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Whether you love to cook or your relationship with cooking is of the love-hate variety, we can all use more easy, no-fuss dinner ideas. Some nights there’s just not time to clean up after a labor-intensive cooking session. Check out our top ideas for this month below.
Option 1: No Cooking
The lowest fuss option is to not cook at all. Here are a couple of ideas for eating in without cooking.
Rotisserie and More
The supermarket rotisserie chicken is a tried-and-true favorite. You can usually find an entire roasted chicken for $6-10. It’s flavorful and moist, and it’s more meat than two people would generally eat at dinner. That means leftovers for lunch!
For a complete meal, pair your roast chicken with a couple of sides from the deli counter. This no-fuss dinner option allows you to eat at home, and it’s far cheaper than eating out.
Give the Freezer a Second Look
Frozen entrees have come a long way. It’s not just TV dinners and chicken nuggets anymore. If you haven’t looked in a while, check out today’s selection of prepared, frozen foods, especially at higher-end grocers like Whole Foods. You’ll be amazed at the quality and the variety.
Option 2: No-Fuss Cooking
It’s possible to cook an easy, no-fuss meal at home. Here are a few ideas.
Slow Cooker Meals
The slow cooker is a time-tested way to create no-fuss meals. Cheesy bacon ranch chicken is one tasty slow cooker casserole that’s simple to make. With cheese, bacon, and ranch, you can bet kids will love it, too.
Another slow-cooker favorite is slow cooker chicken burrito bowls. This recipe is a homemade take on your favorite fast-casual burrito joint’s burrito bowl, and it couldn’t be much simpler to make.
One-Pan Meals
One-pan meals like this lemon thyme roasted chicken thighs taste great, but better still, they confine clean-up to just one pan!
Conclusion
These easy, no-fuss dinner ideas will simplify your life, whether you’re a newcomer to the Chicago apartments scene or you’ve lived here a long time. The city is vibrant and varied, and you’ll love the modern touches at The Montrose. Contact us today to learn about what sets us apart in Chicago, Illinois.
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If you are shutting down the grill after cooking the main course, you are likely missing out on the delicious taste of grilled fruit desserts. The hot grill definitely has a way of elevating the flavor and texture of your favorite fruits. To experience this taste sensation, try these three grilled fruit desserts the next time you grill at your apartments in Chicago.
Peaches a la Mode
You can simply split the peaches in half, remove the pit and place them on the grill. Turn them every couple of minutes to allow the sugars to caramelize and grill marks to develop. You can set the peaches off to the side to slowly cook and soften after you create the grill marks. Pull the peaches off the grill when they are tender and warm. Cut into slices and place a big scoop of ice cream on top to create this awesome dessert.
Chocolate-Drizzled Bananas
Cut your peeled bananas in half once lengthwise and place on the grill for a few minutes. When perfectly ripe, the bananas cook fast, so watch them carefully. Pull them off when they have grill marks on one side. Drizzle chocolate fudge sauce over the top of the bananas, and then enjoy this dessert with guests at your Chicago apartments. You can drizzle the bananas with strawberry or blueberry syrup instead if you or your guests prefer.
Pineapple Shortcake
Peel, core and cut your pineapple to create thin slices. Place these slices on the grill for up to four minutes per side. Remove when they are piping hot and caramelized. Throw a few slices on top of the shortcake and cover with homemade whipped cream to finish this dessert.
Make sure to serve all these treats when they are still warm for the ultimate experience. You can substitute almost any of your favorite fruits in these recipes as long as they will not fall through the grill. As you clean up after dinner and dessert, reflect on your home and whether you are ready for an upgrade. If so, you can give our team a call at 866-659-3593 to learn about the apartment floor plans available at The Montrose.
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]]>The post Staples for Cooking on a Budget appeared first on The Montrose Apartments Blog.
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Making meals at home is often cheaper and healthier than eating out, but even cooking at home gets expensive when you don’t shop wisely. Stock up on versatile, low-priced staples to create tasty meals on a budget. While canned goods are one type of staple, these often take up a lot of space and limit your menu. Residents of our Chicago apartments who are looking to make delicious, low-cost meals, consider these staples.
The Basics
Pasta, grains and beans offer an amazing variety of choices and are suitable for numerous dishes and types of cuisine. They also have a long shelf life and can be spiced up with other essentials. Stock several different shapes of pasta, lentils, beans of various flavors and grains like white and brown rice, quinoa and couscous.
Oils & Sauces
You can easily add flavor and a little pizzazz to any dish with a variety of oils and sauces. These staples can be used independently or combined to create tons of dressings and sauces to liven up boring fare. Most don’t require refrigeration, but some must be refrigerated after opening. Include soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, honey, hot sauce, mayonnaise, mustard, ketchup and a variety of oils and vinegars.
Spice It Up
Another way to add unique flavor to bland dishes is by experimenting with spices. While cheap spices aren’t as good as more expensive versions, you can still make amazing meals with generic store spices. Buy spices in bulk to save money and keep a varied collection on hand. Besides salt and pepper, some basics to stock include garlic powder, chili powder, curry powder, cumin, turmeric, cayenne pepper, oregano, paprika, rosemary, thyme and vanilla extract.
Save Even More
Dry goods like flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and cornstarch are typically the least expensive ingredients to stock. Save money by purchasing these and other staples in bulk, instead of pre-packaged. Store items in heavy-duty zipper storage bags to save money on fancy storage containers.
The Montrose in Chicago’s historic Uptown neighborhood offers studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments with outstanding city and Lake Michigan views. We also have an on-site Jewel-Osco Grocery Store to make shopping for your essentials even easier. Call (866) 659-3593 to tour our available floor plans today!
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