The easiest and most versatile food that I can think of has to be Mexican (outside of takeout of course). Whenever you don't feel like being in the kitchen very long, Mexican cooking can get you in and out fast because the rich flavors don't take as long to develop (that sentence does not apply to moles and other slow cooking sauces that you're probably not going to make and may not even know about).
Example one: fajitas are really just some combination of a protein and vegetables with a mixture of spices. You can utilize any sort of steak that is on sale, boneless chicken breasts or thighs (save yourself half the money and get the thighs, they make much better mexican food, turkey tenders, pork tenderloin, pork steaks, or shrimp. I suggest spending the extra money to get the sweet orange, yellow, or red peppers for this dish unless you have green or sweet banana peppers from the garden. You can utilize any style onion or even shallots. If you want to kick up your fajitas, make the entire dish in a stainless steel pan, add some garlic in the middle, and deglaze the pan with the juice of one lime. The only key spice ingredient is cumin: have it on hand always if you like Mexican food.
Example two: tacos/burritos is just a mixture of foods inside a tortilla shell. You can utilize all of those same proteins or just use ground beef/chicken/pork. Sausage is another great taco component. If you really want a tasty taco, take a blank canvas like pork or chicken and combine it with some chorizo sausage for a nice taco filling. You can go old school traditional and top with only a squeeze of lime, cilantro, and onion or toss on some cheese, lettuce, and pico. Don't be afraid to add some vegetables to the mix or go light on the seasoning of the meat so you can add a salsa with big flavor.
Example three: quesadillas will handle anything you put inside (that's what she said). It's about time I found a spot to use that line. Only two rules on this one: don't use a diet tortilla shell because it won't cook correctly and tastes weird, and get yourself a good cheese. The whole thing is centered around the cheese, so if you use kraft single or velveeta lord help you. You can even lighten the dish with an artsy salad on the top of the quesadilla the way some restaurants now dress their pizzas.
The key component to any Mexican meal is a good salsa. My favorite is probably a poblano, serrano, and tomatillo concoction with multiple other vegetables, but we're going basic today. I give all the credit to Tyler Florence on this one, but it is a staple for us at least twice a month. Get one 28 oz jar of San Marzano whole plum tomatoes (don't cheap out on these tomatoes unless you've destroyed your pallet over your lifetime to the point that all foods taste the same), one red onion, two limes, a bunch of cilantro, olive oil, salt, pepper, and a pepper that fits your heat standard (poblano, jalapeno, or serrano mainly). Put all of the tomatoes only (reserve the liquid on the side), chunked pepper, and chunked onion into a food processor. Now add a glug of olive oil, some lime zest, the juice of two limes, and salt/pepper/cilantro to taste. I suggest going 1/2 to 3/4 of the onion to start, maybe one lime, and light cilantro. You can always add more. Personally I go with the whole onion and as much lime and cilantro as I can handle. If you have a smaller food processor, just split the recipe into two equal batches. Make both batches right away because you will eat it all. It should last you about a week in the fridge if you haven't eaten it all.
Restaurant Recap
Since we're on the topic of Mexican, this restaurant selection applies to everyone. If you even remotely like Mexican food, you need to get yourself to Frontera/Topolobampo in downtown Chicago. It is one of the top five meals I have ever had. You could stay for hours just sampling starters like homemade tamales and sopes, snack on the mounds of guac and ceviche, or just get yourself a nice entree. I believe at Frontera the most expensive meal is the Falsa Brava at $29. If you still have your man card and you enjoy steak, then that entree is where you start. A huge piece of spicy flank steak, two homemade tamales, grilled fresh onions, and a rustic salsa. I would suggest sticking with the house margarita from the drink menu. I sampled a few other specials, but the old standby was certainly the best. And at the end of the day, what could be more satisfying than having a ginger make you Mexican food?
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