Monday, June 14, 2010

Easy Meal Ideas

This article came out in the New York times a few years ago, and I post it here because it exemplifies the style of cooking at which I am trying to become more adept: making a meal of the ingredients on hand.

I cut the article out and taped it to the inside of my pantry door, and sometimes I just stand there and read a few of the 101 ideas Bittman offers. Just a glance or two at it can put you in the frame of mind for creating satisfying, speedy meals, especially during the farmer's market season when your fridge might be (ahem) a little full of fresh, local produce.

By keeping certain staples in the fridge (cheeses, oils, nuts, eggs, olives, etc) and in your cupboards (pasta, canned salmon, soups, canned beans, and such), as well as some freezer basics like meat and fish, you can forget complex recipes and merely combine the parts into a whole. Next up for me is Idea #28, using my fresh, local eggs, Pat 'n Tam's ground beef and the Schreiber and Sons spinach and onions I got last week.

There's a time for complex recipes and for spending hours in the kitchen. But summer ain't it.

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