Mark Bittman and I are so in tune. The Minimalist Cook (also wrote "How
to Cook Everything", a cookbook we recommend around here frequently)
writes in the NY Times today about discovering frozen vegetables.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/02/16/di...er=rssuserland

Sheldon, among others, was commenting on this same topic recently. I've
certainly had good results with frozen spinach, and find that frozen
green beans make pre-schoolers very happy. Safeway's organic frozen
veggies are also a great value compared to fresh organic produce out of
season.

But Bittman expands my thinking with recipes for chicken in a pot,
pepper fried rice, and penne with ricotta and peas.

Most of the time I don't buy produce out of season (making some
exceptions) so I just wouldn't cook with fresh red peppers at this time
of year, as Bittman does. THere's plenty of tasty winter produce here
in California to tide us over until March or April. But frozen produce
is also a lifesaver when you have an ongoing family health crisis and
people still need to be fed (without calling for takeout). Our
emergency dinner for the kids involves frozen store brand ravioli
dressed with olive oil and parmesan cheese, frozen peas or green beans
served with either butter (peas) or lemon juice and olive oil (beans),
and fresh "baby" carrot sticks. Fruit and a small cookie for dessert.
The teenaged babysitter can handle putting this meal together when
necessary.

Bittman suggests another way for cooking frozen green beans that I plan
to try.

Hope this gives you some good ideas for midwinter meals.

Leila