Novel Tips on Rice
***The lovely Patti Hill informed me that this book is available for FREE download on the Novel Matters blog. Just scroll down and find the cover on the left side. And today’s discussion is fantastic. Don’t miss out! Go to www.novelmatters.com (right after you read and comment on this post :))
When I’m sunk deep into a writing day, the last thing I want to think about it cooking dinner for my family. The. Last. Thing. Those are the days I wonder how bad McDonald’s really is to eat all the time (we really don’t do that). Or how I can get the Little Caesar’s to start delivering the $5 pizzas. I mean, there are moments when my characters are in a life and death situation. How dare I even think about making dinner and leaving them hanging like that?
Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE to cook. I do. Cooking and baking are cathartic for me. I love stirring the pots. Hearing the bubbling broth. Smelling the meat as it cooks. Oh. My mouth is watering.
This just isn’t something I can do a whole lot of when I’m in the middle of a novel writing spurt. And I don’t even own a microwave (no, I’m not Amish).
The happy news? I’m not alone. The ladies over at Novel Matters (a writing community for writers and readers) made up a book that addresses this problem. It’s called Novel Tips on Rice: What to Cook When You’d Rather Be Writing. (And Vice Versa). This book is a collection of simple recipes, funny quotes, photos and information about the ladies of Novel Matters. And BELIEVE me…these ladies know what they are talking about. (You should check out Novel Matters on Monday, Wednesday, and Fridays).
How do you function when life gets overwhelmingly busy? How do you get food on the table? Seriously, I’d love to hear how you do it…I’m still trying to figure it all out.
susiefinkbeiner.com 
McDonald’s isn’t healthy? They have apple slices!
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Well…um…
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Oooohhh I need to get that book. I’m not writing a novel, but my life tends to be a little busy. 🙂 For me, planning the menu a week in advance and shopping for that helps. The biggest issue for me was always deciding WHAT to cook. I plan around our schedule, easy things on nights I’ll be gone, and the sale ad for Meijer and Aldi. 🙂 We also have a “taco” night every week so I buy Ground Beef and Turkey in bulk from Sam’s, cook it up with seasoning and add refried beans and put it in dinner sized containers. Then we just need to chop veggies and do shells and we have dinner. I love having one night a week that I don’t even have to think about. Another idea is to teach your lovely daughter a meal that she can make one night a week. We have a Hot Ham and Swiss Sandwich recipe that the kids can make.
Oh…. and we can see the Golden Arches from here….. a great temptation we give into every once in a while. 🙂 And along with Betsy’s apple slices, they have REAL fruit smoothies and salad. 🙂 Of course they aren’t on the dollar menu and with 8 people to feed those items just make us feel better as we chow down our greasy $1 cheeseburgers.
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Your life is insanely busy. And I love your taco night. But you also need to tell people about the art part. That’s even cooler. Something I could love to do with my kids!
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Yes, “Taco-Art Night” is fun… unfortunately everytime I mention it people think we’re making sculptures out of tortillas and ground beef each week. 🙂 Maybe we should rethink the name…. not! It’s fun to keep people wondering. 🙂
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Nearly every recipe is eatable. So that’s a bonus.
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So, finding the non-eatable ones would be an adventure? 🙂
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Thanks, Susie! Have you tried any of the recipes yet?
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Hi, Debbie! Thanks for stopping over!
So far, I’ve made Bonnie’s Healthy Hamburger Helper, Ribs in a roasting pan (love that one in the slow cooker), Katy’s Puff Pancakes (a big favorite around here now), Sharon’s Easy Chocolate Mousse, your Honey Mustard and Cashew Chicken (yummy). There are several that I’m looking forward to making. It’s just fun to have some new ideas. 🙂
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You asked the question what I do when I’m stressed and busy and have to make dinner… I usually cry. Also we eat cereal, not all the time, but in the summer it’s a serious option.
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Hmm…cereal. That’s a fun idea. The kids might think it was fun to eat for dinner sometime. 🙂
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