i love to cook, but it always seems there's not enough time, especially after an exhausting work day. looking for some inspirational recipes or better yet recommendations for a favorite cookbook. thanks in advance.

Not exactly what you're asking for, but have you ever watched Rachel Ray's week in a day show? Her food is not gourmet, but she does have some good ideas of make ahead meals, so you don't HAVE to cook after you get home.

Here are 25 healthy recipes to make in 20 minutes or less.

http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes_menus/collections/ultra_quick_healthy_recipes

rachael ray doesn't really inspire me. i do like the link for simple and healthy though. thanks! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Thumbsup.gif" alt="" />

L, she doesn't inspire me eiher!

I know she's not gourmet, but she does have some good ideas for make ahead meals. But I've really been where you are, being tired when I come home from work and not knowing what to cook!!

I use this link: http://www.cookinglight.com/food/quick-healthy/20-20-superfast-suppers-00400000038097/ all the time for ideas when I don't have time to cook all day. I never consider 20- or 30- minute recipes to actually BE 20 or 30 minutes because a)I'm a SLOOOW cook, and b) they're rarely complete meals with 2 veggies. BUT there are literally hundreds of recipes on this link, separated by main ingredient; chicken, pasta, fish, vegetarian, etc. and I ALWAYS find something that's easy & healthy.

That said, making something on Sunday that will give you at least a day or two of weeknight meals is about the only way to go when you know you're just going to be too late or tired to do anything but re-heat.

Rachel Ray is OK... She does have some good stuff...
But, for easy make ahead dinners, I love the crockpot!
So many recipes to choose from...
a simple search on GOOGLE will give a whole world of easy recipes...
I know you can't just live on Crockpot stuff every day...
I also like fish dishes for quick dinners...
Fish cooks so quickly...
I also like to make things like a basic Irish Boiled Dinner (Corned Beef, cabbage, onions, carrots & potatos) on a weekend...
The leftovers are even better than the first night!
I make a hash of the corned beef and cabbage, etc... in a big fry pan, til browned...
Then top with two poached eggs for the leftovers! Great dinner!

When I was a kid, that hash of all the leftovers was called "Bubble and Squeak". My sister and I used to laugh when my Mom made it, because if there was cabbage or turnip involved, it made us bubble and squeak!

Sunday prepping/ cooking and slow cooker.. Things I used to do. Thanks for the reminder! That definitely helps with easing cooking during the week. We are also eating more vegetarian. Not giving up meat, cutting back. Any good vegetarian recipes would be welcome also.

The pre-cooking stuff during the weekend seems the way to go, to me... Or crockpot. I do a lot of crockpot stuff the night before, so all I have to do in the morning is plug it in!!

Yepr! It's Bubble & Squeak! (I just call it hash!)...
Though I have seen recipes for B&S that just use cabbage, bacon, onions. potatos and ham...
I prefer the corned beef version myself!

Crock pot pea soup - I never get tired of it!

Yummmmm! Love pea soup!

The REAL Bubble and Squeak is always made with CORNED BEEF and the left over vegetables from the corn beef and cabbage dinner.No substitutes. If other meat is used, it is then called hash. It is a traditional Newfoundland recipe brought over by the Irish immigrants. In Ireland it is called Colcannon. It is delicious served with a dark Irish beer and irish soda or wheaten bread! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/dine.gif" alt="" />

got some inspiration this weekend from the wall at red cat restaurant, while waiting for the ladies room. funny where inspiration finds you. the recipe was for homemade caramel sauce over baked bananas. i threw in 2 sliced bananas in a 400 degree oven with caramel sauce drizzled (not homemade, but good quality vermont caramel) for 20mins. just realized now as i am typing that i forgot to sprinkle the toasted almonds on top after i took it out of the oven. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/duh.gif" alt="" /> wish we had some vanilla ice cream on hand. otherwise, it was divine. i've also been browsing my cookbooks for new recipes to try. this is something that i made recently from one of my favorite brooklyn spots:

http://www.chow.com/recipes/29105-frankies-meatballs

http://www.saturdayeveningpost.com/2011/...e-spuntino.html

i made these meatballs and marinara sauce for an italian friend and her and her husband were floored by it; they said it was like grandma's.

actually real Bubble & Squeak has no meat in it (nor does Colcannon)...

"Bubble and squeak is a traditional English dish made with the shallow-fried leftover vegetables from a roast dinner. The main ingredients are potato and cabbage, but carrots, peas, brussels sprouts, and other vegetables can be added. The cold chopped vegetables (and cold chopped meat if used) are fried in a pan together with mashed potatoes or crushed roast potatoes until the mixture is well-cooked and brown on the sides. It is often served with cold meat from the Sunday roast, and pickles"
]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bubble_and_squeak]

"Colcannon (Irish: cál ceannann, meaning "white-headed cabbage") is a traditional Irish dish mainly consisting of mashed potatoes with kale or cabbage. It is also the name of a song about the dish."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colcannon