As a full-time working mom (which means I work 40-50 hours outside the home, which classifies me in my own words as a More-Than Full Time Working Wonder Woman (and to clarify, I think most moms, regardless of where they work, work a 16 hour day, at least! and I think we are ALL Wonder Women)) a good week starts with me getting to spend a few hours in the kitchen on Sunday getting ready for the week.
Well, it actually starts with the list on Saturday morning over coffee. What’s in the fridge, the freezer, the cupboard… what does the week look like? Any nights I will be out for the evening with board meetings, etc… I put together the list of meals, what nights I intend to make them on and finally… what do I need to pick up at the store. It’s a delicate balance between what amazing new recipe did I come across last week – that I am thrilled to make – and most likely have no ingredients for… versus… what have I got stocked-piled that I can frugally make?
Getting a jump start on the week means more quality time focused on helping the kiddos with homework. More face to face time with Fab!Hubby cause neither one of us is stuck in the kitchen cleaning up. It also helps us put more in the vacation fund cause I put away some warm-up, healthy lunches Fab!Hubby and I can grab on the way out the door in the morning.
For anyone out there who is thinking about starting this tradition… my 2 suggestions are:
- Get a good bottle of wine and have a glass or 2… you are gonna be the kitchen for a bit… might as well enjoy it.
- Put on a good pair of supportive shoes. I know it sounds crazy… but most kitchens are tile and that’s hard on your feet and you won’t stick with the habit for long if when it’s all said and done – your feet are yelling at you.
And my 3rd and not are strong suggestion is to turn up the music… get the family involved… it can be fun!
So on the menu this week?
- Spicy Shrimp and Grits – Shrimp and Cherry tomatoes served over grits. I have the shrimp in the freezer and picked up the grits and tomatoes at the farmers market. This is a 2o minute meal I will make the night of.
- Meatloaf with Parmesan, Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes. Picked up all the ingredients… this was Sunday Family dinner meal with enough left overs to serve again this week.
- Curry Veggies over Qunioa for lunches… its a a recipe I throw in all the left over veggies I have from the week before.
- Wednesdays = Pizza Movie night – a night off from cooking and dishes mid way through week.
- Quiche – Cause I have gone a little nutty with the egg purchases lately and I have ready made pie crust that is calling to me to make something obscene like chocolate cream pie with whipped cream with (maybe next weekend I will give into temptation.)
- Homemade granola or peanut-butter bread for breakfast. I cook up a whole mess of bacon and stick in the fridge for a quick zap in the microwave in the mornings. (my boys have decided they want MEAT! with their breakfast)
So that’s the menu… I will be posting my recipes for all of these coming up this week… stay tuned… yummy stuff to come!
… and have amazing, wonderful, successful, peaceful weeks!
I love Oats! I think they are one of God’s greatest gift to man, woman and child-kind alike… and in honor of one of my favorite oatmeal companies (I liked them before I got written into the Quaker Book of Friends) Quaker Oats giving $50,000 to end hunger in the US, I am sharing some of my fav oat recipes.
