What's for dinner? This is the question that occupies many of us each afternoon. But lately, I haven't had much mental energy to devote to coming up with an answer. You know the drill: Busy at work, busy personal life, not feeling creative at the end of a long day.
At times like these, I'm glad I have a roster of favorite recipes to fall back on until I start feeling more culinarily inspired. I'm a strong believer in "pinch-hitter dinners": tasty, not too complicated meals that will hit the spot while not requiring more thought or time than you have to give.
When I was growing up, my mom's rotation included breaded pork chops, pot roast with root vegetables, and chicken breasts with white wine and tarragon. Though she's an inventive and talented cook (she dabbled in Japanese and Middle Eastern cooking long before they were well known to most Americans), when faced with having to feed a picky family of four every night, she often relied on these time-tested (and delicious!) recipes.
My lighter, mostly vegetarian diet means that my standbys are a far cry from my mom's—a typical week for me might include veggie burgers, whole-wheat noodles with peanut sauce, and bean stew (in the winter) or grilled fish (in the summer). But when I cook them, I feel a connection to the classic "steak on Sunday, meatloaf on Monday" family dinners of decades past. Even in today's global world where every conceivable ingredient is at our fingertips, there's something incredibly comforting about eating familiar, predictable favorites.
I'd love to hear from readers: What's in your roster of dinner standbys? Or are you a constant experimenter who shuns repetition?
by Sarah Kagan
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