My legs were definitely lecturing me this morning on the importance of proper training.  Although I was able to walk, from my first step, my hamstrings were screaming with every step.  They toughed it through my strength workout this morning because we focused only on arms and back.  Then, my body got the TLC that it needed with an incredible massage.

On my way home, I swung by the grocery store.  Last week, I ran out of food before Thursday’s lunch, so I was hoping to come up with a better plan this week. Part of last week’s problem was that the BOY loved the Teriyaki Chicken so much that there weren’t as many leftovers as I expected.  Not the worst problem to have…

So I’m sure you’ve already figured out that the title of this post is referring to my favorite kind of pot…the crockpot.  This afternoon, I tried an experiment. I took one of the best and easiest crockpot recipes that I know and combined it in a ziploc bag.  Since the BOY is home tomorrow and I work, he can easily throw everything into the crockpot in the afternoon and dinner will be ready when I get home.

I know that there are a lot of people who freeze their crockpot recipes ahead of time and I am beginning to see the appeal.  It would be easy to double a recipe, throwing half in the crockpot and half in the freezer for a later date.  Once I had the peanut chicken stored in the fridge, I moved onto this week’s lunch.  A Pinterest find from the recipe geniuses over at Pinch of Yum.

The weather is just chilly enough for me to start craving soups and stews.  What attracted me to this recipe was the spices and flavors.  When I walked in the door after my dinner date with a friend, the house smelled heavenly.  Sadly, I will have to wait tomorrow for my first taste, but I’m sure it will be wonderful.  A lot of goodness can come from ONE POT!

What are you excited to make this fall?

What is your favorite make ahead recipe?

 

Meal Planning 9/15/14

Monday: Sushi Date

Tuesday: Clean Peanutty Thai Chicken

Wednesday: Pork on the Grill

Thursday: Salmon and Veggies

Lunch: Slow Cooker Creole Chicken and Sausage

 

Slow Cooker Creole Chicken and Sausage

From Pinch of Yum

Ingredients

The essentials:

• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 12 ounces smoked Andouille sausage, cut into small rounds
• 1 cup chopped onions
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 1¼ cup low sodium chicken broth
• 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes (I used fire roasted)
• 2 green bell peppers, chopped
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• ½ cup tomato sauce
• 2 teaspoons Creole seasoning
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne

Optional extras: check out the website to see what else you can use!

*I would also consider adding in some okra…Yum!

Directions

1. Place the essential ingredients in the crockpot. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3 hours.
2. Shred the chicken directly in the crockpot to your desired texture. Add the extras, if you want, and cover and cook for another 20-30 minutes. When everything is ready, taste the chicken mixture and season with salt. Serve the creole chicken over rice and topped with green onions.