Eat, Read, and Be Mommy

Does anyone else hate making dinner on Saturdays?  I’m usually poopered from all of the random projects we tackle on the weekend; for a while there it felt like we were ordering pizza more often than not.  In an effort to rectify the situation, I started to consciously plan crockpot meals on Saturdays.  All of the work happened in the morning when I was working anyway, and then at dinnertime, poof! dinner.  What’s not to love?  And since today is, in fact, Saturday (right? because on Monday holiday weeks I do struggle!), I figured I’d highlight three of the recipes I’ve tried thus far.

Crockpot Cowboy Casserole:  This was heavier than our usual fare, but it worked for me.  I cut the ground beef down to a pound and used pinto beans instead of kidney beans (personal preference); I also heeded the warning in the comments to season the potatoes generously.  I quickly sauteed the onions and garlic in a bit of oil before tossing them in, because they taste so much better that way, and we just topped our individual portions with the cheese.  It’s hearty, it’s filling, and it’s surprisingly tasty.  (It also completely fills a medium-sized slow cooker.)

Cheesy Ranch Chicken and Potatoes:  This was tasty!  I did make a homemade cream of chicken soup mixture, since it’s fairly easy and I prefer the taste, but otherwise I followed the recipe on this one.  Not precisely low-fat, but we enjoyed it.

Crock Pot Italian-Seasoned Chicken with Potatoes:  I really liked this one the day it was made, but the leftovers made the Italian dressing feel a bit strong.  It also could have used more potatoes to feel nicely balanced.  I threw a few baby carrots in, but regular carrot slices would have been tastier, and possibly more of them. (Although be warned–it was already a very full crock pot.)

There you have it–three ideas in one!  And I’m sure this won’t be the last post of its kind.  In the meantime, though, what do you do for dinner on Saturdays?