1 00:00:06,400 --> 00:00:09,200 Speaker 1: Hi everybody. I'm Kelsey Nixon and this is Kitchen Prescription, 2 00:00:09,360 --> 00:00:11,480 Speaker 1: the podcast you've listened to when you don't know what 3 00:00:11,560 --> 00:00:15,120 Speaker 1: to make for dinner. This is episode fifty five, Making 4 00:00:15,160 --> 00:00:19,720 Speaker 1: dinner when you're never home. Look, there's a lot going 5 00:00:19,720 --> 00:00:22,040 Speaker 1: on right now. We are a couple of months into 6 00:00:22,079 --> 00:00:25,520 Speaker 1: school or a couple of months into extracurriculars, and if 7 00:00:25,560 --> 00:00:30,479 Speaker 1: your household is anything like mine, there is at least one, 8 00:00:30,680 --> 00:00:33,320 Speaker 1: two three things every single night of the week, not 9 00:00:33,400 --> 00:00:36,680 Speaker 1: to mention just the school functions alone. You've got the 10 00:00:36,680 --> 00:00:39,840 Speaker 1: harvest festivals and the school carnivals and the book fair. 11 00:00:40,280 --> 00:00:44,360 Speaker 1: There seems to be something to do every single night. 12 00:00:45,120 --> 00:00:47,440 Speaker 1: And on top of all of that, the one thing 13 00:00:47,479 --> 00:00:49,840 Speaker 1: that never goes away is dinner. We got to feed 14 00:00:49,880 --> 00:00:52,640 Speaker 1: our people. Honestly, half the time, I wish I didn't 15 00:00:52,680 --> 00:00:54,920 Speaker 1: have to worry about it, but I do, and so 16 00:00:55,080 --> 00:00:59,200 Speaker 1: do you, and it's worth figuring out. This time of year, 17 00:00:59,240 --> 00:01:02,520 Speaker 1: I think is me the hardest to figure out, because 18 00:01:03,040 --> 00:01:07,200 Speaker 1: there's so much going on, between the extracurricular activities, the 19 00:01:07,240 --> 00:01:10,640 Speaker 1: school routines, and gearing up for the holidays, it can 20 00:01:10,880 --> 00:01:14,479 Speaker 1: be very easy to get in a state of overwhelm 21 00:01:14,680 --> 00:01:16,559 Speaker 1: and most of the time, it's never for a lack 22 00:01:16,560 --> 00:01:19,680 Speaker 1: of recipes. I think that the challenge has a lot 23 00:01:19,880 --> 00:01:23,600 Speaker 1: more to do with the fact that we're never home. 24 00:01:24,760 --> 00:01:27,720 Speaker 1: I hear so many moms say that between the hours 25 00:01:27,760 --> 00:01:30,880 Speaker 1: of four and eight, I'm just like a taxi service. 26 00:01:31,520 --> 00:01:35,640 Speaker 1: I just drive people around. And that can be really 27 00:01:35,720 --> 00:01:38,240 Speaker 1: difficult when you want to support your kids and developing 28 00:01:38,319 --> 00:01:42,280 Speaker 1: these talents and participating in these extracurricular activities for all 29 00:01:42,360 --> 00:01:45,000 Speaker 1: of the benefits that come with that. But it's also 30 00:01:45,080 --> 00:01:48,080 Speaker 1: really important to you that you have a family ritual 31 00:01:48,560 --> 00:01:52,080 Speaker 1: of having a meal together. So how do we make 32 00:01:52,120 --> 00:01:54,280 Speaker 1: sure everybody eats when it feels like nobody is home. 33 00:01:54,520 --> 00:01:56,920 Speaker 1: We are going to get into that, but first I 34 00:01:56,920 --> 00:01:59,600 Speaker 1: want to discuss three simple recipes you could throw on 35 00:01:59,640 --> 00:02:02,680 Speaker 1: your meal plan this week. The first thing I am 36 00:02:02,760 --> 00:02:07,320 Speaker 1: making that I'm excited about is chicken pot pie soup. 37 00:02:08,000 --> 00:02:11,519 Speaker 1: It is soup season, ladies and gentlemen. We are in October, 38 00:02:11,560 --> 00:02:13,240 Speaker 1: and that means I get to make as much soup 39 00:02:13,280 --> 00:02:16,520 Speaker 1: as I want. What's been interesting for me in the 40 00:02:16,639 --> 00:02:19,280 Speaker 1: fifteen years that I've been married is that I really 41 00:02:19,320 --> 00:02:21,239 Speaker 1: had to convince my husband that soup is a meal, 42 00:02:21,280 --> 00:02:22,919 Speaker 1: and I know I can't be the only one out there. 43 00:02:23,280 --> 00:02:25,720 Speaker 1: But the good thing about chicken pot pie soup is 44 00:02:25,800 --> 00:02:29,640 Speaker 1: it is hearty. It is hearty, and it is filling. 