April Meal Prep: Slow Cooker Taco Pork Burrito Bowls

 

This has a bit of spice.  You can control the amount of heat by using a milder salsa and not as much of the taco seasoning.  Very delicious.  You could substitute beef or chicken for the pork.

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 lbs boneless pork loin roast, cut into 4 pieces
• 1 (16 oz) jar salsa verde
• 1 c water
• 6 Tbsp Mom's Favorite Taco Seasoning
• 4 c cooked quinoa or rice
• Toppings such as Corn, Black Bean Salsa; roasted corn, shredded cheese, sauteed bell peppers and onions, guacamole, sour cream

Directions:

• 
  Place pork in a 3-quart or larger slow cooker.  In small bowl, combine salsa, water, and Mom's Favorite Taco Seasoning.  Pour over pork.
• 
  Cook on LOW 8-10 hours or HIGH 5-6 hours or until pork is falling apart.  Shred pork.
• Serve pork over quinoa or rice and top with desired topping.

Freeze for later cooking:

Put the cut-up pork and the seasonings in a gallon-freezer bag.  Toss to coat the meat.  Then squeeze the air out.

Meal Prep 101: Slow Cooker Lasagna

 

This was our dinner on Friday night.  Now, it says "slow-cooker".  However, I decided to cook it in the oven instead.  Mainly because my crock pot is small and round.  And we had something similar before and didn't care for it.  Because I baked it in the oven, I did not break up the noodles.

Here are the ingredients that we used from the supply list:

• 1 lb browned lean ground beef
• 2 Tbsp Mama Mia Seasoning
• 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
• 15 oz can tomato sauce
• 3 c shredded mozzarella cheese
• 15 oz ricotta cheese
• 1/2 c Parmesan cheese
• 8 oz uncooked lasagna noodles, broken

Here's how you assemble it for the freezer:

• Add ground meat and next three ingredients into a gallon freezer bag; squish to mix
• Add the cheeses (Hold back 1 c of the mozzarella cheese) to a quart size freezer bag; squish to mix.  
• If the mozzarella cheese is still in it's original bag, seal it.  If not, put in a quart freezer bag.
• place the lasagna noodles in a separate bag (I was able to use a quart size).
• Place all the above bags into a 2-gallon freezer bag.  Seal well, label, and freeze.

Cooking instructions:

• Thaw completely unless you are fixing it right away.  Mine was stored in the frig so all I had to do is put it together to put in the oven.
• 
  In large, greased slow cooker layer meat, cheese and noodles; repeat layering twice, ending with meat layer.  I actually did meat, noodles, then cheese but still ended with a meat layer.  Top with the remaining mozzarella cheese.
• 
  cover, cook on low 3-4 hours.  Remove slow cooker lid and cook for an additional 30 minutes.

When I baked it in the oven, I had the temperature at 350 degrees F.  Did not cover it but did place the 8x8x2 in greased dish on top of a cookie sheet to catch any boil overs.  Baked it about 45 minutes (until the noodles are tender).

Makes 6 servings.  We froze the leftovers for later.

Smoky Bacon Campfire Beans

 YUM!  I am to provide baked beans for my Dad's birthday dinner.  So, I did a search on Tastefully Simple and found this recipe.  Just took a sample taste and this is fantastic!  Tastes just like baked beans should taste.

I did some modifications to the recipe :

• 99% Ground turkey breast instead of the ground beef
• Turkey bacon instead of regular bacon
• Cannelloni beans instead of lima beans
• low salt/no added sodium on the kidney & black beans
• ran out of chili powder so I used Tastefully Simple's Wahoo! Chili Seasoning
• crock pot instead of the grill/oven - low heat for 5 1/2 hours

Here's the original recipe:

1 lb 85% lean ground beef

8 bacon slices (about 1/2 lb), chopped

1/2 c chopped onion

1 (16 oz) can mild chili beans

1 (15.25 oz) can lima beans, rinsed & drained

1 (15 oz) can dark red kidney beans, rinsed & drained

1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed & drained

2/3 c firmly packed light brown sugar

1/2 c Smoky Bacon BBQ Sauce

1/2 c ketchup

1 1/2 tsp chili powder

1 tsp ground mustard

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

1.  Prepare grill to medium indirect heat.  Place a cast-iron Dutch oven or oven-safe large saucepan over direct heat side of grill.  Add ground beef, chopped bacon and onions.  Cook and crumble until no longer pink, about 8-10 minutes.  Carefully drain off grease.

