Good meals found in ‘Big Book of 30-Minute Dinners’

Wednesday, May 10, 2000 | 10:24 a.m.

When a cookbook gives the promise that meals can be made in 30 minutes, that's good news. And when it's Better Homes and Gardens "Big Book of 30-Minute Dinners" (Meredith Books, $24.95), the promise is certain to be kept.

The more than 270 timesaving recipes are accompanied by full-color photographs.

Fast though they may be, the recipes include nutritional information, helpful cooking tips and menu suggestions. For the truly health conscious, low-fat dishes are marked with a heart.

There's a section of meatless dishes and some terrific desserts, even the heart healthy.

The sampling of recipes that follow couldn't be easier to prepare. They're fast to make and delicious.

Sauteed Sirloin and Mushrooms

1-1 1/4 lbs boneless beef sirloin steak, cut 1/2-inch thick

3/4 tsp herb pepper or 1/4 tsp garlic pepper

1 Tbs margarine or butter

3/4 c. beef broth

1 Tbs hoisin sauce, teriyaki sauce or Worcestershire sauce

1 small onion, cut into very thin wedges

1/2 of an 8-oz package sliced fresh mushrooms (about 1 1/2 c.)

1. Cut steak into 4 serving-size pieces. Sprinkle with herb pepper or garlic pepper. In a 10-inch skillet, cook steak in hot margarine or butter over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes or to desired doneness, turning once. Remove steak from skillet. Keep steak warm.

2. For mushroom glaze, carefully add beef broth and hoisin, teriyaki or Worcestershire sauce to skillet. Cook and stir until bubbly, scraping brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Stir in onion wedges and sliced mushroom. Cook over medium-high heat about 8 minutes or until vegetables are tender and the glaze is reduced by half its volume (to 1 cup). Transfer warm steak to dinner plates and spoon glaze over. Preparation time: 10 minutes; cooking time: 20 minutes.

Makes 4 servings.

Per serving: Calories 247; total fat 13 g; saturated fat 5 g; cholesterol 76 mg; sodium 410 mg; total carbohydrates 3 g; dietary fiber 1g; protein 27 g.

Bottled hoisin sauce, traditionally an Oriental condiment, gives the mushroom glaze a subtle, sweet-and-tangy flavor. Look for hoisin sauce with the Oriental products in your grocery store or in an Oriental market.

Lemon Chicken

4 medium skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (about 1 lb total)

1/3 c. all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp pepper

2 Tbs margarine or butter

1 c. chicken broth

1/4 c. lemon juice

1 Tbs cornstarch

2 green onions, sliced ( 1/4 c.)

Lemon slices, cut in half (optional)

Hot cooked couscous (optional)

Cooked artichoke halves (optional)

1. Rinse chicken; pat dry. Place each chicken breast half, boned side up, between 2 sheets of plastic wrap. Working from the center to the edges. Pound lightly with the flat side of a meat mallet to 1/4-inch thickness. Remove plastic wrap. In a shallow dish stir together flour and pepper. Lightly coat each piece of chicken with the flour mixture.

2. In a large skillet, cook chicken in hot margarine or butter over medium heat for 4 to 6 minutes or until chicken is tender and no longer pink, turning once. Remove chicken from skillet. Keep warm.

3. For sauce, in a small mixing bowl stir together chicken broth, lemon juice, and cornstarch. Add to skillet. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir for 2 minutes more. Stir in green onions. If desired, top chicken with lemon slices. Serve chicken with sauce and, if desired, hot cooked couscous. If desired, garnish with artichoke halves. Preparation time: 25 minutes

Makes 4 servings.

Per serving:

Calories 226; total fat 9g; saturated fat 2g; cholesterol 60mg; sodium 315mg; total carbohydrates 10g; dietary fiber 0g; protein 24g.

(Quick-cooking couscous is the perfect main dish accompaniment for time-pressured cooks. Simply pour boiling water over the couscous; let it stand for 5 minutes. Fluff it with a fork, and it's ready to eat. )

Gingered Peach and Pear Crisp

1 16 oz can peach slices (juice-pack), drained and cut up

1 16 oz can pear halves (juice-pack), drained and cut up

1 tsp grated fresh ginger

1/2 c. finely crushed gingersnaps

1/2 c. quick-cooking rolled oats

2 Tbs brown sugar

1. In an 8-inch quiche dish or 8x1 1/2-inch round baking pan place the peaches, pears and fresh ginger. Toss to mix.

2. In a small bowl stir together the gingersnaps, oats, and brown sugar. Sprinkle evenly over fruit. Bake in a 425-degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until heated through. Preparation time: 15 minutes; baking time: 15 minutes.

Makes 6 servings.

Per serving:

Calories 138; total fat 1g; saturated fat 1g; cholesterol 0mg; sodium 48mg; total carbohydrates 32g; dietary fiber 2g; protein 2g.

(You get a double dose of ginger with each bite of this luscious dessert. Fresh grated ginger flavors the fruit filling, and gingersnaps -- combined with rolled oats -- form the crumb topping.

Keep fresh ginger stored in the freezer. When frozen, it grates easily and there are no messy juices. )