It’s December 10, and already, I’m exhausted. Regardless of the fact that I love the Holiday season, what I don’t love is the amount of running around and what feels like a mad scramble, despite all the preparation. With it getting dark at 4pm, my wife working long hours (sometimes not home until 8), and the cold temperatures (it’s 13 degrees as I write this), the days just feel shorter as it is, and I’m always looking for ways to ease the stress, expedite the process of certain things, and keep those warm feelings going… sometimes while multi-tasking. It’s not always easy when I’m doing the balancing act between working at home and taking care of my two little girls, but it can be done. If there’s one month where I could use some help making family size meals a little quicker, it’s December.
Who shops at Walmart at midnight? This guy. Looking for presents (I was chasing something specific – mission accomplished) and grabbing some basics, it’s also a great time to stock-up on some of those quick meal helpers. Stouffer’s Family Size entrees, Edy’s Slow Churned Ice Cream, and even a couple of Digiorno Pizzas (all from Nestle) made it into my cart.
Shopping at night also allows me to get my groove on while driving home. A little old-school rap with DJ Kool on Backspin? I think so. Now, “Let Me Clear My Throat…”
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MIDWEEK MACARONI: Wife’s working until 7. The girls and I are having adventures, which means a prime time to pop something in the oven so we can keep playing while the main course cooks. Boom – Macaroni within an hour, and we can dress-it up however the girls like. For me (the only meat-eater in the house), a little bacon on top. For the kids, some bread crumbs. Served with apples, we’ve got plenty left-over for snacking during the week.
PIZZA & COOKIES: No, we’re not serving cookies and pizza together, but multi-tasking yet again. With the oven already fired-up to 400 degrees so my oldest and I can do some marathon baking (in this case, Christmas Cutout Cookies), we save time by sliding a couple of those Digiorno Pizzas into the mix.
PRE-CHRISTMAS FAMILY MEAL: Why plan ahead and have things on-hand and ready to rock at short notice? A prime example was this past Sunday. With a big, and scattered family, our Christmas gatherings happen throughout December (and sometimes into January). This year, My Dad and his Wife made a visit to Rock Father HQ from Michigan to do gifts with the girls early. Thing is, we got an unexpected snowstorm, and that made going out for dinner a non-option. With Stouffer’s Lasagna on-hand, I built an early afternoon dinner around it, busting out some vegetables, potatoes, salad and bread to go with it. Peppermint Ice Cream for later, and the whole experience was complete. A fine meal, on a Day that felt more Christmas-y than Christmas usually does.
For more great Holiday Ideas from Nestle, check out the Live SoFab Holiday Digital Magazine.
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