Blog.EmealsForYou

Meal Planning – Winning the Trifecta

May 22, 2008 at 3:31 am 3 comments

Growing up, Saturdays were the days my father took over the kitchen. My mother cooked the meals during the week but come the weekend my father would work his magic; creating rich soups, thick stews and wonderful sauces. Anyone entering the house was treated to the smells of garlic and tomatoes simmering, meats stewing and vegetables blending into hunger-causing pots cooking for hours on the stove. Fresh rye bread from the local Polish bakery was passed around and each of us got to sample whatever was cooking by dipping the bread into the pot.

So how does this fit into the Meal Planning theme? We are all searching for a way to feed our families better, to save time in preparation and to save money. Without knowing, he was showing the way. His Saturday rituals are the basics, the Trifecta of what we need. In today’s fast-paced and rushed world we need to take time to save time.

Here is what I suggest. Make a big pot of tomato sauce, the cost is minimal when you do the math: cost of ingredients /number of meals provided. Divide the sauce into meal-size packets; freeze these for use at a later date. One night you can make spaghetti for the family; having friends in for dinner, thaw a packet, add a little cream, maybe a little vodka , if you have it and there you go: Penne Pasta in Vodka Sauce. Put some over ground beef or into a veggie combination; use the leftovers for the kids’ lunch. Please don’t feed your kids “spaghetti o’s” even if they do like them. Of course they like them, read the label. They are mostly sugar, what’s not to like for a 3 year old. You get the point; make it once, serve it many times.

As with the tomato sauce you can buy beef when it is on sale and make a stew. Soups are the same. Ask the person behind the meat counter at the grocery if they have any soup bones. They usually give them away or charge very little and this will help you stretch your budget and also make a good stock. We usually think of soups in the winter to warm up but there is something comforting about a bowl of soup, anytime.

So here it is: Stop opening cans and jars. Start making a big pot of something comforting and maybe a few memories that your kids will take with them when they have kids of their own.

I have listed my father’s tomato sauce recipe below. It calls for boneless pork. If you want to add the pork buy the least expensive piece at the grocery, don’t worry about whether it has a bone or not. Buy the canned tomatoes when they are on sale. Just cook it low and slow and wait for everyone to find a reason to come into the kitchen. Pass the bread please!

Spaghetti Sauce

In a large, heavy saucepan put enough olive oil to just cover the bottom. Heat until just beginning to smoke; add pork and brown. Add onions, pepper and sauté until softened, put tomatoes in blender, blend until smooth and then into pot. Add paste, garlic and spices/herbs. Add salt and simmer uncovered over low heat for several hours, the longer the better. Stir every time you pass the pot. Pull pork from sauce and shred with forks, return pork to sauce. May need additional salt to taste May need additional salt to taste.

This recipe makes enough sauce for several large meals.
Freeze in plastic containers for individual use.

From: Dinners for New Parents ( leave behind food to feed the viewing public) (Share-a-Meal Plans) at emealsforyou.com

Entry filed under: Meal Planning. Tags: cooking ideas, cooking tips, Easy meal planning, emeals, Family meals, Meal Planning, thrifty meal planning.