To celebrate a long, holiday weekend I decided to do my monthly freezer meal "cooking." Most of the sites I have seen in the past actually require you to cook certain parts of the freezer meal. Since that bothers me for some reason, my freezer "cooking" day requires zero cooking at all which makes it super easy, super quick. I spent less than 2 hours from the time I started taking out the ingredients to a clean kitchen.
Today's adventure gave me 15 meals that will last us at least a month. Since it is just the two of us, each meal feeds us plus gives at least one of lunch the next day; each meal could feed a family of 4 (2 adults, 2 kids). With eating out once a week, nights we just aren't hungry, or eating leftovers, today's work will enable me to ignore major grocery shopping and prepping for awhile. A lot of my meals are adopted from ones I have found on Pinterest (
Six Sisters' Stuff,
When the Dinner Bell Rings, Loving My Nest) and made to fit our particular taste.
It is amazing to start the slow cooker before we head off to work and walk in to a home with a delish dinner ready to eat. All we have to do is come up with a side dish (usually mashed potatoes, pasta, rice, other grains). By the time we clean up whatever mess Zoe has left for us and change out of our work clothes, we have a complete meal ready to devour.
Below are the recipes as well as a shopping list. I made 2 of each of the chicken dishes and 1 of each pork dish. The recipes are for 1 bag while the shopping list is everything *I* used today. To save time, chop all the onions and cilantro before putting the bags together.
Creamy Ranch Chicken – 2 bags
2 cans “cream of” soups (I used celery and
potato)
2 packets ranch dressing mix
8 chicken breasts
Combine ranch dressing mix and soups. Divide
between bags. Place 4 chicken breasts in each bag. Seal well. Cook x8 hours on
low. Serve with buttered noodles or mashed potatoes.
Cilantro Black Bean Chicken – 1 bag
1/4 bunch
cilantro, washed and coarsely chopped
1 can black bean
2 tablespoons lime or lemon juice
1 tablespoon garlic per bag
1/4 cup shredded cheese
4 chicken breasts
In bag place ¼ bunch cilantro, beans, juice,
garlic and cheese. Combine in bag. Add 4 breasts chicken to bag. Cook on low x8
hours. Serve with rice or quinoa.
Spicy Coconut Chicken -- 1 bag
1 can coconut milk (I used lite)
2 tablespoons sriracha
1 tablespoon garlic thai chili paste
1/4 cup green onions, chopped
1 tablespoon soy sauce (low sodium)
1/4 cup white onions, chopped
1 teaspoon basil
1/4 bunch cilantro
4 chicken breasts
Combine basil and liquids in bag. Add onions and
cilantro, lightly combine. Add chicken breast. Cook on low x8 hours. Serve with
rice.
Spicy Taco Chicken – makes 10-12 tacos in 1 bag
**We like these spicy, feel free to use milder salsa/taco sauce and omitting the jalapenos**
1 cup salsa (I used Pace Picante® Hot)
2 tablespoons taco sauce (I used hot)
1/4 cup jalapenos
1 packet taco seasoning
1 cup shredded cheese
1 can pinto beans, ground to smooth
4 chicken breasts
1/2 cup sour cream or plain greek yogurt
Taco shells
Taco toppings (sour cream, taco sauce, lettuce,
tomato, etc)
Combine spices, cheese, peppers, salsa, beans
until well mixed in bag. Add chicken breasts. Cook on low x8 hours. Add sour
cream or yogurt. Shred chicken. Serve with whatever toppings you’d like as
tacos. We prefer this with whole grain soft taco shells.
Alfredo Chicken – 1 bag
1 jar Alfredo sauce
1 tablespoon garlic
1 cup green beans or broccoli
1/2 cup chopped white onion
4 chicken breast
Combine first 4 ingredients until mixed well in
bag. Add chicken. Serve over whole grain or veggie pasta. Cook on low x8 hours.
Cranberry-Apple Pork Roast – 1 roast
1 can cranberry sauce
1 cup applesauce
1 tablespoon garlic
1/4 cup white onion
1 pork roast, 2 lbs
Mix cranberry sauce with applesauce in bag until
smooth. Add garlic and onions, mix. Add pork roast. Cook on low x 8 hours.
Serve with mashed potatoes.
Honey Mustard Pork Chops – 1 bag
1/2 cup mustard, Dijon or Yellow
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons agave nectar *or just a touch more
honey*
4 boneless pork chops
Combine all but chops in bag. Add chops after
well mixed. Cook on low x8 hours.
Cinnamon-Apple Pork Chops – 1 bag
1 cup applesauce
3 tablespoons cinnamon
4 pork chops, boneless
Mix applesauce and cinnamon in bag. Add chops.
Cook on low x8 hours.
Shopping List to
Make 2 bags Each of Chicken Dishes, 1 Bag Each of Pork Dishes
2 cans “cream of” soups
2 packets ranch dressing mix
2 cans black beans
2 packets taco seasoning
2 cans pinto beans
1 can cranberry sauce
2 cans coconut milk
1 white onion
1 bunch cilantro
1 bunch green onions
2 jars alfredo sauce
1 bag frozen green beans or broccoli
1 jar chopped garlic (or ~12 garlic cloves)
15 freezer bags
1 jar
picante salsa
1 jar
applesauce
Sriracha
Garlic
thai chili paste
12
taco shells
Taco
toppings
Basil
Soy sauce
Honey
Dijon mustard or Yellow mustard
Red wine vinegar
Apple cider vinegar
Agave nectar (optional)
Cinnamon
Lime juice
8 pork chops, boneless ~1 inch thick
~40 chicken breasts
1 pork roast, ~2 pounds
