Sunday, April 8, 2012

Too Busy To Cook??

No way.  I don't believe it.  How can you be too busy to cook?  Of course, this is coming from someone who would spend all day, every day in the kitchen if possible. I love to cook.  However, I do know how it is to work all day and come home and have to cook a meal.  I admit, sometimes I don't cook after I've been working all day but my daughter and I do have home cooked meals 95% of the time.

Here's what I do.  Cook extra.  Pretty simple but effective.  If I know that I'm going to be making a dinner that we both really enjoy, I make extra.  That way, if I'm running short on time, we have left overs that I know are delicious and healthy instead of grabbing something on the way home.

Another thing that helps on these busy days is my slow cooker.  LOVE IT!  I used to be a slow cooker snob.  I literally looked down my nose at people who used a slow cooker like they were somehow cheating in the kitchen.  WOW!  That was until I was at Walmart and they had a slow cooker on sale for $15 that came with 3 different sized bowls to use with it.  I thought "What the hell..." and I was in love from the very first time I used it.

If you have a slow cooker, I definitely suggest using it on those days when you know you won't want to be in the kitchen after a long day of...well...life..

I also suggest checking into Freezer Meals for slow cookers.  I recently found a blog that has so many great freezer meals. Below, I will post a favorite of mine that I've found on her site, mamaandbabylove.com.

Chicken Curry
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 tablespoons curry powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1.5-2 pounds chicken thighs, or breasts, cut into 1 inch pieces.
2 cups chopped peeled sweet potatoes.
2 cups baby carrots.
2 cup coarsely chopped mango.  Or 2 cans of chopped mango.
1 cup chopped onion.
1 zucchini chopped, about one cup.
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 chicken bouillon, one per bag.
.5 cup raisins (for garnish)
.5 cup peanuts or cashews (for garnish)
Dump everything into two, one gallon freezer bags, shake it up, seal, label and put in the freeze.
To cook, take out of freezer and set on counter for about 30 minutes, then dump contents of bag into slow cooker. Cook on high for 4 hours, or low for 8 hours.

I've tried quite a few of her recipes and they really are good.  I'm going grocery shopping tomorrow so I'll be stocking up on more items to do freezer cooking.

Hope you enjoy these meals that she's shared and I really hope you find that there's always time to cook a delicious, healthy meal for your family!





Thank you, again, to mamaandbabylove.com!!

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