45 00:02:30,400 --> 00:02:33,680 Speaker 1: I love this recipe. I love it because I get 46 00:02:33,760 --> 00:02:37,560 Speaker 1: to make biscuits. Now, if you are not someone who's 47 00:02:37,600 --> 00:02:41,359 Speaker 1: feeling overwhelmed by time, you could make biscuits from scratch, 48 00:02:41,560 --> 00:02:43,960 Speaker 1: or you could pick up one of my favorite store 49 00:02:44,000 --> 00:02:50,360 Speaker 1: bought shortcut ingredients, which are these frozen Pillsbery Graham's biscuits. 50 00:02:51,240 --> 00:02:53,160 Speaker 1: My mom used to buy these all right, well, she 51 00:02:53,200 --> 00:02:54,680 Speaker 1: first bought the ones in the can and then we 52 00:02:54,720 --> 00:02:58,280 Speaker 1: graduated to the frozen ones. But they're pretty darn good 53 00:02:58,800 --> 00:03:01,760 Speaker 1: and they are definitely good enough for a last minute 54 00:03:01,760 --> 00:03:05,760 Speaker 1: week night meal. So so good. We make those biscuits, 55 00:03:05,800 --> 00:03:08,680 Speaker 1: server it with this soup and it is delicious. I 56 00:03:08,720 --> 00:03:11,600 Speaker 1: almost always use part of my rotisserie chicken that I 57 00:03:11,639 --> 00:03:13,600 Speaker 1: get every week to add to this soup, so I 58 00:03:13,600 --> 00:03:16,000 Speaker 1: don't even have to cook any chicken. It's just thrown 59 00:03:16,040 --> 00:03:19,119 Speaker 1: all of those ingredients into the pot, letting it work 60 00:03:19,160 --> 00:03:21,040 Speaker 1: its magic. I can make it earlier in the day, 61 00:03:21,120 --> 00:03:23,160 Speaker 1: let it sit on the stove, and then when people 62 00:03:23,200 --> 00:03:26,640 Speaker 1: are hungry they can dig in now that is hearty, 63 00:03:26,760 --> 00:03:31,160 Speaker 1: little heavy. I'm also making my chopped kaale caesar salad 64 00:03:31,240 --> 00:03:34,280 Speaker 1: with salmon. The thing that makes this recipe so during 65 00:03:34,320 --> 00:03:37,960 Speaker 1: good is the dressing. I had never I had never 66 00:03:38,000 --> 00:03:40,720 Speaker 1: been in the habit of making a homemade caesar dressing, 67 00:03:41,160 --> 00:03:42,920 Speaker 1: mostly because I thought, oh, in order for it to 68 00:03:42,960 --> 00:03:45,600 Speaker 1: be legitimate, I gotta put anchovies in it, and that 69 00:03:45,640 --> 00:03:48,600 Speaker 1: sounds too hard. No, there's no anchovies in this dressing. 70 00:03:48,680 --> 00:03:53,840 Speaker 1: It is just a delicious, like finger licking good dressing. 71 00:03:54,280 --> 00:03:57,080 Speaker 1: I love it so much. You obviously could do this 72 00:03:57,160 --> 00:04:01,280 Speaker 1: without salmon, or you could do grilled chick or whatever 73 00:04:01,320 --> 00:04:04,760 Speaker 1: you want, but my family really likes this with salmon. 74 00:04:04,880 --> 00:04:09,200 Speaker 1: It is light and perfect and filling and just so 75 00:04:09,200 --> 00:04:12,800 Speaker 1: so yummy. And then finally we are making the sausage, 76 00:04:12,840 --> 00:04:16,640 Speaker 1: pepper and potato skillet. This all happens in one skillet, 77 00:04:16,640 --> 00:04:20,080 Speaker 1: making dishes minimal. It's got like this is for your 78 00:04:20,160 --> 00:04:22,919 Speaker 1: meat potato eaters, right, It's got the sausage, it's got 79 00:04:23,360 --> 00:04:26,520 Speaker 1: bell peppers, it's got potatoes, and it's got cheese and 80 00:04:26,560 --> 00:04:30,200 Speaker 1: it's really really delicious. I like serving it with a 81 00:04:30,279 --> 00:04:34,320 Speaker 1: side salad, and it's just it's really good. It's one 82 00:04:34,360 --> 00:04:36,880 Speaker 1: of my favorite fall winter recipes. I haven't made it 83 00:04:36,920 --> 00:04:39,000 Speaker 1: in a couple of months because it hasn't been fall winter, 84 00:04:39,400 --> 00:04:41,919 Speaker 1: and so I'm happy to see that back on our 85 00:04:41,960 --> 00:04:44,839 Speaker 1: meal plan. There are your recipes for the week. You 86 00:04:44,880 --> 00:04:47,400 Speaker 1: can find all of them in recipe Club individually or 87 00:04:47,400 --> 00:04:50,800 Speaker 1: in our weekly meal plan with easy to follow shopping 88 00:04:50,839 --> 00:04:53,880 Speaker 1: lists broken down by recipe. We've also got this great 89 00:04:54,080 --> 00:04:57,200 Speaker 1: one click shopping feature in recipe Club. If