It was soggy and rainy for several days in a row and the gloominess was taking over. It was hard for even the most chipper of us to crack a smile. For crying out loud, June was supposed to be sunny and hot, not cloudy and dreary. Everyone was having a hard time shaking the mood. Bus talk chatter focused solely on when the sun would come out. We were all suffering from a mild case of seasonal depression — rainy day blues.
So, after the fourth day of gloom, I was more than thrilled to greet my friend Debbie and her kids at my front door for an impromptu cooking date. I couldn’t wait to see what she had loaded in her bag for us to cook together. Within minutes, out came some chicken, potatoes and puff pastry. To that I added onions, garlic and herbs. We began chopping vegetables and sautéing chicken, followed by the rolling, and cutting of puff pastry. The fragrant scent of curry, cardamom and cumin warmed the kitchen, as Debbie and I happily created these delicious two-bite morsels.
The kids followed their noses as usual and came in for some satisfactory nibbles. Appreciative smiles provided the sunshine we needed that day. For those two hours at least, the dimness outside didn’t matter, for we created our own brightness inside, cooking away the rainy day blues.
Summer days are filled with activity. The days are longer, the sun is brighter, and the kids are more active. Grilling is a favorite activity of my family during the hot summer months, but one rainy day can throw a wrench into the best plans for a delicious grilled meal. So on a gloomy rainy day, with kids underfoot, cranky because they can’t go outside and play, what can you make for dinner? Try something quick, easy, and kid pleasing to take away the rainy day blues!