In theory, when you’ve had one baby, preparing for Baby #2 is a snap. You already have all the apparatus — swings, bouncy seats, co-sleepers, baby tubs, exersaucers, strollers, blankets, toys, Boppys, Bumbos, crib, and a decent collection of clothes. Just haul it all back out and you’re ready, right?
Um, no.
In reality, there’s a whole other list of chores to cross off, such as creating a vacancy in the crib…
… by convincing its original occupant to move on to a bigger, better, and more exciting (at least that’s how you sell it) “BIG GIRL BED” so that you can move the aforementioned crib to New Kid’s room.
No wait. New Kid’s room? What New Kid’s room? If you’re us, you have to build that first.
But you can’t just attack these things all at once. You have to work around someone’s busy schedule of hobbies, which includes but is not limited to:
JUMPING
CLIMBING
FIT PITCHING
PHOTOGRAPHY
And YOGA.
Believe it or not — in the midst of all this — everybody still wants DINNER.
Thank goodness for Trader Joe. That guy has all the best shortcuts.
It feels like cheating to even put this on the blog. But since we’ve been on the subject of Easiest Dinners Ever lately, we might as well let this one count.
This “recipe” for Chicken Parmesan is so shortcut-y that you can put it together while overseeing a home renovation project, supervising a toddler, and growing a human being all at the same time… yet it’s delicious enough that even my Philly Italian hubby approves.
Throw it onto a bed of pasta with a little green salad on the side… and dinner is served.
SHORTCUT CHICKEN PARMESAN (printable pdf)
- Frozen breaded chicken tenders (I do 2 chicken tenders per adult)
- Jarred marinara sauce
- Shredded mozzarella cheese
- Grated parmesan cheese
Bake chicken tenders according to package instructions. Once fully cooked, transfer to a lightly greased baking dish, cover with marinara sauce, and top with mozzarella cheese. Keeping the oven at the same temperature, bake uncovered for about 15 minutes or until cheese turns golden brown and bubbles.
Serve over pasta tossed with marinara sauce.
