Save Time, Cook Ahead
Have any of you seen Rachel Ray and her ideas for cooking ahead of time? Wouldn't it be nice for those who work outside the home to be able to come home and just heat up a warm, home-cooked meal?
I've started adopting some of those ideas for dinners. It is amazing how much time already browned turkey meat, already cut lettuce and tomato and some shredded cheese can save you at night when preparing tacos. I try and brown about 3lbs of turkey meat on Sunday. We use it in our chili, our soup and our spaghetti.
Another great invention is the crock pot. If you already have your turkey meat ground, you can just open some cans of chili beans and kidney beans and anything else you add to your chili in the morning, dump it into the crock pot on low for the day and dinner is done when you get home.
And don't forget about freezing soup for later in the week. I've started making a homemade chicken noodle soup and freezing enough for about 5 days worth of supper. On those chilly days when a soup and grilled cheese sandwich will hit the spot, how nice to be able to pull some homemade soup from the freezer and just heat it up. Especially when it is prepared with fresh ingredients like real chicken and fresh vegetables.
Let's not forget about breakfast... One of my favorite meals for anytime during the day and throughout the week. I make a breakfast casserole on Sunday and freeze it for sometime during the week or the following weekend. All I have to do is take it out of the freezer and put it in a hot oven. This is great for Saturday mornings when you plan on staying in your pajamas for the morning, or for a night when you need a break from standing over the stove.
We are all so busy these days. Finding places to have extra time to hang out with your kids in the evening, or any of those other chores you find need to be done during the work week.
This blog has some great ideas for cooking ahead, 30 minute meals and crock pot cooking.
http://makeaheadmeals.blogspot.com
I've started adopting some of those ideas for dinners. It is amazing how much time already browned turkey meat, already cut lettuce and tomato and some shredded cheese can save you at night when preparing tacos. I try and brown about 3lbs of turkey meat on Sunday. We use it in our chili, our soup and our spaghetti.
Another great invention is the crock pot. If you already have your turkey meat ground, you can just open some cans of chili beans and kidney beans and anything else you add to your chili in the morning, dump it into the crock pot on low for the day and dinner is done when you get home.
And don't forget about freezing soup for later in the week. I've started making a homemade chicken noodle soup and freezing enough for about 5 days worth of supper. On those chilly days when a soup and grilled cheese sandwich will hit the spot, how nice to be able to pull some homemade soup from the freezer and just heat it up. Especially when it is prepared with fresh ingredients like real chicken and fresh vegetables.
Let's not forget about breakfast... One of my favorite meals for anytime during the day and throughout the week. I make a breakfast casserole on Sunday and freeze it for sometime during the week or the following weekend. All I have to do is take it out of the freezer and put it in a hot oven. This is great for Saturday mornings when you plan on staying in your pajamas for the morning, or for a night when you need a break from standing over the stove.
We are all so busy these days. Finding places to have extra time to hang out with your kids in the evening, or any of those other chores you find need to be done during the work week.
This blog has some great ideas for cooking ahead, 30 minute meals and crock pot cooking.
http://makeaheadmeals.blogspot.com
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