45 minutes; 6 meals

I enjoy cooking, but with a new baby and four other kids, throwing together a decent meal is tough. So awhile ago I discovered once a month cooking. The concept is you spend a few hours during one or two days, planning, shopping and preparing, and then freezing a month's worth of meals. Yeah--I don't have a day to do that, so I adapted. I take 45 minutes each month to dice, cut, (ok so the actual touching of the meat is done by Andy) marinate and whatever else, to make 6 to 8 meals. Not as many as 30 days worth, but enough that combined with other simple recipes, makes my life easier. Now get this, ALL my kids (and husband) eat these. So now no more "chicken nuggets for me mom, I hate whatever you're making." Yippee. The following is one of our favorites. I was going to add pictures, but by the time I got there, the food was gone.


Sticky Chicken

4-6 boneless chicken breasts, halved

Season the chicken with the following:
1 tsp. basil
1/4 tsp. garlic salt
salt & pepper to taste

In a quart sized freezer bag put:
1/2 c. soy sauce
1/2 c. ketchup
1/3 to 1/2 honey (depending on your sugar tolerance)
1/4 cup oil (I've used vegetable or olive)

Put the seasoned chicken breasts in a freezer gallon bag (label it); add the bag of sauce on top--taped together.

When you are ready to cook it--thaw it and place in coated 9 x 13 pan. Pour the sauce over the chicken and bake at 400 for 45 minutes; or grill it.

I serve this with steamed veggies and rice or sometimes stuffing.

There are several other recipes as easy as this that I just throw together and freeze and then use on those nights that are super busy dinner is done. This method of cooking has really cut our "going out" budget by about 45%.