Quick Meals

Whenever my husband is out of town, I'm not as enthused about cooking. Okay, truth be told, whenever my husband is out of town, I'm always tempted by the simplicity of ordering a pizza. But, because I'm trying to eat a little healthier, I managed to force myself to drive straight home after work (because hey, it's snowing--don't you know you're not supposed to be out in that stuff?!) and start on dinner. Nothing new here--I rehashed the Roasted Chicken with Balsamic Peppers (except I was fresh out of peppers, or even roasted peppers in a jar, so I just stuck with the shallots, rosemary and broth as a topper; and I totally just remembered I forgot to add the balsamic vinegar). This is, as I mentioned in the original post, a relatively simple dish packed with flavor.

Another idea for a quick fix for a weeknight meal, weekend lunch, or as a general amazing alternative to a grilled cheese if you need a "comfort" sandwich, is a Monte Cristo. We use real eggs, mainly because I find egg substitute to be as bland as bland can be. We also use as a dipping sauce either a jam (raspberry, blackberry) or we've had a great version served with warmed maple syrup (actual maple syrup, not the goopy, thick stuff in the bottle). It's like a savory-stuffed French toast--simple, but terrific.