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Saturday, August 30, 2008
School's in session HELP!
...and unlike most moms, I am always sad when school starts, because it means free time is over for me. We have weeknight activities slated for every night of the week, and on the worst days on the schedule, this means that I have exactly 1 hour from when I get home from work and when we need to be in the car driving somewhere. Being the carpool advocate that I am, this year I resolve to get more carpools started for each one. My biggest challenge is meals. I need help! What are some meals that I can make that can be made and eaten in my precious hour that I have? I resolve to make a meal calendar like my good friend and carpool partner Alison does. I need to populate it! Please send me your ideas....
It probably goes without saying, but the crockpot is the working woman's best friend. About once a week, I throw in beans and we have beans and rice with cheese grated on top. Then, I save the beans and refry them for burritos or tacos later on in the week.
ReplyDeleteOr, get a whole chicken from Ernst or one of the farms and throw that in the pot. Same idea...I save the juice for chicken stock and we have the leftover meat later on in the week.
I have an entire cookbook with crockpot recipes if you want to borrow it.
Easy go to... before you leave for work marinate chicken breasts (boneless skinless or thighs, but again, boneless skinless) in olive oil, rosemary, garlic and lemon juice.
ReplyDeleteWhen you get home - fire up the grill. Heat to medium or use indirect grilling. Chicken - 6 mins/side and grill some spears of zucchini, summer squash, peppers, onions, whatever you like alongside it. Then make couscous on the stove. Voila!
Dinner in about 20 mins or so.
Ditto on the crockpot idea.
ReplyDeleteI also try to make a casserole or two over the weekend to put in the freezer for just such a thing. Just reheat and eat.
I actually hate crock pots. :)
ReplyDeleteThese are go-to quick meals - we're eating within 30 minutes.
Salsa fry-up. Brown ground beef or turkey in onions. Add black beans, frozen corn, cooked rice,chili powder, and half a jar of salsa. Top with cheese.
Pork/apple/cabbage: Cube and boil some potatoes or use leftovers. Sautee some kind of pork (smoked pork chop, regular chop, sausage, ham, bacon...) with onion, a cubed tart apple, and about half a head of shredded cabbage. Maybe some kale for color.
Veggie burgers and sweet potato fries.
Veggie chili and corn cakes: Heat through cans of tomatoes (1 large/2small), beans (2 kinds), and hominy with a packet of chili seasoning. (You could do sauteed peppers, onions, and meat if you wanted, too.) For corn cakes for 2, mix 1/2c cornmeal and 1/2 cup yogurt, with a pinch of salt and baking soda. Cook like pancakes, preferably on a well-oiled cast iron something.