wanted easy food preperation suggestions

Don't be afraid of the kitchen... you might even learn to enjoy cooking!
I know it's sometimes hard to cook for just yourself, but if you learn a
few simple, healthy recipes, it's always a nice option.

I have a George Foreman grill, and although it doesn't prepare food the
way it would taste on an outdoor grill, it's pretty easy and very quick.
What I like best about it is that I can take a frozen chicken breast and
pop it on the grill - it's done in 8 minutes. (I buy the flash-frozen
boneless, skinless kind - they're pretty flat and even, and about an inch
thick.) It's great when I don't have anything else to eat - I can grab
one straight out of the freezer and still have dinner prepared in about
15 minutes. It's also good for fish and meat, but it seems to work best
with foods that are about 1" thick. A warning, though - you may find that
some of the cooking times in the booklet are too long, so check whatever
you're cooking at after 1/2 to 3/4 of the recommended cooking times. Food
cooked this way is pretty bland (it tends to taste sort of "steamed"), so
be prepared to add something for flavor, whether it's seasonings,
marinades, or sauces (checking the carbs, of course).

Here are two simple recipes:

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Pan-Seared Steak (don't bother if you like your steaks more than medium):

1 steak, 1 to 1 1/4" thick (preferably tenderloin, ribeye, or strip)
salt
pepper

Heat a heavy skillet over high heat until hot. Meanwhile, thoroughly dry
both sides of the steak with a paper towel, and season both sides
gererously with salt and pepper. When the skillet is hot, lay the steak
in it. If cooking more than one, leave at least 1/4" of space between
them. Reduce the heat to medium-high and cook, not moving the steaks, for
about 4 minutes or until well-browned. Flip the steak and cook 4 more
minutes for rare, 5 minutes for medium-rare, and 6 minutes for medium.
Transfer the steak to a plate, place a tent of foil over it, and let rest
for 5 minutes before serving.
====================

Shrimp Scampi (serves 2)

2 Tablespoons butter
1 clove garlic, minced (the stuff that comes packed in a jar
in oil is easy, if you don't want to bother with garlic cloves).
If you REALLY don't want to bother with fresh garlic, use
1/8 teaspoon of garlic powder instead
1 teaspoon minced fresh parsley
(or about 1/2 teaspoon of dried parsley flakes)
1/8 teaspoon dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon lemon juice (bottled is okay, but fresh squeezed is better)
8 ounces (1/2 pound) COOKED shrimp

Melt the butter in a skillet over low heat. Add garlic, parsley, oregano,
salt, and lemon juice. Stir until well blended. Add shrimp and heat
through.

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A. Brown
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