As of Monday 2nd March Mr MC&W will be starting a new job in London Town, for some reason I always want to sing the "Windy City" song from Calamity Jane when I think of the new job, now you can all sing it in your head or google what I am talking about.
We have been lucky for the last 3 years he has only worked five miles away from our home. But Mr MC&W was head hunted, after a lot and I mean a lot of talking (and a few bottls of wine) about short term losses and long term goals we decided to go for it. With two young children one who is Autistic and a Type 1 Diabetic there was a lot to consider.
With this all in mind I know that I am going to have to reconsider how I cook. We need food that can either sit in the oven for an hour while I put the boys to bed and if the trains are running late will not ruin or that I can put in the slow cooker in the morning or something that can be made in twenty mins that I can pre prepare veggies for etc.
Step one is to research slow cooker recipes. I have a love hate affair with my slow cooker as I was discussing a while ago on twitter. Everything I cook tastes kind of the same and I have had some hilarious disasters do not mention slow cooker lasagna or soup I should say.
Step two to look at recipes in a different way, can I prepare before hand and cook quickly later on. Can I freeze it and make batches. I know that it takes me ages cutting veggies up so pre preparing will aid the speed of a twenty min meal.
Step three love my freezer this will be in two ways. One will be batch cooking, I have never really done this other than when our first was born and I had some time. Such as batch cooking of Bologniase sauce and freeze as it can be used in a huge variety of meals. Again I will read recipes and think can I freeze this or part of this. I have some test fish cakes in the freezer to see how they come out then I can pop them in the oven while I prepare the rest of the meal.
The second part of love my freezer is to freeze things I use all the time and need in handfuls such as onions, garlic, peppers, boxes of mashed pots if I can just grab what I need a handful of I am, sure its going to make everything simpler.
So here we go my next meal plan I am sure will be just salad and jacket potatoes......
We have been lucky for the last 3 years he has only worked five miles away from our home. But Mr MC&W was head hunted, after a lot and I mean a lot of talking (and a few bottls of wine) about short term losses and long term goals we decided to go for it. With two young children one who is Autistic and a Type 1 Diabetic there was a lot to consider.
With this all in mind I know that I am going to have to reconsider how I cook. We need food that can either sit in the oven for an hour while I put the boys to bed and if the trains are running late will not ruin or that I can put in the slow cooker in the morning or something that can be made in twenty mins that I can pre prepare veggies for etc.
Step one is to research slow cooker recipes. I have a love hate affair with my slow cooker as I was discussing a while ago on twitter. Everything I cook tastes kind of the same and I have had some hilarious disasters do not mention slow cooker lasagna or soup I should say.
Step two to look at recipes in a different way, can I prepare before hand and cook quickly later on. Can I freeze it and make batches. I know that it takes me ages cutting veggies up so pre preparing will aid the speed of a twenty min meal.
Step three love my freezer this will be in two ways. One will be batch cooking, I have never really done this other than when our first was born and I had some time. Such as batch cooking of Bologniase sauce and freeze as it can be used in a huge variety of meals. Again I will read recipes and think can I freeze this or part of this. I have some test fish cakes in the freezer to see how they come out then I can pop them in the oven while I prepare the rest of the meal.
The second part of love my freezer is to freeze things I use all the time and need in handfuls such as onions, garlic, peppers, boxes of mashed pots if I can just grab what I need a handful of I am, sure its going to make everything simpler.
So here we go my next meal plan I am sure will be just salad and jacket potatoes......
Maybe you should have a look at Jamie Oliver's 30-minute meals? (Book or online). We are also very fond of casseroles, tagines, chilli etc - things that can cook for anywhere between 2 and 4 hours, and are thus not time-critical. Things like that keep warm easily without spoiling. Do you go out to work too, or are you at home during the day?
ReplyDeleteyour right i have both his 15mins and 30mins books. I do not work but both boys are only part time at school so time is not my friend ;0)
DeleteGood post as always. It's difficult trying to cook and prepare food in a different way! I think you might have a bit of trial and error along the way to see what works best for you. But am sure you can get into the swing of it. Look forward to seeing what happens. Thanks for linking up with us on the #bigfatlinky
ReplyDeletethink we are going to have some massive fails but i am sure i can learn from them ;0)
DeleteGreat ideas, I always mean to make extra and put in the freezer, but someone normally eats all the extra I make. I normally only manage to make extra pizza dough to put in the freezer! :)
ReplyDeleteHa ha Jenny same here i make loads and it gets eaten, must find a way to stop that :0)
DeleteI definitely recommend loving your freezer. Ours is always filled to the brim. We often make up a huge batch of soup and freeze portions. Good luck with this. How were the frozen fish cakes? Hugs Mrs H xxxx
ReplyDeleteSo need to get my head round it, know extra work will have long term gains :0) trying fish cakes next week for the boys :0)
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on the new job and I hope the new ways of cooking go well. My wife always makes extra to freeze and i just end up eating double :) Thanks for linking up #bigfatlinky
ReplyDeleteI am loving the #bigfatlinky its great, think i am going to have to hde the rest
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