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Pan roasted salmon fillet. I like to rub it with a bit of evoo and a sprinkle of kosher salt, browned in a nonstick pan (skin side up) and then finished in the oven (skin side down). Serve with microwave-steamed veggies (brussels sprouts or broccoli are both good) or a salad. Lately I've been sprinkling it with a spice blend instead of the salt. So far, The Spice House's southern BBQ and King Creole blends have been tasty.
Peanut noodles: Stir fry veggies of your choice (I tend to use mushrooms, red onion, carrots, red and orange bell peppers and bean sprouts), udon noodles (3 of the small Mr. Noodles packages serves 4 people easily), and a couple tbsps each of hoisin (maybe a bit heavier on the hoisin), peanut butter, oyster sauce, and soy sauce, with sesame oil and chili-garlic sauce (Rooster brand) to taste. We like it hot, so quite a bit goes in. Cover with a lid after the noodles go in so that they steam and separate more easily. Sometimes we add in stir fry meat (chicken or pork) at the beginning (before the veggies go in), sometimes we leave it vegetarian.
Easy marinara: 1 can crushed Muir Glen tomatoes, a good drizzle of evoo, sliced garlic (2 or 3 cloves), a pinch of dried oregano, hot pepper flakes, and a pinch of sugar. Heat oil, saute garlic, pepper flakes and oregano, stir in tomatoes, simmer for about 5 minutes, and then add sugar to taste. I saw Jamie Oliver make something very similar on a tv special once, and it is really good. The Muir Glen tomatoes really make the sauce. Good over pasta, but also tasty for a quick faux chicken parmesan (sauce goes on the bottom of the dish, then boneless skinless chicken breasts go in, then a quick sprinkling of lightly buttered bread crumbs, then topped with parmesan cheese; bake or microwave until the chicken is done).
Clean out the fridge pasta: caramelize onion, cook some kind of charcuterie (pancetta, bacon, chorizo, Italian sausage...whatever is on hand), toss in veggies (usually bell peppers, sometimes zuchinni, sometimes frozen peas, sometimes all three), chopped sun dried tomatoes if I have them, saute briefly, and finish with pasta, a bit of pasta water, and some pesto. Sometimes I'll add in a drizzle of cream. Top with parmesan or pecorino romano.
Lately a favourite has been to use a spice blend on a rib-eye or strip steak (Penzey's Chicago steak spice or Spice House's Milwalkee Steak seasoning are both winners here), let it sit for an hour while the steak warms up, and sear it in a cast iron pan, and finish in the oven. DH and I share a single steak, and I serve it with sauteed onions and mushrooms and something green (salad or simple green veggies). It's more than enough for 2.
Truthfully, for most of my cooking I wing it. I tend to only use recipes when cooking for company or if something catches my eye...and even then I have to confess that I'm not always that faithful to what is written. I'm a closet add a pinch of this, and a handful of that kind of cook.
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Carey
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