Wednesday's Tip (aka Tuesday's Tip done the week before a baby is coming)

Learn to cook frozen meats in your crock-pot.

I JUST learned this incredibly valuable tool (thanks Carolyn!), and am tickled by the ability I now have to throw a frozen chicken, pork tenderloin, or pot roast into my crock and have dinner some 4-8 hours later. In my hectic life it is just one more thing I can check off the list. I used to think crock pots were for stews, or stroganoff - in other words fancy dishes that required prep of several ingredients, and just used the slow cook aspect of the crock to marry all the flavors. But the real genius of this workhorse is its ability to slowly defrost, bring to temp, then cook without drying, burning, or the need for oversight. Throw your whole frozen chicken into a dry crock, turn it on low or high (depending on how long you have to wait), and in 4-8 hours you will have a perfectly cooked, tender, falling off the bone bird.

I can handle that. I thought you might be able to handle it too, so I made it my last tip before this babe is due. Enjoy!