Dinner: Where's Alice when you need her?

Over the last year or so one of the things we've struggled with as a family is dinner. During the week it's really the only meal we have together, and during certain times of the year (i.e. Fall Harvest and Spring Planting) it's often just G and I having dinner together. You would think with just one meal a day to worry about (thank you, Day Care, for providing breakfast, lunch and snacks!) it wouldn't be an issue to plan ahead to have a delicious, nutritious evening meal four days a week (we go over to my parent's and they take care of the delicious, nutritious meal one day a week). In response to that thought, I will tell you that our 2.5 year old knows how to make Easy Mac. (If anyone is reading this and then saying, "Oh, Katie, that's horrible"...feel free to come to my house and make dinner. I'll even let Vachel pay you).

The root cause of our dinner problems stems from the fact that I never plan ahead for meals, and Vachel is rarely available to cook by the time G needs to eat. For some reason I feel the need to justify his availability here, so I'll just say that between the farm and his full-time day (and some evenings and weekends) job he's promised to be available for either dinner or bedtime, but can't consistently do both. I've chosen bedtime because that process causes me more stress. I've decided I need to get better about planning ahead for meals, make them in advance and just put them in the freezer/fridge to eat through the rest of the week. Or at least have the ingredients on hand if it's something quick. We'll see how this works out, as I've been saying the exact same thing for the last year.

As I go back to work in 10 days, this whole dinner thing has been weighing even more on my mind. I'm assuming things will be a little bit harder, require more planning, etc, once I go back to work full time. Other than the normal challenges associated with dinner that I'm used to, we'll have the added challenge of V. Whom I'm primarily nursing, eats on demand, and not on any particular schedule. I'm imagining she'll decide it's time to nurse while I'm in the middle of handling raw chicken and using the stove, while G is hanging on my leg crying because she's hungry and I've moved the Easy Mac from it's regular location so she can't feed herself. It could happen.

 I don't do this

Or this

 I've spent the last few days scouring cookbooks and recipe apps for quick, easy meals that include things like ground beef. I live on a cattle farm so most recipes that include ground beef don't require me to plan ahead, as I have an entire freezer full. I also have a lot of steak and pork chops, but no idea how to turn on the grill or how to make anything with those that doesn't require a grill...let's be honest, I can make things with ground beef or chicken breast. And most desserts, because that's the best part of every meal. Not only is planning for dinner a challenge, I'm not a big fan of the cooking part either. Vachel loves to cook, he finds it relaxing. I do it because eating pizza for every meal will make you fat. 

In addition to cookbooks and apps, I've spent quite a bit of time on Pinterest's Food & Drink page. Apparently the last time I spent quality time on this section of Pinterest I was pregnant, because the number of decadent chocolate desserts on my own board is a little ridiculous. Although I highly recommend the ice cream sandwich cake.

Any recipes or good apps anyone knows of that can easily help me plan meals ahead, come up with a grocery list and will help make sure I actually make the food? Or does anyone know where I can find Alice from The Brady Bunch?