Friday, July 18, 2008

50.5, part V!

Phew! It wasn't easy getting to 50. Maybe we don't actually eat 50 easy, tasty things. I actually think about a dozen of these are in heavy rotation for us.

40. Tortilla roll-ups
Just like those cheesy hors d'oeuvres. You'll need a spread (cream cheese, salsa, Laughing Cow, whatever), some shaved or chopped veggies, some protein. Let the kids do the work.

41. Spring rolls
Sounds complicated. Is not. You need spring roll wrappers. Some patience. A willingness to let go of perfectionism. Oh, and some combination of the following: rice noodles, shaved vegetables, thinly cut protein of choice. Soy or hoisin for dipping. Kids think they're magic.

42. BLTs
Have you ever turned down a BLT? Turkey bacon can be good, too.

43. Persian rice
This is not quick. But I must include it because it is one of our absolute favorite meals. Because we are not Persian, we usually eat this with turkey meatballs (the cumin and coriander kind), feta cheese, greens, and lots of plain yogurt.

44. Edamame
This is for when I'm not hungry. Kids love to pop edamame out of their pods. Plus: protein and veggie in one. Maybe some rice and carrot sticks on the side.

45. Chicken and biscuits
There are slow ways to do this and their are quick ways. The quick way involves leftover chicken and vegetables, a light white sauce (add sherry), and your favorite biscuit recipe or phyllo dough.

46. Turkey tetrazzini
Not so quick. So good. I'll post the recipe sometime.

47. Falafel in pita
I--gasp!--use a mix for this. (I also have a potato-based Indian-spiced veggie burger recipe. You can keep the mix in the fridge for a couple of days and fry them as you need them. But my kids don't like them. And they're not quick. So they don't qualify.)

48. Roast turkey breast
Roast it on Sunday night. Slice it for dinner Monday and Tuesday. Serve with cranberry sauce all year round.

49. Squash lasagna
No one in my family actually likes this. But I am convinced it is a good recipe nonetheless: Stir a pint of ricotta into a pint or so of pureed cooked squash (there's the problem for me, right there). Layer this mixture with parcooked lasagna noodles and grated parmesan. Bake until bubbly.

50. Risotto
Clean out the fridge. Call it "special rice," if you must. If I were better at frying things, I would make arancini with the leftovers.

50.5 Cold cereal. Because when the going gets tough, the tough aren't too proud to break out the Cheerios.

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