There was a comment yesterday about the way we all cook differently. I know I have a tendency to think everyone should do things the way I do but really, with cooking, I just wish you would try it. If planning meals for a week or so in advance is something you’ve never done, it is probably going to seem terribly difficult at first but oh, my . . it’s so easy.
I responded to a comment yesterday stating that I was one who used to stop at the grocery store every day on the way home from work and try to decide what I was going to cook for dinner. Basically, I worked all day, stopped at the grocery store, bought what I needed for that night’s dinner, cooked, cleaned the kitchen and it was time for bed.
Now, we have really good meals and I truly do not spend much time in the kitchen. Here’s an example:
Sunday I fixed a chuck roast using the Mississippi Pot Roast recipe. If Vince was here eating every day, this is what I would do:
Monday: Grill chicken (and grill extra)
Tuesday: Using some of the leftover roast, add potatoes and onion and make hash.
Wednesday: Using leftover chicken, make a creamy chicken sauce to serve over pasta. This is a great recipe but usually, I just put garlic in a skill with butter, then add the sliced chicken breasts, pour a bit of cream into the skillet and add parmesan cheese. Done! Serve over pasta with a salad and bread.
Thursday: Open face roast beef sandwiches with cheese, chips and pickle spears.
Friday: Pizza using leftover grilled chicken.
Those are all really good meals and none of them seem like leftovers because it’s all been disguised as something different from what you originally had.
Also, I try to make some things that I can freeze so every fourth week, we eat out of the freezer. No real cooking but maybe heating up a veggie and making a salad.
This is my fourth week. Monday I had leftover soup from the weekend.
Tuesday: Beef stew from the freezer.
Wednesday: Cabbage rolls from the freezer.
Thursday: Mexican casserole from the freezer.
Friday: Stuffed peppers from the freezer.
I eat my main meal at lunch. Friday evening Addie will be here so for the next week, our menu will be beanie weenie, mac & cheese and chicken strips . . every day! 🙂
You don’t have to cook the way I cook but think about things you can cook that you can have more than once – less time in the kitchen means more fun time to do other things.
Becky Rhodes says
How do you cook your chicken strips?
Judy Laquidara says
I have a toaster oven here that’s also an air fryer so if I’m making just a few, I stick them in there. Otherwise, I cook them in the oven with convection.
Elle says
I don’t cook nearly as creatively as you do however, I totally agree. I spend an entire weekend every 3 months cooking proteins for the freezer: 3# of taco meat, 3# of Italian meat, 6# of roast for shredded beef, 6# of smoked pork butt for shredded pork. Adding veggies, salad, pasta, bread, tortillas makes a mountain of meals. If the protein is cooked I can whip up anything in 30 minutes. I shop for fresh veg every 2-3 weeks.
Chicken and fish I cook fresh (with extra chicken) as they are both done quickly. Each night after dinner we decide what tomorrow’s dinner will be.
Covid has us out of restaurants which we were accustomed to doing 2-3x/week. I’m glad I’ve had this protein habit for years as it’s made cooking every single day much easier.
I do hope others will hop on board to make meals less stressful!
Donna Williams says
I do the same. If I added it up, I probably spent years in the kitchen. If you have small children or grandchildren that was time I could spend with them. Mine are grown now so it’s time I can spend with the grandkids or doing other things. And can I just add how helpful the instant pot and air fryer are? Last night Louis wanted mashed potatoes so it was potatoes into the instant pot and after warmup and 8 minutes, add the stuff you want, mash and done. This method of cooking ahead has been a life changer.
sheryl says
It sounds so yummy
Nelle Coursey says
I wish I had more counter space in my kitchen, it is what you would call a one butt kitchen. Only one person at a time working in there! But since it is so small all you have to do is turn around and get what you need!
Judy Laquidara says
That’s about the way my Texas kitchen is.
Sherrill says
Love the Mississippi pot roast..one easy freezer meal is making bread dough,cut like you would for buns and stuffing the left over pot roast ,shredded, inside and bake..meat buns that are easy to warm up for a quick lunch
Judy Laquidara says
Oh, that sounds great. Thanks!
Diana G says
I think its an excellent Idea as its what I do . My hubs is an over the road truck driver; his run is from point A to point B and back daily. His run starts @ 1:30 in the afternoon and can go as late as 2 am. So I fix large meals to have to freeze then take them out as needed for his lunch/dinner or my dinner. I cook extra chicken or roasts, pork to make various meals. Its handy and more time I can spend doing other things.
April Reeves says
I will occasionally plan on sunday, shop, and prep some. What gets me is that I don’t do this every sunday as we are busy doing something else or I just don’t feel like it. So it is the consistency that kills me.
By the way, something is still not going correct in my pie crust. I’ll be emailing you but it might require a phone call.