Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Easy Crockpot Recipes

I don't know about your house, but at our house, dinnertime is the most stressful time of day. I am not even talking about getting the kids to eat it, I am just talking about getting it on the table period. By the time I get home from a full day of work, spending an hour slaving over a hot stove while both of the kids whine and cry at me for one thing or another makes me want to punch a kitten while chugging a bottle of tequila. I just. can't. do. it. anymore.

So I decided I had to make a change. I needed to have dinner pretty much ready by the time I stepped in the door from work. So I made my list, bought the shit on it, organized it into bags and threw them in the freezer to be grabbed and thrown in the crockpot in the morning before I head to work. It has saved my soul over the last week, so I thought I would share my go-to recipes with you. They are so easy an untrained monkey who is blind and has no arms can make them. Enjoy.


What you need for all 12 meals: a box of gallon freezer bags that zip (at least 12).


Chicken Tacos (Makes 4 frozen meals)
What you need:
bag of frozen chicken breasts
2 cans Rotel (canned tomatoes with chiles)
2 cans chicken broth
2 pack taco seasoning
flour tortillas
cheddar, sour cream, etc (whatever you like on your tacos)

Put in each bag: two chicken breasts, 1/2 can Rotel, 1/2 can chicken broth, 1/2 pack taco seasoning. Freeze bag.

To cook: Throw bag of frozen crap in crockpot when you leave for work. Cook on low all day. It will be done when you get home. Shred chicken and serve in tacos with other yummy crap.



Hot Wing Sandwiches (Makes 4 frozen meals)

What you need:
bag of frozen chicken breasts
2 bottles of Frank's Red Hot wing sauce
2 packets ranch dressing mix
buns
blue cheese (if you like it)
bag of chips, salad or other easy side

Put in each bag: two chicken breasts, 1/2 bottle of Frank's Red Hot wing sauce, 1/2 packet ranch dressing mix. Freeze bag.

To cook: Throw bag of frozen crap in crockpot when you leave for work. Cook on low all day. It will be done when you get home. Shred chicken and serve on buns. I top mine with blue cheese and more sauce.



Chili (Makes 4 frozen meals)
What you need:
 two pounds browned ground beef
4 cans stewed tomatoes
4 can black beans (drained and rinsed)
4 cans kidney beans (drained and rinsed)
4 cans tomato sauce (the little cans, not the ones for pasta)
2 beers
oyster crackers, cheese, pasta, etc (whatever you like on your chili)

Put in each bag: 1/4 browned ground beef, 1 can stewed tomatoes, 1 can black beans, 1 cans kidney beans, 1 cans tomato sauce, 1/2 beer. Freeze bag.

To cook: Throw bag of frozen crap in crockpot when you leave for work. Cook on low all day. It will be done when you get home. Put it in a bowl and eat it. Spoons help.

37 comments:

  1. Sounds like we have similar taste. I already have Crock-pot chili and chicken taco recipes, but I'm trying the hot wing sandwiches ASAP. That sounds so good with the ranch!

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  2. LOVE this! I'm always pinning these prep-ahead & freeze crock-pot recipes on pinterest (and, of course, never actually making any of them). I need to get my shit together and do this!

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    1. Now that I have done it, I am addicted. I need more so send them along if you find any god ones.

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  3. I first read this and though, neat idea. Then I realized that you make several meals out of those items, like weeks ahead of time and my head spun a bit. Amazeballs! I just did some frozen chicken in crock one day at lunch time and was shocked how good it was by dinner time. You are onto something here!

    PS - is your buffalo chicken spicy? Whenever I make it, I get the heartburn cause its so HOT!!

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    1. It has saved my life and sanity the last few weeks.

      The chicken is not spicy at all. Just a lot of flavor.

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    2. PS - there's a site called Once a Month Mom - pretty sure is subscription now, but they are all about freezing meals ahead of time. There are some free recipes on there though!

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  4. The hot wing sandwiches are da bomb!!! I've made them before...sooo yummy! I scale back *a little* on the hot sauce for the kiddos.

    I dig through my recipes, I have some good ones...not sure how well they will freeze though.

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  5. Brilliant! I will definitely be using.

