“Life gets in the way of living”; it’s a comment I read on Facebook this morning. Don’t you often feel like that? Any of us could certainly fill in the blank here: “I wish is could…; when I have time we can… ; or as soon a I finish this, I’ll...” Where does all our time go?

In just the past few days, I’ve sat down to write this article at least 5 times. Then, the phone rings, the dryer buzzes, or I have that (probably-not-so) essential errand to run. By the time I gather my thoughts again and think I can carve out an hour or two, it’s suddenly time to make dinner.

Trick by Brick

This is a trick of the Yester Hara. Consider this: As soon as Moshe requested that Pharaoh allow the B’nai Yisrael to leave for a few days to worship Hashem, Pharaoh made it harder for the slaves to make bricks. It doesn’t make sense. Wouldn’t having them gather their own straw make his slaves less productive? Wouldn’t harsher conditions make their rebellion more likely?

Just the opposite says the Ramchal. Pharaoh wanted to deprive the B'nai Yisrael of the time to think about their plight. Even though their misery mounted, they barely had the strength to deal with the job before them, making bricks. Wondering about, praying for and planning ways to free themselves from their burdens was an inaccessible luxury.

So too, the Yetzer Hara keeps us busy with our bricks, the building blocks of daily living. We often don’t have time to reflect and think about what we really want in life. Even if we do know, we so often don’t set aside the time required to get us there.

Time to set goals to lead us to our aspirations. Time to reflect on our middos, our character traits and work to improve our actions until we can be the kind of person we know we can be. The kind of person Hashem wants us to be.

Time for the Good Life

But time is also a tool for building a Torah life. The time we are now in is called Sefira. The way we spend our first weeks redeemed from slavery lays the groundwork for our mission as a people. Now that we are free, we have the leisure to think, to plan, to set spiritual goals and improve our character.

While we are focusing on spiritual goals now, it’s also a good time to strategize about how to make better use of our time in our day-to-day lives.

One simple step is to make a meal plan. I know some very organized ladies who know what’s for dinner two weeks from this Tuesday. Some of us wait to begin planning the night’s meal when we hear the question “What’s for dinner?”

Somewhere in between is my strategy: cook once, eat twice. I plan two meals based around key foods. I use them in one recipe the first night and a different recipe the next. Planning meals ahead of time can give me hours each week to do some of the more important things in life. As long as I stay away from Facebook!

Cook Once, Eat Twice Tips & Recipes

Important tips:

Always make sure you follow strict food safety rules:
- refrigerate ingredients to be used later promptly in shallow containers
- cover food tightly so it does not dry out or absorb odors in the refrigerator
- use within 2-3 days


Meal 1: Tacos & Rice Dinner

Brown 3 pounds of ground beef tonight and make a large pot of rice; you’ll enjoy two delicious and different dinners with the effort of one night's cooking. Tonight’s tacos and rice give you a tray of delicious Tex-Mex Stuffed Peppers tomorrow. If you prefer, substitute your favorite soy base ground “meat” and top off your dishes with shredded cheddar cheese. Either way: Ole!

You’ll need:
3 lbs. lean ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 1/2 cup water
2 (1 ¼ ounce) packages taco seasoning
5 cups cooked rice (1¾ cup long grained white rice=5 cups cooked)
Directions:
Brown ground beef with onion and pepper. Drain fat, stir in water and taco seasoning, cook for an additional 5 minutes. Separate half of the meat mixture, cool and refrigerate in a tightly sealed container. Set aside 2 cups rice, cool, cover tightly and refrigerate.

Set out your choice of: chopped onion, chopped bell pepper, diced tomato, salsa, mashed avocado, chopped jalapeno pepper, shredded lettuce or cabbage, pareve sour cream.

Serve warmed crunchy or soft taco shells, and let your family build their own creation. Serve with rice.

Meal 2: Tex-Mex Stuffed Peppers

These are a real crowd pleaser! Some have told me they add beans in place of half the rice and my kids loved it when I once threw a cup of corn in the mix. This dish freezes well. In fact the peppers will be softer if you do. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before baking.

We serve this with a simple salad of shredded cabbage and bottled vinaigrette dressing.

You’ll need:
1 ½ lbs. ground beef, browned and seasoned from last night
2 cups cooked rice
1 egg, beaten
4-6 bell peppers, halved lengthwise, stemmed and seeded
1 (19 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (15-16 ounce) jar salsa
shredded pareve cheddar cheese, optional

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, crumble meat mixture, mix in the beaten egg. Gently stir in the rice and beans or corn if using.
2. Spread tomatoes and one cup water on the bottom of an ovenproof 9x13 inch baking dish.
3. Spoon beef mixture into peppers. 
Place peppers, cut side up, on top of the tomatoes. Top each pepper with salsa. Cover pan tightly with foil. (at this point you may freeze or continue with the recipe)
4. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes until peppers are soft. If using soy-based meat: uncover baking pan, top each pepper with pareve cheese Broil about 1 minute until the pareve cheese is melted.

Each meal serves 6 to 8 appetites, but make adjustments to suit your crew.

Renee Chernin lives, cooks and writes in the Old City of Jerusalem. Visit her at www.thekosherchannel.com