Josh, Kelly, Everett, Emery, Atticus & Boo

Follow our day to day life through marriage, work, raising twins, and so much more. This is our Life As We Know It...

Thursday, September 25, 2014

Frozen Crockpot Meals


Right before the twins were born my mom and I put together frozen crockpot meals & they were so wonderful to have. So this was at the top of my to-do list before baby #3 arrived. Here are the recipes I used from a variety of different websites. Enjoy!

Mediterranean Pork Chops:
1/2 cup of olive oil
2 cup of chicken stock
4 Cloves of garlic, chopped
1 Sweet potato
2 Tbsp. Paprika
2 Tbsp. Chicken seasoning
2 Tsp. Dried oregano
2 Tsp. Dried Basil
6-8 Pork chops

Split all ingredients between 2 freezer bags
Cook on low 8 Hours

BBQ Chicken
5-6 chicken breasts
2 cups cubed potatoes
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup chopped mushrooms
1/2 cup diced onions
2 Tbsp flour
2 tsp minced garlic
1 bottle BBQ sauce

6-8 hours on low

Spinach and Salsa Chicken
Ingredients:
3-4 boneless skinless chicken breast
2 cups of salsa (we like to use the fresh kind that is more like a Pico de Gallo) Frozen bag of spinach (I usually use 1/2 the bag, but you could use more or less)
1 to 2 tablespoons of Mrs. Dash Garlic and Herb seasoning

Directions: Place all items in freezer bag, you can add or wait for the spinach
Write on bag:
1. Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or on HIGH for 3-4.
2. Shred the chicken and mix together with the spinach.
3. Serve on whole-wheat tortillas, over rice, or even over a salad for a healthy meal!

Crock Pot SW Flank Steak
Ingredients:
1-1/2 lbs. flank steak
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
16 oz. jar chunky salsa
1/2 tsp. dried oregano leaves
2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed 1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 yellow bell pepper, sliced
3 cups hot cooked rice

Directions: 
1   Trim excess fat from steak.
           Place onions and garlic in bottom of freezer bag and top with steak.
     Mix salsa, oregano, chili powder, salt, and pepper in small bowl and pour over meat.
     Top with drained black beans.
Write on bag:
1. Cook on low for 7-9 hours until meat is tender
2. Remove meat from slow cooker and slice into thin strips against the grain. 3. Turn heat to high and return beef to slow cooker until ready to serve
4. Can serve over rice

Slow Cooker Chicken with Apples & Rosemary
               1 chicken breast, 2-3 chicken thighs
               3 apples, peeled and sliced
               (lime juice for the apples)
               ½ onion, diced
               2 rosemary sprigs
               Salt and pepper

Directions
Assembly Instructions: Add all ingredients to the pack, in the order they were listed. Remove as much air as you can or vacuum seal the pack. Freeze up to 6 months in a refrigerator freezer, or 12 months in a deep freezer.
Cooking Instructions: Thaw the slow cooker pack in the refrigerator overnight, or in a bowl of warm water for about 30 minutes. If the pack is partially thawed, cook on low for 8-10 hours. If the pack is completely thawed, you can cook on high for 6 hours or low for 8 hours.
Side dish suggestion: I would serve this with some brown rice or warm bread.

Slow Cooker Italian Chicken & Potatoes
Ingredients
               1 lb. chicken breasts
               4-6 medium potatoes, about 2 lbs, cut into chunks
               2 cups baby carrots
               1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes
               2 Tbsp Italian seasoning
               Salt and pepper

, to taste


Directions
1.   Place the chicken in the base of the slow cooker and add the potato chunks and baby carrots around and on top of the chicken. Pour the diced tomatoes and their juices over top of the chicken-potatoes-carrots. Sprinkle the Italian seasoning over top. Sprinkle a little salt and pepper over the top.
2.   Set the slow cooker on low and cook for 8 hours.
3.   Serve Slow Cooker

Italian Chicken & Potatoes as a “one dish dinner,” season to taste.
4.   To prepare a freezer pack, add all ingredients to a gallon size freezer baggie and freeze up to 3 months.
5.   To thaw: place the freezer pack in the fridge overnight to thaw and then place partially frozen ingredients in the slow cooker

to cook.


