Getting Out of Punxsutawney

By Colleen Walsh Fong

Last week thousands of cars got stuck in ruts. And it was hard work for their drivers to get out of them!

People get stuck in all kinds of ruts too. And since today is Groundhog Day, Bill Murray is the first thing that popped into my mind. 

It’s easy to get stuck in food ruts. When I was a kid if I knew what day it was, I knew what my mom was serving for dinner. Baked chicken on Monday, Pork chops on Tuesday, Meatloaf on Wednesday, etc. 

Fridays were especially abysmal because they were meatless in our home for religious reasons. My mom’s Friday repertoire was surprisingly bad. It had three possibilities: 

·      Macaroni and Cheese to which she inexplicably added canned tomatoes—yuck!

·      Tuna Casserole from canned tuna, creamy mushroom soup, and chow mien noodles—double yuck!

·      Or frozen Perch filets—rating unavailable. They were so fishy smelling and bad I’ve wiped all memory of them from my brain.

40 years before the loveable comic got stuck in Punxsutawney, PA our family was stuck in a bad food rut. But in fairness to my mom, I think she cooked in the mode of the day. The only cooking resources we had around were a 1950’s version of “The Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook,” and a stack of McCall’s magazines chock-a-block full of the kind of casseroles described above. I think Mom picked out 7 dishes and went on autopilot for thirty years. And her friends did, too.

Today we have all sorts of cooking resources at our fingertips. I just saw a Facebook post this morning advertising 4 healthy recipes for $10. If that seems a little excessive to you, check out my anti-Groundhog Day alternatives: 

My smart cooking resources range from free to $7.99. Here’s what you get with each:

Free Resources

·      Monthly newsletter with exclusive recipe giveaways, food information, and healthy cooking tips. Sign up for it here;

·      Our Food Blog publishes several posts per week, many containing free recipes and great cooking information;

·      Sample recipes appear on our website here;

·      Our Website Resource Pages, including food-prep technique slideshows, pictures, food glossary, measurement conversions, and healthy substitutions.

Take a few minutes to browse through these pages and our blog archives to find loads of fabulous freebies.

A-La-Carte-Recipes

Break out of your culinary Punxsutawney with our easy and inexpensive recipe ensembles. They range from 39-99¢, and they’re healthy, delicious, and budget-friendly. Take a look at them here.

Tonight I’m making a unique and outrageously delicious Super-B Stuffed Pretzel Surprise Sandwich from my Hearts of Palm Pork Trio. The roast warmed us on the icy days earlier in the week. But today is Super Bowl Sunday, so these sandwiches are perfect! Don't take my word for it. Some of our taste-testers told me to name it "The Best Sandwich Ever!"

Since our local General Beauregard Lee did not see his shadow I’m expecting Spring-like weather soon. So next week I’ll make my Succulent Salmon Trio, complete with some yummy tacos and a refreshing Chunky Salmon Salad full of zip. That trio is coming soon, so watch our blog for news of it!

Touchscreen Smart Cookbooks

Use these books like Monopoly’s “Get out of Jail Free” card to permanently keep out of a culinary rut. 

They feature months of new, delicious, and healthy meals, weekly meal plans, and the corresponding grocery lists and recipes. Store them in your smartphone or tablet. Open them in the grocery store and shop from the list of your choice. Lists are organized by the food aisles where you’ll find each product. And then you’re done shopping for the week! 

They’re smart because they’re all linked up to take you anywhere you need to go. Every cooking term or prep technique appearing in the recipes links to our glossary or slide shows. One touch of the screen takes you to the resource and a 2nd one takes you back to your place in the book. 

And they’re full of clever food ideas for tweaking leftovers into completely different looking and tasting meals. Priced between $3.99-7.99 you can set yourself up with fabulous food for years with one of these books!

Check them out here.

Don’t get trapped in a Groundhog Day food rut! Keep yourself and your family engaged in good eating the Easy way.

Photos Courtesy of Easy Weekly Meals