you're an 90 00:04:57,200 --> 00:05:00,320 Speaker 1: Instacart user, it's amazing how quickly you can put your 91 00:05:00,320 --> 00:05:03,040 Speaker 1: groceries in your grocery cart. Remember that we kind of 92 00:05:03,040 --> 00:05:05,800 Speaker 1: switch things up a bit and have tried to support 93 00:05:05,839 --> 00:05:07,640 Speaker 1: you even more when it comes to mapping out your 94 00:05:07,680 --> 00:05:10,520 Speaker 1: meals in recipe Club, So make sure you check out 95 00:05:10,520 --> 00:05:13,200 Speaker 1: our homepage every weekend, where I will walk you through 96 00:05:13,200 --> 00:05:16,160 Speaker 1: the exact steps you should take to making a very 97 00:05:16,440 --> 00:05:19,840 Speaker 1: simple meal plan to make your life easier. All right, 98 00:05:19,920 --> 00:05:22,360 Speaker 1: let's jump into the back half of the podcast, where 99 00:05:22,400 --> 00:05:25,000 Speaker 1: we are going to discuss what you make for dinner 100 00:05:25,160 --> 00:05:32,719 Speaker 1: when you're never home. When you find yourself in a 101 00:05:32,800 --> 00:05:35,560 Speaker 1: chapter of life that feels extra crazy and you just 102 00:05:35,680 --> 00:05:38,719 Speaker 1: feel like you're never home, I want to help you 103 00:05:38,800 --> 00:05:42,520 Speaker 1: create a simple dinner system for just simply getting your 104 00:05:42,520 --> 00:05:47,600 Speaker 1: people fed. Nothing is worse than soccer practice wrapping up 105 00:05:47,720 --> 00:05:50,479 Speaker 1: at six o'clock and you're getting everyone in the car 106 00:05:50,560 --> 00:05:53,240 Speaker 1: and you realize that you have not planned anything for dinner, 107 00:05:54,080 --> 00:05:56,880 Speaker 1: while simultaneously your kids are melting down in the back 108 00:05:56,960 --> 00:05:59,960 Speaker 1: seat because they're angry. And that is when we que 109 00:06:00,120 --> 00:06:03,839 Speaker 1: with McDonald's drive through. But what's really bad is when 110 00:06:03,880 --> 00:06:06,680 Speaker 1: that's what happened the night before and we've all been there, 111 00:06:07,040 --> 00:06:09,159 Speaker 1: and it's not so much the fast food part that's 112 00:06:09,200 --> 00:06:12,800 Speaker 1: not ideal. It's the fact that you felt like you 113 00:06:12,800 --> 00:06:18,440 Speaker 1: were scrambling, and nobody wants to scramble. So I find 114 00:06:18,680 --> 00:06:21,919 Speaker 1: myself in this chapter right now, and at times the 115 00:06:22,000 --> 00:06:24,839 Speaker 1: typical approach I would take to meal planning might be 116 00:06:24,960 --> 00:06:28,920 Speaker 1: extra tricky in this chapter. So here's what I suggest 117 00:06:29,160 --> 00:06:31,279 Speaker 1: if you find yourself in one of these crazy chapters. 118 00:06:31,960 --> 00:06:35,080 Speaker 1: First and foremost, this is the most important thing you're 119 00:06:35,080 --> 00:06:38,280 Speaker 1: going to do. You are going to look at your 120 00:06:38,320 --> 00:06:43,640 Speaker 1: weekly schedule ahead in advance, on the same time every week, 121 00:06:43,720 --> 00:06:47,359 Speaker 1: and you're going to go day by day. I'm talking 122 00:06:47,400 --> 00:06:49,520 Speaker 1: before you look at your pantry to see what ingredients 123 00:06:49,560 --> 00:06:51,240 Speaker 1: you have on to use up or before you look 124 00:06:51,240 --> 00:06:54,480 Speaker 1: at your recipe binder or your cookbooks or your Pinterest board, 125 00:06:55,080 --> 00:06:58,400 Speaker 1: the first thing you're going to do is look at 126 00:06:58,480 --> 00:07:02,640 Speaker 1: your schedule. I want you identify what nights are realistic 127 00:07:02,680 --> 00:07:04,839 Speaker 1: for you to eat at home and what nights aren't. 128 00:07:06,440 --> 00:07:11,760 Speaker 1: Scheduling this time to review the schedule is crucial. It's 129 00:07:11,800 --> 00:07:16,200 Speaker 1: so crucial that I would suggest you pause this podcast 130 00:07:16,280 --> 00:07:18,800 Speaker 1: and you add an alarm to your phone right now 131 00:07:19,400 --> 00:07:22,440 Speaker 1: for schedule review, Family schedule Review. And it's at the 132 00:07:22,560 --> 00:07:27,040 Speaker 1: same time every week. And you're not just reviewing your 133 00:07:27,080 --> 00:07:29,840 Speaker 