Thursday, June 5, 2008

15 Minute Meals

Hi, I'm the Suburban Hausfrau, and on this blog, I make 15 minute meals.....

Wait a sec. That's not right.

Try again.

Hey. Suburban Hausfrau here. Sometimes I'm lazy, too lazy to even go to a drive thru, but I like to eat. I also like to clear out all the junk that I have in my fridge and freezer. Here is how you can throw together dinner in fifteen minutes while also filing your nails, reading the new issue of Bon Appetite and watching old Molto Mario episodes on Fine Living.

Mis en place....


This includes chili I took out of the freezer a couple days ago, hot dogs bought over Memorial Day weekend that were not coooked, half an onion, and shredded cheese. The jalepeno mustard in back isn't involved. It just likes hanging with the cool kids sometimes.

I'm from Chicago.... and in Chicago, we boil hot dogs (sometimes, at least). I plop them in a saucepan with some water, and bring it just to a boil until the hot dogs start spinning. Then you let them sit in the hot water for five minutes (or until you go wake up your husband to tell him dinner is ready).




Next, nuke your chili. Man, can you remember back to life without the microwave? I kinda can. And I'm so glad we have them now.




Mmmmm...

Chop your onion. Doesn't matter if it's small or big pieces - it's your preference - sometimes I even just throw it in the mini chopper. I actually busted out the knife and cutting board and did it in about a minute tonight.

Open your cheese. I seriously hope you don't need directions or photos to figure out how to do that.

Lay out everything attractively on your counter, and wake up the hubby and tell him to come down and eat dinner.



Like my counterscape? The french vanilla coffee mix, cake flour, Prego, red pepper flakes, bottle of Strawberry Crush, chip clip, expensive balsamic vinegar, honey, cider vinegar, ketchup, cheap balsamic vinegar, cayenne pepper, red wine vinegar, soy sauce, already seen Jalepeno mustard and out-of-season glass have nothing to do with tonight's dinner. It's just all crap that either hasn't been opened and therefore found a place in the fridge, or stays on the counter, or just can stay on the counter until I really feel like organizing.

Been an uneventful week. Tried a buttermilk-brined chicken breast recipe that was a total bust. Overcooked some SpagBacParm until the lovely carbonara sauce curdled. Ooops.

Hopefully, next week will be more exciting.

3 comments:

Hurricane Mikey said...

Wow, you're the first person besides Anthony Bourdain who ever used the words 'Mis en place'. And I've worked in a lot of kitchens...

As far as nuking the chili goes, maybe my microwave just sucks, but I can heat it up faster on the stovetop (it's gas). And gas, at least out here in America's Playground, is much cheaper than electricity. You'd think it'd be the other way around, with Hoover dam just down the street...

Hurricane Mikey said...

Doh! I meant, you're the first person besides Anthony Bourdain WHO I'VE HEARD ever use the words...

Unknown said...

Ha!

Yeah, the hubby often makes fun of me since I even have my "mis bowls" - these little glass bowls that hold about 4 ounces that I got for like fifty cents at Ikea. I use at least two of them every time I cook.

I probably can heat the chili up faster on the stove, probably, but it's just easier to do in the microwave, especially since I don't want it super hot.