Kim Dannies: Lifestyle & Adventure writing

The Short-Cut Cook
September 25, 2003

In my 9/11/03 column there is a good example of a smart cook’s habit: by adding a commercial cake mix to the First Kiss Chocolate Cake recipe I saved myself time, a boring step, and eliminated guesswork. I encourage the practice of incorporating quality convenience foods, items you have neither the time nor the inclination to prepare, as a way to develop your own short-cut cooking technique. This is an important point for everyday cooks to consider: if your goal is to consistently eat well, you must budget time and effort wisely in order to keep enthusiasm and commitment levels high. Lack of time does not condemn you to lack of taste: simply apply a personal touch to products and make them your own. For example, Hot Stuff Sauce is a fabulous condiment that goes well on everything from burgers to pasta to raw vegetables. It is simply Hellmann’s mayonnaise, garlic chili sauce, and a handful of fresh herbs mixed in with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice; choose your own proportions for sauce intensity. The Fresh Salsa in your supermarket deli section should be a staple in your frig: mild or medium, this spikes up just about any dish. I use it in a Mahogany Marinade of molasses, orange juice, soy sauce and sherry. About a half a cup of each ingredient should do it (just make sure it tastes good!) After the beef has marinated 30 minutes or more, grill the meat. Then, boil the remaining marinade in a saucepan on the stove for 5 minutes to create a glossy lacquer for the sliced beef. The salsa can be added to soups, spaghetti sauce, or no-fat sour cream for a quick, healthy dip. For festive Mexican Chicken Salad, mix salsa with grilled chicken, drained cans of corn and black beans, and a handful of shredded pepper jack cheese. Transform Betty Crocker’s fudge brownie mix into Get Out Of Town Brownies. Mix up a double batch and pour into a large greased cookie sheet (with sides.) On half the batch cover the surface with cashews, pecans, almonds, and coconut. On the whole batch sprinkle chocolate chips. Bake for 30 minutes. They’ll please everyone, and you can bring these killers anywhere. I’m curious if there are any short-cut cooks out there willing to share their ideas? If so, please send them via e-mail.