Lessons Learned - Dinner Prep

A few years ago my sister shared a secret with me about dinner prep.  Since you all enjoyed my tip on butter patties, I thought I would share a tip on hamburger for dinner prep.

I usually bought four pounds of hamburger at a time.  I would divide it into single pounds, wrap each in tinfoil and freeze them.  When we were making something with hamburger, I would need to remember to thaw out the burger and then either make patties or fry it for something like tacos or pizza.  

One weekend, I had my sister and her husband over for pizza. I was frying the ground beef when they arrived.  She asked why I didn't just fry up a few pounds at a time, and then freeze the frozen pounds in freezer bags.   

Wow!  

Sort of like the butter suggestion... I was stunned I had never thought of it.

Now, I take the four pounds and fry up three pounds - or even all of it.  I split the fried hamburger up and freeze each individually. I have a large frying pan with deep sides, which allows me to do this all at one time. It makes it so easy at dinner time.  If we decide to make tacos, I defrost the fried beef and quickly make tacos.   

It really is a true time saver and makes throwing together that meal after a long day at work, much easier.  Thanks sis!

If you enjoyed this post, please check out:

Lessons Learned - Getting Out of Debt

Decluttering … The project I have learned to love

Two-Minute Rule – Helping to tackle procrastination and time management 120 seconds at a time

Lessons Learned - 2021

Another year on the books. Wow... how time flies.  

There have certainly been some frustrating and annoying issues around 2021.  Covid, no vacation, politics, cancelations of events, etc.  Yet, overall, I feel extremely blessed for 2021. I was lucky enough to land a promotion and join a new team. I was able to visit more with family and friends. I was able to throw some parties and enjoy my family and friends for the holidays. I bought a car and some furniture.  John continues to enjoy his job and joined another band.  My family and friends stayed out of the hospitals and generally healthy. Even the cats stayed healthy and playful.

I looked over the Lessons Learned 2021 blog to see if anything changed. I realized even more how very blessed I have been in 2021.  

From my 2020 recap... "Here are the things I learned in 2020 (in no particular order)."

• Friends and family are essential.   Even more true in 2021.
• Getting to touch base with my family and friends took on a special meaning this year. I have always tried to appreciate my friends and family, but this year, I realized just how truly important they are to me. I am grateful for any time I get to spend with them, any note I receive from them, or any time I get to talk to them. Not seeing them all regularly made our get-togethers even better.
• Being outside is awesome.   Still extremely true in 2021.
• I have always needed fresh air and sunshine. This year, I realized that the more I got of both, the better I felt. I learned to embrace long walks in the park. I loved my time on the patio with John. Just taking a drive with the top down made me smile.
• People are clever.   Still true and now I have found even more fun videos to share.
• I was never a big YouTube watcher, but this year, I loved watching the clever skits and songs people created to help make us smile. Cat videos, squirrel obstacle courses, mashups, and the Holderness Family kept my mood positive. There were also so many fantastic websites showing pictures, memes, and sharing knowledge.
• I am okay.  Luckily, still true.  I learned to color again, painted my critters and finished embordering my blue jean jacket.
• Normally, I kept so busy that I never really had to spend much time with myself. This year, I have learned to spend a lot of time with myself. I am no substitute for dinner with a good friend or close family member... but I am decent company.  I can sit alone and not go crazy. I can be reflective and stay positive. I can complete puzzles and get joy from the accomplishment. I can read on the porch or just watch the birds at the feeders.  I can find joy in the peacefulness.
• A good job and co-workers should be celebrated. Even more true this year.  My co-workers and teams have really helped my mental health and I am enjoying learning so many new things.
• I am always grateful when I am lucky enough to have a good job and kind co-workers, but this year has really sharpened my thankfulness. Early in the pandemic, I feared for my job. My co-workers and supervisors gave me peace of mind and showed me that they appreciated me. They found a way to keep me on staff. It meant so much to me. I appreciate having something to do to fill my days. And, the support I receive from all of my teammates helps make the days brighter.
• My cats fill me with joy.  Still extremely true.  In fact, they are becoming so used to us being home all the time, that when we actually spent a day walking Main Street or at a festival, they seemed to actually miss us.
• It is almost like our cats know we were struggling this year. They seem more playful. They seem more willing to sit on my lap and just enjoy the quiet with me. They serve as good co-workers and spend their days sleeping in my office. 

I hope you regard 2021 as a positive year and can find many reasons to feel blessed. And, I truly hope that 2022 is an even better year for everyone.

If you enjoyed this, please check out:

Seasons of Life

Take your ego out of it

The secret to life … better notes