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On kitchens, appliances and family….

 

kitchen simple simon

When we said goodbye to our first house last month, it was a bittersweet day. I knew that it was the right thing to do, but leaving it was so hard. We went around and took pictures of the kids in every room, had some good cries and also some good laughs….and the kids talked about what each of them had done in all of the rooms.

But for me? I would undoubtedly say that this was the hardest room for me to leave. The kitchen. My first kitchen. I sometimes have a divided relationship with the kitchen….but I really think it is where my heart is. I learned to bake bread in this kitchen (we moved into this house when our oldest was 2.5), it is the place where I cooked our first family Thanksgiving with just us, and it’s the place where I really learned that homemaking can be an art. It’s the place where I learned to “own the weeknight dinner.” And it’s also the place where I burned the lasagna to the bottom of the oven, made some completely rotten recipes, spent many hours doing dishes, sweeping, wiping off countertops, and many other jobs.

But all that work? It seems like a blip now….and I now just remember the wonderful memories that were spent there. The meals where we laughed and laughed at crazy knock-knock jokes, or the day we thought dad’s birthday candles were going to set the smoke alarm off…and we laughed some more, or those times we made sugar cookies as a family and ate way too much frosting. Those are the things I will remember from this place. It’s funny how throughout lives and kitchens, it’s the glorious memories that shine through…..

So, when GE Appliances came to us by way of BlogHer and asked us to write about how we, in our own way, own the weeknight, I thought of those little things that I do every day.  I listen to my people, I try to assess their family needs and try to take the time to fill every simple moment with laughter. It doesn’t have to be a special occasion or an expensive meal, just get together and enjoy one another. Make memories. GE Appliances‘ philosophies are right on par with my own approach to making moments matter. They listen to consumers and make products we love by making the most of our time in the kitchen, no matter how simple the task. I am pretty impressed when a company does that. I’m also pretty impressed when they create innovative products such as their Gas Double Range Oven. After all, time spent not worrying about burning your meal is time better spent making those special weeknight memories. By the way, GE Appliances is also offering rebates and promotions (GE Artistry begins 5/15/2014 – 5/28/2014).

And soon, we will be moving into a new kitchen. It’s the reason we bought our new house, I loved the kitchen. It’s open and airy and has a big island for everyone to gather while meal preparations are going. And I am so anxious to begin making new memories in that kitchen, complete with lasagna spill-overs and sugar cookies messes. Because I know that there is where the memories are built.

And as for the messes…..well, they clean up just fine.

How do you own your weeknights? Leave your answer in the comments section below for a chance to win a $100 Visa gift card!

Sweepstakes Rules:

No duplicate comments.

You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:

  1. Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post
  2. Tweet (public message) about this promotion; including exactly the following unique term in your tweet message: “#SweepstakesEntry”; and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post
  3. Blog about this promotion, including a disclosure that you are receiving a sweepstakes entry in exchange for writing the blog post, and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post
  4. For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.

This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older. Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. The notification email will come directly from BlogHer via the sweeps@blogher email address. You will have 72 hours to respond; otherwise a new winner will be selected.

The Official Rules are available here.

This sweepstakes runs from 5/1/2014-6/30/2014.

Be sure to visit the GE Appliances brand page on BlogHer.com where you can read other bloggers’ posts!

 

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Comments

  1. Angela says

    I cook at home every day but occassionally I lose my mojo and don’t know what I want to make or just don’t feel like doing it so I pull some of my pre-cooked and shredded chicken breasts out of the freezer and feel like half the work is already done. Then I can get creative and turn it into just about anything in less than 30 minutes. Bone-in chicken breasts on sale are my lifesavers.

  2. Kristie says

    I usually am working every evening. But my kiddos are at home with hubby. They get in some good daddy time, and I usually have dinner prepared ahead of time. It takes work, but the time we have together is so valuable!

  3. Diana says

    I try and come up with a weekly meal plan and prep ahead. When I actually do this, dinnertime is so much less stress and I can spend more time with my family, plus sneak in some sewing time, too ;).

  4. candice munk says

    I love cooking dinner everynight with my two daughters, ages 4 and 2. I’m not going to lie, it is usually pretty crazy and messy, but I love the time we get to spend together and I feel like I am teaching my girls to love preparing and eating healthy, yummy food!

  5. Molly says

    With a full time job, part time job and doing both from home while taking care of a 2 year old, life is sometimes so hectic that up until recently we hardly ever did planned dinners at night. We started doing them, and have become so much closer as a family. Because time is still limited, I love the feeling I get when I can find a recipe that is extremely quick to make, yet still tastes delicious.

