Recipe: Crockpot Cowboy Casserole

A friend of mine knows how much I love new recipes that are easy, crockpot, or freezer friendly!  She shared this recipe with me and right away I added it to the meal plan.

It is super easy and the perfect time for us to turn on the crock pot before leaving in the morning on Sunday and having it ready when we arrive home from church.  And to make it even better--I add in a crock pot liner so clean up is super easy!

This is not technically a freezer meal, but I have in fact assembled as a freezer meal (yes, potatoes and all!) and it turned out great.  It was more watery when made as a freezer meal than fresh on the morning of cooking, but still had great taste.

I recommend this one and hope you like it too!

Ingredients:
1 lb. ground beef or turkey
1 can corn, drained
1 can dark red kidney beans, drained
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 lb red potatoes (about 3-4), sliced thin
1 can diced tomatoes
salt and pepper to taste
onion, optional

Directions:
1. Brown meat and drain
2. slice potatoes 
3. add all ingredients to slow cooker
4. cook HIGH 4 hours or LOW 7-8


To freeze: combine all in ziplock freezer bag, label and freeze. 
To cook, thaw and place in sprayed slow cooker.

Top with cheese, then recover until melted.  We like to eat it with tortilla chips or fritos.
 

Recipe:Hawaiian Chicken (Freezer to Crockpot)

Tried a new recipe this week that I found at New Leaf Wellness for Hawaiian Chicken.  It is very healthy and very very easy.  It's great to have in the rotation for a variety and great for the budget because pineapple is often on sale for 99 cents.

Only thing about this was that the chicken was dry, but I think that was probably user error and either it was over cooked or was slightly freezer burned (only because I had used frozen chicken that was all alone in a bag in the freezer.  I was excited to make this and had pineapple so I didn't want to wait until I had fresh chicken).

But, with that said, I'm still recommending it.  Because we did like it a lot.  I just cut up the chicken real small and added a little more soy sauce on my plate and ate it along with the pineapple and it was fine. 

I have another pineapple on my counter right now and plan to make this as a freezer meal again with fresh chicken and see how it goes.  I'll try to remember to update! 

 

 

 

Ingredients:
1lb boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into pieces
1 fresh pineapple, but into pieces (or two cans, drained)
2 T brown sugar
2 T soy sauce



Directions:
1. cut chicken and pineapple
2. add all ingredients to a ziplock bag
3. label and freeze



To cook:
thaw overnight in fridge and cook in slow cooker low 3-6 hours

Serve over rice

 

Recipe: Crock Pot Enchiladas

You know how I love my crock pot.  I tried a new recipe this week and we all enjoyed it.  I found this twist on enchiladas to be made in a slow cooker.  It was easy and tasty.  Not so much pretty.  It tasted much better than it looked:)

 

Ingredients:

1 pound meat (I used pre seasoned pork and actually only used 1/2 a pound)

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 can corn (or frozen corn would be fine)

1 cup salsa

1 can green chiles

taco seasoning

10 oz enchilada sauce

9 inch flour tortillas (4-5)

2 cups cheese

 

 

 

Directions:

1. brown meat (with taco seasoning if needed)

2. add in corn, salsa, beans, chiles, and half the enchilada sauce

3. spray crock pot--spray it up high enough! I didn't!!

**also, I used my circle crock pot.  If you only have a large oval one, I think you could just put two tortillas down side by side and follow same steps.

 

4. Place tortilla in bottom of crock pot.  Mine folded up a little bit, but that is just fine.

5. Pour 1/3 of meat mixture on tortilla and top with some cheese

6. Repeat the tortilla, meat, cheese process until meat mixture is gone. 

 

7. Pour remaining enchilada sauce on top and top with cheese.

 

8. Cover and cook on low 3-4 hours or high 2-3 hours.

 

I cooked on high for almost 3 hours.  This is served much different than traditional enchiladas, but it tastes just as good.  I just scooped out with a spoon and we cut up and ate.  I will make this again!

Crock Pot Recipe: Chicken Parmesan

I have seen this recipe in the past was always skeptical of it so I never made it.  Now I don't think I will ever go back to the oven recipe!  This slow cooker recipe is so easy and just as tasty!! I used a combination of a couple recipes and tweaked it as I wanted.

