This week, we have Mompert Wendy Thompson. To read Wendy’s bio, click here. Bon Appetit!

I remember a conversation I had with some co-workers while I was still pregnant.  They were asking if I was excited about the baby and the time off I was going to have with him.  I remember responding that I was looking forward to having the opportunity to cook proper meals for my husband and myself.  With pictures in my head of a properly set table with three or four courses, and possibly a candle or two for that added romantic touch.  Flash forward a couple of months - “When my buddy gets home, his wife always has dinner ready on the table”.  Those were the words my husband dared utter to me one night when I had yet again been unable to make dinner for us.

You can never be prepared for the change a baby makes to your life.  It is mostly definitely a blessing, but there are many sacrifices along the way.  In our house it was the cooking.  My husband is Greek, and the Greeks are known for their great food and wonderful meals, so he has certain expectations of what a proper meal is.  Between breastfeeding every other hour, changing dirty diapers, catching a little sleep myself, taking care of the cat and dog and trying to keep up with the laundry, cooking was all but forgotten.

I finally had enough of eating sandwiches for dinner and set out to find a way to provide sustenance for both my husband and I while still nurturing our young son.  This led me to a gather a collection of recipes that I now make on a regular basis. These recipes manifest in one of two ways, a super easy main course or a batch recipe for freezing.

Periodically I will ask my mother to come over and help with a batch recipe.  She will be my extra set of hands to help with the chopping and stirring or if I am busy, attend to my son.  Whatever it is that I am making that day, will be done in a large quantity and packed in meal sized containers for freezing.  I highly recommend this method.  There are many wonderful recipes that can be frozen and re-heated without any loss in flavor.  Our family favorites include Chicken Pot Pie, Breakfast Wraps, marinated Flank Steak and BBQ Rum Ribs.

I have also collected an assortment of really easy recipes that can be prepared in stages throughout the day (as parents know how difficult it is to find a single large chunk of time) or very quickly while you child takes a nap.  These main dishes include items such as Quiche or Perogy Casserole.  When your significant other comes home they can help prepare a quick and easy salad to go with the main course, and steam some vegetables in the microwave or on the stovetop.

I don’t pretend to be an expert on nutrition, nor will I argue that my meals are 100% nutritionally sound.  But at the end of the day there is something on the table and my family is together enjoying the meal that was made.  And that goes along way towards a healthy family in my opinion.

To help your family out, here are two recipes that are amongst our favorites:

Quiche

My family likes this dish as the recipe makes two pies, one for dinner and one for freezing.  Also, you can step away from this recipe as needed to take care of your little one(s).  Feel free to play around with the ingredients, my family likes to add mushrooms, hot sauce or asparagus.

2 frozen 9” pie shells
¼ cup of margarine
4 finely diced onions
2 tbsp of flour
4 large eggs
1 cup of milk
1 tsp of salt
1/8 tsp pepper
5 thick slices of deli ham chopped
2 cups of grated cheddar cheese

Add onions and butter to a microwaveable bowl.  Microwave onions until translucent.  Sprinkle with flour.

To the onions add the eggs, milk, salt and pepper.  Mix well.

Add the ham and cheese to the egg and onion mixture.

Fill the pie shells with the mix.

Cook at 350ºF for 30 minutes or until eggs are cooked through.

In honor of International chocolate Day this month, try this delicious and amazing delight.

Chocolate Clusters

While not a proper meal, this recipe is so easy to make (you should be able to whip these up within ½ hour) and enjoyed by many.  It is the perfect thing to offer your guests who stop by to meet your new little one.  In other words, you look like the mom and hostess who has it all together, without all that much trouble!

2 cups of sugar
½ cup of milk
½ cup of hard margarine
1 tsp of vanilla
½ cup of cocoa
½ cup of coconut
2 2/3 cups of oatmeal

Boil sugar, milk, margarine, vanilla & cocoa for 4 minutes.  Add coconut & oatmeal.  Drop by the teaspoonful on a greased cookie sheet.  Refrigerate and serve.

Makes approximately 24 clusters.

Enjoy,

Wendy Thompson, Mompert