ISO Recipe in less than 40 minutes

I need recipes that can be completed by a class of 8th graders in less than 40 minutes. Can be appetizers, entrees, desserts, whatever.

Would like the recipes to be easy yet include something to teach. I'm not very happy with what has been "taught" so far. For instance, they made a dessert yesterday where they unwrapped ice cream sandwiches, added Cool Whip and a Skoor bar then ate it. OK I've had this before and its very good, but IMO it's not teaching anything other than how to unwrap.

Can you help with recipes for beginners? TIA

Here's a dessert for your students.

Less Fat Brownies from Kraft Kitchens

Prep Time: 10 min
Total Time: 40 min
Makes: 24 servings, 1 brownie each

4 squares BAKER'S Unsweetened Baking Chocolate
1/3 cup canola oil
1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups sugar
8 large egg whites
1 cup flour
1/2 cup PLANTERS Chopped Pecans

LINE 13x9-inch baking pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over edges of pan to form handles. Grease foil.

MICROWAVE chocolate in large microwavable bowl on HIGH 1 minute. Stir until chocolate is completely melted. Add oil, applesauce and vanilla; mix well. Stir in sugar. Add egg whites; stir until well blended. Add flour and pecans; mix well. Spread batter into prepared pan.

BAKE at 350°F for 25 minutes or until brownies start to pull away from sides of pan. Cool completely. Remove brownies from pan, using foil as handles. Cut into 24 squares.

And, here's an appetizer for you.

Tiny Taco Meatballs

2 eggs
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 envelope taco seasoning
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 lbs. ground beef
Taco sauce-optional

In a bowl, combine the first 5 ingredients. Add beef; mix well. Shape into 1 inch balls. Place in a foil-lined 15 x 10 inch baking pan.

Bake at 400º for 14-18 minutes or till meat is no longer pink.

Serve with taco sauce, if desired.

Serves 14-16

Have you considered checking out Rachael Ray's recipe archives for her TV show "30 Minute Meals"?

John

Chicken Fajitas
A tasty "Tex-Mex" treat that can be garnished any way you like.

Ingredients
1 pound of chicken breasts
olive or any vegetable oil
1 large onion sliced
chopped garlic - to taste
1 or 2 Red and/or Green peppers sliced
spices - cayenne pepper, chili powder, pepper, salt
optional - chopped lettuce and tomatoes, olives, sour cream, guacamole, salsa

Directions
Slice onions and chopped garlic.
Saute onions and garlic in a little oil.
Add a sprinkle of chili powder and hot cayenne pepper.
Cut uncooked chicken breasts into strips. (Be sure to wash knives and cooking boards very well after cutting the chicken).
Slice strips of green and/or red peppers.
Add chicken and peppers to the onions, garlic and spices and saute until the chicken is cooked (10-15 min).
For serving, place the chicken and peppers inside of tortillas.
Add sour cream, guacamole, salsa, sliced tomatoes, lettuce, olives or anything else you think would go with it.

Meatball Hero Sandwiches

1 pound extra-lean ground beef
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 30-ounce jar Ragú Old World Style Spaghetti Sauce
6 crusty rolls, split and toasted
6 slices part-skim Mozzarella cheese

In a large bowl, thoroughly combine meat, egg, bread crumbs and seasonings. Shape into 1 1/2" meatballs. In a large skillet, thoroughly brown meatballs on all sides in vegetable oil; drain fat. Add sauce; cover and simmer 30 minutes.
Fill rolls with sliced meatballs. Top with cheese and bake 5 minutes at 350 degrees F. or until cheese melts.

I don't know times, but it looked really interesting.

How to Make Rock Candy

1 large heavy pan
1 metal tablespoon
1 baking pan with sides lined with foil
1 candy thermometer
3 3/4 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups Karo syrup
1 cup water
1 teaspoon favorite candy flavoring (can be purchased at drugstore)
Food coloring of choice
Powdered sugar

Put sugar, Karo syrup, and water into the saucepan, and heat gently until the sugar has dissolved, constantly stirring with the tablespoon.
Bring to a boil and cook, without stirring, until the temperature reaches 310ºF/154ºC.
Remove from heat and add candy flavoring and food coloring.
Pour mixture onto a foil-lined baking pan.
Immediately remove foil from baking pan by sliding the pan out from under it. Pour powder sugar into pan.
As mixture cools, cut with scissors and place in powder sugar.

