So I tried a new recipe the other day, a Vegetable Bake.

I found it in the flyer for our local foods co-op and it sounded rather tasty. It is, but I have a problem with the preparation, not so much the act of preparation but the time entailed for preparation.

The recipe states that the dish has a prep time of 20 minutes. Not bad right? But, how can someone who isn’t a professional chef working with an assistant prepare the below in 20 minutes?

Wash and slice three summer squash, one bunch of parsley, a tomato and a bell pepper
Rinse a cup of brown rice
Peel and slice an onion
Grease a pan
Shred two cups of provolone cheese
Open a can of tomato paste
Crack two eggs
Open a container of cottage cheese
Measure out 1 TBS each of thyme, oregano and basil
Sauté the veggies and mix in the tomato paste
Cook the rice
Mix the eggs, cheese and parsley
Mix everything together and mush it into the pan

This, ladies and gentlemen, was a lot of work. Add to the above that I had to rinse and/or wash a knife, cutting board, two large bowls, a small bowl, a cheese grater, a wooden spoon, a spatula and a frying pan numerous times during the “20 minute” preparation.

I’m thinking the whole preparation process took me at least 45 minutes. It could just be that I’m a dumb@ass, it’s been suggested before. But, I’m guessing I’m a pretty standard case here.

So tell me, is 20 minutes enough time or is the professional chef who came up with this recipe just another in the long line of “experts” attempting to make me feel bad about myself?

Linker: http://www.factcheck.org/

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