Who doesn’t
enjoy a quick, convenient meal? Since cooking isn’t my favorite thing to do,
I’m not opposed to scooping up a sandwich, pizza or a rotisserie chicken for
dinner. Of course, they’re usually less healthy than homemade foods, but that’s
the price we pay for convenience. Since everyone likes time-saving strategies, how
about trying this:
It’s hard
to digest the idea of mixing food and dirty water, but at least no one had to wash
a pot or pan, and when dinner is done, everything goes back into the dishwasher.
Cooking a meal like that for friends requires a lot of jars, and could produce undesirable
flavors if the lids aren’t tight. But then, short-cuts require sacrifices. When
life feels overwhelming or too complicated, we resort to questionable quick fixes
involving medicines, relationships, and other distractions, which can be
recipes for disaster. What better, long-term do solutions do you suggest?
Our kitchen is closed, at least that’s what the sign on the refrigerator says. It’s really not closed, but sometimes I wish that were true. My husband cooks and enjoys it, so I’m always happy and relieved when he prepares a meal. Although I’m the only one at our house who prefers not to cook, we are a family of big and little foodies. We like watching the cooking shows, sampling different foods and visiting new restaurants. At our house a commonly heard question is: “What’s for dinner?”
Fortunately, my family doesn’t always expect a gourmet meal. Last week one of our kids raved about a friend’s home-made mac and cheese lunch. Our children like our mac and cheese, so I figured this friend’s lunch must have been great! When I approached the mother about her recipe, she laughed and willingly described her very simple “secret”—jarred cheese sauce poured over wheat pasta.
I froze for a second and hoped that our kid, with the discriminating palate, wouldn’t show visible signs of disappointment about the recipe. No worries. My little munchkin, who has helped make oven-baked mac and understands the complexities of mixing in specialty cheeses for fuller flavor, grabbed a pen and wrote down both ingredients. Of course, if I try to serve wheat pasta for dinner, I’d hear, “Hey, what is this stuff?” I suppose we can all benefit from expanding our perspectives on creating simple meals. Watch this:
I probably wouldn’t serve that food combination for dinner. Maybe that’s the beauty of a meal, if it’s quick, healthy and it works for you—go for it. Things don’t always need to be expensive and complicated. What do you enjoy that’s simple, yet satisfying?
Welcome to this week’s foodie tips. In case you’re wondering, a foodie is someone who loves eating, discussing and cooking food. I enjoy the first two, but the cooking part—not really.I’d much rather watch someone else cook. Fortunately for me, my kids inherited their grandmother’s and their father’s love for cooking. They plan to be professional chefs so I foresee many wonderful meals in my future. Until then, you’ll find me cooking out of necessity, and when I’m in the kitchen, I keep it quick and simple.
What’s easier to make than French toast? Actually, I can think of a lot of things—soup for one, especially if it’s right from the can, but that was last week’s post. We’re moving on. Tell me, is there anyone who doesn’t enjoy piping, hot French toast for breakfast?Start with the right bread and your dish will be fabulous. I like to use cinnamon bread, with or without raisins. I call it Double Cinnamon French Toast because there’s tasty cinnamon swirled throughout the bread and then it’s dipped in a cinnamony-egg mixture just before frying. What a yummy treat! By the way, cinnamon is more than delicious, it’s healthy, too. Nutritional experts call cinnamon a super food because the spice helps lower cholesterol levels. So, for tip number one: use cinnamon bread. But since this is a two-for-one deal, I have a second tip for you.
Last month when we were on vacation, I discovered a great way to improve on your classic French toast. With limited frying pans, I could only cook one piece of French toast at a time. Once I finished the first piece, I popped it in the oven to stay warm while the next piece cooked on top of the stove. I’ve read a few recipes that describe how to make French toast in the oven, but if you prepare it on the stove and bake it in the oven at 350 degrees for about seven minutes—you’ve got your own little plate of heaven. I’m not usually proud of my cooking, but that was the best French toast I’ve ever made, pure oven-toasted, cinnamon-laden, crunchy goodness.
I know these aren’t revolutionary tips, but sometimes our best ideas come from our most unexpected sources and experiences. Here’s an opportunity to pick up a few tips from a lady who’s experienced a long, long life:
