Do you have a major problem getting weeknight meals on the table? Since Darah has joined our family, this has been a real struggle for us. I work hard to carefully plan out our meals for the week (this helps us keep our grocery bill in check), but it is really hard to find meals that come together almost effortlessly, which is exactly what we need every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday night. I’ve learned that cooking dishes that freeze well is a really good option to help out on those nights. I try to cook a little bit extra on the weekends, and then on those whirlwind weeknights, I just have to heat up one of those make ahead meals from the freezer. Slow Cooker meals are also a good option, but I haven’t found very many good recipes for the slow cooker, unfortunately.
I was really excited to get to check out the e-book version of Jane Doiron’s Make-Ahead Meals for Busy Moms cookbook. This book contains 140 different dishes that are easy to prepare the day you want to serve them, the day before, or even up to 3 months before you plan on eating them! Jane tells you which ones are the best for the freezer, which ones reheat beautifully if you want to enjoy them now but make enough for leftovers, and which ones you can prepare up to 24 hours in advance.
Last week, while I had the time off from work, I picked out several recipes from her cookbook and stocked up our freezer with some delicious breads, muffins and main dishes. Here’s what I made:
- Banana Nut Bread
- Cinnamon Bread
- Apple Zucchini Bread
- Banana Chocolate-Chip Muffins
- Baked Chicken Chimichangas
- Sloppy Joes
I tasted every single thing that I made before tucking it away in the freezer. Honestly, it all tasted delicious! I made an extra apple zucchini bread for a friend who just had a baby this week because it contains so many great ingredients for a nursing mom. The chimichangas came together really easily, and they tasted fantastic. I know that these will become a weeknight staple around our house. The sloppy joes were also outstanding; one of the best versions I have ever had, truth be told. I’ll actually be bringing you the recipe this Sunday, so stay tuned!
A few of the make ahead meals listed in the book that I haven’t tried yet seem to be a little more elaborate, but that makes them ideal for when you are having company over. I hate being preoccupied in the kitchen when I have guests, but I also like to offer food that is at least a little bit special. These recipes will allow me to do just that, by giving me instructions on how to put together everything in advance.
Buy It!
Make-Ahead Meals for Busy Moms is available at Barnes and Noble and Amazon for$16.15!! This is a great price for a cookbook that will save you time and money, folks.
Win it!
Jane wants to offer Stuff Parents Need readers the opportunity to win their very own copy of her book. Yes!!! This contest will run until Sunday, January 17th at 7:59pm CST when a winner will be selected via random.org. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to the winning notification email before a new winner will be selected. Open to residents of the United States.
How to Enter:
Mandatory Entry: Check out the table of contents of Make-Ahead Meals for Busy Moms and tell me the recipe you would make first if you won!
Additional Entries:
1. Follow my blog via Google Friend Connect
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I was provided with this cookbook for review purposes. The opinions listed here are strictly my own.