The Five Minute Mom

Posted on June 5, 2007 and filed under Uncategorized

Some of the funnest days of my life are being a wife and mom. Some of the most frustrating days of my life are being a wife and mom. A paradox, I know, but anyone who has been a wife and or mother for more than about 7 days can probably relate. I found that a lot of frustration came out of the joy of feeding my family. My husband and I both work full time jobs so I feel that I help to earn the money to buy the food, then, I do the shopping and get the food, I cart it in the house, I put it away and then o’yeah, I cook it. Now don’t get me wrong, I really don’t mind all this. At one point my motto was “embrace the chaos”. I really enjoy my role. The problem is finding time to spend with my 3 kids all in the process. So, I became the queen of the quick meal. I found every way I could to get dinner prep out of the way quick, so that I could go over spelling words, math homework and finger paintings with out my kids being sorry that they brought it up.During one of his messages on a Sunday morning, my pastor said that effective ministry leaders will: Be Administrative, be willing to Cooperate with others, be willing to delegate and not do everything in their own strength. That was good advice for my husband and me as we lead the children’s bus ministry at our church. But the more I dwelt on this the more I realized that the same is true with parenting and running a home. Let me elaborate (or as we say at church, Chase a rabbit),

Being Administrative –

Now, when I think of an administrator of an organization, I might think of the person with all the control who gets paid the most and does the least. But that’s not always the way it works. In the home, the administrator is the one who keeps it all together and running smoothly. To do so effectively though, we must be organized and timely or find someone to help us be. I’ve spent years being disorganized and my friends will tell you that it is physically impossible for me to get anywhere on time. And after consulting various magazines and articles from places like Ladies Home Journal, Women’s Day or Reader’s Digest which are priceless recourses or decorating books like Real Simple, I have tailored down my lack of organization. I didn’t follow any article to the letter but I did take out what I could use and left out the rest. I also consulted my priceless friend to give me real ideas and functional possibilities to my dilemma. She has 5 years of life experience more than I and 10 years of married experience on me and I’d rather learn from her mistakes than learn them on my own.

Being willing to cooperate –

This means with both the other parent, as well as the whims of an 11, 6 or 3 year old. As parents and spouses we have to be open to ideas other than our own (within reason) for instance, when my teen age niece babysat one day, she and my kids had a great time. When I got home, my 3-year-old greeted me at the door with a face painted much like an Incan Statue, with black eyeliner from his forehead to his chin. Now, I could have flipped out about the situation or I could just realize that my niece and her cousins were just having fun. So bath time was a mite more involved. So what?! My kids had an opportunity to express themselves and they did. I owed it to them to be open to their ideas. Besides, I knew that my energy would be better spent at bedtime fighting the good fight.

Being willing to delegate –

Now for those of us who are control freaks have a hard time with this one. I mean, isn’t it just easier to do it yourself than have others do it “different”? The truth is, if I barked at my son every time he helped clean the living room, I wouldn’t have a happy kiddo and I’d only be more frustrated then it was worth. A 3-year-old will seldom clean anything to your specifications, but if he’s never given a chance to fail when it’s safe, he won’t know how to do it right and he might be self conscious about everything he does. Just like when I ask my 11-year-old to load the dishwasher. It’s not always the most efficient job, but it gets done and I then have time to get something else done. Kids need creative freedom (within reason) to do things their own way and learn through trial and error. So now, I even ask my husband to cook roast in the crock-pot or cook frozen lasagna. It’s not rocket science and I get to hang out with my kids every now and then because I’m not stressed about getting dinner underway I don’t get cranky. My pastor said, “if you don’t learn to delegate you’ll get cranky and quit.” Now he was talking about taking on a church ministry but it’s the same with the family. If mom doesn’t learn to delegate, she’ll get cranky. As we all know, If mamma ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy. Be careful how you use that power.

The last ingredient in the recipe of being effective is to not do it in your own strength. Loads of women are in the ministry of mothering. Those who are lucky enough to stay at home actually tend to work harder at it, but they tend to want to do it in their own strength. This only makes it more difficult. Anything done in our own strength would be easier if we would hand it over to the Lord and ask Him for an extra boost. It’s worth more than you think.

