Crockpot Trick

So Monday is the day I've been dreading for months... the day I have to go back to work.  :(  I have loved my maternity leave and feel so blessed to have had a little extra time to be a mom and wife without going to work (even though I've worked way too much this summer, but that's a whole 'nother story).  Anyways, I knew that school work, house work, being a mommy, being a wife, and still having time to make myself look halfway decent meant that I needed to figure out some things to make life easier.  As convenient as take out is, it's just not in the budget with the in-home daycare costs... and it's not healthy... and I can't guarantee that I don't accidentally eat dairy... which would cause sleepless nights and a pitiful baby unless Ava Kate magically starts tolerating cow's milk protein soon.

So... I meal planned.  I broke out my Google Calendar and planned meals Monday-Saturday from now until Thanksgiving.  I've learned that if I don't do this, I end up not going to the grocery store because I don't have a list made, and when I don't go to the grocery store, I have nothing to cook.

I know that a ton of people are going "freezer meal" crazy right now, which is great, but I haven't really gotten into that, nor do I have enough space in our freezer to do a ton of freezer meals at one time thanks to my breast milk stash.  Occasionally I'll double a recipe and freeze half of it, so currently, we have about 5 meals in the freezer.

Anyways.

While I was searching the world wide web to spice up our menus - because let's be real, we pretty much eat a variation of the same meals over and over - I came across the most awesome crockpot trick I've ever seen.  Why haven't I ever done this??

First, put your meat on the bottom.  Chicken, pork, beef, whatever.  Then put the saucy stuff, whether it be BBQ sauce or your famous whatever you wanna call it saucy stuff.

Then, put a sheet of aluminum foil over it.

Then, wrap up your sides - corn, carrots, potatoes, broccoli, whatever tickles your fancy.

Throw those on top...

Cook like normal.

Take it out when you're ready to eat and enjoy!

Seriously.  How brilliant is that?  Does the rest of the world know this?  How did I not know about this?  AND it's really good!  AND it's only one pot to wash!  O.M.G.  ::Mind blown::

So far I've done carrots (w/ cinnamon) and corn (w/ salt & pepper)... but Friday I'm trying gold potatoes and broccoli.  Pinterest says I can do lots of different sides, so I'm excited to try some other things.

Wow!  Still can't get over it.  Haha!