1: family schedule about when this kid has soccer and this 134 00:07:29,880 --> 00:07:32,240 Speaker 1: one has dance, and this one has tumbling and this 135 00:07:32,280 --> 00:07:36,720 Speaker 1: one has scouts. You're also reviewing it through the lens 136 00:07:37,000 --> 00:07:40,880 Speaker 1: of how you're going to feed your people amongst such 137 00:07:40,880 --> 00:07:46,120 Speaker 1: a crazy family schedule. I know for my family, I mean, 138 00:07:46,200 --> 00:07:53,040 Speaker 1: each week is filled with surfing, baseball, musical theater. We've 139 00:07:53,080 --> 00:07:56,200 Speaker 1: got the program at the YMCA we're doing right now, 140 00:07:56,200 --> 00:08:00,360 Speaker 1: We've got church youth group that we're doing. We've got 141 00:08:00,440 --> 00:08:04,520 Speaker 1: two working parents in the household. It is crazy. And 142 00:08:04,680 --> 00:08:07,080 Speaker 1: just this week alone, we've got two book fairs, we 143 00:08:07,200 --> 00:08:10,720 Speaker 1: got a school dance. There's just so many things. And 144 00:08:10,760 --> 00:08:13,880 Speaker 1: the reason it's important to look at that schedule week 145 00:08:13,960 --> 00:08:17,920 Speaker 1: after week is because there's so much variation in the weeks, 146 00:08:18,880 --> 00:08:22,520 Speaker 1: so it's really really important. So not only you're gonna 147 00:08:22,520 --> 00:08:24,080 Speaker 1: see when everybody's got to be where they got to 148 00:08:24,120 --> 00:08:29,440 Speaker 1: be to organize your carpools, you're gonna think about how 149 00:08:29,600 --> 00:08:35,480 Speaker 1: people are going to be fed. So this also includes 150 00:08:35,679 --> 00:08:39,440 Speaker 1: thinking about where they're gonna eat, because for me, an 151 00:08:39,480 --> 00:08:42,559 Speaker 1: ideal situation is we all eat at the table. Well 152 00:08:42,640 --> 00:08:47,600 Speaker 1: that might be a really realistic two, three, maybe four 153 00:08:47,720 --> 00:08:51,520 Speaker 1: nights a week if I'm lucky, but most nights I 154 00:08:51,559 --> 00:08:55,959 Speaker 1: don't have everyone at the table. Now, sometimes we're all 155 00:08:55,960 --> 00:08:58,600 Speaker 1: in the car, sometimes we're all at the studio, sometimes 156 00:08:58,600 --> 00:09:01,520 Speaker 1: we're all at the ball field, and sometimes three of 157 00:09:01,559 --> 00:09:03,120 Speaker 1: us are there. So you need to think about where 158 00:09:03,160 --> 00:09:05,040 Speaker 1: we're going to be when these people need to eat, 159 00:09:06,440 --> 00:09:09,679 Speaker 1: and that's going to help determine what you're going to 160 00:09:09,760 --> 00:09:13,280 Speaker 1: feed everybody. I want to remind you at this point 161 00:09:13,320 --> 00:09:16,240 Speaker 1: that when it comes to the ritual of having family dinner, 162 00:09:17,000 --> 00:09:21,000 Speaker 1: which I feel so passionately about, what you eat isn't 163 00:09:21,240 --> 00:09:25,480 Speaker 1: what's most important. It's the conversation and the togetherness that 164 00:09:25,600 --> 00:09:30,920 Speaker 1: happens that's most important. So if every Thursday night you've 165 00:09:30,960 --> 00:09:33,840 Speaker 1: got so much going on that you've decided that you 166 00:09:33,880 --> 00:09:36,160 Speaker 1: are going to deem it Chick fil a night, great, 167 00:09:36,800 --> 00:09:40,080 Speaker 1: embrace it, make memories, make it a fun tradition, and 168 00:09:40,160 --> 00:09:43,760 Speaker 1: give yourself the night off. Or maybe it's going to 169 00:09:43,800 --> 00:09:47,160 Speaker 1: be cold cereal night and you're going to let everybody 170 00:09:47,160 --> 00:09:49,720 Speaker 1: have cold cereal for dinner, and that's the fun tradition. 