More Time-Saving Tips For The Mom On The Go!

One thing I've learned over the past three years is that saving time is an art not a science. For instance, buying a second cradle so the baby could sleep by my side while I worked turned out to be a great investment. It saved me the time it takes to walk up the stairs and it also saved me multiple trips up the stairs to get her settled. I injured my knee a couple of years ago and marching up and down the stairs has turned into a literal grind. Ashleigh could sleep through a bomb blast, so the typing noise never seemed to bother her.

Three years have passed since then and my girls are eleven and three now and we survived the hectic years. Maddie continues to be home schooled and is doing great. Indeed, when she finished up the fourth grade in May she tested out at the eleventh grade level in both math and reading. Ashleigh, too, is showing signs of being a scholar. She turned three last month and can already spell her name and six other words. She can also count to forty.

For me, cooking always seemed to be a gigantic time suck and I've come up with creative ways to shorten its impact on my day. At first, I cheated by hiring a chef to cook Maddie and I meals three times a week. While the food was great, it was an expensive way to save time. My sister Michelle came up with the answer for me when she introduced me to the crock pot. 

Prior to my divorce I have to admit that most of my "cooking was either done on a grill or in a microwave. While I could cook, I found most of the prep work to be tedious and I usually preferred to just order a pizza. Now that I was cooking for more than just me, I wanted a quick and easy way to make nutritious meals. The crock pot was my answer. Below is one of my favorite recipes. The time needed for prep is minimal...With the crock pot you can set it and forget it. I find the results are best when I leave the pot on high for nine or ten hours.

Pulled Pork Rollups

Ingredients:

3 pounds of pork butt or pork roast (frozen)
1 onion
1  18 ounce bottle of Kraft Hickory flavored Barbecue Sauce
1 pinch Italian seasoning spice
water
1 red pepper
sour cream
1/2 bag of shredded cheddar cheese (16 ounce)
1 package of Pepito flour tortillas (burrito size)

Preparation:

Pour one cup of water into the crock pot and then place the frozen meat into the crock pot.

Chop up 1/2 an onion and place it on the meat. Add one pinch of italian seasoning spice over the meat.

Pour the Hickory Barbecue Sauce over the meat making sure to cover the entire roast. When the bottle is empty add 1/3 of a bottle of water and swish it about to clear the extra sauce from the bottle and then pour it into the crock pot making sure not to splash the meat.

Turn the crock pot on high and forget about it for 9 or 10 hours. The added water will help keep the meat moist and the pork will shred easily after this time period. Given the meat was frozen, you WILL NOT overcook the meat over this time frame.

Chop up the rest of the onion and put it in a small bowl.
Clean and chop up the red pepper and place in a bowl.
Place the shredded cheese in a bowl.
Scoop the sour cream into a bowl

At dinner time, place the pork onto a large plate and shred it with a knife and fork. The meat will be very tender and shred easily.

Give everyone a warmed tortilla and have them make their own roll up. Add raw onion and red pepper to taste as well as cheese and sour cream. 

Result: 

My daughters love this meal and it takes me about 15 minutes tops to prepare the food. The crock pot does all the heavy lifting so to speak and because of the added water I don't have to be in the kitchen while its cooking. If any of you try this recipe, please email me at wayne_nef@yahoo.com and let me know what you think...They don't call me "The Chef Nef" for nothing!

Now that I've made you hungry, click on the link to my store and stock up on a new crock pot or ingredients so you can try my recipe tonight! Or do any other shopping you may have to do so that you can spend more time with your kids today. Afterall, isn't that what life should be about? Spending quality time with your loved ones.