My first attempt at Crockpot Freezer meals!

I have seen these meals all over Pinterest lately and it looks like such a great idea!

I decided to try it out and see how it worked for us.

 

I don't really need lots of "meals in one" because I'm home at least part of the day and have time to prepare a side of vegetables or a salad or something to go with them.

 

I also don't like mushy vegetables...so to have the veggies frozen and then get cooked all day is not very appealing to me!

 

So most of my recipes are "main dish" recipes.

 

I really thought this would take a ton of time....like all day.

I was so wrong!

 

Preston and I went to the "Hy-Bee" after Peighton got on the bus and came straight home and got to work.

Including the shopping and clean up (putting everything in the dishwasher)  it was maybe a 2 1/2  hour process.

And that was even WITH changing a poopy diaper, getting a snack for Preston and cleaning up a mess he made!!!!!!

 

I was surprised at how quick these came together.

As long as they are good when we eat them I think I'll be doing this again!

 

I am looking forward to using these on our busy nights of the week.

 

Most of my ingredients ready to go!

 

I also bought a big bag of dried beans for Preston to play with.

He LOVES to fill his wagons with beans and bulldoze them!



He was very excited to play with the beans....

 

 

We played a little "stack the cans" while I was prepping the ingredients too!





First, I labeled all my bags.
I was afraid with all the different recipes I would for sure get distracted and have the wrong ingredients in one of the bags!
And it's also easier to write on the bags when they are laying on the counter!

I wrote the name of the recipe, the date and if anything needed to be added when I dump it in the crock pot.

I mixed up all the sauces first and left all the meat in the fridge until this was done.
I really didn't know how long it would take and I didn't want meat sitting on my counter!

 

 

I ended up making 9 recipes.

I thought this was a plenty for my first time.

 

Here are the recipes I used:

 

 

CHICKEN WITH APPLESAUCE

 

4 chicken breasts

salt to taste

pepper to taste

4-5 T olive oil

2 cups applesauce

1/4 cup BBQ sauce

1/2 t poultry seasoning

2 t honey

1/2 t lemon juice

 

Combine all and pour over chicken.

Cook on high 2-3 hours or low 4-6 hours.

Serve over rice or noodles.

 

 

CRANBERRY CHICKEN

 

4 chicken  breasts

16 oz can whole cranberry sauce

8 oz bottle Russian dressing

 1 pkg dry onion soup mix

 

Combine all and pour over chicken.

Cook 4-6 hours on low until chicken is done.

Serve over rice or noodles.

 

 

EASY MEATBALLS

 

1 pkg frozen meatballs

16 oz jar BBQ sauce

16 oz jar apricot jam

Combine all and pour over meatballs.

Cook on low 4-6 hours.

Works well as an appetizer or as a main dish over rice.

 

 

 

ITALIAN MEATBALL SUBS

 

1 pkg frozen meatballs

15 oz can tomato sauce

1 small onion, chopped

1/2 cup chopped green pepper

1/2 cup beef broth

1/3 cup water

1 garlic cloves, minced

1 t oregano

1 t salt

1/2 t pepper

1/2 t sugar

 

 

Combine sauce ingredients and pour over meatballs.

Cook on low 4-6 hours.

Serve on rolls, top with mozarella cheese!

 

 

 

 

PIZZA BURGERS

 

1 lb ground beef, cooked

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 t salt

1/8 t pepper

8 oz pizza sauce

1 can cream of mushroom soup (Add when you put in slow cooker)

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

 

Combine all and pour over ground beef.

(I will add the soup when I am ready to cook this one.)

 

Cook on low 4-6 hours.

Serve on buns.

 

 

ONE POT EASY CHICKEN

6-8 potatoes, quartered (add when ready to cook)

1-2 large onions, chopped

1 bag carrots, chopped

4 chicken breasts

1 t pepper

1 T cloves

1 T garlic salt

1 T fresh oregano

1 t rosemary

1/2 cup lemon juice

 

Combine all except potatoes-add those when ready to cook.

Cook on low for 4-6 hours or until chicken is done.

 

 

GARLIC LIME CHICKEN

4 chicken breasts

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup lime juice

1 T Worchestershire sauce

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 t dry mustard

1/2 t pepper

 

Combine all and pour over chicken.

Cook on low 4-6 hours or until chicken is done.

 

Can shred this and put in tortillas.

 

 

CREAMY CHICKEN AND VEGETABLES

 

1 can cream of mushroom soup (Add when ready to cook)

4 chicken breasts

1 bag chopped carrots

1 bunch broccoli, chopped

1 head cauliflower, chopped

1/2 t salt

1/4 t pepper

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

 

Combine all and pour over chicken.

(Add the soup when ready to cook.)

 

Cook on low 5-6 hours or until chicken is done.

 

 

DIVINE CHICKEN
4 chicken breasts

1 bag carrots, chopped

1 bunch broccoli, chopped

1 onion, chopped

salt and pepper to taste

1 can cream of chicken (add when ready to cook)

1 cup milk (add when ready to cook)

 

Combine chicken and vegetables.

Add the soup and milk when ready to cook.

 

Cook on low 4-6 hours or until chicken is done.

 

 

 

I did NOT double any of these because quite honestly, if it's bad I don't want to eat it twice!!!!!
I think after we find some that we like I will be doubling them because it would be super easy to make 2 bags instead of just one!


I really didn't even use that many dishes so clean up was pretty quick!

 

I reused my glass bowl for each sauce recipe.

None of the raw meat went into the bowl so I just kept rinsing it out and reusing it!

 

 

I love that I have lots of meals to choose from on busy weeknights!

I think I am most looking forward to the cranberry chicken one!