Easy weeknight meals can be hard to come by, especially when you’re driving home and get that phone call, “hey babe, what’re we doing for dinner?” More often than not, the answer is “Dunno, what do you want to do?” Once we’ve reached that point, we usually end up at Chipotle, but hey, that’s just our house.

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Pantry Essentials // How to Make A Balsamic Reduction

Throughout the years, we’ve come up with a list of easy week night meals that we’ve dubbed “the rotation”. Rotation meals are easy meals that are reasonably healthy, quick, use minimal dishes, and are full of flavor. As with anything, we tend to get stuck tapping the same six or so, so I’m going to start sharing them with all y’all.

Accountability of sorts.

But first, we’re going to stock the pantry.

I grew up in the kitchen of my mom’s house, my aunts houses, and the kitchens of family friends. Looking back, *almost* all of the major formative moments of my child hood took place in kitchens. So this part, the kitchen part of Cook.Eat.Explore, it holds a special place in my heart, and always will.

Part of those formative cooking memories take place in my Aunt’s backyard, hanging out with her while she manned the grill, talking through life, lifting a glass (sometimes more than one, five, whatever), or simply being in each others company. She’s the one that taught me how to grill chicken, how to know when it’s done, and when to close the lid and leave it alone. (I’m sure there’s a deeper lesson somewhere in there)

So with that, if someone, even one person, makes a recipe that I’ve talked about, that I’ve featured, or try one of the crazy concoctions I come up with while playing around in the kitchen here, and they like it, it ignites a passion for food and for feeding people, then I will consider myself successful.

There is so much joy to be had in feeding people, and in opening your home to those you love. It doesn’t have to be complicated time consuming recipes, or five course meals with wine pairings.

Stick with simple, and learn it. Learn why you salt things, learn the why behind resting meat under tinfoil rather than serving immediately off of the grill.

Start with these bad boys, the Balsamic Steak Brochettes. Click [HERE] for that recipe, but rather than by a balsamic reduction at the store to use, use the recipe from this post to make your own.

Promise it’s worth it.

Pantry Essentials // Balsamic Reduction

Balsamic Reduction

Name: Balsamic Reduction at Home
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 70 min
Ingredients: 1 bottle Balsamic Vinegar ((get a good sized bottle, not the smallest that's on the shelf) ); 1 Your favorite frying pan; 1 Funnel ((if you have a steady hand, you can skip this part)); 1 Squeeze bottle or salad dressing bottle ((for storage))

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