
Between my vast cookbook collection, the over 100 food blogs that I read, and the wonderful recipe web sites that I use daily, I can find a recipe for just about anything. Anything, that is, except a dish that seems suitable for dinner. Why is it that I can easily find a recipe for
chestnut-armagnac souffle (doesn't that sound good?), but not one thing that I feel like eating or cooking on a given night? I usually just end up falling back on old favorites, so I thought I'd share list some here, just in case anyone out there has the same problem as I do. Chances are that many of our default dishes overlap, but maybe if everyone shares some, we'll get some new dishes circulating...
1. Mario Batali's
pollo al vino cotto -- The second tastiest chicken dish a person can prepare in a home kitchen (the first is
chicken with figs from the
Silver Palate Cookbook, but it takes some advance planning)
2. Chicken Caesar salad -- Healthy, plus it's easy to throw in other vegetables that you have laying around
3. Black bean soup -- I use my mom's recipe, but here's a really
quick one from
Epicurious4. Roasted chicken -- Carrots, onion, potatoes, rosemary, thyme, lemon, salt, pepper.
5. Roasted vegetable chopped salad with reduced balsamic vinaigrette -- I roast any vegetables I can find at 400 for 30 minutes, then chop them up, toss them with chopped radicchio and chicken if available, and drizzle with a
reduced balsamic dressing.
6. Soba noodle salad -- This is always easier than I think it's going to be, and just as refreshing. Here's a
beautiful one from Simple Recipes to get you started
7. Lemon fish -- Any piece of any white fish doused in lemon juice, salt and pepper, usually accompanied by a baked potato
8. Sushi take-out -- If worst comes to worst, and I really can't bring myself to cook, this is my plan.
Now, your turn! Please share your default dinner menus!