I really didn't think meal prep would be this complicated and require this many blog posts.

One week to New Hip Day!!

My BFF and surgery buddy is under the knife right now, lots of good thoughts to her!

And I finally have meal number 1 in my freezer!

So, I made up a meatloaf recipe with pork sausage, brown rice, and mushrooms. I use flax eggs instead of chicken eggs because I'm allergic to chicken eggs, and I went back and forth on whether the starch in the rice would be enough of a binder or not. I went with just the rice... why do I always blow 50/50 shots? It definitely needed a flour binder. So, it's real crumbly and didn't get a crust, whomp whomp.

Family secret spilling time: we do not have a good meatloaf recipe. I've been eating crumbling meatloaf my whole life. I don't know if I can handle a good, solid loaf.

So, I'll thaw/reheat these slices in my toaster oven, with a potato baking on the side.

I also have half a loaf of this drying out in my cupboard for stuffing: Pinto Bean Bread recipe.

It's essentially the bread recipe I've used for years, but with pureed pinto beans added to the dough. I got three 2lb sandwich loaves from the recipe. It has a really soft and chewy but strong crumb that slices and toasts really well. This may be my new go-to recipe, at least for sandwich bread.

And, I have six chicken breasts marinading that'll be pan fried tonight. Which means my meal prep will be finished tonight! Whew.

Next up is a LOT of laundry (especially next Sunday, when I have to do all my bedding... did I mention I "autism nest" under a bunch of those heavy, faux-mink blankets with the images on them? It'll take all day...), a LOT of battery charging, and actually packing my hospital bag... so get ready for the "what's in my bag" post real soon!