2 MEAL MAGIC

Don’t worry this article isn’t about left overs!   Most of my family refuse to eat leftovers.

I haven’t written a lot lately as I have truly been very busy.   We took in a 15 year old into our family at the beginning of the summer and for all of you who foster, you know how much work teens can be.   With 8 kids at home all summer it was very busy.   This momma ran from dawn til dusk and beyond.

We crammed  a ton of things into our summer like cray fishing in the river, hiking near waterfalls, camping, swimming, baseball, waterpark, the beach, renovations, zoo, drive in, geocaching, visiting family and friends, volunteering, vbs, fireworks and more.   Needless to say I had little energy left for writing.

2 of my older girls moved out at the end of summer and our 15 year old decided she wanted to move out on her own.   So just like that, we are down to 5 kids at home!   And here is me…..writing!   Suddenly I have extra time.   Shhhhh don’t tell anyone.   If people find out, my time will be taken very quickly.  Though all those who know me should be proud as I turned down taking on kids for daycare, and a part time job as neither of those are in line with my goals.

Even though I have less laundry and less food to make I am still finding fall busy at the dinner hour.   We have to do air treatments for our two kids who have CF and usually the baby gets cranky around dinner so the dinner hour is still busy.  I know I can’t be the only one who is finding fall busy and hard to make meals!

This week I tried something new.   2 meals a day.   No not eating 2 meals a day.   Making two meals at a time so that I get a day off!    This week I had one easy meal planned with soup and quesadillas so while I was doing that I was also putting together lasagnas for the fridge so I didn’t have to make dinner the next day when we had activities after school.   Genius!   When you have to cut up onions anyways why not just cut enough for two meals rather than taking out the same tools two days in a row.  I don’t know why I haven’t thought of it before.   I have made freezer meals before but never thought of doing the work all at once for two days at a time.   So my new plan is the plan two meals to make at once.

Here’s a few I think will work well to create together.  I put the eat right away meal first and the save for tomorrow second.

Lasagna & Stuffed peppers    (Cook all the ground beef at once!)

Grilled Cheese and soup & Stir fry

Enchiladas & Chicken Caesar salad (Cook all chicken at once.   I use the Instant pot for perfect chicken!)

BBQ Chicken Pizza & Chicken Noodle Soup

Mac and cheese with add-ons & Hawaiian pulled pork and fresh veggies

Meat (enough for two meals), potatoes, veggies & Same meat from first meal on hot buns

Breakfast sandwiches & Casserole of any kind

Spaghetti and meatballs & Taco Salad  (Make enough ground beef for meatballs then fry up the extra and put in the fridge for the taco salad)

Chicken alfredo & chicken pot pie

Tortellini & Shepherd’s pie

It is so nice when you know you have no time to make dinner to have it already made and waiting in the fridge.   Or for those times you know you won’t be home and the kids need to heat it up.