171 00:09:50,920 --> 00:09:53,640 Speaker 1: Whatever it takes to survive this chapter, I just want 172 00:09:53,679 --> 00:09:58,600 Speaker 1: to remind you that you should prioritize the togetherness over 173 00:09:59,240 --> 00:10:02,240 Speaker 1: the food. And it's like I said, it might be 174 00:10:02,320 --> 00:10:04,600 Speaker 1: unrealistic for you to think that all of your family 175 00:10:04,600 --> 00:10:08,480 Speaker 1: members are going to be together, that's okay. Like on 176 00:10:08,640 --> 00:10:10,960 Speaker 1: Wednesday nights for us, my son always has a late 177 00:10:11,000 --> 00:10:14,360 Speaker 1: baseball game that starts at seven thirty, but he has 178 00:10:14,360 --> 00:10:15,880 Speaker 1: to be there at six thirty, so it makes dinner 179 00:10:15,920 --> 00:10:18,400 Speaker 1: really tricky. You know what we do on those nights, Girls' 180 00:10:18,480 --> 00:10:21,880 Speaker 1: night dinner. It is girls' night dinner, and me and 181 00:10:21,920 --> 00:10:24,880 Speaker 1: my girls always plan something fun together. Sometimes we stay in, 182 00:10:24,920 --> 00:10:28,040 Speaker 1: sometimes we go out, and that is the ritual that 183 00:10:28,160 --> 00:10:30,800 Speaker 1: is really really fun, and it gives my husband and 184 00:10:30,800 --> 00:10:33,719 Speaker 1: my son an opportunity to have boys' night dinner. So 185 00:10:33,800 --> 00:10:38,280 Speaker 1: that's an example of just pre planning that so that 186 00:10:38,320 --> 00:10:41,400 Speaker 1: you're not scrambling or feeling disappointed that it's another night 187 00:10:41,440 --> 00:10:45,960 Speaker 1: when we're not having dinner together. That that's so critical 188 00:10:46,000 --> 00:10:47,880 Speaker 1: to do. I want to give you another example of this. 189 00:10:48,160 --> 00:10:51,280 Speaker 1: I have a sister who's got three kids. She lives 190 00:10:51,280 --> 00:10:54,360 Speaker 1: in Denver, and they've got one busy night where they've 191 00:10:54,400 --> 00:10:56,559 Speaker 1: got I think it's tumbling and dancing the same night, 192 00:10:56,600 --> 00:10:59,120 Speaker 1: and it's about twenty minutes from their home, so it 193 00:10:59,160 --> 00:11:01,920 Speaker 1: gets tricky to get home in time for dinner. And 194 00:11:01,960 --> 00:11:04,840 Speaker 1: it's in this downtown area of Denver, and so they 195 00:11:04,920 --> 00:11:08,360 Speaker 1: have made it a tradition that on Thursday nights, they 196 00:11:08,400 --> 00:11:10,200 Speaker 1: I think they go to the same pizza parlor every 197 00:11:10,200 --> 00:11:12,120 Speaker 1: week and they get a slice of pizza, and her 198 00:11:12,200 --> 00:11:14,959 Speaker 1: kids look forward to it. It's so much fun, and 199 00:11:15,160 --> 00:11:17,200 Speaker 1: I love the idea of those kids having memories of 200 00:11:17,240 --> 00:11:21,080 Speaker 1: doing that. So it doesn't always have to be that, 201 00:11:21,840 --> 00:11:24,920 Speaker 1: you know, traditional image of everyone gathered around the table. 202 00:11:25,800 --> 00:11:28,959 Speaker 1: As long as you are are making an effort to 203 00:11:29,000 --> 00:11:33,120 Speaker 1: connect with your people, that's what's most important. Okay, So 204 00:11:33,240 --> 00:11:37,720 Speaker 1: once you've determined you've looked at your schedule. You've determined, Okay, 205 00:11:37,760 --> 00:11:42,080 Speaker 1: this is when everybody's going to eat, and it's going 206 00:11:42,160 --> 00:11:44,679 Speaker 1: to be different every night probably, and this is where 207 00:11:44,800 --> 00:11:46,840 Speaker 1: everyone's gonna have to eat. We're gonna be at the 208 00:11:46,880 --> 00:11:49,679 Speaker 1: baseball field for a baseball tournament, or we're going to 209 00:11:49,760 --> 00:11:53,760 Speaker 1: be in the car driving from this thing to this thing. 210 00:11:53,760 --> 00:11:55,200 Speaker 1: In fact, I kind of tell you, guys. A couple 211 00:11:55,280 --> 00:11:58,200 Speaker 1: months ago, I was talking to some Recipe Club members 212 00:11:58,640 --> 00:12:01,200 Speaker 1: about this new product that were develop and I was 213 00:12:01,240 --> 00:12:03,120 Speaker 1: asking this mom about what it's like to feed her 214 00:12:03,160 --> 00:12:05,760 Speaker 1: family every week and shows. She told me that on 215 00:12:05,800 --> 00:12:08,400 Speaker 1: Tuesdays they have car dinner. And she talked about how 216 00:12:08,400 --> 00:12:12,000 Speaker 1: one child played competitive soccer and the other one did gymnastics, 217 00:12:12,000 --> 00:12:14,360 Speaker 1: and how they had they had no time to go 218 00:12:14,400 --> 00:12:16,120 Speaker 1: home for dinner, and so they would have car dinner. 