4.

Approximate nutritional analysis, per serving: 456 calories, 11 g fat, 76 g cholesterol, 143 mg sodium.*

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THE CROCK POT

This seems an obvious choice for one-dish meals, except that rice and pastas don't do well in crock pots, leaving you pretty much with the potato alternative.

Mabel Hoffman's classic cookbook has been updated this year (Fisher Books, $13), and includes this intriguing recipe with sauerkraut, something to try for Oktoberfest.

Old World Goulash

1-1/2 pounds boneless beef chuck, in 1-inch cubes
1 onion, sliced
2 teaspoons paprika
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup beef broth
2 medium potatoes, shredded
1 14-ounce can sauerkraut
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon caraway seeds
1/2 cup plain lowfat yogurt of sour cream

In slow cooker, combine beef and onion. Sprinkle with paprika, salt and pepper. Pour broth over all. Top with remaining ingredients, except yogurt. Cover and cook on low 8-9 hours.

Turn off heat, stir in yogurt. Serves 6-7.

Approximate nutritional analysis, per serving: 265 calories, 12 g fat, 78 mg cholesterol, 517 mg sodium.*

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THE DUTCH OVEN

In this type of cooking, aim for vegetables that are easy to prep or can even go in the pot whole. Don't bother with peeling potatoes, and when you do slice things, make the pieces big, both to save time and to keep them from cooking into mush.

The 40 garlic cloves in the first dish can complicate things, but try using the pre-peeled type, or just throw in as many cloves as you can before you get tired of peeling them. The flavor is wonderful.

To cut the fat, skin the chicken first, if that's not too fussy for you.

Roasted Chicken
with Garlic

"365 Easy One-Dish Meals,"
by Natalie Haughton, Readers Digest, 1991, $25

1 (4 to 5 pound) roasting chicken
1 teaspoon paprika
40 garlic cloves, peeled
2 cups baby carrots
4 baking potatoes, unpeeled, cut in quarters
3 celery ribs, in 1/2-inch diagonal slices
1/2 cup dry white wine
4 medium zucchini, in 1-inch diagonal slices

Spray chicken with cooking spray and sprinkle with paprika. Place breast side up in a 5-quart Dutch oven or roasting pan. Surround chicken with garlic cloves, carrots, potatoes and celery. Pour wine over vegetables. Cover and bake at 375 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Remove cover. Place zucchini around chicken and return to oven. Continue roasting another 30 minutes, or until thigh juices run clear. Serves 12.

Approximate nutritional analysis, per serving: 340 calories, 18 g fat, 5 g saturated, 85 mg cholesterol, 110 mg sodium.*

Pot Roast in Red Wine

1 boneless beef chuck roast (2-1/2 to 3 pounds), fat trimmed
1 14-1/2 ounce can diced tomatoes, with juice
1 cup red wine
1 cup water
1 large onion, chopped
4 baking potatoes, cut diagonally in thirds
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 large tomato, cut in eight wedges
3 cups vegetables (bell peppers, zucchini, mushrooms, eggplant, etc.) in large pieces

Coat an ovenproof Dutch oven with cooking spray, then brown the meat. Turn off heat and add tomatoes, wine, water, onion, potatoes, cumin and pepper.

Cover and bake in a 350 degree oven for 2-1/2 hours. Pour tomato wedges and vegetables over meat, replace cover and bake another 30 minutes or until meat is very tender. Serves 12.

Approximate nutritional analysis, per serving: 365 calories, 22 g fat, 9 g saturated, 80 mg cholesterol, 130 mg sodium.*

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THE MICROWAVE

If you don't have fresh pasta, you can use dry spaghetti, but double the cooking time and add liquid (wine would be nice). It cooks with the vegetables, believe it or not, although the result is a little sticky.

"Microwave Cooking Library: One Dish Meals"
Ratatouille Pasta cooks up in the microwave.

Ratatouille Pasta

"Microwave Cooking Library: One Dish Meals,"
by Barbara Methven, Cy De Cosse Inc., 1991

4 ounces uncooked fresh angel-hair pasta
2 cups chopped eggplant
1 cup chopped green pepper
1 14-ounce can chopped tomatoes, with juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Place pasta in the bottom of a casserole dish. Top with vegetables. Pour tomatoes over all and sprinkle with spices. Cover and microwave on high for 4-5 minutes or until pasta is tender.

Release steam, then recover and let stand 5 minutes. Before serving, toss gently.

Approximate nutritional analysis, per serving: 530 calories, 15 g fat, no cholesterol, 650 mg sodium.*