Work It: a blog for Working Moms

One Way to Keep Your Sanity

by Vanessa

Being a mom has its challenges. Being a working mom has some different ones. My biggest challenge: What should we have for dinner every night?

Well, there's a few ways to deal with that:

1) Order or Takeout
2) Cook something (that's hopefully nutritious)

All that is fine and good, but getting to the grocery store is not exactly on the top of many women's list of "fun things to do with free time." One thing that I have found that saves my sanity is planning the meals for the week.

Although it takes some discipline (I am guilty of not doing it and then regretting it later), you will find that not only does it make it easier when you get home and you are trying to get dinner on the table (the answer to "what are we having?" is already answered), but you will also save money in the long-run cause food in your refrigerator (e.g., fresh veggies, fruit) will be eaten and not spoiled.

To help you out, here is a sample dinner menu for my family for a week, and to top it off, they are quick and easy (and toddler-friendly):

Monday: Sandwiches (usually toasted ham with cheese), salad and fruit
Tuesday: Tortellini, green beans
Wednesday: Turkey Meatloaf, baked potato (microwave), fruit
Thursday: Chicken quesadillas (use the already cooked chicken to save time), corn
Friday: Pizza (this I get takeout from a local place -- who wants to cook on Friday?), salad

Saturdays and Sundays are always up in the air. Sometimes we like to cook meals that take longer and sometimes we use the opportunity to hang out with friends and go out to eat. Whatever you decide, planning out meals allows you and your family to know what's for dinner and it's flexible enough to switch around based on your busy schedules or even prepare the night before to save even more time!

Nutritious Meals Can Be Fast

by Vanessa

After a long day at work, the last thing you want to do is cook -- especially if you are 26 weeks pregnant to boot. It's so easy to just open a can, defrost a meal, or throw some spaghetti on the stove; but in my efforts to try to eat healthy, I find myself coming up with new (and super easy) ways to make a nutritional meal. Thank goodness for grocery stores that has already-cooked, cut, or otherwise partially prepared foods. I was quite proud of tonight's dinner menu.

·      Rotisserie chicken (take off the skin to be super extra healthy)

·      Green beans

·      Caprese salad (tomato, basil, cheese, evoo)

Chicken was already cooked; I just had to cut it off the bone. The green beans are fresh and come in a steam-ready bag. Just poke some holes in the bag and pop it in the microwave for 4 minutes. While that was cooking, I cut a couple plum tomatoes and sliced some mozzarella, sprinkled some olive oil and added some basil leaves. All set and on the table in about 10 minutes. It was yummy and colorful to boot. My husband and son both loved it.

Score:

Mom 1

Family 0

What are some of your quick and healthy dinners?

Potty Training

by Stephanie G.

Potty training my daughter wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I started when my daughter was nearing 2 years old. I noticed a spot where she would hide to use #2. As soon as I saw her doing so, I would rush her to the potty chair. After a while, I wasn't so enthused about cleaning the whole mess. I decided to buy a child potty seat that fits over the toilet.

After rushing her to the toilet for #2, she caught on quickly. I was so amazed. Now she knew that for #2, we had to rush to the bathroom. I can't tell you how proud and relieved I was, because she caught on within a month or two. During this time, I became pregnant with my son, so for me as long as she took care of the real business on the potty, that was great for me. It was more convenient for me to change her pull-up, then to be rushing her to the potty all the time. Now I feel bad for having prolonged her training.

By the time my son came around, my daughter was about to be three. It was time to finish what I had started. I began one Saturday I knew we would be home all day. In the morning, I took her straight to to potty. But as the day progressed, I began with breakfast, then dishes and I would absolutely forget about having to take her periodically. I know I should have been more focused. But as my regular Sat. routine began, here I would find my little girl at my knees, "Mommy, I'm wet", over and over again. So, I went back to the pull-ups.

After a couple of weeks, I knew I had to go cold turkey. I didn't want to confuse her by putting them on some of the time and not others. So, we dealt with the messes and I tried to stay more focused. Sure enough, she caught on within days, no more pull-ups and no more messes. For nighttime, we go potty before bedtime and first thing in the morning. My husband was amazed that she stays dry through the night. I'm just glad it's finished and done. 

What has worked for you?  I'd love to hear some of your methods.

Dilly Dip

By JenMarie

While trying to come up with something new and unique for Easter dinner, I found a great (and quick) party dip and thought I would share.  It was a HUGE hit at the party, with everyone asking for the recipe and trying to figure out everything in it. 
I do not usually make things that are low fat, so I could not speak to the flavor if you used low fat ingredients but I would think it would be just as tasty but not as high in fat or calories.  I did make this the night before and found that it really did need the time for everything to blend. 

Dilly Party Dip

1 cup Mayonnaise (I did use store bought, but next time I plan to make my own).
1 cup sour cream
3 tsp. dill weed **
3 tbsp. parmesan cheese **
1 tsp minced garlic **
Crackers or veggies to dip.

Mix all ingredients together and refrigerate overnight.  Serve will veggies to crackers. 
**adjust amounts to taste and remember the taste is enhanced as the ingredients combine.

