I have a confession: I have no idea how to feed a household.
When I was growing up, I was treated to delicious balanced meals by my grandma and mom. In college I lived in a big house that employed a chef. After college, I worked for a restaurant. So you’d think that with all this prolonged exposure to good food, I would know how to plan a meal. Alas, I do not.
OK that’s not entirely true. I know that you can get an already cooked chicken, reheatable mashed potatoes, and a tossed salad at the grocery store. BAM there’s a meal. But the whole home-cooked meal thing? I fail at it. The sad thing is, I’m not a bad cook. Mike still talks about my chicken enchiladas – the ones I made back when we were dating and I was trying to impress him. I make really good fresh spaghetti sauce. A few years ago? I baked an award-winning cake. But lately, I just can’t do it. And I want to, I truly do.
OK that’s not entirely true, either. I do want to have home cooked meals. But I want them with little effort. I’m not good at planning far enough in advance to get the groceries required for a home cooked meal. And that’s pretty pathetic because I live about fifty feet from a grocery store. It’s just that I get wrapped up in my day, and the next thing I know, it’s 6:15 pm and Mike is eating cereal and I am breaking into my emergency stash.
I want Annabel to grow up the way I did, with a balanced dinner on the table every evening at six o’clock. Right now she is easy to feed (I have that DOWN if you know what I’m sayin’), but I need to figure out how to feed my family before she is eating regular meals. I have everything I need – a crock pot, many lovely pots and pans bestowed upon me by wedding guests, a barbecue. I even have a beautiful red KitchenAid mixer…still in the box. Somewhere, a baker sheds a solitary tear.
HOW do people do this?! I’m not putting undo pressure on myself as I don’t want or need to be super mom with the gourmet meals. I think I am psyching myself out. I mean, people with tiny children cook meals all the time. It can’t possibly be as hard as I am making it, right? I need easy. I need simple. I need an excuse to wear my adorable “Mrs. Spohr” apron as something other than a bib.
Teach me o wise internet readers! I am your grasshopper. Then I will have you all over for a nice dinner. But someone else has to clean up, because I can’t stand cleaning a kitchen.
Mandy says:
I am EXACTLY in the same boat! But try this:
http://www.oprah.com/food/Over-the-Rainbow-Macaroni-and-Cheese
Nancy says:
O Heather.. no advice from me. I could write the same post. I feel so guilty about it and my so is now 20 months old and eats whatever we scrape together at the last second. I miss the, everyone sitting down around the table and eating a nice, good-tasting, well-balanced and different meal everyday.
Jen the Catalyst says:
I wish all of you lived in Minneapolis- I am teaching people how to meal plan, cook and host- and have FUN doing it! I left my cushy corporate job to do this, because I am so passionate about having a good time!
I just finished my first teaching gig- Crash Course Dinner Party. Sounds like fun, doesn’t it?
.-= Jen the Catalyst´s last blog ..Those People at the new Twins Field, they Know how to do Grass… =-.
Betsy says:
Sit down with Mike and talk about what kinds you meals you’d both like to have each week. That will give you a starting point for your grocery list. Buy as much of that list as you can with one trip to the store. You’ll have to go back a second time for things you forgot or didn’t know you needed but 75% of what you need you will have. Then, when it’s time to cook, you know what you are going to cook and should have most of it on hand. One of my favorite smells is food cooking in my kitchen. Sometimes that’s the only thing that motivates me to make the effort. It’s so worth it!
Tracey says:
We do that as well. We all have a day that we get to pick the meal (my girls are 9 and 11 and learning to cook).
After our meals are planned we make the shopping list. This helps keep us on budget and limits the junk coming into the house.
Not only do I love the smells coming from the kitchen, but I LOVE to watch my hubby cook (he usually does the weekend meals)
mamaspeak says:
do you know about flylady.net ? she associates w/a woman who does “saving dinner” You sign up for a month or 3 or whatever, it’s like 10 & every week she sends you a meal plan w/shopping list. You get it Wed. You check your pantry & shop sometime b4 Monday. It works, I’ve done it. (I probably need to do it again)
It was a great tool for me when I was too busy to think about planning. Food was simple, but good. I saved all my meal plans & ended up doing for a year. (Which means I could go do it now w/out signing up, but that would interfere w/my slacker lifestyle. I get no compensation from them. I have just used both of their suggestions (flylady is free!!!) And they both work!
.-= mamaspeak´s last blog ..Kicking My Butt =-.
Rebekah says:
There is also a Saving Dinner book with a year’s worth of meal plans. You can probably find online for less than $10 – cheaper than the menu mailer.
Rach L in Vancouver says:
Wow, I know your pain. I even LIKE cooking and I find it a HUGE challenge to plan ahead. Here’s what I’ve find helpful:
I cook 2-3 times per week. MAX. Tuesday’s I cook, then Wednesday’s are leftovers. Thursday’s I cook, Friday’s are eat-out, take-out or leftovers. The weekend is a free-for-all, and I keep an emergency batch of chili in the freezer at all times for quick and easy defrost.
I have about six meals that I consistently rotate (which means they repeat on a three week cycle) and if I have a day where I’m feeling extra happy and creative, I go all out and make something crazy for fun.
Leftovers get spiced up with quick and easy side dishes (like rice, pasta, or yummy bread – I like me some carbs) and extra sauces for flavour. Big things, like spaghetti sauce, chili, and baking gets frozen for emergencies or days when I suck at life. I also stock up on easy food like pre-cooked meatballs, taco kits, and spring rolls for the really busy days, and if all else fails– chicken Caesar salad FTW!!
I am still learning, and constantly failing (ask my husband about the brown fish with croutons…or don’t) but it makes me feel good to put a good meal on the table, even if I only do it a couple times a week.
Hope this is helpful. I love your blog.
.-= Rach L in Vancouver´s last blog ..Three Ring Big Top Status =-.
CarrieB says:
It’s early days with Annie so small, but she seems like a girl who likes to eat, so let her lead the way. When she progresses from baby pap to real food you can start making your spaghetti sauce with some pasta shapes, throw in some salad she can munch on (sticks of celery/carrot/cucumber), some meat and veggies from a simple pot roast….keep it simple but with as with as much variety as possible because kids that eat the same thing every day then refuse to budge from that.
If you cook something all three of you can eat then it will save time too. And sitting down for an evening meal together is incredibly important. I always did it with my two when they were old enough and we still do it now whenever we’re together. Both of them are interested in ‘proper’ food and my daughter is now becoming quite a good cook in her own right.
But don’t make it a source of stress. If the day hasn’t gone to plan, don’t beat yourself up about buying a store roasted chicken and some pre-prepared mash. What matters to Annie most is the 3 of you sitting down to enjoy it together.
Then get Mike to clean up. xx
.-= CarrieB´s last blog ..Full circle =-.
@kristeneileen says:
I LOVE to cook. Let’s get together and I’ll tell you all about how we handled the mealtime transition with Mr. M. & also give you the VERY HANDY meal planning tips I picked up from my wonderful MIL.
Kirsten says:
I finish work really late so cooking is also a bit of an issue in my family. When you get off work at 5:30 and need dinner on the table at 7:00, and you STILL need to shop… ready-made food seems like a REALLY good idea.
My friends did something a couple weeks ago that seemed really good – they went out and bought enough food to last until august and spent an entire weekend cooking and freezing it. What they didn’t cook simply got frozen, and what they did cook went into little dishes and tupperwares and the like bang into the freezer. Now, they really don’t have to cook until August unless they want to. All they have to do is take the meals out and warm them in the microwave.
Home cooked, nutritious meals and all it took was one weekend of effort.
.-= Kirsten´s last blog ..It’ll have to do until Autumn… =-.
Susan says:
I have tried to do something similar. I also try to use my crock pot, but I can tell you that I’m just not going to chop and measure at 6 a.m. before going to work. So, on one day, I pick several crock pot recipes and I measure, cut, chop, etc. for all of the recipes and then freeze everything. When I want a pot roast, veggies are cut, measured and ready to go.
I also recommend Sandra Lee cookbooks – especially the 20 minute meals. Any of the basic cookbooks will give you a list of basic pantry items to keep on hand. This list will simplify your life. Apparently you can make anything as long as you have salt, pepper, rice, and chicken stock!
.-= Susan´s last blog ..Grief is a bitch =-.
Jessica says:
You dont have to chop and measure at 6am. There are these crock pot bags that you can buy. Throw all of your ingredients in the bag tonight and rubberband the top to hold it closed. Place the bag in a bowl in the refridgerator. At 6am, place the bag in the crock pot and remove the rubberband and press high. Come home to a great meal. The bags make cleaning sooo easy as well.
td says:
Not much advice on the cooking part but using paper plates/cups/plastic utensils will cut down on the kitchen clean-up a lot. I love my stockpile of paper plates and bowls!
Sammy says:
True, true, they are so convenient, but the waste is so harmful to the environment!
Stephene says:
I used to have this same problem, you’re so not alone.
Here’s what I did… I just made eating home made food a priority. I made this decision because I realised how bad pre-packaged food was for my huz and I.
Anyway, I looked around and found a few recipies that sounded good – AND EASY and on the weekend I bought the ingredients. And bam. I made them. The next week I found a few more and tried them. Some worked and some didn’t. I kep the ones that did and tried more.
Now I have about 10-12 recipies that are easy and can be cooked and eaten in 1 hour-ish. (Fajitas from scratch are SO EASY and yummy. Also roast chicken! YUM! Stick it in with some potatos TA DA. Indian food is easy, too. Tandoori chicken! BRING IT ON). I have a few more that take a while longer (lasagne) but they were really nice so I save them for weekends.
Start with something easy – spaghetti and go from there.
Good luck!
Vanessa says:
Hi! I have a quick tip. Well, it’s a link actually. Every Sunday Jane from “This Week for Dinner” (http://thisweekfordinner.com/) posts her weekly menu. And her readers do the same in the comments. I find it to be a great source of inspiration and certainly very helpful when it comes to planning ahead and shopping mindfully. Good luck!
.-= Vanessa´s last blog ..this is Goodbye =-.
Rebecca says:
I’m not a great planner by nature, tend to be spontaneous but 3 littlies I’ve had to learn to plan more. Budget meant shopping to a list for groceries (fortnightly) & fruit, vegies & meat/fish weekly. The easiest way to do that is to have a fortnight menu plan – you don’t have to stick to the exact days & you can use the ingredients you bought to cook something not on the menu but it gets you thinking about what you’d like to eat & therefore what you need to cook. Overtime some favourites appear – vegetarian shephard’s pie for cold days is a family favourite, lasagne is another. I’m happy to share any recipes or ideas if you want to email.
.-= Rebecca´s last blog ..saturday morning =-.
J from Ireland says:
I am all about the easy cooking. A family favourite is Chrizo Pasta. Chrizo sausage,, onions, garlic, broccoli fried in a little olive oil throw in a tin of tomatoes and simmer. Cook the penne pasta, then throw all into a dish, sprinkle with loads of cheese then stick in the oven till cheese is melted and hey presto a healthy EASY meal!!
Stew, throw all the vegtables you like into a pot, some beef cubes and an oxo cube, cook until tender and then add in some bisto and there you have stew!!
I wish you the best of luck.
.-= J from Ireland´s last blog ..Happy St. Patricks Day =-.
Lynn from For Love or Funny says:
Musings of a Housewife is starting to focus on meal planning. She did a post yesterday, in fact, which was really helpful. If you baked an award winning cake, you can totally do this!
.-= Lynn from For Love or Funny´s last blog ..I’ve been dumped for a guy =-.
Susan says:
cooking is a skill like anything else – you’re going to have to put in some work to learn. My advice is to buy some basic cookbooks. Then you need to work really hard at learning an arsenal of basic recipes. Learn these recipes inside out, upside down, back to front so that you no longer need to refer to the book, and when you go to the grocery store you know what ingredients you’ll need instinctually. Know them like the words to your favourite song, so they fit like your comfiest sweat pants and then you’ll feel able to substitute and experiment with them. You need to have basic ingredients stocked in the pantry at all times – when you go to the store just replenish what has run out – things like tinned tomatoes, onions, garlic, cheese, pasta, chickpeas, beans, spices – cumin, oregano, parsley, thyme, cinnamon (this is just the beginning of a list – you’ll need to formulate your own based on the kind of things you’ll be cooking). Going to the store should be easy when you’re in a rhythm because you won’t constantly be looking up books or trying to reinvent the wheel. Obviously it is totally worth doing – for your health, for Mike and for Annie. Just bite the bullet. You never know you might just find you love to cook after all.
.-= Susan´s last blog ..Inferno (not the disco kind)… =-.
Karen says:
LOL.. it’s not that hard, actually. Find a recipe you like, write a list of the ingredients needed, walk to said store and buy ingredients you don’t already have, follow recipe and you’ll have a meal! Do this atleastthree times a week and it will become habit. Meals don’t have to be elaborate either. If you make a good sauce, you already have a very important source for some great meals. I bet, if you start cooking, Mike will be more than happy to do the clean-up.
Tell me he has cut down on his diet Coke consumption.
Fiona says:
Hi Heather,
I know what you mean…
My husband is always hungry…I am going to post another comment later which tells you the way I manage.
xx
PS Annie is SOOOOOOOOOO cute! Loving the little hair clip!
Crystal says:
I had to giggle to myself b/c your day sounds just like mine, and my son is 15.5 months old. LOL. I often forget to eat, and my DH will much on cereal when he gets hungry. I have found the crock pot to be a wonderful thing. I use it most for roast beef. I make sure to remove the roast from the freezer the day before (letting it thaw in the fridge. In the early morning, I take it out of the fridge if it still has a way to go. around 11am or noon,
~I boil water in kettle
~chop up some garlic,
~make small stabs with a knife into the roast sporadically all over. As I go, I stuff a peice of garlic into each stab-hole.
~mix beef broth powder or cube with 1.5 cups of boiled water
~chop up an onion and add that to the water.
~place the roast into the slow cooker
~pour the water & onions around the roast
~sprinkle your preferred spices on the roast
~I sometimes chop up baby carrots & potatoes and add them to the water too
~cover, turn it on and forget about it until dinner time.
Remember that the lower the heat, the more time it will need to cook – but the more tender & tasty the result.
~I use the water & onions to make the gravy when it is cooked.
you can wash up anything you use to prepare when you turn the slow cooker on and then after dinner, all you have to clean is the cooker and whatever you used at dinner time.
**Remember ; most meat and vegetable combinations need 7 to 10 hours of cooking at LO (#3), 4 to 6 hours of cooking at Med (#4) or 2 to 3 hours of cooking at HI (#5)
I also often make steaks, but I pre-cut up all of my meat, it makes cooking faster and I add barbq sauce just before it is done.
We also have fast meal nights too, sloppy joes (just need beef, tomatoe paste, buns, and the powder mix by club house), tacos (taco kit, beef, cheese & desired toppings), and pizza (home made – premade crust- just add cheese, sauce & desired toppings)~Cooks so fast. We also get premade chicken strips/nuggets made with real white meat.
Another home meal that I make is pork chops, it can be fried or baked, add your own spices or there is the shake’n bake idea. For side dish, we steam veggies, and have rice either plain or a side kick type.
Hope this was of some help.
Crystal
Chris says:
Ah Heather, if your writing about your adorable daughters and the doggy that captured my heart by reminding me of my deceased mom’s beloved baby hadn’t already made me an incredibly loyal reader. (As in, i turn on my computer in the morning to start my day working from home and I read you generally before news, after headlines but before anything else.) This, this just endeared you to me even more. Because I too struggle with this whole feeding my family (just husband and mysefl but still). There are a few things I cook well, and if I have people over for dinner I get compliments. I’ve learned to make a holiday meal since my mom passed away, determined that is one piece we’ll still have of holiday celebrations. But, that day to day thing of cooking–my day gets away and the planning. (Also ironic because I am a planoholic, if there is one I should join planners anon).And yet, I struggle in this area.
In fact, my husband recently went on a regimented diet to get some health stuff under control (and he’s doing GREAT) and suddenly I had this reprieve–no cooking OR fast food guilt. Suddenly I can live on sandwiches, you know, trip to the deli get some nice sandwich stuff, wheat bread, fruit on the side and my meal stress is G-O-N-E GONE. But, it’s only a temporary reprieve, and one I have to get over. I’ll be reading all the comments for suggestions on how to this better. But Heather, thanks for putting this out there and letting me have a place to feel my shame.
PS- despite the fact that I can actually cook I’ve learned over this diet thing I can not successfully hardboil an egg. I grew up in a family that used the liquid healthy eggs–egg beaters I think they are called. I’d NEVER used a real egg before and I’m a hardboiling disaster. Talk about a failure at cooking! LOL
Kellyro says:
Brookestone has an egg boiling thingee. It looks kind of like an egg and is red. It turns blue when the eggs are hardboiled. it’s half blue for softboiled. Love it!!!
Al_Pal says:
http://www.goodegg.com/boiledegg.html
There are a few websites that tell how to hardboil an egg! ;D
Christine says:
Oh I would love the time to cook, so often we end up with that same roast chicken, but I do make the sides myself.
Really easy main course meal, that you can spread over many days: Buy the biggest pork shoulder that you can fit into your crock pot (and still have the pot close). Throw in a beer a sliced onion, a few cloves of garlic, and whatever spices you might be feeling (we usually do a bit of cumin and a canned chipotle or two, salt and pepper) let cook about 8-10 hours on low, or up it to high, if you’re home. I like this because I do it before I go to bed. Unplug it when I wake up to cool, throw it in the fridge while at work.
Chunk off meat and eat in tacos, or throw into a pan with some of your favorite barbecue sauce for pulled pork sandwiches. Serve on buns and voila! The husband’s favorite coleslaw is also the easiest slaw recipe I’ve ever seen or made. 1 small head of red cabbage or half a head of a giant red cabbage, sliced thin (doesn’t need to be perfect); half a clove of minced garlic, squeeze of lemon (maybe a quarter lemon?), about a heaped teaspoon of dijon mustard, and then about three times that amount of mayo. Mix, mix, mix…serve on top, next to your pulled pork sandwiches. Then, because we’re easing you into it use your favorite already made potato salad.
.-= Christine´s last blog ..Privileged =-.
Christine says:
Forgot to add, do start a food blog habit. Even if you don’t use the recipes exactly, they might get you inspired. I like smittenkitchen.com, sassyradish.com, wednesdaychef.typepad.com…and the dining sections of the NYTimes.
.-= Christine´s last blog ..Privileged =-.
jane says:
When my children were little I would buy a weeks worth of groceries at a time and then I had everything I needed to make dinner and didn’t have to worry about what I had. It wasn’t alway fancy…turkey burgers, applesauce, salad….but at least it was on hand. When my 3 got a little older it was my quiet time to leave them home and shop at night!
jp says:
1. Get Cooks Illustrated 30 minute Cookbook. Great food and it’s totally doable (usually in about 45 minutes for me).
2. Is there a Trader Joe’s near you? You can totally cheat some days with their heat n’ eat meals. I recommend the cheese enchiladas, the angus chopped beef with mushrooms, and the carnitas.
3. Speaking of cheating, Hormel’s roast beef tastes just like my mother’s Sunday roast. Stock up when it’s on sale. Don’t be tempted by another brand. Only Hormel.
4. Speaking of roasting, buy some smoked paprika and start roasting vegetables: potatoes, cauliflower, brussell sprouts, sweet potatoes, carrots, onions etc. (not necessarily all at the same time but feel free to combine). Toss with salt, pepper, olive oil & smoked paprika in about 400deg oven for 20-30 minutes or so. You can speed it all up by microwaving the veggies for 5+ minutes and finish the browning in the oven
Kate @ UpsideBackwards says:
Oh Heather, your blog often makes me cry, and you’ve done it again. The red KitchenAid mixer, still in its box… sob! And it would have to be a red one. Sigh.
With both of us working, we really need to plan a weekly menu and have things that are quick to cook or make-ahead-and-reheat. Pastas are great – make a savoury beef or chicken sauce, you can freeze it in portions, then thaw later and combine with cooked pasta, cover in grated cheese and bake for half-an-hour or so while you’re setting the table and doing all the stuff you do when you just get home. Add garlic bread, and you have a great meal, not even too many dishes (I don’t have a dishwasher, either).
.-= Kate @ UpsideBackwards´s last blog ..In which we exasperate each other =-.
Meg...CT says:
With 5 kids to cart around every day…it is a difficult task for me too. To be honest, I really don’t like it that much…but, funny thing about kids, they REALLY like to eat. So, I use my crock pot alot. Stew on Sunday, Lasagna in the crock pot last night. (now that is good!)
I will be watching the comments closely for so quick tips that get me more motivated to make dinner!
Neena says:
Plan, plan, plan! I shop for a week at a time, but before I set foot in the store I plan my menu. I look at what we already have and I plan dinners and lunches for 7 days (give or take a leftover day and maybe some takeout). Then I make my store list, look at the sale ads and shop accordingly. It sounds easy, but it takes practice. Plus, every week I try to buy any of my ‘pantry/baking’ items that might be low so that if I want to make cookies or pie I know I’ll have the stuff :o)
.-= Neena´s last blog ..miscellaneous thoughts while dealing with a house battling the stomach bug =-.
Karen says:
Oh oh oh!!!! I can totally help you!
Step one. Watch lots of cooking shows. Especially when your hungry. Also read mags and cookbooks often. I suggest Everyday Food. Show and magazine are packed with loads of fast and easy meals that are super delish.
Next, once a week, make something for dinner that will make double what you need and freeze the rest. It’s great for when you’re low on time or inspiration.
Also important, a well stocked pantry is your best friend!
.-= Karen´s last blog ..For Maddie: The Legend of the Birch Tree =-.
Miche says:
Take a look at kraftfoodandfamily.com they have a magazine for a few dollars (maybe 6? ) for a year subscription that has all kinds of quick and low maintenance meals.
Online you can even put in the ingredients you have around the house and they will come up with what recipes you can do with them. I love them. I sit down and plan out grocery runs based off recipes I get in there and try to carry one ingredient over into the next meal, and so on so I am getting more “mileage” out of a purchase. good luck, you can do it! (in the Water Boy voice, hahaha! )
.-= Miche´s last blog ..Recharged =-.
Amy says:
I was going to suggest Kraft foods magazine and website too. I also plan my meals a week in advance and shop for all the items for that week. I like the website eating well too. They have a magazine and cookbooks as well.
edenland says:
It’s so ANNOYING to have to cook every night. I like cooking …. but thinking up New! Healthy! Interesting! meals every night does my head in.
But all my guys have learnt … if they see spaghetti bolognaise on their plates for the second time in a week, just shut up and start eating. And enjoy it.
Easy meals include: sausages, mash and veggies. Risotto. Baked chicken. Pesto pasta.
I remember once I said to my sister, “I can’t cook!” And she got cranky. Asked me if I can read.
“If you can read, you can cook. It’s called a recipe book.”
Bitch was right.
XOX
.-= edenland´s last blog ..Vlog: The Tim Tam Game =-.
Amy says:
Here’s what worked for me: starting small. I like salads, especially bean salads, and found some great recipes and modified them over time to my own tastes. The great thing about a salad is that it can be an entire meal.
Then, gradually, I started to make more things, mainly meals that could be cooked in a single pan or pot. Salmon is very easy to do (fillets steam in a few minutes and are good in a variety of recipes).
Now that our daughter eats ‘real’ food, I often make a big vat of some sort of pasta-based casserole (simple) and divide it into portions that get folded up into squares of waxed paper and frozen. This works out really well, and provides meals for days ahead.
My advice would be to start gradually and take it slowly. Treat yourself with fresh herbs and good ingredients. And make Mike do the dishes!
Veronika says:
I’ve asked about this very subject on message boards a lot, but I still can’t get organized. The evening rolls around and suddenly everyone is eating cereal or sandwiches. I hope to get some great ideas here.
Noelle says:
Hi Heather, I am a full time working mom to two little kids. I do all of the food prep for our family. Here’s how I do it: On Friday night I sit down w/ my recipe book(s) and pick out 4 dinner recipes I will make that week. I clip and print recipes from a lot of places – food network, good housekeeping, redbook, the Sunday paper, etc. (NY Times has really good recipes). I also read NieNie Cuisine and Julia’s (here be hippogriffs) food blog. I tape them into a blank book as I go. In any case, I write down the ingredients by 4 sections: produce, dry goods, dairy and frozen on a piece of paper, this makes the shopping w/ two preschoolers much quicker. I do all my shopping Sat morning, and I can get it all done in about 1 1/2 hrs. I usually can do one “fancy” meal on Sat or Sun, but the rest are usually ready in 45 min maximum. Then during the week I usually have enough that we have leftovers twice and we go out to eat or do cereal once a week. It’s a good balance for me. I don’t think there is anything wrong with doing super easy meals once in a while either – frozen, pizza, grilled cheese, pancakes, sandwiches, hot dogs, etc. My kids usually love those meals the best, we are still eating at home and saving money and having family time, and I am grateful for a quick prep if I had a long day at work. Some other fun ideas: make your own pizza ( you have to make the dough the day before, but the prep the next day is really quick), tacos, quick soups, homemade hummus and a salad. Good luck!
kim says:
There are also premade dough packages in the dairy section (not pilsbury, can’t remember the name but it’s in a clear red and green bag) which is so much easier and better than mine. You can also stop in at your local pizzeria and grab some dough for cheap.
Jenny says:
Seriously, Rachael Ray makes my skin itch – but I have every one of her cookbooks and she has lots of great ideas… – on the weekends take an hour and chop vegetables, prep cutlets (i.e. for Monday), brown meat or make meatballs (for Tuesday), pull a pork loin from the freezer to put in the crock pot for Wednesday – etc. then at 5:30 every night – you are half way home if you make ziti, lasagna – freeze servings and then throw a salad and garlic bread together for a meal,- buy some good quality soups – or make a batch of soup and freeze individual servings – and make panini sandwiches to serve with it (a frying pan and a foil covered clean brick make a great panini press)…there are so many ways to make life easier in the cooking dept.
.-= Jenny´s last blog ..What a Wonderful World =-.
Kathryn says:
I LOVE Rachel Rays 30 Minute Meals. The receipes are simple, fast and pretty healthy for the most part!
My sister says she has a 30 minute meals for kiddos too!
Cereal is one of my favorite dinners!!
lb says:
I have a few meals that I make as standards. I make them about once a week, and I can make them with my eyes closed. They are not gourmet, but everybody in my family will eat them, and they take less than an hour to prepare from start to finish including cook time. Spaghetti with homemade sauce and a salad. Homemade Pizza and a salad. Hamburger/Macaroni thing and a salad. Chicken+veggie stir fry with rice. BBQd pork chops or steak with baked potatoes and a salad. My family loves salad, but sometimes I do substitute other veg. I keep the ingredients on hand for most of these when I do my weekly grocery shopping. Then, with the help of the microwave for defrosting, any day when cooking time hits and I haven’t done any prep, I just make one of my standards. If I’m feeling inspired, on the other hand, I might plan something more elaborate.
I recommend that you figure out a few simple standard meals, weeknight suppers, that you can easily make without a lot of forethought. It will be better than cereal and peanut butter!! There will be days when you are inspired to do slow cooking, or try a magazine recipe. But on the days when you don’t just trot out one of the usuals.
Anna Marie says:
When my husband and I started dating I was determined not to let him know I could cook – I was DONE cooking for my boyfriends. After eating the only three meals he could cook for about a month I caved…Anyway. Now we are married with 2 kids and I have totally gone to the dark side. I sit down on sundays, plan my dinners for the week then create a grocery list. I even have a list of meals we both really like so when I’m having a hard time coming up with ideas I can reference the list. And trust me – these are not difficult meals. Most take 20 minutes to prepare and have maybe 5 ingredients: mushroom spinach quesadillas, fettucini alfredo with a side salad, pork chops, baked apples and sesame green beans. Easy to put together and my brain doesn’t have to work at all.
And yeah, Mike gets to do the dishes. Our rule – whoever cooks does NOT have to clean up.
Marty says:
My favorite food blog is http://www.thepioneerwoman.com. Use her Tasty Kitchen tab for a whole slew of recipes. PW uses step by step instructions with pictures. I’m from the east coast having Mennonite/Amish family tree roots so cooking is in my genes. Another favorite is http://www.mennonitegirlscancook.blogspot.com. And dear me – having a RED kitchenaid mixer still in the box is like having a yacht dry docked….. Please unpack it – you already own the best kitchen tool to cooking. =) With your determination we’ll probably be reading your own section of food blogging in no time flat. Happy Cooking!
Kim says:
Heather,
I am laughing hysterically. Just last night I posted on Facebook that I need some quick dinner ideas. I struggle with the same thing. Having twin girls, it is not easy to cook and entertain them at the same time. Hang in there…and I’ll be sure to check your messages for all the ideas you get!
Vica says:
I would start off slow. If you try to cook 4-5 meals right out of the gate you will go crazy. Maybe start with two meals a week. Also, start with simple meals and think of meals you loved as kid to cook. On one day a week I sit down and write a grocery list to include the meals I want to cook. Need recipe ideas? http://www.allrecipes.com or rachaelray.com are good places to start.