2.  Move pan to indirect heat side of grill.  Add remaining ingredients; stir until well combined.

3.  Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, 1-2 hours.

Makes 12 servings.

Bake Option:  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Prepare step 1 on stovetop over medium-high heat.  Stir in remaining ingredients, cover and transfer to oven.  Bake 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

Crockpot:  Prepare step 1 on stovetop over medium-high heat.  Transfer to crockpot.  Add remaining ingredients; stir until well combined.  Cover and cook on low heat, stirring occasionally, 4-6 hours.

Saucy Southwestern Chicken

I'm not always fond of having a "gravy" on my meat but this was delicious.  The recipe calls for thighs but we used chicken breasts.  I'm sure you can use beef steaks or patties.  I also used Onion Onion Seasoning instead of the real onions.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs, seasoned with salt and pepper
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 c chopped onion
1/2 c reduced sodium chicken broth
1 tbsp Wahoo! Chili Seasoning
1 pkt Creamy Crab Cheese Ball Mix
1 8oz pkg cream cheese, softened and cubed
2 tbsp cornstarch
2 tbsp water

Instructions:

1.  In a greased 3-quart or larger slow cooker, combine first 5 ingredients.  Cook on low 3-4 hours.

2.  Remove chicken from slow cooker; set aside.  Turn up to high.  Whisk Creamy Crab Cheese Ball mix and cream cheese into slow cooker until melted and creamy.

3.  In small bowl, whisk cornstarch and water together; whisk into sauce until thickened.  Serve sauce over chicken.

Makes 6 servings.  Serve with Garlic Cheddar Mashed Potatoes.

Make Ahead & Freeze:  Combine stop 1 ingredients in a gallon freezer bag.  Place bag and unopened packet Creamy Crab Cheese Ball Mix in a gallon freezer bag.  Seal well, label and freeze.  Thaw completely.  Continue with step 1.

Wahoo! Slow Cooker Sausage & Potatoes - Fall/Winter 2016 Meal kits

This could become Jambalaya so easily by adding shrimp and carrots.  I really enjoyed eating it.  Mama Mia Marinara Sauce Mix can be used as a substitute for the Wahoo! Chili Seasoning.  My husband does not care for bell peppers so I just eliminated them but did fix green beans so we could have a vegetable.


Ingredients:

4 c hot water
1 pkg Perfectly Potato Cheddar Soup Mix
2 Tbsp Wahoo! Chili Seasoning
1 Tbsp Garlic Garlic Seasoning
4 medium red potatoes, sliced
1 (14 oz) pkg polska kielbasa sausages, sliced
1 c chopped green, red and/or yellow bell pepper, optional
2 c shredded Cheddar cheese

Instructions:

1.  In large bowl, combine first 4 ingredients.

2.  In a greased 4-quart or larger slow cooker, layer 1/4 potato slices; salt and pepper as desired.  Layer 1/4 sausage slices, 1/4 bell peppers,1/4 soup mixture and 1/3 c cheese.  Repeat layers ending with 1 cup cheese.

3.  If desired, sprinkle top layer of cheese with a dash of Wahoo! Chili Seasoning and Garlic Garlic Seasoning.  Cook on low 6-8 hours.  Remove stoneware from cooker, remove cover and let stand 15 minutes before serving.

Makes 6 servings.  Serve with green salad.

Make Ahead & Freeze:  Place step 1 ingredients except water in a quart freezer bag.  Place sausage and peppers in a gallon freezer bag.  Place cheese in a quart freezer bag.  Place all bags in a gallon freezer bag.  Seal well, label and freeze.  Thaw completely.  Continue with step 1.

Creamy Spinach & Herb Chicken - Family Faves Meal Solution #9

Another delicious meal from our Meals & More Collections.  I love the different ways of seasoning chicken and the different side dishes to serve with it.  Instead of spaghetti, I used a gluten-free spiral noodle pasta and I used chicken breasts instead of thighs (we don't care for dark meat).  You can make whatever substitutions you desire to meet your family's tastebuds.

Ingredients:

1 10 1/2 oz can condensed cream of chicken soup
1 c reduced sodium chicken broth
2 Tbsp Spinach & Herb Seasoning
1 Tbsp Garlic Garlic Seasoning
1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 8oz pkg cream cheese, softened and cubed
12 ozs spaghetti, cooked

Instructions:

In a greased 3-quart or larger slow-cooker, combine first 4 ingredients; salt and pepper as desired.

