Meal Planning Week 3

Life has become back to normal.  Work has resumed and the kids are all home.  Before I really get creative with my meal planning, I will need to spend some time going through recipes and food storage areas to take stock of what is going on in my home.  Once some things are cleared out, I can start being creative and adventurous in the fridge again!

I want to try to clean out the cabinets, fridge, and freezer so this plan will be a bit boring!

Week 3

The 3 New Recipe Meals This Week taken from:

None this week.  I am cleaning out the fridge.

Monday: Ribs on the grill, salad, and corn pudding

Tuesday: Chicken Pot Pie Buscuits (found on Facebook)

Wednesday:  Crockpot Freezer Meal

Thursday: Soft Tacos and Tortilla Chips

Friday: Pizza Rollers and Fruit Salad

Saturday: Fish, Veggie, and Rice

Sunday: Lucky Left Overs

Repurposing Left Overs

Before children, I used to eat meals from the same caserole dish every day until the dish was gone.  With children, this is just not possible.  So, I have decided one thing I want to post here (that is both fun and functional) is how to make left overs not seem so boring.  I am calling this reporposing left overs.

In the fridge we had left over BBQ pulled chicken, crescent rolls, and cheese.  I thought to myself "this could work" and a new family favorite was born.

I will call them the Western Crescent Sammy!

The recipe is below.

With the Western Crescent Sammy, we had fruit salad and chips!  At this meal, there was really something for everyone.

Now for the recipe!

Western Crescent Sammy 

Ingredients:

Left over BBQ Pulled Chicken

Shredded Cheddar Cheese

1 pkg. Crescent Rolls

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Open the crescent rolls and lay out like you are going to make the crescent rolls.

Sprinkle cheese on the large part of the triangle.  (It looked to be about a tablespoon.)

Put BBQ Pulled Chicken on top of the cheese.  (I put about 4 tablespoons on mine.)

Roll up the crescent roll like normal.  

Fold up one other side to hold in meat and cheese.

Bake for 10 - 15 minutes.

I am looking for new and different ways to reuse left overs in a fun way for the family!  If you have any ideas, you should share them in the comments!

Freezer to Crockpot Chicken Teriyaki

I am always on the lookout for a good chicken teriyaki dish.  I am hoping the combination of flavors in this dish with the ease of putting it into the crockpot to cook will put this one at the top of my families lists of favorites!

Chicken Teriyaki

Makes two meals!

Shopping List:

2.5 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 bag of baby carrots
1 onion

2 - 20 oz. cans of crushed pineapple
4 garlic cloves

1 cup teriyaki sauce

Directions:

0: Get 2 gallon size freezer bags and write out the crock pot directions and serving suggestions (see below) onto the bag.

Split ingredients in half.

3: Put all other ingredients into the freezer bags.  Mix contents of the bag. 

4: Get as much air out of the bag as you can.  Flatten the bag and freeze it.

5: When ready to cook, thaw in the fridge overnight.

Crock Pot Directions: Cook on low for 6 - 7 hours.  

Serving suggestions: Serve chicken over rice. 

Freezer to Crockpot Sweet Potato Soup

This is a new one for me.  I have not tried it yet, but it looked delicious as I was putting it together.  This dish required more prep work than the other dishes I put together that day (with the peeling and the chopping)!  So, I hope it is worth it.

Sweet Potato Soup 

Shopping List:

2 Sweet Potatoes 

1/2 onion

1 - 14 oz. can coconut milk
1 cup vegetable broth

2 garlic cloves

1 tbsp dried basil
salt & pepper, to taste

Directions:

0: Get a gallon size freezer bag and write out the crock pot directions and serving suggestions (see below) onto the bag.

1: Clean, peel, and dice the potatoes.

2: Chop the onion and mince the garlic.

3: Put all other ingredients into the freezer bag.  Mix contents of the bag. 

4: Get as much air out of the bag as you can.  Flatten the bag and freeze it.

5: When ready to cook, thaw in the fridge for 24 hours.

Crock Pot Directions: Cook on high for 3 hours.  Blend the cooked soup until smooth.  

Serving suggestions: Serve with some type of crusty bread loaf. 

Freezer to Crockpot Salsa Lime Chicken

I am at it again.  Another Mexican inspired chicken dish!  I just love them and since I spread them throughout the month my family does not get tired of them!

Salsa Lime Chicken 

Shopping List:

2.5 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 lime

1 red pepper
1/2 onion

1.25 oz. taco seasoning

24 oz. jar of favorite salsa

Directions:

0: Get a gallon size freezer bag and write out the crock pot directions and serving suggestions (see below) onto the bag.

1: Juice the lime directly into the freezer bag.

2: Chop onion and red pepper and put into the freezer bag.