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  6. Thanks for this! I have a two year old, who's thankfully not a fussy eater, but we don't get home from daycare until a little after 6, so she's hungry as soon as we walk in the door. Plus her dad doesn't get home from work until almost 7 pm, so I end up fixing her simple things. This way, she could have the grown up dishes we're having, since they'll be ready right away.

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  7. Replies
    1. I LOVE Frank's wing sauce. i go through a bottle a week...

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  8. I need more freezer ones. I tend to prep the night before after the kids are in bed (read: no one can whine at me), store it in the fridge, and toss it in in the morning.

    I am all over those buffalo sandwiches!

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  9. I NEED a crockpot ASAP! that sounds amazing and like a $ saver too. I can buy all the meat at Costco. thanx

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    1. they are amazeballs. i was t costco until i found everything cheaper at Aldi's.

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    2. Aldi's? I'm going to google, I'm on west coast....

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    3. It is a discount grocery store. It rocks.

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  10. This confirms it... you simply parade as an average ordinary Mom when in fact you have amazing super powers (only one of which is a wicked sense of humour)! Seriously, I know the theory is sound but getting it together enough to actually write a list, prep the stuff and freeze in bags accordingly -- not to mention actually REMEMBERING to put it in the crock pot before leaving the house in the morning amidst a volley of tears, screams and *choice* phrasology... you have already surpassed the limits of my stunted Mommy brain power. I bow down to you :)

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    Replies
    1. It only took me four years of being a mom and 5 million times of completely losing my shit to finally do this. Ha.

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  11. Love these!! I have teen boys! No left overs and they love spicy!! Thanks!!

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  12. Crock Pot Carnitas

    (This is super simple and really good)

    1 pork roast (I used whatever was on sale), 3 or 4 lbs
    1 jar of Herdez Salsa Verde (or your favorite tomatillo salsa)
    Put the roast in the crock pot, pour the salsa verde over the top.
    Put the lid on and cook on low for 5-6 hours.

    The meat will shred so easily and is great in tacos, enchiladas, or nachos. Also on salads or a burrito bowl.

    ===================================================

    Creamy Crock Pot Chicken (Family Fave)

    1 can golden mushroom soup
    1/2 cup white cooking wine
    1/4 cup butter
    1 pkg of cream cheese
    4 chicken breast (I use frozen breasts in the bag)
    Can of mushrooms (opt)
    Cook on low for 5 hours.
    Pour sauce over angel hair pasta (we use wide egg noodles)


    There is a page on FB called the Crockin' GIrls, which is where I got both of these.

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  13. I love doing this, here are some of my fav that i have done, put on my blog:
    http://notafanacake.blogspot.com/search/label/Crockpot
    or if you find me on pintetest i have a bunch pinned to my Crockpot and Freezer meals boards

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  14. Long time reader, first time commenter :) Thank you for this! Hands down, dinner is the hardest time of day around here too. After working all day, my husband and I are tired, and our son is tired and hungry...not a good mix! We had a terrible evening a few nights ago so I read this post to my husband and during the whole first paragraph he was nodding his head, laughing :) Sometimes it's just nice to know that we're not the only ones that have a difficult time with dinner! Love your blog!

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    Replies
    1. Thanks for delurking, j. I hate dinner time. This ha at least made it a bit easier.

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  15. New reader, I think I found you thru Ninja Mom. I use raw beef in my chili (less effort) plus the beans & a can of diced tomatoes. Right before we eat, I add a can of tomato paste. If there is too much liquid from the beef, I will skim some off before adding the paste. It makes it the perfect thickness & I don't have to precook my beef.

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    Replies
    1. Awesome. I have wondered if that would work. And I didn't know ninja mom gave me a shout out! I will have to look!

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  16. I am officially addicted to freezer to crock-pot cooking. My evenings when my family get home at 8 each day has been way less stressful. We have not eaten out for two weeks now. I have to do a re-up by making another 14 meals.

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    1. It is a lifesaver, no? I am going to a place tonight to make 18 freezer dinner for my family in less than an hour. They provide everything AND clean up!

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  17. Thise recipes sound awesome, but can you just throw the entire bag in the crockpot? You don't need to take it out first?

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