5/5/5 minute meals

I like good food, and I like to cook good food. The first statement has been true since...always. The second statement only started becoming true when I was 24. Coincidentally, that was the year I got married and received every kitchen appliance known to mankind as wedding presents- thank you Bed Bath and Beyond registry! I became the Ina Garten of new brides. I cooked nightly meals for my love and me.  I tried new recipes constantly and had my brother the incredible Chef Yos on speed-dial for all my culinary questions. He taught me how to make the best seared tuna and that everything gets sprinkled with salt and pepper, “it brings out all the flavors” -- who knew?!  I still love to cook but it’s a little harder these days with a 14 week old.  Every time I seem to want to cook something, Murphy(‘s law) starts crying. [My husband and I were seriously contemplating naming him Murphy when he was born 10 days late, on the 1 day we had 4 prior engagements!] I would hold him in the bjorn and chop b/c I do love a sauteed onion, but if my eyes burn every time I cut one up, I’m assuming it’s a no-go for Kol. Still, I refuse to eat frozen pizza and Morning Star Grillers every night.

As the mother of a 14 week old I realize two things. One, it needs to take me less than 30 minutes to prepare a meal and two, I may have to cook my meal throughout the day. So I have created the 5 minute and 5 minute and 5 minute meal(s). I prepped each dish separately during each of Kol’s naps. Though I made the meal throughout the day and we did not eat it until the evening, it was fresh, fast and delicious!
----
Salad: 5 min
Throw handful of packaged ready washed greens into bowl (romaine, butter, spring mix or any lettuce of your choice)
Cut up cucumber(s), cut up pepper(s), throw in a handful of cherry tomatoes, throw in a handful of kalamata olives.

Potatoes: 5 min
Turn on oven to 400 degrees. Wash fingerling potatoes and cut them in half. Spray pan, put potatoes in the pan. Sprinkle olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder and rosemary on top of the potatoes. Mix it up. Put potatoes into oven to roast. Don’t forget to turn on your timer for 35 minutes ( I would never remember to take anything out of the oven if not for my phone timer)

Salmon: 5 min
Take salmon out of package, lay on silver foil covered baking sheet. Squeeze one lemon over the fish, drizzle some extra virgin olive oil, sprinkle Lawry’s seasoned salt. Put in the oven for 20 minutes on 350 degrees (if you want to cook the potatoes and fish together, keep the temp on 350 and just check for when the potatoes start to brown, they may need a couple extra minutes)

After the baby is asleep and you are ready to eat, toss the salad with a drizzle of e.v.o.o, a squeeze of lemon juice and a sprinkle of salt and pepper --always, ala Chef Yos!

Shave some parmesan over the fingerling potatoes or if you have the bottled kind, sprinkle away.
Pour yourself a glass of wine or sparkling water in your best wine glass and Enjoy!

[written during week 14]