the easy gourmet

My mother always tells me never to say I'm easy.  But sometimes I can't help it.  I like things to be easy.  Don't get me wrong--I love a challenge.  But, there's something to be said for having a favorite sweater you can always throw on and feel comfortable and attractive in.  That's easy.  I also find I take the "easy" route when making dinner lately.  Pretty much ever since Ella became independently mobile.  If it's not easy, we'll wind up ordering pizza or eating way too much ice cream.  (Sometimes that happens anyway.)  Easy doesn't have to be boring, though.  Here are a few of my favorite sweaters I like to throw on in the kitchen, so to speak.  

Fresh greens with homemade salad dressing.  When I lived in Switzerland, my grandfather's cousin taught me how to make her signature vinaigrette.  I find it hard to match the ingredients exactly in the U.S., but with some tweaking, I've come up with an easy and delicious facsimile.  I whisk it into a bowl, pour any extra into a jar for later, then toss the greens in--voila!  Mache is my favorite green of late, or anything else fresh from the garden.  The key is in the vinegar. Trust me.  This salad works as a side dish, a topping or a main.  You can add anything you want to the salad and make it an entire meal too.  Go for some roasted chicken, mango, avocado and cashews.  So delicious.

Swiss dressing

kosher salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

a few dashes of Maggi

1/2 t. dijon mustard

2 T. raw, unfiltered cider vinegar (such as Bragg's)

whisk first four ingredients together until frothy

3 T. olive oil

2-3 T. canola oil

slowly whisk oil into vinegar mixture until emulsified

Stir fry.  I know, it sounds lame, but when I discovered the fresh stir fry noodles in the produce section at Lunds, I was hooked.  I used to be a rice girl...not anymore.  I can't get enough of these.  They're cheap, and easy!!  What a combo.  I never use the seasoning packet, but with fresh garlic and ginger, you can make a killer sauce in a no time flat.  I love to add edamame and shitakes.  It's all about the right fresh ingredients adding real flavor.  Never buy baby carrots in a bag.  They're tough and slimy.  In fact, they're often just large carrots that have been lathed down to a tough core.  Organic carrots with green tops are cheaper and taste roughly a thousand times better.  I'm not making this up people.  You won't be sorry.  Oh, and pepper.  Use lots of pepper.

I would write more now, but I just realized dinner is ready.  Chris got off early tonight and ismaking it.  That's the best, and easiest meal there is!  Tell me what you like, and I'll find some good recipes that fit.  What's in your garden?  Do you have anything in your kitchen you don't know how to use?  Just ask...I do love that kind of challenge!!!