Crock Pot Meal Follow Up

Today we cooked our final crock pot meal of the ones I had prepared and frozen before Mason was born. Original Crockpot Blog. In total we had 34 meals. They lasted us around 3 months! What a great time saver and a life saver those first few weeks Mason was born. Not having to worry about whats for dinner was great! There are a few that I would not make again (can we say yucky!), But a lot we would. Thought I would share the recipes of our favorites:

Healthy Mama BBQ Chicken
3 medium unpeeled sweet potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch pieces, about 2 cups.
2 large green pepper, cut into strips or cubes, about  2 cups.
1 large red pepper, cut into strips or cubes, about 1 cup.
2 zucchini, chopped, about 2 cups.
2 cups chopped onion.
2 tablespoon quick cooking tapioca (or flour, or some other thickening agent).
2 pounds chicken thighs or drumsticks.
2 15-ounce can of tomato sauce.
4 tablespoons packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoon ground yellow mustard.
2 clove garlic, finely minced, about 2 tablespoons.
1 teaspoon salt

Divide everything into two, one gallon freezer bags, shake it up, seal, label and put in the freezer.  Day of cooking, dump it into your slow cooker and cook on high for 4 to 6 hours, or low 6-8 hours, depending on your specific slow cooker.

French Beef Dip

5 pounds of rump roast or bottom round beef (cut into smaller sections, not tiny, just enough to fit into the bag, you can cut them up more after they are cooked)
4 packages of portobello mushrooms, leave them whole.
2 14 ounces of beef broth (add day of)

2 onions, chopped

6 to 8 garlic cloves, minced

Assemble all ingredients(except broth) into freezer bags.  Place in freezer.   Day of cooking, place in slow cooker and add broth.  Cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4.  Serve with rice or cous-cous or make sandwiches.  This recipe makes extra liquid, for dipping if you make sandwiches.

Teriyaki Chicken

Medium – Large bag of carrots
Red Onion into Large Chunks
2 large cans pineapple (undrained)
4 Garlic Cloves
4 Chicken Breasts
1 cup teriyaki sauce

Follow directions above, and split everything into two gallon freezer bags. shake it up, seal, label and put in the freezer. Instructions for Bag: Add 1/4 cup teriyaki sauce to crock pot, Cook on low 8 hours or high 4 hours. Serve over hot rice. I added a lot more teriyaki sauce to our tastes. 

Savory Chicken

4-6 chicken breasts
2 cans stewed tomatoes
4 Tbs white wine
2 bay leafs
1/2 tsp. pepper
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 large onion (I put one small in each bag)
1 cup chicken broth

2 tsp salt
4 cups broccoli

Follow directions above, and put everything (except broccoli) into two gallon freezer bags. shake it up, seal, label and put in the freezer. Instructions for Bag: Cook on low 8 hours, add broccoli during the last 30 minutes

Mexican Style

2 lb ground chuck
1 large chopped onion
2 shredded carrots
salt, pepper, taco seasoning & cumin to taste
you could also go ahead and add diced tomatoes if you want

Brown everything together, drain, put everything into two gallon freezer bags, shake it up, seal, label and put in the freezer. Instructions for Bag: Add to tacos, nachos, enchiladas, other casseroles)

Newlywed Beeftips

2 lb beef stew meet (diced from deli)

23 oz french onion soup

4 cups water

frozen broccoli 

rice or noodles

Split everything (except broccoli and rice) into two containers. shake it up, seal, label and put in the freezer. Instructions for Container: Cook on low 8 hours or high 4 hours. Mix in frozen broccoli 30 minutes before it’s done, or add steamed broccoli after it’s done. Serve over hot rice or noodles ~ Someone gave me this recipe at my bridal shower and it was soooo easy and delicious that it’s still a favorite.

Slow-Cooked {beef} Fajitas

2 lb beef round steak cut into strips (across the grain)

2 8 oz cans diced tomatoes w/ chiles

1 large onion or 2 small

1 green pepper, cut into strips

1 red pepper, cut into strips

2 tsp cilantro

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp chili powder

2 tsp cumin

salt and pepper to taste

1 jalapeno chopped (optional, obviously not a good toddler choice)

Split everything into two containers. Shake it up, seal, label and put in the freezer. Instructions for Container: Cook on low 8 hours or high 4, Scoop with slotted spoon onto corn (or flour) tortillas. Garnish with sour cream, avocado, shredded cheese, pico de galo, etc ~These are a huge crowd pleaser!  

Spaghetti for a Crowd

2 large cans of your favorite sauce (or homemade)

2 cans diced Italian style tomatoes

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup chopped fresh basil (optional)

1 bell pepper, chopped

1 onion, chopped

2 carrots, shredded

2 lb browned ground beef or turkey (optional)

salt/pepper to taste

Split everything into two containers. Shake it up, seal, label and put in the freezer. Instructions for Container: Cook on low 3-4 hours, serve over fresh, hot pasta and top with shaved parmesan!

