Stolen Moments with Amy

A few weeks ago, my friend Amy and I decided we’d undertake a little adventure together. Read all about it here, and make sure you stop by her blog to read what I’m sharing over there about the Cooking During Stolen Moments method too. I can’t recommend her blogs (yes, both of them!) highly enough since I have the utmost respect for her. I promise you’ll love her too!

Guest Post by Amy of MomsToolbox.com and MomsTravelTales.com.

Last night we invited another family to join us for dinner. I wanted to serve something I knew would be a slam-dunk, but also something that wouldn’t take too long to put together. Enter Kate and Cooking During Stolen Moments.

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Kate recently shared her Tortilla Crusted Chicken with Fajita Vegetables and Mexican Black Beans recipe with me, with the instructions broken down into tiny tasks I could complete throughout the day. I had already shared this meal with my family twice (and the black beans three times!!), so I knew it would be well-received again. And it was… Thanks, Kate!

Back in December I was looking for some time-savers to incorporate into my life, as well as a way to make mealtime a bit simpler. All too often I find myself scrambling at the end of meal prep, needing a few extra minutes to get it all done… and keep what was ready on time hot.

Kate and I talked and she told me all about her method of cooking. We decided that I would give it a try. She would share her method with my readers at MomsToolbox and I would share my experiences with you here at Cooking During Stolen Moments.

Here’s how yesterday went:

I sliced veggies, pounded chicken, crushed tortillas and prep’ed a few times earlier in the day and then, just 16 minutes before mealtime, the cooking began and all the pieces of dinner were served hot without any fuss. The meal was delicious (both grown-ups and kids approved) and I wasn’t even a tad bit frazzled… how’s THAT for a good meal?

(For all that slicing, if you’re wondering how to cut an onion without crying, I’ve found a great way to do it that keeps me tear-free.)

Kate’s method rocks. It takes all of the stress out of timing everything, as she already has each step broken down for you. And by cooking during stolen moments throughout the day, as she instructs, by the time you need to cook, most of the work is done.

Every time I use her method I (almost) feel like a cooking show chef, with all of my prep work complete. All of my vegetables and seasonings are already measured and ready to go, requiring minimal thinking. All I need to do is combine, heat and pretend to work a little magic.

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Last night I used Kate’s menu, adding some Mexican Rice which, I confess, came out of a packet, and also some sliced fruit. It was a huge hit and, like a said, a cinch to make. Loved it!

I wonder what she’ll have for me to try next… whatever it is, I bet it’ll be equally as easy and yet hopefully still equally as impressive!

Do you use the stolen moments method in your kitchen? Amy and I would love to hear about how you implement it and save time with your dinner prep.