Kitchenally Challenged

If you've known me for any length of time in real life, you know how that I am Kitchenally Challenged.  I can follow a recipe well enough. I even have one or two recipes that people have asked me to share. But, when it comes right down to it, I'd rather be a lot of places than in my kitchen. 

What is a blessing to me is that the Lord has seen fit to refine my selfish heart by providing many, many kitchen duties in this season of life. However, my lack of skill and joyfullness has created some troubles for me in managing our meal times in a pleasing manner. So, after some weeks of frustration, a few more weeks of praying and planning, I've got a new plan that I'm hopeful will give me a better grip on my culinary crutch.

Some basic changes I've made:
>Plan to use the crockpot or make-ahead recipes for *most* of the meals I serve each day, including breakfast and lunch.
>Make a plan to stay one meal ahead throughout the day.
>Create Master Lists for a new menu, Kitchen Day chores, and Grocery Shopping
>Reorganize my recipes

Here's a little step-by-step:

1. Pray and ask the Lord to help me renew my heart and mind for the tasks He has prepared for me to do.

"For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them." Ephesians 2:10

2. Research a few blogs and ask some seasoned moms for ideas, recipes, tips and ways to think "outside of the box".
3. Revise the weekly menu plan I was using to a Monthly Menu plan, color-coded.



4. Make a color-coded Master Grocery list for each menu week. It's in my computer, ready for any needed changes. I can edit, print and go.

5. Reorganized my recipe box into sections for Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner. The other sections have recipes I use weekly for condiments, baking, and soups.  A few sections need to be cleaned out once more. I detest a cluttered recipe box.

6. Created a master list of recipes for each meal section for quick reference. (just noticed the spelling errors. Please...PLEASE ignore!!)

7. Created color-coded Master Lists for Kitchen Chores throughout the week. I now have a plan of what to cook, prep and create each day (morning, afternoon and evening) in my kitchen. This is also in my computer, with the print and go option. I plan to print a copy for each week and attach to the corresponding menu that will be posted on the fridge. I'd link a peek of it for you, but I can't get my computer to agree with the internet linky-thing. 8-) 

It's too bad, too, because that's where the real work went in. Let's just say that I won't have to wonder "what should I be doing next?" anymore. At least not in the kitchen. ;-)

So, I've listed myself up again. I'll give an update in a few weeks to let you know how we've adjusted and how we like the new recipes. I'll also update my link on the side bar to give basic changes to our weekly menu. I'll be updating the MOTH schedule too, just so *I* know everything is organized correctly. (can anyone say Control Issues??)