It seems that I've gotten into a wonderful rhythm of meal planning that has turned into actual successful meals for my family. I am still trying to find a way out of the chaos that has happened these past few months (after our son was born) and even more recently since all the kids ended up getting sick. It seemed like everything was falling apart and even something as simple as having a family meal together seemed like an impossibly. I shared my struggle with a friend of mine and she encouraged me not to give up. So armed with a freezer stocked with food, I grabbed a pen and started meal planning for the next week.
One of the issues that I have had with meal preparation has been the time it takes. I started using our slow cooker every day to make our dinner and it has worked out wonderfully. I actually have two slow cookers, a regular six quart, and a casserole (13 x9) crockpot. The casserole crockpot has actually lived on the shelf in my laundry room for the past year due to lack of space on my kitchen counters. The first time I used it I made meatloaf which turned out so well that the next night I made macaroni and cheese. One evening I used it as kind of a chafing dish for a “waffle bar” Since then I've used casserole crockpot at least 4 to 5 times a week. Last week I made stuffed peppers, and even used it one night to reheat a whole pizza (obviously cut into slices) that we brought home from a pizza party. This afternoon I pulled a macaroni and cheese and package of hot dogs out of the freezer put them in the crockpot to warm then took a nap (because that's what the kiddos were doing). I have also used it to make the best molten fudge cake ever ( from littleindiana.com).
I have more plans for my favorite slow cooker this week. The only nights I'm not planning on using it are a night when we will be eating out, and the a night we will have a barbecue.
Thanks to my crockpot meal prep has been so easy. I am loving how easy it is to make my meals ahead in the morning or pull something out of the freezer. Most of the items I make could probably be made in a traditional slow cooker, but I really am enjoying the option of using a 13x9 pan. In addition, the casserole crockpot offers the option to use it in the oven.
I want to thank my friend Danielle for the encouragement to make family dinners happen. Our family really has been enjoying our time together and has even tried some new dishes. Thanks to my sister Kim and her husband Shawn for the casserole crockpot.
Lesson of the week:
Never give up as success could be just around the corner.
This was certainly true in my adventures of meal planning this week (particularly with picky eaters). We shall see what other lessons that this next week brings.
(Note: this was not a sponsored post for the casserole crockpot: it's just a product that I enjoy using .)
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