Confetti

What dishes have you prepared so many times you don’t need to crack open the cookbook to whip them up? The first thing I could cook from memory was either cinnamon toast or grilled cheese sandwiches. I learned to make an omelet from Julia Child, though mine’s more likely to wear salsa and cottage cheese than fines herbes. I can make macaroni and cheese off the top of my head. Not from the box; the kind with real butter and cheddar. I’ve made fettuccine Alfredo without a recipe, but we’ve been dieting so long I’m afraid I’ve forgotten how. Here’s my in-the-head recipe for barbecue beef sandwiches: Stew a 3-lb. boneless chuck roast in a slow cooker with 1/2 cup water 8 hours on low. Remove and shred beef; skim fat from cooking liquid. Put back in cooker with 28 ounces Jack Daniels BBQ Sauce. Cover and cook on low 2 more hours. Serve on seeded buns.