219 00:12:16,200 --> 00:12:18,719 Speaker 1: And she had a section in her recipe binder for 220 00:12:19,000 --> 00:12:22,160 Speaker 1: car dinners. Stuff she would pack in the car and 221 00:12:22,200 --> 00:12:24,960 Speaker 1: they would eat dinner. I loved it. I love it. 222 00:12:25,000 --> 00:12:27,240 Speaker 1: I loved that she thought about it in advance so 223 00:12:27,280 --> 00:12:30,480 Speaker 1: that she didn't feel as if she was scrambling. Okay, 224 00:12:30,559 --> 00:12:33,000 Speaker 1: back to the where we are going with this. You've 225 00:12:33,040 --> 00:12:36,599 Speaker 1: determined where everyone's going to be when they're going to 226 00:12:36,679 --> 00:12:38,920 Speaker 1: eat it. Who's going to be there, who's not going 227 00:12:39,000 --> 00:12:42,679 Speaker 1: to be there. Now, we got to figure out how 228 00:12:42,720 --> 00:12:46,560 Speaker 1: to accurately determine how many meals you should order groceries 229 00:12:46,600 --> 00:12:49,280 Speaker 1: for and what you're gonna actually cook that week, because 230 00:12:49,280 --> 00:12:52,160 Speaker 1: I don't think anybody feel satisfied with the idea of 231 00:12:52,200 --> 00:12:55,320 Speaker 1: eating out every night. Ay, it's way too expensive. B 232 00:12:55,840 --> 00:12:57,640 Speaker 1: we want our kids to have some home cooked meals. 233 00:12:57,640 --> 00:13:00,000 Speaker 1: I want to eat a home cooked meal. So yeah, 234 00:13:00,200 --> 00:13:02,440 Speaker 1: give yourself the grace of doing that once if you 235 00:13:02,480 --> 00:13:06,160 Speaker 1: have to twice twice a week, but you also should 236 00:13:07,040 --> 00:13:11,880 Speaker 1: should have some go to greatest hits recipes for dinners 237 00:13:11,880 --> 00:13:14,840 Speaker 1: on the go, dinners at home for super busy nights. 238 00:13:14,960 --> 00:13:18,360 Speaker 1: And that has been the biggest game changer for me 239 00:13:18,520 --> 00:13:23,600 Speaker 1: and my family is predetermining what those recipes are so 240 00:13:23,640 --> 00:13:26,520 Speaker 1: that when I am looking at a very overwhelming family 241 00:13:26,559 --> 00:13:29,839 Speaker 1: schedule for the week, I don't have to flip through 242 00:13:30,120 --> 00:13:34,280 Speaker 1: sixty recipes. I know that this list of let's see, 243 00:13:34,320 --> 00:13:36,600 Speaker 1: I'm looking at my list, there's five dinners on the go, 244 00:13:37,440 --> 00:13:40,200 Speaker 1: and there's five dinners at home for busy nights, and 245 00:13:40,240 --> 00:13:43,760 Speaker 1: I can utilize that list. So let me tell you 246 00:13:43,760 --> 00:13:46,640 Speaker 1: what some of my dinners on the go are. These 247 00:13:46,800 --> 00:13:50,640 Speaker 1: are things that don't really need to be hot or cold, 248 00:13:51,040 --> 00:13:54,840 Speaker 1: and some of them are better odd, but they're really 249 00:13:55,160 --> 00:13:58,600 Speaker 1: very simple. So like any sort of pasta salad. I 250 00:13:58,679 --> 00:14:01,480 Speaker 1: got big pasta lovers in my house, and we have 251 00:14:01,559 --> 00:14:04,920 Speaker 1: this delicious tortellini salad. It's kind of like got a 252 00:14:04,960 --> 00:14:07,320 Speaker 1: Greek thing going on, and it's so yummy. My kids 253 00:14:07,320 --> 00:14:10,400 Speaker 1: love it. It's got tomatoes and cucumbers it and feta 254 00:14:10,480 --> 00:14:12,720 Speaker 1: cheese and it's just so good. And sometimes I throw chicken, 255 00:14:12,760 --> 00:14:15,520 Speaker 1: sometimes I don't, but the tortellini is really hardy. So 256 00:14:15,600 --> 00:14:19,320 Speaker 1: that's something that I can pull out of the fridge 257 00:14:19,800 --> 00:14:22,600 Speaker 1: and take with us and everyone can kind of snack 258 00:14:22,640 --> 00:14:24,880 Speaker 1: on it at the park and we've got dinner on 259 00:14:24,920 --> 00:14:27,760 Speaker 1: the go, grab some because it's Greek. I like grabbing 260 00:14:27,840 --> 00:14:31,720 Speaker 1: that stone fire flat bread and it works. I also 261 00:14:31,840 --> 00:14:36,160 Speaker 1: have these these turkey taco bowls. It's basically a burata bowl, 262 00:14:36,360 --> 00:14:38,840 Speaker 1: but it is so simple. It's like dump and stir 263 00:14:38,920 --> 00:14:41,560 Speaker 1: in the skillet. And then we're big rice lovers. So 264 00:14:41,680 --> 00:14:43,960 Speaker 1: if I take some rice and I add the turkey 265 00:14:43,960 --> 00:14:47,160 Speaker 1: stuff on top, and it becomes like a burrita bowl situation. Yeah, 266 00:14:47,160 --> 00:14:48,720 Speaker 1: it probably it's gonna be a little better if it's 267 00:14:48,920 --> 00:14:51,600 Speaker 1: if it's warm, but you know what it is, it's 268 00:14:51,600 --> 00:14:53,760 Speaker 1: a lot cheaper than going to Chipotle every week, so 269 00:14:54,320 --> 00:14:56,480 Speaker 1: that works for us. We have these turkey taco bowls. 