Now, all that being said, there are several ways you can do the above mentioned things but for now let’s just talk about getting dinner out of the way quick, easy, cheap and tasty.

The 1st thing we’ll look at is making several meals out of a minimal shopping list. We’re going to look at how, with 3 main ingredients; hamburger, chicken and beans, and a few odds and ends you can feed your family for almost a week. More if you have leftovers.

With one 3 lb. Chubb of hamburger you could make 2 of the following;
*Shepherd’s Pie (a dish with beef, potatoes, and cheese)
*Tacos
*Spaghetti
*Chili (must add beans)

With two baked chickens you could make 2 of the following;
*Baked chicken with rice
*Chicken enchilada casserole
*Chicken soup
*Chicken Alfredo

With 1 ½ lbs. of dry beans you could make 2 of the following;
*Beans and cornbread
*Chili
*Bean burritos

None of these menu plans claim to be low carb, low fat or low anything. But they are hearty meals that fill a certain empty spot. The recipes are meant to be quick. You can stretch them out with personal touches as you see fit.

This shopping list is for 3 days of meals. You can prepare chili, beans and cornbread and shepherd’s pie.

3 lbs. hamburger
1 ½ lbs. dry beans
2 onions
5 lbs. potatoes
1 lg. Can of tomato sauce
Chili powder
Shredded cheddar cheese
1 ham shank (ham hock cut into 3rds)
Greens (like spinach) or another veggie if you family doesn’t like greens
Cornbread mix
1 bag of salad

Day 1

1. Brown all 3 lbs. of hamburger meat with ½ chopped onions. Salt and pepper to taste.
2. While the meat browns, Peel 6-8 potatoes. (Or delegate a helper to do so. Kids make great peelers) Cube and Boil with about 1Tbsp. Salt.
3. Drain the meat, divide in ½ and set aside one of the ½ s. Put the other ½ in the fridge for later.
4. Go kiss you kids and tell them you love them. Answer any homework questions you had them hold on to for you and pay attention to them. (checking on the potatoes from time to time)
5. When the potatoes are done mix together with milk and butter to make mashed potatoes. (Or skip step 2 and make 6-8 cups instant mashed potatoes according to the directions. However, step 4 is very important never skip step 4) 6. Cover the bottom of a 9×13 pan with a layer of mashed potatoes, then layer all of the hamburger and a healthy layer of cheese (maybe 2 cups)
7. Layer the top with mashed potatoes and sprinkle with cheese Bake at 350^ for about 30 minutes Spend 20 more minutes with your kids (see step 4) Serve with bagged salad and/or veggie on the side. While you clean up after dinner. Place 1½ lbs. of dry beans in cold water with 2 tsp. of salt and set aside for tomorrow.

Day 2

1. In the morning after soaking the beans all night, drain and rinse the beans 2. Place beans in crock-pot along with 2/3 of the ham shank (freeze the other 1/3), 2 tbsp. Salt an 1 onion cubed.
3. Cover completely with water, lid crock-pot and turn on low.
4. Get the kids off to school and go to work.
5. At around 4 or 5pm taste the bean broth. Add salt if necessary and test 1 or 2 beans for doneness. If beans aren’t done, turn the crock-pot to high.
6. Spend an hour with your kids, homework, and day’s events. Those mean boys cutting in line might not be huge to you but it is to kid. Take a listen about what’s important to them in their day and let them ask about yours. (Be brief when you talk though and take turns…)
7. Slice potatoes and fry in oil with ½ an onion chopped (you should have ½ left over from last night)
8. Heat greens or other veggie. When you serve this meal, be sure to fish out and serve all of the ham hock and bone. Refrigerate leftover beans. (in the crock-pot if possible)

Day 3

After a hard day’s work you’ll be ready for something easy.

1. Place left over beans in crock-pot along with the 1½ lbs. of browned ground beef from day 1.
2. As the beans warm, add 1 large can of tomato sauce and some chili powder to taste. (some folks like to add a can of chopped tomatoes) Let simmer for about 30 minutes Prepare cornbread, should you want it to accompany your chili, according to package directions. Serve with any left over chopped onion or shredded cheese. Here’s another grocery list and 3 days worth of meals. This does repeat one dish as some of these combinations might.

