Dinner!!

Dinner: A modern-day dilemma

If there's one daily duty that can confound even the most organized working parent, it's how to get a decent meal on the dinner table when you're exhausted after a long day at the office.

The last thing most of us want to do is slave over a hot stove. Yet a comforting, healthy meal shared at the end of the day can soothe frayed nerves, nourish the body and get everyone ready for the next day's challenges.

How do you make it happen? Try using a Crock-Pot. New recipe books have updated ideas for turning out great soups, stews, chowders and more. You spend 15 to 20 minutes getting the meal going in the morning and when you return in the evening, you have a hot meal waiting for you.

Here's a kid-friendly fish recipe that will have everyone going for seconds.

Ingredients:

2 slices of bacon, chopped

3 leeks, white part only, cleaned and finely chopped

3 celery stalks, washed, peeled and finely sliced

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

2 tablespoon all-purpose flour

4 cups fish stock (or water or 2 cups clam juice diluted with 2 cups water)

1 bay leaf

1 medium potato, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes

2 cups cream or milk

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 pounds firm white fish fillets (like halibut or snapper) cut into 1-inch cubes

Directions:

1. Cook bacon in a skillet until crisp. Remove to a paper towel to absorb excess grease.

2. Drain all but 1 tablespoon of the fat from the skillet. Add leeks and celery to pan and cook until soft. Mix in thyme and bacon. Add flour, stir and cook about 1 minute. Add stock and bay leaf, stirring until slightly thickened.

3. Transfer to Crock-Pot. Add potato and stir. Cook on low for 8 to 10 hours or on high for 4 to 5 hours.

4. When you get home, heat up cream or milk until just before boiling. Stir in cayenne pepper. Add to Crock-Pot along with the fish. Cook on high 30 minutes or until fish is tender. Discard bay leaf and serve. Serves 6 to 8.

As an alternative, you can do steps 1 through 3 overnight, refrigerate the soup base in the morning before you head off to work, and do step four in a soup pot when you get home in the evening.