Dinner Swap, Week 1

OK, Week 1 of the Dinner Swap is done and it was faaaabulous! I feel like a crazy person one day and a queen in the lap of luxury three days. If this week is any indication, worth it. Usually we'll swap Monday through Thursday but since it was Labor Day this week we did Tuesday through Friday. Here's the low-down.

Tuesday (my day)
Thai Steak Salad (prepared components with assembly instructions - recipe here)
Egg rolls (frozen from Costco, cooked, dipping sauce included)
Mixed fresh tropical fruit (pineapple, mango, kiwi)

It was a good day for me to go first because it was the first day of school for everyone else, whereas Hazel has been in school for a month already. I kept my whole day clear, save one small errand, and paced myself on prep throughout the day. But despite doing everything you can ahead of time, there are just some things you have to do in the last hour, so that makes the afternoon a bit hectic. BUT it was much easier this time than the two summer trials, probably because my expectations, and execution, were more realistic. And this time my kitchen was just really messy, and not the grenade explosion it was the last two times. Good thing, because my dishwasher is broken and I am handwashing these days. Ah, takes me back to New York...

I think it helps to make something you're very familiar with - I've made this salad at least six different times - it's a favorite at our house. It helps to know what can be done ahead, and how much work each step is. Overall it was very doable (and delicious, in my opinion!) I left at 5:38 and the three drop-offs took about 20 minutes. Not bad.

Wednesday
Pineapple Meatballs over linguini
Fruit (watermelon & grapes)
Homemade wheat bread

What I did from 4-6pm instead of making dinner: Baked an afterschool banana snack cake, and sat down and ate it with the girls. Then since I wasn't cooking dinner, I made a big batch of breakfast burritos* for the freezer. Then I did some math "homework" with Ginger (counting household things and then graphing them) while Hazel did her homework, and then I read Poppy a book. Then I laid down on the couch and read a magazine until dinner came. Call it a life of luxury.

But poor Shanna! It was her day to cook, and she had meticulously planned out her day to time things right for a 5pm delivery. But her kids' school bus was late. And later. And it kept not coming. For 45 minutes she stood out in the rain waiting for that bus, when she really needed to be in her kitchen getting everything done. Which just goes to show how stressful cooking day, and especially that last hour, can be, no matter how well-planned. And which is why we have a generous 1-hour window for delivery (5 to 6pm). So she meant to bring it at five and it came closer to six. To her it was horrifically stressful. But to me? Well it just meant I got to read a few more pages of my magazine. No big whoop.

Hickman Breakfast Burritos: Cook 1 lb. bulk breakfast sausage, pour into a big bowl. In same pan cook 1 bag Simply Potatoes diced potatoes and onions according to directions (about 15 minutes, turning every few minutes until browned and crispy; their Southwest hash browns are also good in this), I also add some seasoning salt; pour into the bowl with sausage. In same pan scramble about 8 eggs with a splash of milk and some Mrs. Dash; add to bowl. Grate about 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese and add to bowl. Mix it all up. Add scant 1-cupfuls onto large burrito-size tortillas, roll up with ends tucked in, and wrap individually with plastic wrap. Place in large Ziploc freezer bags (about 4-5 per bag) and freeze. To reheat, partially unwrap and microwave for about 1 to 2 minutes. Makes about 9

Thursday
Tender slow-cooked beef au jus
Red-skinned mashed potatoes
Steamed broccoli
Onion-rosemary focaccia

What I did instead: Sat down at the counter next to Hazel - while she did her homework I slowly sifted through the "Thursday Express" weekly folder full of finished work and flyers. Got the girls a snack. Took about 10 minutes "Mommy alone time" in my room - started a new book while I was in there (I got a stack from the local Borders at 70% off.) Came down and sent the girls upstairs to clean and play. Had a nice long talk with Ed on the phone, who's in Phoenix all week. Knocked out a few blog posts. My kitchen counters stayed clean the whole time! AND. Incidentally it was a wicked rainy day, lots of thunder and rain coming down in sheets. Very happy I didn't have to deliver that day. Or cook. Or do anything but wait around for a fabulous dinner to come to me!!!

Friday
Herbed tilapia
Carrots with dill
Zucchini Carpaccio

What I did instead: It was the first sunny day all week so when we got home from picking up Hazel, the girls got in swimsuits and I filled up the baby pool and water table out back for them. Kept an eye on them outside while I caught up on email and worked on some of the many blog posts I have backlogged in my head. Then when the girls came in I gave them all a small handful of M&M's and performed my "I-Don't-Have-to-Make-Dinner" song and dance. Helped them get dried off and dressed, and held Poppy and sang with her and kissed her until dinner came. What a great Friday afternoon.