Good Luck! love the blog!
MelanieP says:
E-Mealz.com is awesome. It’s a subscription and only $15 for 3 months. You get a complete meal plan with sides AND a shopping list broken down by produce, meat, veggies, etc. And labeled by meal so if you don’t like a meal just cross the ingreds off. It has totally changed my life and my fams! I have an 8 year old and a 1 year old, I needed something!
Tracy says:
Try Pioneer Woman’s blog. And Ina Garten on the Food Network has the best, simple but delicious recipes. Try her Sunday roast chicken recipe. It is the easiest thing every, can be made in one throw away container, and is seriously gourmet delicious! The recipe is on Food Network’s website. If you get a large enough chicken, the leftover can be shredded for salad, tacos, etc.
Samantha says:
Heather, I think a slow cooker is the answer. I try to assemble the stuff the night before so that in the morning I just have to take it out and turn it on. Here is one of our favorite super-easy recipes:
http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=354783
Good luck! And give yourself a break – you can’t be fabulous at everything.
Babbalou says:
Cooking can be very pleasant, relaxing and rewarding and it’s really not difficult – but your beautiful baby is only about 3 months old so don’t feel pressured to be a domestic goddess at this point – in my case, I always thought being showered by the time my husband got home from work was a worthly goal during those early months! I recommend the book, “Relax, it’s only dinner” – I enjoyed the recipes but really appreciate her philosophy. You really only need to learn how to make about 5 things really well – maybe a roasted chicken, a spicy beef dish, a nice grilled salmon, a favorite pasta and a good soup, for example – whatever you like to eat. One at a time, master the five things and you’ve got a good base to work from. Once you can do your basic dishes, you can add a side dish or two as you have time and energy. So my advice is to either try the cookbook I mentioned, or another one of your choosing, identify your five dishes and get going – maybe adding one new dish a week while you’re still taking care of such a young baby. Good luck and have some fun! Annabel can join you in the kitchen – in a little seat or a backpack, eventually in a bouncy seat or a high chair. Give her some plastic cups and spoons and talk her through what you’re doing. Great fun!
Emily says:
my husband and i are both in law school – hence no time to cook. but we make a priority to sit down and have a meal together every night. some great tips:
-mac and cheese with canned tuna or chicken and a bagged salad
LOVE the bagged salad.
pork chops, most fish, and breaded chicken are easy to do in a pan, with some steamed veggies. we like to try to keep the dishes to a minimum.
pre-cut peppers and onions sauteed with chicken, a little cheese on tortillas – voila – fajitas. this is friday night staple.
mixing up pizzas – whole wheat crust, fresh mozzarella, fresh veggies and sausage make it feel like a lot more of a meal than papa johns.
whole roasted chicken makes a tasty meal and great leftovers.
put anything on the grill for a few minutes. once you get used to grilling, you’ll never go back.
annie says:
Ugh, I can’t help you. Every week I cook 1-2 “homemade” meals. Inevitably, at least 2 of my 4 kids will complain and not eat what I have slaved over. Or my husband will be late gettiing home from work. Or my pregnancy will make me repulsed by my own cooking. It’s very frustrating and more often than not, I resort to random dinners made of fruit, veggie and whatever protein that I can find in the house that I know the kids will eat.
Margo says:
My mom was QUEEN of the 6 o’clock family dinner. It doesn’t have to be fancy, we did a lot of BLTs, meatloaf, pasta, soups, and grillin’ the burgerz. If I could reccomend one meal- this lentil soup is to die for, totally easy, and makes a huge amount so you could freeze half. (I add ham when I make it.) http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/lentil-soup-recipe/index.html It’s great will grilled cheese sammys.
.-= Margo´s last blog ..As promised… monkeys french braiding each other’s hair =-.
Leigh says:
One of the biggest helps to me when I became a mom was from Kraft food and family. They have a TON of recipes and most are super simple and 5 ingredients. The push their products a bit but I usually just buy the store generic brand in exchange for “Kraft” anyway.
One recipe in particular could not be easier and tastes sooooooo good.
Easy weeknight ravioi bake – it is SO good!
the only ingredients you need are:
28 oz spaghetti sauce
1 14 oz can diced tomatoes
2 lbs of frozen ravioli
1 package of shredded cheese (Mozz or “italian” blend)
The whole recipe is here:
http://cookeatshare.com/recipes/weeknight-ravioli-bake-177911?ref=p_title
and more recipes here:
http://www.kraftfoods.com/foodandfamily/#/home
Amanda says:
Prefacing by— I am not perfect, nor is our diet. I have always had the girls in the kitchen when I cook. I try to do things that accomplish my to-do list while also being something fun— an herb garden (umm, yeah, tomato blight can suck it it if has room after devouring my tomatoes), homemade pizza with store bought dough is perfect for little hands to add toppings- I cook it in stages so it cooks all the way through and offers 3 tries to add toppings. I guess what I am saying is, if you shoot for healthy and tasty and wrap Mike and Annabel in, even just as spectators, the stakes change. It isn’t lonely or daunting, it’s silly and team-sportish.
Clearly I have been nibbling on the dork leaves a bit too much. Blame it on Jamie Oliver and sleep deprivation.
.-= Amanda´s last blog ..Be Patient =-.
Meghan says:
http://www.relishrelish.com
it saved my life and our grocery bills. AND i now have a well stocked spice cabinet and we have a lot of family favorites that i kid you not take 20 minutes to cook.
its a meal planner (menus and grocery list that bonus! is divided into sections of the store!) and basically you sign up (various terms of subscription) and every thursday there is a list of 15 dinners that are labeled by category: kid-friendly, low calorie, vegetarian, one pot meal, etc.). 99% of the meals i would make again and it got us out of our take-out rut.
i highly recommend…
jean says:
There are meal planning sites where you pay a small fee and they give you a menu and a grocery list. This has helped me when I am out of ideas. I use e-mealz but there are a lot of different ones out there based on your food preferences. And, there is always take out We eat a lot of meals at the dining room table that came from a restaurant – still get the “family togetherness”
Nicole G says:
http://www.quick-easy-recipes.com/
Erin says:
I live by Cooking Light’s 5 ingredients 15 minutes or less cookbook. Sometimes it take more than 15 minutes but I haven’t tried a bad recipe. My guy friends can’t tell its healthy food! Good luck!
Liz says:
I have this book too and it is great! An easy place to start.
.-= Liz´s last blog ..Stuff =-.
L. says:
admitting that you have a problem is the first step… just kidding.
I have two books that I rely heavily on to feed myself something other than Mac and Cheese. They are “How to cook everything” and “How to cook everything: Vegetarian”, both by Mark Bittman. Not sure how comfortable you are with cookbooks, but these might be worth taking a look at, and most public libraries will have a copy.
Sara Mc. says:
I have a pretty simple, yet tasty recipe for you to add to all the others your wonderful readers are sharing. It’s called (or my nephew calls it chip & dip) Ms. Providence Casserole.
Ingredients:
1 lb ham. meat
1 can ranch style beans
Spanish Rice
Cheese
onion, diced/chopped/however (optional)
salsa (optional)
sour cream (optional)
tortilla chips
Preheat oven to 350 degrees:
Brown the meat and onions together until the meat is cooked. While that’s cooking, make your Spanish rice according to pkg directions. When the meat and rice are both done, mix them together in a casserole dish. Add ranch style beans. Stir together. This is where I would add the salsa too. Cover with cheese and bake in the oven for about 30 or 40 minutes. Really you just want to heat everything through and have the cheese melt.
I put some chips in a bowl and put this on top. My nephew likes to use it as a dip. It’s really tasty, makes a good amount, and is great for leftovers.
My mom raised 6 kids, so all I know about is cooking for a crowd. Plus she was a caterer for a time, so email me if you ever need a good recipe. Hope this helps a little!
Karen says:
spagetti bolognese – mince meat, tomatoes, mushrooms, onion, herbs, garlic (not too much), any other veg you want. Cook in 1 pan for 20 minutes and serve with pasta (any type or shape). Can be frozen.
Chilli – as above but add in baked beans if required and of course some chilli, powdered or fresh. serve with baked potatoes (10mins in mircowave) or rice, or wraps (with carrot and grated cheese)
Mac Cheese – cheese sauce (buy one!), cooked macaroni, bake in oven. Try it with flaked tuna mixed in and serve with peas and sweetcorn.
Slow cooker, is that a crock pot? Throw everything in (meat, veg herbs, stock) switch on, leave for 6 hours! Serve with crusty bread.
Get to grips with the recipes given to you on the comments, find what you like, change what you dont. Post another help message in a few months and we’ll give you advanced lessons!
Would you like flapjack recipe next?
Melissa says:
I read cookbooks for easy recipes. Loving the crockpot as I can load it up before work and have a meal when we get home. We also load up on steamer veggie/rice bags when they are on sale.
Thanks to my mom, I also have a couple classic home cooked meals down to a science, so I can whip those up.
Just take a deep breathe and think about the meals you loved as child. Start with those – chances are they aren’t that hard to make.
Maura says:
I changed into a cook when my girls started eating solids. It suddenly became do-able.
It is time consuming, so I make large amounts for leftovers
Annabel Karmel’s first meals.
Deceptively Delicious
The internets.
Good luck.
I’m going to eat from a jar of PB behind the couch now, DOH!
Teresa says:
I used to have the same problem. I would be amazed that people DIDN’T eat take-out 6 times a week, but now I have found myself cooking almost every night. Well, only on days I don’t work since I get home at 8:00pm. But since I’m a nurse I only work 3-4 days a week.
Now what I do is actually (roughly) plan ahead for the next few weeks. It isn’t as bad as it sounds. I will sit down while watching TV and look through cookbooks and cooking magazines and pick out a handful of things I think I can handle. Write them down along with the ingredients I need, and then do the shopping for the next few weeks. That way (most of) the food won’t go to waste.
The crock pot would be perfect for you since it takes little effort and time.
Good luck!
Teresa
Christy says:
I’m with you on just not being able to motivate myself to cook. I really do enjoy it. It is a little bit complicated since I have a 13 month old toddling about under my feet which makes me a bit nervous in the kitchen, but I still need to cook. I subscribe to The Six O’Clock Scramble http://www.sixoclockscramble.com/. Aviva Goldfarb sends me recipes every week with a convenient catorgized shopping list. There is a great data base from which you can choose meals and switch to make your own list, which still comes with the nifty shopping list. It’s a great thing. I just need to start cooking now!
Happy cooking!
.-= Christy´s last blog ..Crowns =-.
Hazel says:
I start off by taking some meat out of the freezer every morning. I let it defrost in the refrigerator. We stock up on Chicken breast and ground turkey when its on sale. About once a month, I treat my family to Italian sausage or some beef. Around 5 or so in the afternoon, I start cooking. The meat may require a little more defrosting in the microwave at times. Anything I make, I add veggies! Whether its pasta or rice or even as a side. Frozen veggies work best for this! (fresh produce will get wasted often if not consumed within a few days or so!) It helps to kind of make an itinerary. After I shop, I look at what I bought and make a quick list of what I have the ingrediants to make. This helps me when I am brainstorming over what to cook. I cook almost every night and its definitely tedious but its the way I was raised! (My mom is from Italy) I also want my kids to carry on the habits that my mom passed to me so I keep the image in my head of my grandbabies benefiting from the lessons I teach my kids. Its not easy at first to get into the mode but the more you do it, the easier and more automatic it becomes. Its the best way to fight off the childhood obesity epidemic!! It also fights off the aging process which I am thoroughly consumed with now that I am 30! Also it allows me to eat like a normal person without gaining weight. I find that I can eat nearly anything without gaining weight when I eat right so that is a major advantage of home cooked meals! Good luck Lady!!
Tauni says:
Just thought I would let you know, if you put warm water in your sink, you can put the frozen solid meat in the water and it will defrost in 10-60 minutes. All depending on how much and if you leave them in the store package or if you freezer pack with a food saver or plastic bags. Store packaging takes a bit longer to defrost.
So if you ever forget to get meat out of the freezer, this is a way you can still have it thawed in time to cook for dinner!
Elizabeth says:
I wish I could help you! Luckily, I married a man who loves to cook and does so for our family. I do cook for our almost 2 year old but I make things in bulk, freeze them and then reheat as needed.
Did your DG cook make amazing chocolate chip cookies? Ours were the best! Sometimes I still miss my DG meals
Linda Campbell says:
Get yourself a Campbell’s Soup Cookbook. Very easy and good recipes. Also, the crockpot is a good thing. Just throw it all in the pot in the morning, and smell it cook all day long. Make you feel like a real cook!!!
defendUSA says:
My Gram always had a meal for Gramp at 4:15pm, every day. (yikes!!)
Here is the easiest recipe under the sun…and you can cook it with a baby at your breast, one handed!!
1/2 pound of gr. beef or turkey (if you prefer)
12 oz bag no yolk egg noodles
2 cans of Campbell’s cr. mushroom soup
1/2 cup of sour cream
1 can milk
Original Mrs. Dash
Dill weed
A beef boullion cube.
-Put the noodle water on to boil.
-Brown the meat.
-Add to taste at least 1tablespoon of Mrs. D. and a teaspoon dill.
-add the Soup, sour cream and milk together…if you like thicker sauce add less milk and vice versa. (wait until it heats up before you add more milk, so you can check it) Remember that dairy will curdle if you add it to something hot…so just slide the meat from heat while you add the soup, milk etc…
-add one beef cube or 1 teaspoon of beef paste (I use paste)
-Cook egg noodles.
Let sauce come to a rolling boil and voila —
“noodles and gravy”
All of my kids loved the noodles cut up with the gravy and some green beans on the side…even without teeth. And with the left over gravy, you can put it over toast…Jump in, get your feet wet…and it can be made when Annabel is sleeping, too. 20 minutes tops…
Heather says:
Recipe from a college student living in a dorm:
Take a kind of meat, any kind of meat (except hot dogs or anything processed, I’m talking raw here, where you go to the butcher etc.) Put it in a crock pot, add some water, and a dry onion soup packet. Cook on high for four hours, adding veggies of your choice on the third hour. Serve with a side of pasta, or rice, or whatever you want.
Enjoy!
Megan says:
The only way I can do it is by making a menu for the whole weeks dinners. I make it on Sunday and then do my grocery shopping based on the menu. All the food is in the house, the menu is planned and I have less excuses.
.-= Megan´s last blog ..Buh-Bye Jack Ass =-.
Mary says:
Heather, I struggle with making meals myself. When I am in my “I am woman, hear me roar mode” I “try” to right down a schedule for at least 3/4 meals and go shopping for those meals, I write down all of the ingredients and then go shopping for them. I try to cook on M/T and then we eat the leftovers from Monday on Wednesday etc. (not to get bored). . Also I have been dying to try this place that we have in MA called Destination Dinners. .where you can go make meals and freeze them. My husband can make a gourmet meal from things we have lying around the cabinets. . I do not have that talent . .I find most of my recipes online cook.com.
Nellie says:
You are too cute and I totally know where you are coming from – past and present. I have anxiety attacks just thinking about preparing a meal while sitting at my desk, presumably working.
Start with the easy stuff – chicken, tilapia fish, pork chops, kubalska sausages and either marinade them in dressings and then throw them on a skillet, pan, etc. Or, dip the chicken in eggs, then in bread crumbs and fry them in vegetable oil that’s heated in a pan. I do that with chicken, fish and even pork chops. As for side dishes, buy frozen vegetables and what I do is put water in a pan, some oil and chicken stock powder or just do the chicken broth without water and throw in the veggies – very flavorful. I also buy the Lipton pasta or rice side dishes. I’d like to say I’m a wonderful cook like my mom but I’m SO NOT! I love to bake though but my husband wouldn’t enjoy desserts for dinner EVERY NIGHT as I would! I do look up recipes online but only go for the real easy ones – as little ingredients as possible or ones that don’t have foreign based ingredients that would take a whole day for me to find.
Starting small is the best way. My sister NEVER cooked and now she does more than I ever could and has 4 small children – go figure!
Nellie says:
Sorry, I also forgot to mention couscous! So simple and easy to make. You can simply add store bought crabmeat or make hot dogs, cut them and mix in with the couscous. You can even put veggies in there – it’s just so filling and so yummy!
I buy store bought alfredo sauce and to bring veggies to the meal, I add frozen creamed spinach to it so I have pasta with spinach alfredo sauce!
Adrianne says:
YES! Couscous. It’s a staple in our house. We eat it with a can of black beans, sliced avocado, and a handful of shredded cheese. Seriously good and literally takes 7 minutes to make a full meal.
Nicole says:
Start small, with something like tacos, baked chicken breasts and pasta, meatloaf . . . then once you feel comfortable in the kitchen and with the timing of everything, expand to bigger and better things. Also, I have found that “The Pioneer Woman” has EASY EASY recipes! For example the home made mac & cheese recipe called for “one pound of shredded cheese, whatever type you like or have on hand”. How easy is that?!
Good Luck! You can do it!!
.-= Nicole´s last blog ..Morning at the Park =-.
Trista says:
You might try cooking once every few weeks. Pick a day, make a list of several freezable meals that reheat well (like enchiladas), go buy the ingredients and make them. You can also do this with a friend or two…make a fun day out of it. Each person brings a few meals (with enough for every family there) and then everybody helps with the preparation and cooking. When everything is cooked, devide it up and take it home!
Or it could just be a matter of making it a priority. Pick a schedule and stick to it. My family eats around 6 so at four, I am deciding what to make (if I don’t have a ready made meal in the freezer, that is) by five, I am cooking and by six…we’re eating.
And I do this with a houseful of daycare kids (my job) and two of my own…so surely you can accomplish dinner with one adorable cutie and dog! LOL!!!! Good luck!
.-= Trista´s last blog ..Overheard… =-.
Micky says:
I have been married for almost 10 years and I still can’t do it!
Joanna says:
i feeeeeeeeeeel your pain! being a mom-on-the-go, i often have to rely on simple things which have leftovers, which my husband can make into a second meal!
for instance:
stuffed green peppers:
1 bag knorr or lipton taco rice (cooks in 8 mins)
2 medium green peppers
1 lb gound beef with taco seasoning
2 spoonfuls of spaghetti sauce
make the rice and beef and combine, the stuff peppers. sit them in a muffin tin and bake on 350 until the edges are mushy.
the leftover beef and rice are used for tacos, burritos, or taco salad the next day! ANNNND, my VERY picky 18-month old loves the beef and taco mixture too!
good luck
.-= Joanna´s last blog ..instead of a pony, daddy… =-.
Suzanne says:
Check out http://www.savingdinnershop.com. Click on menu-mailer and you can get a 3 month subscription to dinners that are e-mailed weekly. These are the best menus I’ve ever used! They’re super easy, delicious and my family loves just about everything I make. ( I’m not affiliated with them in any way.) Good Luck!
Maria says:
This was so me a few months ago. Even down to my husband with the cereal and me with the jar of peanut butter and a nursing baby!
For the first time ever, I am consistently cooking healthy, delicious dinners thanks to the Six o’ Clock Scramble. It’s a website (there are two books you can order on Amazon too). Every Wednesday, you get an e-mail with five meals for the week. I know there are other services like this but the best part is you can create a custom menu plan on the website from hundreds of recipes if you don’t like things on the weekly menu. You select the recipes you want to make and then print them out, including – this is the best part – a grocery list! Organized by sections of the store. I print this out, cross out items we already have, do an easy shop without forgetting things. It has been such a lifesaver.
The website is http://www.thescramble.com. If you use this promo code, you’ll get $3 off a 6 or 12 month subscription: GLMAR12253
I made up the cost of the subscription in no time because I hardly ever throw groceries away any more. I used to just wander through the grocery store picking things up and never cooking them.
My last tip for you is, don’t feel the need to organize seven whole dinners every week. Life happens, and other things will come up. But you’ll feel such a sense of accomplishment if you start with a goal of three times a week or so and it won’t be overwhelming.
Sorry to ramble, I hope this was helpful to people. I found the website through blog comments too so figured it’s time to pay it forward.
Kimberly says:
I’ve found a lot of easy and no fuss meals on a blog called http://www.thelittlekitchenthatcould.blogspot.com
try the pesto pasta, pizzas, etc.
Enjoy!
.-= Kimberly´s last blog ..On The Eve…. =-.
jen says:
I second the kraft food magazine – so easy and good – and the pioneer woman’s website. Also try allrecipes.com. Trust me when I tell you the crockpot can be your best friend! The fix it and forget it is a good crockpot cookbook, but you can throw anything in there. One of our favorites is the To Die for Roast. Put a beef roast in the crockpot, mix together 1 packet of dry italian dressing, 1 packet of dry ranch dressing, 1 packet of dry brown gravy mix, then pour it all over the roast. Add 1 can cream of mushroom soup and a little bit of water and let it cook all day. If you want an all in one dish, you can add baby potatoes, carrots, onions, etc or make that all separately. You can use the same recipe for frozen chicken breasts. Easy! Good luck.
Jen says:
The only thing that works for me is planning and routine. I work MWF, so on Tuesdays (typically) I’m home with my kid, so we grocery shop for the week. I plan on 3 or 4 meals for the week (the other nights are for leftovers! and pizza! and fun stuff!) and I purchase the ingredients I need. I even have a little post it by the fridge with Tuesday: spaghetti / Wednesday: dinner out / Thursday: stir fry / Friday: pizza / Saturday… etc etc There is some flexibility, like if our plans change and we go out on Saturday, I’ll just make that meal on Sunday or whatever. The biggest thing is making sure I have all the ingredients for whatever I want to make.
The other thing? EASY STUFF. Spaghetti, stir fry, casseroles, pasta- all that stuff is easy, 20-30 minutes and it’s done! If I get in the mood to make something more involved (like my red chicken enchiladas that take about 45-60 minutes start to finish) I’ll make those on a weekend when we’re just hanging out. But weeknights, it’s quick stuff.
It took me years to figure out my system, but it works pretty well. Because I was like you- 6pm and OH CRAP, DINNER. Um… CEREAL! PB&J! A PIECE OF CHEESE! AND… DONE! A vicious cycle It’s a little more complicated with a baby of course, but you have to allow yourself some nights to just eat cereal, you know?
Good luck!!!
Kate says:
Start simple.
fixings for sanwiches etc
also Rachel ray is a life saver, 30 min and you have a home cooked meal. Go to her website and she’ll give the grocery list. Tune in and see her do it.
Crystal D says:
My advice is to start slow. Plan for two weeks and write it down. In those two weeks, plan for a few nights of take out (or cereal) and a night or two of left overs. Go through a stack of magazines and tear out a few recipes you want to try. Stick them in a folder so you know where you put them when it is time to go to the store or time to make them. Shop for the week and then you can always move the menu days around as you need to. I like magazine recipes because they always have pictures and are easily portable to the store so there is no need to copy ingredients. And you can usually get them out of any magazine (besides the gossip ones) including the parenting ones. Don’t go crazy on side dishes. One main and a salad or side. Start small. Good luck!!
.-= Crystal D´s last blog ..Things I don’t want to forget… =-.
Colleen says:
Cooking is easy. planning meals SUCKS. I try stuff and when the family likes something, I keep the recipe in a mini photo album. After a while, I just look through my stash for meal ideas. I keep adding and it seems to work. I use a ton of short cuts with ready made stuff and places like Costco and Trader Joes are invaluable for tenderly prepared home entrees (as I like to call them). I also have a no cooking rule on the weekends so I feel more inspired during the week. Also, there is a chef on the cooking channel that uses shortcuts, I check her recipes out online…..Shhhhhhhhhh, don’t tell anyone.
Janet says:
I say get the Kraft food for family magazine then sit down and pick out some meals you like the sound of and write them down, then make yourself a list combine that with recipes you remember from being a kid and go for it….
.-= Janet´s last blog ..Soccer Pics =-.
Elissa says:
I don’t have a ton of advice except maybe to get a rice cooker. Chicken and rice with salad are my stand by. My sweet hubby (of 5 months – it’s my second marriage and he took me on with the 4 sweet kids I already had… he’s a winner!) insists it’s like the best thing ever which is good because my mom goes around telling people that I don’t cook.
But what I really wanted to say is that I shed like a whole bucket full of tears at the thought of a RED KITCHEN AID MIXER still being in the box!!! I LOVE to bake and have wanted that mixer in that specific color for oh, about 11 years! *SOBBING* Girl get that thing out of the box for goodness sake!
Brandi says:
Heather,
I struggle with this as much as you do. And I have no kids and NO excuse for not cooking other than “it’s easier to grab something”. Recently we decided to start writing out a menu for the week (either after buying groceries and taking stock of what we had, or making a list and buying food accordingly). It took the guess work out of what I was going to cook that day.
My biggest thing is that I want super easy things to make–if it has more than 7 or so ingredients, it ain’t happening in my house. LOL I use the crock pot for roasts and pork ribs and things like that. There’s a blog online about crock potting for 365 days…she’s got some good recipes and crock potting is so easy! http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/
I learned recently that rotisserie chickens at the grocery store can be your friend. Grab one and make a BBQ chicken pizza with part of it and make chicken salad with the rest–two birds, one stone.
And, at least once a week, we have an easy night–sandwiches, cereal, malt-o-meal–something simple like that. And one night we usually get a $5 footlong from Subway.
Just try writing out a menu and shopping according to it….see how it goes for a week. If it doesn’t work, make some adjustments. It’s a hard habit to get into but it really is better than the “What’s for dinner?….I don’t know, what do you want?….I don’t care, what do you want?” conversation that happens in our house on a daily basis!
Chris says:
I second the suggestion to read http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/. I like her soups/stews best. The chicken recipes get kind of dried out I think.
I struggle with this daily too, but my husband and I both grew up with home cooked family dinners and its really important to us. Make it a priority now and soon it’ll be second nature and you won’t think of not sitting down to dinner as a family.
Mary P (Barnmaven) says:
I feel your pain, Heather. Recently I’ve been inspired by Jamie Oliver’s food revolution to doing a little more cooking, though. One thing I find helps is if I don’t try to plan a week in advance. Instead, I buy enough for a couple of dinners, then on Wednesday, I buy for a couple of more. One day a week is frozen pizza or takeout day. One day a week is ‘buy a hot chicken at the store” day. The other five days I try to make something, or make enough of something to have leftovers for another day, which essentially means I only have to cook a couple of times a week. For meals, the simpler the better. Now that its nice out, its easy to throw some chicken on the grill with a little bit of seasoning and chop up some romaine and a couple of tomatoes for a simple salad. The fewer ingredients it has the more likely I am to cook it. I also like to throw some chicken, some cream of mushroom soup and a few chopped up mushrooms or other vegetables in the crock pot. As long as I start it by 10 or so it has plenty of time to cook for dinner.
Small chunks at a time. Simple ingredients. Makes it easy!
.-= Mary P (Barnmaven)´s last blog ..Dear God =-.
amy says:
A few super duper easy crock pot meals
throw a whole chicken in there and cook it on low all day (you can use whatever seasoning you want–also fine without) Most tender chicken ever and it will last for a few days.
throw a bag of frozen meatballs and a jar of spaghetti sauce and cook on low all day. Great for spaghetti, meatball subs, etc. will last for several days as well
throw in country style ribs, a jar of barbeque sauce and an onion cut up in several big chunks and cook on low all day.
vickie says:
nothing wrong with the rotisserie chicken! you can turn that into about 100 meals – soups, stir-fry, enchiladas, sandwiches, croquettes..the list is endless. fresh veggies & pasta are easy & good for you, we even have breakfast for dinner sometimes! just think of what you like to eat & go from there.
kim says:
Best thing to do is make a list of meals you want to make…. Check out the http://www.foodnetwork.com, and http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/category/chick_food/
for some idea’s. Get your list of ingredients together, and go for it. I even double the recipe sometimes, and freeze half for another time. Use those frozen meals when you don’t have time, or energy to cook. Spaghetti sauce is easy to double, triple, and it freezes very well! Have fun!
Sara says:
My go to meal is always tacos! My entire family loves them (and we are a family of 6, so that’s a huge feat!). Tacos require very little actual cooking–just cook some ground beef or ground turkey, add a taco seasoning packet or a tablespoon of chili powder and a tablespoon of ground cumin. Then serve with tortillas/taco shells, lettuce, tomatoes, cheese or whatever else you like on your tacos!
Also lasagna is easy, as you can purchase “no-boil” lasagna sheets. If you want to make it super easy, layer with jarred spag. sauce, shredded cheese and ricotta cheese for a fast vegetarian lasagna in minutes–seriously!
These are my 2 easiest meals that are very family friendly–good luck!
roshan says:
I am a little surprised no one here suggested anything which is on youtube.
One of my favorite youtube channel is http://www.youtube.com/user/foodwishes
There are about 400 clips on the channel and most of them are under 10 minutes length. Of course the prep time might be longer but still not that much.
Also checkout Jamie Oliver’s website and youtube channel.
http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes
http://www.youtube.com/user/JamieOliver
As for food network humor see this
http://foodnetworkhumor.com/
P.S: I am a guy and read your blog often.
