Do These Five Things On The Weekend And Eat All Week!

After raising five children I learned a few things (some a little late:)). And one of the most important was how much easier a little weekend prep can make the following five days of meal planning. Here are my top five tips making it easier to J.E.R.F. (just eat real food) instead of succumbing to the drive-thru line (again).


1. Roast a chicken.

That's mine, done on Sunday, for the week's use.

Find the best chicken you can. I drive an hour to get local, pasture-raised birds, but if the local grocer is your only choice, at least shop smart.  Don't forget to check out the "specialty" sections of your grocer. When I can't get my favorite free-range fowl, I head to the seafood section of my big-box grocery store. For some reason, there amongst the shrimp are bison, buffalo, and the chickens I consider "second-best." For whatever reason they are not with all the other chicken brands . . . Do some detective work around your favorite grocery.

Add whatever will fit in your roasting pan (I LUV my old-faithful covered cast iron skillet:)) Potatoes. Carrots. Onions. Celery. Peppers. Mushrooms. Herbs. White-wine. Get fancy if you can, but don't let plain and simple discourage you. Onion, salt, and pepper will do just fine.

After the chicken is done, debone and set the meat aside. (Don't disturb the meat juices in the pan.) Put the bones back in a stock pot with celery, onion, peppers, carrots, plenty of salt and pepper, etc. etc. and simmer for some hours. While the stock simmers let's get back to that roasting pan. Watch this short video to see how I utilize every bit of that bird---the intermediate stage doesn't look too appetizing but the finished product/ YUM:))

2. Saute a pound or two of ground beef with onions and peppers. This will become the base of pasta sauce for spaghetti, filling for tacos, or a protein-upping, toss in after pan stewing onions, potatoes and cabbage for a hearty Hungarian Goulash. In the summertime I will often toss a 1/2 cup of this cooked ground beef on top of a green salad, add some thousand island dressing and croutons (both homemade, of course:)) Here's a fancy version just to make you feel good about this shortcut, but simple is equally YUMMY!!

3. Cook some brown rice and/or quinoa. Enough for your family two or three times over. Cook it in that awesome chicken broth"by-product" from #2 above. I don't have to tell you all the ways you can combine these yummy sides with the meat bases above to create some spectacular meals . . . do I?

4. Make sure you have three good fresh vegetable choices on hand that are not-so-perishable. In most parts of the country carrots, broccoli, kale, cabbage, and cauliflower are always available and keep well for close to a week.

5. Always keep onions, peppers, garlic and celery. ALWAYS!!! Even if you (gasp!) have to occasionally throw a wilted casualty out, it's worth it to have these staples handy when you need them.