So, I thought about some of the things that make at-home eating possible, and how we make it happen, and since I like lists and organization, here it is:
1) Prep your veggies on a night (or day) you take off from cooking.
I think the biggest obstacle for me is that the idea of washing, chopping, dicing, mincing is just so daunting. If everything was just ready for me, it would be easier. So, sometimes I just do it in advance. I mince a bunch of onions, or I chop up my bell peppers. And I sometimes I just spend the money and stock up at the salad bar or buy those bags of prepped vegetables. I love butternut squash but hate attacking those monsters, so I love buying it already cubed for me, and that is a time>money situation for me. I also always buy my lettuce prewashed. Yes, it costs more. But how many lettuces have you thrown away because you just couldn't deal with the salad spinner in time?I also buy minced garlic (if garlic is not the featured ingredient), and those lovely tubes of herbs.
2) Don't underestimate the power of the rotisserie chicken
And don't underestimate the power of taking that thing apart the MOMENT you walk in the door from the grocery store. Having shredded cooked chicken around is perfection. Instant salad, instant filling for a quesadilla, pizza or sandwich. And then if you want to get fancy, there are recipes you can use!
Quick Chicken Chili
Bibimbap
Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches
And, my favorite - Curried Chicken Salad, recipe at the end.
3) Salads are fast and become more interesting with toppings and homemade dressing.
I've started keeping pumpkin seeds, craisins, assorted nuts, avocado, hard boiled eggs, etc. around for my salads. And we've been keeping these three dressings in the fridge.
Miso Lime Dressing: 1/4 cup of white miso, 2 tbsp rice vinegar, 1 tbsp honey, 1/4 cup canola or vegetable oil, zest and juice from 1 lime
Walnut Oil Dressing
Balsamic Vinaigrette
4) Cook In Advance
I know, there is a group of you reading this being like, "I hate leftovers." I mean, who doesn't hate leftovers? They are depressing and served in a tupperware and just taste uninspiring... UNTIL... you rethink them.
The truth is, most stews, soups, curries and chilis actually taste better the day after you cook them. I'm not joking. The flavors take time to develop and these are the perfect items to freeze. I have an entire freezer dedicated to the extras from the recipes I make and I tupperware them up and freeze them for another day. They have stopped me from making a bad food decision many, many times. (The Wendy's drive through is just too close for comfort.) The only rule you want to stick with is that any stew, soup, curry, chili, or pasta with any sort of milk or cream in it will *not* freeze well.
This list will blow you away. This lady did this in anticipation of a new baby arriving and I was inspired so I do a more limited version of this probably twice a year. I tend to only like recipes from certain websites and sources that I trust and have had good experiences with, but if I don't like a recipe she has listed here I can go look the same thing up elsewhere and I know it will still freeze well. Also, whenever I make a soup, stew, curry, etc., I never halve the recipe and the extras always, always get frozen.
So, anyways, that's how we're staying fed and mostly happy around here. I actually have a part two of this planned, based on a request (Hi Morgan!) in terms of how to have dinner ready when you don't have time AROUND dinner time and are tired of the slow cooker, and I'll get to that in the next couple weeks.
I leave you with curried chicken salad, courtesy of my mom, Chef Vicki.
For 6 people -
1 rotisserie chicken, skin removed, meat only, cubed/chopped
3/4 cup green onions, chopped
3/4 cup raisins
2 tbsp. curry, or to taste
2 cans mandarin oranges, drained, squeezed and drained again so that only the pulp remains - no liquid!
1/2 cup Major Grey's chutney, chopped fine
3/4 cup mayo
salt and pepper to taste
toasted almonds if desired
cilantro if desired
Mix cubed chicken with onions, raisins, curry and oranges. Mix chutney and mayo and add to chicken. Season
and taste. Adjust seasonings if necessary. Mix well and refrigerate
two hours for flavors to blend. Sprinkle with optional almonds and
chopped cilantro. Enjoy!
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| Yay frozen yogurt! Warning: this is not a meal substitute! |
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5 comments:
Another great way to have ready-to-use chicken: If you're already roasting one chicken, roast two. I freeze the shredded meat in one-cup increments labeled dark or white. Also, with two carcasses, I feel like it's more worth it to make stock. The last time I roasted chicken, we had it for two meals, and I ended up with 12 c. chicken and 10 c. stock in the freezer.
How long do those tubes of herbs last? Those could make life so much easier, but I've always wondered if they'd go bad before finish them.
The expiration date is usually about 6 weeks out. I wouldn't buy them unless they were clearly new to the shelf. I think once you open them you're supposed to use them up within 10 days but I use that rule loosely. I figure they are still a better deal than buying 5 bunches of cilantro that I don't use up. They definitely don't sub as a garnish but they're good for hiding in recipes to get the right flavor!
I love the ginger in a tube, and use it frequently. And also look the other way on the expiration date. If it smells gingery and has no off-color, it works for me.
If you're really concerned about the freshness of green tube herbs, you could squeeze the contents of the tube into ice cube trays (1 tsp portions) and freeze for later use. You can also do this with fresh herbs, but you have to mince and mix with oil or water first.
Beware the garlic tube. Your friends may huff it inappropriately while you are sleeping. Also, man, I love that curried chicken salad!
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