Freezer Crock Pot Meals

Freezer Crock Pot Meals
There seems to be more crock pot recipes floating online in addition to to these recipes and using the crock pot as a means to make healthy and delicious meals with little time, these recipes are being used to make freezer meals.  The idea is to take one afternoon and prepare a number of meals to freeze.  Then the night before you defrost the packaged meal in the fridge and throw into your crock pot the next morning.  And viola, you have a delicious meal at the end of a busy day with no fuss!  I decided to try this out with the recipes below.  All these recipes were found online and are not my original recipes.  **some of the recipes don’t have specific crockpot instructions – cook on low for 6-8 hours**

I have 2 maple glazed recipes and 2 honey garlic recipes listed, I plan on making only one of each of them but wanted to share both.  Some of the meals could be served over rice, noodles, or in enchiladas/burrito wrappers a few seem to be a full meal in itself.  Most of the recipes don't require browning the meat and I have been told even if it does you don't have to do this step.  Therefore, I plan on doing all the slicing, dicing, cutting and measuring.  Then place them into gallon sized zip loc bags labeled with the recipe name and crock pot instructions. 
If you try these please leave a comment as to your thoughts.  Or if you have other freezer/crock pot meals to share please do! 

Crock Pot Sweet & Sour Meatballs

• 1 (16oz) pkg frozen fully cooked meatballs
• 1 onion – diced
• 1 green pepper, diced
• 1 red pepper, diced
• 1 (16-18oz) bottle sweet & sour sauce
• 1 cup pineapple tidbits, drained

1. Place the frozen meatballs, peppers, onions & sweet and sour sauce into a gallon-sized freezer bag. Zip close & place in freezer. When ready to use thaw in fridge overnight. Empty contents into crock-pot and cook on low 4 hours, during the last hour add in the pineapple.
2. Serve over rice.

Nutrition Information

Serving size: 6 

Crock-Pot Chicken Sweet Potatoes 

• 8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• 3 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 cup peach preserves OR apricot preserves
• 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• ½ cup chicken broth or water
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch

1. Sprinkle chicken with salt, cayenne pepper, paprika, curry powder, and ginger. Add peach preserves, vinegar, and soy sauce to gallon freezer bag. Add in sweet potatoes and onion, and top with chicken. Seal bag and place in freezer. When ready to use thaw in fridge overnight. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours until chicken is thoroughly cooked and sweet potatoes are tender when pierced with fork.
2. Combine chicken broth and cornstarch and mix well. Add to slow cooker. Cover and cook on high 10-15 minutes until sauce is thickened

 Maple Dijon Glazed Chicken

• 4-6 chicken breasts
• 1 cup Dijon mustard
• ½ cup maple syrup
• 2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
• Salt & Pepper (optional)

1. Place all ingredients in a resealable gallon-sized freezer bag.
2. Mix together and close.
3. When ready to eat, remove from freezer and thaw in fridge overnight. Cook on LOW for 8 hours or HIGH for 4 hours.

Crock Pot Maple Dijon Chicken Thighs

• 6-8 Chicken thighs
• 1/2 C Dijon Mustard
• 1/4 C Maple Syrup
• 1 T Rice Wine Vinegar
• 1 can of Sliced Mushrooms, drained*
• 1 onion sliced*

1. Spray crock pot with non-stick cooking spray
2. Place chicken in crock pot
3. Mix together mustard, syrup, vinegar and pour over chicken
4. Top with mushrooms and sliced onion
5. Cook on low for 6 hours

Crock-Pot Cheesy Chicken Potato & Broccoli

• 2-4 chicken breasts
• 1 large green pepper, chopped
• 2 cups broccoli, chopped
• 1 lb. red potatoes, sliced thin
• 1 tsp. paprika
• 1 can condensed cream of chicken soup
• ¼lb. (4 oz.) VELVEETA®, cut into ½-inch cubes
• 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
• ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley – (I used dried parsley)

1. Add all ingredients except for cheese in a gallon freezer bag. Seal bag and place in freezer. When ready to use thaw in fridge overnight. Cook 6 hours low. Add cheese and cook on high for 5 minutes. Stir melted cheese in

Crock-Pot Honey Garlic Chicken

• 2-4 Chicken Breasts
• 3 Garlic Cloves, smashed and chopped
• 1 Teaspoon Dried Basil
• ½ cup Soy Sauce
• ½ cup Ketchup
• ⅓ cup Honey
• 2 cups carrots (or choice of veggie)

1. Place all ingredients in gallon size ziplock. Seal bag and place in freezer. Thaw overnight in fridge. Cook on high for 3-4 hours.

