My mother-in-law bought me a book at the beginning of this year that I have really fallen in love with. It's written by Karen Andreola and called Mother Culture. It's all about homemaking and all the work and thought that goes into actually creating a culture in our home. Some people might find it old fashioned, but I absolutely love it!

One chapter stuck out to me as being very pertinent to the kitchen, and I'm sure many of our readers can probably relate to this as well! She calls it "multiplicity". It's the idea of making things in batches, "to be prepared with something in readiness".

I love this concept. How many times do we find ourselves wishing we had something on hand when company stops by, or scrambling to find something to make for dinner, or hurrying to put together a batch of cookies for a friend who just experienced a devastating loss? The idea behind multiplicity is that if you're doing the work anyway, make it count more than once! You're already putting the effort in to cook or bake something, so maximize that effort by doubling the recipe or making enough to save for a rainy day. This could look many different ways:

*You're making your famous homemade lasagna recipe- so you decide to double it and keep the extra in the freezer. You never know when you might need an extra meal for those nights you're not feeling up to cooking or when a neighbor family is sick and could use a homemade dinner!

*You're helping your daughter bake a batch of cookies, so you decide to double the recipe. You stick the extras in the freezer for those after-school days when you sense your child needs to talk, or maybe for those unexpected moments when a neighbor finds out they lost a loved one, and you'd love to offer a little token of love to show that you're thinking of them.

*You've got a bunch of overripe bananas so you decide to make a few batches of muffins. They make great breakfasts when you're in a rush, or they can quickly be defrosted in the microwave and make a great little snack when unexpected company comes by and you'd like to serve something other than a bag of chips from the pantry!

*You're baking a cake for your daughter's birthday, and since you have to make a batch of frosting anyway, you double the recipe and freeze the leftover. Now the next time you have a hankering for sugar cookies you've already got the frosting ready to go!

*There is a killer sale on chicken breasts at your local grocery store. You decide to buy a few extra packages and cook them in the crockpot. You shred the chicken and stick it in your freezer for those future meals that call for shredded chicken- now you already have it on hand and cooked and ready to go!

I love this whole concept. It's all about working smarter, not harder, and being prepared! There have been so many times I wish I had a freezer meal on hand to offer someone in need, or I've actually been prepared and had an extra meal on hand and I've been super grateful to have the foresight to have extras and how easy it is to reach into my freezer and grab something I've already put together! You've already done the work, so it's nice to know you have extras on hand for those times you will inevitably need them- because things always come up.

This concept doesn't just apply in the kitchen though. Do you crochet? If you're already buying the material to make one baby blanket, why not buy enough to make 2 or 3 and you'll be prepared for the next little arrival? Do you like to make jewelry as gifts? Make several in advance and you'll always have something on hand for birthdays, holidays, or special occasions when you want to show someone a little extra love. The whole concept of multiplicity is utilizing the time you are already putting into making something, and maximizing that effort so you have more on hand for the future, for those times you don't have time on hand!

How do you practice the concept of multiplicity in your home? I'd love to hear all about it!