Time Pressures

For the past month, I have been very busy with work. The work I do is not 9 to 5, but often involves seeing a project through even if that means working late into the night.

Because of this, I have new time pressures on cooking for mom. This month, I have tried several new strategies to help get the job done quicker and more efficiently.

First, I decided at Easter time, that even though I didn't have time to make a full batch of food, I could make multiples of one entree. On Easter, I cooked for Easter brunch and I cooked one entree for mom. It was panko crusted tilapia, sweet potatoes, and green beans almondine. I brought three servings, which I'm sure she has made into six.

During the two weeks since Easter, I have been swamped with work. But I knew mom was going to need more food soon. So it was on my mind. Gotta get going on the menu for mom!

We decided to get a new pressure cooker and try it out. My old one is decades old! We got a beautiful, sleek stainless steel pot with all the latest safety features.

For the first meal cooked in the pressure cooker, I chose pot roast. It was awesome! This pot cooked a three pound roast, onions, potatoes, and turnips in 45 minutes total! In one 1-hour period, I was able to create an entire meal for mom. Fantastic.

Today, I had a chunk of four hours free to devote only to cooking. I made a flat roasted chicken--once again a method that cut the roasting time in half. The entire chicken with potatoes and onions took 40 minutes. And one chicken produced five full meals for mom who will probably make them last to 10 meals. Unbelievable!

I also made crab cakes, probably the most time-intensive item on this menu because of all the ingredients that have to be chopped and prepped.

I will deliver the food to mom tomorrow. I think she'll really like this menu. It has a little bit of everything she likes. And many of the flavors will taste new to her. The pot roast has a gorgeous sauce that came directly out of the pot, no messing with gravy!

Menu

* Pot roast with red wine sauce/potatoes/turnips and onions
* Roasted chicken with lemon garlic brandy & white wine sauce/potatoes/braised red cabbage
* Crab cakes with garlic aioli/brown rice/sauteed spinach
* Tuna salad
* Spinach and cheese frittata