Sometimes it’s my own advice that’s hardest to follow. I was in
the grocery store on Sunday night when a reader greeted me and told
me he was going to make the super easy corned beef recipe I
included in last week’s column. I was thrilled!
Sometimes it’s my own advice that’s hardest to follow. I was in the grocery store on Sunday night when a reader greeted me and told me he was going to make the super easy corned beef recipe I included in last week’s column. I was thrilled!
However, I was also rushing through the store, on my way home for my own birthday party, thinking about the million things I had to do Monday. … And I forgot to pick up any corned beef for my own St. Patrick’s Day dinner.
Monday afternoon, I belatedly realized there was no time for corned beef, and so we ate a humble supper of Shepherd’s Pie, made in about half an hour in individual disposable tins (so there would be fewer dishes).
Yes, self-advice can be hard. Like, “I shouldn’t eat that dessert.” Or, “If I would just go to bed half an hour earlier, I could be done with that novel in a week.”
The problem is, it’s hard to argue with yourself. There’s no real yelling or finger pointing or stamping of feet. There’s no one to say, “I told you so” later. There’s no one to give you sorrowful looks when you don’t do what you said you would.
I truly think it would work better if every neighborhood had a Lucy, from Charlie Brown fame. In her bright blue dress, she gave advice freely. She scolded. She wheedled. She pronounced great pronouncements from her throne in her wooden psychiatrist’s office.
She never let anyone forget their promises … or her advice. And she only charged a nickel.
• Two-pan dinner: I wish this were a one-pot meal (and so do my dishwashers), but it’s not. You’ll need one pan for the rice and one pan for the chicken. To save time, I would recommend cooking the wild rice the night before and storing it in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before adding to the chicken.
Chicken & Wild Rice
1 1/2 cups wild rice
3 cups water
1 package chicken tenders
1 package sliced mushrooms (optional)
3 T. butter
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
Pepper to taste
1/4 cup white wine, plus more if needed
Cook wild rice according to package directions. Set aside or store in the refrigerator.
In sauté pan, brown chicken tenders in the butter, approximately 5 minutes. Add Worcestershire, pepper and 1/2 cup white wine; simmer 5 minutes. Stir in cooked rice and heat through. Adjust salt and pepper seasoning. Serve in bowls.
• Mid-week winner: Here’s an easy entrée that can be on the table in about 25 minutes. Make sure you have ground beef and mushrooms on hand; the rest will probably be in your pantry.
Easy Stroganoff
1 lb. ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 can cream of celery soup (cream of mushroom works, too)
1 cup sour cream
1 can sliced mushrooms
2 T. tomato paste
1 package wide egg noodles
Cook noodles according to package directions. Brown ground beef. Add all other ingredients except noodles. Simmer for 15 minutes. Serve over cooked noodles. Serves 4.
• Quick gourmet: This pasta looks and tastes gourmet, but it’s quick and easy and ready in about 25 minutes. You must use fresh linguine, because it needs to cook in the sauce and take on the flavor. This serves 2 to 3, so double the recipe if you’re cooking for more.
Linguine with Shrimp and Dried Tomatoes
2 T. olive oil
2 cloves minced garlic
2 T. lemon juice
1/3 cup white wine
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup dried tomato slices
9 oz. fresh linguine
1 lb. shelled, deveined shrimp
3 green onions, thinly sliced
Over medium heat, stir garlic and oil for 2 to 3 minutes. Add lemon juice, wine, broth and tomatoes.
Turn heat to high. Stir until sauce boils, about 2 minutes.
Add pasta, return to a boil. Add shrimp. Cook 5 to 8 minutes, or until shrimp is opaque but not tough. Sprinkle with onion. Serve in bowls and ladle extra sauce on top. Serves 2 to 3.
Tip of the Week:
For the freshest herbs, plant your own. Keep them in pots on a sunny windowsill or plant outdoors in good light. When harvesting, try to snip at the base, rather than the top.
Notes from Jenny’s Kitchen
Some information on eggs:
• An egg’s shell color is determined by the breed of hen that laid it and has nothing to do with either the taste or nutritive value.
• If you’re using eggs to use in baking, buy large eggs. That’s what most recipes use.
• Refrigerate eggs the minute you get them home. When left at room temperature, they lose more quality in a day than a week in the refrigerator.
~ From “The Food Lover’s Tiptionary,” by Sharon Tyler Herbst
– Jenny Midtgaard
• End note: “Self-respect is the fruit of discipline; the sense of dignity grows with the ability to say no to oneself.” ~ Abraham Joshua Heschel
