For the Freezer

I've been making freezer crock pot meals for a while now.  A lifesaver on those days when I'm working and won't be home till dinner time, but a sporting event, band concert, school function, etc mean dinner needs to be RIGHT when I get home from work (either that or I end up cranky and hungry trying to manage cranky, hungry, tired babies!  Not fun!!).  

A few months ago I thought, wouldn't it be fun to do this WITH other people?  I love my house full of boys, but some times I just need some girl time.  Thus, my freezer meal party prep days started.  About once a month, a group of ladies (who ever happens to be interested and free that day) bring ingredients and we chat and prep meals.  

It's GREAT!  

Girl time plus our freezers are a little more stocked.  

Win Win!  

We make 5 or 6 recipes each time and since there are a wide variety of family sizes represented at the parties, I usually try to make sure that each meal will feed one entire large family.  Those that have smaller families either cook the entire meal and then refreeze portions for later use or separate the meal into multiple bags when they get home.  For the the larger families, I think it averages out to be around $10-12 per meal and less per meal for the families that can get two or three meals out of each recipe. 

Here are some recipes that I've posted before.

Part 1  - Teriyaki Chicken (you can do this with pork too); BBQ Ribs; and Salsa Chicken

Part 2 - Cheesy Chicken; Sausage Lentil Soup (this is a HUGE favorite); Sausage and Bean Supper

Part 3 - Quinoa Chili (this is a big hit too!); Black Bean and Chicken Tacos; Korean Beef Tacos

Here are a few more that we've been making.

Balsamic Chicken

BBQ Beer Chicken

Beef Stroganoff

Hurry Chicken

Pork Verde

Pulled Pork with White BBQ Sauce

Sausage, Spinach, and White Bean Soup

Sloppy Joes

Tortilla Soup (this one is SUPER yummy!)

Note for the crock pot meals: I recently saw an article that stated that the FDA recommends not cooking meat from frozen in your crock pot - not because the meat doesn't get thoroughly cooked, but because it stays at what they consider an unsafe temperature for too long.  I'm a thaw meat on the counter, dump frozen meat in my crock pot and go girl...use your own judgement and do what you're comfortable with.  The crock pot meals can all be pulled out of the freezer the night before and thawed in the fridge for easy dump and go the next morning.  

Here are two that don't go in the crock pot.

Brown Sugar Meatloaf

Chicken Divan

Here are some for the grill.

Grilled Cilantro Lime Chicken

Grilled Korean Pork Chops (this is SOOO Yummy!!)

Grilled Teriyaki Chicken

And this is on my "got to try this soon" list!

Grilled Chili Maple Chicken

I need to try and remember to take pictures of these when I cook them!

Tortilla Soup

Tortilla Soup

Dump into each bag:

·         1-2lbs cooked chicken, diced

·         1 can refried beans

·         2 cans black beans

·         16 oz frozen corn

·         16 oz salsa

Instructions for Ziplock:

Dump into crock pot and add 2 cups water and 2 cups chicken broth.  

Cook on low 8 hours or until hot and bubbly.  

Stir in 16 oz shredded cheddar and serve with tortilla chips and sour cream. 

Sloppy Joes

Sloppy Joes

For each bag:

·         Brown and drain:

o   1lb ground beef

o   1lb ground turkey

·         ½ cup ketchup

·         ½ cup mustard

·         2 cans pork and beans (only drain 1 can)

Instructions for Ziplock:

Dump into crock pot and cook on low 4-6 hours or until heated through. 

Sausage, Spinach, and White Bean Soup

Sausage, Spinach, & White Bean Soup

Dump into each bag:

·         1 package Kielbasa sausage (thinly sliced and browned)

·         3 cloves garlic, minced

·         1 onion, diced

·         6 carrots, peeled and diced

·         2 cans great northern beans (drained and rinsed)

·         1 teaspoon dried oregano

·         2 bay leaves

Instructions for Ziplock:

Dump into crock pot along with 6 cups chicken broth.  Cook on low 8 hours.  

Stir in 3 cups baby spinach and serve.

Pulled Pork with White BBQ Sauce

Pulled Pork with White BBQ Sauce

Dump into each bag:

·         1 Onion, thinly sliced

·         4 cloves garlic, minced

·         1 T brown sugar

·         1 T chili powder (or less depending on your preference)

·         1 T salt

·         ½ t cumin

·         ½ t paprika

·         5lb pork shoulder or butt roast

Instructions for Ziplock:

Cook low 8 to 10 hours (recommended to shred meat after 8 hours and cook a little bit longer).  

Serve with white BBQ sauce: 2 cups mayo, 1 cup apple cider vinegar, 1 T brown sugar, ½ t salt, 1 t pepper, 1 t cayenne pepper (or less depending on your preference), juice from 1 lemon (can be made ahead and stored in fridge for up to 2 weeks).

Pork Verde

Pork Verde

Dump into bag:

·         1 boneless pork roast (3-4lbs)  ADD PORK LAST SO IT IS FIRST THING IN CROCKPOT

·         1 onion

·         16 oz salsa verde

·         2 4-oz cans chopped green chili’s

·         2t cumin

·         1t oregano

·         1t salt

·         1t pepper

·         1/8t cinnamon

Instructions for Ziplock:

Dump into crock pot.  Cook on low 5-6 hours if thawed, 8 hours if frozen.  

Shred pork.  Serve over grits, rice, or corn bread. 

