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๐Ÿ— Two-Week Reserve-Based Crockpot Menu: Chicken, Sausage & Beef Edition (Wk 27&28)

Because ovens are rude and we deserve ease.

Letโ€™s be real โ€” chronic illness, neurodivergence, parenting, and general life chaos donโ€™t care that dinner still has to happen.
So hereโ€™s a two-week, reserve-based crockpot plan that keeps you fed without a meltdown.

Youโ€™ll cook just three days a week (Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday) and still have enough food for reworks, leftovers, and โ€œoops, I forgot to defrost somethingโ€ days.


๐Ÿ” TUESDAY: Chicken Day

๐Ÿฅฃ Salsa Crockpot Chicken

The OG lazy girl dinner. Donโ€™t mess with perfection.

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 1 jar (16 oz) salsa
  • 1 packet taco seasoning
  • Optional: 1 cup frozen corn or a can of diced tomatoes (drained)

Instructions

  1. Dump it all in the crockpot.
  2. Cook on low 6โ€“8 hours or high 3โ€“4.
  3. Shred it up and mix before serving.

Serve With: Rice, tortillas, or potatoes.
Reserves: Use leftovers in quesadillas, nachos, rice bowls, or over pasta.


๐Ÿฝ๏ธ Chicken & Veggie Bowls

Healthy-ish. Easy. Zero oven time. We love that for us.

Ingredients

  • 1 ยฝ lbs chicken (breasts or thighs), chunked
  • 1 bell pepper, sliced
  • 1 zucchini, sliced
  • ยฝ onion, sliced
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • Salt and pepper

Instructions

  1. Toss it all in the crockpot.
  2. Cook on low 5โ€“6 hours or high 3โ€“4.
  3. Stir before serving to coat everything evenly.

Serve With: Rice, quinoa, or in wraps.
Reserves: Toss leftovers into scrambled eggs or pasta for a second meal.


๐ŸŒญ THURSDAY: Sausage Day

๐Ÿ Sausage & Peppers Pasta

A classic one-pot wonder โ€” but make it a slow cooker.

Ingredients

  • 1 lb smoked sausage, sliced
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 1 bell pepper, sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
  • 2 cups broth
  • 8 oz pasta (add later!)
  • Italian herbs, salt & pepper

Instructions

  1. Add everything except the pasta.
  2. Cook on low 5โ€“6 hours or high 3โ€“4.
  3. Stir in uncooked pasta 30โ€“40 minutes before serving (add a splash of broth if needed).

Reserves: Bake leftovers with cheese or thin it out for soup.


๐Ÿฅ” Sausage, Potato & Pepper Hash

Like a diner breakfast but without having to move.

Ingredients

  • 1 lb smoked sausage, sliced
  • 1 ยฝ lbs potatoes, chopped
  • 1 bell pepper, chopped
  • ยฝ onion, chopped
  • 2 tbsp olive oil or butter
  • Garlic powder, paprika, salt, pepper

Instructions

  1. Grease crockpot lightly with oil or spray.
  2. Toss everything in and mix well.
  3. Cook on high 3โ€“4 hours or low 6โ€“7, stirring halfway through.

Serve With: Fried egg on top or a warm roll.
Reserves: Wrap leftovers in tortillas for breakfast burritos.


๐Ÿฅฉ SUNDAY: Ground Beef Day

๐ŸŒถ๏ธ Lazy Chili Mac (No Beans)

Itโ€™s comfort food that wonโ€™t fight your stomach.

Ingredients

  • 1 lb cooked ground beef
  • 3 cups beef broth
  • 1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
  • 2 cups elbow noodles
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • ยฝ tsp cumin
  • Salt & pepper

Instructions

  1. Add everything except noodles to the crockpot.
  2. Cook on low 4โ€“5 hours.
  3. Stir in noodles 30 minutes before serving.

Reserves: Serve leftovers over baked potatoes or tortilla chips.


๐Ÿš Beef & Rice Bowls

Your freezer meal hero.

Ingredients

  • 1 lb cooked ground beef
  • 1 ยฝ cups uncooked rice
  • 3 cups broth
  • ยฝ onion, chopped
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • Salt, pepper, paprika

Instructions

  1. Combine everything in the crockpot.
  2. Cook on low 4โ€“5 hours or high 2โ€“3.
  3. Fluff before serving.

Reserves: Wrap in lettuce or tortillas, or top with fried eggs.


That should last us into November, wow it flies by, til next time gang, take care of yourselves, and each other.

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Survival & Sanity Weeks 9&10

Another two weeks, another round of What the hell are we eating? Welcome to Survival and Sanity: Weeks 9โ€“10, where the focus is chicken (because itโ€™s cheap), simplicity (because Iโ€™m exhausted), and enough reserves to keep you from spiraling into meal decision burnout.

This plan is spoonie- and budget-friendly. Youโ€™ll find cook-day meals that stretch across multiple nights, plenty of โ€œfend for yourselfโ€ reserves, and recipes that donโ€™t demand your soul in exchange for dinner.

