OUR STORY

Our story is really my story. I am a stay at home mom with four children. Life is busy. You know what I mean. Art class, soccer, church night, homework. Life gets hectic. In the midst of the blur of life, I crave simplicity. Don’t you?

I want to simplify life, but some things I just will not compromise. One priority I have had from day one is family dinner time. I want my family together around the table for a healthy meal each evening.  So over the years, I have experimented with different methods to simplify this endeavor, and to make it possible even on the frantic evenings. And I have learned some things along the way.

In my quest for simplicity, I implemented the Once-A-Month cooking method. Have any of you tried it? There is a cookbook and everything. I mastered this method, I followed it for awhile, but really it is quite a commitment to keep it up. Some of the meals were good some were not so great. The 2 days in the kitchen are laborious and exhausting. This method works, but really, it is not so simple.

Another process I tried is along the same vein; I doubled recipes for meals I cook and froze half of it for another day. This method works too. Because I used my favorite recipes, we enjoyed these meals more. The catch to this method is the required planning and forethought. You can’t just whip up a meal from what you have on hand and do this. Double recipes means, double ingredients, double pans etc. And there is a learning curve as to what freezes well. Again, in my opinion, this is not so simple.

Really, I am a simple cook. In the day to day, I want to keep our meals light, healthy and easy. I like to sauté, grill, roast vegetables and spice them the way I like with rice or potatoes. I try to avoid packaged and processed foods as much as possible. My preference is to buy the items I like and figure out what to do with it on the spur of the moment. But on some nights, I just don’t have the time to spend in the kitchen and I am not in the mood for the mess and the clean-up. So, using the knowledge gleaned from the Once-A Month and freezer methods I have come up with a simple solution:  I keep a few healthy, tasty casseroles on hand that I can pop in the oven when I need to. 

As you can see, I have learned to simplify. To enjoy the casseroles on a busy night, all I do is thaw, bake and serve. When I am done with the meal, I just toss the pan in the trash. With Casserole Express, I hope to pass that simplicity on to you and your household. I know your family will enjoy these delicious, healthy casseroles. And I am willing to bet, that you will agree with me. The best part about it……It is just so simple.