Isms

When Scott and I were newlyweds, I spent a lot of time in the kitchen, concocting recipes, using him as a guinea pig for my culinary creations.

Most mornings, he’d swing the tractor into the driveway and stop for breakfast around 8:30. Usually, I’d dish up eggs over easy on perfectly toasted wheat bread, or if I felt ambitious, pancakes from scratch, topped with sweet butter and homemade strawberry syrup.

Stuffed, he’d head out to feed cattle and I’d clean up and start lunch prep.

Some days, the noon meal consisted of meat and potatoes, the stick-to-your-ribs kind of food that would satisfy until he’d stop for a mid-afternoon snack. Other days, he’d find my version of a sub sandwich, the kind my mom used to serve on game nights: thick French bread filled with layers of meat, cheese and veggies.

By dinnertime, I was ready for an easy meal, like salad, but I would cave to spousal pressure and make a third large meal, usually some one-pot wonder that allowed easy cleanup.

When the heck did I get any work done? Thankfully, I ran my own freelance business and fit work around my cooking schedule.

The cooking schedule changed once I returned to teaching and when I took an editor position, meal planning took on a new meaning. What could I cook that would supply at least half a week’s meals? Thank goodness Scott doesn’t mind being served leftovers.

Now that we own a paper, a meal schedule has been thrown out the window, cooking is usually reserved for the weekend. During the week, we’re each on our own. Such was the case last night. I finally got home around 10 and was prepping scrambled eggs, while Scott devoured barbecues.

During the late-night dinner, I started reading an article about chefs and their easy go-to meals, when “they’re too lazy to cook.”

The list included pizza baked on pre-made dough, quesadillas, pasta topped with lemon and parmesan, hummus, fried rice and charcuterie.

I’ll admit it: a lot of our Sunday lunches are a charcuterie board with a variety of cheeses, meats, olives or pickles. It’s easy to create because I can use what I have on hand.

Sometimes, the only culinary ambition I have is tossing bread and cheese in the cast iron skillet and serving grilled cheese. Of course it’s quality cheese, smoky gouda or gooey sharp cheddar.

And sometimes, I grab whatever ingredients I find in the cupboard and, like a home version of Guy’s Grocery Games, I come up with...something.

I still enjoy cooking ... it’s where some of my favorite family memories have occurred ... but the older I get, easy-peasy meals are more my style.

What’s your go-to meal when you don’t feel like spending a lot of time in the kitchen?