Current Fridge Protein & Leftover Inventory (Post-Memorial Day Weekend)
Cooked grilled chicken breast
Cooked burger patties
Breakfast sausage
Marinated flank steak (cooked tonight)
Leftover roasted potatoes
Fresh produce and salad ingredients
Watermelon
Leftover polenta
Burger buns
Oreo pie leftovers
Morning — Homemade Crepes + Breakfast Prep
This morning my teen made homemade crepes.
She had prepped the batter yesterday and let it rest overnight in the fridge, which really helps the texture.
Then this morning I taught her how to actually cook them in the pan.
And just like always:
the first crepe was a disaster.
But after that, they turned out really well and she did a fantastic job.
She’ll definitely be making them again.
We also made a quick berry sauce with some raspberries that were getting a little soft in the fridge. I just put them in a pan, medium heat, a splash of sugar
Also, quick tip…if you make too many crepes, just layer them in sheets of waxed paper, and roll them up. Keeps them from sticking together in the fridge!
We also did:
- eggs
- bacon
- breakfast sausage
- leftover English muffins and breakfast breads
And while breakfast was happening, I prepped Chris’s breakfasts for the next two mornings.
My egg prep method:
- cook the eggs just until they’re barely firm enough to flip
- flip for literally a couple seconds
- transfer immediately into glass containers
Then once cooled, I add:
- cooked breakfast sausage
- pieces of almond flour tortilla
When Chris reheats them later for about 70 seconds in the microwave, the yolks stay medium and slightly runny, which is exactly how he likes them.
It’s one of those little prep systems that makes mornings easier without sacrificing texture.
Lunch — Crispy Polenta Summer Bowls
Lunch today was one of my favorite kinds of meals:
using leftovers creatively enough that it feels like an entirely new dish.
I had leftover polenta from my parents’ house yesterday, so I turned it into crispy polenta.
And I really do think people are sleeping on polenta as a side dish.
It’s:
- gluten free
- dairy free
- egg free
- inexpensive
- adaptable
You can serve it creamy, or let it chill and turn it crispy like this.
Crispy Polenta Method
The leftover polenta had firmed up in the fridge overnight, so I sliced it into pieces and roasted it in the oven. Slice into small pieces, toss with oil and flaky salt. Roast at 425ºF.
- crisp on the outside
- soft in the middle
While it roasted, I made a sauté pan mixture with:
- onion
- carrots
- broccoli
- cauliflower
Some of the vegetables were already cooked leftovers, which worked perfectly fine.
I sautéed everything with:
- salt
- pepper
- garlic powder
- Italian seasoning
Then added in:
- leftover grilled chicken breast
And served all of that over the crispy polenta with vinaigrette on top.
This is one of my husband’s favorite summer lunches and it’s such a good way to stretch leftover grilled proteins into something that feels fresh again.
Some of my kids also just wanted some Memorial Day hot dogs…and I have leftover hamburger buns, so they were rebranded into hot dog buns
Afternoon — Pool Day + Dessert Chaos
This afternoon we went swimming.
Then when we got home, my husband handled baths and showers for the kids while I started dinner and accidentally created one of the best desserts I’ve made in a long time.
Unfortunately…
…I did not write down the recipe.
So now I’m basically living a real-life version of the Friends episode where Phoebe is trying to recreate the famous cookie recipe.
I made some sort of magical hybrid between:
- magic bars
- layered dessert bars
- candy bars
And it turned out INCREDIBLE.
I genuinely may have to reverse engineer my own recipe later.
Parchment Paper Pan Trick
I also shared one of my favorite baking tricks today.
If you have:
- two identical baking pans
you can place parchment paper over one pan, then press the second pan directly into it…nesting them together.
It perfectly forms the parchment into the corners with almost no effort.
This works especially well with square pans.
I really need to buy a second 9×13 specifically so I can do this trick with larger desserts too.
Dinner — Memorial Day Flank Steak
Tonight’s dinner was fantastic and honestly felt like the perfect Memorial Day meal.
As soon as we walked in the house from the pool, I pulled the marinated flank steak out onto the counter so it could warm slightly before grilling.
I really dislike putting ice-cold steak directly onto a grill.
So it rested at room temperature for about 20 minutes while I finished dessert prep.
Then:
- grill cranked high
- flank steaks grilled until about 135 internal temp
- rested under foil for 10–15 minutes
The flank steaks from yesterday’s marinades turned out beautifully.
For sides:
- roasted broccoli
- roasted carrots
- roasted onions
- leftover potatoes re-roasted in the oven
- watermelon
- cucumber/tomato/onion salad
The salad dressing was:
- olive oil
- rice wine vinegar
- splash of honey
- salt
- pepper
- garlic powder
- Italian seasoning
Simple but perfect for summer dinners.
Post-Dinner / Looking Ahead
What’s stocked and ready now:
Cooked flank steak
Cooked grilled chicken breast
Cooked burgers
Breakfast prep eggs for Chris
Fresh vegetables and fruit
Watermelon
Mystery dessert bars
Oreo pie leftovers
Leftover roasted vegetables and potatoes
At this point, the kitchen feels fully back in rhythm after vacation:
- proteins prepped
- leftovers rotating well
- freezer stocked
- easy lunches available
- grill season fully underway
And after a very full day of swimming, cooking, grilling, and birthday celebrations, ending the night with a shower felt absolutely perfect.