Cook It Last Night

To have tender meat for dinner, I have no choice but to do part of the preparation the night before or in the morning by 7:30 a.m., the time I leave for work. This is a favorite meal. I cook a pound of beef stew cubes the night before for about 2 hours. Then I refrigerate the meat. When I get home, I simmer the meat in a pan with a 6-ounce can of tomato sauce and about 1/2 cup of barbecue sauce for 10 minutes. I serve the stew over white rice--the instant kind is best in a bind. I’m a nut about serving fresh vegetables and fruit, so my family eats a balanced meal. For green beans, I simmer them in water for 8 to 10 minutes. The meal is served with cubes of melons, such as watermelon, cantaloupe and honeydew. Melons are so sweet, it’s like having dessert for dinner.

--KATHLEEN VANDERVOET

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