Momma's got a meal plan.

So, i don't know about you, but i like to know what is in store for me in the days to come, and if i don't plan out meals ahead of time, i tend toward falling victim to the take out monster because it's easy, and effortless. But it is also expensive as hell, and crappy for your body, even if you try get healthier options, the food you get out is almost always swimming in sodium, sugar, and fat. So with that in mind, i am recommitting to meal planning. This is a bit of a trick here in Texas, where the heat can be best described as "just this side of the Gate to Hell), so my oven is off limits until either october, or until we move, whichever comes sooner. So i get TONS of use out of my crock pot. Below is my meal plan for this pay period:

5/1 - Shopping and take out
5/2 - Crock pot Moroccan lamb stew over couscous (freeze leftovers)
5/3 - Crock pot baked pasta w/ kielbasa and veggies (leftovers for lunch the next day)
5/4 - Crock pot beef stew (freeze leftovers)
5/5 - Crock pot stuffed pork chops w/ mashed potatoes (no leftovers)
5/6 - Crock pot spanish chicken and rice (freeze leftovers)
5/7 - Crock pot meatloaf w/ mashed potatoes (leftovers for sandwiches)
5/8 - Homemade pizza 
5/9 - Crock pot citrus chicken w/ rice and veggies (no leftovers)
5/10 - Crock pot baked pasta w/ kielbasa and veggies (leftovers for lunch the next day)
5/11 - Reheat beef stew
5/12 - Crock pot chicken chili (freeze leftovers)
5/13 - Reheat lamb
5/14 - Take out

I already have most of what i need for all of this, our grocery bill which includes $40 for Thoren's pediasure should come out to just about $115 for the next two weeks, bearing in mind that 7 of these meals will stretch for 2 days. Pretty awesome huh? I buy our staples in bulk every couple months (pasta, rice, quinoa, chicken etc), and then really only have to get some produce, milk, eggs, and bread along the way. It's a system that i like, that works, and that i am actually pretty proud of when i stick to it.

For any of these recipes, leave a comment! I am thinking about doing a "Favorite Crock Pot Recipes" feature once a week, so let me know what you want to see.