Good, Satisfying & Simple Meal when you just need a Short-cut!

I have had a cold this whole week.  I expected maybe a day or two under the weather; no big deal.  I've had 'em before.  But, this did not turn out as expected.  No, this cold was more ferocious, more evil, more intent on doing me in.  It teamed up with 2011's massive Pollen Invasion to try to conquer me.  But alas, I have prevailed.

So, in the midst of this epic health battle, I still had to be the incredible, amazing, to-be-awed Super Mom that I am known to be, right?  That included taming the laundry beast (this damn thing cannot be beaten; it keeps coming back), having Neil out of town for 2 nights (extra "mommy, mommy, mommy" questions as I'm sick as the proverbial dog), working and performing feats of genius and cooking.  So, by the time last night rolled around, I was a little ragged around the edges.  But, guess what, my foodie-licious little buddies?  I loaded up on cold  medicine, poured a glass of wine and hit the kitchen.  Result?  The ridiculously easy,  yet SUPERCALIFRAGILISTICEXPIALIDOCIOUS open-faced roast beef sandwich.  Oh yeah!  

It looked a lot like this! 

But, remember, I was sick, so I'm going to be going all "Sandra Lee" and "Semi-Homemade" on ya.  Actually, I cooked very little, but the point I'm trying to make is that you can crank out a hot, homey, satisfying, old school dinner even when you feel like sticking your head in the oven.  (that's a funny story I'll have to tell you sometime...).

Ok, get ready.  You will not need to take notes here.  I took deli roast beef and sliced it into strips.  Then I warmed some olive oil in a pan and gently cooked some minced garlic, not so much to cook the garlic, but to flavor the olive oil.  I added the roast beef and cooked it on low just to coat with the garlic oil and warm.  Then, here's the hard part...I poured in a jar of "Homestyle" gravy from the grocery store.  (I know, I know... my mother-in-law, Mimi, the homemade gravy Queen is looking down at me shaking her head right now, but hey...I was sick!  Probably a high fever, I bet!)  I added freshly ground salt & pepper and spooned this yummy stuff over toast points.  It was fabulous.

And, the good news is that today, I am 400% better than yesterday.  The healing power of deli meat and jarred gravy?  Hmmm, something to think about.  Of course, it could have been the medicine I guess.