The Frozen Staple I Always Have in Case of Emergency

There is a lot of kitchen in my home. Yesterday I had the need to make corn muffins; Today my partner Bill decided to stew a little chicken to crush for tacos. It’s something we enjoy most weather. Until the work accumulates.

The joy of being autonomous always cares about future work, so he says yes to everything and then panic when the deadlines arrive. During the agitated weeks, we trust emergency dinners. Think: freezer soup, refused bean cheese, a large bowl of corn palomites.

But my signature Emergency dinner comes from my adolescence when my mother told my teenage brothers and me that we would be used for ourselves because I was tired of cooking for the bottomless wells. We would open a freezer full of corn dogs, red baron pizzas and coconut shrimp. Life was good. Until today, my freezer always has a corn dog box.

I am an adult who can do what I want, so I can and I will have corn dogs for dinner when my heart yearn carnival food. Is life not a circus? Nothing makes sense and I am hanging from a trapeze most of the time. The joy of eating food in a stick cannot be exaggerated. I like to combine my corn dogs with a salad, but I will let you make that call for yourself. My favorite corn dogs are those of Türkiye by Trader Joe’s, they are plumbing and juicy, with a padded wrapping that is barely sweet. The air frying corn dogs puts them pleasant and crispy abroad, although it can risk carbonizing the stick, so watch them.

A few years ago, I worked with a recorded dietitian because my body was confusing me (Hello, Anthea!), And when I sent a photo of my corn dog and my salad dish, I was happy for me. The dish was half vegetables, and she knew that she needed the emotional support dog. She gave me the validation she needed: Yes, cooks for yourself almost all the damn days of the week, and that is difficult like hell! How is a break and still has a meal that knows well? I mundrated my corn dogs in multiple musts, not a dirty pan in sight. Go up, friends.

So please tell me: What is your emergency dinner?

Alex Beggs is a writer and editor who lives with his partner in Michigan. She writes a Trader Joe review column for Bon Appétit and has also written a column of label and a Thanksgiving piece that won an ASME award. For Jo’s cup, Alex has written about sexy books, cold cake and days of bad hair.

PS: The #1 thing would tell the new parents about family dinner and a favorite meal that does not require utensils.