by Ashley
This semester has been exceptionally busy. I feel like I say that every year, but it’s really true this semester. For one, I’m back to teaching in person for the first time in nearly a decade. Couple that with all the meetings, and I’m commuting to campus at least four days a week. Before this semester, my norm was one or two days a week, max.
It’s made a big difference in lots of ways. All the extra time in the car has allowed me to finish nearly twice as many audiobooks as I typically would in the same timeframe (anyone need book recommendations? I loved Theo of Golden and Yesteryear!). On the negative side, I’ve seen a huge uptick in my fuel costs. I’ve gone from filling up every other week to at least once a week…sometimes every five days. It’s been painful.
And then, of course, there’s the added stress of preparing dinner. It used to be so much simpler when I worked from home. I could prep food (cutting veggies, marinating meat, etc.) during little breaks throughout the workday. And as soon as I “clocked out,” I could hop right over to the kitchen and start cooking.
Now I come home after long days at the office mentally exhausted, and the last thing I want to do is spend a bunch of time in the kitchen. Confession: I’ve never really enjoyed cooking. I do enjoy baking (breads, desserts), but cooking has never been my jam. I do it out of necessity, not pleasure. I wish I were one of those people who finds cooking to be a stress reliever. She ain’t me, though.
So, in that spirit, I want to share some of my favorite make-ahead and slow-cooker meals. These are meals that cook while I’m at work or come together quickly on busy weeknights when I want a home-cooked dinner without spending my evening in the kitchen.
Quick Weeknight Dinners
Enchiladas. These are always a classic. I’ve gotten into the habit of making two batches every time: one for now and one to freeze. Then, when I’m planning to serve the frozen batch, I move it to the fridge ahead of time to thaw. When I come home, I turn on the oven and pop it in. Easy-peasy. Sometimes I’ll add a bagged salad to get some fresh veggies on the side. Dinner is done!
Salsa tacos. Staying with the Mexican food theme, this one couldn’t be easier. The “recipe” for salsa tacos is literally just chicken breasts and salsa in a Crock-Pot on low. The trick is to use yummy salsa since that’s going to provide most of the flavor. When you get home from work, shred the chicken and serve it on tortillas with your favorite taco toppings (onion, cilantro, cheese, sour cream, avocado).
Mississippi roast. This is my family’s all-time favorite roast. It’s a great slow-cooker meal because the meat gets so tender during the long cooking time. Just add all the ingredients on top of the roast, and let it cook while you’re at work! We typically serve it over mashed potatoes (my hubby’s specialty), which requires an extra step at the end to boil and mash the taters. But you could always “cheat” by buying a tub of prepared mashed potatoes for convenience.
Husband’s (or Kids’) Night to Cook. Speaking of hubby’s specialty…no dinner is easier than the one you don’t have to prepare yourself! Ha! In my house, I do most of the cooking. But hubby is a great partner, and he has a few meals in his repertoire that are amazing (I wish you could try his French onion soup or roasted lemon chicken!). My kids are old enough now that they’ll occasionally pitch in and cook a meal, too. It’s tough during the school year (sports don’t even end until 6 p.m.!), so this doesn’t happen as often. But they each cooked one night during fall break, and they’ve cooked some over the summer, too.
Stuffed peppers. This is another great make-ahead option. Over the weekend, you can prep your filling, stuff your peppers, and arrange them in a baking dish. Cover and refrigerate, then plan to bake them within a couple of days. Dinner on Monday or Tuesday becomes a cinch!
Chicken pot pie. Like enchiladas, this is one of those meals I always make in twos: one for now and one for the freezer. I move the frozen pie to the fridge ahead of time so it has time to thaw. Then, when I get home from work, I can just pop it in the oven. Huge time-saver!
Pulled pork turned carnitas. Here’s a twofer! One night, I’ll cook a pork roast in the Crock-Pot, typically with onion soup mix for flavor. We eat it with rice and veggies, and I make sure to choose a roast large enough to leave plenty of leftovers. The next night, I fry up the leftover pork in a pan with some bacon grease and Mexican seasonings. We eat it as carnitas on tortillas with rice and beans. Because the meat is already cooked, it comes together super fast!
I’d love to crowdsource some of your favorite weeknight meals that come together quickly after a long day of work. For me, the key is having a plan. If I don’t have one, that’s when we succumb to the takeout monster because we’re hungry and out of time.
And I’m already busting my budget with the increase in gasoline and parking (by the way, did I ever mention how much parking costs at my work? Many people are shocked that parking isn’t free for employees. It ain’t. In fact, it’s quite pricey). The last thing I want is for food spending to get out of control, too.
What are some of your go-to make-ahead, cook once/eat twice, and Crock-Pot meals for busy weeknights?
Hi, I’m Ashley! Arizonan on paper, Texan at heart. Lover of running, blogging, and all things cheeeeese. Early 40s, married mother of twins, and working in academia. Currently working toward financial independence with the goal of (hopefully!) retiring early at 50.
