WIS, WWA | My cooking reset
First, a big ol' thank you to all of you for your kind and gracious comments on the post where I shared how I've been struggling in the cooking arena since my anatomy and physiology class started.
A lot of you accurately saw what was going on. You are right; I am comparing my current situation to a time when my kids were all little and I had less going on outside the house. It's not super logical for me to expect myself to have quite as much time to spend in the kitchen now as I did then.
Also, you all are right about how working hard right now is not a waste of time. Anatomy and Physiology builds on itself, and I am pretty sure that a lot of my future nursing training will build on what I learn now. So, it's better to do a thorough job.
My friend Mia (a fellow nursing student!) told me about a classmate who barely studied and thus, barely passed A&P. Then down the road, she really hit a wall in a class that required A&P knowledge and she had to take that class twice.
So, I remind myself: classes are expensive. (Way more expensive than takeout, actually.) So, if I skip cooking here and there in order to pass a class, that's still smart.
In light of all that, here's how I'm planning to navigate the rest of this semester (7 more weeks).
Ok, and also next semester because I will be in Anatomy and Physiology 2.
(School year 2022-2023 should be much easier because I only will need microbiology and developmental psychology.)
My game plan
1. I bought a crockpot
I have only ever had a Wal-mart cheapie crockpot, and it is SUPER ANNOYING to use because you can't remove the crock part for washing.
Also, it's really small, which means that sometimes I can't fit a whole recipe's worth of food into it.
So, I read the Cook's Country reviews and ordered the Kitchen-Aid slow-cooker they recommended.
2. I got an America's Test Kitchen slow cooker cookbook from the library
I have been a little unimpressed with the crockpot fare I've often seen, but I am hopeful that America's Test Kitchen will have better offerings for me.
I also browsed through the Budget Bytes list of slow-cooker recipes, and I think maybe I will give this teriyaki chicken one a try.
3. I'm going to designate one night as a no-cooking night
On Wednesdays, we have a lot going on schedule-wise, so I am waving the white flag when it comes to cooking that night. Between being busy and all of us not being home at dinnertime, we are going to do a fend-for-yourself or takeout night on Wednesdays.
Hopefully having that reprieve will help me feel more motivated on the other nights.
4. Mr. FG is going to cook once a week
He's going to take over on Sunday nights, and since we do our date night on Saturdays, this means I don't have to cook at all on the weekend.
5. I am going to guiltlessly press the easy button
French toast and OJ can be a dinner. 🙂
What I Spent
- $6 at BJ's
- $67 at Lidl
- $25 at Whole Foods
- $26 on Wednesday takeout
- $2 at Panera
So, $126 altogether.
October Spending
Week 1: $110
Week 2: $148.50
Week 3: $111
Week 4: $126
What We Ate
Saturday
Mr. FG and I did our date night at Panda Express (where we used my survey coupon!) It was a $12 meal for the two of us, which is pretty darn affordable.
Sunday
Mr. FG had not started his Sunday cooking pattern yet, so we used a Panera gift card to get dinner for the four of us. I only had to spend $2 out of pocket for our meal.
Monday
I grilled some chicken sausages, which we ate on buns. Chips plus a fruit salad on the side.
Tuesday
I tried a Pioneer Woman recipe for sesame noodles and I also rummaged through the freezer and found some marked-down steaks and some chicken, which I sauteed for us to add on top of the noodles.
Recipe verdict: the flavor was good, but the sauce was so thin, it just drained right into the bottom of the bowl. I think some thickening would improve it immensely.
Wednesday
My no-cook night! Sonia chose to eat some leftover sesame noodles and chicken, I picked up fast food for Zoe, I got a bowl from Noodles and Company while Zoe was at youth group, and Mr. FG got a sandwich from Arby's.
Thursday
I spent a lot of the day looking at cadaver slides* to learn muscles, so I made French toast and called it a night.
(*It is a very good thing that I am not easily grossed out. This is probably true of most students pursuing a medical degree!)
Friday
Zoe might want me to take her and a friend thrift store shopping, so I'm not sure what to plan for dinner. If we go thrifting, then it will be something quick!
I am always so impressed by the deals you find. It seems like you don't spend a lot of time hunting them down actively - it seems to be more of a matter of paying attention!
Saturday: I made a huge lasagna, which we ate with a side salad
Sunday: we spend the day outside with friends and ate something small there.
Monday: I made chicken and vegetables in the oven, served with rice
Tuesday: leftover lasagna
Wednesday: we had a friend over. I made a soup with sausage, kale, white beans and potatoes.
Thursday: leftover soup for me, leftover lasagna for him.
today: even though Ted Lasso ended, we are continuing our tradition having sandwiches. It's great because I have a good excuse to have my boyfriend make them (he is American and Americans are the best at making sandwiches).
Back when my kids were little, I did more active deal hunting and couponing, but yes, right now I mostly just keep an eye out for things that I naturally come across.
I believe that about your boyfriend...we Americans love our sandwiches!
I never eat at Panda Express, but the coupons you mention intrigue me...
I made a great chicken dinner in my crock pot last night that tasted like Chinese chicken and it was so good to come home to! (https://pattietierney.blogspot.com/2021/09/5-ingredient-slow-cooker-chicken-legs.html) This week we ate:
Monday - Pot Sticker Stir Fry
Tuesday - Shakshuka, garlic toast (just me, my daughter went to a friends house)
Wednesday - (freezer) Beef Soup with extra veggies added
Thursday - 5 Ingredient Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs, twice bakeds, corn
Friday - Fiesta Salmon Patties, sweet potatoes, salad {but I'm on call, so if I have to work late, this will be Sunday dinner}
Saturday - TBD, but I'm taking my youngest to dinner
Sunday - TBD, but we have another yardwork day ahead of us
Happy Weekend!
@Gina, a number of places have the same deal about filling out a survey and getting a coupon for your next meal. Maybe we could make a list:
Panda Express
Popeyes
what else, readers?
@WilliamB,
If I remember correctly, I think McDonald's has a survey to fill out, and you get BOGO egg McMuffins .....I think? We go to McD's to get our super picky son French fries and a shake on occasion (I use the deal on the app, so large fries are $1).