Crock-pot Honey Garlic Chicken

• Chicken ( I used 3 leg quarters and 2 drumsticks so all the kids wouldn't fight over the drumsticks)
• 5 garlic cloves chopped
• 1 tsp. oregano
• 3/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 1/2 cup spicy honey bbq sauce
• 1/3 cup honey
• pinch of salt
• dash of pepper

1. Place Chicken in crock-pot.
2. Mix spices, soy sauce, ketchup, bbq sauce, and honey. Pour over chicken.
3. Cook on low 6 hours.
4. I split the leg quarters but you don't have to.

Crock Pot Sesame Honey Chicken  Servings: 8 • Serving Size: over 2/3 cup  Old Pts: 4  Calories: 185.5 • Fat: 2 g • Protein: 27 g • Carbs: 13.5 g • Fiber: 0.7 g • Sugar: 10 g Sodium: 504 mg

• 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast
• black pepper, to taste
• 1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce (tamari for gluten-free)
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 3 tbsp rice wine vinegar
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp water
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp sriracha hot chili sauce, or more to taste
• 1 heaping tbsp cornstarch
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/2 tbsp sesame seeds
• 2 medium scallions, chopped for garnish
  
  Place the chicken in the slow cooker and season with black pepper. In a medium bowl, combine soy sauce, honey, tomato paste, vinegar, garlic, 1 tbsp water, sesame oil, onion powder and sriracha hot chili sauce. Pour over chicken and cook on LOW 3-4 hours.

Remove chicken, leaving the sauce in the slow cooker. Shred chicken with two forks; set aside.

In a small bowl, dissolve cornstarch in remaining 1/4 cup water; add to the slow cooker and stir to combine. Cover and cook on HIGH until slightly thickened, about 15 to 20 minutes; return chicken to the slow cooker and mix well.

Serve chicken and sauce over rice and top with sesame seeds and chopped scallions for garnish.

Crockpot Applesauce BBQ Chicken

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1/2 t ground pepper
• 2/3 cup chunky applesauce
• 2/3 cup BBQ sauce (I used Brown Sugar/Hickory)
• 2 T brown sugar
• 1 t chili powder

1. Spray Crockpot with non-stick cooking spray, or use a Crockpot liner for easy clean-up.
2. Place chicken breasts on bottom.
3. Mix all remaining ingredients together, and pour over chicken.
4. Cook 6-8 hours on low setting. Serves 4.

Slow Cooker Cilantro Lime Chicken

• 6 chicken breasts
• 3 Tbs olive oil
• 2 limes, juiced
• 2 cups cilantro
• 1 large bag of frozen corn
• 4 minced garlic cloves
• 1 finely chopped red onion
• 2 cans of black beans, rinsed
• 2 t cumin
• 2 t chipotle powder
• salt/pepper to taste

1. Split everything evenly into two large freezer bags.
2. Close bags, label and give a good shake to get everything mixed. Place in freezer until ready to prepare.
3. Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours, serve with hot tortillas or tostitos. Dress with sour cream, guacamole, and/or cheese

Easiest Crock Pot Chicken Salsa Verde Servings: 6 • Size: 1/2 cup • Old Points: 3 • Calories: 145 • Fat: 2 g • Carb: 5 g • Fiber: 0 g • Protein: 26 g • Sugar: 0 g Sodium: 415 mg (without the salt) • Cholest: 0 mg

• 1 1/2 lbs raw skinless chicken tenders
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/8 tsp oregano
• 1/8 tsp ground cumin
• salt, to taste
• 16 oz roasted salsa verde (I used Archer Farms)
  
  Season chicken with garlic powder, oregano, cumin and salt and place in the bottom of the slow cooker. Cover with salsa verde, cover and cook HIGH 2 hours.

Remove chicken, shred with 2 forks. Remove 2/3 cup of liquid from the slow cooker, and discard (unless you want it over rice). Place shredded chicken back into the crock pot with remaining salsa, adjust seasoning to taste if needed and keep warm.
Makes about 3 cups.

