For all those who still believe that only homemade food can keep you healthy – legend, kitchen Empress and Hampton’s ambassador ‘Barefoot Contessa’ Ina Garten shows you another way. After a hectic work schedule and multiple in-home demands, you can always opt for healthy semi homemade recipes. Whether it is a quick dinner, or a dessert that you forgot to make – these half-ready recipes ensure that you are in no way short of food, when in short of time and energy.
As easy as they are to make – and the rush that they manage to handle, here are some of the easiest of the half-done recipes for you to pick up –
Table of Contents
Which are the easiest semi homemade recipes to make?
The measurements are based on US standards for the cups and cutlery used.
In this section, you will see some of the easiest and fastest recipes that you can cook up within a short time –
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Pesto Pizza
This is one of the most-opted semi homemade recipes that you can try! A pizza, after all, never disappoints anyone.
What do you need?
- Frozen bread dough (thawed) – 1 pound/loaf
- Shredded Parmesan cheese – 1/2 cup
- Dried oregano and basil – 1/2 teaspoon each
- Partly skimmed shredded Mozzarella cheese – 1 cup
- Sliced fresh mushroom – 1 cup
- Pesto (prepared) – 1/4 cup
How to make it?
- You will have to pre-heat the oven to 425 degrees F and keep the dough on a floured area (lightly spread with all-purpose flour) for 10 minutes.
- You will then have to knead the Mozzarella cheese with basil and oregano. Then you must roll it into a circular format and place it on a pizza pan. The pan must be of 14-inches.
- As you bake the mixture for 10 minutes, spread the Pesto sauce on the crust. On top of this, sprinkle the leftover parmesan and mozzarella cheese, and mushrooms.
- Put it to bake for another 10 minutes till it turns golden brown.
2. Pineapple Dump Cake
When done with pizzas, a sweet dish can always calm your cravings. Here’s checking out what the dump cake offers –
What do you need?
- Regular-size yellow cake mix – 1 pack
- Undrained crushed pineapple – 20 ounces / 1 can
- Drained maraschino cherries – 6 ounces/ 1 medium-sized jar
- Chopped and toasted pecans – 1/2 cup
- Brown sugar (packed) and butter – 1/4 cup each
- Vanilla ice cream – 1 cup (optional)
How to make it?
- You will have to microwave-melt the butter and blend it with the brown sugar. Then you must evenly coat the bottom of a slow-cooker with this mixture and sprinkle it with pecans and cherries. Put the pineapple on top of this.
- Once that is done – put in the dry cake mix over this in a manner that it adds a layer on top of the already coated mixture. After you do that, melt the butter and drizzle it from the top onto this cake mixture.
- Cover this concoction and cook on a high flame for 2 hours. If you cannot fathom the actual scenario – you will have to make the mixture frothy. Then put it off the stove.
- Open the cover of the cooker and let it stand for half an hour. You can then serve it topped with vanilla ice cream.
3. Quick Onion Chicken
You have had it before but never thought it could make it to the list of semi homemade recipes. Well, now that it is here, let’s quickly check the cooking procedure so that you can fix it real quickly –
What do you need?
- Skinless and boneless chicken breasts – halved/ 4 pieces of 4 ounces each
- Worcestershire sauce – 1 tablespoon
- Crushed and French fried onions – 1 can (approximately 2.8 ounces each)
- Ground mustard – 1 teaspoon
- Melted butter – 1/2 cup
How to make it?
- Take a bowl and start by blending the mustard, sauce and butter. Keep the onion fries aside on another plate.
- Grease a baking dish with some amount of butter (drizzle the butter).
- Take the chicken pieces and dip them in the butter-sauce mixture. Once that is done, now coat them with the onion mixture.
- Now you will have to bake these chicken pieces for half an hour at 400 degrees F (make sure that they are crispy). If you cannot figure out the ideal temperature – keep the thermometer stagnant at 165 degrees.
4. Quick White Chili Chicken
If you are a lover of chilli chicken, then this dish wrapped in white gravy is one of the best semi homemade recipes that you can try. Here’s how to do it –
What do you need?
- Chunks of white chicken – drained and total 15 ounces (1 can of 10 ounces, 1 can of 5 ounces)
- Drained and rinsed great Northern beans – 48-50 ounces (1 jar)
- Whole milk and cour cream – 1 cup each (you might need additional sour cream)
- Minced cilantro – 2 tablespoons (keep some additional aside)
- Chopped green chillies – 4 ounces
- Blended and shredded Italian cheese – 1 cup
- Salt-free seasoning – 1 teaspoon
How to make it?
- Take a bowl and blend the chicken and northern beans with milk, sour cream and green chillies.