  6. Katie S says

    I try to own the weeknights by having a meal plan. I only started doing this about 6 months ago, but what a difference. To have all your ingredients on hand, to have a plan makes everything less stressful. It helps me to focus on those little people as they do their homework and play with toys. A less stressed mommy means a less stressed and happy home. Oh and the 30 minutes that Curious George is on at 5:00 doesn’t hurt either 🙂

  7. Marilyn says

    I own my weeknights by cooking larger than needed meals on weekends and freezing individual meals until I have a good selection. Then I can zap a great meal out of the freezer in no time at all.

  8. courtney b says

    we do everything in a certain order. we all eat dinner together, kids get a bath and then tv time with all of us or time at the park 🙂 either way its all in a certain order!

  10. kasey kehr says

    With 9 children still living at home, my dinners need to be satisfying but easy as well. I just finished up a big batch of bean enchiladas in my Sams Club size pan, with guacamole, salsa, lettuce, and sour cream on the side!! Easy but good!! This is baseball season in my house so we run around pretty much every evening. I do agree, that while making meals, I find my children tend to want to talk about what they learned at school and just kind of hang out with me in the kitchen… I LOVE THAT!!!!

  11. Mami2jcn says

    We make weeknights special by eating together and talking about our day.

  13. Jessica To says

    I try to make a good meal for dinner so that we can sit down together as a family.

  16. Michelle says

    We eat SUPER EARLY! Like right after school early. That way, I know everyone is starving for healthy food, and before the craziness of after school activites and homework get going, we can all connect with our meal.
    ~Michelle

  17. nicole dz says

    We make our weekends special by having family and friends over for a game night with dinner. We also just love to relax at home.

  19. amy pugmire says

    I love to plan dinners every night and eat them together. I like to have something to look forward to every night. we also read together and say prayers.

  21. Lisa Brown says

    I own the weeknights by fixing something we all really like and look forward to eating when we sit down together as a family.

  23. Julie Wood says

    I own my weeknights by planning my menu at the beginning of the week and having it all made at the beginning of the week. I make a big casserole and have leftovers and make side dishes to go with it. It saves me a lot of time to prepare meals in advance!

  27. Holly says

    When I do some meal planning, things go much more smoothly. I also try to clean up the kitchen and do all the dishes in the evening, so that I can start fresh the next day.

  28. steve weber says

    I work til 5:30 every day, and Im the one that does the cooking and cleaning when I get home.. I usually don’t sit down til about 7-7:30pm.

  29. Mollie says

    I drop my kids off st school on Monday mornings and sit outside school for five minutes with whatever scrap of paper I can find at the bottom of my purse. I sketch out a flexible meal plan for the week and grocery shop before I go home. It doesn’t happen every day, but I also try to have salads made and main dishes prepped before I pick up my kids in the afternoon.

  30. Whitney P says

    We do quick and easy during the week. Between grad school classes, baseball and t-ball games and practice, and my husband coaching football, we are busy! No need to go crazy in the kitchen during the week!

  31. Brenda says

    I usually smoke/cook three to four meats on the weekend as well as rice or beans or some other “filler”. I buy lots of fruits and veggies (give them a 10 min vinegar bath and they last all week, well they don’t spoil). Then we assemble meals during the week vs cook meals every night. I might want chicken with rice and he wants tacos. It makes dinner easier and there’s stuff for lunches too.

    I love my smoker as I can put in fish, chicken and ribs and don’t have to stand in the kitchen cooking.

    Assembling meals is better than cooking. Check out theindustriousmoose.com on the cooking page for recipes

  32. carmen says

    I make weeknight dinners special by using recipes that we love. I try to be healthy but believe that nothing is out-of-bounds when used in moderation. This makes eating at home not feel like a chore!

  34. Tammy says

    I enjoy experimenting in my kitchen for my family, always finding some kind of new recipe to try. I am still looking for that house with the perfect kitchen just for me, I haven’t found it yet but I will keep looking until I do because it really is the heart of the home.

  35. Emily C says

    I own weeknights by getting hubby to cook dinner. Hubby cooks much better than I do, and it is such a nice treat when I’m tired. He would also get the VISA card. He deserves it.

  36. Becky Broderick says

    Plan and prep ahead when I can. I also try to get my two older kids (3 and 5) to help when they can. Right now it is not easy to have them help but I am passionate about teaching them to cook. It doesn’t have to be complicated to be good and good for you.

  37. Denise says

    I try to do prep work on the weekends and I have menus planned out so weeknight dinners are a snap. Also, I always have homemade chicken burritos in the freezer, just in case.