Easy Holiday Appetizer Recipe

Here is a great recipe for any Holiday gathering. It is for an appetizer that takes only minutes to make, can be made virtually fat free, and will be gone within minutes of you making it. I always keep extra ingredients ready to go as it seems everyone always wants seconds.

Ingredients:

1. Cream Cheese (Full Fat or Non Fat version)
2. Salsa
3. Shredded Cheddar Cheese (once again, this can be the fat free version)

Instructions:

1. Take any microwavable plate or serving dish. Cover the bottom of the dish with cream cheese.
2. On top of the cream cheese layer, cover that with salsa.
3. Over the salsa, generously spread the shredded cheese.
4. Microwave this on high for 1 - 2 minutes, or until the cheese on top is melted.
5. Serve with tortilla chips or anything else that makes a good dipping tool.

And that's it! This is a favorite of mine for a couple of years...I think I might need to make this tonight...

Football Season

by Laura

In my house, we're all about the Eagles. Anyone who pays attention to football has heard the stories about the rabid Philly fans. I don't consider myself rabid. However I do plop my children in a different room and in front of an age-appropriate DVD so that I can watch part of each game uninterrupted. It's one of my dirty mom secrets. They need something to bring up in therapy in 20 years and if my need to watch the first half of a football game is the worst they come up with...well, it's just not that bad.

Way before we had to think of ways to entertain the girls, really way before we even had the girls, my husband and I started a tradition of gameday food. Our own personal tailgate in our living room. The menus vary from surf and turf one week to cheesesteaks the next. When we're hosting or attending a football-related get together I have to think bigger. Easier, even. I love my friends dearly but I do not want to be slaving away Martha Stewart-style in the kitchen while they're drinking beer and yelling at the TV in the living room.

In the 10 years of this foodie tradition, there have been many winners. But there is one dip in particular that is often requested, easy-to-make, and can satiate a crowd. I share this gem with you now:

Buffalo Chicken Dip

4 or 5 cooked chicken breasts, chopped (feel free to use already-cooked and sliced chicken in packages 2 – 9oz pkgs, you must still chop it into smaller, less than bite-sized, fits-on-a-chip pieces)

12 oz Frank’s red hot sauce

2 – 8 oz softened cream cheese

1 C chopped celery

1 C ranch dressing

2 C shredded monterey jack cheese.

Chop chicken. Heat chicken and red hot sauce in a frypan or skillet. Add cream cheese, celery and ranch dressing, stir until combined. Pour into 9x13 baking dish and sprinkle with shredded cheese. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

NOTE:  You can easily halve the recipe for 2-4 people. Use 2 6oz pkgs of chicken but 1/2 all other ingredients. My husband has suggested many times that I sub shrimp for chicken (he likes to order buffalo shrimp at restaurants) but I'm not so sure that will work. If you try it that way, be sure to let us know how it turns out!

And also...GO EAGLES! No, really. PLEASE...GO already. 0 and 2 is not what we imagined!

The Big Harvest

by JenMarie

One of my favorite things about summer is being able to plant a vegetable garden. This always takes me back to my childhood and I find I plant some things just because that’s what I’ve always done and not because I necessarily like them! We tend to stay pretty traditional and try to plant a good variety of things to enjoy. This year we expanded our garden by almost 50% and created a separate strawberry patch (YUM). We planted peppers (regular and hot varieties), tomatoes, carrots, cucumbers, zucchini, squash, corn, honeydew, watermelon, bush green beans and pumpkins. 

We have especially enjoyed involving the kids in the garden this year. Jack, at a couple months shy of two, loves to keep track of all of the garden tools while Sydney is having a blast determining if the food is ready to be picked and then helping carry it all to the house.  She does tend to get a little over zealous at times, but it’s a good opportunity to teach her how to tell if something is ready to be picked. 

What I have been struggling with is what to do with the bountiful harvest! In particular I am being overrun by zucchini. I honestly have never seen such enormous zucchini. We had a week period where it rained daily and we were not able to pick anything so they just grew and grew. Now I am staring at several zucchini that are bigger than a bowling pin. 

We have been baking the zucchini using any recipe that I can find, from bread to cookies, cake to fried slices. So far, the family favorite has (overwhelmingly) been the chocolate zucchini cake. How can you go wrong with ‘chocolate’ in the title? Unfortunately for me I didn’t even use ¼ of one zucchini to make this. Judging by the family reaction and that of our neighbors who were all given some to share, I will have plenty of opportunity to use up what’s left by making more! 

I would never rave about a recipe without including it, so for those in the same zucchini boat as I am here you go. This recipe was handed down to me by my favorite aunt who makes some of the best desserts ever. 

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

Ingredients

1 cup brown sugar
½ cup sugar (regular granulated sugar)
½ cup margarine
½ cup oil
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
½ cup buttermilk
2 ½ cups flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking soda
4 tbsp. cocoa
2 cups grated zucchini
1 cup chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 325
Mix all ingredients except chocolate chips in a bowl.  Pour into a greased 9x13 pan, top with chocolate chips.  Bake 45 minutes or until cake tester inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool.
Can frost with chocolate frosting or (as I do) sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Note: instead of a cake, we make cupcakes.  This will make approx 24 cupcakes.  Bake for approx 25-30 minutes, until cake tester comes out clean.