Salt and pepper chicken thighs as desired; place in slow cooker and cover with sauce.  Cook on low 4-5 hours.

Remove chicken; set aside.  Stir in cream cheese until smooth.  Stir in cooked pasta and cook until heated through.  Serve chicken over pasta.

Makes 6 servings.  Serve with Balsamic Roasted Carrots (recipe later).

Make Ahead & Freeze:  Combine step 1 in a gallon freezer bag; add step 2.  Toss cooked spaghetti with 1 tablespoon oil and place in a quart freezer bag.  Place both bags in a gallon freezer bag.  Seal well, label and freeze.  Thaw completely.  Continue with step 1.

Parmesan Honey Pork Roast - Hearty Meal Solutions #3

Loved this!  I can imagine it on other types of roast or even meatloaf.  So many ideas and this was so basic!  I didn't make the gravy as we didn't have potatoes.




Ingredients:


2 1/2 lb pork loin roast
1/2 c grated parmesan cheese
1/3 c honey
3 Tbsp Aged Balsamic Vinegar of Modena
1 Tbsp Roasted Garlic Infused Oil
1 Tbsp Rustic Herb Seasoning
1 tsp Garlic Pepper Seasoning
3 Tbsp cornstarch
3 Tbsp water

Instructions:    Place pork roast in a greased slow cooker.  Combine next 6 ingredients and pour over pork.  Cover; cook on low 5 1/2 - 6 1/2 hours.  Whisk cornstarch and water in a small bowl.  Strain slow cooker juices into a small saucepan.  Bring to a boil; gradually whisk in cornstarch mixture to desired consistency.  Serve roast with gravy.  Makes 6 servings.  Serve with mashed potatoes and steamed vegetables.

Make ahead & freeze:  Combine first 7 ingredients in a gallon resealable freezer bag.  Seal well, label and freeze.  Thaw completely and prepare as directed above.

Sriracha Chicken Curry - Savory Meal Collection #9

Oh my, we are nearing the end of this collection and I have received the next collection already.  The month has gone by fast.  These have all been great meals.  I hope you have been enjoying them as much as I have.

Well, on to tonight's dinner.  If you like spicy, this dish is for you.  If not, just use less sauce.  I'll be honest, I'm not sure what product you can use as a substitute to reduce the heat.

Changes I did to the recipe included using chicken breasts instead of thighs, mushrooms & sugar snap peas (or snow peas) instead of the peppers, fresh broccoli instead of frozen, and almond milk instead of coconut.  I did the minimum cooking time but would recommend going the full time if you use chicken breasts like I did.

Ingredients: 

28 oz boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cubed

1 red bell pepper, cubed

1 green bell pepper, cubed

13.5 oz can coconut milk

3/4 c Ginger Orange Sriracha Sauce 

16 oz frozen cut broccoli

cooked rice or rice noodles

Instructions:  Combine chicken, peppers, coconut milk and Ginger Orange Sriracha Sauce in a 4-quart or larger slow cooker.  Cook on low 3-4 hours.  Stir in broccoli and continue cooking 30 minutes.  Serve in bowls over cooked rice or rice noodles.  Makes 4-6 servings.

Make Ahead & Freeze:  Combine all ingredients except broccoli and rice in a gallon resealable freezer bag.  Freeze.  Thaw and cook according to directions above.

Tuscan Chicken & Herb Dumplings - Savory Meal Collection #8

Oh, this was heaven . . . Very few substitutions - used chicken breasts instead of thighs and instead of dolloping over the chicken mixture, I baked the "dumplings" and we served the chicken over it.  We did use the lower fat or salt (healthier) versions of the canned products.

Ingredients:

2 cans (10.5 oz) cream of chicken soup

12 oz can evaporated milk
1 pkt Tuscan Chicken Slow-Cooker Sauce Mix
28 oz boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cubed
16 oz frozen mixed vegetables
1 3/4 c all-purpose baking and biscuit mix
1/2 c water or milk (I used unsweetened Almond milk)
1 tbsp Sea Salt & Herb Seasoning (not ground)

Instructions:  Combine soup, milk, and Tuscan Chicken Slow-Cooker Sauce mix in a 6 quart or larger slow cooker.  Stir in chicken and vegetables.  Combine biscuit mix, water and Sea Salt & Herb Seasoning in medium bowl; mix until well combined.