 

Ingredients:

Chicken Breast

onion

Italian seasonings of your choice

32 oz spaghetti sauce

Parmesan cheese

1 cup grated mozzarella cheese

olive oil (optional)

bread crumbs (optional)

 

Directions:

1. This is an optional step--coat chicken breast with bread crumbs and heat oil in pan.  Pan fry both sides of chicken. (some recipes do not call for this step.  Others call for coating but not the pan frying.  Do what is easiest and most pleasing to your taste buds)

 

2. spray slow cooker and add onion on bottom, then pour in spaghetti sauce. 

 

3. Press chicken into spaghetti sauce and top with seasonings and parmesan cheese (shredded or grated)

 

 

4. Cook on low 4-6 hours

 

5. Once chicken is cooked, top with mozzarella cheese and place slow cooker lid back on. Let cheese melt.

 

6. Cook noodles of your choice while cheese is melting

 

Serve chicken over noodles with sauce and enjoy.  This was a hit for the whole family!!

Crock Pot Potato Soup

Potatoes seem to be on sale every week now.  I have only made potato soup one other time and I remember it was very time consuming.  That was also several years ago, before pinterest:) 

 So this time around I searched for an easy crock pot recipe for potato soup.

I found THIS recipe from Meal Planning Mommies and it was so yummy!  It was so easy.

I liked that I didn't have to use my beaters; I just used my potato masher. Fried a little bacon for a topping and served with a salad. 

It was delicious and that evening, a couple hours after dinner, my oldest says to me "Thank you for the soup and bacon tonight mommy. Can we eat that again?"  With a comment like that, you bet we will!! :)

Recipe: Marinara Chicken and Vegetables

I've had this recipe for a while but am just now making it.  It is a freezer to crockpot meal (the BEST kind of recipe!)


I didn't make it from the freezer, but next time I buy chicken I do plan to make a couple of these ahead of time and freeze.  It was SO tasty! And not what we expected.  Even though it calls for spaghetti sauce, it didn't taste like spaghetti.

This recipe got 12 thumbs up! (yes, twelve now....Colt enjoyed it, too!)

Recipe is for Marinara Chicken and Vegetables

Ingredients:
-3-4 boneless chicken breasts (I used two large)
-4 cloves garlic
-1 can diced tomatoes and chilies (I used 1 can diced tomatoes + a few ounces of verde salsa)
-4 ribs celery, chopped
-2 cups (2 small) zucchini, chopped (our meals got switched around last week and I used the zucchini on another dish! So I didn't have this, but it was just as good! I will add it next time)
-1 green pepper, chopped
-2.5 cups spaghetti sauce (I just used one jar)
-1 t basil
-bow tie noodles (I used one whole box + a little extra from another box)
-(I also added salt and pepper)

 

Directions:

1. Chop Vegetables.

2. Place all ingredients into slow cooker and cook on low for 6-7 hours or on high for 4 hours.

3. Cook noodles about 10 minutes before dinner.

4. Remove chicken and shred then put back in crock pot.

5. Mix cooked noodles into crock pot

6. Top with cheese and serve

**We paired ours with my new favorite recipe--easy garlic knots--and the kids love rolling them out and twisting them!

 

TO FREEZE:

 Chop all vegetables and add all ingredients EXCEPT noodles to a zip lock bag.  Label and freeze.  Thaw enough to get into the slow cooker and cook as directed.

As you can see, it was a hit!

Freezer to Crockpot: Chicken Stroganoff

Not a huge beef stroganoff fan, but thought I'd give this a try. Seemed easy enough and sounded like it would taste good! It did taste great and I recommend giving it a try!

Ingredients: 

3-4 chicken breast

1 can cream of mushroom soup

8oz cream cheese

16 oz sour cream

Egg noodles

Directions: 

Mix cream of mushroom soup with chicken. Freeze in freezer bag. (Original recipe says to put chicken in crock pot then top with the soup, so I tried to put the soup on top of chicken in bag)

On day of cooking: spray crock pot and place contents of bag in. Cut the cream cheese in cubes and place on top. Cook low 6-8 hours. (My crock pot is less than 6)

Boil egg noodles. While boiling, add 3/4 of the sour cream container to crock pot. Drain noodles and add to crock pot. Top with sour cream and serve.