@WilliamB, Whataburger, if you’re blessed enough to live near one.
@WilliamB, Survey Deals:
1. Burger King: Free Whopper with purchase of drink & side (I always purchase small sizes on those).
2. Papa Murphy's: Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
@WilliamB,
1. Subway: you get two free cookies or a free drink.
2. Jack's: a free burger, for those who live in the South.
3. Church's Chicken: you return the receipt to get a free chicken leg or breast. No extra purchase required!
@Gina, fiesta salmon patties sound delicious! What are they?
I have never seen Kristen spelled with a “C”! I repeat meals almost every week because it’s easy and it’s what my family (kids) will eat.
We had chicken bacon ranch pizza on ciabatta rolls, a leftover night, eggs and ham with cinnamon rolls, and chicken fajitas.
The pizza and eggs are an every week menu item for us!
I've seen it spelled Chrystin or Chrysten or Christyn. There are so many different ways to spell it! And we haven't even listed all the "K" options.
I’m glad you were able to work out dinner issues. I remember how hard all that can be. My crock pot was essential in those days. I think it’s wonderful that you are working towards a new goal.
I spent $48 on groceries this week. I also had lunch with a friend and this was $17! My husband has been out of state during the work week, so I did not cook a great deal.
Saturday - sauté shrimp over rice and a side salad
Sunday - Chicken Piccata, mashed potatoes and sautéed spinach.
Monday, Tuesday - Leftover Chicken Piccata
Wednesday - I didn’t feel great so I made chicken and rice using up some frozen chicken and broth. It was quite bland. I let Rescue Pup have the leftovers on top of her food.
Thursday - I took some stuffed peppers out of the freezer. They were too spicy for my dear hubby, so I ate them while he was away. Kristen, you would have liked the filling for these. They were made with chipotle peppers.
Friday - I’m going to an event with my great niece and nephew. Kid food is on the menu. Since there is very little standard kid food that is gluten free, I may treat myself to takeout sushi before I go. Of course, no soy sauce .
Enjoy your weekend everyone!
What, no meat for dinner after staring at cadaver slides all afternoon? 🙂
Saturday: Barbecue meatballs, garlic bread, coleslaw, baked ginger pears with cream
Sunday: Ground beef tacos with homemade corn tortillas (and avocados--thanks, sis!), a small chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting so we could have a pre-party for my daughter's birthday before my sister left.
Monday: Lots of leftovers, raw cabbage (how most of my kids prefer to eat it), brownies with vanilla ice cream for the actual birthday dessert. She brought cupcakes in for her preschool class, so I made the brownies on Sunday while I was making the cupcakes (and the small cake with the rest of the batter) to ensure we would have a dessert ready to go when I got home from work.
Tuesday: Italian sliders, pasta with the very last of the garden pesto, green salad with vinaigrette
Wednesday: Bunless cheeseburgers, fried mushrooms/green beans/garlic, bread and butter, carrot sticks with curry dip
Thursday: Roast beef with tomatoes and onions, baked potatoes, fried cabbage and onions, still-frozen green beans for the kids who don't like cooked cabbage
Tonight: I still have some taco meat left, and will probably make some flour tortillas for my kids. Maybe that way they won't notice that we had ground beef almost every night this week. 🙂 Also salad, because I have a lot of lettuce on hand that my sister brought me.
@kristin @ going country, you crack me up. Back in the day when I was taking anatomy with a human cadaver lab, I felt a little grossed out when looking at the cooked whole turkey sitting on the table at Thanksgiving .....
I hadn't really correlated the cadaver photos with a meatless meal, but maybe you are right. A lot of the upper body muscles did kind of remind me of a beef flank steak. Ha.
Do you serve the raw cabbage just plain? Or do you put a dressing on it?
@Kris, I have the same feeling when I spend a day butchering. I still cook meat for dinner--meatless dinners are not really a thing at my house--but I sure don't eat much of it.
@Kristen, Just a plain wedge of raw cabbage. Like a wedge salad, minus the dressing. Or the iceberg lettuce.
Wow, that's such a virtuous side dish. I like raw cabbage but I always want it to have dressing and seasoning!
@Kristen, My kids have always eaten it that way, so they don't know what they're missing. 🙂
@Kris, this reminds me of the time when I served quail to my bookclub. One member could/would not eat it because, to her, it looked like a human body.
@bettafrmdaville, My sister is a veterinarian, and she doesn't like to eat anything that looks like a whole animal, like a whole roasted chicken. Perhaps a holdover from her dissection labs at vet school?
@kristin @ going country, My husband would kiss the ground in gratitude if we had a week where I served some version of hamburger every day!
Glad you found a balance that works for you!
Sunday night my entire house was home! All 3 kids worked the early part of the day so since Mama was exhausted we were going to supper. I used some Ibotta money to buy a Red Robin gift card and when we got there the wait was super long ( most likely due to staffing cause the parking lot was not bad)... so we left- will use another day.. Ended up at a local Italian place and shared pizza, wings, jojo potatos and the girl and I enjoyed their fried zucchini! Leftovers went into lunch boxes the next day!
Monday- Monday night I used a box of aldi *steakums* and cooked them all and chopped it up. I spread that over a 12ct package of potato rolls and layered with provolone! served with fruit, frozen steamed veggies and tater tots
Tuesday- we grilled 2 preseasoned pork tenderloins and I made oven rice pilaf. Served with the last of the bowl of salad and canned corn.
Weds- I did not cook as I had plans to go visit with friends and tie fleece blankets for a local DV shelter. The family graciously left all the dirty leftover dishes empty in the sink for me....
Thursday- made the supper my girl has been requesting since she was sick a few weeks ago.. Homemade alfredo sauce with pasta, chicken and broccoli. We were in the middle of a tornado warning so I cooked the chicken on the stove instead of grilling.. lol We watched the weather go around us through the sliding door and kitchen windows.. I would have sought shelter if it really got scary! lol
@Jessica, I enjoy those preseasoned pork loins too. I try to pick them up when I see BOGO.
I am very anxious to hear your review of the slow cooker. I had that on my Christmas list last year but my daughter discouraged me from getting it. Apparently it is really a SLOW cooker and she didn't think I would be happy with it. So, I am still using my old, starting to rust crock pot.
