Syphus - Express lane cooking : 80 quick-shop meals using 5 ingredients

FOUNDER OF THE BLOG, I WASH YOU DRY

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TO CHRIS, MY BEST FRIEND AND ROCK, I LOVE YOU. TO KAYLEE, CREW, EMMA AND TWILA, MY FAVORITE TASTE TESTERS, YOU ARE THE JOYS OF MY LIFE.

Once upon a time, back in May of 2010, I Wash You Dry was born. At the time I had three small children at home. Between play dates, bike rides and your typical mom duties, my time in the kitchen was always limited. As much as I love to cook, spending my whole day in the kitchen is not my idea of fun. I dont believe that recipes need to be difficult and/or time consuming to be great. Thats why my blogs focus has always been to create simple and easy recipes that taste phenomenal, all while using as few dishes as possiblecause seriously, who enjoys doing dishes?! Not me!

Now that I have four kids at home, my theory that dinners need to be quick and easy has expanded into also needing to be versatile. Thats how the idea for Express Lane Cooking came to be. When I would take my youngest two girls to the grocery store, sometimes I would only have mere minutes before the toddler meltdowns would transpire. I would have to book it out of there with just a few ingredients in hand. Its happened to all of us, right? With this cookbook, youll be able to grab 5 ingredients, and Ill show you how to make 3 different meals that your whole family will love!

My goal is that youll become more confident in the kitchen and be able to look at the ingredients you have on hand and make something amazing with them. I really hope you enjoy the recipes Ive created here for you. You can find more delicious, quick and easy recipes on my blog www.iwashyoudry.com. I hope youll come say hi!

Now, lets get in the kitchen and start cooking!

Shawn Syphus

If theres one thing that can help you become an inspired chef, its a well-stocked kitchen. When youre working with limited fresh ingredients, having a well-stocked spice drawer, pantry and refrigerator can make all the difference. Heres a list of the different items that I believe you should keep on hand at all times.

SPICE DRAWER

The good news about dried herbs and spices is that, when stored properly, they can last for a long timeup to three years! The best place to store your spices is away from heat and light. So while it may seem convenient to keep them right by your stovetop, consider a location a little farther away, like an upper kitchen cabinet.

SaltI prefer sea salt, and use a grinder to crush it.

PepperI also prefer to use a triple peppercorn blend and grind my own fresh pepper.

Garlic Powder

Onion Powder

Ground Ginger

Chili Powder

Cayenne Pepper

Red Pepper Flakes

Smoked Paprika

Cumin

Italian Seasoning Blend

Dried Oregano

Dried Parsley

Dried Basil

Bay Leaves

Nutmeg

Cinnamon

Vanilla Extract

PANTRY

When I was traveling across the country with my family in our 5th wheel trailer, I still made it a priority to have a well-stocked pantry. I stuck containers of flour, sugar and oats behind the couch, and jars of honey under the kids beds. These items dont have as long of a shelf life as the spice drawer, but when stored properly can last several months. So whether you have a walk-in pantry or just a couple shelves of cupboard space, these are the things you need to make room for.

FlourI prefer an all purpose white flour

Sugar

Brown Sugar

PastaSpaghetti, Macaroni, Penne, etc.

BreadcrumbsPlain and panko style

Cornstarch

Honey

BrothBeef, Chicken, Veggie, or you can keep bouillon cubes on hand if you prefer

RiceI love Jasmine rice

Peanut Butter

Worcestershire Sauce

OilsOlive oil, Canola Oil, Vegetable Oil and if you cook a lot of Asian recipes Sesame Oil

VinegarsApple Cider, White Wine, Red Wine, Rice Wine, Balsamic

Cooking Wines or regular wineRed, White, Sherry

REFRIGERATOR

At least once a week I am back at the grocery store stocking up on my refrigerator basics. These items have the shortest shelf life of all the basics, so make sure to buy the size that best fits your needs to reduce waste.

Milk

Eggs

Butter

Baconthick cut or regular cut

Sour Cream or Plain Greek Yogurt

Mayonnaise

Mustard

Ketchup

Since Im always cooking and creating in my kitchen, I also always keep items like fresh garlic, onions, limes, lemons and all sorts of fresh herbs (like cilantro and parsley) on hand. Fresher is always better, but sometimes due to seasonal ingredients, dried herbs and spices will do the job. Now that you have a well-stocked kitchen, youre ready to tackle these simple and easy recipes like a champ!

When it comes down to it, chicken is by far my favorite protein to work with. I love the versatility of it! From shredded chicken breast to grilled chicken burgers and anything in between, the possibilities to create easy meals are endless. Its that exact versatility that gives you the ability to easily transform 5 ingredients into 3 different meals.

Looking for the perfect meal to entertain during the summer months? You need to check out my , filled with grilled chicken, fresh grilled peaches and grilled brie topped with a homemade pesto. Its the perfect meal to bring friends and family together.

During the fall, warm up by bringing all the flavors of Thanksgiving to the table with my !

Chicken and turkey are great any time of the year, but I especially love buying when they go on sale. This cookbook isnt about budgeting meals, but chicken can definitely be a budget-friendly protein for larger families such as mine. Thats why I always tend to flock toward the poultry section whenever I see a sale. So stock up and let me show you how to transform that bird into some tasty dinners your whole family will enjoy. Theres something for everyone in this chapter, and I just know youre going to love it as much as I do!