Have you ever opened your calendar to find your day packed with meetings, leaving only slivers of time for essential tasks? It feels like one wrong move, and you'll drown in the day's demands. And then there's the inevitable 'What's for dinner?' dilemma. That’s today.
It's a work-from-home day, which, pre-COVID, for many, was often an easy day and code for, "I’ll get some work done, pick up calls as needed, run to the grocery store, and maybe sneak in an exercise class or a few errands.” As someone who's worked a high-pressure job from home for years, the glamour of working from home for me is skipping the primping and the commute so I have more time to wrok. A work-from-home day only differs from a day at the office in that I set a calendar reminder to get dressed, brush my hair, and put on mascara 15 minutes before a video call. And, of course, there's always the benefit of finding time to start dinner.
Often, my kitchen time is just about setting up my mise en place for the evening or popping a chicken, pork shoulder, or lamb into the oven—a task you can quickly accomplish in ten minutes.
But today, I decided on something more ambitious: Risotto.
While tackling one of the most important and dreadful tasks on my list—calling my cell phone carrier—I made risotto. I hoped the call would only take 15 minutes, but I knew it could easily stretch to 30-45 minutes. So, I decided to make the risotto during the call.
I had some shrimp in the freezer, so I took them out to thaw. I planned on sautéed them that evening with garlic, crushed red pepper, and parsley, which also only takes about 10 minutes. I was also making extra that could be used for the kids' lunch—or perhaps as a small course on Saturday. I was all set for tonight’s dinner and another meal or two with the leftovers—that is, until I gave some away.
Later, my son's mentor and teacher came by to drop off some samples that I wouldn’t have had time to pick up myself. Since she saved me a trip across town. I figured the least I could do was share some risotto and help her make dinner easier that evening. I’ll admit I was a little sad to see what would have been essential leftovers go, but then she arrived with a surprise— fresh avocados that had just been shipped to her from her family.
So, my lost risotto was replaced by avocados. With my newly acquired avocados in hand, I quickly came up with a new plan. Instead of leftover risotto, I now had a second dinner planned: shrimp, avocado, and aioli—a dream meal made you can make minutes. I'll tell you how it turned out on Saturday.
Today, I’m reminded of the beauty of sharing food, a custom more common in the past than it is today. People often shared what they had, whether it was homemade cheese traded with a neighbor for cured meat or vegetables from their garden. Since most of us buy only what we need, we rarely have an abundance of homemade goods or produce from our gardens. But it’s worth remembering, especially when you have something to share with a friend or neighbor—it creates abundance and joy for everyone.