  38. Sarah Helene says

    Focused on eating “organic foods,” especially meats, my family of 4 enjoys sharing cooking and cleanup on weeknights. Our kitchen is small with limited counter space and high quality appliances. We use chefs’ websites for new and improvised ethnic recipes and like to try new foods often. Probably 3 weeknights (of 5) we share a 40-minute meal preparation, then talk about our daily experiences for at least 50 minutes while we eat 3 courses. This FAMILY time is important as we are sharing and caring. We plan activities, decide on future menus, discuss friends and relatives as well as share opinions on local, national and international topics from the news. We feel connected. Sarah in Minneapolis

  39. Amy @ The Nifty Foodie says

    I’d love to win this. We try to own the weeknights by meal planning. It helps so much with grocery shopping, saving money and not wasting time figuring out what to have for dinner on a night by night basis.

  40. Erika says

    We always eat dinner together at the kitchen table, and usually something that everyone likes. 🙂

    chambanachik(at)gmail(dot)com

  41. Jess Z says

    We own the weeknights by just hanging out in the kitchen as a family. My husband comes home and after playing with our 10 month old baby girl for awhile, we start moving towards the kitchen. Lo gets placed in her high chair with a toy and snack, and the husband and I start to make dinner together. Neither of us know how to cook, and after three years of marriage, we finally have a working kitchen! We don’t plan meals or have a schedule, but it works for us, and we have great memories while we figure things out.

  43. Pamela says

    I try to have a meal plan made, but lately I have fallen behind. Time to get back on the band wagon.

  44. Jenn says

    Unfortunately, pretty much the only way I own the weeknight meal is by cooking large batches on the weekend.

  45. Natalie says

    i make sure the whole family gets involved in preparing the dinner. we make homemade pizza every wednesday and each person gets to pick which healthy toppings they want to put on their portion of the pizza. I try to prepare as much ingredients as possible on the weekends when I have more time.

  46. Emily says

    Love your old kitchen and I’m sure I’ll love your new kitchen! Week nights have definitely been owning me as I’ve been too sick to do anything. HA. I used to own week nights by having a meal plan and a clean kitchen before bed every night.

  47. rachel says

    I just had a baby so I’m intrigued to see how owning my weeknights will pan out! I love being able to make fresh dinners, though.

  48. Susan Smith says

    I own my weeknights by planning my menu at the beginning of the week. I make sure the meals are easy and quick and everyone likes it. I enjoy sitting together as a family eating dinner and talking about our day.

  50. Kelly D says

    I own my weeknights by cooking my kid’s favorite meals and spending time with them talking about their day.

  52. Shar F says

    I owe my week nights by making sure I spend time with my husband and daughter. We have dinner together. Then play games, go for walks, watch a movie, or play with the dogs. Just spending time with each other is important.

  54. Jessie C. says

    I make our weeknights special by adding special dishes to surprise everyone, in a good way. We talk about our day while enjoy dishes.
    tcarolinep at gmail do tcom

  56. D Schmidt says

    We try to make weeknights special by trying a new recipe, spending time together as a family and getting everyone involved in making the meal!

  59. Laura J. says

    We are not great with the week night meals. One thing we’ve been doing lately that has helped is to make a large Sunday meal with chicken. We use part of the cooked chicken on Sunday, and keep the rest separate so it can be used throughout the week on salads, in quesadillas, over nachos, etc. Our house definitely functions better, and we all eat healthier, when we sit down together at the table.

  60. Samantha Daleo says

    I own my weeknights by planning ahead. I have my daughter and my husband help me pick what they want for dinner that week and I shop for everything ahead of time. So, that night, dinner is a breeze, which allows us to have fun and relax as a family.

  62. Michele Marino says

    My favorite weeknights are the slow ones…no games, practices, meetings, doctor visits…just the ones where we eat a simple meal and sit together talking at the table.

  63. Denise S says

    The kids have nightly “TV time” where they all get to watch TV in bed with snacks after they’ve had dinner and done homework. Then I get to have some peace.

  64. Maureen says

    We have commitments during the week and do not have as much time together as we do on the weekend. We enjoy just grocery shopping or going for a walk on the weekend.

  69. Margaret Smith says

    During the weeknights, my family and I usually eat dinner together and talk about each others day.

  70. paige chandler says

    We all go around the dinner table and tell the best thing that happened to us that day.

  72. Jacob LaFountaine says

    Make meals light and quick so you can enjoy the most of your night

  73. Susan Robbins says

    I cook an early dinner. Sometimes I begin cooking dinner just after lunch if it is going to be something that takes long to prepare and cook, like lasagna. I have 3 different diets to cook for so I make several items so everyone has something just for them plus items to share. Side dishes and condiments are important to fill the table such as sliced tomatoes, pickles, olives, bread, preserves.

