Quick Dinners

There are those days when we come home too hungry to cook. It's usually after a hectic work day, or a day full of chores or activities. What to do - act quick. You can have meals that are easy and fast  to make.

The most obvious answer to a  quickly had meals would be take out. Unfortunately, there is a wait time for pizza and Chinese, unless you call from the office and car. Even then, there's some kind of prep and cooking time , especially if the restaurant is having a busy night. There is also the fast food joints, but again there are lines , and the off chance of having a very greasy supper. The best bet is stocking your fridge and pantry with ingredients that cook up quickly. One of my favorites is instant rice. Boil it with any kind of bouillon - beef, chicken or vegetable, add some butter and even a sprinkled of Parmesan and you have a kind of poor man's  risotto. Pasta, too , is a quick make. Again add butter for pasta con burro or minced garlic and oil for aglia e olio. Fresh veggies can be also be mixed in for a pasta crudo. Even jsliced grape or cherry tomatoes mixed with vine ripes make for  an interesting "raw" sauce.

If you want something more substantial, then get out the frying pan.One of my favorites is an easy spin on beef with scallions. It's sauteing soy meat  crumbles (Morningstar Farms has the best) and chopped scallions. A slug of Kikoman soy sauce adds flavor and zest. As this is cooking, cellophane noodles are being boiled  and are then mixed with the meat . Real beef and chicken can be subbed in for a more substantial dinner. Another quick meal is a one egg frittata or omelet. These are wonderful because you can add all sorts of extras in them to make them more satisfying. Chop up ham and American cheese  for a Western Omelet, Serve it on toast for a sandwich.Think a fritatta zinged up with chopped vine ripe tomatoes and Parmesan cheese for an Italian spin . Have slices of toasted Italian bread with it for a heartier meal. Italian bread can also be the base for bruschetta. The tomatoes can be made the night before or earlier in the day. It requires the plum variety but vine ripes work well here too. It's then mixing in oil, balsamic vinegar and basil  together to be spooned on slices of Italian bread or even sliced ciabatta rolls for a speedy and delicious dinner.Add minced Italian cold cuts such as pepperoni or soppressata for more substance.


A quick dinner can be made , without having to resort to take out or drive through. Cook up some rice or pasta, Create a tasty Chinese beef or omelet. Enjoy a frittata or bruschetta in minutes. These are easy meals, perfect after a busy , hectic day.

Medicinal Foods

Remember the old saying : feed  cold and starve a fever.It's true. What you eat can help or hinder your illness,whether it's a full-blown stomach virus or a slight sniffle.You need to be prepared since it's cold and flu season already.

One of the best elixirs I can recommend is that Jamaican classic ginger beer. It's great for taming a stomach virus along with helping to relieve gas and bloating.Many confuse it with its' milder cousin ginger ale. The beer is actually brewed and  another tummy settler - lemon juice - is added in.It's much stronger than ginger ale which is nothing more than fizzy water with ginger flavor added.The first was created surprisingly not in Jamaica but  in Ireland in 1851 while the other was created in 1907 by Canadian John McLaughlin. The company evolved into Canada Dry and they still make the mellow drink. Try to have one or the other (not many stores sell ginger beer,Stop &Shop has its;' own brand and Stewart's also makes it).Another must for virus season is any cola drink, whether it be Coke, Pepsi or a generic in house brand.Cola poured over crushed ice also helps soothe a troubled stomach, .All kitchen should have herbal teas, especially peppermint or chamomile.These not only help a stomach that's been ravaged by a nasty bug but great in calming a sore throat.Colds benefit from fresh pressed juices This is the time to get oranges along with apples and pears ad start juicing..

Boullion cubes should be in every kitchen. Individual cubes ca be turned into broths for one,They are a great bridge from not eating to be able to get down some food. It seems vegetable bouillon is the mildest. There's none of that slightly fatty aftertaste that you get with the chicken and beef kinds. They also make excellent bases for simple soups such as pastina, orzo and my all time favorite pompeist, the Piedmontese mix of broth, beaten egg and bread crumbs.Stay away from canned soup. They're not hat your stomach needs. Homemade is better. Have these with crackers and oysterettes.in fact these will probably be the only kinds of foods that you'll eat after a stomach virus. What about transitioning into regular food again.  Think dry as in sliced chicken or turkey.If you don;t feel like cooking a whole bird, remember that diners always have these two meats . Order a plain  no mayo sandwich from yours on toast.from your local one. The BRAT diet-bananas, rice, applesauce, toast  is a tried and true one for diarrhea. Bananas are chock full of potassium which will be depleted thanks to  it being forced out fo you. Rice with butter is another good transitional food. For more flavor cook the rice in broth as opposed to plain water. Use the applesauce if you're craving something sweet.


Be prepared this cold,  flu, and virus season with the right foods. These will help you get over those nasty bugs, sniffly noses and scratchy throats.Having them is your best for a speedy recovery.