Sunday, March 29, 2009

This mommy needs your help!

In preparation of me starting school, I am looking for some make-ahead meals that I can tuck into the freezer or good slowcooker recipes. This is where you come in. I already have a couple, but I need more! As many as you can think of!! In between being home all day, then going off to work at my grandparents' business for a few hours between work and school and then heading off to school until 10:00 at night, I need things that I can pop in the oven for David and the kids to make they always have something ready for dinner when I'm not there. It will probably only be 2 or 3 days a week that I will need to use these meals, but I want to get ready.
So, if you have some tasty make-ahead or slowcooker meals, please share them with me (and anyone else that may be interested)

Don't forget to leave the following:
**For make-ahead freezer stored meals - the recipe, how to store it, how long and what temp to cook it at, if it needs to thaw before placing in the oven and if it should be cooked covered or uncovered.
**For slowcooker meals - the recipe, how long and how high to cook it.

Thanks for the help! I appreciate it!

**Edited to add: David does know how to cook! I just thought I would make things a little easier on him then to have to try and cook dinner, clean up and then get the kids in the tub before bed time. I know it's tricky for even me to get all of that done with only one parent home so I can only imagine how it might be for him. It's not like he has daddy-only duty during the evening very often and when he does, it's usually after dinner and baths and just before or just after bedtime. **

9 comments:

EDH said...

I have a great slow cooker cookbook whose name escapes me, but I can look it up for you if you want. But what I was really going to suggest is - show David how to cook if he doesn't do it already! Seth does at least half (probably more) of the cooking in our house and it's wonderful - even more so now that I am a working mom! You shouldn't have to do EVERYTHING around the house, right? :)

EDH said...

P.S. Oops, forgot to say CONGRATS on going back to school! That's very exciting!

kristine said...

Liz, I totally had to laugh at this. David does know how to cook. ;-) I was just trying to think of ways to make it a little easier. I didn't think of it looking that way. I went back and added a little note saying teh same thing. LOL. But I do agree that I shouldn't have to do everything around the house and thankfully, I dont have to. He's really good about helping out arounf the house.

Rebecca said...

I like to throw a roast, a can of tomatoes, carrots, chopped onions, and potatoes into the cooker on low all day. Yum.

EDH said...

Oh, that's good! I don't let my poor husband off the hook very often, so you are very nice to want to help David out. I bet after just one day of doing all the parent duties, he will think you are pretty darn amazing (even more than he already does) for doing them every day! :)

Anonymous said...

If you use a slow cooker, they now make slow cooker bags to place in the slow cooker so that when the food is done and eaten, clean up is a breeze. I have use them and love them. And if you want, if you have leftovers, you can pull the bag out, put a twisty tie on it and put in the frig. or freezer.

Anti-Supermom said...

I know this isn't what you are looking for - but any meal prep store is a great option for you. It's actually really cheap when you are able to split it up, especially being just David.

Breakdown the cost, it's might just make sense for you.

For me, I make dinner after I make lunch for the kiddos, it's worked out perfectly. Otherwise, I cook something on Sunday night for Monday night's meal.

Have fun in school - what you are doing is so awesome,

PS - bloggy looks great~

Jill said...

I have a few (and the bonus is they are all healthy/WW friendly!
Crockpot salsa chicken:
• spray crockpot with pam
• put 4 frozen chicken breasts in the bottom (if they are those huge ones, maybe just 3 or whatever you can get to fit)
• sprinkle taco seasoning over the frozen chicken breasts
• dump a jar of salsa over that
• Cook on low all day (8 hours)
Pull chicken out and shred it up. Put back in crockpot and add 1/4 cup light sour cream and stir it all up.
We will eat this as tacos, over rice, or just over lettuce with other condiments to make taco salad.

Another make ahead we like:
http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=224926
and another: (we make these ahead of time and freeze them. Then, just pop in oven for 20 minutes to cook..right from frozen)
http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=642282

another: (this makes a bunch and we freeze in tupperware. take out the night before and then just microwave for a quick meal)
http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1823370

Here is a link to make ahead freezer recipes. (If you can't tell...i LOVE myrecipes.com. You can store all of your favorites in there and have them all in 1 spot to lookup)

Good luck and congrats on going back to school!

Jill said...

forgot that link...
http://www.myrecipes.com/recipes/calendar/0,30311,1717017,00.html