  75. Kimmy Ripley says

    I often use a slow cooker during the week to make great tasting meals. I let the slow cooker do all the work for me!

  76. Sarah Hirsch says

    we own our weeknight dinners by letting everybody have a say in the menu so we will all enjoy the meal

  77. Debbi Wellenstein says

    Everyone is involved in dinner preparation. We sit down as a family and discuss our day.

  78. RICHARD HICKS says

    We make weeknight dinners special by having a surprise dinner item that we have not tried before.

  80. Michelle Weaver says

    I own my weeknights by having a list of meals for each day and having my husband have them out and ready to cook for when I get home from work!

  82. Stephanie V. says

    Getting the kids involved in meal planning, prep, setting table and choosing the topic of the night to discuss
    tvollowitz at aol dot com

  83. Anastasia says

    i try to make weeknights special by having the kids help cook (when they’re not busy), making something a little different (when it’s in the budget) and by just having dinner together as a family (when we can! ) 🙂

  86. Lauren Olivia Wood says

    We make and eat dinner together and spend quality time together as a family!

  90. Cynthia C says

    I own my week nights by cooking lots of meals over the weekend so I have dinners ready to serve.

  92. kjasus says

    we take time to eat dinner together. it’s a great time to catch up on the day and talk

  99. Katherine says

    Everyone that is home takes part in getting it fixed and we all sitdown together

  102. Melanie says

    After working full-time for the first 5 years of our marriage, I am now staying at home with our 2 kids. So I’m trying to be a better homemaker so my husband feels the advantage, and our kids of course too! But meal planning saves me, from buying unnecessary items at the store, to menu mind blanks, and scrambling to throw food together. Then I can focus on enjoying the day with my kids, having dinner ready, and enjoying the evening with my husband!

  103. mickeyfan says

    I own my weeknights by occasionally saying “no thanks” to doing dishes! Much nicer to sit on the porch and just enjoy the relaxation.

  104. Lauren E. says

    We own them with set schedules allowing us special time with one another after things get accomplished. We know if we allow ourselves to go off schedule that means less time for one another.

  106. Ashley says

    I own weeknights special by making sure everybody always eats dinner together during the week and trying to have one different food like a special condiment or side!

  110. Madeline says

    I own my weeknights by cooking with my hubby and daughter, using ingredients fresh from our garden.

  112. Barbara Montag says

    On the weekends I make good use of the crockpot – saves a lot of time for me!
    thank you

  114. Gina M says

    I own my weeknights by including fresh produce from my garden in our family meals!

    Thanks for the chance to win!
    wildorchid985 at gmail dot com

  116. Debbie B says

    I love coming home from work to a meal prepared in my crockpot! Makes it so easy to serve a meal!

  119. kathy pease says

    we own our weeknights by everyone helping to get dinner and the table ready. Then loading thedishwasher after dinner. Things go fast when everyone chips in

  125. Linda G. says

    I own my weed nights by planning my menu ahead of time and than all I need to do is put my meal together that night for us to enjoy

  131. Mollie says

    I love to cook, but not every day, so I cook huge quantities and freeze them in portions for my family.

  132. Penny says

    I own my weeknights by planning my meals the week before and making sure I have everything I need at the beginning of the week. Leftovers are usually a big part of the week but with different sides for each meal.

  134. Mary Karas says

    I cook every weeknight and most weekend evenings. We do not eat fast food or packaged or processed foods. That kind of choice doesn’t leave room for much variety outside of my own kitchen. I love to cook and we try to use as much local product as possible. I have a GE electric range in my condo which is so old that half of the burners don’t heat completely. I think I need a new stove one of these days.

  135. Rachel says

    Hmmm…. the contest started May 1st, so hopefully I have not entered this yet! I really cannot remember if I have or not, I did scan quickly for my name and only saw one Rachel, who had a baby and that is not me.
    I am a SAHM who also homeschools her children. I try to make things from scratch to save on money. We also eat all our leftovers. I try to cook dinners where I can get at least two meals from it to save on time. I will cook a big pot of beans and make beef and bean burritos for dinner. A few nights later the beans will be served as maybe a quick bean and ham chili (soup, more). For lunch we eat pbj, eggs, salad, or the leftovers that have already been served twice (so my husband won’t get too tired of the meals).

  136. Jenn R. says

    Having a meal plan works very well for our household. This way, my husband and I know what we have ingredients for! That has been super helpful for us. It means that I don’t have to run out and get last minute items; it’s all here!

