What's your greatest challenge with getting dinner ready?

[mikahpfox]

Work, school runs, after school activities all demand so much of our time!

How do you manage dinner time at home?

[Anonymous]

The biggest challenge for me is finding a way to keep my children occupied so I can actually function in the kitchen. I try to remember to bring my youngest into the kitchen with me with a book or toy, BEFORE all hell breaks out in the other room instead of after.

[Anonymous]

Time was the biggest thing. We get home at 6 and I want dinner by 6:30. But I have a collection of about 10 or 12 quick, easy dishes that we rotate through on weeknights (including crock pot recipes). I get more elaborate about cooking on the weekends.

[Anonymous]

Having ingredients on hand.

There's lots you can do in a half an hour or so but unless I sit down and plan, I won't have everything I need. IF I spend a half hour on Sunday planning meals for the entire week and then go shopping, I find I have no problem getting dinner on the table.

Also agree about the crockpot -- it's invaluable on those nights when there are sports practices, lessons, etc.

[Anonymous]

Can either of the PPs share some of these quick recipes? Before I had kids I cooked a lot, but it was always long and complicated. I'm having trouble coming up with quick meals (aside from pasta w/sauce, salad with rotisserie chicken, beans and rice). I generally try to make meals that have leftovers (and make big portions, DH is a big guy). I also have a picky preschooler...

TIA

[Anonymous]

During the week, the serious dip in morale looking at the pile of dishes from the LAST time I got dinner ready is my greatest challenge.

I'm a single parent here, though I suspect this is by no means an exclusive phenomenon.

So I cook and shop by food group: carb, protein, veggie. It helps my mental health and I just wash the big pan or see what I can microwave out of the above if the pile's just too high.

[Anonymous]

planning the meals

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can either of the PPs share some of these quick recipes? Before I had kids I cooked a lot, but it was always long and complicated. I'm having trouble coming up with quick meals (aside from pasta w/sauce, salad with rotisserie chicken, beans and rice). I generally try to make meals that have leftovers (and make big portions, DH is a big guy). I also have a picky preschooler...

TIA

not app, but if you're a good cook (competent with basic skills and timing) you should be able to assemble a short list pretty quickly. Here are 3 of mine:

1. grilled glazed flank steak with asparagus (though I just steam asparagus, dont use the glaze on it): http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Grilled-Glazed-Steak-and-Asparagus-242297. Serve with microwaved baked potato. DC gets raw carrots instead of asparagus, but likes the steak and potato.
2. quesadillas: chop and saute til soft red peppers, green peppers, onions, other veges if I feel like it. place inside tortilla shell with canned refried beans (nuked for heat) and shredded cheese, fold over, brown outside of tortilla shell, serve with salsa and avocado. Can add leftover chicken or steak, and can leave various ingredients out or sub for little ones - mine will eat deli turkey and cheese in a tortilla.
3. anything with chicken breast cutlets. tonight dust with flour, S&P, pan fry, deglaze pan with white wine or vermouth, lemon juice and a little butter for sauce, maybe some chopped parsley or capers. serve with egg noodles and wilted spinach that I do in the same pan after the sauce comes out (and add a splash of lemon juice). DC loves this and will eat leftovers.

would love to see others!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can either of the PPs share some of these quick recipes? Before I had kids I cooked a lot, but it was always long and complicated. I'm having trouble coming up with quick meals (aside from pasta w/sauce, salad with rotisserie chicken, beans and rice). I generally try to make meals that have leftovers (and make big portions, DH is a big guy). I also have a picky preschooler...

TIA

not app, but if you're a good cook (competent with basic skills and timing) you should be able to assemble a short list pretty quickly. Here are 3 of mine:

1. grilled glazed flank steak with asparagus (though I just steam asparagus, dont use the glaze on it): http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Grilled-Glazed-Steak-and-Asparagus-242297. Serve with microwaved baked potato. DC gets raw carrots instead of asparagus, but likes the steak and potato.
2. quesadillas: chop and saute til soft red peppers, green peppers, onions, other veges if I feel like it. place inside tortilla shell with canned refried beans (nuked for heat) and shredded cheese, fold over, brown outside of tortilla shell, serve with salsa and avocado. Can add leftover chicken or steak, and can leave various ingredients out or sub for little ones - mine will eat deli turkey and cheese in a tortilla.
3. anything with chicken breast cutlets. tonight dust with flour, S&P, pan fry, deglaze pan with white wine or vermouth, lemon juice and a little butter for sauce, maybe some chopped parsley or capers. serve with egg noodles and wilted spinach that I do in the same pan after the sauce comes out (and add a splash of lemon juice). DC loves this and will eat leftovers.

would love to see others!

Yum, can't wait to try this.