If you are in a commuting, two-working-parent relationship, the IM correspondence with your spouse between 4:00 and 5:00 PM probably reads something like this:
d: train?
m: 5:41 hopefully. u?
d: 6:27. hopefully.
m: dinner?
d: dunno. what do u think?
m: not sure. pasta?
d: had pasta for lunch. chili?
you there?
hello?
m: S#%T !!!!!! sue just called a 5:00 mtg. prob on 6:27 w/ u.
When Remote Dinner Paralysis* strikes, you can do one of two things: You can browse all those recipe Apps you bought for this very occasion yet somehow never remember are there. Or you can call home and ask whoever answers (babysitter, 8-year-old, sock monkey) to complete a so-easy-even-a-sock-monkey-can-do-it task: put a pile of baking potatoes in the oven then turn the heat to 450°F. And then — Sue, be damned — you can still have family dinner on time.
*i.e. you can’t think of any ideas for dinner, and you are too far away from the kitchen to open up the fridge, poke around the pantry, flip through your TFD [1] for inspiration.
Related: Pork Chops Tonight? [2]
Baked Potato Bar
Bake six potatoes (or 1 1/2 potatoes per diner) in a 450°F oven for 45 minutes to an hour. Remove from oven, split , and top with any of the following:
-cheddar (before serving, add back to oven under broiler til it melts)
-Caramelized onions (2 large onions, sliced and cooked on low heat for 15-2o minutes)
-Cooked bacon, chopped
-Broccoli (steamed)
-Sour cream, Butter, Ketchup
P.S: I drew some very JV-looking “Guest Checks” for a game of restaurant over the weekend, but Phoebe decided they’d be put to better use in the real kitchen. She took our toppings orders and made sure everything matched up.