๐Ÿฝ๏ธ Survival and Sanity: Weeks 9โ€“10 Menu

Starting Monday, June 9

Monday (June 9):
Reserves Day โ€“ It’s Monday. You’re lucky there’s food at all.

Tuesday (June 10):
Chicken Stir Fry โ€“ For when you want takeout vibes but need your wallet to calm down.

Wednesday (June 11):
Reserves Day โ€“ Eggs? Sandwiches? Cereal? I support all of it.

Thursday (June 12):
Kielbasa & Veggie Sheet Pan Bake โ€“ One pan, zero shame, and dinner without a meltdown.

Friday (June 13):
Reserves Day โ€“ Official โ€œfind your own dinner and your own forkโ€ night.

Saturday (June 14):
Takeout or Reserves โ€“ AKA โ€œpretend weโ€™re normalโ€ night.

Sunday (June 15):
Bacon-Wrapped Chicken โ€“ Because wrapping anything in bacon is basically therapy.


Monday (June 16):
Mixed Flatbreads (Pesto + BBQ Chicken) โ€“ One of each flavor because decisions are hard and everyone wins.

Tuesday (June 17):
Garlic Ranch-Seasoned Chicken & Potatoes โ€“ No clumpy white sauce here, just herby garlic goodness baked until golden.

Wednesday (June 18):
Reserves Day โ€“ Weโ€™re all just scavengers at this point. Go forth and forage.

Thursday (June 19):
Chicken Tomato Pasta โ€“ Proof that noodles and tomatoes can solve most of lifeโ€™s problems.

Friday (June 20):
Reserves Day โ€“ Not my circus, not my dinner.

Saturday (June 21):
Reserves or Eggs โ€“ Whateverโ€™s in the fridge or however many eggs you can scramble.

Sunday (June 22):
Crockpot Chicken with Garlic Butter Herb Sauce โ€“ A Sunday dinner that feels like someone tried without making you cry in the kitchen.
Til next time gang, take care of yourselves and each other!

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Survival & Sanity: Reserve-Based Meal Plan โ€“ Weeks 7&8

๐Ÿ” Two Weeks of Chicken Dinners (With Bacon, Because Why Not)

Letโ€™s be real โ€” Lately, lifeโ€™s been a whirlwind. Between healing, hustling, and handling a hundred little things that crop up every week, Iโ€™ve been feeling the crunch. Projects pile up, messages go unanswered, and if I don’t write stuff down, it vanishes into the fog of โ€œwhat was I supposed to do today again?โ€

But even on the most chaotic days, we still have to eat. They still have to eat. So when Iโ€™m trying to keep the wheels on, these two-week reserve-based meal plans are my safety net. They let me cook in chunks, plan for the crash days, and feel like Iโ€™ve got something handled โ€” even if that โ€œsomethingโ€ is just dinner.

This round, I leaned into chicken (because it’s versatile and usually affordable), and Iโ€™m making bacon pull double-duty too. Thatโ€™s right โ€” bacon-wrapped chicken one night, bacon fried rice another, and some dreamy flatbreads that taste way fancier than they are. Weโ€™ve even got a baked potato bar thrown in for a choose-your-own-comfort-food kind of night.

I donโ€™t know about you, but Iโ€™ve needed meals lately that come with a side of grace. Meals that donโ€™t guilt-trip me if I need to swap things around or punt dinner to leftovers. Meals that say, โ€œHey, youโ€™re doing your best. Sit down. Eat. Breathe.โ€

So thatโ€™s what this plan is about. Survival, yes โ€” but also sanity. Feeding yourself and your people without feeding the burnout.

๐Ÿฝ๏ธ 2-Week Meal Plan (Starting Monday, May 26)

Week One
๐ŸŸข Monday, May 26: Leftovers/Reserves
๐ŸŸข Tuesday, May 27: Loaded Baked Potatoes
๐ŸŸข Wednesday, May 28: Leftovers/Reserves
๐ŸŸข Thursday, May 29: Garlic Butter Chicken Thighs
๐ŸŸข Friday, May 30: Leftovers/Reserves
๐ŸŸข Saturday, May 31: Takeout or Breakfast for Dinner
๐ŸŸข Sunday, June 1: Bacon Wrapped Chicken

Week Two
๐ŸŸข Monday, June 2: BBQ Chicken & Pesto Flatbreads
๐ŸŸข Tuesday, June 3: Leftovers
๐ŸŸข Wednesday, June 4: Bacon Fried Rice
๐ŸŸข Thursday, June 5: Leftovers/Reserves
๐ŸŸข Friday, June 6: Chicken Bacon Tomato Pasta
๐ŸŸข Saturday, June 7: Leftovers/Reserves
๐ŸŸข Sunday, June 8: Herb Roasted Chicken Thighs

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Survival & Sanity: Reserve-Based Meal Plan โ€“ Weeks 5&6

Lifeโ€™s still life-ing, so this weekโ€™s meals are coming in hot (on the days I can handle it) and chillinโ€™ in the freezer when I canโ€™t. This round of our reserve-based meal plan keeps things doable โ€” weโ€™re talking one-pan bakes, skillet tosses, and recipes that donโ€™t expect you to be a professional chef or have unlimited spoons. I cook every other day (ish), and fill the gaps with reserve meals like eggs, toast, frozen dinners, and soup. Because some days are just not it, and thatโ€™s okay.