 Dollop over chicken mixture in slow cooker.  Cook on low 6-8 hours or until dumplings are cooked through.  

Makes 6-8 servings.

Make Ahead & Freeze:  Combine soup, milk, and Tuscan Chicken Slow-Cooker Sauce mix, chicken and vegetables in a gallon resealable freezer bag.  Freeze.  Thaw and cook according to directions above.

Slow-Cooker Vegetable Lasagna - Savory Meal Collection #7

I'm not crazy about this type of lasagna.  However, this was delicious.  Since my crock-pot is round and not oval, I decided to bake this in the oven.  Also, time was not available for the crock-pot.  Yes,  you can bake it in the oven - took about 55 minutes at 350 degrees.  Also, I didn't use as much of the red peppers or spinach as my husband does not care for peppers and neither of us is crazy about spinach.  I did an "oops" - I forgot to cover it until the last 10 minutes so it got a little dark.

Ingredients:


15 oz whole milk ricotta cheese 
1 pkt Roasted Garlic & Herb Cheese Ball Mix
9 uncooked lasagna noodles
1 medium zucchini, sliced
6 oz pkg sliced portobello mushrooms
12 oz jar roasted red peppers, drained & sliced
75 grinds Sea Salt & Herb Seasoning
24 oz jar garlic & onion pasta sauce
4 c fresh spinach
3 c shredded mozzarella cheese

Instructions:  Combine ricotta cheese and Roasted Garlic & Herb Cheese Ball Mix in a small bowl.  Break 3 noodles in half or thirds and layer in the bottom of a greased 3-quart slow cooker.  Top with half the zucchini, mushrooms, and roasted peppers.  Sprinkle 25 grinds of Sea Salt & Herb Seasoning over vegetables.  Top with 1/3 of the pasta sauce, 1/2 of the spinach, 1/2 of the ricotta cheese mixture and 1 cup mozzarella cheese.  Repeat layers ending with last 3 lasagna noodles, 1/3 of the pasta sauce, 1 cup mozzarella cheese and 25 grinds of Sea Salt & Herb Seasoning.  Cover and cook on low 3 1/2 - 4 hours.  Remove stoneware from cooker and uncover.  Let stand 15 minutes before serving.  Makes 6-8 servings.

Tuscan Ham & Bean Soup with Kale - Savory Meal #6

Wow!  I'm a little over half way done with this meal collection.  It's been fun.  Lots of good meals.  Tonight is one that is perfect for those cold weather days (today was just a rainy day).  I skipped the kale (mainly because I didn't have room in the crockpot).  It was a very filling meal.  Only had 7 grams of fat per serving.  Perfect.

Ingredients:

15 oz can crushed tomatoes
14.5 oz can reduced sodium chicken broth 
1 pkt Tuscan Chicken Slow-Cooker Sauce Mix
1 lb ham, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 - 15 oz cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
16 oz frozen mixed vegetables
4 c chopped kale

Instructions:

Combine tomatoes, chicken broth and Tuscan Chicken Slow-Cooker Sauce Mix in a 4-quart or larger slow cooker.  Stir in remaining ingredients.  Cook on low 4-5 hours.  Makes 4-6 servings (mine did 6).

Make Ahead & Freeze:  Combine all ingredients except kale in a gallon resealable freezer bag.  Freeze.  Thaw and cook according to directions above, adding kale.

Slow Cooker BBQ Short Ribs - Savory Meal #1

This was delicious.  It was quick to put together before heading out to work and the aroma was mouth-watering when I got back home that evening.  Personally, it could have had more BBQ sauce and less onion.  Even the leftovers was delicious to eat.

Ingredients:  

3 lbs bone-in beef short ribs (2-3 inch thick - English style) or 2 lbs boneless country-style beef ribs

1 Tbsp Sea Salt & Herb Seasoning (not ground)

1 medium onion, sliced

2 carrots, chopped

2 celery ribs, sliced

14.5 oz can reduced sodium beef broth

Smoky Bacon BBQ Sauce, divided

Instructions:  Rub short ribs with Sea Salt & Herb Seasoning.  Place in 3-quart or larger slow cooker with onions, carrots, and celery.  Combine beef broth with 3/4 cup Smoky Bacon BBQ Sauce.  Pour over ribs; add enough water to almost cover ribs, about 2 cups.  Cook on low 6-8 hours.  Remove ribs from slow cooker.  Combine 1/2 cup cooking liquid with remaining Smoky Bacon BBQ Sauce; dip ribs in sauce and serve.  Makes 4-6 servings.

