Meals in a Flash: A Toast to Rachael Ray

It has been a while, I know! School has kept me pretty occupied and with finals and a voice recital coming up, I have barely been able to cook... let alone blog! However, in lieu of all my business, I have been able to utilize Rachael Ray's Express Lane Cookbook. It has truly been a life saver, especially when I get home from work at 5 o'clock dying for a healthy, hot meal!

In this particular 30-minute meal cookbook, Rachael gives you a list of ingredients to always keep on hand. Ingredients that you should always have in your cupboard, freezer, and fridge. On the back flap of the cookbook she provides you with this list. It is pretty basic and I love that everything is available to your local grocery store... no specialty items, no expensive price tag.

Her meals are mainly Italian and Sicilian based, always using fresh vegetables and herbs and those amazing flavor boosters like EVOO, Roasted Red Peppers, Capers, Marinated artichoke hearts, Parmegiano-Reggiano cheese, and chilies in Adobo Sauce. YUM.

With my afternoon free and lots of yummy ingredients on hand, I am off to make Smokey Chipotle-Chicken Corn Chowder with Salsa Salad. I make soups all the time, freeze them in individual portions and throw one in my bag for lunch before I leave each day.

I will post the recipe in my next post! In the mean time, go out and get this cookbook... it is pennies on Amazon!