Many people I know say they don’t cook--don’t have the time or the know-how. The way I look at it is that after breathing, eating is the most frequent thing we must do or we die. So if it is necessary, why not make it a good thing? The slow food movement has basically the same goal. But the unfortunate name makes the harried rat racer avoid the subject. But it does not have to be that way.
I know cooking seems like a burden. You have to plan and shop and chop and clean up. But what is the alternative? I notice that when I get lazy (and yes, there are times when I think it is too much trouble to make a meal) I find that I resort to convenient foods that never seem to satisfy my hunger. So I keep snacking around and then I fell gross for the next couple of days. I suppose if you did that all the time you would not realize that you really don’t feel too good and would just keep doing it.
But I have a few suggestions to get you out of that routine of mindless eating of prepared foods. Following these ideas makes it relatively easy and believe me, the people in my house are very happy.
First, I learned back in the cookbook days that anything is possible, even on short notice, if you keep a well-stocked pantry. Once full of the basic items you simply add that item to your shopping list for the week when you use it and you never have to worry about having things on hand. So take some time and make sure you have flour, sugars, salt, canned beans, dried rice and legumes, pastas (orzo, spaghetti, penne) crackers, vinegars, oils, etc. And start collecting dried herbs and seasonings. My favorites are the bulk herbs and spices hanging in the Mexican food section. Put those in air tight jars (they have cute clamp lid jars at World Market) when you get home and you will have an ample stock that will last quite a while. Go for cinnamon, coriander, cumin, garlic powder, powdered ginger, cloves, star anise, red chile flakes, dried chiles, chile powder, whatever strikes your fancy. And don’t forget the cooking spray! Pam is good and there are some that are olive oil that are great.
Then, stock up on meats. Buy in bulk at Costco, Sam’s or on sale at the grocery store. Fill your freezer with ground beef, short ribs, pork chops, chicken breasts, whole chickens, fish and shrimp. Repackage them in amounts that you will use at a time. Also buy bulk nuts--pecans, walnuts, hazlenuts, almonds and store them in your freezer.
Once you have these items all you will need is the perishables. For these it is best to eat local. I go to the downtown Farmer’s Market each Saturday morning and I buy whatever is there in amounts that seem like they will last the week. This is a terrific way to get around some of the menu planning headaches that keeps people from cooking. Eating local means that the seasonal output is always changing. Some of the items that are offered remain pretty constant here in the desert, but there is always something coming in and something else going out. Using the changing vegetables to define your meals reduces planning time to next to nothing--the ingredients do it for you.
My farmer’s market trip lasts one hour, including travel. And it is always so fun. You get to know people and constantly discover new foods-like Queen Creek olive oil laced with blood orange flavor, mmmmm. Now that you have the kitchen stocked you will only need to go to the grocery story to buy milk and eggs and bread and to replenish your pantry stock. That makes the grocery-shopping trip very quick. So, I have already saved you lots of shopping time!
With the supplies on hand, the key to this whole process and the secret to my success lies in a subscription. Several years ago I was turned on to Taunton’s Fine Cooking. This magazine is the best practical and accessible cooking tool you will ever have in your kitchen. It comes out 8 times a year and is filled with pictures and features and recipes and tips presenting in such a way that you want to sit down and devour it immediately.
When I get home from work and have no idea what to make, I simply assess the ingredients I have on hand and go to the Taunton’s recipe index (either in the magazines themselves or on line) and search for recipes that fit the time and materials I have available. And, almost every time, it is like a gourmet meal. And to be honest, I rarely make the same thing twice because there are so many variations to this method.
So dinnertime is always an adventure; it is nutritious and like a fine dining experience. Please get the magazine and see for yourself.
Check it out at http://www.taunton.com/finecooking/ .
And, it makes a great gift! My mother has been making it a Christmas gift to me for years and I could not be happier.
Good luck and good eating.
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