When it comes to a quick dinner, every cook could use a helping hand.
But handy "skillet supper" brands sold at the supermarket usually contain powdered seasoning packets and an ingredient list that includes partially hydrogenated oils. As with most packaged foods, fiber content is low.
The Kansas City Star's Southwestern Chicken and Rice Skillet Meal is a fresh take on the skillet concept. Adding beans, corn and brown rice allowed us to significantly bump up the fiber _ to 11 grams _ while enhancing the flavor with fresh peppers, lime juice and fresh herbs.
The most famous skillet meal, Hamburger Helper, was introduced in 1970: "In the annals of pop culture, Hamburger Helper rates right up there with such other 'bad taste' food items as Spam, Easy Cheese, Slim Jims, Twinkies, and TV dinners _ because if you really think about it, how much help does a pound of hamburger really need?" David Mansour writes in "Abba to Zoom: A Pop Culture Encyclopedia of the Late 20th Century" (Andrews McMeel).
The line featured other starch and meat combinations to make a casserole in a skillet. Eventually "hamburger" was dropped from the line's name, and a Whole Grain Helper is available, eliminating the trans fats.
Still, the less processed a food is, the better it is for your overall health.
