Dinners to leave for the nanny/au pair?

[Rosehip]

So, I need some help. I work 12 hour shifts, and have a new au pair. On some days I work, the au pair will be making dinner, and because she lives with us, it's really the family dinner. We live with my parents. When my mom is here, she'll make the dinner the nights I work (I usually cook), but when she's away, my au pair will be getting dinner going. My Dad generally arrives home from work at dinner time. Having him make dinner is not do-able because it would just be way too late for the kids.

If she were a nanny who were going to her own home, it might be different, but I feel like I want to leave easy to prepare, "real" meals for her those nights. Typically, we all (my parents, kids, au pair, and I) eat a family meal together.

So, I'm trying to think of things that she can easily make while also managing the kids (who love helping make dinner & set the table, BTW - they're 3 &5). So far, I have...

-baked ziti (I prep, she just pops in the oven)
-homemade chili (she reheats & makes some rice to serve with it)

I'll probably leave money for her to order pizza every few nights. Any other ideas?

[Shiloh]

Most of my aupairs really loved the chance to find recipies and cook. Becuase they are younger girls they are not always used to having free run of the kitchen, so they actually seemed to enjoy it. You might want to give some recipies, or ideas to make with the kids like tacos..etc. Get a kids cook book and make it an afterschool activity.

[Rosehip]

Originally Posted by Shiloh

Most of my aupairs really loved the chance to find recipies and cook. Becuase they are younger girls they are not always used to having free run of the kitchen, so they actually seemed to enjoy it. You might want to give some recipies, or ideas to make with the kids like tacos..etc. Get a kids cook book and make it an afterschool activity.

I'll give that a try Shiloh, thanks!

[Evan&Anna's_Mom]

Any cassarole that you can do the adanced prep work on. Pasta. Anything that you can just pop into the oven and roast (e.g. whole chilcken on root vegetbles) -- you do the prep and leave roasting instructions.

Also you might want to explore crock pot options that she doesn't have to do much on beyond serve -- I frequently leave spaghetti sauce, pot roast, stews and such for the kids and an evening sitter.

[moonyoungi]

stirfry with tofu and rice?
That's our go-to fast fast dinner.
With frozen veggies already cut up and rice premade, it will take 5minutes to "cook" and serve

Also, if your children like to help out in the kitchen, good option is a pizza on a flat bread. We get labash(sp?) bread from trader joe's and put some red sauce and cut up some toppings. Then the children go wild with putting on the toppings themselves...they love it.