Now that I am working again full time I can see myself going the take out or convience food route way too often. What do you all do when you get home and just don't feel like cooking? I will be home around 3:45, and we usually eat by 5pm

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I like having a soup and sandwich night. And my kids love it. I also make extra mashed potatoes and freeze them. I know there are many freezer friendly recipes, you might look into that. Planning ahead would probably be one of the best things you could do.

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~jen~

I agree, check out the freezer forum it has a ton of wonderful recipes. I would also get familar with your crock pot if you arent already. There are so many different meals that you can throw together on your way out the door. Also double up on meals for leftovers or to turn into completely different meals. One of our favorites is tacos one night (seasoned or unseasoned taco meat). Than a day or two later, taco meat and one box of au gratin potatoes, throw in a casserole dish and bake. I really like to find recipes like that.

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Use a saturday and make a whole lot of items that can be frozen.
I normally double or tripple up on the same dish - as its the same amout of effort. Then just pop those dishes in the freezer.
I also buy fresh veg from the grocery ( cheapest option here) and cook or pre cook it up and then freeze it.
The fact that everything in my freezer is in the family size portion makes it very easy to cook.

1. Use your crockpot (roast, chili, soups, etc)
2. Grilled cheese and tomato soup
3. Spaghetti and goulash are cheap, fast and easy.
4. Homemade pizza using crust from a can.

Flatten raw chicken breasts to 1/2" thick (sandwich between wax paper and go at it with a rolling pin) and then freeze half of them raw. Cook up the other half, cut into strips and freeze like that. When you come home from work, throw the raw breasts into the micro to defrost - they'll only take a few minutes b'c they're so thin. Cooking them takes less time b'c they're all equal thickness. The pre-cooked chx strips are great to use in something really quick. Chicken parmesan, quesadillas, fajitas, casseroles, soups, salads, etc. Cuts preparation time into mere minutes. The other day I threw one chicken breast onto the george foreman, made up a noodle side dish on the stove and nuked a can of veggies and dinner was done (from chicken in the freezer to on the plate) in 10 minutes. Also, because the chicken is flattened out thinner, it goes further. I can feed the 3 of us with one decent size chicken breast - portion control is easier and the chicken is always tender, juicy and very flavorful.

Precook your hamburger and portion it for meals before freezing. Again, you can have spaghetti dinner in the time it takes to make noodles (grab a thinner spaghetti noodle to decrease your prep time even more). Just nuke a package of pre-cooked hamburger, add sauce and heat through in the microwave.

Precooking things and having them ready to grab out of the freezer makes my life in the kitchen so much easier and quicker. And having them precooked also means that I can portion out for meals a lot easier. I was always cooking a whole pound of burger for spaghetti, when realistically, a half a pound is more than plenty (I always add a can of small diced tomatoes to my sauce to spruce it up a bit anyway). I portion less than I think I'll need and have never come up short wishing that I had added in more.

Use versatile ingredients. I rarely buy spaghetti. Instead, I buy rotini pasta or rigatoni. I can make more versatile dishes with those pastas than with spaghetti. Cook up a whole pound and save some in the fridge for a chicken alfredo dish later in the week. Throw them into a crockpot of soup in the last few minutes, just to warm through.

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Breakfast 4 Dinner is the meal I turn to when time is of the essence. I always have pancake mix and eggs on hand. The prep time is under 5 minutes, cook time is less than 10.

I know exactly where you are coming from. Work all day and come home only to work some more. I do use my crock pot quite often. The thing I like most is Chicken tacos, throw a couple chicken breasts in the crockpot with some salsa and taco seasoning and come home to a yummy meal. I have a small crockpot that I use all the time for these. It only takes a few minutes to fix some rice or beans or we love taco dip too. I have been on a huge mexican craze lately, so we have also had chicken fajitas, banquet or maybe it is tyson sells a packaged meal. I personally don't think it is enough for 4 people unless you have 2 small children but since my kids are 11 and 14 , it isn't enough. So I just cut up a couple chicken breasts, add some peppers and onions or whatever i have(last time it was a frozen bag of veggies that had corn, baby corn, broccoli and carrots) and throw it in the skillet too. I haven't gone wrong yet, even the corn ones were good. We also do breakfast for dinner, like tonight! Some nights it is more elaborate, like eggs, sausage or bacon, hash browns and biscuits w/gravy, other nights, when I am tired, like tonight, eggs and toast. Dh is a serious carnivore so he throws a can of corned beef hash in the microwave to go with the eggs and toast.

That is my biggest gripe about being a working mom, having to deal with dinner and clean up first thing after work!

A few things I do, is if possible, keep a few items (2 or 3) in the refrigerated to defrost. Then we make enough food for leftovers 2x a week.

I am usually not that ahead of the game so I typically end up taking something out as soon as I get home. I put ground meat or chicken or pork steaks in a container of hot water to defrost. I get out everything I need for dinner while its defrosting. For example, I'll start a box of rice, or start slicing and boiling potatoes, I start cooking fresh or frozen veggies, and once all that is started, I prepare the meat and stick it in the oven! Usually everything is finished at the same time.

Recently I have been making chix parm. I bake plain chix breasts in tomato sauce in the oven, and when its about done, I turn off the oven and put a piece of provolone cheese on it. I get everyone sitting at the table with drinks and by the time i pull it out of the oven, the cheese is melted. ANd I put it over noodles.

Another of my favorites is chicken and rice meal. I put 2 pieces of chicken in water to dethaw and start a box of broccoli au gratin rice on the stove. Then I go back to the chicken which is usually still a bit frozen, but it makes it much easier to cut into cubes. I saute it in the pan with Pam or a little oil and I use curry to season the meat (u can use anything really). Once the chicken is finished and the rice is too, I mix it all together and add a can of chicken gravy and cook it just for a few more minutes. Sometimes I add broccoli florets (I microwave them for a few minutes and add them to the rice)

My meals usually take about a half hour to make. We try to buy easy things and have a balanced meal (meat, starch and veggie).

Its easier said than done. Its really something you have to get yourself in the hang of doing consistently.

Good luck, let us know if you find any good quick recipes!

I have one i like to use alot:
I peel up potatoes and cut them into slices or chunks, use as many potatoes as you think you would need for your family. I slice up a ring of smoked sausage or Keilbasa, and throw all of it into a nonstick electric frying pan with a little bit of water, cover and let cook, stirring occasionally to keep the sausage from burning. I can usually find the smoked sausage or Kielbasa for under $4.00 per package,even cheaper when on sale w/ a coupon.

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