3: Put all other ingredients into the freezer bag.  Mix contents of the bag. 

4: Get as much air out of the bag as you can.  Flatten the bag and freeze it.

5: When ready to cook, thaw in the fridge overnight.

Crock Pot Directions: Cook on high for 3 - 4 hours or low for 6 - 8 hours.  

Serving suggestions: Serve chicken over rice, with salad, or in a corn tortilla wrap.  Top with taco/burrito toppings!  

Meal Planning Week 2

This is going to be a great week of meal planning, since I have others doing the meals on Monday, Tuesday, and Sunday!!

Since it is summer, you may notice more grilling than normal!  I love the summer time and the cookouts!  Getting together with friends and family is the best.  I think this week, I will try to take some pics of the delicious looking food for a reminder of why I love to make meals!

Week 2

The 3 New Recipe Meals This Week taken from:

None this week.  I am cleaning out the fridge.

Monday: Ribs on the grill, salad, and corn pudding

Tuesday: Pizza, Salad, and Friendly's Wattamellon Roll

Wednesday:  EATING OUT!!!!

Thursday: Crockpot Freezer Meal

Friday: Chicken Pot Pie Biscuits (found on Facebook)

Saturday: Wedding Feast!

Sunday: Johnsonville bacon Cheddar Brat Burgers, Tator Tots, California Veggie Medley

Freezer to Crockpot Black Bean Corn Salsa Chicken

Another Mexican-inspired dish!  I love how well the corn, black beans, and salsa mix together in the crockpot!  I like this meal, because it makes 2 freezer meals!

Black Bean Corn Salsa Chicken 

Shopping List:

2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 cans black beans

bag of frozen corn

1 oz. taco seasoning

1 cup of salsa
3/4 cup of water

Directions:

0: Get a gallon size freezer bag and write out the crock pot directions and serving suggestions (see below) onto the bag.

1: Drain and rinse the black beans.

2: Split ingredients in half.

3: Mix each half of ingredients in a gallon size freezer bag. 

4: Get as much air out of the bag as you can.  Flatten the bag and freeze it.

5: When ready to cook, thaw in the fridge overnight.

Crock Pot Directions: Cook on high for 3 - 4 hours or low for 7 - 8 hours.  

Serving suggestions: Shred chicken and serve over rice, with salad, or in a wrap.  Top with taco/burrito toppings!  

Freezer to Crockpot Santa Fe Chicken

I have recently found a love of Mexican inspired food.  I have also found this type of meal is wonderful when going from freezer to crockpot.

I am hoping this meal is as good as it sounds!

Santa Fe Chicken 

Slightly Modified from Santa Fe Chicken Recipe from Budget101  

(a great place when looking for freezer to crockpot recipes so check it out!)

Shopping List:

2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 red pepper

1/2 onion

1/2 tsp cumin

2 tbsp cilantro

small package frozen corn
1 can black beans
1 medium sized jar of salsa

Directions:

0: Get a gallon size freezer bag and write out the crock pot directions and serving suggestions (see below) onto the bag.

1: Chop the red pepper.

2: Chop the onion.  You only need half, so you may decide to put the rest of the onion in something else or freeze it for future use.

3: Mix all ingredients in a gallon size freezer bag. 

4: Get as much air out of the bag as you can.  Flatten the bag and freeze it.

5: When ready to cook, thaw in the fridge overnight.

Crock Pot Directions: Cook on high for 3 - 4 hours or low for 6 - 8 hours.  

Serving suggestions: Serve over rice.  

Freezer to Crockpot Honey Rosemary Chicken

As promised, the beginning of the recipes from the day of 20 meals.

I think all of the recipes look great, but this one looked especially delicious!  It also smelled great as I was putting it together.

Honey Rosemary Chicken 

Slightly Modified from Honey Rosemary Chicken Recipe from Budget101  

(a great place when looking for freezer to crockpot recipes so check it out!)

Shopping List:

2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1/3 cup balsamic vinegar

1/3 cup honey

1/3 cup olive oil

1.5 tbsp chopped fresh Rosemary

1 tsp. salt 

Directions:

0: Get a gallon size freezer bag and write out the crock pot directions and serving suggestions (see below) onto the bag.

1: Cut the chicken into bite sized pieces

2: Chop the Rosemary

3: Mix all ingredients in a gallon size freezer bag. Let marinate in the fridge for a few hours before freezing.

4: Get as much air out of the bag as you can.  Flatten the bag and freeze it.

5: When ready to cook, thaw completely in the fridge.

Crock Pot Directions: Cook on high for 3 - 4 hours or low for 6 - 8 hours.  Ten minutes before serving, add cornstarch to thicken the sauce.

Serving suggestions: Serve over rice.  