Pasta Stuffed Pizza Style

30 Jumbo Shells
OR
13 Manicotti Shells, uncooked
3 medium zucchini, grated
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 cup Italian-style bread crumbs
1 1/2 ounces pepperoni slices, torn into small pieces
1 large egg white

SAUCE
3 cups low-sodium tomato sauce
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
3 ounces part-skim Mozzarella cheese, grated
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Prepare pasta according to package directions.
While pasta is cooking, preheat oven to 450ºF. Toss the zucchini with the garlic powder and put it into a colander. Let it sit 5 minutes and then squeeze out as much moisture as possible. In a large bowl, mix zucchini mixture with bread crumbs, pepperoni and egg white, stirring well. In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the ingredients for the sauce.
When pasta is done, drain well. Rinse with cold water and drain again. Stuff the shells with the filling mixture and arrange them in a 9 × 13 × 2-inch pan. Spoon the sauce over pasta and sprinkle with the Mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Bake uncovered 15 to 20 minutes or until the cheese has melted.

Cheese "Steak" Pizza

1 pound ground beef
1 small green or red bell pepper, thin strips
1 small onion (separated into rings), thinly sliced
16 ounces Italian bread shell (approximately 12" diameter)
2 cups low-moisture part-skim Mozzarella cheese, shredded

Heat oven to 400ºF. In large skillet, brown ground beef over medium heat 6 minutes. Add bell pepper and onion; cook 3 to 4 minutes or until beef is no longer pink and vegetables are crisp-tender. Season with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
Place bread shell on baking sheet. Remove beef and vegetables from skillet with slotted spoon; arrange on top of bread shell. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until cheese is melted; cut into 8 wedges.

Thanks everyone. There are some great recipes here.

I did go to Rachel Ray's 30 minute meals and I didn't notice this before, but she uses a lot of 'different' ingredients that I don't think the 13yos will like. I did find a few that would work though, thanks.

Texas Sheet Cake

1 stick butter
1/2 cup crisco
4 tablespoons cocoa
1 cup water
2 cups sugar
2 cups flour
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla
Texas Sheet Cake Icing
1/3 cup milk
3 1/2 tablespoons cocoa
1 stick butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1lb box powdered sugar

1.Place butter, cocoa, water, and Crisco in a pan and boil together. Pour hot mixture over flour and sugar and stir well.
Beat in remaining ingredients and bake in a greased, floured sheet cake pan at 400° for 20 minutes. Top with Texas Sheet Cake Icing while cake is still hot.
2.Boil together milk, cocoa, and butter. Stir in vanilla and powdered sugar. Mix well with hand mixer and pour over Texas Sheet Cake while cake is still hot.
This may have come off this site. If so I am sorry I don't know who to give credit to for the original post.

Cinnamon Syrup

1 1/2 cups sugar
1/3 cup water
2/3 cup white corn syrup
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 5 oz can evaporated milk
1/2 teaspoon almond flavoring
1/2 teaspoon burnt sugar flavoring
1 tablespoon butter

Mix first four (4) ingredients in saucepan & boil for 2 mins. Remove from heat.

Stir in next four ingredients, evaporated milk, flavorings & butter.

Serve with Baked French Toast or over ice cream or apple dessert.

This recipe came fromone of the cookbooks called Tast of Country...they predated taste of home I believe.

Cherry Fluff

1 large Cool Whip®
1 cup miniature marshmallow
1 small can crushed pineapple, drained
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 can cherry pie filling
1 cup coconut
nuts if desired
Fold all ingredients together. Chill. Serve as dessert or salad.

I call these types of recipes "Bachelor Cooking".

Chicken Enchiladas
1 cooked deboned chicken or use large can of chicken 12 1/2 ounce size
2 cans cream of chicken soup (divided)
1 can green chiles
2 bunches diced green onions
1 pint sour cream
12 ounces shredded cheddar cheese
1 10" package flour tortillas

Combine chicken meat, 1 can soup, sour cream, 1 bunch onions, 2/3 of the cheese, & green chiles. Mix together.

Place big heaping spoonful in middle of each tortilla and roll up. Place side by side in 9-13 or larger pan.

Mix other can of soup & rest of green onions. Spread over the rolled up tortillas. sprinkled remaining cheese over top. Cover & bake 350* 30-40 mins.

They might like this.

Smarter Fettuccine Alfredo

Prep Time: 5 min
Total Time: 20 min
Makes: 4 servings, 1 cup each

8 oz. fettuccine, uncooked
1-1/4 cups fat-free reduced-sodium chicken broth
4 tsp. flour
1/3 cup PHILADELPHIA Light Cream Cheese Spread
3 Tbsp. KRAFT 100% Grated Parmesan Cheese, divided
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp. pepper
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

COOK pasta as directed on package.

MEANWHILE, combine broth and flour in medium saucepan. Stir in cream cheese spread, 2 Tbsp. of the Parmesan cheese, the nutmeg and pepper; cook 2 min., stirring constantly with wire whisk until mixture boils and thickens.

DRAIN pasta. Toss with sauce. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese and parsley.