** I only added about 1/2 the sour cream and we didn't top with any additional, so just experiment to taste.

We loved it!!

Freezer to Crockpot: Cheesy Chicken Tater Tot Casserole

Haven't posted a recipe in a while!  This is a great recipe for the crockpot that I have made ahead and froze and have also made and assembled day of.  It's SUPER easy! And yummy!

Ingredients:
1lb chicken
32oz frozen tater tots
2 cup cheese
3oz real bacon crumbles
3/4 cup milk
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
I'm sure you could just throw it all in a bag and freeze-except the milk.  But, this is how I did it when I made it a freezer meal:
Place raw chicken in freezer bag.  I left the cheese in the 2 cup bag it came in and put that in the freezer bag (so I wouldn't forget what it was intended for and use it with something else).  I bought the bacon (real bacon crumbles found in the salad dressing aisle) and left that in the pantry. Bought the tater tots and left those in the freezer next to the freezer bag. 
To cook: thaw chicken (not tots) and layer all ingredients in crock pot. Milk goes on top.
Low 4-6 hours

Freezer to Crockpot: Cream Cheese Chicken

You can't go wrong with anything cream cheese in my opinion!! :)

This was a recipe I prepped on a freezer day when chicken was on sale and I made several recipes. It gets 10 (really 12 because I bet baby liked it too) thumbs up!!! Everyone liked it and it had enough for a little leftovers.

Ingredients:

2pounds chicken

1pkg Italian salad dressing mix

4T butter

1onion

1garlic glove

1 can cream of chicken

8 oz cream cheese

1 cup chicken stock

Noodles (fettuccine or spaghetti)

Directions:

Add all ingredients EXCEPT cream cheese and chicken stock to freezer bag and freeze

To cook: I took my bag out of the freezer the night before and when I put it in the crock pot at noon it wasn't completely thawed, but that is ok. Add the bag AND the cream cheese and chicken stock (I used chicken broth) to the crock pot. Cook low 6-8 hours.

I had forgot to write on the recipe card that it goes over noodles. So last minute as I realize how it is pretty runny I looked it up online and sure enough, you are supposed to serve over fettuccine noodles. I had spaghetti noodles on hand and those worked just fine.  I also sautéed some zucchini and added that on top. It was DELISH! Another that will be added to the rotation!!!!

Freezer to Crockpot: Unstuffed Mexican Shells

Very excited to try this recipe this week! I prepped it about a month ago and it's been calling my name from the freezer.

Ingredients:
1lb meat-cooked
3/4 cup green pepper
2 cup salsa
1 t cumin
1 t chili powder
1 can black beans (drained, rinsed)
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can chilies
2 cup cheese
1 8oz pkg cream cheese
2 cup noodles (small shells)

Directions:
To prep and freeze: add all to zip lock bag EXCEPT noodles and cream cheese
To cook: ingredients into slow cooker EXCEPT noodles and cream cheese on LOW 4 hours. At the 4 hour mark, stir in cream cheese.  Just after doing that, boil the noodles and add to crock pot.  Once noodles are added, turn to high and cook 10 more minutes.
*can also be baked at 350 for 30 minutes

It's on the menu for Wednesday, so we'll see how it turns out!
UPDATE: this is AMAZING!!!!!!! SOOOO yummy, I can't say enough good about it! We had enough to feed 2 adults and 2 toddlers (I made slightly more noodles than 2 cups it calls for) and had enough for daddy to take to work for leftovers! (this is a big deal because our family eats A LOT.)

Crockpot Recipie: Chicken and Stuffing

YUMMMMY!  This recipe came from my friend Ally who says she got it from Sarah Johnson.  I don't know the original source, but I did find it funny that the other night after I had made it I saw it on pinterest! I didn't have to pin it because I already have it:)  Thanks for passing it on, Ally.  We all loved it and it's so easy!!