I love your blog and you are an inspiration!
Oh, that is so interesting because the usual complaint I hear about newer slow cookers is that they run too hot!
I will keep you posted.
@Kristen, that sure was true of my last one. Also the reason I replaced it.
Good for you! I'm glad you reasoned it out and found a new balance for this stage of your life. Maybe you should print this out and put next to the take-out menus "classes are more expensive than takeout".
I was going to ask you a question, then another question, then I realized these might be good posts: why a crock-pot instead of an Instant Pot and please let us know how the crock-pot cooking comes out. Maybe another idea is for readers to share a good recipe or two? I realized that I'm going to need to learn how to use one, eventually, and would love to benefit from others' experience.
Some other ideas:
- ATK's Make-Ahead Cookbook
- soups and stews are great for freezing for later
- Money Saving Mom has a section on Freezer Cooking: https://moneysavingmom.com/category/easy-recipes/freezer-meals/
@WilliamB,
In the "for what it's worth" category:
I don't have an Instant Pot, but my daughter does. She loves it, but she also has a Crock Pot, as she much prefers to use it when slow cooking. I use a stove-top pressure cooker and a Crock Pot, as some dishes just seem to be best when made in the Crock Pot, while some come out best in the pressure cooker. That's our experience/preference, and your mileage may vary.
So, I figured the Crock-Pot might be more helpful than an Instant Pot due to the start-early nature of Crock Pot cooking. The problem for me is that I am out of motivation at dinnertime, but I do usually have some motivation earlier in the day. So I figured a crock-pot could help me harness the early energy better.
I have no idea if my plan will work, but we shall see! And of course I will keep you all updated.
I think what WilliamB was getting at is that an InstaPot has a slow-cooking feature, as well.
Ohhh, I see!
@WilliamB, I have an Instant Pot and love it. However, I have never used the slow cooking option. I drag out my trusty crock pot for that. I’m not sure why. Habit, I suppose.
I imagine that the IP would work well for many slow cooker recipes especially for those that require you to sauté or brown an ingredient. There is a setting that actually allows this to be done in the pot. I agree this could make an interesting feature. I know I could use both these items much more often than I do.
@Kristen, I still love my slow cooker. I too am motivated earlier in the day.
@Ingrid, Yup.
@Bee, I very rarely drag out my slow cooker/crock pot because I use slow cooker feature on the Instant Pot just about exclusively.
French toast can be a great dinner! Give yourself grace. This time will pass, too.
Are the two girls at home able to start cooking at all yet? I think it might be time to designate some cooking onto them if you're still overwhelmed.
In my house the easy go-to is a pressure cooker (Instant Pot) meal. Sometimes that just means making some chicken and rice (using the rice cooker) and sometimes it's a bit more elaborate.
Sunday: We had just such a pressure cooker meal. BBQ Chicken in the IP, rice pilaf and vegetables.
Monday: BLTs and some raw vegetables and chips. I had to work late but not so late that I couldn't pop down to the store and get some bacon.
Tuesday: Breakfast for dinner. Eggs, hash browns and mini waffles. Extra waffles went into the freezer for easy breakfasts.
Wednesday: Ate up leftovers from the fridge.
Thursday: Work ran really late and so all plans were scrapped. We ended up going to a local diner which we haven't been to in at least 3 years. It was terrible and I just felt miserable for most of the evening afterward.
Friday: I'll be home alone tonight as my wife and daughter are getting haircuts and going to Build a Bear to use a gift card. I'll probably be stuck working but if I'm not I'll be grilling some chicken as we don't have much time left to do such things.
Sonia and Zoe are both busy with classes, and Sonia has two jobs on top of her classes, so they mostly help out with cleaning and washing dishes. But I could have them take a night a week too.
Lunches are the big meal at my house, so I usually cook something on Sunday to have throughout the week for my take-to-work meals and my husband's work from home meals. This Sunday, the arthritis in my knees was giving me fits, making standing to cook an unhappy prospect, and he took one for the team and ate sandwiches all week.
I had some leftover pizza supplemented with aged Swiss cheese and store-brand wheat crackers for Monday lunch. Tuesday was one of last week's homemade freezer meals that I didn't eat (fish, broccoli, and ancient grains blend). Wednesday was Heinz cream of tomato soup from World Market and a sandwich of aged Swiss cheese. Thursday was a Green Giant lightly sauced vegetable medley with two little pieces of turkey sausage. Today is some more leftover pizza, heavy on the veggies.
If you're wondering about the aged Swiss, I'm lactose intolerant but can eat aged or hard cheeses in small amounts and have a little cream, such as in the soup, without suffering consequences.
That's a solid, sane plan for you and your family.
Here were our main dishes for the week - whether eaten for dinner, lunch or breakfast - and sometimes in combination:
- Cashew chili
- Spaghetti squash with marinara sauce
- Vegetarian meatloaf
- Mushroom-broccoli-rice pilaf casserole
- Plate of vegetables: squash, cauliflower, broccoli and beets
- Wild rice pancakes with chutney
- Stuffed peppers
Saturday - takeout pizza
Sunday - penne al vodka
Monday - steamed pork buns and coconut rice pilaf
Tuesday - sesame chicken and I fried the leftover coconut rice pilaf to make fried rice
Wednesday - steak, Brussel sprouts, broccoli, pearl couscous
Thursday - vegetable pot pie
Friday - salmon for adults, dino nuggets for kids, pierogies, steamed carrots
Kristen, that's so funny how your name was misspelled. I find that people often spell my name as Chris even though I know very few people who spell their names that way--most of the "Kris" variants in my area are spelled with a K.
I LOVE how willing you are to adapt to change. You have come up with a great plan for moving ahead with meals and I think you will quickly feel the results. I worked weekends for many years when my kids were young--my husband took over the weekend cooking and the bonus I found was that it helped (obviously) with not having to pull together a meal after a long day at work, but it also gave me a break from cooking and prevented burnout. Hooray to your hubs for stepping up to the plate. That's love!
Also .... your old crockpot sounds like a nightmare--no wonder you disliked it!