Add 1/4c cilantro if desired.  

Hurry Chicken

Hurry Chicken

Dump into bag:

·         ½ cup brown sugar

·         ½ cup ketchup

·         1 packet onion soup mix

·         1/4 t salt

·         1/8t pepper

·         3lbs boneless chicken

Instructions for Ziplock:

Dump into crock pot and add 1 cup chicken broth.  Cook on low 8 hours.  

Add red pepper flakes as desired.  

Shred chicken.  Serve with mashed potatoes, noodles, or rice.

Grilled Teriyaki Chicken

Grilled Teriyaki Chicken

Dump into bag:

·         8 boneless chicken breasts or 12 boneless thighs

·         4 cloves garlic, crushed

·         1 ½ T minced ginger

·         2/3 cup soy sauce

·         3 T brown sugar

·         3 T apple cider vinegar

·         3 T rice wine vinegar

Instructions for Ziplock:

Thaw in fridge and then Grill! 

Grilled Korean Pork Chops

Grilled Korean Pork Chops

Dump into each bag:

·         8 pork chops

·         2 T olive oil

·         ½ cup soy sauce

·         4 T agave  (you can do honey if you prefer)

·         8 cloves of garlic, minced

·         2 t sesame oil

·         2 t minced ginger

·         2 t sriacha

Instructions for Ziplock:

Thaw in fridge and then Grill! 

(About 4 minutes for first side and 3 to 4 minutes for the second side...unless your chops are very thin or very thick)

Grilled Cilantro Lime Chicken

Grilled Cilantro Lime Chicken

Dump into each bag:

·         8 boneless chicken breasts

·         ½ cup olive oil

·         1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

·         Zest of two limes  (just the zest...the juice makes the chicken tough since it will marinate for so long.  We used the leftover limes to flavor water)

Instructions for Ziplock:

Thaw in fridge and then Grill! 

Grilled Chili Maple Chicken

Grilled Chili Maple Chicken

Dump into each bag:

·         8 boneless chicken breasts or 12 boneless thighs

·         4 T water

·         2 t salt

·         3 T maple syrup

·         1 T chili powder

Instructions for Ziplock:

Thaw in fridge and then Grill! 

Chicken Divan

Chicken Divan

Instructions:

·         Simmer chicken until cooked through

·         For each 9x13 pan:

o   Cut up 1.5lbs of cooked chicken, place in pan  (Note: it takes more than 1.5lbs raw chicken to make 1.5lbs cooked!  We learned this the hard way!!)

o   Add frozen broccoli

o   Mix together 2 cans cream of chicken soup, 2 teaspoons curry powder, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, and one cup mayo – pour over chicken and broccoli

o   Mix together 1.5 cups shredded cheese and ½ cup bread crumbs – sprinkle on top of pan.

·         Wrap pan securely with plastic wrap and top with foil.

Instructions for Cooking:

Thaw casserole.  Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes. 

Brown Sugar Meatloaf

Brown Sugar Meatloaf

Instructions:

·         Coat bottom of pans with cooking spray and place two slices of bread at the bottom of each pan (the bread will absorb the grease from the cooked meatloaf and should be discarded not eaten…unless you want to eat it!)

·         In a large mixing bowl, combine:

o   3lbs ground beef

o   1 cup milk

o   4 eggs

o   2 pks of onion soup mix

o   1.5 cups breadcrumbs

o   2 teaspoons salt

o   ½ teaspoon pepper

o   ½ teaspoon ground ginger

·         Split mixture evenly between two loaf pans

·         Cover each pan with a layer of plastic wrap and then a layer of foil. 

·         Label each pan:

o   Thaw

o   Preheat oven to 350

o   Remove foil and plastic wrap

o   Mix ½ cup brown sugar, 1 cups ketchup, and 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce and pour over meat loaf

o   Bake ~1hr until juices run clear or meat thermometer reads 160

o   Let rest ten minutes before slicing and serving

Beef Stroganoff

Beef Stroganoff

Dump into bag:

·         2lbs stew beef (cheap, whatever kind you want)

·         1lb mushrooms, washed and sliced

·         1 onion, diced

·         ½ cup red wine (cheap)

·         2 beef bouillon cubes

Instructions for Ziplock:

Dump into crock pot along with 1 cup water.  Cook on low 8 hours.  

Stir in ½ cup sour cream right before serving.  Serve over rice or noodles.

BBQ Beer Chicken

BBQ Beer Chicken

Dump into bag:

·         3lbs boneless, skinless chicken

·         2 cloves garlic, minced

·         1 tablespoon onion powder

·         ½ tablespoon paprika

·         ½ teaspoon salt

·         3 cups BBQ sauce

Instructions for Ziplock:

Dump into crock pot along with 1 can of beer (whatever kind you want).  

Cook on low 8 hours.  

Shred chicken and serve on buns of your choice.

Crock Pot Balsamic Chicken

Balsamic Chicken

Dump into bag:

·         1/2c balsamic vinegar

·         ¼ c brown sugar

·         3 cloves garlic, minced

·         1t basil

·         1/2t oregano

·         1/4t thyme

·         1/4t rosemary

·         1/4t pepper

·         1/2t salt

·         3lbs boneless chicken

Instructions for Ziplock:

Dump into crock pot and add 1 cup chicken broth.  Cook on low 8 hours.  

Add red pepper flakes as desired.  

Shred chicken.  Serve with mashed potatoes, noodles, or rice.