A Working Mom's Meal Plan

The hardest part of my day is when we get home and everyone is immediately hungry. I love to cook and prefer
home-cooked meals, but I don't like to cook much during the work week. And yet, dinner has to get on the table...
My solution: make-ahead meals, freeze-ahead meals and recipes so easy that I'll make them on a Monday. I cook
mostly on the weekends, always doubling recipes, and rely heavily on my extra freezer and a decently-stocked pantry.
This cooking style saves me time and money, and it makes my life simpler—so I can actually enjoy sitting down
to supper at 6 with my family. I hope these recipes will make the witching hour a little better at your house too.

Friday, January 25, 2013

Jalapeno Popper Dip

Mildly spicy and very easy to make! A great one to take along to parties or potlucks. (I realize that I should put a little symbol over the "n" in jalapeno, but this is beyond my skills...)

two 8 oz blocks of cream cheese, softened
1 cup mayo
4 oz can chopped green chiles, drained
2 oz can diced jalapeno peppers, drained
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
panko breadcrumbs for the top

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine cream cheese and mayo, then stir in chiles, peppers and 1/2 of the cheese. Spoon into a small baking dish and sprinkle with remaining cheese and some breadcrumbs. Bake for about 30 minutes or until bubbly.

*Serve with Ritz crackers, pita chips, pretzels, tortilla chips and/or bagel chips. You can make this ahead of time and stick it in the fridge—just bring to room temp before baking or add a few minutes to the baking time.

Friday, January 4, 2013

Penne al Pomodoro e Peperoncino

This one has a kick! We serve it to our kids anyway, but you might want to do a taste test first. My husband says this recipe is a favorite of Janet Jackson's, but I don't know: a) whether this is actually true, b) why he knows this, or c) whether that really recommends it. Either way, it's a favorite recipe of ours, so I always double and freeze the sauce. (from my mother-in-law, Jody)

1 1/4 cups olive oil
2 cups chopped red onion
3 cloves chopped garlic
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped carrot
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
one 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
10 fresh basil leaves
1 1/2 lbs penne pasta, cooked until al dente
chopped parsley for garnish

Heat oil in a medium-large saucepan, then add red onion, garlic, celery, carrot, salt and pepper. Cook over medium-high heat for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add tomatoes and red pepper flakes and simmer for another 30 minutes, stirring once in a while. Add basil leaves. Puree with a hand blender, or transfer to a blender or food processor and process until smooth. Serve over pasta and sprinkle with chopped parsley, if using (I always seem to forget this).

*One of the few pastas that I don't serve with parmesan cheese—it really doesn't need anything.