People who seem perfectly planned, 24-7? Fakes, all of them. Or maybe that's what I choose to believe in order to maintain even a drop of self-esteem.

Poor planning and poor choices are my constant downfall. I’d much rather sleep late than start the slow cooker. But every once in a while it's not my fault: A child spikes a fever or the power goes out. Then Little Mary Martyr (my thin disguise) so enjoys marching through the house.

By sunset the reason dinner isn't fixed doesn't matter. It's time, and the escape routes are limited. Chances are I’ve already gone the restaurant route this week, and the thought of cereal makes me gag.

There is a better way.

When I’m tempted to call out for food I’ll regret, I ask myself: Is it possible to whip up something that will be faster, cheaper, contain less calories and taste as good (or better) without losing my temper? If that something gets a yes on all fronts, I have to cook it. There really aren’t any excuses left.

Our Sloppy Janes, is one of those recipes. It’s a slightly more sophisticated version of a time-honored favorite. It tends to make me feel downright triumphant. Dinner on the fly? Darned right.