How I Cook 4 Meals in 1 Hour With a Newborn (Want to See My Real Routine?)


April 17, 2026

Hey Reader!

Lately, in my own kitchen as a busy mom with a newborn, I’ve been leaning into batch-style cooking, making three to four dishes in about an hour. It sounds like a lot, but it helps me stay ahead for the week and still keep meals interesting.

One recent session (literally yesterday) included a minestrone-style vegetable and chickpea soup with store-bought ricotta ravioli, kept separate to add later if we wanted something heartier; ground turkey Bolognese with spaghetti; braised pork belly with mixed mushrooms in dark soy sauce; a steamed bag of fresh stir-fry vegetables; and a sesame ginger coleslaw.

This kind of flexible cooking is one of my favorite ways to build variety without extra stress, and I’d love to know if you’d like recipes for any of these so I can turn them into blog posts.

I’m also thinking about sharing what this real-life one-hour batch cooking looks like in action. It would be a relaxed, behind-the-scenes style session, so tell me if that’s something you’d enjoy watching.

Explore. Experiment. Taste.​
-Chef Maika

PS. Don't forget to rate the recipes you've tried and leave feedback in the comment sections. This helps me and others!

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Sauce of the Week

I will highlight one flavorful, easy-to-make sauce to help you mix up your routine and bring new life to everyday meals. Each week is an opportunity to explore new ingredient combinations, experiment with bold flavors, and discover simple ways to cook more creatively at home.

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Just Maika Cooking

I am a professionally trained chef, recipe developer, ​culinary educator. My goal is to create, educate and discover tools that ​will bring the joy and passion of global cuisine to food enthusiasts ​and home cooks through exploration, experimentation, and tasting.

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