Busy week here so one night of meatloaf turned into two nights of the same; also true for grilled pork chops. Yay leftovers and family who will eat them happily! Tonight is a mystery. Maybe I'll make pizza. Maybe not.
You have a great plan in place!
Monday: leftover sausage potato soup
Tuesday : roasted chicken thighs polenta and red cabbage salad
(making polenta in the microwave is WHERE ITS AT)
Wednesday: Tombstone pizza and Caesar salad from a bag ( clearance)
Thursday: Grilled cheese and tomato soup
Friday: take out
Saturday: ham and egg strata
@Stephanie, polenta is stupidly simple in the crockpot, too!
@Kris, WHAT?
Please share recipe… we LOVE polenta!
I love my Crock Pot and have two of them - - - a six quart and a three quart. I use them year round. In the summer (when I am busy gardening) I love that the kitchen doesn't get heated up. In the winter it is fabulous for stews and soups. Also a big help for preparing Thanksgiving dinner.
@Rebecca in MD,
I confess that I also have two crock pots, and there are times when I have both going! I also have two instant pots—my hubby bought me one as a Valentines gift a few years ago and then the very next summer I won one in a drawing! My sis tried to talk me out of it, but a friend of mine who has two advised me to keep it, and I am SO glad now that I did! I use both of them even more than I use two crock pots! I also have a bread machine—and my adult son just gave me his as he wasn’t using it, so now I have two of those as well! I call these my “kitchen servants!”
@Susan M., are there any cookbooks or websites you recommend for the Instant Pot? I bought one in the summer of 2020 and have only used it a couple of times. I know so many people love them, but I just haven't gotten into using it. It's so irritating that it was so expensive and I never use it.
I'm glad to hear you've revamped your cooking week! Smart and realistic!
My easy button meal that everyone loves around here is:
"Butter Beef"
-Cook up ground beef, ground chicken, ground moose, whatever I have....
-Throw on a jar of Patak's butter chicken, tikka masala, tandoori, whatever I have....
-Jasmine rice in the rice cooker
-Dollop of sour cream (the thick 14% kind)
-Mini cucumbers on side! BAM! done and delish!
Happy studying! I'm so proud you are realizing your dream! Good for you 🙂
Happy Friday from Northern Alberta!
WWS: ($62) $26 at Market Basket; $21 at fishmonger; $11 at Shaw's; $4 at Stop & Shop
Fri: roasted salmon; pasta with herbs & capers; sautéed zucchini, broccoli & red pepper
Sat: hamburgers, arugula & cucumber salad
Sun: homemade broccoli/cheddar soup for me/homemade barley mushroom for him & homemade focaccia
Mon: grilled pork chops; braised delicata squash; roasted potato; apple crisp
Tues: orzo soup from freezer; cabbage salad (no mayo, just apple cider vinegar, a touch of veg. oil & salt)
Wed: tuna fish sandwich, cabbage salad & chips
Thur: homemade pizza (topped with homemade pesto, mozz., broccoli & pepperoni)
Fri: 3-cup chicken (san bei ji) with rice & steamed veg
This week has been way off plan, since we moved my husband on Tuesday, but here is what we/I had:
My mom's old comfort food recipe, "five-decker dinner." That's a layer of bacon, topped with a burger patty, topped with a thick onion slice, topped with a thick slice of potato (big sliced mushrooms for me) topped with sliced up carrot sticks, cooked in a covered skillet with seasoning. My husband loves this meal. It was his last night home, so I made something I know he enjoys.
The day we moved him, he had a meal in his new home, and I came home and scrapped together leftovers. I was very tired.
Just cooking for me now, so:
Leftover cassava pasta from the freezer with spinach and garlic.
A recipe called "Emerald Salmon", as all but the salmon is green -- baked salmon with oven roasted asparagus and broccoli. There's a cilantro sauce for the fish, too, but cilantro tastes like soap to me, so I just used the garlic and seasonings out of the sauce, instead.
Chicken liver mousse, made with a lot of onion and garlic plus an apple, because otherwise I can't tolerate the taste and texture of liver. https://autoimmunewellness.com/chicken-liver-mousse/
I had this with homemade cassava crackers. Normally I eat this with vegetable sticks as well, but I got home pretty late, so this was all I was prepared to do.
Tonight - I'm thawing out a steak from the box o' meat.
To everything there is a season. You have certainly not been negligent about anything domestic or child-related, Kristen. Whatever you put into this nurse prep will pay off in many ways in the near future. Do it now because you can. Having followed you forever, it is wonderful to see you accomplish this. Keep up the good work. (I always agreed with the person--whoever it was--that said women CAN have it all, just not at the same time. It worked for me throughout child-rearing and career-building and now in retirement.) Good wishes always.
Kristen - So glad that you got a good quality crockpot...that is a huge help to me as a working Mom. I don't know how your family feels about soups and chili but they are easy to throw into the crockpot and then have leftovers from during the week. Something else that helps me is when I make dinner I try to make a double batch and freeze the leftovers. I make huge batches of casseroles or meatballs and freeze them in batches for quick cooking meals that can help me when the energy and time to cook are just not there. Hope some of these tricks will help you as well! I am rooting for you 🙂
I spent $25 @ Kroger this week and $125 @ Sam's. $14 of that was cupcakes for a birthday boy 🙂 I bought them instead of making them because time is a valuable commodity.
Sunday - Family Dinner night so I had 10 people over for dinner. I made an Italian Feast including Fettucini Alfredo with roasted chicken, Lasagna, and Linguini with Clam Sauce. I also made a green salad and garlic bread. It was yummy and I sent leftovers home with my sister so both our families were fed for lunch & dinner on Monday. Hurrah!
Monday - Leftovers
Tuesday - Corned beef hash, Rice, & carrots with ginger & rosemary
Wednesday - Pork Roast basted with a home canned cranberry mostarda, sauteed spinach and baked potatoes
Thursday - Leftover pork roast, twice baked potatoes with broccoli & cheese, corn
Friday - I plan to pick up some snacky items and make a big charcuterie board from us to nosh on this evening as my kiddo will enjoy and we have some tasks to tackle this evening.
Hope everyone enjoys the weekend ahead!
