Current Fridge Protein & Leftover Inventory (Post-Vacation Restock Week)
Costco chicken breast
Costco Ground Beef
Chuck roast leftovers
Costco Chicken thighs
Flank steak (planned for Memorial Day)
Fresh produce and salad ingredients
Frozen bacon stash
Morning — Full Breakfast + Protein Prep Day
This morning started with a bigger breakfast.
My mom had dropped off English muffins yesterday when she brought Daphne home, so breakfast became:
- English muffins
- bacon
- sausage
- eggs
Definitely more of a full weekend breakfast situation.
Then I had to run to the eye doctor, but once I got home, I immediately switched into “protein prep mode.”
And honestly, once you get moving, these bigger prep sessions really don’t take as long as people think.
This one was probably about 45 minutes of active work total.
Morning Protein Prep Session
First:
I took apart all the chicken breasts from yesterday’s Costco haul.
I sliced them thinner and marinated them with:
- salt
- pepper
- olive oil
- garlic powder
- Italian seasoning
- smoked paprika
Then those went into containers ready for grilling.
After that:
I tackled the six-pound package of ground beef.
Three pounds became:
16 burger patties. Someone asked me about how I make my burger patties. I normally just press them into the shape and then sprinkle with Kosher salt before putting them on the grill. Once in a while I’ll add some grated onion to the raw meat before pressing the burger shape..but I was in a hurry today!
The other three pounds went directly onto the stove to cook so I could rebuild my cooked ground beef freezer stash again.
Then I fired up the grill.
Chicken went on first.
And of course…
halfway through grilling everything, the propane tank ran out.
Which somehow ONLY happens during large cooking sessions.
So I changed the tank, got the chicken finished, and immediately started grilling the burgers.
Lunch — Protein Restock Success
Lunch today was basically a direct result of the morning prep work.
Everyone ate:
- burgers
- grilled chicken
- assorted leftovers and sides
And this is exactly why I like doing these bigger cooking sessions:
the kitchen instantly feels stocked again afterward and it only took 45 minutes!
At this point:
- five burgers got eaten today
- the rest are ready in the fridge
- the 3 pounds of cooked ground beef is headed for the freezer
- I now have a huge container of grilled chicken breast ready for lunches and dinners
Looking Ahead — Memorial Day Prep
The only proteins I still haven’t cooked yet are:
- flank steak
- chicken thighs
The flank steak plan is for Memorial Day tomorrow.
So tomorrow morning I’ll probably:
- season it
- marinate it
- let it sit most of the day before grilling on Monday
And then the chicken thighs will likely happen sometime after that.
At this point though, the fridge/freezer situation is feeling MUCH more functional again after vacation.
Afternoon — Oreo Pie Birthday Prep
This afternoon I made my daughter’s birthday dessert for tomorrow:
Oreo pie.
This is one of those desserts that sounds ridiculously simple but everybody absolutely loves it.
Crust:
- 10–12 Oreos
- 3–4 tablespoons melted butter
Blend together, press into pie pan, and bake at 350 for about 7–10 minutes.
Technically you do not have to bake the crust, but I always do because I think it makes it crisper and gives better texture.
Filling:
- 4 oz cream cheese (room temperature)
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 cup heavy cream
- splash vanilla
Whip until thick and fluffy, then fold in:
- 10–15 chopped Oreos
Spread into crust and top with Oreo crumbs.
It is extremely rich.
Extremely decadent.
And one of my kids’ favorite desserts.
So when she requested it for her birthday, I was fully on board because it’s also incredibly easy to make ahead.
Evening — Church + Family Dinner
This evening we went to church and then headed to my parents’ house for dinner.
I helped my mom cook:
- chicken thighs
- pasta
- Rao’s sauce
- ground beef
- gluten-free and regular pasta options
- lots of other sides and appetizers too!
And of course, I brought leftovers home afterward.
Which means the fridge is now in a very good place again:
- grilled chicken
- burgers
- chuck roast
- leftover pasta dinner
- freezer ground beef
- upcoming flank steak prep
The kitchen finally feels fully rebuilt after vacation.
Post-Dinner / Looking Ahead
What’s stocked and ready now:
Cooked grilled chicken breast
Cooked burgers
Cooked ground beef in freezer
Chuck roast leftovers
Chicken thigh leftovers
Pasta leftovers
Flank steak ready for tomorrow
Frozen bacon stash
Oreo pie chilling for birthday celebration
And despite the weirdly cold weather for Memorial Day weekend, life still felt very full today:
good food, stocked fridge, family dinner, and Daphne enjoying her very first Bomb Pop of the summer.
