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It's Friday, 6 am. Your cell phone rings before your alarm clock goes off. An emergency meeting has been called at work for 8 am. You still have to get the kids ready for school, pack lunches and get dressed for work. Plus, your mother-in-law is coming to visit for the holidays; the dog is sick; and the house is a wreck. Your spouse has been away on business, due to arrive later today, and you still don't know what you're going make for dinner.
Congratulations! You haven't even gotten out of bed yet, and you're already behind. Welcome to your “99 lives,” a phrase coined by futurist guru, Faith Popcorn. In her popular book, Clicking, she states, "We are forced to assume multiple roles. Basically it's the, 'Oh....I wish I could clone myself' anxiety."
The busy, multitasking roles of today's adults in two-income families have caused a shift in the business landscape. We have seen an increase in convenience businesses such as pick-up dry cleaning, drop-off vet services, fast food, take-out, grocery delivery, personal chefs, lawn care services and so on. Time now has the value of money, and we need more of it every day.
But all is not lost. At the end of a hectic day, you can come home and have a healthy, home-cooked meal on the table with little effort. Here are a few tips to ease meal preparation and gain back some of that precious time.
• Buy meats in bulk. Precook and freeze items in portioned packs for later use. Make it a family activity.
• Cut enough veggies for several days or buy them precut. Store them in airtight containers to have on hand for a quick salad or to throw in a pan to sauté.
• Cook enough for several meals. Choose dishes that easily make large amounts such as chili, stews and casseroles.
• Use your freezer for leftovers. Rather than eating leftovers for three days straight, package and freeze the meals with dated labels.
• Use yesterday's leftovers in today's meal. Cook up extra veggies. Use them to top a ready-made pizza crust, toss with pasta, sauté and serve with rice, fill a baked potato, melt into a grilled sandwich or fold into a burrito.
• Keep nonperishable items on hand. Canned veggies and beans, pasta noodles and sauces and grains allow you to make a meal in minutes.
• Keep soup stock on hand. A quick soup or stew can be whipped up in minutes by adding cooked veggies (leftovers, canned or frozen), tofu or cooked meat and a grain or noodles to canned soup stock. Use plenty of spices to liven it up.
• Pre-measure dry ingredients for baking. When making a batch of cookies, brownies or a cake, measure one batch into your bowl and a second into an airtight container. The next time your child needs something for a bake sale, all you have to do is add the wet ingredients and bake. Be sure to label the container with the recipe and cookbook name, as well as the page number.
• Use timesaving recipes, such as the ones that follow.
Catch a Moment Chicken Cacciatore
Serves 4
4 single lobe boneless skinless chicken breasts
salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup sliced green peppers
1 cup sliced red peppers
1 cup sliced onions
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 lemon, juiced
½ cup white wine
1 cup tomato pasta sauce (your favorite kind)
Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper and the oregano. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté the chicken breasts for 4 minutes each side. Add the peppers, onions and garlic and cook for 5 more minutes. Add the wine and lemon. Cook for 2 minutes. Add the tomato sauce. Simmer for 5 minutes. Serve atop pasta or rice.
Too Little Time Tofu & Noodles
Serves 4-6
1 pack of soba noodles (or your favorite kind)
2 cups sliced peppers
1 cup snap peas
½ cup shredded carrots
½ cup fresh or steamed frozen soy beans (edamame)
½ cup mung bean sprouts
½ cup bok choy, roughly cut
½ cup Asian sauce (Thai peanut, Teriyaki, etc.)
Fresh firm tofu
Baste the tofu with 1 tablespoon of sauce and grill, pan-sear or broil. Boil the soba noodles and drain. Toss with rest of the ingredients and serve.
Brian Doyle is the owner of World's Fare Culinary, a personal chef and catering company. He also offers cooking classes and demos, as well as restaurant consultation. Visit http://worldsfareculinary.com or call (440) 622-5071 for more information.