Cilantro Lime Chicken
1 1/2 pounds of chicken breast
juice from 2 limes
1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
1 (16 oz) bag frozen corn
2 minced garlic cloves
1/2 red onion, chopped
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 tsp cumin 
salt and pepper to taste

Place all ingredients in a resealable gallon-sized freezer bag. Mix together and zip bag closed.
When ready to eat, remove from freezer and thaw in fridge for 24 hours. Cook on LOW for 8 hours (or HIGH for 4 hours). 

Serve with tortillas and your favorite toppings (sour cream, guacamole, salsa, and cheese).


Beer & Beef Slow-Cooker Stew
·      2 lbs. stew beef

     2 T olive oil

·      2 T butter

·      2 celery stalks chopped

·      2 large carrots chopped
·      
1 lb. potatoes chopped

·      2 garlic cloves chopped
·      
2 bay leaves

·      1 T parsley

·      1 cup dark beer

·      1 cup beef stock
·      
1 can tomatoes with green chilis (Like Rotel)
·      
2 t salt
1 t pepper
 Directions:
     Season beef with salt & pepper. 
     Place all ingredients in large freezer bag except beer and beef stock. 
     When ready, place stew mixture in crockpot, add beer and beef stock
     Cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Taco Chili
Ingredients:
·      1 lb. cooked ground beef
·      1 medium onion chopped
·      1 can corn drained
·      1 can black beans drained
·      1 can navy beans drained
·      1 8 oz can tomato sauce
·      2 14 oz. cans diced tomatoes
·      1 small can diced green chiles
·      1 package taco seasoning (I use old el paso)

Toppings:
·      shredded cheese
·      Fritos
·      chopped green onions

Directions:
1   Place all ingredients in freezer bag and freeze until ready. 
     Thaw slightly, place in crockpot
     Cook on low for 4-6 hours. 
     Serve with shredded cheese, chopped green onions and fritos

Martha’s Breakfast Casserole
Ingredients
o  1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chilis
o  1 large bag of shredded hashbrowns ( I use just shy of 32 oz bag), thawed enough to stir
o  1 Tablespoon dried onion
o  1 medium container (16 ounces) cottage cheese
o  2 cups grated chedder cheese
o  2 cups cubed ham or cooked sausage (pick you favorite, we like sausage)
o  12 eggs
Instructions
1  Preaheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine everything but the eggs in a large bowl and pour mixture into a greased 9x13 pan.
    Beat eggs and pour over the mixture. Bake at 350 uncovered for 1 hour or until set and slightly brown on top. It can be refrigerated overnight before cooking in the morning. Serves 16.
    *This can also be made ahead and frozen (raw) and brought out for guests. When frozen cook for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. 1st hour covered 2nd hour uncovered.

Ham and Broccoli Breakfast Casserole with Extra-Sharp Cheddar
Ingredients
·      4 whole wheat English muffins, cut into bite size pieces
·      
2 cups broccoli florets
·      
2 cups leftover ham, diced

·      8 oz. block extra sharp cheddar cheese, shredded, divided

·      12 eggs

·      1 cup milk

·      1 teaspoon paprika

·      1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

·      Salt and pepper
Directions
1.   Lightly grease a 9×13-inch glass baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
2.   In a mixing bowl, toss together the cut English muffin pieces with the broccoli florets, diced ham and about 3/4 cup of the shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese. Once tossed, pour into the baking dish.
3.   In the same mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, paprika and crushed red pepper.  Add in a few dashes of salt and pepper as well.
4.   Pour the egg mixture over top of the ingredients in the baking dish.  Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.
5.   In the morning, sprinkle the remaining shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese over top of the casserole. Bake, covered, at 375 for 45 minutes. Then remove the foil and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes, or until the casserole puffs up and slightly browns on top.