Cookin Mama-Slow Cooker Freezer Recipes

I finally did it! I cooked for the month! One major battle with an acorn squash (which I won), two large pizzas ordered to allow me to continue to cook (ironic), a few tears shed whilst cutting onions, and one super exhausted mama later and Voila! I prepared 14 meals (8 recipes) in 6 hrs minus some feedings and diaper changes for Jack.

The kitchen was a disaster but one mess to clean up vs 14 messes is a good deal if you ask me! 

I had 3-4 more planned but I ran out of onions and carrots so will have to make those later in the week and I will post those recipes when I prepare them. It's a lot of work but a big payoff for not having to go to the grocery store every week or have to think about what to make for dinner. I figure between the ones I’m making later this week, the frozen fish & veggies we have & left over food from everything I won't have to cook dinner for a month and a half at least! 

Veggie Station

Meat Station 

Beautiful! 

I spent Saturday preparing a list and deciding what recipes I wanted to make. This took about two hours. I spent Sunday at Costco and Tom Thumb and Monday from 4 pm-10 pm cooking. I bought all of the meat and most of the veggies in bulk from Costco and we also bought other household items and our usual staples of frozen veggies, broccoli, green beans, mixed veggies and stir fry veggies, which I use as easy sides. Most of Costco’s frozen vegetables are organic so that is a plus!  I also bought frozen lasagna and fish to have a few easy meals that I don’t have to prepare. 

I hear a lot of mom's are afraid to try this because of the upfront cost so I am including what I spent to give you an idea of what I put into it. Our Costco bill was $380.00 but I figure maybe about half that was things I actually used for these meals. I went to Tom Thumb for the things I did not need as much of and spent about $190 but those groceries also included spices that I had run out of and I stocked up on some of the canned goods so I could have ingredients for future meals. So it was an investment but because I won’t need to do any major grocery shopping for about a month and a half it really isn't more than we probably spend in one month anyway. Plus I think that it will help lower the cost of eating out since we won’t be as tempted to go out when things are busy and no one wants to think about what to make for dinner.

I made several of some meals because I had to buy bulk at Costco. I set up a vegetable station and a meat station and systematically went through my recipes preparing each meal and then moved on to the next meal. Here are the recipes I used. Most are from an old weight watchers magazine I had and a few are modified from some I found online. 

Spicy-Sweet Ribs and Beans

·         2 (16-ounce) cans pinto beans, drained 

·         4 pounds country-style pork ribs, trimmed  (I used boneless)

·         1 teaspoon garlic powder

·         1/2 tsp salt

·         1/2 tsp pepper

·         1 medium onion, chopped 

·         1 (10.5-ounce) jar red jalapeño jelly

·         1 (18-ounce) bottle hickory-flavored barbecue sauce

Prep

1.      Place beans and onions in gallon freezer bag

2.      Cut ribs apart if not boneless; sprinkle with garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Place ribs on a broiling pan.

3.      Broil 5 1/2 inches from heat 18 to 20 minutes or until browned, turning once. Cool and add ribs to freezer bag.

4.      Combine jelly, barbecue sauce, and hot sauce in a saucepan; cook over low heat until jelly melts. Cool & pour over ribs in freezer bag

Cook

1.      Thaw

2.      Cook HIGH 5 to 6 hours or at LOW 9 to 10 hours. Remove ribs. Drain bean mixture, reserving sauce. Skim fat from sauce. Arrange ribs over bean mixture; serve with sauce.

3.      Serve with corn bread and potatoes

Old Fashioned Pot Roast with Gravy

·         24 petite Yukon gold potatoes (sometimes I use regular golden potatoes & just chop)

·         1 ½ lbs carrots cut into 2 in pieces (I use baby carrots to save time chopping)

·         4 garlic cloves halved

·         2 ½ lb sirloin lean tip roast

·         ¼ tsp salt

·         1/2tsp black pepper

·         2 tbsp tomato paste

·         ½ tsp dried thyme

·         1 can (14.5oz) fat free less sodium beef broth

·         1 can (10.5oz) less sodium cream of mushroom soup (undiluted)

·         1 (1.1-oz) envelope of dry beefy onion soup mix such as lipton

·         2 tbsp cornstarch

·         2 tbsp water  

Prep

1.      Place roast, potatoes and carrots in freezer bag

2.      Combine all other ingredients in a bowl and whisk until smooth; pour over roast into freezer bag

Cook

1.      Thaw

2.      Cook HIGH 1 hour then reduce to LOW and cook 8 hours or until meat is very tender.

3.      Transfer meat to a serving platter. Place vegetables around meat, using a slotted spoon. Cover and keep warm

4.      Combine cornstarch and water, stirring with a whisk until smooth. Stir cornstarch mixture into juices in slow cooker. Increase to HIGH; cover and cook 12 minutes or until slightly thickened. Serve gravy with meat and vegetables.

