Thirty Minutes from Fridge to Table

This week is kinda crazy in our house. It's back to work after the holidays week which is always a bit of a transition but it's also the Winmar curling bonspiel week which means that Doug is racing out the door before 6pm and doesn't pull in until after 9pm.

On Tuesday night I had to work later than my usual 4pm and knew I wouldn't get home until just before 5. Doug had a meeting and wasn't going to be home until 5:30pm. He would need to eat pretty much as soon as he walked in the door so he could then head out again before 6.

"Let's just have sandwiches" he said that morning.

I wanted something a little more substantial and interesting than a sandwich for dinner so I pulled out our recipe folder of tried and true favourites and decided that, with a little luck and a lot of focus, I could pull of a Greek pasta salad and grilled salmon for dinner. I made a grocery list over breakfast and had everything picked up when I walked in the door at exactly 4:55pm.

Here is what happened next.

4:55pm - put on pot of water to boil
4:56pm - take off coat, scarf, gloves, use the ladies room and brush teeth
5:00pm - turn on toaster oven to 350C, put salmon on baking sheet, add a bit of oil, seasoning salt, pepper and brown sugar. Put in oven.
5:05pm - add pasta to now boiling water. Chop cucumber, tomatoes, red onion and olives. Mix pesto and sour cream for dressing. Toss feta cheese in compost because of excessive mould (sad day).
5:15pm - strain pasta and run under cold water to cool off. Set table.
5:20pm - mix all salad ingredients together and put salad on table.
5:22pm - wash dishes, dry and put away
5:28pm - check salmon (almost ready)
5:30pm - Doug arrives home

Thirty-five minutes from start to finish, including setting the table and washing the dishes.

Instead of a sandwich we enjoyed a healthy, tasty dinner and now have lots of pasta salad leftovers for lunch.

So yes, it is indeed possible to make something homemade and delicious in as little time as it takes to prepare something pre-packaged and not so healthy.

Here is the link to the Greek pasta salad recipe and a great blog. We have tried several of their recipes and they are always simple to make and delicious.

So go on - make a grocery list and prepare something delicious tonight!