Meppie Homemaker

Oops -- I wrote this last night, but apparently forgot to actually publish it! I was wondering why no one left any comments. If the NaBloPoMo police are checking, I really did write it on Monday!

Do you remember a few months ago when I bragged about my new cutlery-sorting system and then just days later blew your mind with the butter wrapper trick for rice krispie treats? (I know I keep mentioning it, but I'm really proud). And how about earlier this month when I listed all those great, helpful tips that I should be following but am not?

I just feel that I have so much to give. (You know I'm joking, right?)

Anyway, I have a new household hint. I can't take full credit it for this tip, but I think it's worth sharing.

Does someone at your house eat grilled cheese sandwiches? I have two little someones who really enjoy grilled cheese. Because of my hubby's schedule, I prepare a separate dinner for my little guys at least five nights a week. After a long day of playing, singing, cleaning up messes as new ones are being created, reading books, and responding to Little Bit's pleas for "ju ju ju ju ju" (short for "juice" but really just a request for something to drink) . . . anyway, with all the stuff that fills a mom's day, sometimes just making a grilled cheese sandwich seems like a lot of work. Judge me harshly if you wish, but that's the truth for me.

You can also judge me harshly, if you wish, for revealing that I am not always vigilant about keeping track of what perishable food items I have on hand so as to use them before they spoil. Common things that I sometimes have to toss include containers of grape tomatoes, eggs, black bananas, and partial loaves of bread.

Today's tip from Meppie Homemaker promotes convenience and decreases waste.

Are you ready?

Years ago, when I had my dream job working the grill at the snack bar of my neighborhood pool, I regularly prepared grilled cheese sandwiches. To butter the bread and get out the cheese would have been very difficult in our tight quarters and during the busy lunch rush so the procedure was to butter one side each of two slices of bread and then put two slices of cheese in between. Then, all of these "sandwiches" went in a special freezer-tight Tupperware container and into the big old freezer. When someone order a grilled cheese, you opened the container, popped one of those frozen babies out, and threw it on the grill.

Tonight, I noticed that we had some bread that we certainly won't finish before leaving town for Thanksgiving and that definitely won't be good when we get home. So, I buttered eight slices, unwrapped my Kraft singles (my cheese of choice for grilled cheese sandwiches), and put them in a couple of freezer bags. I did put wax paper between each sandwich, but I doubt that step was necessary. I'll let you know how my system worked, the next time the boys ask for grilled cheese.