A quick kitchen check-in is part of my daily routine. It takes just a minute and avoids the last-minute scramble of figuring out what's for dinner. Today, I know I'll be home late and won't have much time to cook. We don't want to eat out, so I'm looking in my refrigerator and cupboards for ingredients to make something very fast and easy. I have leftover salmon and lemon cream sauce, cherries, and twenty minutes now before I have to go to work—perfect.
I could serve the leftover salmon and lemon shallot sauce the same way I did the other day, by serving the sauce on top, but I thought I would mix things up and do something different. I decided to mix the salmon and the sauce and create something different. Then, it wouldn't seem like leftovers. When I get home tonight, I can prepare it quickly and serve it with mixed greens tossed with a simple vinaigrette. I think of this salmon medley as a fancy tuna salad or a crab cake and declare this idea good enough. To my surprise, it turned out to be more than good—it was delicious, and the only thing I had to 'cook' was a three-minute vinaigrette.
In the twenty minutes I had in the morning, I pitted some cherries and made the batter for a Cherry Clafoutis- it's merely three eggs, some cream and milk, and a bit of sugar. I whisk the ingredients and put the batter in the fridge for the day. When I got home, I poured the batter over the cherries and popped it in the oven to bake while I prepared the salmon and salad. By the time we finished dinner, a delightful and wholesome dessert was ready to serve. This is a great example of how dessert can help you create a well-balanced dinner with minimal effort.
When you do your kitchen check-in, don't overlook dessert. It’s not only delicious and fun, but an easy-to-prepare treat like a fruit Clafoutis is also nutritious. Plus, it feels luxurious to have a special dessert during the week. Adding dessert can help you round out your leftovers and ensure there's enough to satisfy everyone.
Even something as simple as fresh seasonal fruit, served as it is or as a fruit salad, adds more to the meal without any extra cooking.
If you want some easy dessert ideas, type "Dessert" in the search bar, and they will pop up!