 

 

Ingredients:

2-4 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless, thawed (but could be frozen) 

1 6oz box of Stove Top Chicken stuffing

1 can of cream of chicken (or cream of whatever--I used mushroom)

3/4 cup sour cream

1/4 cup water

Diced celery (optional)

Directions:

Add chicken breasts to the bottom on crockpot.

 

In a separate bowl, mix cream of chicken, sour cream, water, and optional diced celery together, and pour/ spread over top. (Ally had suggested to mix the stuffing in with the mixture because the stuffing gets dry.  I mixed just over half of the stuffing in and then poured the rest on top.  I was pleased, but I think next time I will just mix the whole box OR maybe add extra sour cream or soup. It wasn't too dry that it wasn't enjoyable, but could have been more moist in some areas.)

 

 

Cook 4-5 hours on Low. It is is frozen chicken consider doing it on high instead of low. (I cooked ours for exactly 4.5 hours, but our crock pot seems to always cook faster than the suggested time)

Freezer to Crockpot: Ravioli....great for Sunday!

Yummy! This one is good--and what makes it better is how easy it is.  I had a freezer to crockpot prep night a couple weeks ago but haven't gotten around to posting the recipes. 

This one is so easy. I was skeptical because I put it in the crock pot frozen and wasn't sure it would truly be ready in time when we got home from church.

But it was! So threw in some garlic bread, made a salad and lunch is served! Easy. And that is what we love.

Ravioli:

Ingredients:
1 large jar (50 oz) pasta sauce
1 can diced tomatoe
1 can condensed chedder soup
2 tsp garlic
1 bag frozen ravioli (25oz)
1 cup parm
1 cup mozz

Directions:
Add all ingredients to bag.  Freeze---DO NOT FREEZE FLAT!  It won't fit in the crock pot! Literally, Brent had to get a hammer and screw driver to crack it in half so it would fit this morning.
On cooking day, put in crock pot from frozen state and cook low 4-6 hours (ours was on low for 4.5 hours and was perfect)

What I did and will do next time:
There are a lot of recipes out there for this.  I just chose this one and followed it exact.  Figured then I would tweek it.  I didn't use 50 oz of sauce.  I used the cheap Hunt's brand $1 can of sauce from Walmart as well as about 1/2 a jar of sauce I had left that needed to either be used or frozen. I didn't use a full cup of either parm or mozz cheese, just estimated with a nice big handful.  I bought beef ravioli and it tasted great.  I think next time to lower the cost of the meal I will skip the cheddar condensed soup, because I think it would be fine without it.
With one 25 oz bag, it was just enough for our family--and we eat a lot! So that was great!

Crock Pot Pork Chops--AMAZING!!!!

This is all I have left to show for our meal:

 

This was a recipe that I searched for very last minute and only because we had a change of plans.  Brent works from home on Thursdays, so I will often have something on the grill that evening.  Last Thursday however, there was a change of plans.  I had pork chops on the menu, which we always eat with my Aunt Marie's deeeelicious homemade chili sauce, but Brent didn't work from home and he said he was going to pick up his brothers on the way home to help him install the sprinkler system.

 

So, since I only had 2 pork chops thawed and he wouldn't be available to grill, I did a switcheroo and we had spaghetti instead!

 

I knew that Friday he would be finishing up the yard and want to get to work on it as soon as he got home because he had to return some rented equipment to "The Homey D"  (yes, we are on a nickname basis with Home Depot.  We are probably their #1 customer lately!)

 

So, all that to say this: I went looking for a crock pot meal for pork chops!  I have done pork loin plenty of times--always with carrots and potatoes (YUMMMMM).  But never pork chops. 

 

This recipe is hands down one of my new favorites.  The entire meal was just scrumptious and so stinkin easy.  It is definitely one we will be using again and I feel a little silly because it is just so easy!

 

Ingredients:

1 small can Cream of Mushroom Soup

1 can of water or milk depending on how creamy you want it (I used water because we were low on milk!)