Freezer to Crockpot Creamy Italian Chicken

I am not sure where I got this one from, but I have seen several versions of it out there.  I think I have put a couple of versions together (I am not sure)!  This one smelled so good when I was putting it together that my husband said "I am not sure what you are making, but the smell is making me hungry" from a different room.

This dish include cream cheese, so I am hoping it works!  If it does it will open up a whole new category of freezer to crockpot meals for me…cream cheese recipes!

Creamy Italian Chicken 

Shopping List:

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 dry packet of Italian Seasoning

Directions:

0: Get a gallon size freezer bag and write out the crock pot directions and serving suggestions (see below) onto the bag.

1: Mix together softened cream cheese, cream of chicken soup, and Italian Seasoning packet in a bowl.

2: Place in gallon size freezer bag with chicken.

3: Get as much air out of the bag as you can.  Flatten the bag and freeze it.

5: When ready to cook, thaw in the fridge overnight.

Crock Pot Directions: Cook on low for 4 - 6 hours.

Serving suggestions: Serve with mashed potatoes, cooked veggies, and fruit salad.

Week 1 Feedback and Recipe

As with any great plan, one must be ready to make changes and edit recipes for future use.

Here is what has happened to Week 1.

Week 1

The 3 New Recipe Meals This Week taken from:

SUNDAY NIGHT SUPPERS by Barbara C. Jones in 2006

Monday: Pizza and bread sticks

Tuesday: Tyson Dinosaur Chicken Nuggets, Mac N' Cheese, Carrot Sticks

Wednesday:  Tuna Noodle Casserole, Emergency CheeseCake (p. 192)

Thursday: Swai, Strawberry & Blueberry Salad, and Rice 

Friday: Loaded Baked Potatoes & Merry Berry Salad (p. 250)

Saturday: Johnsonville bacon cheddar Brat Burgers, Tator Tots, California Veggie Medley

Sunday: Chicken Squares and Corn Pudding (p. 142)

Wednesday:  Tuna Noodle Casserole, Emergency CheeseCake (p. 192)

So, this really tasted like Mac N' Cheese (which is just fine by me).  Here are the changes I made and will make in the future.

More noodles, add peas, put small can of french fried onions on the top

Do not make the Emergency Cheese Cake.  Instead have ice cream or milk shakes!

Thursday: Swai, Strawberry & Blueberry Salad, and Rice 

Instead of strawberry & blueberry salad and rice, I made the Merry Berry Salad (p. 250) which was excellent as written.  This meal is a keeper!

Friday: Loaded Baked Potatoes & Merry Berry Salad (p. 250)

This was the 4th of July!  So, we did not have dinner at home but went to an impromptu 4th of July family picnic!  For lunch we had the Chicken Squares (p. 142), Strawberry & Blueberry Salad, and chips!

This was a delicious dish.  The only changes made were to use minced onion in place of the diced onion (this is for the hubby)!  I will make these again - but for a lunch or light dinner!  And I may need to double this recipe because three wanted more than one square!

I know the rest of the meals will be great!  So I am posting today.

Twenty Meals in One Afternoon

Yesterday, I spent 4.5 hours shopping and prepping 20 freezer to crockpot meals!  It was quite a wonderful day and worth the work as I look in the two freezers each with 10 meals ready to go into the crockpot!

I found recipes I liked and tweaked them to work with the required needs of my family!  The needs are many since I am feeding a range of young people from 2 - 13 and a husband who does not like onions, yikes!

10 Meals Ready to Travel!

The first thing I do to get ready for a day like this is find a list of 20 recipes.  I look for recipes that share common ingredients or can be easily doubled.  I have found that doubling the recipes is a great way to get more meals with less work!  I then run the recipes by my friend (since we normally do the meals together) and get her opinion.  I have always felt that two opinions are better than one.  I would ask my husband what he wants, but I know him well enough to know what he will and will not eat.  

Second, I label the bags.  This gives the marker plenty of time to dry so it won't wipe off in the process.

Then, I write out the shopping list.  It is always a bit different from the recipes as I change the recipes slightly for my family members.  I organize the list by category.  The categories are generally meat, produce, canned, dairy, pantry, and other.

Then the shopping.  I do the shopping on the same morning as I will do the prepping.  This way I do not have large amounts of "stuff" in my kitchen (that I really do not have room for).  I shop at two stores in the area in an effort to save some money.  20 meals in one day can become pricey if you are not pinching pennies!

Most of the ingredients lined up and ready to go!

Once home, I organize the ingredients on the table and begin the work.  I have ready many posts that provide tips for making this faster (like cut all veggies first, open all canned goods second, etc.).  I have found that I like to brown the meat (if necessary) first.  Otherwise, I put together meals two at a time.  I like to double each recipe to get two meals.

