My kitchen is not magic. Food does not just appear at dinner time when everyone is ready to eat. Lately, it has been tough to get everything together. This new back-to-school schedule is kicking my butt. This is the first full week with everything, except community orchestra for my son. We have slowly been adding pieces over the last two weeks until this week. Eight hours of dance classes plus eight hours of traveling to get to the classes, an hour and a half of voice, cello and piano lesson, two hour of community choir, two and a half hours of enrichment English for my son, volunteering for my daughter and trying to cram in a few things for myself such as volunteering at the library and learning to play hand bells for a church group. Most of this is outside of school hours so our nights and weekends are packed full. The kids also want to attend girl scouts, Teen Advisory Board at the Library and and do fun things like we are seeing The Piano Guys this weekend.
Needless to say I am in a bit of a panic over the schedule but I am trying to fall back on my plans. Thinking ahead and trying to remember when I have slow moments to think to the next day or two what I need to have ready for meals and making sure the kids have all their stuff together for activities. I don’t know what it is but so far this year they need more reminders and prompts. I think teenage brain has hit them both at the same time. I was hoping my daughter was coming out of it but so far? Not completely.
So, dinners are needing to be extra simple and something we can serve for dinner and have leftovers for lunch (thankfully, they like leftovers).
Verdict:
As we walked in the door both kids exclaimed how good the house smelled. This was nutritious and it cooked while we were gone. Just a bit of extra spice at the end and some fresh basil sprinkled over the top (forgot to take a picture of that) this was delicious! Both kids had a great big bowl and of the bread and butter I had picked up at the bakery earlier in the day. Normally I may have used my bread maker but even that seemed too difficult.
So how easy is this really?
Super Simple Slow Cooker Vegetable Soup
Ingredients:
- 3 (16 oz.) cans of petite diced tomatoes
- 2 (15 3/4 oz) cans of tomato sauce
- 1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
- 1 cup water, vegetable, chicken, or beef stock (your choice – make it vegetarian with water or vegetable stock)
- 1 (16 oz) bag of frozen mixed vegetables – I used carrots, peas, green beans and lima beans
- 4 large potatoes, washed and diced into small pieces
- Any other vegetables you may like – sliced celery, diced onions, diced peppers, etc….
- 2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon of powdered onion (if not using onions in the soup)
- salt and pepper, to taste
- fresh basil, for topping, if desired
Directions:
- Mix all ingredients except the salt, pepper and fresh basil in your large slow cooker. Turn on low for 6-8 hours until all vegetables are cooked through and tender. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed or adjust other spices.
- Serve hot with fresh basil as a topping, if desired.
What's for Dinner Moms? 
Oh Marci I can so relate, my five are younger, they require during school term so much-I have been making new soup recipes myself and freezing them for the go between nights of craziness-LOL. Hang in there-one day much to our chagrin they’ll be in College!? xx
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Looks delicious. I like the idea of using minced fresh garlic (not the one already minced from the store). I like the flavor of fresh garlic in vegetables! Will try this soup! Thanks for the recipe!
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Looks yummy! I am jealous you get to see The Piano Guys, I love them! We have all their songs on our iPod. Hang in there with the schedule, somehow it all seems to work out in the end.
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Thank you. It is the change in schedules that get me. In some ways I am like my son in that the change in routine sets me off. It seems like we just get it down and things are flowing smoothly and then back to school happens.
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WOW! That’s A LOT of craziness Marci!!!
I agree with Cheryl, when DH and I were in our busy modes with work, etc., I did loads of make-ahead-and-freeze dishes. This is one of my go-to make-ahead in LARGE quantity recipes: https://mykitcheninthemiddleofthedesert.wordpress.com/2013/06/07/oven-roasted-pork-packages/
that can also be made in the Slow Cooker:
http://www.discusscooking.com/forums/f14/crock-pot-kalua-pig-65081.html
Talk about your house smelling good, MAN!!
I use this cooked pork butt as I would for just about any pulled pork dish, it’s fabulous in Chile Rellenos!
On King’s Hawaiian Rolls as sliders, with some smoky barbecue sauce; Kalua Pig and Cabbage: https://mykitcheninthemiddleofthedesert.wordpress.com/2013/08/08/what-another-pot/
the list goes on.
… just some thoughts for you 🙂 … ALOHA!
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Thank you! There looks like like lots of fun stuff to try!
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The sliders are fantastic!
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Wow you are so busy Marci! I cant believe you have time to put any dinner together and this sounds yummy
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Thank you, Lynn. It is quite a bit of planning and help from my family.
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