Slow Cooker Beef & Mushroom Ragu

 

This recipe came from our July 2025 Meal Prep Workshop.  It's a very simple recipe that you can make ahead and freeze or have it cooking all day in your crockpot now and freeze the leftovers for later.  We usually fix now and freeze the leftovers.  I'll give you instructions for both ways.

Feel free to make substitutions as needed to meet your family's dietary needs and/or tastes.  This time, I did not make any substitutions.

Here are the ingredients you will need:

• 1 1/2 lbs beef stew meat
• 1 (18oz) jar homestyle beef gravy
• 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, drained
• 1 (8 oz) pkg fresh button mushrooms, quartered
• 2 Tbsp Makin' Magic Chicken Seasoning
• Prepared mashed potatoes, pasta, or rice

Here's what you need to do:

1. In a 3-quart or larger slow cooker, combine first 5 ingredients. (I did it in the sequence listed below). Salt and Pepper as desired.
2. Cook on low 6-8 hours or until beef is very tender
3. Serve over prepared mashed potatoes, pasta or rice.

You notice, I used a crockpot liner.  This makes it an easier clean-up.

If you do the Make Ahead & Freeze, you will want to get a gallon freezer bag.  Label and date it. Place in a bowl and fold seam of bag back.  Add items to the bag in the following order:

• diced tomatoes
• Magic seasoning. swish the bag to mix
• add stew meat.  mix well
• add gravy.  mix
• add mushrooms last, gently mix.  Squeeze air out.

It's ready to go in the freezer.  You may want to double-bag it to prevent leakage.  Thaw before dumping into your crockpot.

Tip:  the lid on the Magic Chicken Seasoning is equivalent to 3 Tablespoons.

Confetti Meatloaf

 This recipe came from our July meal prep workshop.  I fixed it as a meal rather than putting it in the freezer for later.  It was different but hubby preferred my stand by meatloaf.  I used 99% fat free ground turkey.  Hubby makes meatloaf sandwiches with the leftovers.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs 85% lean ground beef

1 c  Corn, Black Bean Salsa, plus more for garnish

3/4 c crushed tortilla chips

1 large egg

 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  In large bowl, combine all ingredients.  Salt and pepper as desired.  
2. 
   Transfer to a greased 9x5-inch loaf pan. 
3. Bake until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F on an instant-read food thermometer, about 1 hour.  
4. 
   Remove from oven.  Let stand 10 minutes.  

Serve garnished with additional Corn, Black Bean Salsa, if desired.  

Makes 6 servings.

Make Ahead & Freeze:  Prepare step 1.  Place in a gallon freezer bag.  Seal well, label and freeze.  Thaw completely.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Continue with step 2.

During the workshop we did it in this order:

• Fold the seam edges of the freezer bag over, place in a slop bowl.
• Put salsa in first.  
• Add egg, gently mix to break up egg.  
• Add meat, smoosh to mix up.  
• Add chips, mix.  
• Shape, squeeze air out to fit in pan.