I can't cook, nor do I like to spend a lot of time cooking; therefore, I am always looking for food items that taste great, but can be prepared with no talent and in a minimal amount of time. [Assume the cook is six years old.]

I have implemented many of the following recipes and have received compliments from a variety of people (I've gone to a lot of pot-less pot lucks). If I can implement these recipes, then so can you!

Artichoke Dip

If you like chips and artichokes, then this dip may hit the spot.

Artichoke Garlic Bread

If you like bread and artichokes, then you will probably like this artichoked-based french bread. It reminds me of white pizza.

Baked Beans

A baked beans recipe... big deal. But these beans are flavorable and easy to prepare.

Banana Bread

This is an easy to make banana bread that uses Post's Banana Nut Cereal.

Beer Brats

If you like beer and brats, then you will like the way I make beer brats.

Best Brownies Ever

The one and only brownie recipe you will ever need (so says Marie).

Brand Name Beans

Tomato, beans, beans, beans, and hamburger.

Chicken Canterbury

A chicken/noodle casserole that is easy to make and is mighty tasty. It has a hint of curry along with cheese and bread crumbs.

Chili Dog Casserole

This is an easy, quick, and tasty casserole.

Corn Dog Casserole

This is a casserole that tastes like corn dogs.

Corn Spoonbread

If you like corn and corn bread, then you will like this stuff.

Crunchy Apple Pie

This apple pie sounds as if it is awesome.

DebbieK's Cream Puffs

If you like creamed filled pastries, then you will enjoy DebbieK's cream puffs.

Dirt

Looks like dirt but tastes great. Serve it in a flower pot and have some fun with it.

Dog Biscuits

Here is a treat that your dog will enjoy.

Four Soup Casserole

This recipe is difficult to mess up -- hamburger, four different soups and some chow mein noodles. Mix and bake and eat.

Grilled Cheese

An all-time favorite. Grilled cheese sandwiches are very popular at Phish concerts.

Hamburger Masa

This dish sounds filling. Eat a helping and take a nap.

Happiness

Good food helps us be happy.

Homemakers Holiday Casserole

If you substitute tuna for the spam, then this makes a great tuna casserole.

Hotdogs

A simple hotdog recipe from an Ethel, Missouri, cookbook.

Hot Five Bean Dish

This is a crock pot recipe that offers a nice alternative to baked beans.

Kitty Heaven

Your cat will appreciate this recipe. If it doesn't send your cat to heaven, then try Cat Cookies.

M & M Cookies

These cookies are great, but be sure you don't bake them to long. They need to come out nice and soft.

Marie's Recipe With No Name

Black-eye peas with jasmin rice and a few extras to add some flavor.

Mexican Lasagna

Lasagna made using chicken, tortillas, salsa, cheese, and other stuff.

Millennium BBQ Meatballs

Excellent sausage-based BBQ meatballs.

Parmesan Crusted Chicken

I found a recipe at E-Cookbooks.com for Olive Garden's Parmesan Crusted Chicken and I liked it.

Savory Chicken

Kim's savory chicken: a dish of stimulating flavor.

Spaghetti Omelet

This omelet is great, plus it looks really good.

Spaghetti Pie

Standard spaghetti pie recipe. Tough to mess up.

SPAMburger Hamburger

I admit to never having tried this. Just doesn't sound all that good to me.

Steak and Beans

A tasty crock pot dish from KimR (formerly KimM) @ SCC.

Taffy Apple Salad

It's a salad, not, it's a dessert, not, it's a salad, not, it's a dessert, ..., hey try it and decide for yourself.

Tator Tot Casserole

It tastes like cheeseburger on a bun, yet it contains no cheese and no bread. The recipe was obtained from an old John F. Long cookbook and it has a bunch of variations.

Big Apple has been one of my favorite restaurants since moving to the Valley in 1985. Their beef ribs are great and it's all you can eat for $9.95. [When I moved to Phoenix, all-you-can-eat beef ribs was $6.95.]

Cafe Istanbul is a nice, family operated long time favorite. The "Beef Shawarma" is what I always get. On the weekends they have a belly dancer who can do interesting things with her belly (plus she is really cute). This place is located in Tempe on the northside of Apache Boulevard between McClintock and Rural.

Chuy's is a fun spot with good food. Sometimes the salsa is very good. The last time I was there the chips were salted nicely. I like the fish sandwich with some sauce. The food at Chuy's is a good deal. The margarita's are always satisfying.

Four Peaks has great beer and good food. The place is popular with lots of outside seating. The Hefeweizen is excellent. It is a bit off the main drag, but that only enhances its location.

Harlow's Cafe is great place for breakfast. Located at Hardy and University in Tempe, dining here makes you feel as if you are eating in some mom & pop restaurant located in the Midwest. The food is great and fills you up [the pancakes are super]. The service is excellent and enjoyable. Harlow's looks innocent from the outside, but don't let that turn you off. This place has charm and character.

Hong Kong Restaurant, located on the NW corner of Dobson and Southern in Mesa, offers a great value. For $5.00 (US) you can get a whopping bowl of soup. I like the "House Special Soup" which comes hot with all kinds of stuff in it (seafood, pork, veggies and noodles). You really do eat this soup with a fork.

LaFondas is without question the best Mexican food restaurant in town. It is located on the NW corner of Rural and Curry in Tempe. It is fast, friendly, and family operated. Excellent re-fried beans and unbelievable salsa.

Terriyaki Kitchen is one of those many Japanese fast food places (a.k.a. Tokyo Express, Kyoto Bowl, Tokyo Stop, and so forth). I've tried many of these places - and I like them all - but this is my favorite. The "House Chicken" is always good. This place is located on the NE corner of Dobson and Guadalupe in Mesa.

External Food Related Hyperlinks...

CookingForEngineers.com is a FoodHacker.info-like website that is more serious about food than FoodHacker is.

ConsumerFreedom.com:: Declaration of Food Independence { cartoon}

AzReporter.com:: Recipes-@-Your-Service offers up many good recipes.

TopSecretRecipes.com is a website that is "Creating Kitchen Clones of America's Favorite Brand-Name Foods." Be sure to visit their candy bar wrapper collection.

SINKIE.com:: Standing In Nutritious Kitchens Ingesting Everything was founded in 1991 and it is also known as The International Association of People Who Dine Over the Kitchen Sink.

FoodTimeLine.org provides a history of when foods started to become popular. Example: Worcestershire Sauce (1835), Jello (1897), Gatorade (1965), and so on.

ConnieQCooking.com is a "collection of great recipes, links, and bread recipes." Connie Q's Cooking includes a free how to make bread video.

Author: Gerald D. Thurman [gdt@deru.com]