Dumping the Doldrums

It’s time to get real. This time of year is the doldrums of cooking. My kitchen is an Intertropical Convergence Zone (a low-pressure area around the equator where the prevailing winds are calm), which means, nothing fun or fancy is going on there. The weather makes me want to call for take out instead of tackle a new recipe. And I work at a culinary magazine where cooking inspiration is literally my job.

What I need is a big dose of hot sauce. When I feel like “cooking” Cheerios more than cavatelli, a dose of spicy food fills my creative sails again. Spice it up with these easy recipes and get cooking again. Cheerios or Take-Out Chinese can’t compare.