Diane says:
My one suggestion is to keep it very simple until you get the hang of it. Some sort of meat, baked potato, frozen veggie. Burgers on the grill with a salad. Spaghetti sauce or chili that can last several meals. See how much you enjoy it. I find cooking begets cooking — the more I do it, the more I want to do it. Good luck, and definitely don’t beat yourself up on the nights it just isn’t happening.
.-= Diane´s last blog ..Girl Talk Thursday – Fashionista =-.
Debbi says:
I am in the same boat as you are. I didn’t even know how to make a grilled cheese sandwich after I got married. What saved me is kraftrecipes.com It is the best, easiest place to get recipes. You can save your favorite recipes in your own recipe box, that way you can find something fast. Also, you can get some emails with meal ideas.
You really need to check it out!
They do push their products, but I buy whatever is cheapest.
.-= Debbi´s last blog ..Oh my… =-.
Debbi says:
I forgot to add that the recipes are very easy. I often get overwhelmed with recipes that are very complicated, long, and have lots of ingredients. kraftrecipes.com has super easy recipes. They also have a review site where you can read through what others say about that recipe, and find ways to tweak it.
I could go on, but just check it out!
.-= Debbi´s last blog ..Oh my… =-.
Jessie says:
I think the easiest thing for us was to decide on meals we liked, and had a running list of those 20 or so meals, with a list of ingredients for the meal under the name. Each week we pick out what meals we wanted, the ingredients are tranferred to the shopping list, and semi-prepared when brought home (meat portioned for the meals, veggies prepped). Long prep meals are always on Fridays or Sundays (when I have the time/energy) weekday meals are always able to be prepped in 20 minutes and cooked within 45. Every morning before I leave for work the protien is pulled out of the fridge and left to defrost. Anything that isn’t prepackaged/processed will take some time, but it is worth it for the health and well being of your family. Simple food is usually the best, it is all about finding recipes you like with few ingredients/steps. Good luck!
Tania says:
Maybe the whole problem is the thought of cleaning up!! I get that, oh do I get that!! My mother always told me and showed me “put away as you go, get out everything you need and once you use it put it away”, I used to think she was crazy…(well she is, kinda…LOL) but I have started doing that and it makes cooking so much more enjoyable for me as there is NO big clean up other then dish’s and well, you can leave those soaking in the sink for a few days and woolaaaa they have washed themselves….(I have never done this, nope never…..ya right…lol)…I work all day and am a single parent I am as guilty as anybody when it comes to NOT having a sit down dinner, so I also have learned to make up some things ahead of time, say the night before, so I can throw it right in the oven when I get home, or even a crock pot meal that I turn on in the AM and it is ready when I get home………crock pot’s are awsome!!!
The most important part isn’t really the food but the time spent talking about your day with each other…………
Erin W says:
Heather,
We have little ones at our place and I despise cleaning a kitchen, but get so tired of eating out. My suggestion is to grill EVERYTHING! Its healthy and tasty, too! What I do is put meat and veggies in aluminum foil, grill it…put different seasonings/marinades on it…when its done, throw it onto a plate!!! Its that simple! You can do this with fish, chicken, steak…just about anything! Pop a baked potato in the microwave or throw a can of green beans on the stove. There have been many nights that I’ve been exhausted and not wanted to hassle with the clean up…this really works, I promise!
S says:
The crockpot is the ticket! Stick a whole chicken in there, or pork roast, even a small turkey. Freeze the leftovers. One of the previous comments I read said to spend a weekend cooking and freezing. I have done this and it is so worth it!
Corri says:
Heather, you’ve gotten good advice for your overall problem. I won’t try to touch that — I’ve never been great at meal planning.
But here is the easiest recipe ever, especially for those who don’t plan ahead. It is yummy, too:
Spray your crock pot with cooking spray. Add a bag of frozen corn. Then add about a pound of frozen (I love this part — frozen — no need to remember ahead of time!) chicken breasts. I put a little taco seasoning on them, but it isn’t necessary. Then add a can of rinsed black beans and a small jar of salsa.
Cook for 4-6 hours (depending on your crock pot and how hot of a temp you use). I usually cook it for about 5 hours, then shred the chicken, then let it cook for another hour.
I put it in burrito shells, with sour cream, black olives, tomatoes, etc., but you can jazz it up as much or as little as you like…or just throw it over some chips. It makes enough for a gang and is even yummier the next day.
Chris L says:
You can get the crock pot bags and then when you’re finished you just lift out the bag and throw away, no more cleaning the crock pot!
Smoochagator says:
Start with one day a week, the easiest of your days. (Say, one when Mike is off work so you don’t have to rush in and out of the grocery store with an infant in tow.) Pick out a recipe that sounds good, go get the groceries, and make a lovely meal. Have the leftovers a couple of days later. Voila, you’ve fed your family two nights this week. Once you’ve got that down, work up to two nights, then three. The beautiful thing about having a small family is that you only have to make a couple of meals a week because leftovers will tide you over
I love to cook, but ever since I got pregnant (and by pregnant, I mean VERY VERY VERY TIRED) I haven’t been up to cooking very much. The darkness of winter and a good amount of stress/depression through those dark months didn’t help either…I could barely keep myself bathed and clothed and show up at work. I’m trying to remind myself that it’s okay, sometimes, to have frozen pizza for dinner AGAIN when the family cook is just not up to the production of a homemade meal.
designHer Momma says:
you need to come to Indy (or casey and I should come out to you) and put you through a little midwestern kitchen bootcamp. We could have you trained in 48 hours. I know it!
.-= designHer Momma´s last blog ..A Bittersweet Goodbye to the Turd Box =-.
Liz says:
Um. That solitary tear? Yeah, got it right over here for ya. I am the Executive Caker of The Cakery here in little ol’ North Carolina and I covet your Candy Apple Red KitchenAid mixer. Still in the box. I call party foul. Only, uh, baking foul instead. :0)
Get you a family size George Foreman Lean Mean Fat Reducing Grilling Machine and go to town with that puppy. Doesn’t matter what it is, it cooks it perfect in 10 minutes or less! BAM! (I totally just got my Emeril/George Foreman lines mixed up. Cooking foul, anybody?)
Liz says:
My husband is the cook in our house but I have advice anyway!
As everyone has said, it’s all in the planning – we usually do a week ahead. Also, having the right tools (which are not always the fanciest – sorry Kitchen Aid) helps. My mom bought us this cloth steam bag which steams veggies in the microwave and we use it a least three times a week. Steaming a handful of carrots takes under a minute and no clean up! Last – stay away from the dinosaur shaped chicken nuggets and etc. from the beginning. Annie won’t know what she’s missing!
Stephanie In Canada says:
Hello Heather.
I’m only 20 yrs old and a broke college student so I live with my mom and I travel 4 hours a day in the the commuter transportation only to go eat my mom food so I won’t have to do it myself.
But when i’m alone here what I use
It’s the website of Kraft canada, maybe you won’t find the product in L.A but chesse in China is Cheese in Canada haha,
The website is really cool because on the right on ” Use whats on hand” you put 3 things that you have at your house. Let say Cheese, Chicken and Tomato. Then you select the type of meal and then search. A page will open with receipe with your 3 things, you will see the number of things you need, the time of preparation
http://www.kraftcanada.com/en/recipes/main.aspx
.-= Stephanie In Canada´s last blog ..bus…train..subway..part 5 =-.
Julie says:
Freezer cooking…at least that’s what I call it. I found a book about it at the library and it’s been great. When you’re making one meal, just double, triple, etc and freeze the rest in serving sizes that fit your family. I’d recommend you read a little about it first, just to get some hints about how to best freeze different kinds of foods properly. Also, google it and you’ll find a lot of good freezer recipes. It saves a ton of time and can even be a money saver (i.e. if chicken is one sale that week, buy a lot and make up batches of a few chicken recipes). It feels good to have a few weeks worth of meals in the freezer, with very little effort. If you decide to give it a try, I hope it works for you!
Gillian says:
I didn’t read the bajillion other comments, so here I go probably repeating! But I have a 2 year old and another due in a month or two, and because of the recession we have The Poverty and eating out is just not really an option. But I’m in law school, so my exhausted pregnant ass is not always so down with the cooking, though I do like it.
Just keep lots of cans in the cupboard. If you have a jar of refried beans, a jar of corn, some salsa, and some tortillas – it’s a bean buritto dinner! Add a jar of enchilada sauce and some cheese – it’s an enchilada dinner! Jar of pasta sauce and a box of spaghetti – it’s Italian night! A couple of carrots, some sliced chicken, and some soy sauce – you’ve got your Asian stir fry. I always have rice, salad, and frozen vegetables on hand so I can supplement my cheap and easy main meals. Sometimes we do something fancier, but it’s nice to have that pasta-in-a-box for the evenings when I just can’t do anything else.
Amy says:
I cook and my hubby cleans. That is our arrangement. Some nights he will ask to eat cereal so he can get out of cleaning.
The Tutugirl says:
If you’re craving something, foodtv.com will let you search for recipes and then rank them according to how easy they are. I also recommend magazines and their accompanying sites. Real Simple has great recipes that are quick, healthy and yummy. Plus, ask your friends who are moms what their favorite meals to make are.
yvonne says:
Hop on over to The Pioneer Woman Cooks for easy and impressive stuff – truly good food, and Mike will love you all the more!
http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/
Nikki says:
I’m the MASTER at quick easy meals. I love to cook but I’m not the best and like you, my mom and grandma are AMAZING in the kitchen. Me? Not so much. But I digress.
http://www.foodnetwork.com will become your best friend in planning meals. You can search by food or by something quick or pretty much anything you want.
One of my favorite meals (which is totally Annie-friendly when she’s a bit older) is cheesy chicken pasta. This, of course, assumes you like cheese, chicken and pasta. Feel free to embellish or substitute as needed.
Ingredients:
1lb chicken, cut into small pieces
1 box of the pasta of your choice (bowtie or penne works best)
1 cup milk
2 10.75 oz cans of cream of chicken soup
1/2 to 3/4 cup of Parmesan cheese
Boil your pasta. While that’s going, season your chicken (I use ordinary salt and pepper) and then saute it in olive oil. Drain the excess oil out of the pan then add the cream of chicken soup and milk. Mix the three ingredients and when it comes to a boil, add your parmesan cheese. When your pasta is done, drain it and add it to the pan.
Voila! The whole thing takes about 15 minutes to make. It can be garnished with garlic bread and/or salad or something else of your choosing.
Happy Cooking!
XOXO from GA,
Nikki
Holly says:
Start with easy and work from there – this is super easy and yummy! One of our favorites!
Mexican Chicken
I prepare each serving in a separate large piece of tinfoil. Makes for easy clean up!!! When all prepared, I wrap the servings up in the tinfoil so it’s completely covered & place them on a baking dish. When it’s done cooking, scoop on to a plate and throw away the tinfoil! Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
1. Slice and peel 1 small potato (raw) for each serving. Place potato slices in the large piece of tinfoil.
2. Thoroughly coat chicken breasts with taco seasoning (I shake in a Ziploc); after coated, place one breast in each piece of tinfoil on top of potatoes.
3. Sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese on top of chicken breasts. Use as much as you like & whatever kind of cheese you like, including “light”.
4. Put a large dollop of salsa on top of cheese (2 Tblsp should be ok). Pineapple salsa is yummy!
5. Wrap up the chicken with the tinfoil and place in oven.
Bake at 400 degrees for about 40 minutes or until potatoes and chicken are both cooked.
newmom says:
My advice is to set a realistic goal for yourself. Don’t plan to cook 6-7 days a week. That is not sustainable…it will frustrate you more and you’ll end up quitting. Start small–plan to cook twice, maybe 3x/wk at most. I envy those who can meal plan…I cannot. I much prefer to wait and see what I feel like come the middle of the day, and then stop on my way home from work. Dinner doesn’t need to be fancy. My go-to meal is a piece of fish with a marinade (store-bought), a baked potato and some steamed broccoli-healthy, balanced and EASY! Do you have a bbq? You can grill chicken breasts and then make sandwiches/salads/or serve with potatoes and veggies as well. I have tons of ideas for simple meals. Feel free to email me! I soooo know what you’re going through.
And our arrangement is I prep dinner and my husband cleans up. We’ve got the system down.
Jennifer says:
I have no helpful hints, I just want to say I am happy to hear there are other women out there who are like me. I would LOVE to cook nice, yummy meals every night. I have great intentions – I go so far as to buy ingredients for things – but end up doing stuff like tonight, which will be throwing some potatoes in a skillet and heating up some ham slices. After working all day, I hate to come home and spend time cooking rather than playing with my daughter (who has no interest in helping me cook). I know this will only get worse come August when my next child comes along!
I do have one “recipe” that I make often – it doesn’t take any time and is pretty good. I don’t have measurements though…it’s a quick carbonara:
Ingredients:
-Pasta
-Minced Garlic
-Shredded cheese (parmesan and romano)
-Half and half
-Bacon (I buy the precooked bacon recipe bits)
-Frozen peas
Cook the pasta accordingly. For the last 2 minutes, throw in the frozen peas. Meanwhile, on a skillet heat the garlic and bacon. Drain pasta. Add garlic, bacon, half and half (I go by sight..probably 1/4 – 1/2 cup), and cheese – stir until creamy. YUM. My daughter even likes it.
Good luck with the cooking!!
Maggie says:
Don’t know if this one was recommended yet, but Desperation Dinners has saved me on many a frazzled evening: http://www.amazon.com/Desperation-Dinners-Beverly-Mills/dp/076110481X
The recipes take 20 minutes or less and are very tasty. I plan my meals out for the week and go to the store once, it saves money and also saves us from asking “What’s for dinner” every night. Good luck.
.-= Maggie´s last blog ..Stuff I made =-.
The Bush League Cook says:
I know exactly what you mean.
My three criteria for good meals:
1. Easy to make.
2. Tastes good (i.e. edible).
3. Clean up in less than 20 minutes.
Just started a blog for my adventures in cooking. : )
.-= The Bush League Cook´s last blog ..#21. Bake Focaccia =-.
ZPAwoman says:
Here you go Heather. Some great recipes on this site. http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/
Mary Mom says:
Girlfriend! Get that red mixer out of the box and try the Pioneer Woman’s pizza dough recipe. You can make it in that mixer and it can set in the fridge for several days until you are ready to cook it. She has many ideas on her Tasty Kitchen blog site. Try making something that you know you will eat–save the leftovers for another night that week, it cuts down on cooking time. My bible of a cookbook is “The New Best Recipe ” by Cook’s Illustrated. Never had a flop when I use these recipes. Good luck and keep us posted.
mel says:
for easy cleanup line baking pans with aluminum foil or just place the food directly on that. then no clean up.
Also, I usually have a few staples that we do weekly.
like Taco Tuesday, which is anything from Tacos to enchilladas to taco salad. I make pizzas once a week and keep slices in the freezer/fridge for quick on the go food or for when it’s too hot or I’m too lazy to cook.
.-= mel´s last blog ..Stuck =-.
suzanne says:
Buy a decent roasting pan and a meat thermometer. Then buy a three to four pound roasting chicken.
About 1 to 1.5 hours before dinnertime, preheat the oven to 400, put the chicken in the pan, baste the chicken (breast side up) with melted butter, and sprinkle generously with salt, pepper and some dried herbs (rosemary, tarragon, thyme). Put the chicken in the oven (again, breast side up). Turn oven temp down to 350 degrees and throw in two or three golden yukon potatos (prick them with a knife first). Go about your business for an hour or so. Take the chicken out of the oven and plunge meat thermometer into the thickest part of its thigh. If the temp is 175 to 180, you’re good. Let the chicken sit on a cutting board for about 10 minutes, then serve it with the baked potatoes and a salad. Prep time is less than 15 minutes — no marinating and no fussing around, just season, roast, serve. The hardest part is carving the chicken. It doesn’t get any easier or more home cooked than that.
Make chicke quesadillas or tacos with the leftovers. Use a similar technique for a pork loin roast (switch out the butter for olive oil when basting) and make pulled pork sandwiches with the leftovers. That’s four meals right there.
Here’s another super-easy one. buy a 1 pound salmon fillet. Rub olive oil over the top and sprinkle VERY generously with kosher salt, pepper and tarragon. Broil (skin side down, seasoned side up) for 8 to ten minutes. Serve with baked potato and salad or steamed veggies. Prep time is less than 10 minutes. Now you have five meals.
Throw in your spaghetti and you’re up to six. Grill a steak/chicken breasts and veggies one night and you have seven meals.
Slowly, as you get used to cooking and figure out what your family likes, you can build up your repetoire. If you want to watch a great cooking show or get fool-proof, excellent recipes, I recommend America’s test kitchen (the show) / Cook’s Illustrated (the magazine & website). Good luck! It is not that hard once you get into it.
Megan says:
This will probably echo what 30 people have already said, but I think advance planning — as in, a day or several in advance — is key. I live by myself, so I’m in a similar boat to you and Mike; cooking and shopping for one person is hard and seems not worth the effort. Every weekend, I sit down and make out a menu for the week and try to plan things that will use ingredients I already have, particularly perishable ones. I also assume that I’ll wind up eating out or not having time to cook one or two nights that week, and try to keep things like frozen pizza on hand to supplement. Then I make a grocery list and try to get everything in one trip. Once you’ve got the groceries, you’ll feel much more inclined to actually cook the food, especially the perishable stuff.
Sometimes it’s fun to plan and I get excited about what I’m making, and other times I just can’t think of anything I want to cook that week. That’s when I turn to the internet to figure out how to use the 6-month-old polenta I’ve got in the cabinet.
If you need recipe ideas I’m happy to share. Good luck!
Diane says:
Yep, yep… I see some women have already suggested Mrs. Pioneer woman herself. I LOVE HER BLOG. I went to her book signing in Nashville and my husband said I was not allowed to drool on her. lol
I love her blog because it has step by step’s WITH PHOTOS! I am not a natural in the kitchen. 18 years ago when I had my first child… the kitchen was brand new territory for me. I am not a terrible cook but I scour the internet quite frequently for ideas. Ree gets most of my business though as she also has tastykitchen.com/ and the recipes are endless!!
.-= Diane´s last blog ..I’m here! I really am still here =-.
Emily Y says:
Hi Heather, have been reading your blog for awhile now, first time commenter – had to comment on this one because I love cooking so much! America’s Test Kitchen Family Cookbook has literally taught me to cook – it has over 1200 recipes and they are fool-proof. They have a little “fast” icon next to recipes that are prepared quickly, so it’s easy to find those for busy weeknights. I’m also a big fan of leftovers – I usually cook 2 or 3 times a week and we eat leftovers the other days.
Your blog is an inspiration to me, and your little Maddie is a precious angel in heaven. I love reading about your new adventures with Annabel (which is my favorite girl name – I was so excited when I saw that was her name!)
All best,
Emily
.-= Emily Y´s last blog ..Bread Making Success! =-.
Rick says:
I’m the MASTER at quick easy meals. I love to cook but I’m not the best and like you, my mom and grandma are AMAZING in the kitchen. Me? Not so much. But I digress.
http://www.foodnetwork.com will become your best friend in planning meals. You can search by food or by something quick or pretty much anything you want.
One of my favorite meals (which is totally Annie-friendly when she’s a bit older) is cheesy chicken pasta. This, of course, assumes you like cheese, chicken and pasta. Feel free to embellish or substitute as needed.
Ingredients:
1lb chicken, cut into small pieces
1 box of the pasta of your choice (bowtie or penne works best)
1 cup milk
2 10.75 oz cans of cream of chicken soup
1/2 to 3/4 cup of Parmesan cheese
Boil your pasta. While that’s going, season your chicken (I use ordinary salt and pepper) and then saute it in olive oil. Drain the excess oil out of the pan then add the cream of chicken soup and milk. Mix the three ingredients and when it comes to a boil, add your parmesan cheese. When your pasta is done, drain it and add it to the pan.
Voila! The whole thing takes about 15 minutes to make. It can be garnished with garlic bread and/or salad or something else of your choosing.
Happy Cooking!
XOXO from GA,
Nikki
Lisa @ lists in my pocket says:
If you’re a good cook, you’ve got the hardest part down! Two pieces of advice. First, plan at the beginning of the week before you go grocery shopping. We sometimes have “mish-mash” nights where it’s okay to have cereal or microwaveable pizza for dinner. Second, for the meals that you do plan, go easy on yourself and do a couple freezer meals. Then you have something good but all you have to do is take it out and thaw it. Good luck!
.-= Lisa @ lists in my pocket´s last blog ..Surfboards =-.
Kris says:
I’m not really a meal planner. I have fits and starts in doing it, but overall, I don’t.
I work and often get home at 5:30, and the kids usually arrive at 6 PM with my husband. We like to eat by 6-6:30, so we aren’t having the kids go to bed too late. (My kids are aged 6 and under.)
My tips?
–Pick a few meals that you all like and can cook up quickly.
–Keep the staples on hand. My staples include ground meat (beef and turkey), pasta of all types, frozen ravioli and tortellini, frozen veggies, canned beans of different types, spaghetti sauce, chicken breasts, flour and Bisquick, yeast (to make pizza dough in my breadmaker) and some ‘cream of’ soups that are often called for in crockpot recipes. We also make sure the basic spices are always stocked–things like salt and pepper, oregano, basil, cinammon, garlic powder as well as minced garlic, cumin and curry.
–When we shop each week, we make sure we buy milk, eggs, bread and fresh fruits and veggies (but if we forget a veggie, we still have the frozen ones as a backup). Between the perishables and the staples, I can usually come up with something within 30-60 minutes of arriving home. I am also flexible with ingredients in a recipe. Last night, I needed lemon pepper and didn’t have it, so I used lemon juice and regular pepper as a marinade and it worked pretty well.
–On weekends, let Mike have a night to cook, too. I do the bulk of the cooking, but it’s nice when my husband can step up and relieve me for a night or two.
Once you get in the swing of it, hopefully it’ll become easier.
J+1 says:
Seconding the rec for crockpot365.blogspot.com– Stephanie’s recipes are easy and delicious, and she lays out the ingredients clearly. Pioneer Woman is also excellent, but I confess I’m laaaazy and the crock pot is my friend.
Also, the nice thing about crock pot food is that it’s almost always freeze-able. Most recipes make a ton, so eat half/freeze half, and you have a homemade dinner waiting for you on a night when you can’t face food prep.
.-= J+1´s last blog ..Rainy days and Sundays =-.
Katie says:
An easy start may be to do a few meals at one of the meal prep stores? “Let’s Dish” is one I’ve used before. You go into the store and put the meals together yourself and stick in the freezer. You get directions on how to store/cook, etc. REALLY easy. Its like cooking without all the prep (cutting, thinking about what you want to make) OR clean-up!
Then once you get the hang of that, you could venture out on your own.
Keri says:
Heather, I didnt read thru all the comments, but sometimes I make something big on Sunday for instance (lasagna) and then we have it 2 nights. I also use my crock pot at least once or twice a week (more in the winter than summer but I make rotisserie chicken and other yummy things – frankly, you can make tacos and other stuff. You should check out this blog: http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/
She used her crock everyday for a year -and I’ve used ALOT of her recipes
Other thing – do you have a grill? We grill so many things from fish to burgers to veggies.
Good luck!
tanya says:
I made a tater tot casserole with ground beef. It was yummy.
Recipe:
2lbs ground beef
1 diced onion
2 cans cream of mushroom soup (I stole from my mom’s cupboard)
1 can of sweet peas (no salt added)
1 can of corn (no salt added)
1 container of leftover carrots from the fridge (you can use a can of carrots lol) (stay out of my fridge)
1 package of shredded cheese
8 slices of american cheese
1 big bag of tater tots
*The recipe calls for frozen mixed veggies but since I didn’t have any I improvised
-Preheat oven to 350 or 400 ( i used 400, i didn’t want to wait all night)
-Brown the ground beef & drain, then add the diced onion to the meat. Spread the meat to the bottom of a casserole dish.
-Mix veggies, soup mix, and shredded cheese together in a bowl. Add to the casserole dish as the next layer.
-Arrange the tator tots on top of that layer and put in oven
-Let bake for 45min to 1hr (until the tator tots brown and the soup mix looks bubbly)
-Put the cheese slices on top of the tator tots and stick it back in until the cheese is melted
Eat and enjoy!!
.-= tanya´s last blog ..Tator Tot Casserole =-.
Jackie says:
Don’t think of it as cooking, think of it as preparing food. I like to buy a large portion of chicken breasts on Sunday. I bake half with Mexican seasoning and half with Asian flavors. Then for the week we do. Chicken tacos, baked potatoes with chicken, Spinach salad with ginger dressing. We never eat the same thing twice so my kids are happy and I only cook once. I prepare meals the other times.
Jo says:
Pretty much like everyone else said, sit down once a week with a pen and paper and make a meal plan for each night, eg: Monday: Chicken fajitas. Tuesday: Pork loin, salad, cous cous. Wednesday: Veggie burgers, sweet potato fries… etc. Then making a corresponding shopping list with everything you need. Keep your menu on the fridge so you can remember what’s coming each night. One trip to the grocery store a week and voila! My mom has been doing this my whole life and I continue the tradition. It really does make life so much easier and you save money too. Good luck!
Susan says:
The recipe that my kids still love (and they are now 22, 20, and 16) they named Coke Ham! All you do is take a ham steak and place it in a 9 x 11 cake pan. Pour about an inch of Coke (Diet or regular) and bake at 350 degrees for about a half hour. It is so yummy and so easy! Then while that is baking I make green beans (from a can) and mashed potatoes (sorry, but I make them from actual potatoes!)…and voila, dinner! Good luck!
Kayla says:
I don’t have any kids, so I may not be the best to answer this, but I used to hate coming up with meals and cooking every night. However, now I kind of like it. At the beginning of every week, I plan a menu for every night of the following week. Sometime during the week, I go and get the groceries I need to make the meals. I love looking at Kraft foods and Betty Crocker’s websites for very easy and fast recipes. And the crock pot is my best friend! You can find a lot of recipes for the crock pot online.
Leslie says:
A couple of thoughts:
-keep your pantry supplied with staples: pasta, canned tomatoes, rice, spices, beans, and keep a full freezer – frozen berries, and frozen meat (Trader Joe’s has frozen chicken breasts that you don’t have to thaw, just stick ’em frozen in the pan to cook!). That will help for throwing together something fast and easy.
-dry rubs and marinades. Easy and all you have to do it throw whatever you marinated under the broiler or on the grill.
-Cook something on Sundays that you can have leftovers from – lasagna, chili, soup etc. That way you don’t have to cook on Mondays.
-baked recipes tend to be easy and hearty and don’t require constant monitoring, which is helpful with a little one.
-this is a little more extreme, but a knife skills class can really help – it teaches you how to chop/cut efficiently and that can save on prep time.
-finally, have fun with it! Cook with Mike! A good project to do together.
Liz G says:
I can so relate. I was in the same spot 5 years ago. Here are two things that helped me.
I subscribed to the Six O’Clock Scramble, where you get a week’s worth of recipes (including shopping list) once / week. The recipes healthy, simple, and can be completed pretty quickly. http://thescramble.com/ I ended up cooking maybe one recipe / week, but for me, that was a big step.
Second, I joined a CSA. I get a box of food (fruits and veggies) once / week, so I’m forced to figure out what to do with it all. It’s a matter of forcing yourself to find recipes that fit the ingrediants, which I found was a lot easier way for me to cook.
I found it was a journey to cooking, rather than some breakthrough moment. Best of luck to you and your family.
Molly says:
Ug, me too, and I have the time to do it, just very little motivation. Problem is, I don’t actually enjoy cooking. And with a toddler, I often feed her a second meal of string cheese, fruit, and crackers after she’s rejected the first. I have sort of given up for the time being, but it always nags at me. I do like to bake but you can’t feed a family chocolate chip cookies for dinner every night!
Kelly says:
My kids are raised and just about on their own. Both are AMAZING kids if I do say so myself! They never did drugs, drank or got into any trouble. They have lots of friends and are focused on their futures. Its more than I can say for most kids their age that we know…the big difference? DINNER. No kidding. We sat down for dinner as a family all the time. It is hard to raise kids and cook and work, but somehow we got it done. I always made simple meals…roast chicken – rub it with olive oil and some seasonings – throw it in the oven for an hour…empty a can of veggies into a pan and heat that up. There is nothing wrong with ready made salads. Jar sauce is fine if you find a good one and just toss that with pasta. Burgers on the grill sounds like something Mike can do while you make a salad…make it simple so you always can do it because that bonds a family like nothing else can do. If you do simple things, you learn more and you can get more elaborate as Annabel grows and becomes more independent.
Amanda says:
I’m shedding tears over that poor red KitchenAid!! I make cakes for people and I only have a super cheap old mixmaster!
.-= Amanda´s last blog ..Stunning and beautiful. =-.
Jenny says:
I have been feeling the same way! Combining balanced pre-cooked choices makes a nice plate but it’s not a home cooked meal and, I’m sure, not as healthy for us. Good luck to you! I, too, know what needs to be done. I just need to get on it.