Starting Monday, weโ€™ve got seven solid โ€œcook dayโ€ meals that cover two weeks โ€” hearty, comforting, budget-friendly, and picky-eater resistant. If you’re new here, this isnโ€™t about meal prepping ten containers of the same thing. Itโ€™s about creating a plan that works when your energy is spotty and the schedule is chaos. Letโ€™s survive and eat good food while weโ€™re at it. Scroll down for this weekโ€™s cook day menu, plus a grocery list and printable recipe cards to make your life easier.

Grab your grocery list (printable coming right up), and letโ€™s get this plan in motion.


๐Ÿ—“๏ธ Reserve-Based Meal Plan: Weeks Five & Six

Starting Monday, May 12th


๐Ÿฝ๏ธ Week Five

Monday โ€“ Cook Day
Chicken Apple Sausage & Potato Bake
Sweet + savory with minimal brain power: chicken apple sausage, sliced apples, onions, and potatoes roasted together with olive oil and thyme. A sheet pan miracle.

Tuesday โ€“ Reserve/Leftovers
Whateverโ€™s left from Monday or hit the freezer stash.

Wednesday โ€“ Cook Day
Kielbasa & Peppers Stir-Fry Over Rice
Fast, colorful, and full of flavor: kielbasa, bell peppers, and onions tossed in soy sauce with rice. Add garlic and a splash of broth or vinegar if youโ€™re fancy.

Thursday โ€“ Reserve/Leftovers
You know the drill. Leftovers, breakfast for dinner, or peace-out night.

Friday โ€“ Cook Day
Bacon-Wrapped BBQ Chicken Thighs
Chicken thighs wrapped in bacon, slathered in BBQ sauce, and roasted until crispy. Garlic powder and paprika seal the deal.

Saturday โ€“ Reserve/Leftovers
Donโ€™t cook. You earned it.

Sunday โ€“ Cook Day
Kielbasa Skillet
Cheesy Melty gooey goodness.. A one-pan spicy pasta situation with andouille sausage, tomatoes, garlic, and penne. Fast, bold, and satisfying.


๐Ÿฝ๏ธ Week Six

Monday โ€“ Cook Day
Chicken Fried Rice
Leftover rice, scrambled egg, diced chicken, and whatever frozen veg youโ€™ve got. Soy sauce, sesame oil, and boomโ€”better than takeout.

Tuesday โ€“ Reserve/Leftovers
Microwave something. Sit down while it cooks.

Wednesday โ€“ Cook Day
Potato Chicken Sausage and Pepper Bake
Use that leftover rice and whateverโ€™s hanging around. Add diced chicken, eggs, peas/carrots, and soy sauce. Done in 10 minutes if you donโ€™t overthink it.

Thursday โ€“ Reserve/Leftovers
Leftover fried rice tastes even better. Just saying.

Friday โ€“ Cook Day
Pesto Chicken Flat Bread
Tender, seasoned chicken with pesto, melty mozzarella, and juicy tomatoes, all atop your choice of flatbread or naan. Ready in just 20 minutes, suitable for ‘I forgot to tell you the concert is tonight at 5:30’ vibes.

Saturday โ€“ Reserve/Leftovers
Pick your favorite rerun from the week.

Sunday โ€“ Cook Day
Pasta Bake
Comfort food meets mom hack. Pasta with red sauce, sneaky chopped veggies, mozzarella, and maybe some Italian sausage if youโ€™re fancy.

๐Ÿ— Meat & Protein

  • Chicken thighs (for 2 meals โ€” est. 6โ€“8 thighs total)
  • Chicken apple sausage (1 package)
  • Kielbasa (1 package)
  • Andouille sausage (1 package)
  • Bacon (1 package)
  • Eggs (for fried rice)

๐Ÿฅ• Produce

  • Potatoes (4โ€“6 medium)
  • Apples (2)
  • Yellow or white onions (3โ€“4)
  • Bell peppers (3โ€“4, mixed colors)
  • Garlic (1 bulb or pre-minced)
  • Zucchini (1โ€“2) optional for sheet pan
  • Carrots (for roasting or side)
  • Green veggie of choice (for Maple Mustard Chicken side)

๐Ÿš Grains & Pantry

  • Jasmine or white rice
  • Egg noodles or other pasta for sausage & peppers
  • Penne pasta (for Andouille skillet)
  • Soy sauce
  • Olive oil
  • Sesame oil (optional for fried rice)
  • Dijon mustard (skip if youโ€™re omitting for your swap)
  • Maple syrup
  • BBQ sauce (your favorite)
  • Italian seasoning
  • Smoked paprika
  • Paprika
  • Garlic powder
  • Broth (chicken or veggie, carton or bouillon)

๐Ÿง‚ Other

Canned diced tomatoes (1โ€“2 cans)

Frozen peas & carrots mix (optional for fried rice)
Til next time guys, take care of yourselves, and each other!