4-6 pork chops (I only used 2)

 

Directions:

Mix soup and water/milk in a bowl.  Pour 1/2 mixture in the crock pot.  Place meat on top, then cover with remaining mix.  Low 4-6 hours

 

That's IT!  I also poked a few holes in my chops, which were boneless.  The original recipe called for bone in, but it obviously doesn't matter.

 

And another thing I did to make my life easier--I cut, peeled, and boiled carrots the day before and just threw them in the oven with some seasoning.

 

We also had some instant mashed potatoes that were unused from the kids sensory bin so I whipped those up and then thickened the soup mixture once the meat was done to make a gravy. 

 

The gravy is why this recipe is so good.  I was dipping my carrots in it after the meat was gone! :)

Crockpot Meal: Chicken Pot Pie

I had all my ingredients for chicken pot pie tonight.  Was planning to make it the way I always do and double it for the freezer.

But the kids were all playing together and I was prepping lunch.  It dawned on me that I could just prep dinner too! And since the other recipe I use is a little time consuming (at least in the fact that I have to measure several things and then stand and stir at the stove for a few min), I thought I would try this new one out that I had in the cupboard.

 

I found the recipe here while searching online last week for crock pot recipes.  I wrote it down just in case, though I really didn't plan to use it because I love the other recipe so much!

 

It's super easy and will probably taste just as yummy.  I made it fresh, so my chicken or any part of the meal was not frozen. But I'm sure you could mix it all ahead and freeze it!   I also adapted the recipe to use the bisquick instead of the pie crusts.

 

Ingredients:

1 large can cream of chicken (I had cream of mushroom)

4-5 chicken breast (I used 2)

2 cups frozen veggies

potatoes, peeled and diced (I didn't have any on hand and normally don't add these, so I didn't do this)

2 cups cheese

2 pie shells (or bisquick like in my other recipe)

 

Directions:

Mix soup, chicken, and veggies (and potatoes) in crock pot. 

Cook low 6 hours, until chicken is cooked.  (I didn't have the idea until 12:30pm, so I cooked on high for 3.5 hours, then switched to low)

Chop/shred chicken once cooked (I cubed it before adding it to crock pot)

Pour mixture into one pie shell (Or into a pan with no shell)

Top with cheese.  Top with 2nd pie shell (or bisquick like me!)

Bake 400 degrees 20-30min if using pie shell or until golden brown if using bisquick (about 15-20 min)

 

TWO THUMBS UP!! I may never go back to the other way again! :)

 

Freezer to Crock Pot: Black Bean Chili

I intended to make this as a freezer meal and pull out when it was needed, but instead I made it fresh! It was needed now:)

I like to have a soup in the fridge pretty much all the time so we always have a go-to lunch when needed.  This tasted really good! I browned the meat ahead of time then threw it all in the crock pot when I wanted it.  A nice change from regular chili!


Ingredients:

1 lb cooked ground beef
1 28oz can diced tomatoes
2 12oz cans black beans
1 green pepper, diced
1 onion, diced

2t onion powder

2t garlic powder

1T cumin

1 T chili powder

Directions:

Mix all in freezer bag. Lay flat and freeze.
Can put in crock pot thawed or frozen.  Low 6 hours



 

Freezer and Crock Pot Cooking

Freezer cooking is my new best friend.  I especially love "freezer to crock pot" cooking.

I was enjoying it when I had two children, but it wasn't a necessity.
I would occasionally make a double batch of a recipe and freeze one for the future.  I had a couple recipes that I would make large batches up and freeze them all.  A couple were for dinners, but others were for easy lunches, refried beans, dough, broth, and odd things like that.

I knew that life was about to get much busier with three kids.
While Brent was in Ethiopia, I searched for some recipes, made my list, and went to the store for all the ingredients.
Prior to this, I would try to use grocery money from the weekly budget to purchase freezer cooking items here and there when I could. That was the main reason I hadn't had a big cooking day before.

But this time I went on a shopping trip and bought everything I needed to make SO many meals!  In fact, I didn't even have room for all of them in the freezer.  I had to use my mom's freezer too!
And now that our meals have stopped coming from our friends, I'm pulling these out and it is such a blessing.  Such a relief.  So worth it.

