Marge Perry and David Bonom have spent their lives developing recipes for magazines and major food companies. Yet they were hungry for an easier way to feed themselves.
"The day would end we would have nothing to eat even though we cooked all day. I started creating these meals that were sort of up to our pallets that we could make in either one sheet pan one skillet," said Perry, co-author of "Hero Dinners."
There are actually 100 meals, and a handful of components to create the elements for a hero dinner.
"There are two heroes. The meals are heroes because they save the day, and also you're the hero for being able to make dinner, sit down, relax and enjoy it and not have to face a sink full of dinner dishes," Perry said.
There are three things that make a hero dinner - one: using a pan or skillet; two: make sure you're including a protein, vegetable, and a starch; three: make sure to use the ingredients that are natural or minimally processed.
Use mainly natural ingredients that don't wear a label, plus a handful that are going to spice up your life.
"We also use condiments from around the world - spices like harissa which is a spicy Moroccan condiment that makes things taste great, and here's gochujang, an ingredient from Korea," said Perry.
They've tested their dishes in all kinds of kitchenware but prefer a heavy cast iron skillet or a heavy sheet pan with a lip. Then it is all in the timing.
"With the recipes in the book, things go in stages. So right now, if you're making a salmon dish, when you're starting the rice, we're prepping our other ingredients. When the rice is mostly done, we're going to add in the other ingredients and finish it," said Bonom.
Salmon with sugar peas and rice ,or chicken with Peruvian potatoes and Brussels sprouts with a sassy spicy jalapeño sauce - these recipes are simple but incredibly flavorful as well as nutritionally balanced.