Thursday, July 11, 2013

Slow Cooker to Freezer Meal plan, part 2

The Great Shopping Trip

Today I dropped the kids off with mom.  I took my shopping list (made yesterday) and started at Woodmans, my favorite 24/7 grocery store.  Total for all the produce and staples I'm going to need for tomorrow was about $50.  I got everything except the meat.

Next I hit my neighborhood grocery store, Festival Foods for their meat selection.  They deeply discount certain meats at the end of the day, so I was able to get about 20# of meat ranging in price from 1.50 -3.00 per pound.  I didn't have a chance to get chicken breasts, but I was able to get several good looking beef and pork cuts.

Later today I might stop by Sam's, where I can get chicken breast for 1.99#.  We'll see.  Otherwise I'll work with what I have.

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Slow Cooker to Freezer Meal plan, part 1

At 36 weeks, I am feeling very much like nesting... without the energy.  I want to have meals in the freezer for the post baby haze, but I don't want to be on my feet cooking.  At all.

So, I am going for my tried and true freezer to slow cooker approach.

For my first step, I made my battle plan today.

I got my recipes from here. I picked the recipes I was going to use (I was going to start with 10, but went to 13 and I'm planning on doubling all of them) and made my grocery list.

I love the simplicity of these recipes, but I am adding my own modifications.  I always, always, add veggies to my freezer meals, which means I need about twice as much seasoning to cover the whole meal.

So, first I'm going to load the meat into my trusty, labelled gallon bags.  Then I am going to add the seasoning for 24 or 26 (depends on how much meat I get) meals.  Then I am going to fill the rest of the bag with chopped, freezable produce.

Tomorrow, I will be shopping cheap cuts of meat and in-season, freezable veggies for my grand meal-making adventure.


Tuesday, July 9, 2013

Spanish Slow Cooker "Skillet" Recipe

So, today was Tuesday after an eventful week, which I knew meant I could put dinner in the morning, or the kids would be having PB&J for dinner.

So, I took stock of A) what I had on hand and B) what they have been liking lately.  If you have kids, you are familiar with the idea that their taste in food morphs on a daily, or even hourly, basis.

Shockingly, everyone loved it.  So, here is the recipe for tonight's win.

Spanish Slow Cooker "Skillet" (adapted from "Spanish Noodle Skillet" in the "More with Less Cook Book")

Throw in the slow cooker:
1 # cooked ground beef (I buy and cook in bulk and freeze in one pound portions)
2 cans diced tomatoes (You could probably substitute six cups fresh)
Corn from three cooked ears (could substitute one can corn)
1 can kidney beans (or two cups cooked)
1 cup brown rice
2 cups water
1 T salt
1/2 t pepper
1 t oregano

Let cook all day.

If desired, sprinkle cheese on top ten minutes before serving.

Voila! Kid approved.