So, our basement flooded this week, which meant a two-day parade of people in HazMat suits through our 1,100-sq.ft. house. (It looked like an episode of Breaking Bad, minus Walt's tighty whities.) The commotion meant I had no time, space or energy to make dinner. My husband is a teacher and I started a new job, so this fall has been kind of a Gong Show for planning of any kind. We've relied on frozen and convenience foods too often. As parents to two little kids, "no dinner" isn't an option, not even in an emergency. We had actually planned our meals, and done a little batch cooking and food prep on Sunday. That little bit of planning is what helped us stick to routine in a crazy week (and made us popular house guests with our hosts). These recipes couldn't have been easier to pull off -- I would recommend them even in a non-crisis week (hello, holiday shoppers!). This blip in our schedule has hardened my resolve to get back on top of meal planning in general, but it's good to know I've now got an emergency menu in my back pocket. Here's what we ate: Anything Goes Blueberry Muffins: Breakfast for grownups, lunches for the kids. Slow Cooker Beef Stew: No browning required for this - just dump in the ingredients and flip the switch on your slow cooker. Utterly delicious. And because carbs make everything better, I made a batch of Marion Cunningham's  super-easy biscuits to go with the stew. This CL recipe for Buttermilk Biscuits is pretty close. Quinoa Veggie Stir-Fry: Three days of lunch for the grown-ups, with lots of protein and veggies. Slow Cooker Pulled Pork: We ate it with pitas and shredded cheese. A big hit with the kids, and we made it to Sparks and Brownies on time. Victory! Tell us about your meal plan - do you use a calendar, shop the flyers or shuffle through your take-out menus?