What’s for Dinner? On Planet Mom, there is a kitchen and people waiting for you to feed them

New Baby Playgroup Wednesday mornings, 10 am to 12 pm Essex Junction Teen Center

The Moyer Clan

Your Cooking History How did you learn to cook? Who taught you? How do you decide what to cook?

Here’s our Plan: Writing a Menu What’s in the Pantry? Going to the store Getting it on the table

Exercise #1 What did your family eat for dinner last week? (If you can’t remember, write down the meals that you CAN remember. It’s all good.)

Writing a Menu How many meals CAN you cook? Thirty? Ten? Make a master list…just write them down. You will have this list to expand your menus. You can be creative on days when you feel creative, when you aren’t…check the LIST and pick something from there.

Exercise #2 What can you cook…from memory…without consulting a cookbook? This is your master list – this will be the basis for MANY meals that you can make, but in a pinch, you can haul these out.

How to Cook Without a Book by Pam Anderson Millions of recipes…but only a handful of cooking techniques Pan Frying Deep Frying Broiling/Grilling Steaming Boiling

Same techniques = Many dinners Seared scallops with lemon parsley sauce = New York strip steak with horseradish pan sauce = pork tenderloin medallions with apple cider pan sauce If you can saute, you can sear Change up the ingredients and you have a whole different dinner

Soup “Saute an onion, then add vegetables, starch and meat. Cook in a quart of broth for a meal that can’t be beat.”

Mix up the Ingredients = New Soup Ham & Potato Soup with Leeks and Peas White Bean Soup with Sausage, Peas and Kale Chicken Vegetable soup with Noodles Spinach Soup with Rice and Lemon Gumbo-style Shrimp Soup

How about your Master List? Can you switch around the ingredients in your master list and come up with new menu items? Next exercise…taking the master list you created, can you make a “similar” dinner that could be the basis for next weeks’ menu?

Pan to Plate Challenge These four ingredients are in your pantry Consulting with the partner chefs at your table, what meals could you make with those four ingredients?

Your Pantry What do you have on hand that needs using up? “Shop at home first” Cindy’s Porch Pantry Lists Freezer, Fridge, Pantry If you haven’t used it in a month…it is time to use it, or send it to the Food Shelf

Grocery Store Strategy Creating a Grocery Store master list Knowing the layout of your “favorite” store “Simplify Your Life” by Elaine St. James

Getting it on the table Tips for cooking with small children underfoot How do you keep your children entertained and occupied while you cook?

Thank you! Thank you for your ideas and suggestions today. Moms sharing ideas and helping each other navigate the day-to-day work of caring for our families is what MOPS is all about! Bon Appetite!