| I haven't really dived (dove?) in full-force to this yet, but I am a new mom who just went back to work and needed to streamline dinner, too. The first things I've done so far are:
1) never make 1 of anything. If ever you are cooking something, make a double batch so you can freeze or refrigerate one for another night. Very little extra work, but a whole extra night's dinner 2) I love doing "packet cooking" in the crock pot. Put chicken breasts with some veggies and some kind of liquid (seasoned chicken broth, bottled or homemade marinade, lemon juice, you name it) on a piece of foil and seal tightly. Wrap a few baking potatoes in foil and seal tightly. Put all these foil bundles in the crock pot on low before you leave for work and you'll have a great meal waiting for you. Add a tossed salad and dinner's ready in 5 min! I also like to have "spaghetti week". I make a big pot of homemade spaghetti sauce on sunday and put it in several 1-meal sized containers in the fridge or freezer. When I don't have time for anything else, I can boil up spaghetti and use the sauce, or make ravioli, or baked mostaccoli/ziti by layering cooked noodles, sauce, mozz. and parmesan cheese in a casserole and baking until cheese is melted. All your basic pasta and red sauce, but a little different each night. |