I did buy tomato plants. Now I just need to stick them in the ground – which will likely improve my chances of success.
.-= Jenny´s last blog ..Friday’s Child =-.
leslie says:
Start now, you’re on the right track. My daughter is 2 and I am trying to learn while she needs them…not ideal.
Crock pot is best! Just hit up anyone you know with kids and ask for meals they liked as toddlers!!!
Adara says:
When I go to the store, I stock up on those frozen vegetables that steam in the microwave for 5 minutes. I have chicken, pork chops, and ground beef. I make sure to grab sides like Rice a Roni or pasta.
Go to meals are:
-Sloppy Joes
-Chicken Fajitas (place chicken in pan to cook. add chopped onion, green peppers (really any peppers. seasoning packet and water-cook till veggies are steamed)
-grilled pork chops, chicken, or steak with grilled potatoes or any of the sides you picked up.
-spaghetti (keep pasta and sauce on hand)
-Ring bologna and perogies (a bit more of a family tradition for me but so easy with frozen, already made perogies).
-Italian pasta salad (box of cooked rainbow pasta, cubed cheese, baby tomatoes, grated carrots, cubed hard salami or other favorite meat, bottle of zesty Italian dressing-recipes all over the internet-great for a summer supper)
Hope some of this helps!
.-= Adara´s last blog ..I think we’ll take in Eight with Cake! =-.
Karen says:
Well, here’s what I do and it works for me. I plan my meals a week in advance. It looks usually like this:
We shop on Friday morning. So Friday night is TV dinners that the kids pick out, or something frozen, because usually after unloading all the groceries and fitting them into the fridge and pantry, I’m tired of food.
Saturday is burgers or hot dog night with french fries. The kids are made happy.
Sunday is frozen pizza night (note how we’re keeping weekends easy, because it’s the weekend, dammit).
Monday through Thursday I plan meals, based on how busy I already know our days are going to be. Some sample meals:
Chicken legs–grab a package of chicken drumsticks. (Not chicken drummettes or wings). Make sure they’re thawed. Melt butter, add lemon juice and lawry’s seasoned salt, coat the drumsticks and bake for an hour at 400 degrees. We have egg noodles or mashed potatoes wtih this, and some kind of veggie.
Pasta with homemade sauce. A loaf of bakery Italian breaad if I’m on top of things.
Tuna casserole. (Yuck, but the kids love it)
Fried frice.
Breakfast for dinner–get frozen hashbrowns, make them in the oven while you scramble some eggs and serve with fresh fruit. Done. Add bacon in there if you feel fancy.
Soup and sandwiches. Canned soup, doctored with a little extra chicken and fresh veggies, grilled cheese sandwiches. That’s a meal, trust me.
Chops and chips. Take about 2 potatoes per person, cut into wedges and toss with olive oil and whatever seasonings (use plenty of salt, though). Bake at 350 for half an hour and flip them. Then, into the oven, add some pork chops that you’ve sprinkled with some salt, pepper and paprika, bake for another 20 minutes. Add a salad. Boom, done.
It doesn’t have to be fancy. Even grilled cheese and soup is a meal around here. Or even boxed mac and cheese, if you add a salad or a veggie and make a quick cake for dessert. The thing is, you’re sitting at the table with your family. It doesn’t matter if you’ve taken an hour to make dinner or twenty minutes, if you’re eating together as a family, that’s what counts.
Tammy says:
Tyler Florence (FoodNetwork chef) has an iPhone app that is supposed to even give you grocery lists for the store. I’ve heard great things about it but don’t have it. Just dive in … it’s not that hard once you get the hang of it all.
Atheist Mom says:
It takes a little planning but it’s one of those things that once you get into it, it will become second nature. Plan you menu for the week (not in great detail) and then get the things you need. Start slow and buy pre-packaged and washed lettuce etc. so you can throw a side salad together in no time. Here is an easy recipe that tastes delicious:
Chicken Parmesan
Take some chicken breasts, (defrosted if frozen), dip them in egg and then into bread crumbs. Cook them in a frying pan until either side is golden and crispy (they won’t be cooked throuhg and that’s okay). Line them up in a casserole dish or brownie pan (whatever you have) and then place slices of mozzarella on top. Pour a jar (or half a jar – up to you) of speghetti sauce over them and sprinkle with a bit more cheese (parmesan if you have it, mozza if you don’t). Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Voila! Serve over spaghetti and with a salad…yummy and easy!
Good luck – consider this an exciting adventure, I have no doubt you’ll impress yourself.
Marcia says:
Not sure if this is an option in your area, but here there is a business
http://www.makethymefordinner.com/
where you go & prep as many as 12 meals at a time, take ’em home & pop them in the freezer so you have a meal ready ‘almost’ instantly. They change the menu options monthly, you sign up for what you want to make ahead of time & when you arrive, all of the ingredients are set up at various stations and you go through and assemble each dish. We sign up in groups & then go out for dinner when we’re done assembling — a monthly ‘girls’ night. I am super, super busy with work & three kids having to be at a different practice each night, so this takes care of both meal planning and “ME” time. It’s a lot of fun and not terribly expensive. For a little extra $ you can get their staff to do the assembly as well & all you have to do is pick up.
Maybe you can find something similar in your area?
amanda says:
Oh girl, I am right there with you.
Lisa says:
I don’t always love the cooking thing either. Now that Maya is old enough that she needs regular, healthy, balanced meals I’ve become pretty good at throwing something together. When I go grocery shopping I always make sure I pick up a few staples, lots of veggies, chicken breasts, pasta of varying kinds and pasta sauce. That way I know I’ll have at least a few meals I can throw together. I also try to figure out something new or different to make (now this doesn’t always happen), but I’ll try to find a recipe online (preferably one that comes with a pre-made shopping list!) and will try it at some point during the week.
I’m sure it once Annie is old enough for home cooked meals you’ll have it all figured out. I just try not to put too much pressure on myself and it usually works.
.-= Lisa´s last blog ..Inducing Labor =-.
Heather says:
I used to be exactly like you until I got a slow cooker for Christmas. I’d never done any kind of meal that involved chopping or cooking or planning. Now on Sundays I sit down with my cookbooks and my schedule and pick three things to cook for the week. Slow cookers will give you a ton of leftovers. I default to easy. Make my ingredient list for the week and shop, then I’m done.
REAL SIMPLE has had some good recipes that don’t require too much prep time.
maya says:
The thing I fear most about being a SAHM soon is this. I can cook. I am just tired. And Lazy. the only thing that reminds me what the kids need to eat are the plates for toddlers that are divided up into 3 sections for starch/ carbs ; protein; veggie…. srsly this is the only thing that gets me through. The starch/ carb can always change, it’s rice/ potatos/ pasta… protein can be egg/chicken/ fish/ cheese and veggie can be whatever… even canned corn (which we always do shhh)…
it’s pretty simple for the kids… it’s cooking fo rmy husband which I dont do anymore. All he eats is sandwichs. ALL THE TIME. I know once we move to Israel pple will judge me if I dont start cooking.. considering I will have the time. Whoa is me. (whoa in a joey lawrence voice)
.-= maya´s last blog ..Yes, I’m Still Here- Just Under a Ton of Boxes =-.
Abby says:
I experienced this need to know how to cook a couple of years ago because I didn’t want graduate school to make me fat. I can only say what helped me, but what I did was turn to the blogs. I skim lots and lots of food blogs for ideas and recipes and use them to plan what I eat. I’d recommend my friend Kira’s blog: foodallaputtanesca.blogspot.com, because she eats a lot of simple, healthy recipes, and they’re pretty easy to throw together. Her recipes also helped me learn some basic skills and how to branch out from there.
The blogs were really where I learned to cook and bake, so I’d recommend them.
And I’m the solitary baker without a kitchen aid that wept at your confession.
.-= Abby´s last blog ..Road Trip Prep =-.
mosey says:
I’m a lazy cook. But as Molly of Orangette says, it’s all about organization and reading the entire recipe before you go shopping. (good tip) When I do that, I can cook. When I don’t, I’m a mess. That said, I blogged recently (here) about the cookbook “All About Braising” which is my new go-to for family dinners. Good luck!
.-= mosey´s last blog ..just because… =-.
mosey says:
Hmmm… I guess links don’t work in comments. The post I wrote is here:
http://moseyalong.blogspot.com/2010/04/where-i-talk-about-food-again.html
.-= mosey´s last blog ..just because… =-.
Jana says:
I struggle with this too, but I have found that if I don’t try to complicate it with a recipe, I do better. Might mean, we eat sort of bland, but I work all day and don’t have time to be thinking about, shopping for and putting together recipes–and it’s got to be better than cereal.
Let me explain… my grocery list looks like this: Meat (fresh fish, a pork tenderloin, something for the grill, a package of chicken); Starches (Uncle Ben’s rice in a box, Potatoes, Couscous, Pasta); Veggies (salad stuff, green beans, broccoli, etc).
Then, I just have to marinate the meat (don’t let the word marinate scare you…salt, pepper, olive oil and lemon juice works)…bake or grill it . Cook the starch per the directions on the box and throw together a salad or boil a veggie. EASY!
Every third day or so we have pasta with a sauce from a jar or made from Knorr packets.
Good luck!
Katie C. says:
I married a chef. That pretty much solved the problem for me!
Sara says:
Cooking was never my strong suit either. But, I had the same desire to feed my family healthy and relatively ok tasting food on a regular basis. I’m am a bettycrocker.com addict. The recipes are mostly simple – they have a 30 minute meal section (which is most often where I find stuff) and they almost always have pictures of the completed food (which I like because then I can compare it to whatever comes out of my oven) Once a week I sit down and make a list of all the ingredients I’ll need for 4 meals (we have something simple like pizza or sandwiches on Friday). My husband does the shopping, and each week we spend roughly $100 to feed our family of four – and that includes leftovers for us to eat at work for lunch the next day. I don’t think my method would work for everyone, but it’s a good system for us. The Betty Crocker food is tasty, the kids mostly like it, and it’s do-able for even the most basic of cooks (like me). Good luck Heather!
.-= Sara´s last blog ..Have you ever had one of those days…. =-.
Christine says:
I grew up with a father who made us dinner every night. My dad would get home at four and my mom at five. That meant that he is was responsible for dinner. When i was around twelve, he started calling me into the kitchen with him. I would be in charge of making the salad and he would yell out orders all the way through. After a few weeks, I had the salad pretty much figured out. Then he put me in charge of something like making the spagetti sauce or cooking the rice. Little easy things. That’s the way I learned all of his meal plans. Call your mom over heather and ask her to help you make dinner atleast once a week. Let her teach you a new meal each week.
Nicole says:
YES!!! I could have written this post too! I am horrible at cooking and I have kids that eat regular meals. We like to order pizza…A LOT!!
.-= Nicole´s last blog ..For Maddie =-.
Joni says:
Check out ThePioneerWoman.com… step by step instructions for just about anything!!!
Mary Beth (Cats, Books, Life is Good) says:
I taught myself to cook using Rachael Ray’s 30 minute meals. I know she’s sooo over-exposed right now and there are people out there that really dislike her, but her food is fast and easy to prepare. It took me a little while to get to the point where I could actually do the meals in 30 minutes or less (I had to learn how to chop veggies, etc. without cutting off a finger – still an iffy prospect) but now I can get a home cooked meal on the table in 30 minutes and her stuff is good!
.-= Mary Beth (Cats, Books, Life is Good)´s last blog ..EATING HEALTHY =-.
Andrea in Minneapolis says:
You know the answer. You said it yourself – plan ahead.
If you fail to plan you plan to fail! Lame and cliche quote but it’s true.
Sit down one day and plan out the next 7 dinners….
Monday = Tacos
Tuesday = grilled veggies with chicken
Wednesday = enchiladas
Thurs = submarine sandwiches
Friday = homemade pizza
Saturday = Take away – yeah!!
Sunday = Pork Tenderloin with garlic Mashed potatoes
Now check your fridge and cupboards, make a list, add a side salad (from a bag) to most of those dinner and you’re ready to go shopping…
Seriously this reply took me like 2 minutes.
Fail to plan and you plan to fail…Or as Nike says Just do it.
P.S. post the menu on the fridge so night where you’re behind or tired Mike will see it and he can get things started instead of eating cereal…but some night cereal is good too!!
Good Luck!!
Mary says:
When you get the answer, please publish it somewhere because I’m also in the same boat as you. I have good intentions…I just can’t carry through because I’m too tired and it’s already 6:30 etc. etc. I also suffer from the “well, she’s not going to eat THAT so what can I make that she WILL eat?” toddler syndrome. If I could just stick to my “well this is what we’re having so it’s that or NOTHING!” approach.
I’ve tried the crock pot, too, and frankly, I’ve had little success in making good things. If I want a variety of something stew-like, it’s perfect. If I’d like something a bit more precise, I can’t do it.
If I lived that close to a store, there would be no food in my house, or it would all be rotting, because I would always think of something better that I could just go buy.
I’m thinking there’s a business idea here somewhere. Something like maid service, only with dinner…or meal planning…or grocery shopping…
Ginny says:
Hi Heather, I know exactly what you mean. I used to cook all the time, really loved it. That part you didn’t do, but there’s relevance to it! After my cancer five years ago, I stopped cooking and baking altogether. It was hard on my family because I had switched so dramatically. They would get these homecooked meals sprinkled with love. My husband took over. It wasn’t until recently that I found my way back into the kitchen. I mean, I used to go once in a while, like the easy Chicken Ceasar Salad for dinner, but nothing grand like an enchalada!
Picking yourself up after having gone through a life changing event can be exhausting. But somewhere, starting small, is the key. Like the mentioned above salad where you can sport your apron! I have found crock-pot meals to save me. And in between those, I make something with a little more time involved.
For us, raising our daughter on home cooked meals was most important. So I found my way back into them. For my daughter.
Trisha Vargas says:
McCormick makes these slow cooker packets that are awesome.
It list the extra ingredients on the back of the spice packet. You get it home and throw it all in the crock pot and then watch your shows while smelling deliciousness. Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner!!
The white chicken chili is too die for. Add a little dollup of sour cream and some shredded cheddar and you are good to go. I usually pick up a loaf of fresh french bread to go along with it.
(((HUGS)) from Florida
Jen says:
Beef Macaroni
Time: about 15 minutes
Sodium: high (something has to give, right?)
One pound of ground beef/chicken or turkey
One yellow onion, diced
One can of Cream of Mushroom soup
One can of Tomato soup
One box of elbow pasta
Cook the pasta
Brown and drain the meat, add the onion and heat until onion is translucent.
Add in both soups – and heat thrououghly.
Pour meat mixture over noodles.
Michelle says:
I agree that it’s something that, once you get into the groove, you end up with a little “library” of things that you know your family likes, and you can keep lots of those ingredients on hand. I bought a cupboard at IKEA that we keep in the basement for things I’ve stocked up on. I got married at 33 and really, it took about 5 years before I got to the point that I can just stare into the fridge/freezer/pantry and come up with something. We have a couple recipe books from America’s Test Kitchen (the show on PBS) that I love to use–they have a lot of good recipes for “the basics” like pot roast, skillet pasta meals, stir fry, etc.
.-= Michelle´s last blog ..The Best of Friends =-.
Jaclyn says:
I was right there not all that long ago! My crockpot is my lifesaver; nearly anything can be cooked in it and it can sit all day, or put it o high if you don’t get started till noon (more often the case for me!). Also, whoever cooks, the other cleans; thats how we handle it in our house. IF my husband cooks, I do the dishes, if I cook he does them. We share the responsibility!
Tracy says:
Oh gosh you totally stole this from my brain about 9 months ago!
My now 11 month old is eating more and more “big people foods” and I have this strong desire for family meals together. Nightly. Sharing stories of our days, hearing what the kids did all day. Obviously in the future since the most my son says is “uh-oh” “mommmmm mommmm” and “dada”.
I get the weekly ad for our grocery store, see what’s on sale and then ask my husband what he’d like for dinner or what he’d like to grill. Based on our wants and the sale ad I write down which meals we’ll have for the next 2 weeks. And then I write down what ingredients I’ll need for each of those meals… waahlahh my grocery list is complete!
It’s much easier, to me, to do it this way. Also, I’m one of those “chef’s” {I say that dripping with sarcasim} that is known to eff up a recipe. So the least fuss and the least amount of measuring/ingridients the better. I’m all about simple. I’m all about comfort. I’m all about home cookin’. My meals might not be the “healthiest” but they’re homemade… have a protein, starch and a veggie, and not full of preservatives. Mostly… I made them with love for my family.
.-= Tracy´s last blog ..{i became an adult today…} =-.
Cara says:
For me it has been a budget crunch that forced me to start cooking more at home. I know I’m going to keep it up once we get our massive plumbing bill paid off. Yeah the crock pot is great, but beyond that it’s hard to get motivated to cook a lot during the week days. I try and cook up to big meals on the weekend and make the left overs last for the next week. I also recently took a couple of sloppy joe recipes from a website and created my own from 3 different recipes. Needless to say that and home made pizza are the biggest hits in our house hold.
I’d say just start with two big meals on the weekend and let the leftovers be some meals during the next week.
cindy w says:
I have to admit that I only cook meals maybe 2-3 times a week. I just make sure to cook enough that we can have leftovers at least once (sometimes twice, if I’m lucky). Or like, when I make a lasagna, I’ll make 2 of them, then freeze one for another time. I don’t know what kind of freezer capacity you have. We have a whole separate freezer in our garage. Best $400 ever.
So, as far as some meal ideas, this is the part where I overload you with links:
* My awesome lasagna, because it freaking rocks.
* My real-life friend Linda’s Turkey-Spinach Meatloaf, which is SO MUCH better than it sounds! (FYI, besides being lovely & wonderful, she also has a ton of good recipes on her site.)
* Pasta Fagioli (which I server over rice instead of pasta, but you know, personal preference, whatever.)
* My MIL’s recipe for Chicken Curry, which is totally rich and fattening and not healthy at all, but oh man alive, is it good.
* Mandajuice’s Magic Meatloaf (Note: I looooved this, but Dave was not a fan, so it didn’t become a regular part of our repertoire, as I’d hoped. Dammit.)
* TJ’s Deeleeshoos Noodles
* And another one of mine: Tuna Noodle Casserole
There are also times when I’m in a hurry (or just feeling lazy) that I cook up some type of meat and vegetable, throw some sauce on it, and serve it over either rice or pasta & call it a meal. Example: beef & broccoli, add soy sauce, serve over rice. Done.
Hope that helps. Happy cooking!
.-= cindy w´s last blog ..The most exciting Saturday night I’ve had in ages =-.
Linsey says:
3-4 whole chicken breasts
1 can of cream of mushroom soup
1 can of cream of chicken soup
1/8 cup of cooking sherry
salt & pepper
put everything into the crock-pot & cook on high for 8 hours. serve on top of a bed of egg noodles.
so easy & one of my favorites.
KELLI DAVIS says:
E-MEALZ! I HAVE A 4 YR OLD GIRL AND 2 YR OLD TWIN BOYS AND WE LOVE E-MEALZ.COM AND IT MAKES MY BUSY LIFE SO MUCH EASIER. TONS OF OPTIONS!
Mandy says:
Heather, cruise kraftfoods.com. They used to send out a magazine every couple of months, but its not free anymore. However, cruise the recipes on the website. They’re tasty, easy, and usually less than 30 minutes to cook! They’re even pretty cheap budget wise. They are a hit in my house, and I share the recipes with my mom (who is like your mom/grandma) and even SHE loves them. They have everything from pasta, to kid-friendly meals, to stuff that it looks like you took HOURS to create!
.-= Mandy´s last blog ..So sad =-.
wendy thomas says:
I’ve got 6 kids. I either cook for them or go broke. Fortunately I like cooking. My new favorite cookbook is the Jamie Oliver Food Revolution cookbook, we’ve been trying out a few recipes a week from that one. We’ve not had a recipe yet that the kids won’t eat (including the curry).
The biggest key to success in cooking? It’s the pre-planning. On Sundays we plan the menu for the week and then go shopping for all we need.
.-= wendy thomas´s last blog ..Project Chickens before the Eggs – Lesson 80 – Good Egg Interview with Judy Blume =-.
Abby C. says:
Try out some of the simpler recipes on the blog smittenkitchen.com. She has a 10 month old and yet still posts at least 3 recipes a week. Many of them are simple enough to do with a child.
BedfordMommy says:
Baby steps. Try planning an afternoon of cooking. I work during the week so it’s important to plan ahead. On Sundays my husband takes the girls out for about 2 hours and I get to cook. I make things I can freeze or refrigerate. Spaghetti Sauce, 2 Roasted Chickens (One I shred for impromptu salads, pasta dishes, or enchiladas) and one we eat that night. Roast it with lots of onions, fennel, and rosemary or whatever herbs you prefer and save that for toppings on veggies or salads. Marinate a flank steak or lamb chops or pork loin for the next day, and prewash my broccoli, asparagus, and other salad greens. I repackage them in serving sizes so during the week I just grill or reheat the meat/protein, toss a salad open up a can of beans or garbanzos, grill veggies, it makes the week bearable knowing our family is having home cooked meals. And it’s a lot cheaper. I’d hate to have to come up with something everyday and doing it in advance sets it up so I know what we are having. Again, baby steps so start out small on a Sunday and maybe do two meals that night – eventually you feel like you’ve accomplished something and you build a repertoire that allows you to experiment once and a while.
Heather says:
http://www.cookingfortherushed.com
This is my lifesaver because it is not only a cookbook, it is a grocery list and planning tool all in one. Her meals are simple but healthy. If I download her grocery lists, then I know I have everything I need for a week of great meals.
Sara says:
Preparing meals can be a daunting and overwhelming task. I recently relocated from Los Angeles to EXTREMELY rural West Central Iowa. I went from having any type of food imaginable within a few minutes drive to having no restaurants within an hours car ride.
My husband and I have no children but both work full time with an hours commute to and from work. We began to miss Mexican, Thai, Italian and all our other favorites. So, out came the cook books. We began by picking out recipes for a weeks worth of meals. We would do the shopping on Saturday and cook it all on Sunday. We would package it up into individual servigs and freeze it. Then in the evenings during the week we would just browse through the freezer and warm up something tasty.
Home made food becomes very addicting. It tastes so much better than store bought and prepackaged that you crave it. We also have come to realize that we get less colds and flus and just generally feel better. We’ve lost weight and never even dieted.
We’ve become so addicted that we now bake our own bread for our lunch sandwiches during the week (we don’t have a bread machine or electric mixer even).
We thoroughly enjoy our Sunday afternoons spent cooking. We turn the stereo WAY up. Dance and sing in the kitchen while we cook. Its definately quality time spent together. I guess if you think about it cooking meals at home has created a great deal of quality time for the two of us. We eat dinner together every night at the dining table and talk about our day, we prepare our menu’s and shopping lists together on Friday evening, we grocery shop together on Saturday late morning, and we cook together Sunday afternoons.
I don’t have children . . .but it seems to me from other posts that they can join in as well. I was thrown into the situation when we relocated to the middle of no where and survived. Just jump in!! The waters fine. You will LOVE it.
Sara the California girl in Iowa.
PS. I’ve read your blog since the begining. You inspire me everyday!
Heather says:
You need the Fix-it-and-Forget-it Crockpot Cookbook. My high school best friend gave me a copy when I got married. It’s got some amazing, simple recipies in it that don’t take much time, and since they have to spend the day in the crock pot, your house will smell AMAZING. Totally worth it. I promise.
Kendra says:
This really strikes a chord with me. I grew up with good (not gourmet) meals on the dinner table every night, but I never had an interest in cooking. By the time I got married I realized I was the one who would have to provide dinner every night. My mom taught me some basics and I had general know-how, but not a strong desire to cook.
It took baby steps. My husband and I started out dining on “pre-made/box meals”. Things like hamburger helper and zatarans. Finally I got sick of this. I wanted home cooked meals. I got recipes from my mom of all the things she used to cook. I scoured the internet for recipes. I subscribed to cooking magazines (I love Taste of Home). We still ate the box and frozen meals but had some home made food each week too.
These days we hardly ever eat the box meals. I grocery shop once a week. I sit down with my husband before I shop and plan meals for the week. I come up with some, he comes up with some. We have a list of the meals we like to eat and we add to it when we find new ones we like. It helps when you just don’t know what you want to eat that week. This way, I know what meals I will be making for the week and don’t have to resort to emergency cereal. I just have to decide what meal to have on what night.
I definitely utilize my crockpot and I try to choose an “easy” meal or two to have during the week. That way if I get home from work and am feeling lazy, I can make the easy meal, if I have more energy I can make a “harder” meal.
I’m sorry I just rambled on and on, but I really wanted to share.
Equallydivided says:
This!
I think that just sitting down once a week (for 15 minutes) to plan your weekly menu is the BULK of it.
It’s obvious that you know what a kitchen and stove are for, and that meals aren’t the problem here; it’s the planning and execution!
Keep it simple, organize it once and you’re good for the entire week.
I swear to you, I hate organization and I procrastinate in the kitchen more than anyone I know. That being said, the routine planning of the weekly menu has been an absolutely life-changing experience for me. Try is for ONE week, you’ll love it!
lisa says:
i’m assuming you have a grill?
Monday: buy a (smallish) pork tenderloin (unsesasoned, don’t need all that junk). look up a marinade on the internet. something lemony and garlic! grill it. serve with baked potatoes ( either in the oven or microwave). cook up some FRESH broccoli/cauliflower or mix up a salad. use the leftover meat for sandwiches the next day for lunch.
Tuesday: BLT’s with cheese and onion (if you like onion) oh, and add sprouts and avacado when you wanna be fancy. buy thick cut bacon, it makes a more filling sandwich. serve with some crunchy chips and baby carrots.
Wednesday: Spaghetti. i love this night. buy a loaf of garlic bread and throw in another salad. toss your salad mix in the italian dressing, add some parmesan cheese and it will taste like Olive Garden (do you have those?)
Thursday: Rotini skillet. I love this. Rotini noodles, broccoli, and kielbasa sausage cut up. mixed with olive oil, italian seasoning and parmesan cheese. i have a recipe on Tastykitchen.com if you’re interested. add a loaf of crusty bread and voila’.
Friday: GO OUT!!
feel free to change the days around and you’re set for next week.
Briana says:
Hi Heather,
I’m currently a medical student and I follow your blog for the great insight you give me into patient’s perspectives. Thank you for sharing and helping to educate me to be a better physician. This is the first time I have posted on your blog, however, eating HEALTHY is HUGELY important to my fiance and myself. And I most definitely want to set a good example for my children and for my patients (I couldn’t date tell someone to eat healthy if I was binging on McD’s everyday!)
As for planning out meals – it is not easy. One of my favorites for cold WV/PA (not that it is cold in southern Cal) winters is a crockpot and this crockpot cookbook: Fix It and Forget It Lightly [found here: http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=fix+it+and+forget-it+lightly&tag=googhydr-20&index=stripbooks&hvadid=3198366115&ref=pd_sl_13uk9h7zvk_e%5D. All healthy, low fat, low sodium and incredibly good! (I’ve tried too many to count). And I’m a BIG fan of dumping everything in together in the morning and when I get home, dinner is served!
Hope it helps a little!
~Briana
.-= Briana´s last blog ..the sweet smell of lillac =-.
Deidre says:
After I post my thoughts I will read everyone’s advise. I struggle with this thought everyday. I only have to cook for my daughter, and I f—ing can’t even get that together. I am always watching my weight and my daughter has her father’s metabolism…she can eat anything. I freeze when Paige asks what for dinner. But whenever I have a boyfriend, I am all about putting my best food forward, but it doesn’t mean Paige will eat it anyway. Maybe a bit too fancy. I put so much guilt on myself, because come on, these kids have to eat healthy. Not saying we eat at MacDonalds, or pizza hut we dont;, but Chic’fil’a we do and whole foods, but the thought of knowing what I want to eat on Thursday night and it is Monday, I just can’t committ to that… So I hear you. Ok now I will read others sensible solutions to you. I will heed their advise.
.-= Deidre´s last blog ..End The Funeral With A Wedding =-.
KK says:
http://startcooking.com/
Found this site recently. It’s exactly what I needed. Simple & straightforward. Pod casts for free, too!
c.c. says:
my sister-in-law swears by her crock pot. she teaches. my brother works for the geek squad. they have twins. their days can be pretty grueling.
last night we had some sort of roast and bean burritos with avocados and shredded cheese.
it’s not the sit-down at a table at six meal like you parents and your grandparents had, no. we sat around the television — my fifteen-month-old niece in her high chair, doing a pretty good job of tackling that burrito, and her brother running back and forth from his toys to his mama or daddy or me or our friend, mooching for a bite from his plate or ours.
anyway, she dumps stuff in the crock pot in the morning before she goes to school, and it’s ready when she gets home.
.-= c.c.´s last blog ..make up your mind =-.
HalynB says:
One thing that helped me a lot was buying a cookbook specifically for the crock-pot. If you’re not much of a meal planner, the crock-pot is your friend-you can make tons of full meal recipes in it, or recipes that just need a salad to complete.
