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Hi Leonie, my Love goes out to you and to all Mothers; especially Mums who have had large Families and sacrificed so much to bring God’s Children through.
It is time for your Teenagers to commence cooking (if all of them do not already take turns) of course! I would be preparing a BBQ in the Ground if you do not have a good BBQ or its been worn out over the years by digging a large deep hole, placing a large grill over the top after the fire is prepared underneath. This gives the older Children under supervision by their Father an opportunity to cook some meals outdoors during winter time. You can also google the hungi cooking ways for the older kids to cook these.
Another girlfriend of mine here in Oz recruited her boys to start on a roster system cooking whether they liked to or not a few years ago with success! I visit every now and then having a cuppa on her back verandah while I peer through the window while we chat to see who’s turn it is that evening LOL! They generally cook pasta and meat dishes with veg in them or side salads with homemade chicken schnitzels I think Heidi finds more economical than beef. You would know everything after raising your Family Leonie however I am just going to pop a few dishes that I have cooked and that by memory Heidi gets the Boys to cook. The Girls had cooked for years prior and are now leaving the bulk cooking to their Brothers.
By the way I would be buying 5 x Chooks for Eggs to run if you have a large backyard Leonie (this assists for all egg based dishes, cakes and slices); I forgot to mention on your Thread. They live on very little and the scraps from home grown vegies and meals keep them going.
Chicken Schnitzels - sliced thinly in three parts to a breast or half breasts.
Crumbs, eggs, flour, vegeta (go easy on the salty vegeta though as you wld realise)
Side salads or Vegies
I prepare potato salad differently to other people and prepare mashed potato with 5 eggs mashed in, some mayonnaise, two dollops of cream, pepper and two lightly cooked bacon rashers diced through it all; into two salad bowls.
Another quick salad are tomatoes and onion with some coriander or green herbs mixed with vinegar and sugar mixed together to make the dressing. (try the taste before you put onto the salad) either adding more sugar to remove the strong vinegar taste.
Rice Salad - Use a cheap rice cooker or boiler - diced fresh carrots, corn, peas, bacon or ham pieces, green and red capsicums, shallots if you like, mayo, cream mixed together (more mayo than cream of course), pepper, salt.
Pasta, Chicken, green beans, capsicum, corn, One Thousand Salad Dressing or any that your Family choose.
Mince Casserole or Shepherds Pie - varying ways but on the internet for recipes.
Chicken curries (mild for Children) and the Tumeric Powder is so Healthy for everyone.
The Children can print or write these down to cook. Rice as the accompaniment goes a long way as you would know.
Baking Bread - there is an electrical appliance to bake bread if you do not already have this or you can bake in the oven teaching your Children.
I tried to teach my kids how to cook Leonie during Primary School and High School; my Daughter ended up teaching herself at 19 years and cooks the most incredibly delicious dishes and highly nutritious LOL along with my son 18 years doing the odd BBQ now when I did not even bother asking them to cook!
They cook when they wish to cook or are hungry with no-one else doing it for them!
Are your Teenagers able to get jobs at Maccas after school or work in a newsagency part time or in a restaurant a few hours per week just to pay for their own basics?
This is what my brother and I did when growing up in a Country City between 12 years of age until finishing school. That way Mum did not have to pay out for clothes and things for either of us; my sisters had left home by then working. I had to cook grilled meals and vegies for the family in Years 5 and 6, learning the basics, my Sister always baked slices, cakes and desserts for us (Mum and Dad worked long hours full time) and the meals had to be ready by the time she arrived home from work plus all the housework done daily after school and on weekends. My brother (now a Chef and Restaurateur) ironically, never cooked a day in his Life for the Family yet at 16 years of age started his Chef apprenticeship. He brings home the Family’s dinner from his restaurants now
If you could get one of your Daughter or Sons into a Chef Apprenticeship Leonie, that always assists as they generally tell their Siblings what and how to cook (although rather bossily is the only drawback) LOL!
I will think of some recipes over the next few days at any rate,
Will include you in tonight’s Novena Leonie!
Of course, times back then a dollar went a little further.