I’m not totally sure if takeout really falls under ‘essential’, but around here we’ve been playing the better-safe-than-sorry card and have eliminated takeout food from our options*. We caved one day over the last four weeks and grabbed fries from McDonalds** and sandwiches at Chick-fil-a***.
*Because if they can change their minds in one day about masks (initially: only the sick should wear them, and now: hmm maybe everyone should wear them) then they might just change their mind about takeout/delivery.
**Yes, yes, McDonalds is terrible for you. Let’s move past it, okay?
***Bonus tip you are going to love: Chick-fil-a sandwiches freeze incredibly well. Just pull one out of the freezer 12-24 hours before you plan to eat it (to thaw), then remove the roll and heat the chicken up in 30 second intervals in the microwave. Of course, fresh is best, but if you want to eliminate going out, just buy 10 at a time like we did and freeze them.
I don’t know what decisions are the right ones. I also know that “they” don’t exactly know what decisions are the right ones either. We find ourselves in a place where each person has to make decisions for what to do based on their comfort and stress levels. This is not a new normal. It is anything but normal. So, no judgement if you are getting takeout every single night*, especially if you are an essential worker who doesn’t have the luxury of being home to make dinner every night.
*Share with me in the comments what you have been enjoying ordering out the most!
With that being said, when it comes to cooking for yourself, quarantine times aside, I have a soapbox similar to the one I stand on for reading: Cooking for yourself is an important action to put into practice. Maybe not every day. But at least several times a week.
A lot of people think that because I cook a lot, I enjoy it.
No, dear friends, this could not be more wrong.
Strawberry Balsamic Brussels Sprouts
There is a quote a lot of authors toss around: “I don’t enjoy writing. I enjoyed having written.”
Yeah. I feel this way about cooking. Making dinner is pretty much one of the worst parts of my day. It means I have to pull myself away from something I would rather do (read, study Italian, write), prep ingredients and turn them into something delicious.
But, at the same time, it is extremely rewarding. To make a meal I would have to pay double, triple, or sometimes quadruple for in a restaurant makes it feel worth it. Especially when it tastes good.
For me, it is really about mentality. I may not go gaga for cooking like a Master Chef, but when I plan ahead, I find I go into it with a better mentality and even reach some semblance of pleasure in what I’ve accomplished.
And this is the heart of why I cook: If I can do it well myself, why go out and buy it*?
*Excuse me while I eat my words. Two of my favorite bakeries are still open and whenever I see their Instagram posts, I tell myself, “You know how to make croissants. Just make them yourself”, again and again without any action taking place on my part. I’m either going to cave or force myself to bake some dang croissants. Which do you think it will be?
As you can see, even the one aspect of the kitchen I do truly enjoy, baking, can also require some drive and determination.
Today I’m going to leave here links for five dinner recipes which are part of my recipe binder: recipes I’ve pulled from magazines or printed offline and continue to use.
My criteria for my choices was this: Do I currently have these ingredients on hand? Is it easy to make? Is it delicious?
Slow Cooker Broccoli and Cheese Soup: Can substitute cream of mushroom or cream of chicken soup for the cream of celery soup. If you don’t have Velveeta on hand, use more cheddar.
Lemon-Rosemary Roasted Chicken Thighs with Potatoes: I love sheet pan meals! Dried rosemary will work here if you don’t have fresh. You can also add some string beans or another vegetable to the pan 15-20 minutes into the cooking time.
One-Pot French Onion Pasta: This recipe is a real treasure. Barely any ingredients and it literally tastes like french onion soup turned into pasta. It is nice with the arugula, but if you don’t have it, a hunk of bread on the side is just as acceptable!
Easy Stir Fry Sauce: This sauce is so simple. I cut the brown sugar in half because it was way too sweet for me with the original amount. Cut in half, the recipe easily serves four. But the sauce keeps in the fridge for a few weeks, so just plan on having stir fry twice! Fry up a protein, add whatever veggies you have on hand (fresh or frozen), and then add the sauce. Serve over white rice.
Ritz Cracker Chicken Fingers with Sriracha Soy Ketchup: We’re in agreement, right? Chicken fingers are certainly an acceptable dinner for adults. I’m always looking for a spin on the classic bread crumb coating for chicken fingers. I’ve made them with crushed pecans, a Parmesan/Panko mixture, and now, with Ritz.
Enjoy!
Leave a Reply