Another helpful tip: When you buy something, buy the leftovers too. What I mean is, when I buy a pork shoulder to put in the crock-pot, I also buy hamburger buns and bbq sauce for the leftovers. Buy a chicken, buy fettucine, cream, and parmesan cheese, some asparagus or broccoli, and use that to make chicken alfredo. Buy a chuck roast, buy soy sauce and stirfry veggies as well. There you have six meals, give or take a salad or potato dish. If you have lots of different odds and ends leftover, beat them into a few eggs and make a fritatta, or omelets.
You can totally do this. Especially nowadays, when you can buy already chopped veggies, frozen stirfry mixes, premade alfredo sauce…(although, try making it from scratch…it’s awesome!)
.-= HalynB´s last blog ..Four Years And Counting =-.
Lisa says:
Parents magazine and reader’s Digest are a motherlode for easy recipes…to follow, prepare and shop for. Love them!
.-= Lisa´s last blog ..Trouble =-.
Kelly says:
I’m a working mom, so my time is limited and I have to be efficient. I LOVE the crockpot. I cook most of my meat in there. I’ll cook chicken in some stock, salt and pepper. Then I’ll shred it. I’ll use part of it for chicken enchiladas (I soak it a bit in salsa) and part for a shredded chicken lasagna (soak it in marinara sauce). It’s also great in a tortilla with some bacon, ranch and veggies for a wrap.
Sometimes I cook a flank steak with stock, peppers and onions. I’ll use part of that for fajitas and part for philly cheese steak sammies.
I’m all about finding dishes that can be done in 30 minutes. Doing the meat in the crock pot means I can cook the meat at one time and then just throw the meal together the rest of the week in 30 minutes or less.
Usually when I throw something together, I have most of what I need at home anyway. I keep chicken and beef stock in my pantry at staples. I try to plan my week of meals on Thursdays so I don’t have to worry about it during the weekend when I have time with my husband and daughters. I do most of my crock pot cooking on the weekends so it’s all ready to go for the busy week.
It took some practice to get into a routine, but once I did, I now venture out and create new things.
.-= Kelly´s last blog ..I See A Haze of Yellow =-.
Amanda M. says:
Okay, so this probably doesn’t fit your criteria for “easy,” but whenever I want to guarantee that the meal I put in front of my husband is amazing I make a Pioneer Woman recipe. I know you know who this is. Website or cookbook, not a single recipe will steer you wrong.
When I want to make something “easy” I usually go with bean rice and cheese burritos. Grab some high fiber tortillas, heat up some beans, cook some rice (I have a rice cooker) and grate some cheese. Bam and bam.
.-= Amanda M.´s last blog ..Planning a Trip to Japan: Part 8 =-.
Karissa says:
I use kraftcanada.com ALL the time!
Jennifer says:
Foodnetwork.com
Or any show on the food network. I particularly like Sandra Lee or Robin Miller. They seem to make their meals for the common mom! Good luck!
Lisa says:
Heather – Try E-Mealz! It provides you with a weekly menu and the grocery list to shop for the ingredients. I’m a busy mom of two boys (11 and 5) and I work outside the home. Meals and shopping were always an after-thought. I have been using E-Mealz for the last three weeks and it has been working well for our family. The recipes are simple and fairly quick to make. Crockpot meals, sandwiches, salads, pasta, etc. Some things we have liked, some not so much but we are all ‘triers’ and it brings a little variety to our eating. Give it a try! http://e-mealz.com/
Lisa says:
I also read on another blog that Cooking Light has a great cookbook of quick and easy recipes.
Lisa says:
Heather, I have been there and am about to be there again as I’m expecting my second child next week. I think you should just not worry about family meals until Annie is a year old – your job is just taking care of her right now while she’s so little; let the family meal thing go until you have a less chaotic home life!
I found it impossible to get a home-cooked meal on the table at any vaguely appropriate time for the first year of my daughter’s life. After that, she had enough of a routine and was able to handle my divided attention for long enough that I could throw something basic together that would only take 20 minutes or so – something like spaghetti and a salad, or baked chicken with frozen peas and couscous or rice. (Couscous is the easiest starch ever – it literally takes 7 minutes from start to finish!) If I want to do anything more exciting, like homemade spaghetti sauce or meatballs or something, I do that on the weekend when my husband is around and use it later on. But for now, cut yourself some slack! You have a tiny little who needs you – there’s no rush to get into family meals right now!
Lisa
Bella says:
Luckily you have some time to experiment. Toddlers and preschoolers don’t have much patience for long meals so one dish with fresh veggies & fruit should carry you for awhile.
I balance trying a few new recipes with some easy standards, takeout and there’s always grilled cheese sandwiches! Trader Joe’s sells lots of bottled sauces that can go on chicken, pasta, rice. Add steamed veggies or salad.
I recommend starting small and plan 2 meals a week. Look for easy recipes and if you can make a double portion, freeze half for later.
Happy Healthy Eating!
Glenda says:
Heather, I know what you mean. Growing up my mother cooked 7 days a week. We ate a slice of pizza if we were out doing errands on a Saturday. So when I got married and had my two, I tried to cook every day. Ha! I did manage to cook Sun – Thurs, Fridays was pizza and Saturday was go out to dinner day. Sunday was family dinner. As they got older and did activities in school, somedays we didn’t get to sit down dinner, so we picked something up on the way home, or had leftovers…or something quick as I would call it. I am like you, I don’t like to spend all day in the kitchen with complicated recipes. Something easy and quick. The rule in our home was if hubby got home before me, he cooked and I cleaned the kitchen, and vicer versa. It worked for us! Good luck… XX
Rita from the Chicago says:
First let me say that I’ll gladly clean the kitchen when you have us all over!
I’m good at cleaning (luckily my husband cooks).
And that being said, I’m definitely NOT an expert on this subject, but I do have a few suggestions.
Aim for one meal a week…perhaps a great Sunday night dinner…make enough so there are leftovers…then as that gets easier, maybe Sunday and Tuesdays are your homecooked meal nights??
What also helps me is that my mom gave me recipes of classics from my childhood. They’re not terribly hard to make, I know I love them and I know what they’re supposed to taste like, so it’s easier. Maybe your mom has some ideas or recipes of what she cooked for you…and you can start there??
Just some thoughts.
Melissa says:
I was just like this. My husband and I always ate out when we were single. Like every meal ( you have NO IDEA how much money we’ve saved since stopping that). Once I started cooking, my biggest struggle was the time issue, too. I hated taking the time to plan, shop, cook and clean up. THREE TIMES A DAY was INSANE. But I am a now a domesticated mother of two, who cooks all the time.
Breakfast is almost always easy. Instant oatmeal or cereal…or toast. Some fruit and yogurt. You’re done!
Lunch – left overs from dinner are ideal. If that isn’t an option, grilled cheese or turkey sandwiches are good. PB&J if my daughter would eat it. Add some veggies, cheese slices and a little fruit.
Dinner – this is where I actually cook. I have found some AWESOME recipes on ALLRECIPES.COM – it has become one of my favorite sites. You can even put in what ingredients you want to use or have on hand and it will spit out recipes for you. And for me,once I started seeing that I could make good meals, I got a little addicted to trying new recipes.
Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of days where I still don’t feel like cooking and tell the husband to pick up a pizza. I think that is okay to do once a week or so. But we really do all feel so much better eating at home…it is totally worth it once you make the swtich. Good luck! You can do it!
SnazzyGina says:
I’ve been a stay at home mom for about 10 years now. And sometimes a working mom. Cooking has always been a challenge and some days are harder than others. BUT, with that said, let me tell you that cooking is a habit like any other chore. Yes….I said chore. Because most evenings it is a chore. I have 3 kids with one on the way, and like you I grew up with a balanced dinner my mommy cooked every night. I have about 7 staples that I cook quite frequently that I know my family loves.
Here are a few:
Tacos – ground beef or turkey, taco seasoning, taco shells, and whatever toppings you like (we use: tomatoes, cheese, sour cream, avocado)
Baked Chicken – ANYONE can bake a chicken. You clean it out, rinse it off, put salt and pepper on it and literally throw it in the oven. Bake potatoes on the side at the same time. WHOLE…no cutting involved. Steam some veggies and voila’: DINNER.
Ground turkey salad: Brown the turkey earlier in the day or the day before. refrigerate meat. Prep a big green salad with veggies, (we use: cauliflower, broccoli, cherry tomatoes, cucumber and green onions) chopped nuts, dried fruit and feta cheese. Top with meat and whatever dressing you like. Dinner!
And…like you said my husband LOVES my chicken enchiladas. A way to cheat is to put aside some time on a Saturday and make about 4 batches. Eat one that night and freeze the rest before baking. The day before you want them, pull one out and pop in the fridge and the next day you can cook it up. Whip up a quick salad: Dinner! (I bet you could even put the enchiladas straight from the freezer into the oven)
SnazzyGina says:
I also LOVE all the other ideas here! GOOD STUFF!!
Amber says:
Heather,
I grew up the same way, but our dinner was always at 5.When I moved out at 20, I vowed that I would have similar meals even though I was in college. So, what I do every week is go to the gerocery stores website and see what they have on special and plan all meals from that.It will inspire a lot of ideas. I plan for 6 nights and up to two of those nights are cheats, frozen items, but we still have yummy side dishes with those. I also get a ton of ideas from 5dollardinners, forthelove ofcooking, and 5 ingredient fix on food network.
Sara says:
I love to cook, but only when I have free time – not every night. So I make a big pot of chili and put it in jars. I make a big pot of tomato sauce and put it in jars. I make a big pan of lasagna or scalloped potatoes and freeze it. So at night, all we have to do is heat up the chili, make some pasta, or steam up some veggies as a side. Long story short, I cook when I feel like it, and then we have simple tasty dinners every night. It’s a great way to plan ahead to feed your family.
mama2addie says:
I started using e-mealz.com It’s $5 a month, but also mindless. It tells me what we’re having and it also gives me a shopping list so I can buy exactly what I need. As a working mom, I don’t have time to sit down and figure it all out. It’s well worth the money IMO, and I’m able to put a home cooked meal on the table each evening….which is what my goal is.
Jenny says:
Try http://www.kraftrecipes.com/home.aspx The Recipes are really easy and they even have a weekly meal plan where they give you the list of groceries that you need to make 5 meals. Most of the things I have tried are really good even my picky 10 year old will eat them..
Marti from Michigan says:
I think probably 75% of women across this country have that problem, especially in this economy.
I raised my one and only kid alone, so it was just the 2 of us, and that was no problem at all. Later on in my life my sister got me a subscription to Taste Of Home magazine, and wow, they have so many awesome meals in their magazines, some with grocery planning guides, some with nutrition information (mostly for diabetics), and lately, they have a gluten-free section. All 4 of my grandchildren are wheat gluten allergic, so that section is a blessing.
If you like omelets you can do a lot with them, and all it is is milk and eggs. Add cheese, add ham bits, bacon bits, sausage bits, onions, etc, etc. It’s a meal! Hamburgers are easy, along with a salad, you’ve got a meal. Your chicken enchiladas, or chicken anything is a meal
Just google a recipe, thousands of hits come up! My daughter makes a wonderful White Bean Chicken Chili, just google that, and all kinds of wonderful recipes come up. It’s made in the crock pot. Also, home made pizza is wonderful!
You can even google meal planning for a family of 3.
And I agree with Rita above – aim for one meal a week, then go from there.
I’m sure you’ll be a whiz at this Heather, because you are such a lovely person anyway and such an eloquent author!
Marti from Michigan says:
Forgot to add – the people who publish Taste of Home magazine – I believe it’s Reiman Publications – also has a Simple and Delicious magazine (which used to be called Quick Cooking), as well as a Cooking For Two magazine – and that magazine (cooking for 2) has recipes enough to feed not just 2, but a third little sweet mouth.
Cameron says:
Two words… no, one acronym and a word: CSA box.
Contact your local organic farm delivery service. There are dozens. Get fresh vegetables delivered once a week to your house. They are inexpensive, come with recipes- all of which seem to take under 30 minutes, and will introduce you to new and wonderful things.
I actually made all of my son’s baby food from stuff that came from the box. We never had store-bought baby food jars.
And for perspective, I’m a lawyer and my husband is an analyst and we have maybe forty five minutes after we get home to get dinner together and consumed.
Totally doable.
With the box and a few groceries purchased from the store once or twice a week (bison meat is a favorite, as is bacon, and cheese… mmmmm) we get good, fresh, balanced and yummy vegetable intensive foods that the kid loves and the parents won’t die from.
Amanda says:
Boy, ask and ye shall recieve!
If you even get down to this comment, let me say, I am SO just like you. I don’t have a magic bullet answer, I still struggle with this issue sometimes, but I will tell you that the one cook book out there that I really just love is actually Weight Watchers. There are a lot of really easy, and obviously healthy, meals in there. I try my best to pick at least one or two recipes out of there every week. Beyond that, I stick to the old classics, Chicken, Tacos, Spaghetti, etc. etc.
Good luck!
Chrisie says:
Do you guys like Tacos? Taco’s are super simple! All you have to do is brown the beef with some taco seasoning, heat the shells in the oven a tiny bit and chop up the lettuce, tomatoes and throw a spoon in the sour cream!!
Anna says:
The Pioneer Woman has some EXCELLENT recipes BUT I have always found them to be very time consuming…most are from scratch and even with the step by step instructions, require a lot of work. Totally worth it but if you’re looking for quick and easy, not sure if you’ll find anything there.
Anyone can cook but not everyone is a great cook. You already sound like you have some talent with the things you have made so that counts for a lot. One thing I’ll do, is think of a meal that I love when I eat out (like Outback Steakhouse’s Alice Springs Chicken). If you do an internet search, you can find knockoff recipes for almost anything. The one I found for the above mentioned, is actually better than the original. My family and friends all request it frequently!
Oh and fajitas, tacos and spaghetti are my easy meals.
Lydia says:
Just start small so you don’t get overwhelmed. Aim to cook two dinners a week at first. Then you can try out recipes and such and see what’s easy.
One of my go-to meals that everyone loves is fajitas. All you need is chicken or steak, green or red peppers and an onion. Buy some pre-made fajita seasoning to sprinkle on the meat. And if you want, buy some mexican rice for the side or green beans or something.
My other trick is to cook for twice as many people as are eating. That way the next night’s meal (or lunch) is taken care of with the same effort.
Good luck! Keep us updated:)
K Faull says:
Get the “Pioneer Woman Cooks” by Ree Drummond. The pictures are inspiring and the recipes are step-by-step and easy to do. And everything I’ve made is yummy.
Sarah says:
Heather — Check out this *fabulous* service called “The Six O’Clock Scramble.”
http://thescramble.com/
Meg McG says:
Cookbooks, tools and celebities won’t help you enjoy cooking. Once you learn to enjoy the process all those extras then come in handy. You need to be excited by process and proud of of your efforts.
To be a good homeade cook there are 3 crucial elements to success.
The first is timing. You have to anticipate that rice takes 25 minutes to cook and a chicken takes an hour plus a ten minute rest and green beans take 5 minutes in the microwave. Getting everything to the table reasonably hot takes a little forethought
Next is temperature. Learn how to control the temperature of your oven to brown with out burning and learn the difference between a simmer and a boil. When butter starts to foam in a frypan for instance, it’s hot enough for food and about to brown.
The final and third thing is that salt and pepper are your friends. Always salt pasta, rice and potato water. Always season, taste and reseason. Pepper your salads, pepper your eggs and get kosher salt.
Once you master these basic concepts you will have no problems expanding into whatever type of cook you want to be. Make it enjoyable for yourself!
Lessons in Life and Light says:
Every Tuesday or Wednesday, I sit down for about 30 minutes and plan out what we’re going to eat for dinner for the next week according to what our schedules look like. Then, I write down all the ingredients in my grocery list. I print out the menu for the week and hang it on the fridge to help keep us on track and BAM. Done! So easy and it really helps me feel organized and healthy.
.-= Lessons in Life and Light´s last blog ..How does your garden grow? =-.
Deborah says:
I despise cooking, so it’s taken me a while to find a cookbook that is full of recipes that are quick and easy. I highly, highly recommend these books because every single meal can be made in 30 minutes or less! An added bonus is that both books contain the nutritional information for all recipes.
http://www.amazon.com/Betty-Crocker-Quick-Easy-Cookbook/dp/047199796X/ref=sr_1_22?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1272383387&sr=1-22
http://www.amazon.com/Pillsbury-Good-You-Healthy-Favorites/dp/0764597248/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1272383442&sr=1-10
.-= Deborah´s last blog ..New Camera, New Lenses, New Excitement =-.
mamalang says:
As a mom to three kids spread from 1st grade to 11th grade, I have a hard time with dinner. Family dinners are the one must in our household, and very rarely do we miss them. I choose simple meals…You may make an awesome spaghetti sauce, but it’s okay to doctor up the canned/jar stuff as well most nights. We make a “menu” for two weeks. We list enough meals to fill the entire two weeks, but they aren’t assigned days. The night before, we pick something off the menu and lay out the ingredients. It’s 15 minutes of effort before grocery shopping, but it saves 30 minutes of indecision every night.
And we utilize our grill year round. I can cook a whole meal on there with aluminum foil. No pots or pans to clean up. Wrap the veggies in foil wtih a little butter or oil or cooking spray and some seasoning. Slice potatoes and wrap them in foil the same way. There’s dinner!
I’m not saying it’s easy every night, but I see the results in my kids now, and it’s been worth it!
.-= mamalang´s last blog ..The finish line is there… =-.
madge says:
I’m not going to read all the comments, so I’m sorry if someone has already said this, but…START SMALL.
Any endeavor that you jump into with both feet may be hard to maintain. Instead of signing up for a weekly meal planning list or a billion recipes, make it your goal to have one meal a week that you cook completely yourself. (Other nights can be takeout or prepared foods). Start with one element of the meal. Find an easy recipe for your protein and use easy-nearly prepared sides (like Trader Joe’s frozen rice and a box of salad). Try this for a few weeks. When you get the hang of getting everything on the table at once, you can expand your repertoire within that one meal. Make a roasted potato or some kind of pilaf (from a recipe, not a box), but KEEP IT EASY.
When you master the one-night-a-week meal, try to do two nights, and so on. I like to assign certain things to certain nights, like Pasta Fridays or Roast on Sunday. This makes it easy for me to mix things up without feeling buried under the options. Thursday is always takeout, because, hello? Gotta watch mah shows…
.-= madge´s last blog ..A Lightbulb, at last =-.
Tiffany says:
Here is a super easy lasagna recipe! This was one of the first “big girl” recipes that I had to learn to cook! Good luck!
-App. 1 lb. of ground beef
-1 large container of cottage cheeese(you can also use ricotta, if you prefer)
-1 can tomato paste
-1 can tomato sauce
-1 jar of spaghetti sauce (I like the Prego meat flavored one)
-Lasagna noodles
-1 1b. bag of mozzerella cheese
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cook and drain ground beef. In a large skillet, combine beef, tomato sauce and paste, spaghetti sauce, and cottage/ricotta cheese. Bring to a simmer. You can use it immediately, or keep it at a low heat for awhile. The longer it simmers, the more the flavors meld together.
Boil lasagna noodles, as per instructions on box.
In a 9″x13″ casserole dish, put down a layer of sauce, a layer of noodles weaved (3 across and 4 down), a layer of sauce, a layer of cheese, another layer of weaved noodles, another layer of sauce, and a final layer of cheese. Bake for about 45 minutes, until hot and bubbly. Voila! Super easy and super delicious!
Amy Collen says:
SO happy that you posted this Heather! I was thinking about this the past couple of days. I have two picky eaters and that is very hard. Ugh. Anyway, don’t really have any advice (I don’t cook really either) but I can make a pretty mean Cornish Game Hen. LOL! Oh yes, and spaghetti. That’s about it for now. I think for me it is just putting the time in to do it. Plus listening to some wonderful music and having a nice glass of wine. That will put me in the mood, I know it! Sneaky chef has GREAT brownies by the way. I do the store bought recipe and it is YUMMMMY!!!
Much enjoyed meeting you the other day! Good luck with the cooking!
molly says:
i’m the same way – now that i am home raising kids and not working full time, i really try to make home cooked meals. http://www.tastykitchen.com has helped me a TON!! also, invest in a crock pot – there is so much you can do with it! one of my favorites is boneless pork country style ribs with a jar of bbq sauce for 8 to 10 hours, salt and pepper, shred with a fork when tender and serve with buns. SO easy and my husband loves it! good luck!
Janet says:
I really like the recipes in Real Simple. They’re easy, nutritious, and often have nice shortcuts (like making a quick lasagna using ravioli!). They’ve got a nice website so you can search for the type of meal you’re looking to make, and most of the recipes don’t take too many ingredients! I definitely recommend it!
I also read a lot of food blogs, but I often don’t have the time or talent to make the complicated recipes they do! My very favorite, though, is Orangette, and I think her recipes aren’t too fussy and are just delicious.
.-= Janet´s last blog ..Earth Day Birthday =-.
Angie [A Whole Lot of Nothing] says:
When you find out how, let me know.
Jenn says:
I didn’t read any of the previous comments so forgive me if this has already been suggested.
I swear on my life that cooking delicious and easy meals on a daily basis is not a difficult task and homemade does not need to equal gourmet. I promise. I attended culinary school for a short while and yes the meals they had us prepare were amazing and delicious, but I really preferred the simple meals I had always prepared for myself.
I suggest that you get a cookbook. Go to a bookstore and browse the cookbook section for at least half an hour. Do not pick one just because the cover looks pretty. Actually open it up and see what it is that you will be buying. I guarantee that you will not enjoy every recipe. (I myself have a love/hate relationship with Giada de Laurentis as her lemon spaghetti left a lot to be desired). You know what you and Mike like so pick a book that would appeal to your tastes.
Then when you get home, sit down either with your laptop or a pen and paper and make a meal plan for one week. This will seem like a daunting task at first but I swear it is fun or supposed to be fun… and I am not crazy. Pick meals that have simple ingredients and have short prep and cook times. Also don’t limit yourself to the recipes in the book, incorporate meals that you know how to cook already. You can make just an entree or you can have a main, a side, and a dessert. This way of meal/menu planning is also very helpful for planning dinner parties. Once you have chosen your seven meals; write out your grocery list and pick a day to go to the store.
For your first cookbook purchase I recommend Rachael Ray’s Book of 10. There are over 300 recipes in this book so you would have lots of variety to pick from. And don’t stop at just cookbooks, there are so many amazing foodie blogs it’s unreal. My two personal favorites; the pioneer woman and smitten kitchen.
The best part of all this; and I know it seems like a lot of work really I do but trust me once you get into the groove of it you’ll wonder how you ever did without; the best part is when Annabel gets older because you want her to grow up the way you did, she will not be a picky eater and therefore more willing to try new things.
And I wanted to add, don’t feel badly about never using your KitchenAid; I only recently just used mine for the first time. But aren’t they so pretty to look at?!?
Heather G says:
Hamburger Helper…Makes a great meal Sorry
In a small cake pan, put pork chops (season as you wish), dump a couple cans of green beans over the top (season to taste), peel and slice potatoes to cover the top (season to taste). Cover and put in oven for 45 min – hour until potatoes are tender. This is yummy and easy. I had a friend who added mushrooms and onions to it also.
Also, I learned on a website that meat you put in a crock pot does not have to be thawed and you don’t have to use liquids. Blew my mind. Anyway I put a whole chicken in one for the day and it was GOOD.
Stuffed shells that you can buy in the freezer section – just put in a glass dish with sauce under it and covering it. I think it cooks for 1/2 hr, add garlic bread and a salad and you’re done
schoolofmom says:
I know Saving Dinner’s already been recommended, but here’s the link: http://savingdinner.com/ You can choose the meal plan you want, from frugal to low-fat to vegetarian to frozen-in-advance to gluten-free, or just the normal stuff. You can get a free sample on the website; just fill out the form at the right. She gives you shopping lists, complete meals with recipes, and calorie and fat content.
(And just in case this is coming across as salesperson-ish, I’m not one. Just a satisfied customer.)
Amanda says:
Heather –
I’m totally with you on the want to cook but somehow don’t get around to it. (I’m also unlike you in that I am not a very good cook. In fact, the last dinner I fixed was left in lieu of frozen pizza. Really guys? Frozen pizza? Lesson learned.)
That said, there are occasionally times when I have to cook. For me the hardest part is figuring out WHAT to cook. If this is part of the problem any of the websites listed above will work. But remember this:
1) A roasted chicken or two shredded can keep in the freezer for a while and takes no time to heat up (no defrost needed!) if you mix with something.
2) Ditto for ground beef – especially for chili or spaghetti. Make a big pot and then turn it into stuffed shells or manicotti for another night.
3) Don’t underestimate salad and bread. Adding both to any smaller meal stretches it out.
4) I’m a big fix it and forget it person. I’ve been known to brown a couple (meaning 3 or 4) of pounds of ground beef (remember though I have 5 kids – 4 of which are teenagers) and a a couple (see above) pounds of chicken breasts at one time and then separated them out meal size for later use.
5) It helps me when I remember that every meal doesn’t have to be a gastrointestinal delight. (See above).
Finally?
Make Mike do the cooking.
That’s what I usually do – make the hubby do it.
.-= Amanda´s last blog ..I would be lying if I said that I never think of drinking. =-.
Susan says:
relishrelish.com is wonderful. Most of the recipes are tasty (Chicken Mirabella! Yum!), easy, and you just pick out the ones you want and they create a shopping list for you, that you can add on to. It’s worth it.
Angel says:
Easy… Use Sunday as your planning and grocery day. Only plan two meals for the week. Cook on Monday and Wednesday but make enough each night for left overs for tomorrow… voila, 4 days worth of home cooked food. Friday, Sat & Sun, take out, frozen or cereal. I have small children and a full time job and that’s how I gets it done!
Susan says:
Check out Jamie Oliver’s new cookbook – Food Revolution. It is totally geared to non-cooks.
Jenny says:
Hi Heather – have you ever considered having a free meal planning e-mail delivered to you? I think figuring out what to make is the biggest barrier. I use the free service found at http://www.youvegotsupper.com – great daily menu plus grocery list. And they don’t send you tons of e-mails or sell your address…
Equallydivided says:
Heather,
I also walked down this path! I found that 90% of my reluctance to fix daily meals, was because I could NOT open a pantry and “fix” something based on what was in there. My estrogen isn’t up to snuff in that regard. I felt like I had to hand in my woman card.
Now, it only feels like 10% of the effort that it used to. Every Sunday, I make a Monday through Friday list of dinners on the right side of my grocery list. Shopping for those dinners, on the right. I keep this list after shopping because I can’t remember WHAT I bought those ingredients for (SAD!!).
KNOWING what I’m fixing on a daily basis took all of the dread out of forcing myself into the kitchen.
I also purchased a “4 Ingredient Cookbook” which has been a lifesaver. If a recipe has more than that, I lose enthusiasm just because I don’t go complex! I try to do at least one new recipe per month (to keep from being repetitive).
Sat. and Sunday is either leftovers or eating out. Momma’s need a break from time to time!
Nina says:
I felt the same way when I first got married. Two kids later, I still feel like that a lot. But what helps, for me, has been slowly accumulating a list of recipies (tastebook is great for this, btw) that work for me.
It started with the SUPER simple (rice in cooker, salmon with terriyaki sauce poured on top and baked, bagged salad). Stuff that was “semi-homemade.” And slowly I worked up the confidence to do the “Fast and Fresh” recipies on Epicurious, some stuff from Simply Recipies and even some more complicated stuff when I felt inspired enough to plan ahead enough.
Shopping/planning ahead is still hard. I’ve started making Sunday night my meal planning night and Monday I go grocery shopping armed with a list. But a lot of weeks it doesn’t work out. And I just try not to beat myself up about it.
I think the key is to keep the overall goal (homecooked meals everynight at 6), but just face it one day or week at a time.
.-= Nina´s last blog ..Inspire Me Monday – Eugenia Kim for Target =-.
Sam says:
Oh one of my favorite and super easy things to make ….
Dump either chicken or a pork roast in the crockpot
Add salsa … I like the one in the deli section at Safeway!
Turn on crockpot
Eat 6 hours later ….. oh yeah serve over rice or pasta …. rice is better!!! And wine … don’t forget the wine!!
Just Jiff says:
I make out a meal plan. A weekly idea of options to cook. Then I put all the ingredients I need on a grocery list and get that in one shopping trip. If I’m not feeling chicken spaghetti on Monday, then I can have it on Wednesday. And when I have leftovers that taste good when reheated, I put them in individual containers and freeze them. So on days I’m sick or too dang tired, I go thaw those out. Bayley is 2 and I have too many days that I’m thawing. lol.
It gets easier, but I wouldn’t stay it’s a breeze. I struggle with the whole “I’m too tired” thing.
.-= Just Jiff´s last blog ..Hodge Podge. =-.