A couple of my friends and I often share recipes we find.  I also love finding new ideas online, but there is something nice about knowing the person who tried the recipe!
My sister also likes to freeze recipes and we love crock pot recipes.  So this post is for you busy lifers who need some new freezer ideas! :)

We still have some in the freezer, but I figured I'd post a few now and then I'll post more later.


Rigatoni with Sausage and Peppers (no thawing required!)

This is a skillet meal.  I am famous for not pulling out my frozen food in time. Whether it is a meal or meat we plan to grill.  You know those awesome frozen bag meals that are really yummy but really unhealthy? This is a recipe for one!

Perfect for those days something came up for a change of plans and you need a meal or your original meal didn't thaw out in time:)

 

Ingredients:

1/2 box Rigatoni Pasta (or shape of your choice)

2 Sweet (or spicy) Italian Sausage links

1/2 C. Ricotta Cheese

1 C. tomato sauce

Red, green, yellow pepper slices (amount to your liking)

Directions:

Prepare the pasta shapes according to box directions. Drain, cool. When cool, scatter over a large cookie sheet covered in wax paper to "flash freeze"

 

Slice sausage into bite size pieces and brown in skillet. Cool, then "flash freeze"

 

Mix the cheese and tomato sauce and pour in an ice cube tray.  Freeze.  Pop out and place in large zip lock bag.  You will then add the other items once they are frozen.

 

When you want to serve, you just empty bag into the skillet and cook until sauce is melted and all is warmed through.  SO easy!!

 

 

I didn't take photos while I made it, so you need to go to the tutorial found at The Cozy Country Home. There are lots of steps and it's a little time consuming, but it was really yummy and worth it!

 

***I didn't buy the peppers and freeze ahead and add to the bag (and if I would have, there wouldn't have been room in the bag!) Instead, I just bought them when I needed them and sautéed them separately then added into big dish.

 

***I also have another skillet meal recipe that I made that called for 1/2 C ricotta and 1 C tomato sauce, so it worked perfect to buy a tub of ricotta and split it between the two.  I don't know when I will actually cook it and post about it, so here is the link for the recipe: Creamy Italian Pasta with Chicken (this one I had to use two bags to fit it all in!)

Pot Pie:
This is a recipe that was given to me from Marissa.  I have adapted it though to make it cheaper:)

You can use any meat you want.  We like beef or chicken.  It's super easy to double and freeze one.  You do want to make the filling completely before freezing it.

The original recipe calls for pie crusts to be the shell of the pot pie.  We always have bisquick on hand, so I add that to the top.  Then I don't have to add pie crusts to the shopping list.  For this recipe, I put some bisquick in a baggie and put that in the freezer with the pot pie to be sure we had some when it was time to eat it!

Ingredients:
1 pkg refridgerated pie crusts (or the bisquick like I use)
1/3 c butter
1/3 c flour
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2/3 c milk
3 c shredded cooked chicken, turkey, or beef
2 c frozen mixed vegetables
1 can chicken broth

 



 



 

Directions:

Unfold 1 pie crust and place in pie pan.  Preheat oven to 425. In saucepan, melt butter, add flour, salt, and pepper.  Stir until well blended.  Gradually add broth and milk.  Cook; stirring constanstantly until bubbly and thickened. 

Stir in chicken and veggies.  Remove from heat.  Pour chicken mixture in pie pan and top with 2nd pie crust.

Bake 30-40 min until golden brown

 

**My variation is the exact same directions except I just pour the mixture right into the dish and top with the biscuit mix.  I make one in a pie pan and this time I put one in a freezer pan.  You could also let cool and pour into a zip lock bag.  The day before cooking, take out of freezer and cut bag open to pour contents into dish.  I have found it thaws better that way so it all gets in the dish rather than thawing in the bag and trying to scoop it out!

 



Chicken, Rice, and Gravy:

 

I know, sounds pretty plain and boring.  But when I was making all of these meals my goal was cheap, easy, and basic ingredients.

 

I did add a little cheese to this even though it didn't call for it.  You could easily add any veggies too.  It was pretty good.  I made a bunch then divided into two meals.