Chunky Beef Stew

Yield: 4 servings

• 1 lb stewing beef
• 2 T olive oil
• 4 c beef stock
• 1 c chopped onion
• 1 c chopped celery
• 3 peeled and chopped carrots
• 2 white potatoes
• 1 28oz can diced tomatoes
• ½ t rosemary
• ½ t thyme

1. Brown the beef and vegetables in a pot with some olive oil before tossing into the slow cooker
2. Add the rest of the ingredients and cook on low for 6 hours or until meat is tender
3. Season to taste and serve

Slow Cooker Pork and Green Chile Stew
Servings: 6 • Serving Size: little over 3/4 cup • Old Points: 6 pts • Calories: 253 • Fat: 9 g • Carbs: 5.5 g • Fiber: 0.5 g • Protein: 33 g • Sugar: 1.5 g Sodium: 836 mg (without salt)

• 
2 lbs* boneless pork loin roast, lean, all fat trimmed off
• salt and pepper to taste
• cooking spray
• 2 tbsp unbleached all-purpose flour
• 
3/4 cup diced onion
• 2 cans (4.25 oz each) whole green chiles, sliced into thick rounds
• 2 tbsp chopped jalapeño, or more to taste

• 10 oz can diced tomatoes and green chilies (Ro*Tel Mild)

• 1/2 cup fat-free low-sodium chicken broth
• 
1 tbsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder

• salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste

  
  Cut pork into 2-inch pieces. Season with salt and pepper.
  Heat a large non-stick skillet on high heat; when hot lightly spray the pan with oil and brown the pork over medium heat on all sides, about 3 - 4 minutes total. Sprinkle 1 tbsp of flour over pork and stir to cook 30 seconds, sprinkle remaining flour over pork and cook an additional 30 seconds.
  Add browned pork to the crock pot, along with the remaining ingredients.
  Cook on LOW for 8 hours or HIGH for 4 houts (if using a Dutch oven, cook on low heat for 3-4 hours). When done, adjust season, salt and pepper to taste if needed.
  
  Makes about 5 cups.

March 1- March 7

Tuesday, March 1-  Since my older daughter has a haircut scheduled right near dinner, I am opting for a simple meal.  I plan on taking chicken breasts season with basil, oregano and rosemary.  Place in my Pampered Chef Covered Baker and pour Italian dressing over the breasts.  Microwave for about 6-8 minutes or until done (3 oz. WW Pts: 3).  I will serve them over rice (WW Pts: 4) and carrots ( 1cup WW: 1).  The whole meal is 8 WW pts. per serving.

Wednesday, March 2- Tonight's meal I found on Cooking Light's website, Lemon Pepper Shrimp Scampi which is 8 WW Points.

Lemon Pepper Shrimp Scampi

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1/2 cup orzo mixture and about 7 shrimp) WW Pts: 8

* 1 cup uncooked orzo
* 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
* 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
* 7 teaspoons unsalted butter, divided
* 1 1/2 pounds peeled and deveined jumbo shrimp
* 2 teaspoons bottled minced garlic
* 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
* 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1. Cook orzo according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain. Place orzo in a medium bowl. Stir in parsley and 1/4 teaspoon salt; cover and keep warm.

2. While orzo cooks, melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle shrimp with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Add half of shrimp to pan; sauté 2 minutes or until almost done. Transfer shrimp to a plate. Melt 1 teaspoon butter in pan. Add remaining shrimp to pan; sauté 2 minutes or until almost done. Transfer to plate.

3. Melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter in pan. Add garlic to pan; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Stir in shrimp, juice, and pepper; cook 1 minute or until shrimp are done.
Nutritional Information

Calories: 403 Fat: 10.4g (sat 4.8g,mono 2.2g,poly 1.4g) Protein: 40.1g Carbohydrate: 1.7g 34.7g Fiber: Cholesterol: 276mg Iron: 4.3mg Sodium: 549mg Calcium: 97mg

David Bonom, Cooking Light, MARCH 2009

Thursday, March 3- Also found in my recent issue of BHG was a reader's winning recipe of Mexican Mac and Cheese.  I will be tweaking the recipe to include chopped jalapeno into the casserole.  I will also be halving the recipe for my family.  WW Pts: 9

Mexican Mac N Cheese (from BHG)

• 12  oz.  dried mostaccioli or rigatoni pasta (3 cups)
• 1  lb.  bulk pork sausage
• 1  cup  chopped onion
• 1  16-oz. jar  green medium-hot salsa
• 2  8-oz. pkg.  shredded Monterey Jack cheese (4 cups)
• Tomato wedges, sliced jalapeño peppers, and chopped fresh cilantro
•  Salsa (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease 3-quart rectangular baking dish; set aside. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain; set aside.
2. Meanwhile, in large skillet cook sausage and onion until meat is browned and onion is tender. Drain fat, Return sausage and onion to skillet. Stir in green salsa (and I am adding chopped jalapeno).
3. Bake, uncovered, for 35 minutes or until bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes. Top with tomato, jalapeño, and cilantro. If desired, serve with additional salsa. Makes 12 servings.

