> Things are often slow cooked Buy a slow cooker (aka crock pot) and leave it running while you're at work. > They use cheap ingredients but it's a TON of wor

> Things are often slow cooked Buy a slow cooker (aka crock pot) and leave it running while you're at work. > They use cheap ingredients but it's a TON of work. Do this type of cooking for your meal bases in a single day. In my house, mom worked 40 hours but would get a giant pot of red sauce and a giant pot of pasta e fagioli going on Saturday morning - maybe 30-60 minutes of prep, then all day to cook - unattended except for the occasional stir. This would yield enough soup and sauce for a week of dinners for a family of four - just add pasta. Friends from other backgrounds describe similar techniques with things like refried beans, etc.