I love my crockpots! (I have 3, 2 oval shaped, 1 mini size). And removable crocks are a must, much easier to clean. I need to order a replacement crock for the programmable one, now that I think about it. I love that they are so versatile & even cheaper (i.e. tougher) cuts of meat come out tender. I can’t remember all the meals we had this past week but we did have-
Hamburgers & fries
BBQ ribs (crockpot), baked potato, corn, cheddar garlic biscuits
Garlic butter shrimp, fettuccini Alfredo, broccoli, cheddar garlic biscuits
Salisbury steak, rice, green beans
Steak hoagies & fries (takeout)
We love Isabel Eats's crockpot carnitas. https://www.isabeleats.com/mexican-slow-cooker-pork-carnitas-tacos/ They make amazing tacos and freeze well. I also have found a few good crockpot recipes on SpendWithPennies.
Absolutely no shame in calling a no-cook night and sharing responsibilities. You are killing this school thing!
I love my crockpot, but I also don’t like when everything come out the same texture. I often use it to make the meat portion of the meal, and I cook the veggies or side dishes separately. I also recommend a rice cooker! I can throw in some chicken breast with beans, taco seasoning, and serve the shredded meat over rice (you could add guacamole, sour cream, cheese). Or make an the beef and sauce part of beef and broccoli and add steamed broccoli and serve over rice. I also use my microwave to steam frozen veggies to quickly add to the end.
Also, there is nothing wrong with Sandwich Night! lol I learned about Sandwich Night from the 80s movie About Last Night with Demi Moore and Kevin Bacon. Three nights a week she cooked, three nights a week he cooked, and one day a week they had Sandwich Night lol Sandwiches are super easy and everybody can make whatever kinda sandwich they want! Throw a couple pieces of deli meat or cheese on some awesome bread and call it a day : )
@Nici Ink, the key is def top quality bread or rolls. We also like to switch up the “sauce”. Sometimes fancy mustard. Sometimes pesto Mayo. Sometimes Italian “ sub” dressing. We love sandwich night.
Thriving Home blog has some great slowcooker and instapot recipes that are quick to make!
I'm glad you are giving yourself some grace, Kristen. Crockpots are a great solution to those busy times (days/weeks).
Our dinners this week:
1. Curry Tofu Stif Fry w/Rice
2. Rice w/Mock Meat/Veggies and choose your own sauce
3. Pasta w/Mock Meat
4. Pizza w/Salad
5. Vegan Sloppy Jo (so, lentils instead of meat) w/Tater Tots and Veggies
6. Fend for yourself night (so, probably Ramen for my daughter and leftovers for everyone else).
7. Rice/Beans and Salad (Probably-we have a ton of it leftover)
My favorite crock pot meal is "chicken with sauce" (idea from heavenly homemakers blog). Sometimes it's chicken + bbq sauce. Sometimes it's chicken + honey + mustard or coconut aminos (soy substitute). Put on salad. Done.
I don’t always love crockpot meals either. I do like chili and spaghetti sauce in it and generally shredded meat dishes, Italian beef, chicken for burrito bowls, pulled pork, etc. I find chicken is better to cook shorter times, 6 hours instead of 8+, and always thighs instead of breasts. I’ve also had good luck with baked potatoes and pork ribs!
I'm late to the cooking tips. After 35+ years of cooking every night I'm tired of it. My husband and I cook extra large meals on the weekends so we have leftovers 2-3 days during the week. Lots of soups, stews and roasts. He is a meat and potato guy.
Your approach to meals while you’re in school sounds really practical and flexible! I hope it works well for you, Kristen. When I was back in school, my husband did a lot of the cooking, especially when I was working on big projects/finals. It was so helpful! I remember that we ate a lot of big main dish salads, homemade pizza and baked dishes in 9x13 pan that would last several meals. The rest is a bit of a blur - my mind was busy remembering other things at the time.
Saturday: I was out playing a board game with friends by 6:00 (check out the Watershed Game!), so we just had some quick leftover chicken soup and crackers/cheese.
Sunday: My neighbor had gifted us a whole pork butt that he'd smoked, so we had pulled pork on buns, plus some homemade coleslaw. Super easy dinner!
Monday: Fall dinner. Takes me 30 minutes, and I can make it in my sleep. Mac and cheese (boxed), kielbasa, and cabbage cooked in the kielbasa drippings. Really popular with my entire household, so makes a frequent appearance when it's cold outside (it requires a lot of stove time, so I don't make it when the kitchen is already hot).
Tuesday: Enchiladas. I took Kristin's recipe, and modified it. I had some leftover taco meat, which I mixed with a can of (drained, rinsed) black beans, and some leftover chopped-up roasted potatoes, then mixed in the enchilada sauce for the filling instead of using chicken.
Wednesday: Game Night with our neighbor family. I made 2 versions of Zuppa Toscana. There are a lot of recipes out there with many ingredients, but I've found that if you start with good homemade chicken stock and tasty Italian sausage, the recipe is literally just stock, sausage, kale, and cream. For the nondairy family members of our neighbor family, I separated out some of the soup and just mixed in a can of coconut milk instead of cream. I also use WAY more kale than most recipes call for, so it's almost like a sort of hot salad!
Thursday: Leftover night! We used up some leftover kielbasa and enchiladas. I used up a little leftover pulled pork (I'd frozen most of it, but kept out 1 serving for lunches that I didn't end up using it for) on top of a salad kit from Aldi to make a dinner. It was really, really good that way. Highly recommend the Southwest Chopped Salad kit topped with some hot pulled pork!
Friday is always pizza night, so we're definitely doing that this week. I'm planning to have some more leftover Zuppa Toscana, since we still have 3 servings left, and I usually don't eat much pizza anyway.
I'm glad you are able to give yourself grace in the cooking world and found a solution that will work for the whole family. Such a big deal!
This is the week that I'm testing out my mom's Instant Pot. We had:
Saturday: Chicken fries, sweet potatoes, and peas for lunch; pizza for dinner
Sunday: Ravioli and zucchini for lunch; took FG French bread to a potluck for dinner (I was so excited when my friend said she was making zuppa toscana soup - it made my side dish a no-brainer! And I make that French bread so often now that she was banking on me bringing it for a side.)