Nutrition Facts

• Calories378,Total Fat (g)22, Saturated Fat (g)11, Monounsaturated Fat (g)8, Polyunsaturated Fat (g)2, Cholesterol (mg)61, Sodium (mg)474, Carbohydrate (g)25, Total Sugar (g)4, Fiber (g)1, Protein (g)19, Vitamin C (DV%)6, Calcium (DV%)30, Iron (DV%)11, Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Friday, March 4- Date night!!  No cooking for me other than throwing together something for the kids.

Saturday, March 5- Grilled Steak (WW Pts: 2.5 for 2 oz lean) with Baked Sweet Potatoes with Ginger and Honey (WW Pts: 3) and a mixed green salad with a vinaigrette dressing.   The whole meal is 5.5 WW per serving.  I found the initial recipe on allrecipes.com but added a few of my modifications as follows and I will halve the recipe.

Baked Sweet Potatoes with Ginger and Honey WW Pts: 3

• 3 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 2 tablespoons walnut oil (regular or light olive oil can be substituted)
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp. ground allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
2. In a large bowl, toss together the sweet potatoes, honey, ginger, walnut oil, spices, and pepper. Transfer to a large cast iron frying pan.
3. Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven. Stir the potatoes to expose the pieces from the bottom of the pan. Bake for another 20-30 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are tender and caramelized on the outside.  Yields 12 servings

Amount Per Serving  Calories: 162 | Total Fat: 2.3g | Cholesterol: 0mg Powered by ESHA Nutrient Database

Nutritional Information

Calories: 162 Total Fat: 2.3g Cholesterol: 0mg Sodium: 63mg Total Carbs: 34.9g Dietary Fiber: 3.5g Protein: 1.9g

Sunday, March 6-  I just received my latest edition of BHG magazine and came across tonight's recipe of Pasta, Red Bean and Parsley Toss. I may add some meat to this meal, not sure yet. WW Pts: 8

Pasta, Red Bean Parsley Toss WW Pts: 8

* 8 oz. dried medium shell pasta or desired pasta
* 3 cups broccoli florets
* 1 Tbsp olive oil
* 1-1/2 cups chopped onion
* 1 15-oz. can red beans, drained, reserving 1/4 cup of liquid
* 1/2 cup chicken broth
* 1-1/2 tsp. chili powder
* 1/2 cup finely shredded pecorino or Parmesan cheese
* 1/4 cup snipped Italian (flat-leaf) parsley

1. Cook pasta according to package instructions, adding broccoli the last 3 minutes; drain.

2. Meanwhile, in a 12-inch skillet heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Reduce heat to medium; cook about 5 minutes more or until onion is tender.

3. Increase heat to high; add pasta, broccoli, beans, chicken broth, reserved bean liquid, and chili powder to pan. Cook over high heat for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add cheese and parsley. Cook and stir until cheese is melted. Makes 4 servings.

4. Serve pasta with grated hard cooked egg. Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition Facts

Calories 422,Total Fat (g)8, Saturated Fat (g)3,Monounsaturated Fat (g)4,Polyunsaturated Fat (g)1,Cholesterol (mg)11, Sodium (mg)796,Carbohydrate (g)70,Total Sugar (g)7,Fiber (g)11, Protein (g)19,Vitamin C (DV%)1.2, Calcium (DV%)20, Iron (DV%)24, Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Monday, March 7-  I found an interesting chicken dish on allrecipes.com, Raspberry Glazed Rosemary Chicken, WW Points: 5 for each breast.  I will serve the chicken along with a side salad and roasted garlic red potatoes (WW Pts: 3).  Whole meal per serving is 8 WW Points.

