It's always a struggle to figure out what's for dinner. During the week, Timmy usually eats before PJO and I get home around 7pm so we try to prepare things ahead of time. It can be difficult to keep up with though because PJO is often out of the house before 6am. Timmy and I don't leave until closer to 7:30, but the mornings are busy with getting both of us ready and packing his breakfast/lunch so I don't generally want to add the time it takes to prepare something. 12-14 hours is too long for almost anything cooked in a crock pot to taste good, even on low.
Lately we've had great luck with some recipes from my favorite magazine in the world, Real Simple. This soup was so yummy, especially once we substituted broccoli rabe for okra and added vinegar. A pork roast is so easy to make and this recipe was absolutely delicious. This pesto pasta recipe was super easy and a great summer dish. But even with these simple recipes, it would be a huge stretch on a weeknight to prepare them and sit down to eat before 8:30 (which is late for us).
How do people do it? I suppose that if both PJO and I were able to be home by 7pm, one of us could cook while the other does bath/bedtime with Timmy, and we could eat once he's asleep around 8 or 8:30. That won't work as well with two kids and really, even now, both of us want to spend that time with Timmy.
I have a bad feeling that the answer to my question is to get a different job or eat more frozen dinners. This is our glamorous life.
5 comments:
Eat more frozen dinners!
What time do Timmy and his sitter get home? Can you have her turn crock pot to warm when she gets there? The only time we eat "home cooked" dinners during the week, its because I've done a crock pot meal or left work early that day. When I get home at 7, the last thing I care about is cooking or having a very elaborate dinner. Sammie and B are both usually home before me and they eat frozen stuff or whatever he throws together, I scarf something down later when I get home. B and I were just discussing this this weekend (after I made a dinner Saturday night) - in theory weekday dinners would be nice, but they just aren't a priority for either of us right now. So, we scarf down whatever we can find, eat cereal, etc.
I have the best intentions of paying someone to put together freezer meals for us (and even found someone willing to do Gluten-Free ones). If I ever follow up with her, and go through with it, I'll let you know how it goes!
- A
I cook several meals on Sundays. Sucks because you have to give up some weekend time (although I try to do it while my daughter naps), but worth it because you don't miss out on as much of that precious evening time. Also, I make my husband take care of 2 meals per week, even if that means picking up take out.
Could you get a crockpot with a timer on it? That might help, though I guess you wouldn't want to leave meat sitting in it for too long.
Another idea is too cook a couple crockpot meals on Sunday and eat them throughout the week. Sucks to have the same thing multiple times, but it helps.
I think the key is planning out what you're going to eat and only cooking really basic things. One trick I picked up from Real Simple is to get a rotisserie chicken one night, and then make soup with the leftover rotisserie chicken the next night (just boil carrots and store-bought tortellini in chicken broth and add the chicken at the end + parsley). One chicken, two meals! It's amazing.
I feel you though. Biglaw makes it hard to do much after work!
Get a nanny that's willing to cook dinner! (That is my dream.)
I make Salsa Chicken in the crockpot on the weekend. Just 6-7frozen chicken breasts, 1 packet of taco seasoning, and 1 jar of salsa, and let cook for 6 hours, then take the chicken out, shred it, and add it back to the crockpot for 1 hour. I drain the liquid from the chicken, and use the chicken in tacos, enchiladas, and wraps. I also use this chicken to make a quick rotel chicken casserole. I can eat off this for a week, I freeze some, and take some for lunch.
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