Simmer

If you are looking to save a few bucks and a little time, you can buy 2 pounds of pepper steak strips and cut that into bite-size pieces. The beef won’t be quite as tender but the flavor will be great.

When you are too exhausted to move, this simple supper stands you back up. Actually, it makes a nice Sunday brunch or late-night snack as well and can easily be adjusted to feed from one to some.

While the squash cooks, work on the chops (recipe follows).

The meatball dumplings in the stoup taste okay without the 2 tablespoons of bread crumbs, but being a Sicilian girl, I simply cannot make a meatball with no bread crumbs. This is as close as I can force myself. It’s only 2 tablespoons. Negligible carbs, but all the difference mentally and the consistency is really better for it.

This is a great late-night snack or easy lunch. It’s my version of stracciatelle or “rag” soup. Basically, it’s an Italian egg-drop soup. I make mine really full of egg “rags” or ribbons because when I eat chicken noodle soup I would make a bowl of noodles with a little broth. It’s best to eat this really fresh and hot, so if you’re cooking for one or two, just cut the recipe in half.

This jumble is a lot like jambalaya, so I call it a Jumble-laya. This is one of those flexible recipes. You can substitute turkey or tender cuts of pork and beef for the chicken. Go all seafood by bumping up the amount of shrimp and adding crabmeat at the end to just heat it through. Andouille sausage is a spicy, smoky sausage with a flavor that packs a punch. It is used in Cajun-style food and is a staple in gumbo and jambalaya. Is okra not your thing? Substitute frozen defrosted French-cut green beans.

If you are completely exhausted, substitute the salmon steaks with canned salmon. Buy one large can (18 ounces), drain, and arrange the chunks atop the salad. Buy hard-boiled eggs from the salad bar at the market, or boil your own (see Tidbit, page 90).

Choose any or all of the toppers for your chili.