Monday: Chicken sandwiches, baked beans, and pineapple
Tuesday: IP macaroni and cheese, sliced sausages for those who wanted meat, and veggies on the side
Wednesday: Spaghetti and green beans
Thursday: IP minestrone (we have 7 cups leftover! Yikes!) and dinner rolls
Friday: I'm going to try a whole chicken in the Instant Pot and have butternut squash and fried eggplant on the side. We only have eggplant in the house because my husband accompanied me on a shopping trip recently. I think I've only made an eggplant dish once in my life.
I like to use my crockpot for cooking dried beans mostly...but it works in a pinch for all sorts of things! I hope you find some recipes you like; I find that Budget Bytes often has some really good ones.
Last night we had pizza and a salad
Wednesday the hubs was prepping for a colonoscopy (fun fun! but getting preventative care is much cheaper than not...) so I had leftover spaghetti and a salad.
Tuesday night we had breakfast for dinner: hash, scrambled eggs with some leftover asparagus and chives, toast.
Monday night we had leftover spaghetti and roasted asparagus
Sunday night I can't remember at all what we had! I'm guessing something Mexican because there was leftover rice and slaw in the fridge.
Saturday night we had spaghetti with cheesy baked chicken meatballs. Some friends came over, so I made a huge batch which is why it got eaten several times!
Tonight I think we'll have fish, either sauteed squash and onions or a squash casserole, and yes most likely a salad!
A question for the community…I enjoy grilled foods, but due to fire code restrictions can’t have an outdoor grill at my condo. Are there any recommendations out there for ‘indoor’ grilling apparatus (apparati?) that aren’t super complicated? And that could go in the dishwasher?
Thanks in advance!
@Kt, there's a George Foreman grill with removable plates. I found it on Amazon. The plates pop out and are dishwasher safe. The grease catching tray (I have no idea what it's real name is!) is also dishwasher safe. We had one of the early George Foreman grills years ago, but you couldn't put it in the dishwasher, and it was such a pain to clean that we just got rid of it. The one with the removable plates is a total game changer!
A crockpot meal is never going to be quite as tasty as a stove cooked meal because there’s no browning and searing. But there are still really good recipes in the crockpot that will absolutely do the trick. These are our family favorites.
https://www.thechunkychef.com/slow-cooker-creamy-white-chicken-chili/
https://lmld.org/three-envelope-roast/
https://www.themagicalslowcooker.com/slow-cooker-crack-chicken/
As for what we ate:
Turkey sweet potato black bean chili, chips and guacamole
Hot dog crescent roll ups and applesauce and raw veggies & dip.
Beef vegetable soup and cheesy garlic bread.
Salmon teriyaki with stir fried vegetables and rice.
Ground turkey and vegetable stir fry over rice
Butternut squash ravioli, salad, green beans.
@Becca, I have some crockpot meals that call for browning/searing the meat prior to putting it in the crockpot, which does improve the flavor. They perhaps are not the speediest recipes, though, if that's your objective.
@Kris,
Haha yeah if I have to sear it on the stove I’m just going to cook it in that pan and not pull out the crockpot. Although I have made pork carnitas in the crock before and then broiled them on a baking sheet to get crispy. But that was pretty quick and easy. And I had to shred it on the sheet anyway.
I did a quick scan of comments, didn't see this mentioned, apologies for double-posting if that is the case. Check out https://www.ayearofslowcooking.com/. She used her crock-pot to cook for an entire year. We found this blog when she was updating during the process, and have used it regularly ever since.
SOOOOO pleased you have revisited the cooking and come up with a plan for the present moments, Kristen! and wonderful that your husband is stepping up on Sunday night, it will give you a great weekend break from the 'never-ending' job.
I just sent my crockpot to the landfill (well, to the metal recycling) after dropping the crock part off at my local thrift store ... the digital dial was totally busted and the handle on the lid as well as one on the side (!!!) had both broken off. poor thing. I have an instant pot in regular rotation, and wasn't using my crockpot much at all, so it was time to claim back that cubic foot + of shelf space.
Meals around here are just me and my 22 year old son. He is happy with rice and beans, so I try to ensure I make meals that leave these as leftovers (separate) in the fridge. I recently made a lundberg wild-rice and brown rice that he has asked for again, so my rice options are getting more interesting.
We very often riff off the budget bytes Cauliflower Taco bowl - it is just so yummy, and if I make up the bits and pieces when I have energy, it can be easily thrown together whenever someone is hungry. I cook the corn and cauliflower and often roasted cubed yams ahead of time. Heat the beans and cook the rice in a rice cooker. the trick is to make up lots of the sauce (essentially half and half mayo and sour cream, except I use yogurt, plus a dash of garlic powder and a lot of lime juice). THAT makes the whole dish pop.
I made a sesame Salmon Rice bowl from the New York times a couple of nights ago. It was a bit fiddly to do some of the prep, and the cooking required a mid-stream adjustment to get the salmon properly cooked, but MAN was it tasty! #2 son has told me he likes the rice about five times, so definitely going to put that in rotation. We made enough for leftovers - and #2 was a bit disappointed in his mom because I had the last of the salmon when he came down for his third bowl of leftovers... However, he inhaled the rest of the rice.
I also made some hummus, which he normally eats, but somehow that isn't disappearing so I think I need to make some flatbread to tempt him.
I am recovering from a hip operation, and yesterday did too much standing, which reminded me to take it easy for heaven's sake. am trying hard to eat from the pantry, and it is a bit easier to do so since I haven't been driving - recognizing how often I pick up veggies when there are still some in the fridge! oops. Now I am getting to work through what we have, and becoming more creative again.
