The Saddest Meal That Ever Was Prepped

For several years I have prepped my breakfasts and lunches for the work week. After a lot of trial and error, and learning to time things just right, I have been able to complete this task each week in about two hours and for under $30. Sometimes, though, even the most experienced of meal preppers can have things go horribly, horribly wrong...

Every meal prepper knows that the slow cooker is their friend, until it's not. I tried a new recipe on Sunday for Chicken Thighs and Sweet Potatoes. It's fairly straight forward; cut think slices of sweet potato, toss with olive oil and rosemary, add to crock, and then top with lightly browned chicken thighs. Set it, and forget it.

I was, admittedly, suspicious. How are these thighs supposed to not dry out completely when there's no liquid added? I'm just going to have to trust the recipe's author and cross my fingers. But my suspicion proved correct. What greeted me upon the six-hour mark was not fall-off-the-bone tender goodness. No. No, instead, I came home to six hard chicken thighs sitting on a pile of sweet potatoes that, with a stir, became sweet potato gruel.

Now, as someone on a budget, and as someone who cannot bring herself to throw food away, I will suffer through my all-but-palatable lunch for this week, shoveling the dry chicken puck in my mouth-hole and washing it down with thick sweet potato paste. How's that for a mouth feel?

At least my breakfast turned out well.

Bonus Video - This Couple Wildly Exaggerates Slow Cooking in TV Ad