Crockpot Freezer cooking

I know! I know! I never blog anymore! I wanted to share my crockpot freezer cooking...

 In a few weeks things are about to get very hectic in our household. I will be teaching at a school that is about a 15-20 minute drive from our house. The kids go to school in the same area as well. Andrew’s piano teacher is having knee surgery on BOTH knees and her husband is deployed, so she won’t be able to give lessons for a few months. I honestly was relieved as the girls are taking 2 dance classes (on 2 different days) and Andrew will be playing soccer this fall (with 2 practices a week). Add to this Wednesday night church activities and I feel my chest tighten a little! The good news is that dance and soccer are close to my school. 

My greatest concern was meals for our family. We have been diligently avoiding eating out as much as possible because it is so unhealthy and the cost adds up much quicker than cooking at home. I’ll be the first to admit that we are not perfectly healthy eaters, but we are making small changes little by little to try to eat healthier. We still have a ways to go, though. Since most days we will not be returning home until close to 5 or 6pm, I knew my crockpot was going to be a key in keeping us from eating out. I use my crockpot for about 3-4 meals a week on average and I have found some recipes that everyone in our family likes (which can be a challenge!!!).

 I stumbled across Jaima’s site a while back and pinned it thinking it would be good to peruse later. ALL of her recipes looked great, but some I knew would generate complaints from the kids. Although I do like to encourage them to try new things, I do not think the right time will be after a long day of work and activities! I decided to try her technique, some of her recipes and some recipes I’ve found (and have been tested and approved by my kids) to create 10 freezer meals for our family. I know the ones I’ve used previously will generate enough leftovers for a second meal which is even better!

I bought all of the ingredients I needed for $119.31 at Walmart. There was a sale paper for a grocery store across town in my cart and I was able to price match my rump roasts for $2.29/lb. (Walmart’s original price was $4.68/lb). Score! The only ingredient I already had at home was brown sugar. Ten (or more if you have leftovers) meals for $119.31 is not bad!

I followed her preparation method which was:
1) Gather ingredients
2) Chop all veggies
3) Label bags with directions
4) Add meats
5) Add veggies
6) Add other ingredients
7) Let air out, seal bag and lay flat (I double bagged mine!)
8) Freeze

Total prep took between 2 and 3 hours as I had a few interruptions. Here are Jaima’s recipes I decided to try:
Lazy Day Stew
Ingredients:
4lb cubed stewing beef
4 cups baby carrots
4 cups baby red potatoes (cut in half)
2 onions (chopped)
10 oz package dried lima beans
 2 cups celery (chopped)
4 tsp quck-cooking tapioca
Salt and pepper to taste
1 15 oz can tomato sauce (1/2 in each bag)
2 Tbs brown sugar

Split between 2 bags, seal, mix, lay flat, freeze

Directions for Bags: 
Add 1 cup water. Cook on low 4-6 hours. Eat as a soup, or serve over hot noodles or rice.


Beef Roast 
Ingredients: 
2 two lb beef roasts
1 can tomato paste
 1 cup beef broth
 baby red potatoes (cut in half)
 baby carrots
 celery (diced)
 salt, pepper, garlic powder to taste

Split between 2 bags, seal, mix, lay flat, freeze

Directions for Bags: Cook on low for 6-8 hours


Divine Chicken
Ingredients: 
6 chicken breasts
4 cups baby carrots
4 cups fresh broccoli (chopped)
2 onions
salt/pepper to taste
2 cartons of cream of chicken soup (add 1 each at cook time)
2 cup milk (add 1 each at cook time)

Split everything into two containers. shake it up, seal, label and put in the freezer. 

Instructions for Container: 
 Add 1 cream of chicken soup and 1 cup of milk, cook on low 8 hours or high 4 hours

I also used two other recipes I found online that my family likes. First is the Cheesy Chicken recipe (I serve it over cooked macaroni noodles) found here:
Cheesy Chicken 
Ingredients: 
6 chicken breasts
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 can cheddar cheese soup
garlic powder

Cook in crock pot on low for 6-8 hours.Serve over noodles.


The other is the Chicken and Dumpling recipe found here:
Slow Cooker Chicken & Dumplings 
Ingredients:
1-2 pounds chicken breast
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can chicken broth  
1 can water I just used the can from the cream of chicken soup
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 onion
2 cans biscuits cut in quarters,***We actually used two cans of the cheap biscuits (the ones that come 4 cans to one pack), and they worked perfectly.

Directions
1. Cook on low 6-7 hours.
2. One- Two hours before dinner time, add quartered biscuits to crockpot. Gently stir in biscuits so that they’re covered.
3. Cook one-two more hours on high.

Now all I have to do is pull out a bag, defrost it in the fridge for a day and put it in the crockpot the next morning!