Think you have to be busy making dinner when hubby gets home? And then dog-tired come bedtime because of all the energy you had to pour into the evening meal routine? Think again. Make one evening a week “Crock Pot Night” so that you can simmer together for a little while in the bedroom before joining everyone else in the dining room. Tell your kids to set the table, finish their homework, and you’ll be ready to join them in half an hour. (If your kids are too young for that, a Dora the Explorer DVD will buy you the same half-hour of time!)

Don’t own a crock pot? Get one! They’re not expensive (no more costly than ONE nice meal out for a family of four!), and even a complete idiot could learn to use it! They come with instructions, as well as recipes. Here’s some of my favorites:

• Top sirloin with canned tomatoes, onions, served over Minute Rice (also known as “Swiss Steak”)
• Pork Tenderloin with sliced cinnamon apples
• Pot Roast with carrots & potatoes, seasoned with French Onion dry soup mix
• Chicken breasts with 1 can cream of chicken soup, 1 can of cream of mushroom soup, & 1 cup of salsa mixed together. So tender you may never bake or grill chicken again!