I am much better now. I discovered that if I keep things simple and use quality, fresh ingredients it is hard to mess up.
I cook mostly with cast iron skillets and dutch ovens. I don't own a gratin dish or any specialty dishes beyond my standard glass casserole 9 x 13 and a couple of bread and pie pans. I'll fancy up the fare for weekends and company, but typically a dish has to be simple and take less than 15 minutes of prepration. I have a 4 year old and a baby. I don't have time to play around in the kitchen.
Tonight's dinner cost less than 4$ for 4 servings. Alaskan Pollock was on sale, 10 fillets for $4.25 and I split the package for two meals. Carrots and leeks were also pretty cheap.
Basically the most expensive part was the aluminum foil. Ha.
So here it is:
4 frozen fillets of white fish
3 large carrots cut long and thin (like grass, but 1/4- 1/2 inch thick)
2 leeks cut long and thin (like grass)
4 pats of butter
lemon juice
salt and pepper (and granulated garlic if you like)
foil, 8 12 x 12 sheets.
Lay out 4 foil sheets, top each with leeks and carrots, then lay a filet on top and squirt with lemon, finish with seasonings and butter. Lay foil on top and pinch the two sheets together around all 4 sides.
Bake for 45 minutes at 425.
Done.
