Raise of hands: Who has no time to cook because their kids are in soccer/basketball/theater/piano lessons/scouts/all of the above? Me, too. What is it about this time of year that piles up one activity after another (despite my best efforts not to over-schedule)?
Now, you know I love to cook – but lately I’ve been running from one kid’s activity to the next afterschool so that, by the time I get home, I don’t have much time to whip up dinner. Take my Monday: I came home after watching one child’s basketball game at 5:30 p.m., checked my email and found out my other’s daughter’s coach had moved up her practice by half hour. And could I have her there by 6 p.m.? Yikes.
Luckily, I knew I’d have a tight schedule that night (although I wasn’t thinking it would be quite THAT tight). I had put chicken breasts in the Crock-Pot in the morning and all I needed to do was shred them, add some beans, salsa, a little cheese, roll ’em up in a flour tortilla – and I had a tasty chicken burrito. To go. I heated it, wrapped it in tinfoil and my daughter ate hers on the way to practice. (I know, I know: You’re not supposed to let your kids eat that close to exercising … but an empty stomach isn’t much better!)
I was able to sit back and eat mine while I watched her play. Yeah, eating around the table is definitely preferred – but sometimes, it just doesn’t happen. And eating out is only exciting for a couple nights before my kids start asking for something homemade.
So if you’re looking for a quick dinner that packs well, it’s slow cooker time! And don’t forget you can shred the chicken and keep it for a few days – or even freeze it. (And then again, it’s so nice to have the whole house smelling good when you get home after a long day!)
