Do you realize that even though it's high summer right now, in two weeks it will be time to be ready for school? This is a state of affairs that comes once a year, finding me with the same exact sense of astonishment I had the previous year.
So you are readier than I am, most likely.
But I'm going to tell you a secret that will make things a lot better, even if you don't have your curriculum all planned out or your notebooks all bought.
Hint: it's about getting up on time, and I will tell you how. Tomorrow.
Of course, you've already committed to making menus using your very own tailor-made family menu master plan, right? Because “they” — and you know who “they” are!! — have to eat, every day, often more than once!
You have time to get on it, don't worry. A refresher is over there on the sidebar.
People scoff at the idea that you can plan a week or more's worth of menus, or that you need to, but I scoff at them!
I bite my thumb at them!
How are you going to go shopping, efficiently, if you don't know just what to make? And how will you know just what to make if you don't figure out, once and for all, what you and your own particular family actually likes to eat?
It's true: sometimes the menu doesn't work, no matter how careful you were to plan it with your day's activities in mind. Someone gets sick, you forget to defrost, you ran out of a key ingredient — these things happen!
So you do need a few things up your sleeve and in your freezer — “anytime” menus that can be relied upon to fill the gaps. Not every meal should be one of these quickies, because families need stewed, simmered, and roasted foods that have had a lot of time put into them — but some can!
You really don't need recipes, which are all around you — you need menus!
Ideas? Pasta with sausage slices, green beans or peas, and a creamy sauce, Italian or pita bread to go with.
Steak! Some nights speed is more important than cost, yet steak is cheap if you buy a sirloin cut when it's on sale and freeze it. And even if you pay full price, it's cheaper than eating out!
Make sure it's at least an inch and a half thick, panfry or grill it, salted, 7 minutes per side, and slice it thinly. And it's fast. The key is the sides: plenty of baked or twice-baked potatoes (quick in the microwave, no different from oven-baked if you finish them off there) or oven fries, corn, a big salad, and garlic bread.
Even though I encourage you to check out recipes from places where they are well tested by professionals (like Gourmet), my aim for the fall is to have frequent posts for you on how I get menus done, with specific directions.
Meanwhile, I'm posting photos of a supper I pulled together very quickly using a few sauteed chicken breasts I had set aside in the freezer after making a big batch of chicken parmesan a few weeks ago.
{Ever wonder what to do after you run out of bread crumbs (there are never enough bread crumbs)? Just saute the rest gently and freeze. Another day, when you've cleverly made too much rice, have some somewhat sub-par tortilla chips,
and a couple of avocados, you will have a quick taco salad.}
I go into the details of refried beans from the pantry and homemade salad dressing to which you add cumin and coriander because I find it stifling to think in terms of a recipe for a dish and liberating to think of a menu. Maybe you do too?
The key to a meal like this is to use your pretty thrifted dishes!
For some reason there is always enough food if it's laid out attractively — yes, on a regular week night when it's “only us” — and everyone gets to choose the elements on their plate.
Starchy sides like rice and refried beans are a must for kids.
Salad alone is not enough! It's enough for you and for me, but not for them.
Condiments are just festive, you know?
If you stock up on marked down canned goods, you are all set with your pantry items when the moment comes to make that chicken go farther than it's gone before!
Thanks to Jen at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam for the link!
Oh, and you've worked on the laundry too, right? Make sure before school starts you take a day to clear out the laundry room, getting all that camping stuff put away and towels washed (with 1/4 cup of bleach in the water).
Read up on how to organize, finally, your laundry system. Even if you have more than four kids, you can still be on top of laundry with one day a week of focus and two loads on the other days.
Tomorrow I'll tell you about how I got myself up in the morning, at last. If I can do it, so can you!
*Michigan Momma* says
*Very* much looking forward to the secret tomorrow! VERY MUCH!!*sigh* getting up on time…..*big ol' sigh*'til tomorrow then~Lori
MomE says
Ahhh…I love your blog…I wish you didn't live so far away…I could just walk into the kitchen and sit and watch the colorful loveliness! I made homemade salsa today…yeah…maybe a little too much cilantro…but for a first try…not bad, says I!
Susan says
I will definitely be back tomorrow. Definitely.The pretty dishes thing is key. My mother in law is a collector of handmade pottery and in the early years of her habit I made fajitas for both families. She still talks about how I managed to find a use for every single one of her handmade dishes that evening. She's gifted me with enough pieces that I can now do the same for Mexican night around here.
Camille says
The kiddos are too little yet for school, but teacher Hubby goes back tomorrow. The alarm clock will start going off at 5 AM again — UGH! But I'm looking forward to having my early morning to myself, again.I often think back to the days when I would go grocery shopping with no list, no plan… and wonder what in the world I bought! I was very lazy about menu planning over the summer and it was too stressful so I'm back at it!
Anonymous says
Thank you Leila for sharing your wisdom via this blog. I so appreciate your effort. You're competent, clever and witty inspiring me and making me smile. With much gratefulness, Linda
MaRiN says
Looks delicious and colorful! I'm going to add this one to my "to try" list! Thanks!
Pippajo says
I'm stuffing my fingers in my ears and screwing my eyes shut! I don't wanna think about school starting! I hate it, hate it, hate it! The summer has gone way too fast.
Mrs T says
you must be reading my Hubby's mind. he is telling me the same thing. "GET A MENU!" poor guy. ;)thanks for sharing all the tips
becomewhatyouare says
Love the Polish pottery!