In times of anxiety, I tend to retreat into the familiar. Life becomes about getting enough sleep, making sure that I’ve got food in the house, clean laundry and necessities stocked up, and a comforting stack of books, tv shows and movies to transport me away from it all.

This is not the time for me to try new recipes or throw dinner parties. I’ll leave that to more intrepid cooks with steadier nerves. Speaking of which, mentioning my nerves always makes me feel like a 1950s housewife, minus the pill addiction!

Instead, I rely on a freezer and pantry full of greatest hits and easy to put together meals. Like this one. Even I, with my shredded nerves, can handle slicing up some onions, bell peppers and Toulouse sausages and frying them in my cast iron pan. Served alongside some Yukon potatoes boiled with their skins on and voila, peaceful dinner in no time. Perfect for this chilly, miserable, Marchy weather we’re having right now.