Back to (box) basics

Photo: Contributed

When we started out with being isolated at home, we decided to treat ourselves with meals. Here was a chance to splurge and cook at home in a way we often didn’t have the time or energy to do. It was fun for the first couple of weeks to experiment with new ideas and cook a few more nice meals. I also had time to do more baking.

As regular readers know, I am a fan of cooking things from scratch. That doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy a bit of comfort food now and then, or that I don’t have the odd cake mix box or can of mushroom soup in my cupboard. After more than a month of cooking up a storm and trying to do it while only doing one grocery shop with what I found in one trip every two weeks, it was time to switch gears. We needed a break.

In honour of our fall-back position to comfort food, I’m offering up some “back of the box” tips this week, meal planning hints and shortcuts, as well as a few classic recipes worth keeping alive. Let’s enjoy the satisfaction of a good meal without the stress of having to live up to any expectations. 

Meal planning can be exhausting, especially when you’re trying to get it all done amidst other tasks (you know, like kids being at home all day or other stay-at-home alterations to life). Here are some old-fashioned tricks for having a head-start:

Spice blends can be inspiring. I bet you have a tin or jar or envelope of something in your kitchen. When I was a kid, Lipton’s dry Onion Soup mix was a favourite for everything from veggie and chip dip to meatloaf seasoning. Use these things with any ingredient that inspires you (e.g. rubs for fish or meat to be grilled or roasted – with or without breadcrumbs or cheese; flavouring in cream or sour cream or yogurt; added to soups or stews). One teaspoon is a good amount to start with, then smell your dish – if you can’t smell the mix, add a bit more.

Ketchup and mayonnaise aren’t just for the table. You probably use ketchup as a secret ingredient in burgers, meatloaf or even your BBQ sauce (if not, you should try it). But have you tried oven-baked chicken parmesan with mayonnaise? For three pounds of chicken pieces, spread mayo on each piece, then roll in a mix of 1/2 cup grated parmesan and one cup crushed Corn Flakes or similar flaked cereal. Bake at 375 F for 45 minutes to one hour, until internal temperature of pieces is 160 F.

Frozen pastry & Pilsbury dough are as magical as Rice Krispie squares. My parents made pot pies from scratch – once. Making the pastry nearly gave them reason to call a divorce lawyer, they said later. Work smarter, not harder – use a pre-made pastry shell or spread rolled-out pastry or crescent roll dough over your pie filling (savoury or sweet). Brush with beaten egg to get that Instagrammable golden hue. Oh, and a bag of frozen mixed veggies with some leftover meat or fish and a bit of thickened stock makes an easy filling. Your family will never know how easy it was – unless you tell them.

Much inspiration can come from the classic recipes created in the days that pre-dated The Food Network and even the internet. Marketing of food brand items started on the grocery shelves with recipes like meatloaf described on the Quaker Oats label or chocolate cake made from a recipe on a Hellman’s mayonnaise jar. 

Did you know that almost 80% of Campbell’s condensed mushroom soup does not become soup but rather tuna casserole (my childhood fave) or Green Bean Casserole?

My last offering is a recipe I got while working on the movie catering trucks. A dear friend and colleague shared it and soon it was one of my most-requested desserts. S’mores bars are the perfect recipe for the kids to take on.

I hope all these suggestions help ease a bit of the day-to-day tension in your house. Making meals is an essential service, and if you are cooking you are on your own front line. I salute each and every one of you.

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.