My favorite slow cooker recipe is the chicken from this burrito bowl recipe. I make the chicken in the crock pot and use it in burritos or tacos or enchiladas. It is the best chicken ever. I'm sure the rest of the recipe is nice too but it always seemed a little much for me, LOL. The meat freezes great too. I think it is the combination of breast and thigh meat that make it so good. Breast meat alone can get a little dry in the crockpot.
https://www.asweetpeachef.com/slow-cooker-chicken-burrito-bowls/
Also, a huge fan of Budget Bytes and this Tikka Masala crock pot recipe is amazing!
https://www.budgetbytes.com/slow-cooker-chicken-tikka-masala/
This one isn't a crop pot recipe but for anyone short on time, it takes 30 minutes and only one pan to clean up! Saving time on the clean up is just as important to me.
https://damndelicious.net/2014/04/09/one-pan-mexican-quinoa/
Speaking of clean up, when you are cleaning the crockpot, don't be afraid to throw some water in it and and turn it back on for a while if there's a lot of gunkiness inside.
Alright, that's all my crock pot tips 🙂 Good luck in your class!
@Jenn Haynes, YES to the chicken tikka masala recipe. The only problem is that it smells so good while cooking that I'm hungrier way earlier than I should be.
Crock pot tip: pay attention to when the recipe was published. About fifteen years ago, in an effort to save us from crockpot-induced food poisoning (which was not a large problem, as far as I can tell), CPSC mandated that crockpots get food up to a "safe" temperature quicker. So today's crockpots run hotter than vintage ones, and recipes that worked for old ones will end up boiling in new ones. If you're looking to "set it and forget it" in the morning and need it to be fine all day, pick up a vintage crock pot. If a quicker timeframe is just fine, don't worry about it :).
I have a recipe for sausage and beef with potatoes, peppers and onions if you would like to try. It was an oven recipe that I transferred to the crockpot for convenience. My daughter said she made a whole chicken to use for chicken pie in the instant pot. She said it took an hour. I have one to thaw and use--I think I will do the same. Butternut squash cooks nicely in the instant pot and you can cook it ahead.
My husband is basically a simple eater thankfully. He does not mind leftovers. If one does not eat the leftovers, they end in the trash. I do my best not to overcook anymore--there is just the two of us. So 2 burgers or one large chicken breast. I have even cut the mac&cheese recipe down so there is just enough left for lunch the next day.
Last week I did not go to the grocery store except to buy a loaf of bread--while there I grabbed a bag of apples because the per lb price was good.
Your sense of accomplishment in what you will achieve from studying will be so beneficial. Keep on keeping on!
WWA:
Saturday: I had bought a "special" steak for our anniversary dinner the week before but we had a family dinner. So, this week I cooked it and had potatoes and vegetables.
Sunday: Pork chops with potatoes, onions & peppers
Monday: Chicken breast.
Tues: Pasta & sauce; Naan bread from freezer
Wed: Turkey burgers, baked beans
Thurs: Yogurt for me; tuna for him. I had not slept well the night before and spent the whole day with the 3-yr-old grandson, so I did not feel like cooking.
I spent too much on groceries this week, mainly because I had forgotten a couple of things and went back later in the week. But did I ONLY buy those “couple of things”? No, I did not.
Monday: chicken tortilla soup, corn muffins
Tuesday: baked potatoes with a Caesar salad
Wednesday: usually cook’s night off, but we had the kids over for chicken fajitas with the trimmings
Thursday: takeout
Friday: I think Swiss steak with mashed potatoes and green beans
My favorite crockpot dump meat recipes:
3 lbs boneless chicken, large jar sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil, drained can of artichoke hearts. Dump all in crockpot and let cook. Serve.
3 lbs beef roast, 1 pkg dried onion soup mix, 1 can cream of mushroom soup. Place meat in crock pot, top with dried soup mix, top with mushroom soup. Cook. Remove meat, stir remaining ingredients to make gravy.
3 lbs pork roast, 1 can crushed pineapple, ginger to taste. Place all in pot, cook. Remove and shred meat. Stir remaining sauce into meat and serve.
@Linda Sand, Do you use fresh ginger or ginger powder and how much would you recommend starting with as a trial? Also, do you think this would work with a pork shoulder or butt? I have never cooked with pork roast before.
Sat/Sun--chicken and corn chowder
Monday--giant shrimp wrapped in bacon and grilled. Mine did not have bacon because I really don't care for bacon very much.
Tuesday--baked potatoes with toppings, to usde up fridge leftovers like some chili, day old guac, cottage cheese, etc.
Wed/Thurs--cheese quiche
Friday--filet 'o fish for me and a cheeseburger for him. We do at least try to make it healthier by making a salad to go with them...
You need to check out ThrivingHomeBlog.com. They have a lot of good recipes for people with busy schedules. I have both of their cookbooks. I refer to them often.
When you do cook, have you tried making double or triple recipe and freezing the leftovers for later meals? I made spaghetti sauce last night and there was easily enough for a second meal. I froze it and we will have it with gnocchi's next week. Boiling water for gnocchi's and heating up meat sauce is all I can handle on busy night.
I think it seems to me that a lot of the stuff I make doesn't freeze well. But if I do make something like chicken tinga, then I've frozen extra meat for an easy meal in the future.
I should maybe make a list of things that can be doubled and frozen.
@Kristen,
Things I always double and freeze.
Pulled pork( slow cooker)
Hot shredded beef( oven)
Spaghetti sauce( slow cooker)
Taco (meat ground Turkey ground beef mixture) ( stove)
Chili ( stove)
Black bean soup ( slow cooker)
Shredded chicken in slow cooker ( breast and thighs mixture)
It is no more trouble to double these! Just buy double when meat is on sale.
I like your plan. I would also lean into easy sides and veggies.
Cook big batches of rice, freeze part for later use (best microwaved with a splash of water) or used from frozen to make fried rice. Couscous can be covered in a bowl with boiling water from a kettle + whatever spice mix goes with your meal (Italian spice mix, curry, 21 seasoning salute, etc). Some types of Asian noodles can be soaked with boiling or warm water. Most meals can be rounded out with a store bought bun.
As for veggies, really lean into cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, precut broccoli florets, etc, eaten raw. Or, frozen corn or green peas or cauliflower can we added to most dishes with sauce. Many frozen veggies can be roasted with spice mixes.
I think if you use easy carbs, easy veggies, store bought our premade spice mixes, and slow cooked meats, you'll eat pretty well and with very little work. It'll be 70% as tasty as your delicious usuals now, but you'll be working shifts and this will be the new world. Might as well get used to it! And if you or any of your family really want the nicer version occasionally, the recipes will still be there for you!
