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Issue Date: April 5, 2009
Secrets to easy spring meals
Cooking from scratch is ideal -- but not always practical. So we asked five kitchen whizzes to spill their favorite secrets for pairing easy-to-use convenience foods with fresh seasonal ingredients. The result: tasty, inexpensive meals on the table, pronto!
Watch for more great tips each day on "The Martha Stewart Show."
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Our experts
Anne Byrn, author of the Cake Mix Doctor series, whose fifth book is the What Can I Bring? Cookbook.
Lygeia Grace, senior food editor at Real Simple magazine.
David Joachim, author of 30 cookbooks, including the A Man, a Can, a Plan series. His latest is "The Science of Good Food."
Sandra Lee, host of the Food Network's Semi-Homemade Cooking With Sandra Lee. Her new series, Sandra's Money Saving Meals, premieres May 10.
Susan Westmoreland, food director of the Good Housekeeping Research Institute.
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LET THE STORE DO THE HARD STUFF
Lygeia Grace: You can do so many things with a simple rotisserie chicken. Shred the meat for homemade burritos, or mix in barbecue sauce for barbecue chicken sandwiches. One of my favorites is to mix it with noodles and a few other ingredients for a sesame chicken salad.
Anne Byrn: One of my quick tricks is to buy pre-washed salad greens, then make my own dressing, like a buttermilk garlic or a dried cherry vinaigrette. Or prepare a simple cake mix, but make your own frosting or flavored whipped cream.
David Joachim: Pre-marinated meats save a ton of time because they're already flavored. All you have to do is decide on a cooking method. Same with pre-chopped produce (butternut squash, coleslaw mixes).
THINK GLOBALLY
Joachim: Think Asian food when looking for something fresh, fast, healthy and easy. It usually involves a lot of healthful ingredients, like ginger, garlic and chilies, and small amounts of protein, like fish and chicken. Stir-frying is also a very quick way to prepare food.
Grace: Prepared relishes, sauces and salsa -- mango chutney, pesto, olive tapenade or an onion jam -- can dress up and add flavor to a burger, chicken breast or even a nice steak.
STOCK UP ON DOUGH
Susan Westmoreland: Buy dough from your local pizzeria and have a do-it-yourself pizza night. You'll save time, and you can personalize it. I love using fresh spinach with a little bit of garlic and olive oil or even figs and blue cheese.
Byrn: To make potpies and quiches, use refrigerated pie crusts and whatever vegetables are available each season -- maybe yellow squash with chicken [in summer]. Also, find a pasta product you like, then dress it up with your own fresh sauce. Don't think of just "pasta," though. Refrigerated tortellini can make a wonderful soup ingredient. Put the tortellini, some shredded rotisserie chicken, one can of tomatoes, one bag of fresh spinach, some pesto and chicken broth in a pot, then simmer it all down for a great soup that's perfect for entertaining.
BRING OUT THE FLAVOR WITH HERBS AND SAUCES
Sandra Lee: Seasoning mixes are good for making soups, sauces and dry rubs. They are inexpensive, and you get a lot of flavor out of them. You only need to use a tablespoon at a time. But be smart about your salt; look for low-sodium packages. Great options include taco/fajita, Swedish meatball, pot roast and Old Bay, which is terrific for fish.
Joachim: One of the simplest ways to get a great, flavorful meal on the table is with quick pan sauces. Pan-sear a piece of fish, lean meat or poultry, then deglaze the pan with wine, broth, citrus or other fruit juice, or other flavored liquid. Add a few aromatics, like garlic or shallots, and you'll have a simple pan sauce recipe. It doesn't take a ton of time, and the end product adds to a special dish.
PLAN AHEAD
Westmoreland: Planning goes a long way toward speeding things along at mealtime. Learn what your grocery market stocks and exactly where those products are located. That can save you time and money, because you will have the opportunity to compare brands and prices. Also, think about what you already have in your pantry and how you can use those ingredients in a variety of dishes.
DON'T SHY AWAY FROM FROZEN FRUITS AND VEGGIES
Lee: Frozen juice concentrates make a fantastic marinade base. Because they are very acidic, the food tenderizes faster and you don't have to marinate it as long. And, depending on the other ingredients you add, they can be either sweet or savory.
Westmoreland: Frozen fruits can add something healthful to a variety of dishes. The fruits have been picked at their peak and then flash-frozen, so they're a great source of vitamins. (Think smoothies, sauces and waffle toppings.)
EXPERIMENT WITH YOUR TOOLS
Joachim: Consider using a pressure cooker, which raises the temperature quickly and cooks food up to 70% faster than conventional cooking methods. You can make five-minute risottos, 15-minute stews or a 40-minute pot roast. It also can help you cook something you normally might shy away from, like whole grains or dried beans. The new models are foolproof: No need to worry about splattering dinner on your ceiling!
Grace: Take your food outside and cook it on the grill. In many cases, that puts people at ease, so timing is not as big an issue. The grill also can impart a variety of flavors and make the cooking process more interactive. -- As told to T.J. Walter
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Martha's top 3 springtime tips
We ask Martha Stewart for ideas on serving up everyday fare with flair.
1. Set a festive springtime table.
Buy a few yards of pale yellow or pale pink linen to use as a runner down the center of the dining room table. (For do-it-yourself directions, go to marthastewart.com and search for "table runners.") Add some crisp white napkins and pretty, light-colored dishes for a quick, simple but beautiful table for spring. It is amazing how just a runner can change the whole appearance of your table.
2. Bring the outdoors in.
One way of decorating the table is to use a bird's nest fern, named that because it actually looks like a bird's nest. I'll use three or four of these ferns on my table and then place hard-boiled eggs in the center of each. If you don't want to use a ton of flowers, then buy just one bunch of daffodils. Take one beautiful daffodil and a little piece of fern and place them in a small glass. Put a series of glasses down the center of the table.
3. Offer guests a special drink.
Rosé wine goes so beautifully with spring meals such as a roasted leg of lamb. It is a little jump on summer, but I love it. Another drink I love to serve in the spring is called Mary's Knees. It is two parts freshly squeezed orange juice to one part freshly squeezed lemon juice, one part Grand Marnier or Cointreau, and a tiny bit of bourbon or vodka. Then I fizz it up with some sparkling water on ice. It's delicious.
Cover photo by Matthew Hranek, Martha Stewart Living
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