Five foodstuffs which maybe make my life easier.

Jamie Oliver's Sun dried Tomato pesto. Either make it yourself from this easy recipe or Jamie is selling it in jars now. I make it myself because, uber-chef marketing machine or not, the Naked Chef still looks like he could use a bath. This was originally pointed out to me by one of my faithful readers (you know who you are...) and she gets the guffaws... Especially good on chicken or pasta.

The Thai Choice brand of curry pastes and spices. The quality of these pastes is great and there is no easier way to cook fish than with their green curry and coconut milk. Its generally not available in the Eastern US so you're stuck with the insipid flavors of the Thai Kitchen brand. Hopefully this will change soon.

Eat and Drink Restaurant Hummus. Sadly, they have ditched the animation of a crazed woman inhaling burger fumes on their website. Their hummus is still the best there is. Supercreamy, exactly the right balance of beans and tahini, just a little zip of lemon...mmmm, heading out to get some...

Rotisserie chickens. Its the modern mom's best friend. There's actually a book called 101 Things to do with Rotisserie Chicken. And its only $10 I think my favorite is rotisserie chicken, french bread, caprese salad, and fruit salad for supper.

Progresso Chickarina Soup. I know, so retro. And pretty terrifyingly salty. BUT, its the best stuff in the world for a hangover or if a little one has been sick in the stomach and is ready to start eating again. Also a perfect 10-minute supper with a toasted cheese sandwich and a salad.