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What is it about a recipe that keeps you using it time, after time after time? Each of us would have a different answer to that question I'm sure. For someone who likes getting out of the kitchen fast my recipes have to conform to my 5 point checklist.

What makes a recipe great? Everyone, I'm sure, has their own opinion on this. My recipe requirements are quite simple. It has to get me in and out of the kitchen fast and make a minimum of mess. Over the years I have developed my handy, dandy, 5 point checklist for a great recipe.

1. It can't have more than 5 main ingredients. This doesn't include whatever seasonings you are going to put in it or on it.

2. It shouldn't take more than 15 minutes to prepare. If I have to spend an hour putting it together before I cook it I'm going to be too darned tired to eat it.

3. It has to contain ingredients I can find at my local supermarket. I live in a small rural community so this is sometimes a bit of a challenge to say the least. I also like to be able to pronounce the items and have a general idea of what they actually are.

4. I have to be able to fry it, boil it, sauté it or whatever in 15 minutes or less. If the recipe requires baking, that is different. It can bake for as long as it likes as long as it doesn't require basting, turning, poking or prodding every 10 minutes.

5. It has to look good when it's done. It should taste good too, of course, but this is actually secondary to looking good. I have 3 teens and their whole view of food is just that, a view. It can taste like heaven but if it looks "yucky" you just know that the dog will be having dinner with you and the kids will be having peanut butter sandwiches.

There is a number 6 some of the time too. My husband is a real meat and potatoes man. After 20 years of marriage he is still convinced that he will die if he doesn't eat meat atleast some of the time. When I make meatless balls or a meatless loaf, I lean towards recipes that look like the "real thing" so I can just pour gravy over it and serve it to him as meatloaf. If you put enough gravy or ketchup on it, he can't tell the difference. Or if he can, he just sighs and eats it anyway. This doesn't work, however,with anything that contains tofu. He has a built in tofu radar and just KNOWS it's there. But I am getting off topic here.

With my 5 point check list I am in and out of the kitchen in 30 minutes or less and dinner is on the table in record time. This is what works for me. You might have a completely different idea of what constitutes a great recipe. If you do, please send it along. I would love to hear from you.