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Are you ever in need of an easy, fast recipe with minimum ingredients?

Those seem to be some of my favorites. Because we can never have enough of them, please send us your favorites that you turn to when you need to serve dinner quick.

They can be those recipes your family loves or ones you whip up when unexpected guests arrive.

In the meantime, Eleanor Garvey of Tyler sent this recipe from her son Mark Garvey in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. She said he swears it is great:

GREATEST CARAMELS YOU WILL EVER TASTE

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 pound brown sugar

1/2 pound butter (use sweet butter, Garvey said, don't skimp and get margarine.)

8 ounces Kayro syrup

Dump everything in a cooking pot big enough to hold it. Put it on low-medium heat and start stirring. Keep stirring until it starts to bubble (you are looking for 275 degrees, but Garvey said he doesn't have a candy thermometer so he watches for bubbles.) Stir for 20 minutes after starting to boil.

The goal is to keep it from sticking and burning. Butter a 9-inch by 13-inch cooking sheet with edges and pour the mixture out and let cool completely. Cut the caramel into appropriate size pieces and wrap in waxed paper.

Garvey said he makes his about 1/2-inch by 1 1/2 inches or so. It makes about 1 1/2 to 2 pounds. Garvey said he has tried both dark and light brown sugar and likes the dark a bit better. Boil too long, he warns, and they will be harder. Boil too briefly and they are soft.

Here are recipes from the Texas Beef Council:



ITALIAN STEAK AND PASTA

1 pound beef top round steak

1/2 cup prepared fat-free Italian dressing

1 clove garlic, crushed

1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper

2 teaspoons olive oil

2 medium zucchini, quartered and cut into quarters

1 1/2 cups sliced mushrooms

1 can (14 1/2 ounces) diced Italian seasoned tomatoes, undrained

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

2 cups cooked bow tie pasta

Grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Chopped fresh basil (optional)

Place beef, dressing and garlic in a sealable plastic bag. Close bag securely, turning once to coat. Marinate in refrigerator 6 to 8 hours or overnight. Remove steak from marinade.

Discard marinade. Press black pepper evenly into both sides of steak. Heat large nonstick skillet over medium heat until hot.

Add steak and cook 11 to 12 minutes for medium-rare doneness turning once. Remove steak, season with salt if desired and keep warm.

In the same skillet, heat oil until hot.

Add zucchini and mushrooms. Stir fry 2 to 3 minutes or until tender.

Add tomatoes and red pepper. Cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add pasta and heat through. Meanwhile, carve steak crosswise into thin slices.

Serve over vegetable and pasta mixture. Sprinkle with cheese and basil if desired.

GINGER BEEF

AND NOODLE SOUP

1 pound lean ground beef

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 can (13 to 14 ounce) beef broth

2 cups water

1 package (3 ounces) beef-flavored instant ramen noodles, broken up

3 cups frozen broccoli stir-fry vegetable mixture

In Dutch oven, brown ground beef over medium heat until outside surface is no longer pink (about 5 to 6 minutes.) Pour off drippings. Season with ginger, salt and pepper.

Stir in broth, water and seasoning packet from ramen noodles; bring to a boil.

Stir in noodles and vegetables; return to a boil. Continue cooking 2 to 3 minutes until noodles are tender.

If you have a request or would like to share a recipe, write to Readers' Swap, Tyler Morning Telegraph, P.O. Box 2030, Tyler, 75710 or e-mail food@tylerpaper.com.