Denise says:
Hello! I’m not the queen here by no means…but I have figured out (finally) how to satisfy the family! ;0) ha! (please don’t ask them) – I now have a daughter in her 2nd year of college – she can’t wait to come home and eat my cooking! (makes me so happy) and I have a Jr in High School and did I mention – I’m not not a stay at home mom but due to EXTRA expenses of a college student and a now two girls driving! I am working FULL time! SO meals – is something I do have to somewhat THINK about! However, I love EASY! and GOOD -the crock pot meals are good, but we have found that Cassaroles are the best way to go! If you are interested in a few of my recipes – I would be happy to share! You can email me at denisesandberg@sbcglobal.net!! We love chicken – so I have a few!
I have also found that it’s easier to put a dish together if I have a few of the main ingredients already pre-cooked and packaged – I know, sounds like that might take some time, but not really. I try to cook up my meats at one time – cook more than you need for a meal and bag up and freeze the rest – ta da – you have enough for a next meal! and the cooking part – for the meat – is what takes most of your time – ;0)
I enjoy meal planning now – it’s less stressful for this working mom – and it’s also easy for my hubby to come home and pull out the things he needs to help get the meal started on the days he beats me home! and HE’s happy to do it! (again, less stress on me!) ;0)
Happy cooking & planning!
Denise
ps..remember, a full & happy family = a happy momma!
Katie says:
salsa chicken – easiest thing EVER
ingredients:
package of chicken tenders, or chicken breasts, cubed
jar of salsa
1 cup or so of cheddar cheese
put the chicken in a baking dish, dump the salsa on top. bake at 350 until the chicken is JUST cooked (15-20 mins). sprinkle cheese on top, put back in oven for 5 or so mins until cheese is melted. voila! super yummy with minimal effort. I serve with rice, corn, etc.
Lindsay says:
I plan a whole month at a time. My husband is a firefighter and works 24 hour shifts, so I figure out what days he’ll be home, then just pick a meal for each of those days. When grocery day comes I just look at my calendar and see what I need for the week. Now that I have a toddler and a new baby I think the monthly calendar will be even more valuable!
.-= Lindsay´s last blog ..Let Sleeping Babies Lie =-.
Tammy says:
I’m not a good meal planner/cooker either. I can do it. I just don’t like to. Here’s a true story:
My mom was watching my 3 yr old son while I was in the hospital having my daughter. They were playing with a doll house and dolls. My mom had the “mom doll” and my son had the “dad doll”. Mom doll said, “Well, should we have some dinner?” So my son gets up and goes over and starts digging through the toy box. My mom says, “What are you doing?” My son said, “I’m looking for the minivan.”
She came up to the hospital later that day and told me, “You HAVE to start cooking.” (I didn’t.)
Katie says:
I totally understand this feeling! You are getting some great advice here. I think I may start following some of it. One thing I do that really works is I have a cooking party on Sunday. I have a friend who likes to cook and on Sunday we choose around four things to make and we get all the ingredients. I like to make things like Enchilada bake, casseroles, pasta salads, wraps and soups (things that are easy to freeze and bring for lunches). Then, we turn the music on, chat and cook. After we are done, we have meals for the week! It makes it a one day cooking party instead of a week long stress out!
Rian Curley says:
My favorite go-to, super easy meal is shrimp (or chicken) curry:
Buy a bottle of the yellow thai curry sauce and a can of coconut milk from Trader Joes.
Chop an onion, a few potatos, carrots, cauliflower (or any other veggies you like).
In a pot combine curry sauce, coconut milk and veggies. Simmer med/low heat till veggies are fork tender. Get a bag of the already peeled, raw shrimp from Trader Joe’s (I would die without TJ’s). Chop in half and add at the end. Ready to serve over rice (I like the microwavable brown rice from Trader Joe’s…done in 3 minutes) once the shrimp are pink.
My husband loves it and I can throw it together in about 15 minutes.
Have a glass of wine and put on some music while you cook…it makes it a much better experience.
Good luck on your cooking adventures!!!
Rian
Meghan (AMomTwoBoys) says:
Okay, so there’s this site called Eat, Drink and Blog…
.-= Meghan (AMomTwoBoys)´s last blog ..AMomTOBoys =-.
Heather says:
Heather – I can assure you I am in the EXACT SAME BOAT. I enjoy cooking when I finally do it is just all the necessary little things like planning and shopping that I hate.
Two VERY EASY quick recipes:
Crock pot on low…add 4- 6 frozen chicken breasts a bottle of Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ sauce (I like the brown sugar one) and a little water. throw in in the morning and done by supper time. So yummy with a little brown rice (rice cooker) and frozen veggies:)
White Chix Chilli
can of shredded chicken (I use Kirkland – costco)
jar of salsa
taco seasoning
jar of Northern beans
mexican cheese
Throw in a crockpot…you are done!
AmazingGreis says:
Wow, you’ll have EVERYONE over? That’s a lot of people…you might need a bigger place.
I’m no help, I’m the queen of take out and $0.99 menus!! I’m single and live alone, cooking is too much work.
.-= AmazingGreis´s last blog ..California Dreamin’… =-.
Karen says:
Ahh! A red Kitchen Aide mixer! I ask for one for every birthday and Christmas. Maybe one day my husband will take the hint.
I use something similar to this: http://moneysavingmom.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/msm_menu_planning_pack2.pdf
I try to plan out 2 weeks worth of meals and then grocery shop from there. We don’t necessarily have what’s on scheduled for that specific day it’s just nice having options and ideas instead of trying to throw something together last minute. I also try to look for “Rachael Ray” type meals that I can do in 30 minutes.
.-= Karen´s last blog ..Mondays with Maylyn…and Kaeleigh? =-.
Michelle H. says:
This is so me too! I feel terrible. For me it’s not the lack of knowing how, but the lack of having the mental compacity to think of what to throw together after a long day at work. Meal planning always worked, but then I lost the time to do that!
Amy D says:
My mom was a weekly meal planner person, which I have strived to be and just can’t do. If you want to go that route, think up your meals and then write the grocery list accordingly.
If you do it my way, I just buy large quantities of things I can freeze – like a couple packages of Jenny-O ground turkey (always on sale) that you can use for turkey burger, in spaghetti, for sloppy joes, tacos, etc. Frozen chicken breasts are great for most everything, and meatballs, hotdogs, fish (tilapia is very un-fishy), etc. If I have all of the ‘main course’ dealings then I can just stock up on fruit, veggies, rice, and pasta as side dishes. And breakfast for dinner is the best go-to meal because it’s just dang fun to have pancakes when it’s dark out.
Cooking for a toddler (she’s 2) is harder and she refuses most of the meals I make for myself and my husband, but someday she’ll sit down and eat what we’re eating.
If my mom could weekly meal plan AND get both of her kids to eat what she made then I think the rest of us can do it too.
Good luck and God speed!
Debi Powell says:
My favorite weekly “go to” meal: (I’m not a great cook by my friends think I am!!)
Swiss Cheese Chicken -takes like 8 minutes to throw together, then bake 45 minutes! Wal-la.. dinner!
preheat oven to 350*
Lay 4 large boneless skinless chicken breasts in a 9×13 dish, not letting them overlap. Salt/pepper them.
Lay 2 slices of swiss cheese (presliced) on each breast.
Spoon Cream of Chicken soup over each one and spread to cover the cheese.
Melt 1/2 stick butter and mix with 1/2 small bag of Pepperidge Farm Herb Stuffing mix (save the rest of the bag because you’ll make this NEXT week!)
Spoon stuffing mix on each breast just to cover.
Slide in oven for 30 minutes, then lay a piece of foil on top (dont “seal” the edges, just to prevent over browning of the stuffing) for the next 15 minutes.
Serve with Salad..
Every time I need to take a dish to someone that had a baby/ or is sick I take this with a salad. Its now all my friends “go to” meal! SO easy Heather!! And it taste amazing!
Other ideas for fast dinners:
*always make enough for 2 meals so you can have left overs!!
*Make a packet of Yellow Spanish rice, then when its almost done put in a few cups of shredded cooked chicken breasts (and a can of petite diced tomatoes if you like) and put lid back on for the remainder of the rice cook time. Serve with salad or a veggie. Chicken and yellow rice is always a hit!
*Taco bar! Ground meat or turkey and heat taco shells serve with colorful bowls of: sour cream, shredded cheese, salsa, jalapenos, shredded lettuce. Super easy
*Casseroles are so easy and serve lots of people or several meals. One of my favs is “King Ranch Chicken Casserole” by Southern Living. Its delicious! You can google it and then have company.. they’ll think you’re a great cook! Serve with salad.
*Quesedillas (I cant spell sorry!)… spray Pam on a skillet, put a whole wheat tortilla down in hot skillet, put shredded chicken, lots of shredded cheese, salsa and then another tortilla. Get hot then flip with large spatula. Cut into wedges and serve with salsa and a salad!
I agree its important to have “meals” for our families….. our culture is changing so much (too much) from what it was like when we were young and there are problems linked to that. (eating fast food/childhood obesity etc)… you can do this…. you can do ANYTHING!
Tess says:
I hope this isn’t duplicate info., but I was in the same boat when my kids were little. There’s a great cookbook “Everyday Food: Great Food Fast” that will get you in a groove. Easy, simple recipes with a few ingredients. Start out only cooking twice a week. You can stagger the leftovers so you’re not eating the same thing two nights in a row. That takes care of four nights right there. Everyday Food magazine is another great resource (same people as the cookbook) — It helps you plan your meals for the week and create one shopping list. Start small — don’t put pressure on yourself…eventually you will love to cook for your family (well, most of the time…takeout is good, too!) FYI–I got my second baby on table food at six months (with the obvious exceptions & restrictions)…we all ate together and I skipped the whole baby food phase.
Megan says:
Do you ever read “Real Simple” magazine? They almost always have several super-fast recipes, and they even include a handy, tear-out shopping list!
Joleine says:
Maybe try out something like Dream Dinners? (Dreamdinners.com) .. Then after using them for a while, you’ll get some ideas on easy to make meals and are able to cook them on your own vs having them pre-prepared. We use them, and with having a 10 week old baby and working full time, they’re a god send!
.-= Joleine´s last blog ..Morgan’s Birth =-.
HalynB says:
oh, and pasta dishes are always easy! Ground turkey goes on sale all the time around here, so I buy 6 packages of it, throw it in the freezer, and anytime I can’t come up with something for dinner, just defrost the turkey, brown it, combine with sauce, and pour over pasta. When fancy sausages go on sale, I do the same thing with them-defrost, slice thin, brown and sauce.
Cabbage lasts for freaking ever, and so does rice and canned tomatoes…keep some on hand, combine with ground turkey, voila! Inside out cabbage rolls.
Now, I need to grab a pen and notebook and start going through these comments…there’s a lot of good ideas in here, and my food routine could use a little shaking up!
.-= HalynB´s last blog ..Four Years And Counting =-.
Kristen says:
I buy ground turkey meat on sale too and found that cooking it as taco meat (break it into smaller chunks as it begins to cook makes it resemble beef more) what and freezing it in small freezer bags makes it easy for quick taco dinners. Yum!
Homemade pizza (with store bought dough) is actually easy and fun when the kids get bigger. My boys love pizza night.
Another easy dinner is what my mom called Slomgolian-not sure where that came from!
brown together ground meat (turkey of beef) and onion if you like
Add1 big can of tomato sauce
Add some cheddar or Velveeta -not healthy but makes it yummy
Add some pre-bolied small shell pasta
cover and bake 350 for 1/2 hour
Easy to make big and freeze in smaller portions
I have 2 boys and am a stay at home mom and still have no mojo to cook. But I try!
Thanks for posting this today…i’ve got some great tips to check out myself.
amyvw says:
I’ve got a busy household. 3 kids all going in different directions all the time. The crock pot saves my butt often. I can do a whole meal in it (steak & potatoes, for example). I’ll put in another vote for the Pioneer Woman & Tasty Kitchen sites. I’ve pulled some awesome recipes off of both. Also, I use recipezaar.com to look up and save recipes.
Ultimately, we have devised a rotating list of meals that are palatable to the entire family. We try to devise a weekly menu and stick to it as best we can and adapt as necessary. I try to buy what I need for the week so I have everything ready to go. If I’m feeling particularly organized/inspired, I sometimes pre-chop veggies before I’ll need them and store in tupperware or ziploc bags.
Good luck!
Equallydivided says:
OH.MY.GOSH!
Thanks to all of you who have just turned me on to thepioneerwomancooks.com
I am speechless, she is inspiring and her personality bears a very striking resemblance to Heather!
Equallydivided says:
Ooops, make that thepioneerwoman.com
Mel says:
Heather,
I am a SAHM of 3 kids. Cooking for a family of 5 is easy, but requires planning ahead. I usually shop 1x a week and plan my meals according to what is on sale. I do alot of the prep the night before such as marinating, pre-cooking, chopping, etc. I have a huge pressure cooker that I use for stocks, corned beef and roasts. I love dishes that are easy and don’t require a zillion dishes. We grill almost everyday in the summer. I’ll brine a turkey breast the night before and cook it indirectly on a rack over a pan of water for 1 1/2 hours. Half will be used for dinner and the other 1/2 for sandwiches. We have a small Waring slicer that I use constantly. I’ll do the same with a ham and rub it with mustard and brown sugar and cook it for 4 hours I love to roast vegetables in the oven. Carrots, cauliflower, garlic, potatoes, sweet potatoes or chick peas are delicious with salt, pepper and olive oil and baked for about an hour. I also have a Pampered Chef microwave steamer that I use for vegetables and ground beef or turkey for tacos, etc. Trader Joe’s has some delicious healthy foods, too. Hope this makes sense and helps.
Darlene says:
I don’t wanna call myself a chef even though I went to culinary school, but I do think I’m a damn good cook! I think your best bet is to take things like chicken or beef or fish and marinate them. You can even freeze them in the marinade and then whenever you want, take them out of the freezer, thaw them, and then just make something easy on the side like potatoes and a veg. You can NEVER go wrong with pasta. My go-to pasta dish is just some chicken, be it leftover or I’ll bake or boil it with lemon and herbs, and broccoli. Mix that with the pasta, make a quick sauce with white wine, lemon, salt and pepper, and butter, sprinkle with cheese and voila! I could go on and on, but if you ever need any ideas, feel free to email me! I love giving advice, especially when it’s cooking advice!
jenni says:
I write a plan for a week and shop for everything I need on Friday or Saturday. I could never feed my family without a meal plan.
I also suggest a couple of good cookbooks that make you feel excited about cooking. I love Great Food Fast – great, easy, seasonal recipes and gorgeous full color photos that really inspire you to cook.
Good luck!
.-= jenni´s last blog ..Almond apricot chicken with mint pesto =-.
Sandra says:
The general household cooks 7 main meals over and over again. They throw in some others here and there but they usually have 7 favs.
In our house these are our 7:
hamburgers w/french fries
spaghetti w/garlic bread and caesar sald.
tacos
pork loin (crockpot) w/mashed potatoes & veggie
chicken breasts (crocked/baked/bbq’d) with rice & a veggie
tortallini w/salad
pizza
My husband is now more of a cook than I am.
Haley says:
Have you heard of
http://www.onceamonthmom.com ?
I really like it because you do all the grocery shopping and cooking for the month on one day…and then freeze everything. You take out just the portions you need to eat each day and heat or cook them…I’ve actually done it and so I can honestly say it really does help when you are busy doing things like gobbling up sweet little Annie toes.
Also, I very much love Kraft.com because they have an option on their site where you can choose one of many pre-made menus for the week and then print out instructions for each day and an exact shopping list, plus all their recipes are easy peasy and a good place to start. It where I started when I was first married.
Something else that is fun for menu planning is Recipe Zaar.com It’s free and they have EVERY recipe known to man, so if your in the mood for say, Zesty Lemon Fish Tacos, you can search for it and it will likely turn up 10 or 15 different recipes for you to try.
Finally, I really like cookbooks that feature meals you can prepare in 30 minutes or less…these have SAVED MY LIFE. They are still healthy and well rounded, but I can throw them together in a pinch! Rachael Ray from the food channel has 2 books on 30 Minute Meals.
Good luck Heather, Happy Cooking!
.-= Haley´s last blog ..All the better to hear you =-.
Kate says:
I have to cook at home thanks to a gluten allergy… and the thought of that beautiful red mixer makes me want to cry. I have been lusting after that mixer for 3 years.
Maybe you should just develop an allergy, that FORCED me to start cooking. Now my husband thinks he married betty crocker (which could be a win but I consider a slight diss considering I went to one of the best women’s colleges in the country). Meh, I’ll take it.
Also, I WILL get my lusted after mixer eventually
.-= Kate´s last blog ..RAWR!!!!! kidrobotrules:Betso, aka Bil Betsovic is no… =-.
Skye says:
Maybe you can get Mike to clean up if you cook?
My favorite site is allrecipes.com. Just make sure when you search, you sort by highest rated, and read the first few comments. There are some really good but simple recipes on there!
Lindy says:
I used to be in the exact same boat (and my cooking sucked!) now I am a bit more of a planner. My kids are a bit older and I let them each pick a meal each week. They always pick something easy like grilled cheese or burgers. Fridays are always pizza and family movie night so that one is easy! When ground beef or chicken is on sale I stock up! I will seprate the meat into a meal size serving and then freeze it. ground beef I will make burger patties, or brown it for spaghetti then freeze it. Then it’s quick and easy to make during the week. Start small and try to set a goal of cooking twice a week and I bet you will start doing it more and more as time goes by! You can check out my blog for a few food ideas too! Good luck!
.-= Lindy´s last blog ..Giveaway!!!! =-.
Brooke says:
I’m single but busy, so I’m a ‘cook for one day and freeze/eat leftovers for a few days’ kind of person. I agree with the suggestion that you find 4-5 recipes you like, go to the store and get everything, then you have stuff when you want to make it for a few days.
The Gooseberry Patch cookbook series is a good one (http://www.gooseberrypatch.com/). The recipes all come from mostly busy mom’s, so they’re all pretty useful.
Baked chicken breasts are one of my staples – you can do a lot of things with them. Spread pesto sauce on them, brush a mixture of olive oil and a ranch dressing packet on them, mix together stuffing mix cream of chicken soup and milk – and then bake.
A few easy recipes I really like:
http://www.bhg.com/recipe/pork/pulled-pork-with-root-beer-sauce/
http://family.go.com/food/recipe-cp-630082-three-bean-turkey-chili-t/
Lisa says:
Can I recommend my cooking blog? It’s recipes made with stuff you have in your house and usually 5 steps or less. Nothing is too spicy due to having kids who aren’t into that. Hope that helps
.-= Lisa´s last blog ..Pepperidge Farm Vanilla Goldfish Grahams =-.
Michelle W says:
I’m not much in the kitchen myself, constantly struggling to decide what to make for dinner. I get bored of the same thing all the time and my husband is every bit a “meat and potatoes” kinda guy. BUT my favorite website for finding recipes is http://allrecipes.com/ and one that I highly recommend there is this one.
http://allrecipes.com/Search/Recipes.aspx?WithTerm=slow%20cooker%20chicken%20taco%20soup
You can start yourself you own little recipe box on the site of recipes you want to try and search by categories (like Slow Cooker meals for example)
Jen says:
THANK YOU…THANK YOU!!!!!!! I am so with you on this subject! I have been married 15 yrs and have two girls (4 and and I HATE to cook!! Summer is great because my hubby loves to BBQ and we eat outside a lot(and I love throwing together salads) but Winter and Fall, I am screwed!! This thread gave me so many great ideas that I cut and pasted as I read and made a “cheat sheet” and sent it out to my girlfriends!! Thanks again Heather and “friends!”
Jen
Jen says:
That was suppost to be an “8”, don’t know where that groovy happy face came from! hahaha
themaggers says:
Round up some cook books,cooking magazines and sit down with Mike and pick out some recipes you want to try. It doesn’t have to be anything to fancy. You’ll soon find favorites that you can add to weekly rotations. You don’t have to cook everyday! I cook on Mon, Tue and Thur. Wed and Fri are left over nights. Weekends are left overs and take out nights!
I plan out the meal for the week on sunday and make a big shopping list and get shopping done Monday morning.
I’ve heard good things about dinewithoutwhine.com It gives you recipes for a week and puts together the shopping list for you!
.-= themaggers´s last blog ..One Year =-.
Sabrina says:
Google “A Year of Slowcooking.” It is an awesome blog by a woman whose New Year’s Resolution in 2008 was to only cook using her crockpot. She blogged all her recpies. Make sure to read to “the verdict” on any recipe you choose as some don’t turn out. But many of them are great! And she’s still adding new recipies all the time. I love my crock pot! And I always make enough for 2 meals at a time. Then we have leftovers the next day.
Antonia says:
This’ll sound super silly, but david and I sometimes watch Foodwishes channel on youtube and cook from there.
.-= Antonia´s last blog ..Being spoiled =-.
Allison says:
Buy a rice maker (good ones kind of look like a motorcycle helmet and work a lot better than the crock pot looking ones — we got a 100 dollar one on craigslist for ten bucks). Buy a giant sack of brown rice and of white rice (basmati rice is not a friend of rice makers). We also keep a ton of whole wheat pasta in the house — we buy it up whenever its on sale. When in doubt what to cook, start rice in the rice maker or water on the stove for pasta and start from there. The brown rice and wheat pasta have a lot of protein and fiber so you are already on your way to a balanced meal.
We always keep a sack of onions and big jar of garlic in the fridge, a lot of cans of different beans and cans of diced tomatoes in the cabinet. Ground peanuts are also a popular and fancy seeming topping.
For veggies, we are hooked on cooking greens (frozen or fresh) and frozen spinach. The fresh ones keep forever in the fridge, and the frozen cook up just as good as the fresh. Peppers, celery, and green onions also keep alright, and can be tossed in anything.
Our rule of thumb is toss it together. Anything you want. Everything is a stir fry opportunity, with a carb, a veg, and a protein.
I just have to spread the word of how easy it is to cook with beans instead of meat. I’m not suggesting you guys go veg, only that you open yourself to the awesome laziness and economy that is canned beans. Open them, rinse them, toss them in food — heat. No handling of raw meat/potential for cross contamination/extra pot to wash, and its quick.
And as for clean up, get a cast iron skillet. They are naturally not stick, easy to scour, and you’d don’t have to feel compelled to get them shiny clean because they aren’t shiny.
A favorite fast but AWESOME dinner is pasta, frozen collards, beans, ground peanuts, green onions, and chili garlic sauce. Boil pasta, nuke collards, rinse beans, chop onions, toss, leave on stove for few minutes, serve.
We don’t have kids yet, but we are both in grad school, so we have this thing that requires constant attention — it’s just not nearly as adorable and lovable.
Issa says:
LAbite.com? Sadly, I did that until we moved. Man I miss it. Ahem.
Start with one thing. Figure out one thing that you are good at and buy the stuff and make it. Try for one day a week. Once you get good at that one thing, try for a second thing.
Truly Heather, I probably cook a real meal once a week. Mostly because I’m lazy. but also, three kids, soccer, life. Shrug. Other nights, I do BLT’s or french toast or cheese quesadillas. Add baby carrots or snap peas and some form of fruit to the plate and call it good. Ha. The thing is, it can be something simple and still be a real meal.
The thing i make best is chicken fajita salad. It only takes one pan and about 25 minutes to make. If you’d like the recipe, I can send it to you.
.-= Issa´s last blog ..Just letting some of the crazy out =-.
Issa says:
oh ps. the three kid thing means nothing. when i had one, I never cooked. snort. I literally ordered from LA bite, three to four times a week. It showed up right as I got home. Was perfect. Pricey, but perfect.
.-= Issa´s last blog ..Just letting some of the crazy out =-.
Mama Fuss says:
With nearly 300 comments, I’m skipping to my own advice, so there is probably someone else saying the same or similar info…
Make a meal plan at the beginning of the week. (We have about a dozen meals that I change up here and there and reorganize from week to week. When my husband is bored with those, he looks up new recipes on the internet or in our myriad of cookbooks. Great ones go into the repitoire, decent ones get marked and gone back to occasionally.)
Go grocery shopping once a week for supplies for said meals.
Learn a few meals that taste great and take less than 15 minutes prep/effort (even if they have to cook longer than that, you’d be surprised how freeing it is to toss a few ingredients into a casserole dish and pop it in the oven, then sit back down in front of the TV. “I’m making dinner” you can answer anyone who asks.)
Learn the tricks. My favorite vegetable staple is the Steamer bags of veggies you do in the microwave. Voila – steamed previously-froze, but reasonably fresh veggie side for your casserole. I believe Green Giant make the main ones, but I’ve seen other brands and generics. 5 minutes or less.
One my easiest, most tasty meals is chicken breast (skinless required, boneless preferred) dipped in egg (either fake egg-product or just an uncooked scrambled egg) and coated in Stove Top stuffing (uncooked). Toss meat in a casserole dish, and bake at 375 for 20-30 minutes (depends on thickness of breast. I always check them at 20 minutes and go from there). Seriously, it takes 5 minutes. I often serve with Simply Potatoes, but you don’t even need a carb-y side if you don’t want one.
Becky H says:
Join Relishrelish.com. Every week they put up new menu choices: vegetarian, meat, pasta, fish, low fat, crock pot, make and freeze, etc. Pick the ones you want for that week and it makes a shopping list for you. Each meal includes a side dish. The recipes are really yummy and not time consuming. I love not having to make the grocery list.
Heather@Triple Blessing says:
I do meal planning on Sundays for the whole week and then go grocery shopping. It eliminates the “what are we having for dinner” syndrome that we suffered with for years. I have a “menu” on the fridge (a white dry erase board that I got for a dollar at walmart) and I put each meal on there.
Also, I did a whole series on our blog about family meals for under ten bucks that are wholesome, easy, and obviously not expensive.
Good luck!
.-= Heather@Triple Blessing´s last blog ..I heart this smiling face =-.
Melissa says:
I often feel the same way – the key for me is planning, and not stressing out about cooking every night. So my husband and I will say we have 3 nights we need to cook this week, what do we need to buy at the grocery store? And there you go. We typically do one “burrito bowl” night a week, which is basically salad night with some extra fixins. Still good for you and home-prepared!
Other dishes I find easy-ish are roasted chicken and potatoes (just season that bad boy with salt, pepper, herbes de provence, and EVOO and bake and you’re good to go); salmon with veggies and cous cous, soups (Sara Snow has a great lentil soup recipe on her blog… It freezes great as well); and lasagna, if you have a little extra time on a weekend to prepare and then freeze or refrigerate. They have ready-to-go lasagna noodles that cut the time spent preparing in half.
Good luck – and know you are not alone!
.-= Melissa´s last blog ..Sexy, Pretty, or Cute? =-.
bemytomato says:
here is an AWESOME and easy way to plan meals; http://mrsmealmaker.blogspot.com/
.-= bemytomato´s last blog ..chick-a-rita. =-.
bekala says:
I’ve only skimmed through the comments, so I’m not sure if I’m repeating anything. I learned to cook by following the excellent advice of Mark Bittman in his book “How to Cook Everything.” He starts off with how to boil an egg, and progresses from there. There’s a good section on stocking the pantry, and he gives basic recipie ideas with substantial lists of variations. And his illustations and explanations of techniques are clear and thorough. Cooking is a skill, and it took me about 3 months of steady practice before I felt like I could pull off a meal with ar elative amount of ease and a degree of effort that didn’t consume me and all of my kitchen, but it’s worth the time and effort. and you can always order out for those times when the meal just didn’t turn out… good luck!
UKAnge says:
Maybe when Annabel’s a bit older, you can cook together – here’s a great blog to give you some ideas
http://www.mydaddycooks.com/
Tauni says:
Ok I read all the time but comment very rarely.
Dinner meals are the hardest for me but I have found EASY ways to get it done. I go through spurts of not being good at it but I try VERY hard. I love dinner at the table with our little ones. It is the only time in the day that I can guarantee we will all be together talking and laughing.
I sometimes do lavish dinners with homemade bread and everything. Other nights I keep it nice but really simple.
The biggest thing I have found: Keep food in the house that is easily accessible AND you like to eat!!
Second you need to determine what kinds of foods you like then get recipes.
Last to make it easy on me, I do theme nights. Monday is homemade chinese/oriental (EASIEST meal of the week), Tuesday is Mexican, Wednesday is simple american (hamburgers, hot dogs, sandwiches, soup, etc.), Thursday is Italian, Friday is Pizza and family movie night (sometimes frozen pizza, sometimes homemade and sometimes little caesars or Pizza hut), Saturday varies (usually something bbqed) and Sundays I always try and make a yummy dinner like pot roast or turkey roast.
Making each day a specific theme, makes shopping and preparing EASY!! You can purchase a LOT of the food for an entire month in one grocery store visit because things like rice, noodles, etc don’t go bad. Planning the meals is easier because you think of what the day is, go to recipes and pull out a oriental or Italian recipe (if you even need a recipe).
If you are interested, I have a piece of paper that helps you plan meals for an entire month and do a majority of the shopping in one trip…only need to go shopping to get fresh stuff like milk, veggies and fruits. I don’t use it much anymore because I have gotten in the habit of making the balanced meals now…at first it helped me out a TON though!!!