Working on two meals at a time.  Notice the two bags in the red bowl on the right.

Then I work.  Today was a great day.  Keep watching for the recipes and shopping list I used.  I should be posting two a day.  When all posted I will post a full list with a complete shopping list.

Happy prepping!

Meal Planning - Week 1

One day I was sitting at home and hoping to find ways to simplify my life when I learned about meal planning.  What a great idea!  Why hadn't I thought of this?

So, I began meal planning about a year ago.  I Google searched Meal Plan Template and found one I liked.  There were a ton of images and you really just need to find one you like or create your own.  I then laminated the form and I write on it using a wet-erase marker.  It hangs on the kitchen door so I see it every day before I leave for work.  (This reminds me if I need to thaw anything! )  

I use the meal planning to figure out my shopping list so even more time is saved.  It takes me about an hour on Saturday or Sunday to get this done.  Before I meal planned, I spent hours trying to figure out what I wanted to make for dinner and I never had the ingredients I needed because my shopping list did not align with the improvised menu.  

I also have several cookbooks that I like to use.  I try to find about 3 "new" meals a week for my family.  The rest of the meals are family favorites or freezer crockpot meals.  In the plan, I write out what cookbook I am using and the page numbers so I can find the recipes easily

There are tons of places where posts about meal-planning exist.  All of them different!  But none of them are exactly aligned to my family (mainly because I did not write out the meal plans).  

So, in another effort to save even more time and use the internet blog-world to organize my thoughts, I am going to post my weekly meal plans here.  Then, after a few months, I can come back and revise old meal plans (taking out meals we did not like and keeping in meals we did)!  

This is just an experiment but I really hope it works! I would love to have my meals organized where I can find them easily!

So, without further ado…

Week 1

The 3 New Recipe Meals This Week taken from:

SUNDAY NIGHT SUPPERS by Barbara C. Jones in 2006

Monday: Pizza and bread sticks

Tuesday: Tyson Dinosaur Chicken Nuggets, Mac N' Cheese, Carrot Sticks

Wednesday:  Tuna Noodle Casserole, Emergency CheeseCake (p. 192)

Thursday: Swai, Strawberry & Blueberry Salad, and Rice 

Friday: Loaded Baked Potatoes & Merry Berry Salad (p. 250)

Saturday: Johnsonville bacon cheddar Brat Burgers, Tator Tots, California Veggie Medley

Sunday: Chicken Squares and Corn Pudding (p. 142)

My First Freezer Meal and Taco Soup Recipe

I love cooking…when I have time.  When I walk through the door at 5:15 pm (and everyone needs something) I do not like to cook.

I love my crock pot!  I love it year round!  Especially on days when I know I am not going to want to cook a home-cooked meal, but want to eat a home-cooked meal, I need my crockpot!

The key was to find a way to use the time when I was not busy to prepare meals so I could cook them in the crock pot on days I was too busy.

My search led me to Crock Pot Freezer Meals!  The idea is you spend a whole day prepping meals that are frozen.  Then, you cook them as you need them.  What a fabulous idea (thank you blogging world and Pinterest for helping me find out about you)!

Now, I have decided to help me out I am going to post my favorite recipes and shopping lists here.  Pictures to come!  I am getting ready to have a doozy of a crock pot day (I will be making 20 recipes)!

There are lots of sites that have tips, tricks, and recipes to get you started…and you need to get started!

Just Google Crock Pot Freezer Meals or search for it on Pinterest.  You will find a multitude of sites that put this blog to shame.  (Remember, this site is really just a location for me to gather my thoughts and organize my recipes and shopping lists.  I will also review many of the recipes I make and write how I would change the recipes!  This is mainly because my family does not like onions, peppers, or anything good.  I still include them, just less than I would like.)

Now I must post a recipe so I do not forget why I am here.

This is one of the first recipes my family has tried and we rated it as a 5-Star Keeper!

TACO SOUP 

Slightly Modified from Taco Soup recipe from SidetrackedSarah.com  

(a great place when looking for freezer to crockpot recipes so check it out!)

Shopping List:

1 lb. ground beef

1 onion

2 cans chili beans

Small bag frozen corn

1 can tomato sauce

1 can tomatoes with chilies 

2 tbsp Taco Seasoning 

Directions:

0: Get a gallon size freezer bag and write out the crock pot directions and serving suggestions (see below) onto the bag.

1: Brown the ground beef and let cool

2: Chop the onion

3: Mix all ingredients plus 1 cup of water in a gallon size freezer bag.

4: Get as much air out of the bag as you can.  Flatten the bag and freeze it.

5: When ready to cook, thaw in the fridge overnight.

Crock Pot Directions: Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours.

Serving suggestions: Crushed tortilla chips, shredded cheese, sour cream, and black olives.