Simple is best.

Trout: pan-fried in olive oil, scented with thyme and oregano

Asparagus: steamed, tossed with salt, pepper, and lemon zest

And to round out the meal, pita bread with artichoke-and-spinach hummus. Everything ready in 15 minutes, faster than take-out.

Trout and salmon are my favorite types of fish. Meaty texture, so flavorful that it stands well even without seasonings, hard to overcook, packed with juicy fats.

I'm the designated chef for my cycling team over spring break. Sixteen of us are renting a sweet cabin (clearly the best part is the hot tub!) in Blairsville, Georgia for the week to do some of the mountainous rides that are featured each year in the Tour of Georgia. That said, there will be sixteen ravenous mouths to feed, and the task will be a good measure of my home-chef skills. I will have lots of helping hands, but the organization and execution is my challenge.

I'm planning on making simple comfort foods that can be prepared in huge batches. So far, there will be bean chili and cornbread, eggplant parmesan, grilled Jamaican jerk chicken, some classic Indian dishes, huge home-made pizzas, and lots of side vegetables. Cooking for people is the way I show my love, after all.