Tauni says:
Oh one more thing…if you want some YUMMY recipes, I have some that I will gladly share
quidquid quidquid says:
I like to pair meals to simplify things–I use one night’s leftovers to make the next night’s dinner. Here’s a few blog posts with dinner pair ideas!
http://quidquidquidquid.blogspot.com/2010/03/crock-pot-bbq-and-brunswick-stew.html
http://quidquidquidquid.blogspot.com/2010/03/pork-loin-vietnamese-pork-pho.html
http://quidquidquidquid.blogspot.com/2010/03/remember-on-sesame-street-how-each.html
.-= quidquid quidquid´s last blog ..neologism =-.
Jen L. says:
This is the part where I pimp out my paying gig: http://www.foodiemama.com Check it out. I should seriously give you my phone number. I flipping LOVE menu planning! It’s really hard to get started, but once you do, things fall into place. You can do it!!!!
Jess says:
Check out places like Let’s Dish–I’m not sure what similar concept they have near you, but they provide all of the (fresh!) ingredients and you can prep the meal and freeze it in correct portions, and then cook it as you need. It’s a lot of fun to prep all of the meals, and super easy to cook them. Plus, it calculates portions for you to take the guess work out of it! And less food goes to waste (especially herbs) because they can buy in bulk and use in bulk, so your food is always delicious. It works out to be about $4-5 per person, which is not too shabby…
Java says:
Try this book:
http://www.amazon.com/Fast-Fix-Family-Food-Recipes/dp/0696238306/ref=tag_dpp_lp_edpp_ttl_in
It will change your life! And it has PICTURES!!!
.-= Java´s last blog ..Tuesday Beauty Tips – Antiperspirant Causes Cancer? =-.
Nanette says:
If Brent & I ever renew our vows, our best man will be Trader Joe. He’s awesome at keeping us fed.
I keep meaning to check this out, too: http://www.notakeout.com/
.-= Nanette´s last blog ..Ain’t nothing going to break my stride. Nobody’s going to slow me down =-.
Ray says:
Look up online for simple meal cookbooks. I”m sure you’re bound to find TONS. And a, “Mrs. Spohr” apron?! How CUTE is that?! =D
@sweetbabboo says:
Here’s a few of my tricks:
1- Make the big meal for lunch time. I find that by 5, I’m so exhausted the last thing I want to do is get in the kitchen so we eat our big meal at lunch. (This will work until my kid is in school.) Leftovers for suppers.
2- Everyday Food- LOTS of 30min or less meals.
3- And my #1 secret: Whole Foods sells family meals of one delicious, healthy entree plus a huge salad for only $14.99 (at least in NC). With my family of 3, the entree can serve both lunch and supper and the salad can be another whole meal if you aren’t big eaters.
-Abby
.-= @sweetbabboo´s last blog ..Education Day at the DBAP =-.
Jean says:
Oh Heather,
By the time you finish reading all of these it will be dinner time!
Annie will be a great motivator as she starts to eat “real” food. Those peach chunks and shreds of chicken slipping around on her highchair will inspire you.
I totally agree with one poster–learn a few recipes, inside and out. Then, when you walk into the store, you just have to think, “hmmm, let’s have that pancetta sauce on fusilli, salad and bread”, and the list will be in your head.
And, to start, keep it simple. Choose one fun recipe and buy the other pieces. Do it once in a while while Annie is so little. By the time you’re cooking for three, you’ll have several “go-to” recipes stored in your smart head. As someone else said, this is a skill. It takes practice.
Your readers have given many good tips about where to find good recipes. You’ll narrow it down as you get better and better at this project.
Enjoy the process and the product. And, the clean kitchen (when Mike is finished doing the dishes!).
Diane says:
I have 2 year old twins and a husband who I cook for nightly. I have found that the best way for me to get a balanced meal on the table without getting stressed is to prepare most of it during a lull in the day (often naptime). I marinate meat or fish, cut veggies to roast and make a salad. Then all I have to do is put the meat in a skillet and cookie sheet of veggies in the oven at dinner time. For some reason the hours from 4 pm on go by so fast in our house, if I didn’t get the prep done early I think we’d be eating frozen pizza every night! There are so many things that can be made ahead of time and cooked right before you eat.
Also, we eat a something from the freezer (beans, soup, casserole) at least once a week and what we call “big salad,” which means all the veggies that might go bad plus maybe some protein on top, at least once a week. Those are for my “I’d rather nap than prep a meal” days.
Good luck!
.-= Diane´s last blog ..Easter Egg Hunt =-.
damaris says:
o.k let me be down right honest with you. IT TAKES TIME. It takes a lot of time actually. I love cooking not because I enjoy the process as much as I enjoy the product. I love eating good food and i love feeding good food to my children so I cook.
I plan my weekly meals. On Sunday night i sit down with my notebook and my cookbooks and I open up Taste Spotting http://www.tastespotting.com (amazing site) and I decide what meal i will make. I don’t plan the entire day but I do plan a detailed dinner menu. I make a list of all the ingredients I need and then on Monday I take my 4 year old and my 7 month old to the grocery store and i buy all the ingredients I need. Then I cook and I’m wise i make double, like 2 quiches instead of one and I freeze. These days I’m not thinking that far ahead so i make enough so that there is enough for dinner and left overs for lunch. I write the meal on a note card and I save the note card and when I’m in a bind and I can’t come up with a menu I bust out a note card. But like I said, this takes hours. I’m o.k with that though because now my 4 year old cooks with me constantly. he knows how to pick leeks from the super market. He tries different things and my baby is always watching us cook.
You can do it. Just plan ahead and that way when it’s 6:00 you won’t be desperately trying to figure out what to make you’ll already have it done. Good luck.
I’m not trying to indulge in self promotion but here is my food blog http://www.kitchencorners.blogspot.com that has my recipes and The Little Foodie which is ideas for cooking with your kid http://www.thelittlefoodie.com
good luck again.
xoxo
.-= damaris´s last blog ..Monday Moment =-.
tiffany says:
Easy Peesy one for yah. IT got me thru college
1 cup uncooked noodles
1 cup grated cheese
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup of frozen peas
1/8 cup finely chopped onion.
1 cup chicken.
Cook the chicken (shake n bake or jsut boil it – too easy!) and boil the noodles.
Mix it all in a casserole dish and bake ’til it’s warm throughout. (about 300 or 350 for 30-45 minutes.
The cheese and soup form a cheesy sauce, that is SOO good
You can make it a day ahead and just have it ready to bake too.
Good Luck!
Kristin Hanes says:
I have a couple things that are my favorite “fast foods.” I think its really easy to get psyched out over cooking, but then when you bang out a couple easy meals it will boost your confidence. Enchiladas and spaghetti sauce are both very time-consuming meals and I dont’ blame you for not cooking them with a baby!
I buy a bag of frozen veggies at Costco and a bag of frozen sweet potato fries. Then I’ll pick up a piece of halibut or salmon at the grocery store, slather some premade seasoning on it, and pop it in the oven at 425 for 15 or 20 minutes. Meal is ready in half hour or so, with like 5 minutes of prep time.
The crockpot is also an AWESOME option. Try this one:
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Slow-Cooker-Chicken-Tortilla-Soup/Detail.aspx
I just put the chicken in the slow cooker raw….it will get cooked in 8 hours on low. Then I buy tortilla chips to have on the side so I don’t have to make my own.
Let me know if you need more ideas!
Jennifer Choate says:
Heather, Try this website…I love their recipes and they show pictures!!!!
http://www.ourbestbites.com/
Janice says:
I love http://www.menusformoms.com. The Basic Weekly menu is FREE! And gives you everything you need in one printout…shopping list and recipes and tells you when you can double a recipe and freeze half for later.
Libby says:
I find the hardest thing is “where to put the baby” when cooking. If Annabel is cool with sitting in a swing or playpen or some other baby-holder, then you are good to go on that front. My other hardest thing is to start making dinner early enough that I can actually make what I want. 4:30 seems way too early to think about dinner, but if you want to eat at 6, 5:30 is probably too late.
In terms of stocking the kitchen, I do spend time planning meals for the week (most weeks) before we go to the grocery store. This is partly because I work evenings, so I make our meal just after lunch, take some for me and leave the rest for my husband and son (and babysitter if it’s a night when my husband works, too). This is just before my nap time, so the actual meal has to be relatively quick to make (less than an hour, half an hour would be ideal)–the extra time planning usually makes the cooking time faster.
Casseroles or skillet meals are great. Also soup–anything where you can put everything in the same dish is usually pretty easy and fast, and also makes my husband happier at clean-up time.
I use LOTS of cookbooks, but if I could recommend 1, it would be Cheap, Fast, Good by Beverly Mills and Alicia Ross. They have lots of healthy, easy, fast recipes, and also features on how to thing about shopping, how to save yourself time in the long run. The best part is that their recipes actually take as long as they say they do, because they include time for things like cutting stuff up.
.-= Libby´s last blog ..How to throw a surprise (library) baby shower =-.
MB says:
not sure if you’ll get this far in the comments but in case you do…I feel ya with the planning ahead – I love to cook but feel like i have to go to the grocery store 4x week to get everything….then i found this month of meals in real simple magazine from oct 09 – its just 1 month but everything looks awesome and it includes a shopping list with everything you need for the whole week (well 5 days of meals)
check it out: 4 weeks of meals with 4 shopping trips!
http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/recipe-collections-favorites/quick-easy/month-easy-dinners-00000000020770/
jessica b says:
ok here’s a really awesome meal (my son thinks it’s one of the best ever) that’s so easy and takes only 30-45 minutes to make. and, for the most part, you use the microwave!
a whole 4-5 lb chicken (toss out the giblets)
soy sauce
rotisserie seasoning (McCormick makes this)
1 large potato per person
1 bag frozen broccoli
place the chicken in a stone or glass baking dish (that fits in the microwave). brush on a thin layer of soy sauce (this helps brown the chicken) and then sprinkle the rotisserie seasoning. Place in microwave and cook on HIGH for 30 minutes (45 if your chicken is closer to 6 or 7 lbs).
put broccoli into a small pot with 2 tablespoons of water and 2 tablespoons of “i cant believe it’s not butter” (this helps keep it a bit healthy). turn stove to medium high and cover. this should be done around the time that the chicken is done, but if it heats up too fast, just turn down the heat a bit.
when chicken is finished, poke the potatoes all over with a fork. place on a dish and in the microwave for 12 minutes. check for “doneness”. if not done, put in for 2-3 more minutes or until done like a baked potato.
ta-da! now you just serve the meal. this is really easy (my 13 year old does the chicken before i get home so all i have to do is the broccoli and potatoes). the chicken is EXTREMELY juicy. and you can put whatever toppings you’d like on the potato or even top them with the broccoli and add some cheddar cheese.
let me know if you try it and what you think of it!
Margaret says:
DO NOT WORRY! This will come naturally, I swear it did for me. I could not even buy meat when I was 1st married (or cook). Then when my son got older, say 3,4,5 (bad memory). We actually had sit down dinners. I don’t know, but the universe shifted & I started making dinner, it was unbelievable. You’ll hit your groove.
Love to you all.
stranger friend, Margaret
Margaret says:
Just read another post from your friends.
NO COOKBOOKS, start with the easy stuff.
Just cook the chicken, just heat up the frozen veggies, just throw out a bowl of strawberries, just put the loaf of bread on the table. ta dah, it’s a dinner.
Emese says:
Hi Heather,
My only suggestion is, start off small, plan to make one meal every week, then move up to two, and so on. I try to make a crockpot meal @ least once or twice/ month. I don’t know what kind of eaters you guys are but we ( Dusty and I )have to have meat with every dinner…we are weird like that. So I know to stock up on meat. 3 easy thing that I always try to keep in my fridge from Costco. Their 2 pack Lasagna and (garlic bread, I guess that would be 4 things) , their 6 pack of ground beef (chubs) they are already separated out to 1lbs/chub so that makes it convenient, and their bag of frozen chicken breast. You can make a solid 2 + weeks worth of meat and side dishes are usually the easy part..
Ok I guess that turned into a couple of suggestions, but good luck
Aubrie says:
We (I) pick out 7 or so recipes every couple weeks, make a list of everything I need for those recipes and get it all at once. That way, I know I have everything to make dinners for a week and a half or so without running to the store last minute.
monica says:
oh man, my eyes are going nuts!
monica says:
haha, thanks for this post, got some ideas for myself. I love cooking, so that’s not the issue for me. Deciding what to make is the issue. My advice is what everyone else says, plan ahead. Even if it’s week to week then that way you have the ingredients on hand and it saves you the hassle of running to the store everyday.
Scatteredmom says:
Start off just planning ONE meal out of your week. Pick a day, and plan for it like it’s a deadline. When that becomes easy, try adding to it.
I write meal plans for Everythingmom.com every week, and most of the recipes are super fast and easy. You can make them ahead or make and freeze them, too. Feel free to ask me any questions!
http://www.everythingmom.com/articles/free-meal-plans-free-meal-planning.html
Jess says:
You just do it. I still live at home and cook for my parents. I love love love crock pot meals. Chicken breast, carrots, and cream of celery soup in the crock pot, cook for 6 hours and serve over rice. Yummy and no-thought provoking. I also like beef stew in the crock pot. Cube meat, carrots, celery, potatoes, onion. Add 2 packets of french onion soup to this, and add a box of beef broth. Let cook for about 6-8 hours depending if you do high or low on your crock pot. Make toast and serve!
I also make chili in my crock pot. On stove brown meat. Then put in crock pot. Add 2 cans of tomato puree, 1 can of tomato paste, 2 cans of kidney beans, 1 packet of chili seasoning, let cook.
Annie will LOVE whatever you make her! (My gram once made me eggs in the microwave, I’ve never been able to repeat that to this day but they were AWESOME!)
Arlene says:
As a mom who cooked almost everyday, breakfast and dinner, as well as packing lunches for school I have to tell you that as my baby entered his senior year in high school, l I counted down the number or breakfasts I had left to cook! After a couple of years of eating out a LOT, I’m back to cooking again. The secret is to cook what YOU want to eat, so you’ll look forward to it. Another tip, brown ‘n bags. Throw all your ingredients in and stick it in the oven. You don’t have to watch it, everything is done at the same time and, best of all, no clean up.
Linds says:
two words : CROCK. POT.
its virtually impossible to mess up and takes about two brain cells.
here is one of my favorites : turn on crock pot. add chunks of beef (usually labeled “stew meat” at the store). add can of campbell’s golden mushroom soup. live your life for 8 hours (or 4, if the crock is on high heat). enjoy!
.-= Linds´s last blog ..Chills =-.
Susan says:
Okay I don’t know if you’ll see my random comment among the 300 + but here it goes
JUST DO IT!!!
Plan one meal. Look at the recipe, get the stuff.
I found that cooking is very therapeutic for my anxiety. Putting everything into steps- following the directions, doing the order is so good for me when my brain is going in every which direction, driving me nuts. If that makes sense?
and the choppin with a giant knife thing is a great stress reliever
.-= Susan´s last blog ..Hidden Posts and Extreme Anger =-.
Alice says:
“Foil Meals” are the way to go when trying to avoid a mess. Making foil packets is also a great way to cook your veggies and protein at the same time. Not to mention how great it with taste! First get some nonstick foil. Tear off two lengths of foil ( same size). Place the foil nonstick side up on a work surface. Place any combination of chopped veggies and meat/fish on the foil with desired seasonings and a little olive oil. Next cover the food with the other peice of foil, nonstick side down. Fold the edges of foil over and inward sealing the packet on all sides. Now bake at 350 according to the meat/fish cooking time (meat longer, fish shorter). Or you can place the packet on a hot grill till done. Pour contents of packet on a serving platter or serve straight from the foil. Here are some combos we love at my house:
Salmon with lightly salted squash, onions, green beans, garlic and lemon pepper.
Chopped Chicken or Pork tossed in soy sauce with bell peppers, onions, broccoli, and carrots. Add red pepper flakes, cilantro, and garlic.
Rachel says:
It looks like you have already gotten a lot of great ideas. I suggest starting small, just try to cook one or two nights a week until you get in the habit, then add on more nights.
Now I plan for 6 meals each week, I always cook enough for leftovers for lunch. At least one meal is something easy like burritos or homemade pizza I buy refrigerated crust to help cut down on prep time.
.-= Rachel´s last blog .. =-.
Roz says:
Been lurking your blog for, well, ages. Go figure, this is the post I come out on!
Anyway, just wanted to say you are awesome, and so is Chatelaine.com – it’s a Canadian magazine’s website that has the best ‘oh sh*t, it’s 6pm already?!’ recipes on it.
I used to a Martha Stewart when it came to dinners. Then I fostered a baby. Then I found Chatelaine. (i know, they really should pay me to advertise..
.-= Roz´s last blog ..Just an update on life… =-.
steph says:
I have three tips:
1. Peruse your cookbooks for easy recipes and make a meal plan with an accompanying grocery list. It helps me to have a plan.
2. If you’re worried about some of the basics of cooking, snag yourself a “Joy of Cooking” cookbook. It answers every “stupid” question I can think of and has a huge variety of recipes.
3. I stumbled upon a recipe online that has become absolutely coveted at my kids’ school. The classroom volunteers are hovering over my daughter’s lunch and have asked me for the recipe. It’s easy peasy, too! Visit the Noble Pig at http://noblepig.com/2010/03/30/pepperoni-pizza-puffs.aspx?ref=rss
And good luck!
.-= steph´s last blog ..Past Deadline: Hair-Raising Tales =-.
Melissa says:
So I am an extraordinarily lazy person who grew up not having to cook for herself at all. It’s a long story, but now I a m a great cook and have a food blog even and I am STILL lazy. I wrote this post a while back that got some good feedback, perhaps it will help you? I know you said you’re not good at planning and I never used to be either, but I made the time to do it and we’ve been eating so much better as a result.
http://meldabbles.com/2010/02/07/meal-planning-for-lazies/
I also have a stash of go-to meals that I also make, which I will do in a future post. But generally I do easy stuff – I have two young kids and work full time. It’s all I have TIME to do
.-= Melissa´s last blog ..Still working…stay tuned! =-.
Joy says:
Life with an infant is hard enough, don’t stress yourself. I live by my crock pot. Today I’m cooking a whole chicken. Tomorrow the leftovers will be used in something like chicken quesadilla and the next day the remains will be soup (cooked in the same crock pot insert as mine is removable and I stick it in the refrigerator. This greatly simplifies meals for me.
The other thing I do is whenever I do make a meal (like enchiladas) I make a double batch and freeze half.
I was in your shoes for many many years, now that I have three kids between 10 and 16 I REALLY regret not doing this sooner because they are used to eating frozen meals and fast food and are VERY picky. My homemade spaghetti is never as good as that from a jar. My homemade chicken nuggets are not as good as those made by Tyson or McDonald’s…you get the picture. They are coming around slowly, but it would have been so much better if I’d never let them get used to that food in the first place.
Mary says:
KitchenAid mixer still in it’s box… I am that baker shedding a tear!!! Oh and it’s red too – my favourite colour… sniff, sniff
I agree with the others, get some cookbooks (or visit some blogs – love all the pics on The Pioneer Woman blog) and start with one meal this week and gradually work up so that you’re cooking a few meals a week. Does Mike like cooking? Maybe get him to pick out a few meals he’d like to try? I find it helps to have someone to cook for and a little bit of praise for a great meal goes a long way with me!
Oh and also get that KitchenAid mixer out and use it! It’s just calling out for a chance to whip you up a chocolate cake for dessert!
Good Luck!
sarah says:
Two words: Trader Joe’s. They have the BEST food with the LEAST amount of effort. Take tonight’s dinner for example. Brown rice that comes frozen and pre-cooked!! You just leave it in the plastic bag and nuke it for 5 minutes and WALA!! Chicken Shu Mai, also frozen… pop in the steamer with some zucchini and tada!! Amazing meal, in about 15 minutes and only one pan to wash. And it’s delish. Go peruse their aisles. You will find things that are easy, fast, healthy, and delicious.
Dee Dee says:
Well, well Heather, 322 responses already???? Not even sure if you will have the energy to read my response but I am actually writing a cookbook for the woman like you! I read your blog every day and had no idea you would need something like this. I have 2 year old twins and older boys in college and you know those men who want to eat (a husband) but most of all I like a home cooked INEXPENSIVE meal. So I make a meal plan. I then use this to make a grocery list and then eat very well for 2 weeks. So a great friend suggested I use that idea and write out 26 meal plans for 2 week periods along with recipes for each meal and that would cover an entire year! So I am in the process of writing it. I had actually planned to try to put it up on your site as advertisement and send you one to try yourself. But I am only on my 7th meal plan and need to get my but in gear! So if you are interested and had the energy to read all these replies send me an email…
Michelle Pixie says:
allrecipes.com is my go to for everything! And use the slow cooker as much as possible. But most important is a rule to live by whoever cooks should NEVER have to clean.
.-= Michelle Pixie´s last blog ..6 Years with Diva =-.
Jen says:
Dinners by design — check it out!!
Leslie says:
Check out The Pioneer Woman – complete with step-by-step photos: http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/
.-= Leslie´s last blog ..What we’ve been up to =-.
Jackie says:
Heather,
I understand how tough this is! What I do is make a menu for 6-8 dinners and shop specifically for the items needed to make those dinners. It really helps my hubby and I to have everything planned out and we don’t have to run to the grocery store every other day. Also once you develop 2 or 3 menus you can re-use them or find new recipes to try.
Another thing that helps me is to use my slow cooker. There are a ton of recipes online and I have made some really yummy things like pulled pork sandwiches etc…
I also like the 1 bag, 5 dinners section of the kraft website: http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/dinner/1bag5dinners/main.aspx
Another place where I found great recipes is allrecipes.com My favorite easy weeknight dinner are greek turkey burgers. Make the turkey burgers and serve with a salad and couscous…very easy! Here’s the recipe: http://www.recipezaar.com/recipe/print?id=13285
Hope some of this information is helpful!
Leslie says:
I forgot to share an easy recipe – No Peek Chicken
Mix 1.5 cups raw rice with 2 cups boiling water and let stand for 3-5 minutes. And 3 cans cream soup (I use one each chicken, celery and mushroom – yum!). Pour in 13×9 glass pan. Place 4 – 6 chicken breasts (depending on size) on top. Sprinkle one pkg dry onion soup over top of chicken and rice. Bake at 350 F for one hour. Don’t peek!
Julie from Michigan says:
Well you sound exactly like me…I have 3 kids and a husband, so make that 4 kids and I hate cooking meals, even though I am capable of doing it and am a pretty good go…..so you ask why my dear? I HATE CLEANING THE KITCHEN!! That is why I do not cook, the mear thought of the mess ruins my appetite…so everyone else can starve too!
Crish says:
Okay, I hate to advertise, but my sister has a bunch of recipes up on her youtube account, they’re really easy and quick!
youtube.com/aartipaarti
and also
aartipaarti.com
I hope you find what you’re looking for, food wise x
Mary says:
Don’t put so much pressure on yourself. Start with one dinner. Pick something like chicken enchiladas and commit to making it. Just once. Then if that feels good you can try another one a couple of weeks later. I bet before you know it you will be cooking up a storm.
Laura says:
https://www.relishrelish.com/index.htm
Definitely the best thing I have come across – each week, go in, pick the meals you want to make. then it will generate a shopping list that adds up all the ingredients from all the recipes, break it down so its all easy to get at the store without going up and down each aisle three times, and you have a printed copy of the recipes for when you make each dish! There are even side dishes that go along with each entree. My favorite part is the section of the site that coordinates dinner and a movie selections – kids love them!
You can also choose some frozen meals to make ahead of time, maybe a weekend that you have some free time, and it prints out a list for you to keep on your freezer to keep track of everything you have on hand!
MstoMrs says:
Heather, you’re so not alone. I’m so an epic failure when I cook. So don’t worry. I think all it takes is practice and determination.
.-= MstoMrs´s last blog ..End of an Era =-.
Sara says:
I don’t claim to be a healthy cook or chef or anything like that. I am a mom who tries to have food on the table. I found that what works for me is looking at the adds on Tuesday when they come out to see what kind of meat is on sale. I work from there to plan meals for every day of the week. I do my shopping on Saturday at Wal-Mart and whatever grocery store has the cheapest meat that week. I stock up on meat when it is on sale and freeze it. We usually have a rotisserie chicken on Sundays with the steam and mash sweet potatoes and some other veggie.
I have some really quick and easy recipes that I like as well. If you are interested I will email them to you! It is possible to cook and not have a lot of clean up to do! I promise! Also, like other people have stated, start with one meal and work your way to two or three. I usually only cook 2 meals and I take lots of short cuts too! I will share, I promise.
Another thing that seems to help me is to write out the meals on a white board so that I know what is for dinner and so does my husband. Of course they can be switched around and are not set in stone but it helps me to remember when to defrost meat and how long I will need to be in the kitchen.
.-= Sara´s last blog ..Wordless Wednesday =-.
moosh in indy. says:
“Somewhere, a baker sheds a solitary tear.”
That was me.
SOBBING.
.-= moosh in indy.´s last blog ..straight up frigidaire review. word. =-.
Louise says:
I’m not sure if you have it in America or not but 4 ingredients is a really good book as it gives you a huge variety of meals to make, desserts etc. and each one has only four ingredients- which makes both the shopping and the cooking very simple!
Debbie S. says:
I’m sure someone has probably already turned you on to: http://www.thepioneerwoman.com/
Ree has lots of easy, good recipes on her web site. I like that her recipes are made with ingredients that most people already have in their pantry. Ree also photographs each step of a recipe…which to me is a tremendous help. Nothing like trying a new recipe and wondering if you are doing things right! She also has a tab called TastyKitchen.com where her readers submit their own recipes….plus, she just published her own cookbook!
Good Luck!!
beth says:
OH.MY.GOSH! I could not have said this any better. I feel EXACTLY the way you do, Heather. I have 2 little girls who I desperately want to feed the “right” way and I am LOST!!!
Lori says:
My biggest time saver is roast chicken. I roast at least one chicken on the weekend, sometimes two at once. We eat some of one for a dinner, then I’ve got plenty of food for the rest of the week (chicken salad, chicken quesadillas, chicken noodle soup, chicken enchiladas, big salad with roast chicken…the list is endless). I can get at least 3 meals out of one chicken, especially if I use the frame to make soup. Buying the whole chicken is a lot cheaper, too.
Chrissy says:
Heather,
I was a novice in the kitchen until I started watching Rachael Ray’s 30 minute meals. My husband I work loooong hours and are exhausted by the time we get home, but watching her show, I’ve been able to cook meals in very little time and with simple ingredients. (I live in a tiny village in remote Alaska that has very limited items) That might be a good place to start. My husband I don’t have children (sad story) so we really have no excuse. Mainly, don’t beat yourself up. You’re amazing. You’ll get it.
Chrissy says:
P.S. Rachael Ray still annoys the everloving hell out of me. (But dammit she’s a good cook)
LizardBreath says:
Not sure if anyone mentioned it yet or what, but foodtv.com has great receipes with selection such as fast fixes, your favorite chef etc and free downloadable receipes. You can even choose the level of difficulty for your recipes. For us, i absolutely have to plan in advance and do the grocery thing but its totally worth it when you get that “thank you!” You’ll work it out because you love your family and you will invest the time and energy. And, the rotisseri chicken, mashed potatoes and bag of salad does count, too. It sounds corny but the most important ingredient is love!
.-= LizardBreath´s last blog ..What an amazing week (beware, potty talk below!) =-.
Jemma says:
I say Dream Dinners. It takes about two hours once a month @ their location and then you have dinners ready to go for at least a month. We eat out or do sandwich night too, so they usually last longer than a month. Also, If you have AAA I think you can get a discount.
Tracey says:
Try this, she has seven kids….check out her simple recipes….if she can do it, we all can!! hee hee http://www.workitmom.com/bloggers/orderingdisorder/2010/04/19/easy-baked-chicken-legs-with-paprika-rub/
roshan says:
COOK BOOKS and MAGAZINES:
Cooks Illustrated 30 minute Cookbook
Kraft foods magazine
Rachel Rays 30 Minute Meals
Cooking Light’s 5 ingredients 15 minutes or less cookbook
“How to cook everything” and “How to cook everything: Vegetarian”, both by Mark Bittman
Freezer cooking use library
America’s Test Kitchen Family Cookbook
All About Braising
Jamie Oliver Food Revolution cookbook
“Taste Of Home” magazine – Reiman Publications (also see “Simple and Delicious” magazine by them)
“Pioneer Woman Cooks” by Ree Drummond
http://www.amazon.com/Betty-Crocker-Quick-Easy-Cookbook/dp/047199796X/ref=sr_1_22?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1272383387&sr=1-22
http://www.amazon.com/Pillsbury-Good-You-Healthy-Favorites/dp/0764597248/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1272383442&sr=1-10
Rachael Ray’s Book of 10
http://www.amazon.com/Everyday-Food-Great-Fast/dp/0307354164
“Real Simple” magazine
http://www.gooseberrypatch.com/
http://www.amazon.com/Fast-Fix-Family-Food-Recipes/dp/0696238306/ref=tag_dpp_lp_edpp_ttl_in
“Joy of Cooking” cookbook
roshan says:
SUGGESTIONS (with commentary):
Lots of folks suggested the crockpot, slow cookers and stuff (yeah folks we get the idea)
Many suggested to think before you shop, plan before you shop, make a list before you shop, plan meals for the whole week and then shop. (the common thread was to shop at some point)
Other suggestions were to marry a chef and look smug, or marry someone who cooks and look smug, or marry someone who only eats sandwiches, or to stay single and cook
Among the trillion suggestions were recipes of many kinds which I am sure are not completely edible (just kidding but yeah there are way too many to mention).
