I've never understood why women get so caught up in fighting over whether it's "better" to be a SAHM or working mother. Shouldn't we be forming a united mama front to gang up on the children? They don't care if we spend our days working in an office or at home, they'll poop and pee on all of us just the same.
Now this is not to say I don't struggle with being a working mother. I love being with my children more than breathing, but I also do like working. I have great coworkers and I get to help hundreds of people feel better. Well, actually I just file their insurance claims and schedule appointments... but the rest of the staff helps hundreds of people feel better. I think the most important thing is to find what works for you. So far I feel like being a working mom makes me a better mom. It forces me to fine tune my meal planning and family scheduling skills. It allows me to feel like I'm giving back to society. It forces me to shower at least three or four times a week. Most importantly, you can bet I do not take one single minute that I am home with my children for granted.
My choice for my maternity leave Last Supper: Garlic Lime Chicken. Yum. It was something my sister-in-law made for us as a freezer meal when my son was born, and I enjoyed it so much I thought I'd try to recreate it. It will definitely be added to my regular rotation, especially since it's made in a slow cooker (was there ever a better invention than the slow cooker, really?). At any rate, it was much better received than last night's attempt at Smothered Pork Chops. My 18-month-old's favorite part of that meal was the peas... you know, the Walmart brand frozen ones. In my defense I did doctor them up a bit with some butter, S&P and a smidge of garlic powder, so as far as frozen peas go they really weren't too bad. Not every meal I make is perfect... and that's ok. Tonight, however, it was Garlic Lime Chicken for the mama win.
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| Garlic Lime Chicken |
What You Need:
2 c. frozen corn, thawed
1 can of Rotel
1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed
1 TBSP minced garlic
Zest and juice of 2 limes
1 1/4 lbs chicken tenderloins
Chili powder, salt and pepper to taste
What You Do:
1. Mix corn, Rotel, beans, garlic and lime zest and juice in slow cooker.
2. Sprinkle all sides of chicken with chili powder, salt and pepper. I like to place my chicken in a zipper bag then sprinkle in the seasonings and toss until well coated.
3. Nestle (what a beautiful word) chicken into slower cooker, cover and cook on low for 3-5 hours. I like to take the chicken out, cut it up into smaller pieces, and place it back in the slow cooker to let it re-soak in all the delicious juices for a few minutes.
4. Serve over rice with a dollop of sour cream and enjoy!
