My mother used to wake up in the morning with dinner for that night all planned and partially prepared by the time we went to school. By 5:30, the main dish and a variety of side dishes (served family style), bread, drinks, etc., all appeared effortlessly on the table, ready to be consumed by us. This feat, that I now know is worthy of an Olympic gold medal, is something I can very rarely pull off. But what is a busy parent to do, especially now that school and fall sports are starting! And with the current emphasis on fresh, local, from scratch, preservative free, heavy on the veggies, light on the meat meals, dinner preparation has become even more of a challenge. Luckily, publishers, television cooks, and cookbook authors have discovered our dilemma and are here to take away the pain. Take a look at these titles, available at the library:
Everyday Food: Great Food Fast from the Kitchens of Martha Stewart Living 641.5 Eve
Rachel Ray 30 Minute Meals 641.555 Ray
Sandra Lee Semi-Homemade 20 Minute Meals; Quick, Convenient, Mouthwatering Recipes That Taste Like They Were Made From Scratch 641.555 Lee
Desperation Dinners; Home-Cooked Meals for Frantic Families in 20 Minutes Flat by Beverly Mills and Alicia Ross 641.555 Mil
Fast Food My Way by Jacques Pepin 641.555 Pep
The Working Parents Cook Book by Jeff and Jodie Morgan 641.555 Mor
Rocco’s 5 Minute Flavor; Fabulous Meals with 5 Ingredients in 5 Minutes by Rocco DiSpirito 641.555 Dis
Williams-Sonoma Food Made Fast: Weeknight 641.555 Bar (other titles in the series include Small Plates, Desserts, Vegetarian, Slow Cooker)
But if you find yourself in the kitchen at 5 o'clock, no recipe in hand but ingredients on the counter, check out these websites where you can search for recipes by ingredient or category:
http://www.marthastewart.com/everyday
http://www.rachaelray.com/food.php
http://www.epicurious.com/
http://www.williams-sonoma.com/recipe/index.cfm
http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/
Bon appetit!
Submitted by Gayle Stratton.