One suggestion was to get the shopping done by husband, toddler or infant (the last two are completely optional but breaks societys convention and makes you a rebel).
Some folks plainly admitted that their cooking sucks and wouldn’t mind serving time for it.
Some folks used to cook, had a baby,gave up cooking due to schedule but would like to cook again. (there is still hope for you, please hold on).
For some the recession proved to be a sort of boon and helped initiate their cooking. (not a good sign when you prefer going broke over cooking)
Cleaning up after cooking is hated by many and they wished that everyone just ate from the crockpot/pan/slow cooker/oven/fridge etc or if someone other than self
who just ate what they cooked helped clean the dishes (the last option is a winner).
Leftovers are liked by everyone. (socialism???)
Some suggested to sing while cooking or if not alone then just turn up the damn stereo (that way no one can hear you sing and you can still cook)
Grill/Bake (no comment, just face plant for not thinking of it first).
Some folks just plainly went there and mentioned the F word when talking about cooking (hint: its not FOOD).
More than one person mentioned a website related to Canada (How dare they?)
Chefs like Sandra Lee and Robin Miller were liked by some since they cook for common moms (yeah checkout Sandra making muffins out of baby food, totally common).
Many share your pain about cooking Heather and know what you mean having been there and would like you to take baby steps through all of it (hint: don’t ask the baby for suggestions).
Two words… no, one acronym and a word: CSA box (Contact your local organic farm delivery service)
Weight Watchers!!
Tacos (it’s just a trick)
Trader Joe’s
When you find out how, let me know. (Angie)
Hamburger Helper??
Frozen pizza
Many thought cooking was hard but lo an behold they discovered they eat too and now find it simple. (Zen technique).
Collect cookbooks and recipes
Some were shamed into cooking by their family, but they still don’t enjoy it.
http://www.eatdrinkandblog.com/
Google “A Year of Slowcooking.”
Foil Meals
Karla says:
This all sounds very familiar to me. I hate grocery shopping and am a terrible planner. Do you have a service that can deliver groceries? I love to be online so I will often find recipes I like and then throughout the week add the ingredients to my online list at a grocery delivery service. I like allrecipes.com for quick, easy meals. This is an amazing pot roast and it literally takes less than 5 minutes. http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Awesome-Slow-Cooker-Pot-Roast/Detail.aspx
Linda says:
4 Frozen chicken breast
1 can cream of mushroom
1 can cream of celery
1 can cream of chicken
season with salt, pepper and garlic powder
Dump all in a slow cooker on low in the morning and its ready to eat over rice or noodles in the evening. Easiest meal ever!!!
Cynthia says:
I hear you! Yes, we were sooo lucky to have such awesome Grammas that made everything from scratch, tasted amazing, along with fresh squeezed orange juice or lemonade to wash it all down. I don’t think I ever heard them factor in sodium, cholesterol,etc…it was just food! Ok, now I’m hungry from reminiscing about it. Fresh hot bread w/butter & fresh strawberry jam, I think I’m gonna have to raid my fridge/pantry right now!
I used my crock pot quite often when I was working long shifts in the NICU. ,I was out the door at 6:30 AM and was rarely home before eight PM. My husband would simply put whatever I made in the blender for my daughter when she began solid foods, so I was glad that they both were able to have a hot, healthy, home-cooked meal. I would prep everything the night before and store it in the crock pot that was kept in the fridge. In the AM before ,leaving, I simply took the crock out of the fridge, plugged it in, and let it slow cook & simmer all day. .Chicken & potatoes, stews, soups, fajitas and chili were a few of my husband’s favorites. & cleanup is fast. The only thing to remember is to make sure it isn’t turned up on high if you will be cooking it in less than four hours or so and you must make sure that you have enough fluid (water, stock, etc.) or you will have a dried-out, inedible meal. I never really bothered with recipes when using the crock pot, as it will usually be good,.no matter what. It (thankfully) is really hard to ruin a dish & almost anything made via this method comes out great just because the ingredients used are marinating amongst each other for hours.
Bon Apetite! (Did I spell that correctly?)
Swerds says:
You already have over 350 messages, so this will probably get lost. However…
There are plenty of websites and cookbooks available that have a person cooking once a week (a few even go for cooking once a MONTH) and then eating fairly well.
http://crockpot365.blogspot.com is also a blog to check out. She’s a member of BlogHer, and there are some really good recipes there with nary a can of “cream of whatever” soup in sight. She has a daughter with Celiac, so she makes everything her daughter eats, and does it with minimal effort and maximum taste.
Prudie says:
I have diabetes so I constantly struggle with keeping “balance” in our families meals.
My 3 year old LOVES chicken and noodles. She wants it every day. For awhile I tried too hard and made all kinds of things she didn’t want to eat. For now I give her lots of chicken and noodles and everyone is happy.
I also think grilled cheese and a homemade soup are a staple for at least once a week in the winter!
Sirena says:
Heather, I totally feel you on the cooking front! Over time, I’ve learned that keeping it to a few ingredients will let what you cook really shine. No need to do something complicated: chicken breasts with rosemary, garlic, white wine and lemon; couscous or quinoa; salads and veggies. Cook simply, and do not let it stress you out! I loved one reader’s suggestion to start by chatting with your husband about what you want to eat at home. Something else I do is incorporate fave restaurant recipes: a kale salad from a cafe in Georgetown, etc… Just try to copy it by assembling ingredients. Don’t forget that you are a formidable woman and you already have all the kitchen gear and the best inspiration: Mike and Annie! You will be amazing at it, I already know for sure.
I write about relatively simple recipes often and maybe something there might make it to your table: http://www.AnAmericanTable.com
.-= Sirena´s last blog ..Homemade Eggless Mayonnaise =-.
Trish says:
Hey Heather,
Clearly I’m behind the 8-ball on this post! Hope you still get down to comment 360 to read this!
My bf’s cousin keeps a blog about cooking with a busy schedule. She is a stay-at-home mom of two girls. She puts up weekly meal plans with recipies. Usually the meals are easy to make, with minimal ingredients, and always delicioius! I hope you find something you like….
http://mealplanningmama-weeklymealplans.blogspot.com
Bon appetit!
Bobbi says:
One Word — Okay, Maybe it’s two –
CROCK POT!!
LaurieSL says:
Hi!
I struggle(d) with this too – everyday to be exact! It’s not easy, so don’t feel bad! I try to cook BIG meals even though it’s just my husband, 14 month old daughter and me. I make things like meatloaf (http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Brown-Sugar-Meatloaf/Detail.aspx) or Slow Cooker Potroast (http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Awesome-Slow-Cooker-Pot-Roast/Detail.aspx). By the way, if you’re not using allrecipes.com, then you don’t know what you’re missing! It is THE best recipe website…ever, seriously, they’re #1.
I take my BIG meal and I freeze small portions of it in ziplock bags for my daughter – for those nights I don’t have suitable leftovers for her. And then I feed my husband the rest Hope that helps you!
Michelle W says:
ditto!!!
I don’t need another recipe site or cookbook with allrecipes. And I love the brown sugar meatloaf. Have you tried the Slow Cooker Taco Soup?1 It’s amazing!
LaurieSL says:
So funny, I printed that recipe 2 weeks ago and I haven’t had a chance to make it yet, that’s so funny you mentioned it! Great mommy cooks think alike!
Kari Payne says:
okay. its very simple…I’m a full time working mom with 3 little ones to feed every night and there are usually practices, games and some other class to attend at least 4 times a week.. I rely on the crock pot. Yes, Im from southern illinois and I may be a red neck hick in the woods. But, it works round here yall. LOL
Heather says:
Hi Heather!
I had the same trouble, but I stumbled across this email service a few years ago Easypeas.com . The send you recipes for the week, with side dishes, and a shopping list for the week. THAT’S what did it for me. I didn’t have to even think about it anymore. I had my menu and list ready to go. Email me and I can send you a sample.
If they are unavailable, I have a lot archived, so just ask!
BeeBelle says:
I highly recommend http://www.savingdinner.com. Here are some reasons: Nutritious choices, shopping lists for the week (you could even hand this to Mike), and seasonal. I used these menus and shopping lists for about a year, and then I was able to go off cooking on my own. Start with a free sample menu. You can buy the book or you can get an email subscription and the recipes and shopping list will come to your Inbox. You can do it!
lain says:
there’s already tons of advice posted but check out this budding blog (not mine):
http://www.mealsmadeeasy.blogspot.com
she’s a busy mom and makes really nice meals, but they are mostly super easy. not a ton of stuff posted right now but its a good place to start and not at all overwhelming!
Christina says:
I have a really easy, yummy crockpot recipie that I got from my sister in law.
4-6 chicken breasts
12oz can of mushroom gravy
1 cup milk ( or 1/2 cup sour cream for more tang)
8oz cream cheese
1/2 Cup Shredded cheese
4 1/2oz. can chopped green chilies
1 pkg dry italian salad dressing
mix in crock pot, cook on low for 6 hours, serve over rice or noodles.
See, sounds easy! and it is, just pour everything in the pot, stir every once in a while, and then make some rice or noodles before Mike gets home. Poof home made dinner. I make mine with rice because it soaks up the gravy and makes this creamy ricey goodness…hope this helps!
Karen says:
I just looked through this list and found some great options. Someone had mentioned thelittlekitchenthatcould.com and I have now saved so many of the recipes. They look really great. The potstickers look really fun and seem like a quick weeknight meal because you can freeze them.
Kealan says:
I think the key to easy & healthy meals is to skip out on recipes. Just start with a protein (for me it’s usually fish or chicken because they’re healthy and easy to throw on the George Foreman grill), steam up some veggies, and make some brown rice or mashed sweet potatoes one of those 2 minute cous cous boxes. The possibilities are endless!
Mary says:
I used to LOVE to cook but physically can’t do so now.
However, I still love reading/finding recipes. My blog even has a section of recipe sites~so I don’t have to remember which ones I like. Feel free to look on my sidebar.
Try http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/ or
the good old standby of http://www.foodnetwork.com/
I have their daily recipe sent to my email & then store the ones I like on my computer (in folders for main dish, side, salad, etc then sub-catagorized by what type of main ingrediate, eg: Lamb-Broiled Lamb Chops with Braised Root Vegetables and Colcannon) Yes I am anal. But it’s easier to find them & put together meals.
As much as I love(d) cooking, I still stand in amazement that my mom ALWAYS gets each & every dish ready at the same time~try as I might, I’ve never really managed to do that.
.-= Mary´s last blog ..Thanks, ALOT =-.
Anna. says:
I love to cook, but save harder, more time consuming meals for Sundays. My favorite, easy to make meal is just chicken, broccoli & rice or pasta. I throw the broccoli & some garlic in a pan with alil olive oil. Let it turn bright green, then pour half a can of chicken broth over it and let simmer for 20 minutes. Cut up the chicken into slices, put in a pan with olive oil, salt, pepper, sage & paprika & cook till it turns alil brown & crispy. Then make some quick rice or pasta to go with & voila! Also easy I like to make chicken & just put over a salad.
You could also just make your favorite sandwhich and then put it in a pan like a grilled cheese and heat it up/melt the cheese.
A steamer is awesome too, yuou can throw in veggies, chicken or fish and let it steam for a bit and its ready!
Kelly Maguire says:
I can’t wait to read the comments because I am sure there are fabulous suggestions. My personal cooking bible is thescramble.com. There are 2 ways to do this. 1. Buy the cookbook, The Six O’Clock Scramble. 2. Sign-up on line and for $5/month you get a weekly pdf file with 5 recipes that can be made in 30 minutes or less with fewer than 10 ingredients, along with a grocery list organized by category (dairy, produce, etc). I truly only cook from the recipes I accumulated from subscribing for a few years and the cookbook. And, they really are yummy and super easy. It’s a step above opening a can of soup, but stops far short of making your own stock, for example.
I also start cooking at 4:00. It sounds ridiculously early, but I learned this from my SIL with 3 kids. Between interruptions and my own laziness, if I start at 4 dinner is ON the table at 6. Most of the time dinner is ready by 4:30, and then it just sits until we eat, but sometimes, especially if the kids are needy, I need more time.
Good luck!
.-= Kelly Maguire´s last blog ..He’s parenting ME =-.
Vera says:
I wrote a blog post about menu planning a while back: http://verassong.blogspot.com/2009/05/coupons-grocery-shopping-menu-planning.html
You can go to epicurious.com or recipezaar.com and filter recipes by ones that take less than 30 minutes to make. I bet you’ve gotten a ton of great ideas already, just wanted to throw in what I know.
.-= Vera´s last blog ..Onions? =-.
Rebecca says:
Try allrecipes.com
Just type in something like “roast beef” or whatever, it will pull up recipes. Most are easy. As easy as meals are to throw together, with all the already made foods out now, there’s no reason anyone can’t make at least supper every night. http://www.livingondime.com has a bunch of really good, inexpensive recipes that incorporate cooking from scratch. I HAVE to cook from scratch, it would blow my budget to buy ready made things all the time. I wouldn’t wait until your daughter is ready to eat to start meals and meal planning….since you breastfeed, you should be eating nutritiously now and it’s a great time to start. She will only get busier, therefore making you busier. If you learn to prepare some quick easy meals now, it will be so much easier to whip it together when she is more active and needs more attention.
Carolyn says:
Rice cookers are great and make it easy to throw in a grain. You can make a bunch of rice and then save it. The next day, saute in veg. oil with any vegetables you want, some egg, and any leftover meat, and add soy sauce and sesame oil and you have fried rice.
I know you like peanut butter. Cookie magazine had an easy recipe for sesame noodles. Mix together 1/2 cup peanut butter and 1/2 cup Annie’s (!) asian sesame dressing. Cook spaghetti (whole wheat or white) and rinse. Toss spaghetti with peanut butter mixture. It’s good — I like to add broccoli.
What do you like to eat? If you post the types of food you like to eat I am sure everyone can help you.
Expat Mom says:
You know what? If you have anything in the house, you can cook something. My sister and I started writing a cookbook years ago called “What to Cook When There’s Nothing to Cook”, which basically goes over things like white sauce (flour, butter, milk, I kid you not) and super simple pasta sauces.
Pasta, rice or potatoes make your starches, then add chicken, even sauteed and sprinkled with whatever spices you have or even just garlic and lemon juice, and a veggie, carrots cooked in chicken stock (keep powdered on hand), peas with garlic, or a salad. Boom, dinner done.
I actually have a gazillion super fast and easy recipes on my blog, TheGourmetMama.com if you need some.
.-= Expat Mom´s last blog ..My Sick is Not Your Sick =-.
Heather says:
Also, Heather, if you have a Stater Bros. near you, they have this cool thing:
http://www.sb-mb.com/App/index.asp
You not only select what you want for dinner and get a shopping list, but it tells you on what aisle everything is at your local Staters.
Molly says:
Listen to Angel, she speaks the truth! First, I would suggest splitting the responsibility between the two of you so each one of you gets some nights off. Then, whenever you cook, make enough for 3 nights. Et voila! You only have to cook a few nights a week, and you might even enjoy it a little then as a project.
Habits take a while to form, of course, so cut yourself some slack. Tiny goals. It’s good to have staples as well. Like baked chicken. We probably do that a lot. Plop the chicken in there with some olive oil and herbs for 45min at 425, six pieces will do both of us for 3 nights. And we do ravioli pasta with pesto often. Easy and good. So you can cook one mindless staple a week, and then one newish thing per week you might want to try, and with leftovers of each in between it seems so much less of a task. You can get the takeout down to 1-2 times a week pretty quickly.
We also just steam vegetables every night. (Broccoli, zucchini, asparagus, green beans or brussel sprouts). Takes two seconds to prep. Boring, but I miss them when I don’t have them. I admit this is probably made easier because we walk past a store on our way home.
For cookbooks I recommend Mark Bittman’s how to cook everything. He writes for those of us who find cooking intimidating. And I like cookbook writers who reassure me without talking down to me:)
Jennifer H. says:
I could have written that post! I don’t mind cooking (especially if someone else cleans up) but I just don’t know a whole lot of recipes and we always seem to be missing a key ingredient. I found a internet service called Relish and you choose meals for the week (out of a choice of 15) and then print off the recipes and the shopping list, which is organized by section of the store for shopping speed. It wouldn’t be a lie to say this has changed my life (and no, they are not paying me!) We eat really well, I love the recipes and they are easy to make with lots of fresh fruits and veggies, I feel better about this area of my life that before I felt as if I were failing in, and my co-workers have seen my leftovers and think I’m a really good cook! My husband loves that we have not had the same meal in 6 months. The website is relishrelish.com Good luck!
andrea says:
Dear Heather,
buy mc cormicks chicken seasoning and the poultry bag (they come together)
buy chicken legs
put the chicken legs in the bag, add onions, carrots, potatoes, half the seasoning, bake for at least two hours…and you have a great meal (the kids love holding the bone)—– home cooked, easy, no mess meal that the kids really enjoy!
Christina W. says:
Kraft Food and Family has some very easy (like open the box or can and combine) meals. They are delicious and inexpensive! The other thing I suggest is get the “Pillsbury Crock Pot Book”…Very Easy….Very Delicious Meals even Lasagna in the crock pot! Sometimes if I don’t know what to make I go to allrecipes.com and type in the ingredients that I have an I am totally surprised that I can make something out of the random contents of my pantry! And this last comment is not just to make you feel better….it actually happens frequently in my house with 2 kids (4 and 6) we eat Breakfast for Dinner! Sometimes just cold cereal!
Jo says:
My goal is to have one-two good homecooked meal a week. With three boys and all the activities, it’s hard to get us all together. We also have one night each week when a child gets to pick the meal. It’s usually something like corn dogs, but sometimes it’s tacos, lasagna or BBQ ribs! Now that we are doing that, we are almost guaranteed two nights a week to have a home cooked dinner together.
Basically, what I am saying is AIM LOW. Don’t try to make it happen every night and always make a little extra for leftovers. That can cover another night or the leftovers can be turned into a different meal (IE: I made a pork roast the other night and then used the leftovers to make bbq’d pulled pork sandwiches).
.-= Jo´s last blog ..My family =-.
Vaness says:
After 5 years of marriage and one kid, I found a solution: Men’s Health Belly Off Diet! So simple a man can do it. There you just got a two-fer. Home cooked meal plan that’s healthy and your man can make it! You sign up on Men’s Health site. It’s a life saver!
.-= Vaness´s last blog ..What Matters Most: Part I =-.
Daisy says:
I haven’t read through all the comments, so I am not sure if someone mentioned this, but Dream Dinners (or another program like it) may help. You go to one of their facilities, pick from their menu and then make several batches of different meals. Then you take them home and freeze them for later. It might be helpful for those nights when it is 5:30 and you don’t know what to have for dinner.
.-= Daisy´s last blog ..When Ed’s away… =-.
Christy says:
Heather-
I have never commented on your blog before because I simply have not much to offer in the way of advice. I have silently prayed for you and your beautiful family and cried sweet tears for both of your beautiful babies, as well as their mama and daddy. I can however share with you a few tricks I have up my sleeve in this department- I work full time and am the mama of three, but I also feel that meal time is so important- and a showing of love from me to my family. I have found that devoting Friday evening to planning the week’s meals for my family is a huge help! While I plan the menu for the week, I write a grocery list. Then over the weekend, my family and I do the shopping. I do not attempt to be gourmet during the week, but I do try new recipes at times. I find doing a week at a time mentally prepares me for what I need to do. Are there nights that I give up and we eat cereal- yep, that’s life… but at least many nights are filled with homcooked goodness! I will leave you with one quick and easy recipe that my family adores: try it and see if your hubby thinks that same! Oh, and don’t be so hard on yourself- you are amazing!!!
Mexican Chef Salad
Dressing: 1/2 cup vegetable oil, 1/4 cup tomato juice, 1/4 cup lemon juice- combine ingredients and refrigerate.
In skillet brown 1 lb. hamburger, once hamburger is brown and 1 can drained kidney beans- heat through
In salad bowl combine 1/2 head lettuce chopped, 1 large tomato diced (i always add more tomato!), 1/2 onion chopped, 1 1/2 cups diced Velveeta cheese, 1/2 bag cruched Doritos (YUMMY!!)
Mix salad mixture, then add warm hamburger and beans to the top, finally stir dressing mix and pour over the top. Mix well and serve with bread!! DELICIOUS!!!
Stacy says:
Hi Heather! I love to cook and have tons of easy recipes. Feel free to email me if you want some! The handsdown easiest thing EVER though is throw some boneless, skinless chicken breasts into your crockpot. Pepper them, and garlic salt them. Add in 2 or 3 cans of El Pato Tomato Sauce (the YELLOW can, found in the “internation” aisle of your grocery store). Let it cook on low for 6 hours. Remove the chicken and shred (use 2 forks, and just pull, falls apart easily). Put it back in the crockpot and stir to mix in the sauce. Viola! You have meat for chicken tacos. Serve in tortillas with lettuce, cheese, tomatoes…whatever you eat on your tacos. DELISH! AND SUPER EASY! xoxo
Rhonda says:
In Crockpot, throw in a roast, you can trim off fat if you want to. Cut up 1 yellow onion,throw on top of roast, cut up about 3 or 4 medium sized potatoes or you can throw in a few red potatoes (you don’t have to cut them if they are small), throw in a bag of already cut carrots and add a roast seasoning pack and enough water to cover. Cook on low for about 7 or 8 hrs. check water about half way through cooking, add a little more. Serve with Garlic bread and salad. Or by itself, you already have the veggies. Very easy!! Left over roast makes yummy sandwiches, the next day. You can do it, girl!! As for cleaning, you cook, Mike cleans!! When the little one is old enough to stand on a stool and rinse plates and silverware, she can help too. : ) Have fun with it. Casseroles are easy and delish. Look up Pioneer Woman, she has some yummy easy dishes…I love her story, too.
Denise says:
My biggest piece of advice is to check some cook books out from the library, like 20 Minute Meals or from the web (read food is awesome). You don’t want to be overwhelmed by Martha recipes at first.
Follow the recipes, set goals. Okay twice a week I’m going to cook a meal. After a while, when you are more comfortable you will find your way cooking things you like and will soon start improvising!
Also, write down recipes you like, I keep a journal of our family’s favorites if it’s a book I checked out of the library or a recipe I printed so I don’t have to hunt it down every time I want to make it again.
.-= Denise´s last blog ..Desperately Seeking BALANCE… =-.
mom, again says:
7 nights a week.
first of all, clean the refrigerator. So you have a place to put stuff when you come home from the store.
Then, pick which day you are going to go shopping. middle of the week is good, in the morning, when it’s not crowded. My Albertson’s has a starbucks inside, that helps too.
Make your first plans and shopping lists based on recipes you know and habits you already have.
Here’s your meal plan: Day 1 is the day of the shopping, Day 2 and 3 probably should happen within a few days, so the produce hasn’t spoiled. the other days are changeable.
Day 1: Get the roast chicken and ready made side dishes. Later, you can work up to cooking all or some of this yourself. But for now, the new planning/shopping/cooking habit is enough, get the ready made meal.
In fact, for the time being, get bagged salads, ready to microwave bags of fresh veg and other time savers. The basic habit of shopping & cooking is enough for now.
Day 2: make that spaghetti sauce, a great big batch. Have some on pasta, with some vegtables. freeze the rest of the sauce for next week.
Day 3 make the enchiladas, a double batch. eat one, freeze one. (can you use the leftover roast chicken in these? budget cutter!)
Day 4 Elect Mike in charge of dinner one night a week. (cereal if he must, take out if he has to, but he’ll have to improve. See day 7)
Day 5, breakfast for dinner. it’s so much easier to make breakfast when you have all day to do it. I mean, omelets or pancakes, not cereal.
Day 6 Decide that you always eat out on one night. Taco Tuesday or whatever. OR, aren’t your parents in the area? Sunday Supper at mom’s is a good plan. Especially if she sends leftovers home with you.
Day 7 ‘new recipe night’. This should be on the weekend, so you BOTH can work on it. Bonding. Yeah, that’s it. MOre joint shopping or farmers marketing may be involved here. When you find something you like well enough to repeat, add it to the line-up.
While you are in the learning phase: the demonstration table at trader joe’s is a good place to learn about easy meal ideas. I’d stop there on my way home from culinary school, wearing my chefs whites, with a plan, and sometimes put it all back in favor of the demo items. The demo dude loved seeing that!
It might take you more than a week just to get the shopping list for this first week organized. Don’t let that stop you.
Repeat the process the next week. Go ahead and cook the spaghetti sauce, and freeze it all, now you have two weeks worth and you can use those cooking days to make something else for the freezer. Ditto for the enchiladas. These frozen meals will tide you over on days when you can’t be bothered to cook something new, or just carry you through two more weeks without cooking on pasta night or enchilada night.
Don’t worry about repeating the same meals week after week, you are already doing that with cereal, afterall. At first, knowing that Monday is chicken and tuesday is pasta and wednesday is … will eliminate the what, so you only have to deal with the how. Gradually, your cycle will grow to bi-weekly repitition, then monthly, then to a less regulated method. Or not. Maybe you are one of those families content to repeat meals quite often in favor of putting your planning energies to use elsewhere. No problem.
also: look at the websites ‘like mother, like daughter’ & ‘home ec 101’ I think both have done how-to series on meal planning. Or, contact me and we’ll have some fun, I’m down in Orange County and happy to drive up and give lessons!
Dawn says:
Just came across this website and thought of you.
http://mawhats4dinner.com
.-= Dawn´s last blog ..Relax…everything will be JUST fine =-.
Della says:
“People with tiny children do this all the time, right?”
Yeah, but I’m not one of them.
Of these four options:
(1) pay attention to my children (i mean really spend time with them beyond just being in the same room and making sure they don’t kill themselves and are fed and diapered)
(2) clean house
(3) do my work from home clerical work
(4) make a real dinner that involves more than heat-n-eat.
…pick two.
I wish I was one of those supermoms, but I’m not, and I can’t. Pick which two are important to you today, and then maybe we can shift to two different ones tomorrow.
In the meantime… chicken nuggets for dinner!
.-= Della´s last blog ..Maybe you’d better check for that, too =-.
Wendy says:
kraftfoods.com has been a life saver for me heather! great recipes! simple not gourmet but the feelings of gourmet when you are done. i love love love this website for trying new things. you can even put in your ingredients you have in your pantry and viola! there are some recipes for you to make with those items! good luck to you in the kitchen!!
Tracy says:
Someone else (maybe more than one someone – I didn’t read all the comments) mentioned the Saving Dinner Cookbook. This cookbook is my lifeline. I have been using this cookbook to plan my weekly menu for a good 6 months now and love it. It’s divided by season with many weeks for each season. Once a week I open the cookbook, browse the recipies and make a list. Sometimes I sub if there’s something that doesn’t sound good – but mostly I fix everything on the list. I love that she does a fish meal, a vegetarian meal and a crock-pot meal each week. And, everything is relatively healthy which is nice. I’ve got 2 young kids (3 1/2 & and they eat MOST of what I cook using this.
Another favorite of mine that I haven’t used in a while is Kraft Food & Family. There is a magazine – which used to be free, but I think is a paid subscription now – and a website. This has quick, tasty things – they all use Kraft products (with a little planning you can substitute and switch things up). I’ve gotten away from using so many packaged, prepared food items in favor of more “whole” foods – so haven’t been using this as much.
Good luck! I haven’t found a mom yet that doesn’t struggle with the whole meal planning thing.
Al_Pal says:
Wow, bookmarked this; so many comments!
We’re pretty lazy, too, but instead of cereal or take-out, usually we have sandwiches or salads or scrambles.
Frozen veg = awesome.
Canned goods = awesome.
Sometimes I’ll make pasta with jarred sauce & add extra veg, sometimes if I’m really ambitious I’ll make it from scratch with tomato paste, plenty of bell peppers & onion….leftovers of this sauce can be added to chili!
Also: quiche! As long as y’all don’t have a cholesterol problem, quiche is an amazing, easy, delicious way to go! (It’s yummiest with whole eggs and half&half!) Frozen or refrigerated pie shells make it super-easy.
Just throw in meat, cheese, veg, and top with the egg/dairy mixture; place in oven. Leftovers make great quiche, too–I’ve done it with chili, and also with Chinese food!
Grilled [whatever] + salad is a great way to go, too.
GL!