- Once you have blended it well, put it on a high flame and bring it to a boil. When you do that, then remove it from heat. Consequently, add the cheese and cilantro. You have to keep stirring the cheese until it melts. Sprinkle the cilantro on top of that.
- Serve it with an extra dip of sour cream.
5. 8-layer Casserole
If you are looking for semi homemade recipes there’s no chance that you can miss out on a casserole. This 8-layer one is easy to make, and you can have it right from the tray!
What do you need?
- Frozen home-style egg noodles – 1 pound
- Frozen spinach – 2 packs of 10 ounces each. You will have to thaw it and squeeze it dry.
- Ground beef – 2 pounds
- Italian seasoning (flakes of basil and parsley) and sugar – 2 teaspoons each
- Garlic powder and salt – 1 teaspoon each
- Dried onion minced – 1 tablespoon
- Cheddar cheese and Shredded cheese – 1 cup each
- Sour cream and milk – 1 cup each
- Pepper – 1/2 teaspoon
- Softened cream cheese – 8 ounces
- Tomato sauce – 2 cans of 15 ounces each
How to make it?
- You will have to begin by preheating the oven to 350 degrees F and cooking the noodles as per instriuctions. Grease a baking dish with a dab of butter for later usage.
- Once you have done that, you will have to – cook the beef over medium heat. When you are done cooking it, you will have to crumble the meat and drain it. Keep it aside.
- Take another skillet and add tomato sauce, seasonings, sugar and onion in it and bring it to boil. After that, cover it and let it simmer for 10 minutes.
- In the meantime, you will have to blend the milk, sour cream and the cream cheese.
- Divide the noodles into two halves and place one half on the baking sheet. Sprinkle 3 cups of meat mixture (cooked beef blended with the sauce-seasonings mixture) over the noodles.
- On top of this, you will have to layer the blending of cream cheese and milk alongwith the remaining noodles, spinach and remaining meat mixture. Coat this whole with the cheeses that you have set aside. Technically you will have to sprinkle it, but ensure that the coating is generous.
- Lastly you will have to bake this for close to 45 minutes without the cover (ensure that it bubbles). Leave it for 10 minutes before you serve.
6. Rice Potpourri
If you are in the mood for absolutely nothing but still have hunger pangs tapping at your stomach, a potpourri of rice friend with a range of veggies and shreds of meat!
What do you need?
- Cooked rice – 4 cups
- Cooked and diced chicken – 1 cup
- Chicken broth – 1 tablespoon
- Beaten eggs – 2
- Soy sauce and canola oil – 3 tablespoons each
- Salt, pepper and ground ginger – 1/4 teaspoon each
- Stir-fried vegetable blend – 1 1/2 cups – frozen
- Cooked and crumbled bacon strips – 4
- Minced garlic clove – 1
- Sliced green onions – 1/2 cup
How to make it?
- You will have to start making this potpourri by doing up the eggs. Combine the eggs and salt and scramble them (piece them into small pieces). Set it aside.
- Now take the rice and stir fry it in oil (medium heat) for 5 minutes. Once that is done – add the frozen vegetables, garlic and onion to this rice and continue stir-frying it for another 5 minutes.
- As you see the rice becoming crispier, add the chicken to it and continue the frying process. While you fry, combine pepper, broth and soy sauce with ginger and keep the mix aside.
- After you have finished stir-frying the rice, put it into this blend and coat it with the mixture. When you have coated it completely – add the bacon and eggs to it. Put it on medium heat for another 3-5 minutes (a minimal time so that it does not burn). Clearly, this is one of the most-opted semi homemade recipes you may prepare at any time!
What to remember before picking a semi-homemade recipe?
As you already know that these half-done meals save you both time and energy (albeit nutritiously), it is crucial that you remember specific points before picking up any of the ‘canned’ products.
- Check out the nutrition level of that product. Though most canned products are packed with high amounts of salt, fats and preservatives, there are companies who market their products minus these ‘additionals.’ You must pick those products (the details are on the can).
- When you pick up any of these semi homemade recipes, you will find there is strict portion control. With that – be assured you will manage to control your diet and opt for the portion that you prefer.
- Lastly, if you are allergic or sensitive, you can choose a recipe catering to your demands.
Wrapping up
“When you don’t like to cook, just take it out of a can!’ – That’s exactly is the magic of semi homemade recipes! If you liked these recipes, then let us know in the comments section. For more recipes and cooking-related news, keep browsing through this website.
Monalisa Mukherjee is a content writer, copywriter and editor with 4 years of experience. She has written for websites like Biography Talk, The Rich Net Worth, Contour Cafe, He And She Fitness and Fiction Pad. She is currently associated with a noted Digital Marketing Agency and specialises in writing press release, guest posts, articles on travel, entertainment, food recipes, celebs, lifestyle, tech, health, and fashion.