Sunday: Soup and bread at a family members house
Monday: Slow cooker buffalo chicken in quesadillas (a budget bytes recipe!) and sliced peppers on the side
Tuesday: Pizza with salad. Tuesdays are my "easy" days, just take and bake pizza and a bagged salad kit
Wednesday: BLTs with the last of the garden tomatoes
Thursday: Mexican food with friends
Friday: Rotkohl (another slow cooker recipe) and sausages
Saturday: Leftovers
What a timely read - I was just looking at our schedule for the week and planned 2 crockpot dinners for days I won't have time to cook! Chuck roast and potatoes were loss leaders at my local grocery this week, so we're having:
- Pot roast with potatoes, carrots and onions
- Veg beef soup
Both of them use a lot of overlapping ingredients as well, so a double win!
While you're compiling crockpot recipes, a super easy one is pork loin and yellow potatoes. Take a 5 pound bag of yellow potatoes, wash them and let completely dry. (I usually wash the night before and put out on a towel so they can dry completely). Put them in the crockpot and fit in to make the top of them fairly even. Use foil and fold up the edges to make a tray for the pork loin. Put the foil trash on top of the potatoes, put a marinated pork loin on the tray, being sure the edges are all pointed up so the juices won't drain onto the potatoes. Put the lid on and bake on low all day.
Welcome to the wonderful world of slow cookers! I actually own 5 - they are all different sizes and since I live in MN it's not seen as shocking (ha). Finding solidly good slow cooker recipes can be daunting but they do exist. America's Test Kitchen has some great tips and tricks on how to make the slow cooker work better so that your food doesn't turn into a monoflavored mess. I hope to see some great recipes that you found for the slow cooker in future posts - a slow cooker may become your best friend when you become a nurse!
Good for you! Priorities change, and it`s perfectly fine. I can`t live without my crock-pot, and I`m all about easy recipes. A no-cooking night? Yes please!! I cook because I have a family to feed, that's it (I don`t enjoy it one bit).
Ahhhh, anatomy classes!! I remember those days!! It`s HARD, so give yourself a break about the rest 🙂
Thank you for talking about having trouble cooking sometimes. Sometimes it fees like everyone else always has it together and always cooks and I'm the only one spending way too much on delivery and takeout. It's nice to know it's not just me. 🙂 Thank you for talking about guiltlessly pressing the easy button! I have a tendency to overly complicate meals, and that's something I'm going to work on going forward.
We just got back from vacation, where we planned on eating quite a few meals out. Now that we're home, I'm working on a cooking reset of my own. Plus, I go back to the office next week after mostly working from home since March of 2020. I'm looking forward to going back, but I know it will be an adjustment that could make cooking even less likely to happen. So I'm definitely going to be following along with your cooking reset!
Good luck with your crock pot! I absolutely love crock pot cooking. I have five in various sizes and use them all throughout the year. One thing about ATK crock pot recipes is that the time seems to be WAY TOO LONG. I've had good luck shaving 30 minutes to an hour off of the lowest time they recommend ( if it says 4 - 5 hours, cook it for 3 - 3.5, etc.) Every time I've cooked it for the entire recommended time, the food has turned into mush. Good Cheap Eats is another site that has a lot of good crock pot recipes. They're filed under "slow cooker" rather than "crock pot" in the recipe index.
I'm a long time reader but have never posted before. I found your blog when I was looking for a roasted carrot recipe and loved the recipe and your style so much that I've stayed for years. Yours is the only blog that I follow and I so appreciate your positive outlook and encouragement. I always thought of posts as taking up time from the blogger, but your comments about feeling like you have a community because of the posts have encouraged me to post. I love sharing recipes and I have a few slow cooker recipes that my family loves, so this seemed like the perfect time to finally speak up. Thanks to the other readers who shared their favorite slow cooker recipes...I'm looking forward to trying them. I find that although my recipes share the common denominator of shredded meat, they all have relatively different flavors so that they don't end up tasting like the same meal.
Here are my favorite super easy slow cooker recipes:
Beef Stroganoff: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1VgWlTlidp3yDzkmj4YQSV5Jkctjq_ipPIvr_8cvrwnQ/edit?usp=sharing
Chili Chicken Tacos:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1vF-UAY9gcQTbdLnUA5A_9O3TKSrhYza4gzOgPLcrbFY/edit?usp=sharing
Buffalo Chicken:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1z4rHj5JvkYK3a6bGGrzQXJGCzMmTTcOrbUNAG-s-k1o/edit?usp=sharing
All of these are great to freeze if you have extra.
And here is one of my favorite super easy oven recipes I thought I'd throw in because I can never believe how easy and yet delicious it is.
Chicken and Tomatoes:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1IpqKSuPXJhWyyQSUTWZxR9zhBahpIPEZ/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=110395936765208009063&rtpof=true&sd=true
I'll look forward to seeing what recipes you try and post as you experiment with your new slow cooker. I have the ATK recommended Kitchen Aid and I love it.
Oh yes, I love to read comments! So, I'm very glad you de-lurked.
Thank you for the recipe ideas; I honestly think that shredded meat is one of the best uses for a slow-cooker, so I will check these out.
I had a mentor give me the same advice about the importance of Anatomy in my first year of med school. I went all in trying to remember everything and at the time it felt overwhelming. This was definitely a “drinking from the fire hose” course. But it does make many subsequent courses SO much easier to have this foundation. I love the pics of your A&P textbook. Brings back nostalgia memories of late nights with a big stack of note cards. Mnemonic devices and pairing of questions structures on on the cards (i.e.: muscles of the rotator cuff include…) helped a lot. When I was going through anatomy I cooked only 1 night per week (Fridays after tests) & my husband was responsible for feeding us the rest of the nights. You’re a rockstar to still be cooking several nights per week!!
I’m late reading this post and I didn’t read all the comments. But, I have to suggest you look at the blog AYear of Slow cooking. Stephanie has some great crockpot recipes. I’ve made many of them. I usually cut the amount of sweetener she puts in, I think she caters more to her children’s tastebuds. But her writing and recipe reviews are fun.
What are your favorites from her site? Help me narrow them down!