...doesn't have to mean starting from scratch. At least not every day. And that's our saving grace. Because no matter how much we might love to cook, sometimes (perhaps even often), there's just not enough time or energy available to do what it takes. Particularly if you find yourself having to begin at square one. So here's a routine we've come to depend on that keeps us all going even when we're running on empty.
About twice a week my husband fires up our gas oven to 525 degrees for baking the heavenly bread he makes to feed us every day. Having grown up learning how to want not, we just can't waste it. Not only every precious crumb, but all that heat developing while the dough slowly rises. So we decided to adopt the traditional village oven concept for establishing our own credo: When it's hot, fill it up! With everything you can find and fit in as the heat both builds up and then cools down. And I do mean everything.
We rifle through the fridge pulling out bags of vegetables we don't want to miss out on. Rescue potatoes before they sprout, and take advantage of the excuse to dream up new cookie recipes. Not worrying about when or how we'll end up using each item. But just focusing on getting it all cooked. We can always keep the temperature constant for a while if something needs to get done before the oven grows too hot or cold. But it's easiest to choose things that are pretty temperature flexible. Almost everything's happy between 350-400 degrees. And if we're not baking bread, now we automatically think of possibilities whenever the oven gets turned on. In fact, it often starts out with a chicken to roast.
The other night while the bird was spitting and hissing its way to crispy, golden perfection, a succession of sheet pans lined with green beans, peppers, eggplant, zucchini and cauliflower kept nudging it over to roast alongside. Then some hefty whole yams and another pan of fingerling potatoes rolling around in duck fat and herbs. It's easy to get carried away when the room fills with aromas that keep calling you home. A spiced apple crisp baked while we ate dinner, then we lowered the heat for slow-roasting tomatoes that would finish drying overnight.
Because this assembly line approach enables re-using many of the same bowls, pans and implements, the clean-up wasn't nearly as bad as it would have been otherwise. And now the fridge was packed like a picnic basket full of promise. Just waiting to delight and take care of us. We could coast on this harvest for many meals to come. And so could you!
We turned off the oven and toddled off to bed.
Bon Appetit! Kay
Reminder: Our next class, HOLIDAY STEW POT is on Wed, Nov 2 [10am–2pm] with a follow-up Review Session on Wed, Nov 16 [10am-12pm]; please see the Current Class Schedule.
To Subscribe to this Blog by Email or Feed Reader:
Click on the corresponding link under KAY'S BLOG in the right column of the Come Home to Cooking website.
To Read or Make Comments on any blog post:
Click the Comments link below it on the Come Home to Cooking website.
Comments