Playing "Rachel Ray" Today

When the boy's fishing trip this afternoon turned out to be more about male bonding than actual fish catching, Sarah and I headed for the kitchen to see what magic we could conjure up out of the pantry. Sarah calls this, "Being Rachel Ray."

Most kids beg for cartoons. She roots for the Cooking Channel, and loves to push a stool up to the island where I'm cooking, to be right at might elbow as I conduct my culinary "expe-weh-ments". And just like Rachel, she insists that I narrate every step.

Anyway, the experiment went better than usual tonight, so I thought I'd pass along the results for the next time you have to have dinner on the table in twenty minutes. And so, without further ado ...

Twenty-Minute Tuna Hash

1 large can tuna (white albacore in water)

1 can garbanzo beans

1 medium onion, chopped

2 large sweet potatoes

1/2 stick butter or margerine

1 tsp cilantro flakes (or more to taste)

1 tsp ground coriander seed (or more cilantro)

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp salt

ground pepper

Halve sweet potatoes and zap them in the microwave for 10 minutes. While they're cooking, drain tuna and garbanzo beans and put them in a bowl. Add chopped onion and toss. When potatoes are done (should still be undercooked a bit), remove skins and cube in 1/2 to 1 inch chunks.

Melt butter or margerine in large skillet. Add contents of bowl, then top with chopped sweet potatoes. Sprinkle with spices and saute on medium heat (stirring occasionally) 10 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. Serve with applesauce and cornbread.

Makes four generous servings.