Cilantro Lime Chicken with black beans and corn

6 chicken breasts

3 Tbs olive oil

2 limes, juiced

2 cups cilantro

1 large bag of frozen corn (or two smaller bags)

4 minced garlic cloves

1 finely chopped red onion

2 cans of black beans, rinsed

2 tsp cumin or chipotle powder

salt/pepper to taste

Split everything into two containers. Shake it up, seal, label and put in the freezer. Instructions for Container: cook on low 8 hours or high 4 hours, serve with hot tortillas or tostitos. Dress with sour cream, guacamole, and/or cheese

French Onion Soup with Beef Tips

2-3 Pounds of cubed stew beef

2 Cans of cream of mushroom soup

2 Cans of golden mushroom soup

1 Can of French onion soup

Combine all ingredients in slow cooker. Cook on low all day.Serve over rice or egg noodles.

Paige's Taco Soup
1 can kidney beans, rinsed
1 can corn 
1 med. onion, chopped
1 med. bell pepper, chopped (in my house we have to chop them BIG so kids can pick out) or 
a can of green beans for a milder flavor
1 envelope dry taco seasoning
1/2 c. water
5 c. vegetable juice
1 c. chunky salsa (Paige uses chunky, I use a less chunky one)
Place ingredients in slow cooker on LOW for 6-8 hours.  If you need to add water add by 1/2 cups. 
For freezing you can freeze ingredients BEFORE cooking in a bag... or freezer AFTER cooking in a bag. May top with following toppings in individual bowls just before serving: shredded cheese, sour cream, tortilla chips

Savory Vegetable Beef Soup (2 Bags use 2 gallon bags! not gallon bags it almost doesnt fit)
Chop (1) Onion and Chop (2) Cloves of Garlic- Brown in Pan with the Ground Beef- once cool divide mixture between bags

(2) whole carrots chopped per bag

(2) celery stalks chopped per bag

(3) Red Potatoes chopped per bag

(1) can v8 split between bags

(1) 28oz can diced tomatoes SPLIT between bags

(1) cup frozen green beans in each bag

(1/2)TBSP Worcestershire per bag

(1/2) cup Beef Broth per bag

(1) TBSP Parsley per bag

(1) tsp Basil per bag

1/2 tsp Thyme per bag

(1/2) tsp salt per bag

(1/2) tsp pepper per bag

(1) TBSP Sugar per bag

*Place in Crockpot with 1.5 cups of water and 15 oz Beef Broth. Cook on LOW 8 Hours.

Chicken Marsala

4 Chicken Breasts (boneless, skinless)

1/4 Cup of All-purpose Flour

1/2 Teaspoon of Salt

1/4 Teaspoon of Pepper

1/2 Teaspoon of Dried Basil

1/2 Cup of Marsala Wine

1/2 Cup of Chicken Broth (low sodium)

2 Tablespoons of Butter

8 Ounces of Mushrooms (sliced)

Put the chicken breasts in a 5 quart crock pot. They can go in frozen, but make sure they don't overlap as much as possible. Mix the flour, salt, pepper, and basil, and sprinkle over the chicken.

Pour the wine and broth into the crockpot. Dot the butter over the chicken and dump the mushrooms on top. Cook LOW for 6 hours. When the 6 hours are up, take the chicken out and place on the serving dish. Stir the sauce a little, and spoon the sauce over the chicken. Serve over pasta or rice.

 

Chicken Penne Cacciatore

2 Pounds of Chicken Thighs (frozen, boneless, skinless)

2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil

1 Can of Roasted Garlic and Onion Spaghetti Sauce

1 Can of Sliced Mushrooms

2 Cans of Diced basil, oregano, garlic tomatoes

1 Can of Sliced Olives

1 Package of Penne Noodles

Drain mushrooms and black olives. Put all ingredients into slow-cooker except the penne noodles and cook on LOW for 8 hours. Boil noodles according to package. Remove chicken and shred. Place chicken and noodles back into slow cooker and stir. Serve with side salad and garlic bread.

Not a freezer one but great recipe none the less:

Stuffed Green Bell Peppers

4-6 green peppers depending on crock pot size

2 packages zatarans Spanish rice

2 15oz cans diced tomatoes

2 lbs ground beef

Brown hamburger, chop 1 pepper, prepare Spanish rice per package directions. Mix all this together and stuff peppers. Place in crock pot. Put remaining rice mixture around and on top of stuffed peppers. Cook low 8 hours

There are a few more I didn't make up. So I will be doing this again with our favorites and a few new ones!