5 simple dinners to ease back into cooking in the new year

"PITTSBURGH - Still suffering from a post-holiday drag? After the fun of Christmas and New Year's, it's completely understandable if you're having a hard time snapping back into a routine. The fact that it's still getting light too late and dark too early - we won't set our clocks forward for spring until March 8 - only adds to the funk that is a Western Pennsylvania winter, marked by gray skies, a freezing mix of snow and rain and slushy sidewalks."

"After a steady diet of festive desserts, rich and hearty sides and too much alcohol, "everyday" cooking might feel daunting on a busy weeknight. A relaxed holiday schedule has left many of us out of practice in getting dinners on the table at a set time. And if you've over-indulged over the past few weeks, you might be trying to eat less to shed those extra holiday pounds."

"To help inspire you, we've assembled five flavorful recipes that each require no more than six everyday ingredients and only take about a half hour to prepare on the stovetop. Don't love washing pans? Me either! All of the following are made and served from a single skillet, guaranteeing easy cleanup. There is a slight catch: All five dishes assume you have kitchen staples like vegetable oil or extra-virgin olive oil, salt and pepper, garlic cloves, unsalted butter, sugar and various spices already on hand."

Post-holiday fatigue and short winter daylight can make returning to regular routines and weekday cooking difficult. Overindulgence in rich foods and alcohol often prompts a desire to eat lighter and reestablish home cooking habits. Convenience foods and takeout make compromise easy, so starting with baby steps — simple, low-ingredient meals — helps rebuild routines. Five recipes require no more than six everyday ingredients and about a half hour on the stovetop. Each dish is prepared and served in a single skillet for minimal cleanup. The recipes assume common staples like oils, salt, pepper, garlic, butter, sugar and spices are already available.

Read at Boston Herald