No Rest for the Weary

Sometimes when I look at my children I say to myself, "Lillian, you should have stayed a virgin."
Lillian Carter, mother of Jimmy and Billy


So here's the reality--I don't have a second to spare in the kitchen. Yesterday both my daughters woke up at about the same time. This is a dilemma because they both need my attention basically immediately, but there is only one of me. I'm sorely out-numbered. I decided to feed the infant, Ava, first, then go retrieve Lacey, the toddler, from her crib. It sounded on the monitor like she was entertaining herself nicely. Ava enjoyed a peaceful breakfast, I swaddled her and settled her in her bassinet hoping for a two hour nap or so. I went to get my still quietly playing Lacey.

As soon as I opened her door I was hit with the smell of animal pen. While I so blissfully enjoyed a morning feeding with my youngest, a diaper blow-out of major proportions had been brewing in the nursery. I'm really still such a rookie parent. I should have been suspicious of all that happy quietness! After (carefully) disrobing my soiled child she went directly into the bathtub and then downstairs to have breakfast an hour later than usual. As Lacey finished eating her oatmeal and toast Ava launched into a crying jag. I re-swaddled her and rocked he back into contentment, however brief. By now it was almost time for Lacey's first nap, but I still had the defiled crib to deal with.

While Lacey entertained herself by removing every diaper from the basket I keep them in and distributing them all over the house, I got to work on her bed. I cleaned every surface of the crib three times: first with baby wipes to remove the, um, general mess, then with a mixture of vinegar and water to disinfect (yeah, it smell a lot like salad, but I don't want harsh chemicals right where she sleeps), and finally a once-over with water to cut down a bit on the salad smell. Her sheets, blankie, and stuffed animals all went into the wash...then it was naptime. I realized then, the only other cribsheet I own was also dirty. I couldn't very well lay her down right on the vinyl covered mattress, so I decided this was a good time to try napping on the "big girl" bed in her room for the first time. (Yeah, like I said, I'm a rookie.)

After seven trips back into her room to place her back in bed I began to realize that sleeping on vinyl couldn't be that bad. I spread a blanket over the mattress, hoped it would stay put, and placed Lacey in her salad-bar smelling, but clean, crib. Ava was still asleep. I so look forward to the rare hour when both kids are sleeping, but it also stresses me out a bit. I usually spend the first twenty minutes trying to decided what to get done. This day I decided to pick up the upstairs (Lacey had destroyed that entire floor of the house while I cleaned her crib) and I loaded the dishwasher.

Lacey woke up just as I finished. Without getting into too much more detail the rest of the day was filled with a late lunch, lots of laundry, a trip outside to kick the soccer ball around (to ensure a sleepy toddler come bedtime), and in between all this: a spilled cup of coffee, a leaky water bottle which soaked Lacey, many diaper changes and several feedings for Ava. Then it was time for dinner.

Here's where cooking at home beats the pants off take-out or eating out: leftovers! I didn't have to turn on the oven. I just warmed Lacey and I up a bowl of the beans and sausage I made the night before. If I had spent the time making that pot of beans on, say, watching TV and ordering take-out, I would have been a little poorer and probably wouldn't have many leftovers. I would've had to cook or continue the cycle of eating out or eating convenience food. As it was, I found myself at the end of a long, hard day reaping the benefits of the time I spent in the kitchen the night before.

There is a point to this long story. I think we fall into the thinking that cooking is just another never-ending task. The truth is when you make time to cook and spend your time in the kitchen wisely, your time becomes an investment. Here are a few of the ways you can make your time count: plan meals in advance; always shop from a list built around your planned meals; batch and freeze your leftovers; leave your kitchen clean before bed each night; and, most importantly, don't be afraid to toss these rules out the window when necessary!

Blackeyed Peas and Sausage

* Soak dried beans according to directions. (I start mine soaking first thing in the morning and in the pot I plan to use to cook the dish in, in this case a large soup pot.)

* Drain and rinse the beans and set aside.
* Start some sausage browning in a skillet.
* In the pot you used to soak the beans heat some chicken broth (homemade, preferably!) to a simmer. Adjust the amount of broth according to weather you like a soupier dish or heartier. I like my bean dishes thicker and heartier, so I add just enough to cover and simmer the beans, meat and veggies.
* Add to the broth: 2-3 chopped carrots, 2-3 chopped celery stalks, 1 chopped red bell pepper; simmer until tender.
* While the veggies are cooking, add to the sausage: 1/2 to 1 whole onion and 2-3 cloves of garlic, minced. Sautee until tender.
* Once veggies and onion are tender, drain sausage and add the blackeyed peas and sausage to the broth.
* Allow mixture to simmer until beans are as tender as you like.

Since I was sharing this dish with my toddler, I only added a little pepper for seasoning, but you could spice it up with some cayenne pepper. I also don't specify how long you should cook anything...this is on purpose! I like my veggies and beans a little firm, but you can just cook until they are as firm or tender as you like. I spent a total of about 30 minutes putting this together.

Enjoy!