  137. Lia says

    We grocery shop on Sunday night. I leave all the meat in the fridge that night and spend Monday morning whipping up four or five marinades, chopping up veggies and then packaging up these ready to go meals in freezer bags for the week. This way dinner time is easy and I can focus on making it special with a fun appetizer or dessert. Once a week or so we also crack open a bottle of wine which always makes a regular dinner feel special.

  138. Chiara says

    Week night dinners are my favorite for the most part because that is the time of day when we all gather around and talk. We talk about our day and we talk about what is going on, if we had a good day or a bad day. We talk about what is going on in our lives. I love it when we can sit and discuss things.

  139. Hannah says

    When I actually plan a weeks worth of meals, I totally own mealtime. When I don’t, let’s just say my sister always says I should be in that show where they have like 3 weird ingredients and have to make an awesome meal out of them. That’s usually my style. 🙂

  140. Cathy says

    I am by myself and dieting so I pull out grilled chicken strips or fish and a bag of steamable veggies if I decide not to cook fresh ones. Thanks for the giveaway.

  141. Joy B says

    My microwave is my best friend, my blender is next. As a single empty nester, I don’t cook much unless my kids come visit or I have company. A fruit smoothie is part of many weeknight meals.

  142. Kristen says

    With 4 kids under 5 dinner can be a challange. The kids help me out a lot. We have a small galley kitchen in a 2 bedroom apartment but we line up 3 stools and the kids learn all about measuring, the difference between baking power and baking soda and not to eat cookies straight from the oven. They also help me plan the wee k of meals. Everyone gets one night and their choice of dinner. We have a lot of crepes, heart-shaped waffles, homemade pizza and biscuits and gravy. We also love meeting new people and keeping in touch with friends. It seems every weekend we have someone outside our family gathered around our small table. Bumping elbows all through dinner but stomachs leave full and mouths are hurting from laughter. Dinner is a very social and loving time of time.

  143. Marinda Whitcomb says

    I enjoy repurposing… whether it’s fabric, furniture or food! Made a roast in the crockpot? Oooooo tomorrow we get enchiladas! Steak or grilled chicken breasts? Leftovers, (when there are any) get turned into fajitas! Over here in our kitchen, we use up our food! It’s too expensive to waste!

  144. Jeannie Garcia says

    I “own it” with my kids. As a family chore, each of my kids is required to cook two meals a week with me. One meal, I chose the menu and the other is their choice (provided it is healthy). They learn life skills like food safety, food prep, cooking, and cleaning up afterwards and I get some quality one on one time with each of them.

  145. Jenny says

    I own mealtime by sharing it with my family. We all make the meal plan together and then each week I have a “dinner helper” make dinner with me. I also have found a love for my slow cooker. Recently my husband dropped it and broke it on accident. His comment was that he better buy me a new one or he will go hungry. It is best to laugh when things like that happen!

  146. Corinne says

    We do supper around lunch time! My husbands works evenings so we’ve made this our main meal so we can still eat together as a family. The best part of this arrangement is that I’m NOT cooking during the dreaded 5pm I’m-tired-and-the-kids-are-fussy-hour. We just do leftovers or easy “lunch food” like mac n’ cheese or sandwiches.

  147. Douglas Houston says

    We tend to get home late, so our weeknight meals are usually casseroles or one skillet meals.

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  152. Jammie says

    We own our weeknights with a dinner and movie, before heading to bed we chat. It helps us stay connected. sweepmorey at gmail dot com

  154. Sue Barney says

    I own my weeknights by being organised with my meal planning and have outfits laid out and ready for the next day so the evenings aren’t stressful 🙂

  155. Diane Baum says

    We make it special by having theme night dinner-Monday is kids cook, Tuesday is try a new food….

  160. Tabathia B says

    I try not to get overwhelmed with last minute dinner menu ideas and try to have a weekly menu that I can deviate from

    tbarrettno1 at gmail dot com

  162. Margie says

    I own my weeknights by planning out meals in advance, so there’s less “scramble” in the kitchen every night.

  170. Sarah L says

    Breakfast for dinner is my go to weeknight meal.
    I’d love to have the GE Appliances Gas Double Range Oven and the dishwasher to make cooking and cleaning up that much better.

    Thanks for the contest.

  171. Cori Westphal says

    I try to make a few freezer meals on the weekend, so that I can save some time during the week for family time!

    coriwestphal at msn dot com

  179. Crystal F says

    By eating together and talking. It the one time we are all in the same room or evan in the house together. thank you!

  180. Seyma Shabbir says

    We own our weeknights by cooking something the kids can help me make. We also play kinect and board games.

  183. Betty C says

    Each child has a night during the week when they can choose the menu and help prepare dinner.