What are your dinner hours/evenings like
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What are your dinner hours/evenings like
| Tue, 11-08-2005 - 3:47pm |
I'm a full-time working mom (have to work), and I always think how much better dinner hour and evenings would be if I were a stay at home mom. Just wanted to know if it's true? What are dinner hours like in your house? Maybe I'll pick up a tip or two.
TIA,
Kat

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Well, around here things could be better lol. Even though I'm home, dinner is still a mad rush. We tend to eat late (7 pm-ish)
Dd has snacks in the afternoon after her nap, and once I'm done cleaning, and preping dinner, and then dh gets home, we usually hang out for a bit, then cook dinner. We are finished and cleaned up by 8pm, then on with the rest of our night.
I do have to add, that dh is normaly off work at 3:30pm, but the last few months he's been working until around 6:30pm. He prefers to do most of the cooking, so if I know what we are having, then I can chop and prepare the ingredients, or start it if I'm feeling brave enough lol.
I would like to eat earlier, but even when he's home on time, something else always comes up, and dinner is on the table at a later hour. But it does work for us, we are all used to it now!
Hey Kat,
I imagine with todays on the go society that it is pretty similar wether you are a Sahm or a work out of the home mom.
We are homeschoolers so a very large part of our day is in the school room. Something I find that helps me a lot is doing pre-dinner preparations. I might cut vegetables or do any prepping while the kids are having lunch. This might be something you could do in the morning if you have the time. I also love double cooking. For instance If I am making meatloaf I might also make meatballs at the same time since some of the ingredients are similar. For quick dinners there is nothing easier than reheating meatballs and cooking some quick angel hair pasta to go along with it.
You might also have one of your kids or all of them pre-set the dinner table before they go to school, that can help save a little time.
In my opinion one of moms best friends is the Crock pot! Just putting some things in the crock pot and knowing dinner will be done without much fuss can be such a relief. Fall is a great time for crock pot cooking and comfort meals. Just let me know if you need any recipes and I will be glad to post some links for you.
Good luck and I hope this can help some.
Traci
Hi Kat! I agree with Traci. Even tho I'm an AHM with 2 kids in school all day, I still find dinner time to be chaotic. The girls get off the bus at 4 pm (dh gets home at 3:30) so starting around then, things get crazy. It is the after school/work activities that make our days hectic. So, a couple of things I like to do, is use my crockpot as well. I love it!! You can do so many things in them. You'd be surprised. Pick up a nice crockpot book next time you're in Wal-Mart. Also, if you can spare the time, take a weekend and premake lots of different things. I spent an entire day this fall making about 12 dozen meatballs. You can then use them for various things: meatball subs, sweet and sour meatballs, etc. Also, make a double batch of cookie dough next time you are baking and freeze half. Then, when the kids don't have any treats or you need something quick for a bake sale or treat at school - voila!! Fresh baked cookies!! Yummy! If you are making lasagna, double the recipe. Freeze one. You're good to go, next time dh says - hey, I invited the boss over for dinner!! No prob - you are 1/2 done already.
Hope I've helped. If I think of anything else, I'll let you know....
Wendy,
mom to Katie (9) and Molly (6)
Does your family like breakfast for dinner? Mine does, so when we make pancakes, waffles or french toast, we always make extras and freeze them flat on a cookie sheet. Once frozen, store in a ziploc and keep in the freezer. Then all you have to do is make sausage and/or bacon and you have a quick dinner. Also, my youngest dd eats them for any meal - I think it is because she can make it herself. All she has to do is take them out and microwave them.
If you are browning ground beef, just do extra. That way you just take the pre-browned meat out of the freezer and make you casserole or tacos (or whatever). Saves lots of time!! You can use the same concept for boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Just cook some extras and freeze them. Then you can make fajitas, casseroles, chicken salad for sandwiches, etc. Just having the meat pre-cooked saves tons of time, and clean-up!!
I also have a great recipe for some tasty rolls. Once they are made you freeze them. Then just heat and serve when you are ready. They go great with spaghetti, soup, stew, etc. Let me know if you are interested - I'd be happy to post it for you.
Wendy
Wendy,
I'd love to have the recipe for your rolls! I have been looking for a good recipe for homemade rolls. Please post it when you have a chance!
By the way, can you come to my house and pre-cook some food for me?!
Wendy I too would love your roll recipe! Baking breads is a hobby of mine and I love trying new recipes for them.
Thanks!
Traci
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Here you go Marissa! Welcome again to the board. I have a ton of sites so let me know if this is not enough! As you can see I use my crockpot ALOT! lol Just let me know if you are looking for something specific and I would be glad to help.
http://www.kraftfoods.com/kf/ff/feature/rbe/SlowCookers.htm
http://southernfood.about.com/library/crock/blcpidx.htm
http://chefmom.com/recipebox/Specialties/Slow_Cooker/
http://www.ebicom.net/kitchen/page/cpidx.htm
http://www.stretcher.com/stories/970821c.cfm
http://www.recipelink.com/rcpcp.html
http://www.bowhunting.net/susieq/crock.htm
http://crockpot.cdkitchen.com/recipes/
http://www.justslowcooking.com/
I just read my post and I like to use the phrase "i also."
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