The last twenty four hours I've been in a cooking frenzy. This four day weekend has inspired me to play catch up for all the frozen pizzas and freezer pastas from these first seven weeks of the school year. It all started last night when I realized that the recipes I picked for this week from Extending the Table are all make ahead types, which happens to be one of my favorite type to make.
See, I love cooking. I love it! And I love my kids. Love them! But they can both be pretty exhausting, especially when the two are put together. So anything I can plan ahead for and even prepare in advance moves to the top of my recipes for the week. Knowing that I was going to be home these fours days, cooking ahead gave me time to take care of overdue tasks (taking the boys for flu shots) and just having fun (taking the boys to the Children's Museum right after the flu shots).
One of the recipes I found in the book, Kunde na Nazi, chick peas in coconut milk, is from the island of Zanzibar in Tanzania. These chick peas simmered in coconut milk and spiced with clove and turmeric were easy to make, but a tiny note in the margins of the recipe suggested making ahead and reheating for the best flavor. Done! Made last night between clearing the table and reading the boys their bedtime story. And because the peas are best served over rice, I decided to go ahead and make Khai Niew, sticky rice from Thailand. Again easy to make, but must be soaked several hours before steaming the rice. Guess how many times I've forgotten that step and ended up with instant rice.
So tonight's meal was essentially done last night, which left the Speculaasjes, Dutch spice cookies. These are cut-out cookies that again, must be made ahead and refrigerated. So I made the dough last night after the boys were in bed, without even telling them, and boom...afternoon activity. The three of us made alphabet shaped cookies, most of the twenty six, in less than an hour.
In addition, I finally attacked the last of the orchard Sweet Sixteens in the fridge. The boys again helped me whip up a batch of apple strudel bites courtesy of a can of refrigerator biscuits, and while they chowed, I peeled and chopped the remaining apples for a batch of crock-pot applesauce. Again, make ahead for something sweet after dinner tonight.
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