Simple Pleasures

I don't do fast food, and rarely bother with frozen or convenience foods. Sometimes I'll cook frozen vegetables for the kids, if I haven't been shopping, and sometimes I'll throw a frozen pizza in the oven when the babysitter is going to give them supper. (She can't handle anything else). Hence I have to come up with strategies for nights when I have very little time or energy for cooking, but want to put a decent meal on the table. It's complicated by the fact that hubbie really can't eat just pasta for dinner. He's not low carb 100% but he needs an animal protein and a substantial amount of veg in his meal. The days when I could throw some broccoli florets into the pasta water and call it a one-dish supper are long gone.

Tonight I really, really didn't want to take too much trouble over dinner, but it still came out well: chicken legs baked in the oven with olive oil, salt & pepper, and many cloves of unpeeled garlic; leftover winter squash reheated; green salad; raw carrots and cucumber slices for the children; artisan Italian bread from the market; and a can of cranberry sauce. Yes, cranberry sauce. It was in the pantry and was just about expired. It was fine. It made the whole dinner, thrown together as it was, seem like a "real meal."

When my semester is over in ten days, I am planning to make no-knead bread, and fruit chutney, and Christmas cookies, and maybe a white fruitcake with pistachios and MIddle Eastern dried fruits, flavored with orange flower water. Alison, don't hold me to all these!

By the way, Jane dear, a little bird told me you're lurking. Post a comment and say hello! If you and yours try the no-knead bread, it would be a hoot to find out how it went.