And here is a direct, unsolicited, unedited quote from Ginger just now - "Mom, you know why I like dinner exchanges?"

"Why?"

"Because I get to talk to you when you're supposed to be making dinner."

If that doesn't sum it up nothing can. Laaaaa for the Dinner Swap!!!

Dinner Swap

This is definitely the coolest, most functional, positively life-saving idea I have heard in a long time. Some friends and I are doing a Dinner Swap.

Have you heard of this idea? You make dinner, lots of it, one day and deliver it to the others. Then on the other days someone brings you dinner. Genius.

First I will tell you why I need this so badly. Then I will tell you how we put it together. In my next post, I will tell you how it's going so far.

This is perfect for people like me - lots of kids (lots means more than one), late-working husband, and I think this is the kicker - at least one kid in school. Something about that 4pm hour when all the kids have come back together and there is mayhem and homework and dinner prep and usually some kind of crying makes me slightly suicidal. Case in point - a few weeks ago when Hazel had her first night of homework. It was 4:30. Poppy was screaming hungry so I put her in her high chair and filled her tray with kinda-sorta healthy stuff to keep her happy and quiet. I was trying to work with Hazel on her homework - first, to understand what she was to do, then to help her understand, then to help/supervise her doing it. Ginger was climbing all over Hazel because she was both bored and jealous of the homework. So I gave Ginger a new coloring book to keep her busy. Then Hazel was distracted by the coloring book. Then Poppy ran out of snacks and started screaming again. And who was making dinner? That's right, no one. I think we had popcorn and cereal that night. I need someone to bring us dinner. As often as possible.

So a few friends cooked up The Swap. One has a sister in another state that does it so we got her details, and put our own group together. We did two trial runs in the summer with whoever was in town. It was a good experience because I realized cooking for multiple families is a different way of cooking, one I'm not used to, and my efforts were way too ambitious, leaving me exhausted and depleted each time. But having the others bring me dinner was like heaven, so I resolved to stick it out and adjust, pacing myself differently.

Here's how we're doing our group:

• It works best if there are four families. We have eight so we are doing two groups of four, and rotating each month. The plan is to do this just during the school year, or at least through December and then reevaluate.
• Dinner consists of a main course and two sides. Each family receives four adult portions. We each have 2-4 kids so this works out just right, maybe with occasional leftovers. Also makes it easy to multiply recipes since so many serve 4. So each time you are making 16 servings. There does not have to be meat. Use the suggested budget as your guideline. Dessert is not required (but you know me...)
• We pitched in to buy enough 8x8 square pans for each group. Other than that we will bring the food in disposable or otherwise non-returnable packaging (Ziploc bags, Gladware, etc.) Eventually they will all get recycled back into the group and you don't have to worry about getting anyone's Tupperware back to them.
• Suggested budget is $45 for each person's four meals. So far I have gone over budget each time. Not sure if it is set too low or I need to change. I am not making gourmet stuff here. For now I am just focusing on being able to plan, make, and deliver the food; once I get that down I will work on reigning in my budget.
• You do not need to provide condiments (butter, ketchup, salad dressing, etc.) unless they are specific to your dish. When providing salad dressing, give it separately so it doesn't wilt the veggies plus some kids don't like dressing.
• Besides the dressing thing, we do not cater to any pickiness. There are no food allergies in our group so anything goes. It's a great chance to broaden our kids' palates and teach them you eat what you get. You can't ever say, "Please don't give us ____." And you can't ever say "We didn't like ____."
• Dinner delivery is between 5-6 pm. Text everyone when you're on your way. If they're not home, leave it on the doorstep. No need to chat at the door - everyone will have a van full of kids waiting. Some things you can bring uncooked, if they are better freshly done, like noodles for example. Or if a dish is best hot from the oven, text everyone to preheat, and deliver it a little early so they can cook it at home.
• We have a loose policy about letting everyone know what you're bringing, just so there aren't blatant duplicates like three nights of lasagna. I planned out my first 3-4 weeks and just emailed them to everyone. Some did the same, others just a quick email the week of. Everyone plans differently. I do not even care as long as we're getting dinner and I am not cooking it! Heaven!

We are starting for real this week. I will let you know how it goes.