Every so often, the Manic Mommies discover a product or service that simplifies our hectic lives, makes us more organized, or gets a hot meal on the table faster.
Recently we were sent the Busy Body Book, a family organizer that allows moms (and dads) to coordinate up to five individual schedules on a single page. An 8 1/2 x 11 spiral bound book with space for notes on every page, this organizer has been a welcome addition to my kitchen desk. I'm a fan of it's relatively compact size and the fact that it's wiro-bound, I don't have to worry about losing the phone number of the early intervention counselor who called two weeks ago or the friend who left her cell phone number on my home voice mail.
Truth be told, my husband prefers the enormous month-a-page desk calendar we've been using. He likes to see an entire month at a time, one of the downsides to the Busy Body Book's current format. You can only see a week-at-a-glance. For some folks, that's not far enough out. But with pages in the front to log important dates like birthdays, and a pocket for storing those random pieces of paper that usually fill my inbox, I've found it to be a nice organizational tool.
Now, on to that hot meal on the table! I have recently discovered the wonderful frozen food section at Trader Joe's a "unique grocery store." I had been in the store on occassion for appetizers and wine when I was throwing a party, but had never made it a regular stop for groceries. Let's face it, delivery is my preferred method of grocery shopping.
A couple weeks ago I stumbled into the store after a trip to our local Staples for office supplies (when you run your own business you do everything - including purchasing the labels for your desktop postage!). I spent some quality time in the frozen food section and over the last week have tried my purchases. I'm usually not a fan of frozen anything for myself (the kids are another story). In the past few days I have tried the mushroom risotto, veggie flatbread pizza, and vegetable pad thai.
I served the pad thai last night and my husband thought it was the recipe I usually make from scratch! The risotto cooked in 5 minutes flat and was better than any I have ever made. Of course, in the interest of full disclosure, I have only attempted risotto on two occassions due to the ridiculously long amount of time needed at the stove to stir it!
The jarred fruits: peaches, pears, and chunky apples were enjoyed by my kids. The banana chocolate protein muffins were a big hit with BK, my 20-month-old who is currently on a hunger strike.
Those are my tips for the week! Have a good one.
