Recipies: Make Ahead, Freezable, Crock Pot, Etc.

I have been freezing meals for 2 years now. I LOVE it, it is so nice to have prepared meal all ready that you just need to heat up and eat. I had found some recipes on line, but I fell in love with
http://www.30mealsinoneday.com/ It is an investment, but SO worth it. They teach you how to make 30 meals in one day, trust me it is possible. And they have been some of my family's favorites recipes. And I have 3 little girls, 2 of which are really picky! :)
Good luck and happy freezing!

You don't even need a real recipe to do crockpot stew or crockpot BBQ chicken. I throw in potatoes (use the small ones so you don't have to cut them or only have to cut them in half, a bag of mini peeled and cleaned carrots (no cleaning, no cutting!), anything else I want (onion in big chunks, celery in chunks etc.) and chicken breasts and chicken broth. Done. I put mine on for about 4 hours in my large crock pot because I like the chicken to just fall apart and the veggies to be really tender. For BBQ chicken, just put in chicken breasts and your favorite sauce (I make a quick homemade one -- tomato sauce, tomato paste, liquid smoke, cider vinegar, a little brown sugar -- all just "to taste" and no measuring), cover and cook until the chicken falls apart. TIP: I spray inside the crock pot with cooking spray before putting anything into it. Have fun.

See the cookbooks:
Love More Feed Less
or Sharing Mountains Recipes

both are available on Amazon

and are bursting with the type of recipes you are looking for:
EASY, AFFORDABLE, CROCK POT FRIENDLY AND FREEZABLE!!!!!!!

My husband travels a lot so I hear you sister on making dinner with little ones just a couple time savers I use. I buy a pack of chicken tenderloins cheaper from the butcher and grill the entire and put in a ziplock
I also cook my ground beef 8 pounds at a time in the oven then put in small packages to freeze or put in fridge these two things help alot also have you ever heard of emeals.com they actually have a freezer crockpot menu that they do All the work for you inaking a list and recipes I also use allrecipes.com on iPhone or on computer for dinner ideas

i do a lot of soups & stews in the crock...split pea soup, potato & broccoli soup (sometimes i add chicken), black bean soup, stew...

also chicken, pork chops, roast, are all good in the crock, if i do chicken with the bone in I usually add chicken broth & then add in rice an hour before i want to serve, if i do chicken breasts then i cover with bbq sauce, or apple juice, or salsa (for tacos), pork chops i cover with a can of cream of mushroom then i use it for the gravy with potatoes, a roast i just add water or beef broth...

i also freeze a lot of meals, i just make twice as much then freeze half, you can freeze almost anything lol , chicken pot pie (i use 2 pie crusts one for top & one for bottom, then fill with chicken, mix veggies & a can of cream of chicken), lasagna, spaghetti, taco meat, even sauces like homemade sloppy joe sauce.

also my husband works evening shift but is home for lunch so we typically have our large meal at lunch then at dinner we (the kids & i) either eat leftovers from the day before, or something easy like fruit, yogurt, & eggs, or just sammies...

I just made this twice this week (once for dinner and once for hubby's potluck with his friends).

*Pork Shoulder Roast
*Seasonings
*Can of chicken stock

put the roast in a crock pot, add the chicken stock and then put as much seasonings that you want on it. Cook on high for 4 - 4 1/2 hours to the point where it flakes apart.

Then you have 2 choices, I've done both and it turned out the same either way:
Easy way: take 2 forks and shred in the crock pot put on buns with BBQ sauce if you want
Not really hard: put roast on cutting board and let sit for about 10 minutes then take 2 forks and shred.

With leftovers I put into a rubbermaid container and put enough of the stock (I open another can and add more if there isn't that much left in the crockpot) to cover the meat to keep it nice and moist, put in fridge. Easy to warm up and yummy the next day.

*With this I managed to get my kids and hubby to all say how yummy it was and it was super easy!! Plus the one grocery store by my house has the roasts buy one get one free!! I have gotten 6 so far this week (they weigh about 3 1/2 pounds each), and I am going back and getting more tomorrow!! Using it for our camping weekend coming up!!

Allrecipes.com has a good section on crockpot/slow cooker recipes and Sandra Lee on food network has an entire section of freeze ahead meals and I am pretty sure they are online also. She also has recipes she call cook once eat thrice where you do all the major cooking in one day and then it makes three different recipes out of it.

I like the recipes at www.passionatehomemaking.com www.heavenlyhomemakers.com and, their not quite as healthy, but easily adjusted www.onceamonthmom.com Have fun cooking!

Here is one of my favorite crockpot recipes:
3-4 pound roast (pork or beef both are yummy)
1/3 cup molasses
1/3 cup dijon mustard
2 tablespoons of vinegar (whatever you have, I usually use red wine vinegar but cidar or white vinegar are good as well)
a healthy sprinkle of garlic powder

Mix all the ingredients together (except the roast)
Place the roast (can be frozen) in the crockpot and pour the sauce mixture over it. Cook on low 6 - 8 hours or on high for 4 hours. If it gets done before you are ready to eat, just turn the crockpot to warm and leave it.

*the first night I make this we eat it with veggies and rice or quinoa or potatoes. The leftovers are great for sandwiches later in the week - with the beef I do french dip sandwiches (using a packaged au ju sauce) and with the pork I mix in BBQ sauce and do pulled pork sandwiches. You could also freeze the leftovers depending on your needs.

This recipe is from crockpot365.blogspot.com - I love her recipes - she cooks all sorts of things using the crockpot.

I made this burrito casserole that I saw in my Family Circle magazine this month. It was delicious. If you like the rice and beans at a good mexican restaurant with some cheese mixed in then you'll love this recipe. It could not be more easy to make.
http://www.familycircle.com/recipes/healthy-eating/family...

I just posted this for someone else: I am the queen of this! I will have precooked meat in the freezer so when I get home I have something I can make quickly. I will put a bunch of frozen boneless skinless chicken breasts in the crock with taco seasoning and cook on low all day. Put in zip baggies and use as needed. I use it for soups, tacos, sandwiches, mexican food, salads, pastas etc. Same thing for ground beef or turkey. I brown about 6 pounds at a time and do the same thing.

My latest thing was I put a package of beef stew meat in the crock with a cup of water mixed with powdered onion soup mix. cooked on low all day. mixed in brown gravy served it over rice. A couple days later I used the leftovers (the meat and gravy not the rice) by adding a can of cream of mushroom soup with water until it was on the runny side. served it over cooked egg noodles. just like beef stroganoff! Everyone loved it!