 

Ingredients:

2 c white rice, prepared

1 lb chicken, cooked and cubed

chicken gravy

 

 

Directions:

Line bottom of pan with small amount of gravy

Top with Rice

Top with Chicken, then with gravy

**Again, I did mine in a zip lock bag, so the layers didn't really happen and that is ok.

To prepare from frozen: defrost, cover, and bake 375 for 45 minutes  (I definitely didn't bake it this long!!)

Option: top with canned biscuits for the last 20 minutes

 

Texas Skillet:

This is a favorite meal in our house.  It came from Kathi Olmstead.  I think it was from one of those email chain letters that you are supposed to send your favorite recipe--the one you have memorized.

 

This is the first time I'd actually made it ahead for a freezer meal. It froze well and tasted great as always.

 

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef

1 small onion, chopped

1 can chili beans

1 can petite diced tomatoes

3/4 c minute rice

3/4 c water

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp garlic salt

3/4 c cheddar cheese

chopped green pepper or green chilies are optional

 

We serve with fritos or cornbread

 

 

Directions:

In skillet, cook ground beef and onion

Sprinkle with salt and garlic salt

Stir in undrained tomatoes, undrained beans, uncooked minute rice, water, and green peppers or chilies.

Cook and simmer for 15-20 minutes

Top with cheese

Serve with fritos or corn bread

 

**For freezer version:  I always brown all my ground beef when I buy it and separate it into baggies in the freezer for meals.

Brown the beef and cool. Add beef and all other ingredients EXCEPT water to the freezer bag. 

On cooking day, add the bag and the 3/4 cup water to the pan.  Boil and simmer 15-20 minutes.

 

It's a one pot, easy clean up meal.  I love those!!! :)

 

 

Easy Enchiladas:

Another easy favorite at our house.  This is a great freezer meal and works well with beef or chicken.

I believe this recipe came from Carol Flin at my bridal shower, but I don't even have the recipe card anymore because I know it by heart.  It's so easy!!  (Sorry for the approximations in the ingredients.  It's one of those that I just go with what I have and adjust accordingly.  You just don't want it to be too dry.  So if you only have one can of soup, then add more sour cream or salsa)

 

Ingredients:

Tortillas (we prefer the corn, but either will work) (I use about 15-17 corn)

Chicken or Beef (cooked)

can of corn

can of black beans

1-2 cans of cream of chicken or cream of mushroom soup

can of green chilies

appx 1 cup sour cream

appx 1 cup salsa

cheese (8 oz shredded)

 

Directions:

 

Directions:

Here is the easy part---rip the tortillas and mix in everything else! That's it! Drain the corn and beans of course.  Be sure to save some cheese to top it all off when it is in the pan.

 

To freeze: mix all and put in freezer bag. Thaw in 9x13 and top with cheese. Bake 350 for about 30 minutes.

 

Stuffed Pepper Soup

This was actually a new recipe I just made, but it was so good and in a crock pot, so it was worth sharing!

 

 

Ingredients:

2 green peppers

ground beef

2 cups rice

onion

2 can diced tomatoes

water

chicken broth

Italian seasoning

 

Directions:

I sort of winged this one off another recipe, but never wrote it down.  After I made it I had to add water because it was much too thick. 

Brown meat.  Cook rice. Add all ingredients to crock pot for a few hours to warm and get tasty.

 

SO GOOD!!!!

 

 

 

Honey Rosemary Chicken

 

We love this one!! I've made it a few times before.

 

Ingredients:

2 lbs chicken

1/3 c balsalmic vinegar

1/3 c honey

1/3 c olive oil

3 T rosemary

1 t salt

 

 

Directions:

Marinate, then freeze.

Add 1 cup water and bag to crock pot on cooking day.  Cook low 6-8 hours.

Add cornstarch to thicken at the end.  The sauce is the best part!!

****You may notice the big zip lock bags.  I learned that trick from Money Saving Mom's website.  You make the food, put it in the bag, and lay flat to freeze.  Once frozen, you can stack and move around very easily.
**As mentioned though, if you do the zip lock bags, I like to transfer to pan to thaw so all the juices get into the pan rather than trying to squeeze them out after they have thawed.