Grocery List
1 can refried beans
3 lb. Chubb of hamburger
Corn tortillas
Flour tortillas
Pasta
Spaghetti sauce
Cheddar cheese (shredded)
Rice and sauce packet (Spanish)
Onion
Lettuce and tomato
Bag of salad

Day 1

1. Heat refried beans
2. Prepare Spanish rice according to package directions
3. Warm tortillas Serve bean and cheese burritos Rice and salad on the side

Day 2

1. Place large pan of water on stove to boil
2. In another pan, brown all 3 lbs. of hamburger
3. Add chopped onion, drain and divide in ½
4. Store ½ of hamburger in fridge. Place ½ of hamburger in sauce pot
5. Add spaghetti sauce (jazz up as you see fit. For Ideas see page ???)
6. Once water boils, add spaghetti and cook according to package
7. Drain spaghetti and serve.

Day 3

1. Heat left over hamburger
2. Add any seasoning desired
3. Chop lettuce and tomatoes.
4. Serve left over rice and beans on the side.

Now lets move on to chicken dishes. When “seasoned chickens” are mentioned it refers to pre-seasoned chickens such as Foster Farms “Savory Seasonings” chickens. These chickens are seasoned well and have great flavor. You can pretty much eat these chickens any way but raw. I have used these chickens baked, rotisserie style, boiled and fried. I don’t put one speck of season on them because it’s all done for you. Now, these birds can be quite pricey but I buy them when I catch them on sale for .99c per pound at my local grocer.

Grocery List

2 Seasoned chickens
1 can of enchilada sauce
Cheddar cheese
Frozen mixed veggies
2 cans condensed cream of chicken soup
Pasta (bow ties, elbow, or rotini will do)
Alfredo sauce
Bisquik
Corn tortillas
Salad mix

Day 1

1. Boil both chickens
2. Remove chickens from water (reserve water store in refrigerator)
3. Cool chickens and remove the meat from the bone
4. Divide boneless chicken into 3rd’s
5. Splash enchilada sauce on the bottom of a 9×13 pan
6. Place one layer of tortillas on bottom and cover with sauce
7. Reserve ½ cup of enchilada sauce and set aside
8. Mix remaining enchilada sauce and 1/3 of the chicken (store the other 2/3 separately in refrigerator)
9. Sprinkle a layer of chicken mixture on top of tortillas
10. Sprinkle a layer of cheese on chicken
11. Layer tortillas and repeat layers one more time
12. Top with a last layer of tortillas cover with reserved ½ cup sauce
13. Sprinkle with cheese Bake in oven at 350 for 30 minutes Serve with salad on the side

Day 2

1. Take chicken stock from yesterday and ½ of reserved chicken and bring to a boil (Add water if necessary.)
2. Add frozen veggies
3. Add cans of soup Simmer for 30 minutes Season to taste When soup is boiling, use bisquik to make dumplings according to package.

1. Drop about 6 or 7 Dumplings on top of simmering soup. (they will sink)
2. Cover and let simmer about 20 minutes.

Day 3

1. Boil 6 or 8 cups of water in large pan and cook pasta according to package directions
2. Warm chicken in microwave for about 90 seconds
3. Drain pasta and return to pan
4. Add chicken and Alfredo sauce to cooked pasta Serve with side veggie or salad (For a casserole type meal you can add cooked broccoli and carrots to complete the meal)

It’s all about imagination. You could take two of these lists and alternate them to stretch stuff out for about 6 days. Just be sure you are storing stuff in an air tight container and your refrigerator is good and cold.

The most important thing is to let your family know that you want to spend time with them. Expecting perfection is not exactly rational is it? When I cook a meal and didn’t quite salt the potatoes enough, should I throw out the potatoes or should I just put a salt shaker on the table? The same is true with kids. The reason that they act like children is because….they’re children. When that is our expectation, we are almost never disappointed.

Your Prayers, love, consistency and patience along with these recipe tips will hopefully have you and your family coming down a notch or two on the “stress-o-meter”

– By Melody Hawks, Wife to Eugene and Mom to Melissa, Eugene II and Eric.