The KISS Method

After a day of running errands - picking up music stands from district, buying a new rug for the patio, and getting groceries - I was definitely in the mood for simplicity. Tacos are great for a night like this and actually bring back fond memories of being a teenager because it was about the only thing I prepared with confidence. Though I have to say, my mom always appreciated coming home from work to a dinner she didn't have to fix - even if it was just taco meat, warm shells, grated cheese, and sour cream. These days, I can relate. Pretty much any meal I don't have to prep is a good meal for me. (I should add here that I didn't have to prep lunch, so tacos were probably a cop out. My in-laws invited us to break bread with them at Red Lobster. This is always a treat - especially the warm cheddar bay biscuits - and we enjoyed it immensely. It is funny, though, that three of us ordered the same plate with a mixture of fried shrimp, shrimp scampi, and broiled fish fillet. I guess the older we get, the more homogeneous we become. Does this happen to other families too?)

When I was young, the prep work didn't bother me. It was the actual cooking part that was difficult in my book. After all, recipes seemed vague when they commanded "simmer for three to five minutes until sauce thickens." My first thought was always "How thick should it be?" Next, I wondered, "What should I do if it doesn't get thick?" Finally, I thought, "Is it alright to cook it longer than five minutes or less than three minutes if it is thick?" All these questions swirled through my brain every time I opened a cook book. My dad used to tease me about my inability to cook, while I maintained that anyone who could read could do it. In the end, both of us were right. The basics are all spelled out in the recipes, but the answers to those niggling little questions can only be gained by experience (or advice from someone who has it). I think more people would prepare interesting meals if they could get answers to those queries. Perhaps, in an effort to get folks back to work in this tough economy, we should hire experienced cooks (moms whose kids are starting back to school, grandmothers who are lonely and want to chat with someone, retired teachers who miss telling everyone what to do) to man a cooking emergency hotline at 1-800-PLS-HELP. These people could work from home (via call forwarding or on-line texting) and be on call 24 hours a day with quick answers for struggling beginners or the ability to discuss the finer points of souffles and temperamental sauces with cooks who have been at it awhile. This is a win-win proposition for everyone involved. After all, it would save many-a-teenage cook from being harassed by a parent about his or her lack of culinary skill while getting working moms off the hook for dinner several nights a week. Why didn't I think of this sooner?