Raspberry Glazed Rosemary Chicken WW Pts: 5

• 1 tablespoon crushed rosemary
• 1 teaspoon rubbed sage
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 8 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• 1/4 cup fat-free chicken broth
• 1 cup raspberry preserves
• 1/2 teaspoon honey mustard
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a small bowl, stir together crushed rosemary, sage, and oregano.
3. Rub one side of each chicken breast with herb mixture. Place chicken herb-side up in a baking dish, and pour broth over the chicken.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes.
5. Place raspberry preserves in a microwave-safe bowl, and heat for 20 to 30 seconds to soften. Stir in honey mustard and rosemary.
6. Spread about 1 tablespoon of preserve mixture over each breast. Bake 10 minutes more.

Calories: 240 Total Fat: 1.6g Cholesterol: 68mg Sodium: 92mg Total Carbs: 28.1g Dietary Fiber: 0.2g Protein: 27.5g

October 20-26 Meals

This weeks Box contains 1 Large and 2 tiny Eggplants, 2 Bell Peppers, 3 Squash, 1lb. of Unshelled Striped Beans, 3 lbs. of Purple Sweet Potatoes, 3 Cucumbers and a variety of 10 Apples.

The White Bean and Sausage Cassoulet was a wonderful hearty meal. I am glad I threw it on the menu again last week! The Apple Stuffed Chicken was heavy on the thyme for my liking but the side dish of Butternut Squash Apple Bake was superb!

I had some zucchini left from 2 weeks ago and will make some more Zucchini Bread this week. I never made the apple muffins, most of the apples had been snacked on before the weekend! So maybe with this weeks apples I will try an apple cinnamon muffin recipe.

Wednesday, October 20- It's Mexican inspired dinner tonight. I will season ground beef with cumin and cayenne pepper, saute chopped pepper from my Box, add drained & rinsed black beans and diced tomatoes. The mixture will be served on flour tortillas and garnished with shredded cheese and sour cream.

Thursday, October 21- Thursdays are my busy hectic evenings. Therefore, my girls will dine on one of their favorites, Mac N Cheese with fresh fruit. My husband and I will eat later that evening, most likely cheeseburgers and a simple side.

Friday, October 22- Slow Cooker Turkey Breast served with potatoes and peas will be Friday's meal.
Slow Cooker Turkey Breast

• Layer the bottom of your crockpot with one chopped sweet yellow onion, 1/4 cup chicken broth, and 1/2 tbsp. minced garilc.
  
• Rub the turkey inside and out with one packet of onion soup mix, also rub some oregano, thyme, and 1/2 tbsp minced garlic on the breast.
  
• Drizzle the breast with 1 tbsp. melted butter or olive oil. Place breast on top of onions and cook on high 1 hour.
  
• Reduce to low setting and continue cooking for 7 hours.
• During the last 3 hours, add quartered potatoes and/or sweet potatoes.
  
• While breast rests before craving, turn setting to high and in a small bowl or cup, mix together 2 tablespoons flour with 1/4 cup of liquid (chicken broth or water). Stir into crockpot, and cook uncovered for 15 minutes, or until thickened.

Saturday, October 23- I will be entertaining company over the weekend and after late day soccer games we will be dining out, most likely at Tyler's Taproom in Apex!

Sunday, October 24- My husband will be getting some marinated beef from the Meat House in Cary to grill for dinner tonight. I will serve purple sweet potato fries, caramelized onions and peppers and a fresh salad with the beef.

Monday, October 25- I never made the Lemony Roasted Veggies and Couscous last week. So I will prepare it tonight using some of the potatoes from last week's Box and I will add some pepper and eggplant to the veggie mix. I will also add some minced garlic and serve it with shrimp.

Roasted Lemony Veggies & Couscous

1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped basil
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
2 large tomatoes, seeded and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 small butternut squash (about 1 pound) peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch chunks (about 4 cups)
1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 pound red-skin potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 cup baby carrots, halved
1 cup couscous

Directions
1. Heat oven to 375 degrees F. In a small bowl, stir together lemon juice, basil, parsley, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and 1/2 teaspoon of the pepper. Slowly whisk in olive oil; set aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine tomatoes, squash, potatoes and carrots. Sprinkle mixture with remaining 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Drizzle with prepared lemon dressing and stir well to combine.
3. Pour vegetable mixture into a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking dish and cover with foil. Bake at 375 degrees F for 35 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake another 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
4. When there is 10 minutes bake time remaining, prepare couscous according to package directions. Remove vegetable mixture from oven and carefully stir in couscous. Serve immediately.

Tuesday, October 26- I think I'll use the yellow squash from my box to make my Squash and Zucchini Burritos. I'll look for some zucchini at the farmer's market over the weekend.