May 19: Wednesday Q and A With Queen of the Quick Meal, Christine Gable

Today I introduce Christine Gable, who blogs at Queen of the Quick Meal, her website/business, where she provides answers to harried cooks looking for kitchen answers.

1. What pushed you to food or wine blogging?

Lol, pushed. Good word choice. That's the state of having a successful business on the internet today--if you don't have a strong presence in today's online and social media world, your business is going to feel it. I joined the fray when I launched a new biz earlier this year called Queen of the Quick Meal. It's a site where folks can come and find answers to last-minute mealtime dilemmas. It's help for when you don't know what to make for dinner, don't have time to go to the store, and need dinner on the table in 20 minutes or less. I blog to share quick meal ideas and recipes with everyone--to help spread ideas of what to make that's quick and delicious (and usually healthy).

2. What do you hope to share with readers through your blog?

Quick recipes, quick meal ideas, suggestions for how to use seasonal foods, and humorous or entertaining anecdotes that relate to my life and my work in helping find mealtime solutions.

3. Is there one post that stands out from others as one that generated a lot of commentary or maybe made you wish you hadn't posted it?

Contests seem to be very popular and I've received the most comments when I'm giving away Adobo or simple seasoning kits.  I received the most comments on a post that asked people to share which food they could use some help with -- it's a reference list that can keep me busy for the rest of the year!

4. Do you cook yourself? Well?  What is your go-to dish?

I do cook--most days it goes very well, other times, well, it could be better. But that's life, eh?  Most of the time cooking 'centers me' and makes me feel better -- I find it's best to be in the kitchen between 5-5:30 when my kids arrive home after school/work and everyone reconvenes for the day. It's the hub of family activity and when I'm busy at the stove the kids seem to find it easier to chat about what's happened all day.

My go-to dish is Chicken Fajitas (or Bean Fajitas--using canned, drained beans--for the vegetarians), an easy 2 skillet dinner: in skillet #1 saute sliced chicken breast in some olive oil, sprinkling with soy sauce when almost done. Meanwhile in skillet #2 warm soft tortillas til they're lightly golden brown. Using this warm pan, saute sliced onions and peppers in oil until tender. Fill tortillas with chicken (or beans), sauteed onions and peppers, and top with lettuce, salsa, sour cream, guacamole, etc.  Yum!

Here's a link with a picture: http://www.quickmealhelp.com/recipe/chicken-fajitas

5. Forget your favorite go-to dish; what is your idea of a perfect meal?

Delicious homecooking that takes 20 minutes or less start-to-finish. Kids home, digging in with relish, and telling me about their day. Dishwasher in working order.

Bonus question if you feel like it: Do you have a dirty little secret in your kitchen?

Sounds awesome (Christine is referring to my secret fondness for Banquet Frozen Chicken and Dumplings for the Crock-pot) -- will have to keep my eyes open for that one (especially since I write the Savvy Slowcooker column for CDKitchen -- folks would luv that fast and easy slowcooker meal!).

Dirty little dessert secret: when there's not a single 'prepared' sweet or dessert in the house, we grab the jar of peanut butter and bag of chocolate chips. Spoonful of peanut butter dipped in chocolate chips does the trick. Divine. Easy. Quick.