270 00:14:56,800 --> 00:14:59,480 Speaker 1: I've got an Italian pasta salad. It's like a little 271 00:14:59,480 --> 00:15:02,680 Speaker 1: different from the tortolini one, same thing though. Those pasta 272 00:15:02,680 --> 00:15:05,640 Speaker 1: salads hold really well, and this has got pepperoni and 273 00:15:05,680 --> 00:15:08,440 Speaker 1: olives and pepper and chinie in it, so it's a 274 00:15:08,480 --> 00:15:13,240 Speaker 1: little different flavor profile and really good. And then sometimes 275 00:15:13,280 --> 00:15:15,520 Speaker 1: I will do I'll pack breadsticks and we'll have bread 276 00:15:15,560 --> 00:15:19,480 Speaker 1: sticks and the classic Italian pasta salad. I also have 277 00:15:19,560 --> 00:15:21,960 Speaker 1: the honey baked ham and Swiss sliders, which I like 278 00:15:22,200 --> 00:15:25,520 Speaker 1: very much warm. But I've also done these without cooking 279 00:15:25,560 --> 00:15:27,920 Speaker 1: them in the oven. Really cooking the oven is really 280 00:15:27,960 --> 00:15:32,520 Speaker 1: just to warm them up. And these little like Hawaiian sandwiches, 281 00:15:32,800 --> 00:15:36,400 Speaker 1: they work. They work great at the baseball field. It 282 00:15:36,680 --> 00:15:39,560 Speaker 1: deters my girls from the snackshack, which they seem to 283 00:15:39,600 --> 00:15:42,840 Speaker 1: think is the greatest thing in the world. But once 284 00:15:42,880 --> 00:15:46,360 Speaker 1: you've eaten at the snackshack on Monday, you really don't 285 00:15:46,400 --> 00:15:49,040 Speaker 1: want to do it again on Wednesday. So those are 286 00:15:49,040 --> 00:15:50,720 Speaker 1: on my dinners on the go list, you know, they 287 00:15:50,720 --> 00:15:53,520 Speaker 1: are all recipes and recipe club now dinners at home. 288 00:15:53,680 --> 00:15:56,920 Speaker 1: So Thursday nights are are one of our busy nights, 289 00:15:56,960 --> 00:15:58,960 Speaker 1: and so on Thursday nights, I always cook a five 290 00:15:59,040 --> 00:16:01,920 Speaker 1: ingredient recipe. There's my five ingredient night. So when I'm 291 00:16:01,960 --> 00:16:04,480 Speaker 1: sitting down I'm mapping out meals for the week, I 292 00:16:04,640 --> 00:16:07,440 Speaker 1: always go to the five ingredient section of my recipe 293 00:16:07,440 --> 00:16:11,800 Speaker 1: binder and I look through those recipes to determine what 294 00:16:11,880 --> 00:16:15,760 Speaker 1: five ingredient recipes are gonna have on Thursday. So sometimes 295 00:16:15,800 --> 00:16:19,360 Speaker 1: it's the Trader Joe steak sandwiches. Sometimes it's the maple 296 00:16:19,440 --> 00:16:22,080 Speaker 1: mustard salmon. The Harvest grain bowls are favorites right now 297 00:16:22,080 --> 00:16:24,960 Speaker 1: because we do the roasted sweet potatoes and apples and 298 00:16:24,960 --> 00:16:28,640 Speaker 1: it's so yummy on the apple bacon grilled cheese sandwiches 299 00:16:29,400 --> 00:16:31,440 Speaker 1: huge hit right now. In fact, we've had them twice 300 00:16:31,440 --> 00:16:35,360 Speaker 1: this week. Dipped in tomato soup is so yummy. So 301 00:16:35,960 --> 00:16:40,200 Speaker 1: just do yourself a favor and put those recipes ideal 302 00:16:40,360 --> 00:16:42,440 Speaker 1: for dinners on the go or dinners at home for 303 00:16:42,480 --> 00:16:46,960 Speaker 1: your busiest nights in a note on your phone, write 304 00:16:47,000 --> 00:16:49,080 Speaker 1: them in your planner, write them on a sheet of 305 00:16:49,080 --> 00:16:52,560 Speaker 1: paper that you stick in your kitchen. Another section I 306 00:16:52,640 --> 00:16:55,640 Speaker 1: have in my phone, as I call them grazing dinners. 