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A QUICKIE MEAL THAT IS EASY...AND GANGBUSTERS


Typically, the other afternoon I spent too much time on the computer. It was well past 6 o'clock and I was starting to feel hunger pangs. I had to get my thinking cap on in order to come up with a quick plan for supper -- and before the opening faceoff of the Toronto Maple Leafs hockey game on TV.

 I knew that I had some fresh hamburger in the refrigerator and all I had to do was come up with a way to prepare it. I was not in the mood for a hamburger (didn't have buns anyway) and I wanted something a little different from my go-to goulash recipe which is always an ace-in-the-hole at times like that.

First and foremost I had to take stock of what I had on hand. Why not try mixing the hamburg with seven-grains rice and topping it off with a mushroom-tomato sauce in a one-shot, main course dish? Wouldn't hurt to add a side of broccoli and cauliflower to go along with it...Might even have half an avocado drizzled with French dressing as a salad of sorts. Worked for me...Something different that I couldn't remember ever trying before. It was worth giving a whirl.

 Problem solved! 

 End result: Excellent. Suited my taste buds to a T on this cold December evening and it was ready in less than 45 minutes. Very little fuss and muss. I'm going to be making this one again soon.

 Here's the ingredients and how I put it all together. 

 1 lb. ground beef, lean or medium
1 cup uncooked Uncle Ben's 7-Grains rice
1 cup Classico Roasted Mushroom/Tomato pasta sauce
1/2 tbsp. garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste
Shredded Cheddar or Parmesan cheese optional
Two or three florets each of broccoli and cauliflower
1/2 avocado
French or Ranch dressing

 Preparation: In a separate covered pot boil rice as per directions on package, abt. 25 minutes. Cook ground beef in a large skillet abt. 15 minutes until browned. Add cooked rice to meat in skillet, season to taste with garlic, salt and pepper and combine with sauce...Simmer for five another minutes, stirring often. Meantime, boil vegetables for five minutes (I prefer a la dente). Cut avocado in half, remove pit and fill hollow centre with desired salad dressing. Plate main dish and vegetables, sprinkle all with shredded cheddar or Parmesan cheese and serve while hot. Enjoy!

 Note: This recipe makes enough for two meals, so it is perfect for next-day leftovers; making it all the more economical. I even saved some as a special treat for my dog Matilda. She loved it too.

 For dessert I generally like a fresh fruit of some description and a cookie, or two. Because time got away from me this particular day and I failed to do grocery shopping, I had neither item on hand so I broke up a raisin bran muffin in a microwave dish, added some Aunt Jemima pancake syrup and re-heated it for 60 seconds. It was for all the world just like Christmas pudding. Creativity is the mother of invention, my mother always told me.

 Coming up next: Slow--cooker lemon chicken.

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