What Abuela would have to do in 2011...

6:00am, the alarm goes off.

"Five more minutes, Mama...", says my daughter repeatedly for the next half hour.  Only the anticipation of my hot cup of Bustelo keeps me focused.  Strong and black, that's how I like it.

Eventually after each of us is alternating between a fashion crisis, gathering briefcases & bookbags, Blackberrys, and making her lunch, we're finally out the door.  ...But right before leaving, I grab a bag out of the freezer and place it in the sink...


I drop her off at school, and just as I'm about to reach the highway she calls my cell phone, "Ma, I forgot my violin in the backseat and I really need it..."

Looking at the clock and mentally preparing for my 9:30am conference call I want to tell her that it's too late for me to go back, but the sound of her voice and the thought of her feeling unprepared doesn't let me go.  I turn back.


Eventually,  I get to work and  there's a line outside my office before I have my third cup of coffee.  Yes, because what you don't know is that I had my 12 ounce travel mug in the car on my way to work.

After a long day of audits, conference calls, meetings and endless interruptions from the "real" work I manage to have what I consider to be a very productive day, and so does my team.   At what cost?  I'm exhausted and it's only Tuesday.  I pack everything back up in my briefcase with no minutes to spare and just enough time to pick her up at her after-school program.

 I was fortunate enough to have a stay-at-home mom all of my life, who was dedicated solely to my brother and I.  Here I am picking my little girl up at 6pm in the evening and my heart wrenches with guilt.  If it's not a night where we have to grab a quick bite and rush off to her extra-curricular programs, we have the luxury of going straight home.  Now, this is my chance to feel like a mom, and for her to feel like I felt with my mom.

This is where most of us working parents are so challenged.  We crave the delicious, traditional meals from back home but it's hard to find the time to do it all.  Multiply that for those of us who are single parents.  It's not easy.

Let me share with you some of the ways that over time,  allowed me not to compromise traditional, fresh and healthy meals.

 Waste Not, Want Not;

The FoodSaver Vacuum Sealer

Forget about sliced bread.  This is the best invention since..!  

The FoodSaver Vacuum Sealer is inexpensive and quickly pays for itself.  You can make storage bags in whatever size you need that allow you to store foods with an air-tight seal.  

I've mentioned the process of oxidation before.  Once air hits organic material it starts the decomposition process.  An air-tight seal is going to prevent this and keep your foods stored fresh for much, much longer.  This is especially so when frozen.  

The vacuum sealer bags are freezer, microwave safe, and can also be boiled.  With foods kept fresher longer, less dishes used and the ability to buy in bulk and separate according to need and size, you can't lose.  I know you've heard this before.  This is where it's about to get interesting.  For those of us who love gourmet, traditional meals but have crazy schedules, let me share some ideas.

1. Find a day of the week when you prefer to do your shopping.  I recommend that you go comfortable, and in a peaceful state of mind.  I usually do not go with a set menu in mind.  Instead, I go for the freshest and most appealing ingredients and derive a menu out of my "finds".  Seasonal menus are wonderful because you can expose your kids to different nutrients and styles while making it tasty & fun.
2. Although I don't have the menu planned when I shop, I always carry a list of the household staples as we run out of them.  Actually this is my daughter's job, and she really enjoys it.  Truthfully, I don't know what I would do without her.  As we run out of things, she jots them down on the magnetic pad that's on the fridge.  On the weekends, when I do my shopping, I drop the list in my wallet and am good to go.
3. Know your pantry "staples".  For instance, one of mine is Limes/Lemons.  I always have to have these on hands because they are in my marinades, garnishes, and beverages.  There are certain ingredients that all of us tend to always have.  
4.  Usually it's best to buy meat in bulk in order to save money.  Don't worry if you won't use it all in one meal.  Separate the meat by quantities needed for meals in your family.
5. Sunday is my "ritual" day.  I make sure that I have a couple of hours of peace to do this.  I wash all of the meat that I purchase, with vinegar and/or lemon juice and water, then drain it.  Same with seafood.  I have a separate cutting boards and stainless steel cooking bowls for this.  You can also use Ziploc Freezer bags.  Really, you can use what you are most comfortable with.  Or you can even marinade right in the vacuum bags themselves.
6. Here's an easy Puerto Rican Marinade:  After the meat is washed and drained, add olive oil, lemon or lime (I prefer to squeeze fresh for the flavor), Sazon, Adobo, Oregano & Pepper.  I also love to crush garlic and add it into the marinade.  Easy, right?
7. Now you seal the bottom of a vacuum bag, cut the bag according to the size needed, place the meat and marinade inside the bag, and vacuum seal it.  Once sealed, rinse off the bag to get any excess that may have gotten on the outside of the bag. 
8. I also pre-slice my platanos, place layers on parchment paper and freeze them in a bag. 
9. You can also vacuum and freeze onions, mushrooms, potatoes, radishes, carrots, celery & peppers for easy stir-fry at a later date.    
10. I also do this with the excess Sofrito so that it stays fresh and lasts!

On Sundays, I usually prepare a couple of bags of beef, one pork, one chicken and a couple of seafood (shrimp or scallops made in that same marinade are wonderful) ready to go.  I place them in the freezer for use later in the week.  My freezer is organized with fresh, frozen vegetables and the sealed, marinades.

So, back to a crazy-busy Tuesday night where my little girl and I get home at around 6:30pm.  While she starts homework, I start the rice cooker going.  You can also make yellow rice, or Arroz con Guandules, Arroz con Salchichas, or any other type of rice dish in a rice cooker.  It's all about how you form the base, but we'll get to that another time...

While the rice is on, I go kick my heels off, throw my apron on and sport a hair clip.  Oh, and the bracelets and bangles come off too!  I'm not playin'.  No time to mess around.

Remember that bag that I grabbed out of the freezer and left in the sink before I left this morning?  You guessed it!  It was one of my marinades, which is now pleasantly defrosted.

Now all I have to do is grab a bag of vegetables out of the freezer.  For convenience, I want easy "sides" that are ready quickly but high in nutritional content.  I buy the bags that allow you to steam the veggies right in the microwave. 

Lastly, I heat up a pan, drizzle a little bit of olive oil, add one tablespoon of Sofrito, tomato sauce, add some peppers, onions or any veggies that you want to use in the stir fry.  I love to mix colors!  It makes your meal so attractive.

Part of being a great cook is tantalizing all of the senses.  Make your food seduce your plate...

Now, throw in your marinated meat and you're good to go!  By the time the rice cooker is done, and the microwave veggies have stopped, your meat dish will be delicious and lovely and your house will smell amazing.

See what you did?  You were prepared, organized and frugal too.  By doing your prep work ahead of time you didn't have to wonder what to plan for dinner and were less tempted to eat out, spend more money and eat unhealthy foods.  You also had an opportunity to share the cooking experience, and a delicious,  nutritious home-cooked meal, just like Abuela used to make.  Except that you did it in no time at all!

Muy buen provecho!