Some people would argue that fall is the most beautiful time of the year, but if your life is anything like mine it's also the busiest. Work, school activities, sports practices and games, not to mention the upcoming holiday season, all have me running in a million different directions.
It goes without saying that a little planning makes this time of year a lot less stressful. The problem is, I'm not a planner. Rather than set a ton of Martha Stewart-like expectations, I prefer to pick a couple of things I think I can accomplish and pat myself on the back if one of them comes to fruition.
These are my goals this fall: 1. I'm going to get my Christmas shopping finished and wrapped before Thanksgiving. 2. I'm going to make sure to cook extra on the weekends so I have leftovers that I can transform into meals during the week.
If I'm honest with myself (and why should I start that now?), Goal No. 1 isn't likely to happen. I have a real shot at the second one, though.
Leftovers, if leveraged properly, can make getting a healthful, delicious weeknight meal on the table a snap. Of course it depends on the type of leftovers. A bowlful of hot dish, while it might be fine to reheat, is a little too complex to easily be used as an element in another recipe.
That's why I try to cook extra of the more basic dishes on the weekend, like roasted or grilled meats and vegetables, noodles tossed in a little olive oil, cooked grains, mashed potatoes, even chili. I know I can utilize all of those things in any number of ways throughout the week.
Typically it's not a big deal for me to double a recipe I'm already making, especially if it's something simple. It can be a big deal, though, to create those ingredients from scratch when they're only one part of another dish.
A good example of a successful execution of this strategy are these unexpectedly addictive Chicken, Black Bean and Butternut Squash Burritos. While I could — and often do — make basic bean and rice burritos, the addition of roasted butternut squash and chicken takes them to a new level. The squash lends a surprisingly enjoyable sweet element that nicely balances the savory. They're certainly worth making even if you don't have the leftovers handy, but they take just 10 minutes to prepare if you've already got the cooked chicken, rice and roasted butternut squash sitting in the refrigerator, waiting to be used.
While I will no doubt be wrapping presents long past Thanksgiving, at least I won't be sweating over dinner.
Meredith Deeds of Edina is the author of "Everyday to Entertaining" and "The Big Book of Appetizers." Reach her at meredith@meredithdeeds.com. Follow her on Twitter: @meredithdeeds.
