Summer ended last week. It is time to reacquaint yourself with the pots and pans and woks and cast iron skillets and cookie sheets that are going to be your seasonal life savers. Turn up the heat and welcome back to the kitchen.
I have some favorites that will be coming back into rotation now that I can’t foist most of the evening grilling on Mr. Friday. And I am relying on one of my favorite food resources, The New York Times.
Some folks have headed back to college, and have gone off their comfortable meal plans, and are fending for themselves for the the first time. There is more to life than ramen noodles and cold pizza. The rest of us come crawling into the kitchen each night, and wonder what on earth we can possible make for dinner without feeling totally keelhauled. Before heading directly for the cheap white wine (although it will be time to switch up to a nice inexpensive Malbec soon!) I want to point out that here are some basics that work without much risk of disappointment or failure.
These are easy peasy, as we are wont to warble. Throw that chicken in the oven and let the Slate Culture Gabfest podcast amuse you with their take on the intricacies of modern culture. And now you can have some wine. https://www.slate.com/articles/podcasts/culturegabfest/2016/09/slate_s_culture_gabfest_on_don_t_breathe_high_maintenance_and_harry_potter.html
Fettuccine Alfredo: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/9025-elaines-fettuccine-alfredo?smid=fb-nytdining&smtyp=cur
If that seems too fancy, here are eight, 8, ways to make mac & cheese: https://cooking.nytimes.com/68861692-nyt-cooking/961504-amazing-ways-to-do-macaroni-and-cheese
Salmon, for the fish eaters: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/5703-salmon-roasted-in-butter
Cast Iron Pan Steak: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1016334-cast-iron-steak
Bearnaise to go with that fine steak: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1017389-bearnaise-sauce Because if you are going to hell, you might as well go in style. Yumsters.
Because you really could have spaghetti every night.
Spaghetti: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1016833-spaghetti-and-drop-meatballs-with-tomato-sauce
It took me years, YEARS, to get rice right. Here is a never fail approach: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1016673-cant-miss-rice
Craig Claiborne’s Beef Stew: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1321-craig-claibornes-beef-stew It is going to get chilly, honest.
Even easier is a good meatloaf. Although if your household is anything like ours, you have some ancestral meatloaf recipes in place already. Still, does yours count pancetta among the ingredients? Doubtful. https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1012686-fancy-meatloaf
And here is the definitive list of the New York Times’s 50 most popular recipes: https://cooking.nytimes.com/68861692-nyt-cooking/3238216-our-50-most-popular-recipes
You are on your own for salads and desserts. For this week, at least. Next week – breads!
“No man is lonely eating spaghetti; it requires so much attention.”
-Christopher Morley
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