I like to cook, as long as it doesn't take much prep and doesn't require a bunch of random ingredients. Now do I cook as much as I should? No. I snack for dinner or go mooch off my parents. I think I might have more of an impetus to cook if I found some quick, simple and healthy recipes (that wouldn't leave me with an excess of leftovers). So I spent part of the day searching for cookbooks on amazon.com. I added three of them (including a kosher cookbook) to my wish list (hint, hint).

There was a period of time last year when I was making a yeast bread weekly. That is definitely not a quick recipe. I really got in the zone though. I would start making the bread when "The Simpsons" were on at 6pm, and I would be done by 9pm. There are a couple of times when you have to wait 30 minutes for the bread to rise, so I would read. I lasted about a month and a half working with this.

The only thing I cook nowadays is soft tacos. My friend the native Minnesotan actually taught me her technique. You spray a skillet with Pam after you've cut up some boneless, skinless chicken breasts. You stick them in the skillet to brown them. When the chicken is fully cooked, you turn down the heat and add half a chicken taco spice packet. Then you add about a 1/2 cup of salsa. Mix it all up and keep it heated for a bit longer, and you've got your soft taco filling!

I like making these because I never have too many leftovers, and it is a really quick recipe. Since I only use half a spice packet, the sodium level isn't so high, and the salsa gives you some vegetables (sure it does!). I also only use organic salsa.

I'd like to find more cookbooks or sources for quick and healthy recipes for cooking alone. There just doesn't seem to be that much variety of sources out there.

Anyone have any recommendations?
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