There's no point fighting it. Tonight you are going to be aggravated - doubly so if you have children of your own - and the last thing on anyone's mind is what to have for supper. Kids might force down a bite just to make you happy, and probably under threats of having their candy withheld until they do eat something without sugar, but it will be under protest.
And how about cooking today? Are you in the mood? I didn't think so.
Don't bother looking here for ghoulish cakes or witchy cookies. Today's column is about getting a bite on the table - something even the kids will eat - without adding to an already stressful annual event. Peachy Asian Chicken If you have sesame oil in the house and your kids like rice, you're 10 minutes away from this tasty dish. Substitute apricot for peach jam if you like.
I made it once with ginger jam - hard to find, but fabulous and definitely more grown up. This quantity serves from two to four people, all according to how hard you're pushing supper today. 2 tbsp. vegetable oil (divided) 2 chicken breasts, cut into strips or cubes 2 tsp. cornstarch 1/2 tsp. each salt and pepper 1 bag stir-fry vegetables, fresh or Croque Madames What kid doesn't like grilled cheese sandwiches? Here's how to turn them frozen, about 2 cups in total 2 green onions, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 1/4 cup water or chicken broth 1/2 cup peach jam 1 tbsp. lemon juice 1 tbsp. soy sauce few drops sesame oil Heat half the oil in a frying pan. Toss or stir chicken together with cornstarch, salt and pepper and fry until golden brown; set aside.
Add remaining oil to pan and throw in the vegetables and onions. Fry over as high a heat as your pan can withstand until starting to colour, then stir in garlic and cook just until fragrant.
Reduce heat to medium and add water, jam, lemon juice, soy sauce and sesame oil.
Return chicken to pan, cover and simmer together 5 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and vegetables are tender-crisp. Serve over rice and you're ready to brave the elements. into supper. The French pour cream sauce over these, of course - but they're great just as they are. You can put the egg in the middle instead of on top if you think they'll go over better that way, but eating with a fork and knife feels more like a real meal to me.
This is a great way to use up dayold bread. Start with a sturdy homestyle loaf, thickly sliced, for the best result. If you leave out the egg, these are called Croque Monsieurs. They are also fabulous for breakfast, by the way. soft butter or margarine 2 eggs salt and pepper to taste 4 thick slices bread 4 thin slices Swiss, gruyere or white cheddar cheese
4 oz. sliced ham ‚ whatever kind you like - thinly sliced
Melt some butter in a non-stick pan over medium heat. Fry the eggs in the hot butter, being careful not to break the yolks - I prefer over-easy, but it's up to you how much you cook them.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper and cover with foil to keep warm. Butter one slice of each sandwich but on the outside. Place the two slices, butter side down, in the hot frying pan. Top with 1 slice of cheese, half the ham, then another slice of cheese.
Butter the outside of the remaining 2 slices of bread and place them, butter side up, on top of the cheese. As soon as the bottoms are browned and the cheese is melted - that will help to keep them together - flip the sandwiches and brown on the other side. Slide onto plates and top with fried eggs. Fast Pasta and Sausages For some reason, pink pasta is easier to sell to kids than the traditional tomato sauce. They will devour this dish and maybe ask for more - even on Halloween night.
If your kids don't like pieces of onion, leave it out and this will still taste good. You can remove the casings from the sausages and scramble fry if you prefer, but I kind of like the chunks.
This dish generously serves 4, but stretches to 6 servings with bread on the side. 1 medium onion, diced 1 tbsp. olive or vegetable oil 4 large Italian sausages, thickly sliced (hot or mild)
1 tsp. Italian seasoning 2 cups canned pasta or tomato sauce 1-1/2 cups frozen peas 1 cup coffee cream or milk 1 lb. penne or other tube pasta - macaroni would be find 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese Fry onion in oil until starting to wilt, then add sausages and Italian seasoning. Fry until sausages are cooked through, then discard any excess fat in the pan. Add pasta sauce and bring to a boil, then stir in peas. Cook 1 minute over medium-low, then stir in cream or milk - don't boil this mixture vigourously or it might split, especially if you are using cream. Prepare pasta according to package instructions and stir into prepared sauce. Top with cheese - right in the pan is fine - and dish it up.
Cynthia Stone is a writer, editor and teacher in St. John's. Questions may be sent to her c/o The Telegram, P.O. Box 5970, St. John's, NL, A1C 5X7.
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