307 00:16:55,680 --> 00:16:57,760 Speaker 1: I think we've talked about this on the podcast before, 308 00:16:58,120 --> 00:16:59,960 Speaker 1: but dinners that can kind of sit on the stove 309 00:17:00,680 --> 00:17:03,400 Speaker 1: and regardless of when someone needs to eat, they can 310 00:17:03,440 --> 00:17:06,280 Speaker 1: come in and dish themselves up. So I've got a 311 00:17:06,320 --> 00:17:08,880 Speaker 1: couple of those, like Chilian corn bread that is perfect 312 00:17:08,960 --> 00:17:10,800 Speaker 1: for that, and we just did one last night, the 313 00:17:10,960 --> 00:17:14,720 Speaker 1: slow cooker pot roast I did to make Philly cheese steaks. 314 00:17:14,960 --> 00:17:17,080 Speaker 1: So the meat is there, it's ready to go, and 315 00:17:17,160 --> 00:17:19,000 Speaker 1: really all you have to do is assemble the sandwich. 316 00:17:19,400 --> 00:17:22,080 Speaker 1: So my girls and I ate earlier, my husband and 317 00:17:22,080 --> 00:17:24,400 Speaker 1: my son ate later after they got home after baseball, 318 00:17:24,760 --> 00:17:26,440 Speaker 1: and that to me would be like a grazing dinner, 319 00:17:26,480 --> 00:17:28,359 Speaker 1: a dinner they can kind of sit and be good 320 00:17:28,440 --> 00:17:31,080 Speaker 1: at any point in time. The last thing I want 321 00:17:31,119 --> 00:17:33,359 Speaker 1: to mention is I also have a fast food list 322 00:17:33,400 --> 00:17:37,680 Speaker 1: in my phone because they are inevitably be going to 323 00:17:37,720 --> 00:17:39,960 Speaker 1: be nights when you're like, okay, we just got to 324 00:17:39,960 --> 00:17:42,920 Speaker 1: pick something up. What do you guys want. I find 325 00:17:42,920 --> 00:17:44,880 Speaker 1: that question of what do you guys want to be 326 00:17:45,200 --> 00:17:48,879 Speaker 1: very tricky. It can invite a lot of disagreement in 327 00:17:48,920 --> 00:17:52,800 Speaker 1: the car amongst my children. So I like having a 328 00:17:52,880 --> 00:17:56,480 Speaker 1: running list of fast food options that I can look 329 00:17:56,520 --> 00:18:00,199 Speaker 1: at because when I've got so much going on my 330 00:18:00,200 --> 00:18:02,080 Speaker 1: brain and I got to think of somewhere to eat, 331 00:18:02,440 --> 00:18:07,560 Speaker 1: just having them written down works for me. It's such 332 00:18:07,560 --> 00:18:11,639 Speaker 1: a small thing, but I know I've got Chick fil A, Panera, Chipotle, like, 333 00:18:11,640 --> 00:18:15,040 Speaker 1: I've got those things right there ready to go, so 334 00:18:15,080 --> 00:18:17,320 Speaker 1: that if I know, okay reading it out tonight, I 335 00:18:17,359 --> 00:18:20,400 Speaker 1: just look at the list, all right, you guys. That's 336 00:18:20,440 --> 00:18:24,200 Speaker 1: it for this week. Making dinner really is tough. It's tough, 337 00:18:24,280 --> 00:18:26,640 Speaker 1: especially when you feel like you're never home, but it's important. 338 00:18:26,720 --> 00:18:29,760 Speaker 1: It's important to feed our people. It's important to find 339 00:18:30,240 --> 00:18:33,520 Speaker 1: moments of connection, whether that be in the car, over 340 00:18:33,560 --> 00:18:38,120 Speaker 1: a car dinner, at the baseball field, ballpark dinner, or 341 00:18:38,280 --> 00:18:42,600 Speaker 1: when you are all at home over your traditional dinner table. 342 00:18:43,359 --> 00:18:46,560 Speaker 1: Keep in mind, it's not the recipes that are most important, 343 00:18:46,640 --> 00:18:49,760 Speaker 1: it's the connection that's most important. So do yourself a 344 00:18:49,800 --> 00:18:54,080 Speaker 1: favor by emphasizing time to take a look at that 345 00:18:54,119 --> 00:18:58,320 Speaker 1: weekly schedule, determine when you're gonna eat on each night, 346 00:18:58,400 --> 00:19:00,399 Speaker 1: how you're gonna eat, how many people are going to 347 00:19:00,440 --> 00:19:04,320 Speaker 1: be there, and then assign those recipes last rather than 348 00:19:04,359 --> 00:19:07,160 Speaker 1: thinking about the recipes first. It'll make a huge difference 349 00:19:07,480 --> 00:19:09,840 Speaker 1: in making the week feel more manageable and getting your 350 00:19:09,880 --> 00:19:12,200 Speaker 1: people fit. All right, thanks so much for being here 351 00:19:12,520 --> 00:19:15,080 Speaker 1: until next week. I'm Kelsey. See you next time.