Read on if you've ever looked at a recipe and screamed, "What do you mean, 35-step marinating process?!" Together we'll explore cooking guaranteed to take the sting out of stirring and the grrr out of grilling.

There will be no measuring cups, eye-droppers or microscopes. I've instituted my own system affectionately known as "two drops and a plop."

The Impatient Cook's Glossary

Smidgen: What fits between your thumb and forefinger without falling out.

Handful: Self-explanatory. But we're talking about a normal, adult-size hand, not your toddler's, not Godzilla's.

Plop: A little more than a tablespoon.

Drizzle: A pour that amounts to two plops.

Dollop: A heaping tablespoon, or a plop and a half.

Sprinkle: A smidgen plus whatever usually falls out.

Shot: What you'll get in your shot glass if the bartender likes you.

Coffee Cupful: More than a cup, less than a bucket.