  

Rosemary-Orange Pork Roast with Acorn Squash and Sweet Potatoes

·         1 small acorn squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 2 inch pieces

• Stab squash a few times with fork or knife and microwave for about 1-2 min to soften skin.

·         2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2 inch pieces

·         1 cup chopped onion

·         1 ½  teaspoons black pepper

·         1 tsp salt

·         1 (3 lb) pork loin roast

·         1 tbsp olive oil

·         1 ½ cups low sugar orange marmalade

·         ¾ cup chicken broth

·         ¼ cup orange juice

·         2 tbsp rosemary

·         2 tbsp cornstarch

·         2 tbsp water

Prep

1.      Combine pepper and salt; rub mixture over pork. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat; add pork, browning on all sides. Cool and place pork in freezer bag.

2.      Place squash, potatoes and onion in freezer bag.

3.      Combine marmalade, broth, juice and rosemary in a medium bowl; pour mixture over pork and vegetables. 
Cook

1.      Thaw

2.      Cook on LOW for 5 hours.

3.      Remove pork to a serving platter; cover and keep warm. Combine cornstarch and water in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk until smooth; stir into vegetables in cooker. Increase heat to high, cook 20 minutes or until sauce is thick. Spoon sauce over pork.

  

Hawaiian Teriyaki Chicken

·         1 ½-2lbs baby carrots

·         Red onion chopped into large pieces

·         4 garlic cloves

·         3-4 chicken breast

·         1 jar Kona all natural Hawaiian Teriyaki Sauce

Prep

1.      Combine first all ingredients in freezer bag
Cook

1.      Thaw

2.      Cook on HIGH for 4 hours or low for 8 hours.

3.      Serve over rice

Citrus Chicken with Root Vegetables

·         6 garlic cloves, halved

·         4 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces (I use baby carrots)

·         2 parsnips, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces

·         2 small turnip, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces

·         1 medium red onion, cut into 8 wedges

·         1 (4-lb) roasting chicken (I just use 3-4 chicken breast)

·         2 tbsp butter

·         ½ tsp salt

·         ½ tsp black pepper

·         2 tsp dried rosemary

·         2 lemons, thinly sliced

·         1 navel orange, thinly sliced

Prep

1.      Combine first all ingredients in freezer bag
Cook

1.      Thaw

2.      Cook on HIGH for 1 hour. Reduce heat and cook on LOW for 4 ½ hours or until chicken is done.

Slow Cooker Spicy Chicken Cacciatore

·         2 yellow bell peppers, seeded and cut lengthwise

·         2 tbsp olive oil

·         2 cups vertically sliced sweet onion

·         4 garlic cloves, minced

·         2 tsp dried Italian seasoning

·         ¾ tsp salt

·         ¾ crushed red pepper

·         4 (8oz) bone in chicken breast halves & 8 chicken thighs (2lbs) I just use four large chicken breast boneless and skinless

·         2 (14.5oz) cans no salt added fire roasted diced tomatoes

·         1(14.5oz) can no salt added Italian style stewed tomatoes

·         1 (6oz) can tomato paste

·         1 tbsp brown sugar

**If you want to replace the cans of tomatoes and tomato paste with equal amount of marina you can. I also added one chopped zucchini and chopped mushrooms for more veggies)

Prep

1.      Combine first all ingredients in freezer bag
Cook

1.      Thaw

2.      Cook on LOW for 6 ½ hours

3.      Serve with polenta, rice, or pasta

Cilantro Lime Chicken with Corn and Black Beans

·         1 ½ lbs chicken breast

·         Juice from 2 limes

·         1 bunch fresh chopped cilantro

·         1 (16oz) bag frozen corn

·         2 garlic cloves, minced

·         ½ red onion, chopped

·         1 can black beans, drained

·         1 tsp cumin

·         Salt and pepper to taste

Prep

1.      Combine first all ingredients in freezer bag, close bag and mix
Cook

1.      Thaw

2.      Cook on LOW for 8 hours or HIGH for 4 hours

3.      Serve with rice, or tortillas and traditional Mexican toppings

Chicken Broccoli Alfredo

·         1 ½ lbs chicken breast

·         1 16 oz bag frozen broccoli florets

·         2 16 oz jars Alfredo sauce (I like to make two different kinds)

**I use sun dried tomato alfredo and add sun dried tomatoes

**I use roasted poblano alfredo and add chopped red peppers & chopped poblano peppers

·         1 large green pepper chopped

·         1 4 oz can sliced mushrooms, drained

Prep

1.      Combine first all ingredients in freezer bag, close bag and mix
Cook

1.      Thaw

2.      Cook on LOW for 4-6 hours

3.      Serve with cooked fettuccine noodles