Make Ahead & Freeze:  Combine all ingredients except beef broth and Smoky Bacon BBQ Sauce  in a gallon resealable freezer bag.  Freeze.  Thaw and cook according to directions above.

Pizza Casserole - Cozy Meal Collection #8

This is another crock-pot meal that was absolutely delicious.  I'm not a cooked tomato fan but they gave it a great flavor and it was more of a sauce than a piece of tomato.  


Like all of our recipes, you can make modifications to suit your tastes and dietary needs.  In our case, we just used lower salt versions and gluten-free pasta.  Wasn't able to find turkey sausage so used ground turkey breasts.  Next time I might add more pepperoni slices.

Ingredients:

1 lb ground turkey sausage
1/4 c Pizzeria Seasoning
28 oz can crushed tomatoes
14.5 oz can petite diced tomatoes
half of a 3.5 oz pkg pepperoni slices
3 1/2 c water
16 oz pkg spiral pasta, rinsed and uncooked
1 c shredded mozzarella cheese

Serve tonight:  Crumble uncooked sausage into a greased slow cooker.  Add next 5 ingredients.  Stir to combine.  Cover; cook on low 4-5 hours.  Stir in pasta; cover and cook an additional 30 minutes.  Stir, top with cheese and cover.  Cook an additional 15 minutes or until pasta is tender and cheese is melted.  Salt and pepper to taste.

Freeze for later:  Combine first 5 ingredients in a gallon resealable freezer bag.  Put pasta in a gallon resealable freezer bag.  Put cheese in a quart resealable freezer bag.  Place all bags in a gallon resealable freezer bag.  Seal well, label and freeze.  Thaw completely.  Combine casserole mixture with water and prepare as directed above.

Makes 6-8 servings.  Serve with a garden salad or another green vegetable.  We used green beans.

Slow-Cooked Chicken Dinner - Cozy Meal Collection #7

Heaven, just heaven . . . the aromas filled the house.  This was so delicious and moist.  I usually don't eat stuffing/dressing but this was more like a crust.  Rather than using a crock-pot, I used the oven version.  

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 1/2 Tbsp Onion Onion Seasoning
1 c shredded Swiss cheese
10.75 oz can cream of mushroom soup
1/3 c milk
2 c herb-seasoned stuffing mix
1/2 c  (1 stick) butter, melted

Serve tonight:  Place chicken, Onion Onion, and cheese in a greased slow cooker.  Combine the soup and milk; pour over the chicken mixture.  Sprinkle with stuffing mix and drizzle with butter.  Cover; cook on low 6-7 hours.  Salt and pepper to taste.

Oven version:  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Place chicken, Onion Onion, and cheese  in a greased 8x8 baking pan.  Combine the soup and milk; pour over the chicken mixture.  Sprinkle with stuffing mix and drizzle with butter.  Cover with foil; bake 45 minutes.  Uncover and bake an additional 30-35 minutes.  Salt and pepper to taste.

Freeze for later:  Combine chicken and Onion Onion in a gallon resealable bag.  Put cheese in a quart resealable freezer bag.  Combine soup and milk in a quart resealable freezer bag.  Add stuffing mix and 1 stick butter in another quart resealable bag.  Combine all bags in a gallon resealable freezer bag.  Seal well, label and freeze.  Thaw completely.  Prepare as directed above.

Makes 6 servings.  Serve with mashed potatoes and steamed vegetables.

Tuscan Beef Stew - Cozy Meal Collection #6

I like beef stew but am not crazy about eating it as leftovers.  However, this was fantastic!  Not like your everyday beef stew.  This doesn't have the gravy.  Will eat the leftovers of this one!  Oh, and I forgot to add the cream cheese but it didn't make a difference for us.  We didn't use the artichoke hearts.  We also, didn't use stew meat but used stir fry strips.  This means you can change it up as well to meet your dietary needs or tastes.  Next time we make it, we plan on adding potatoes or carrots to replace the artichokes (also, to give it more color).


Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs beef stew meat
3-4 Tbsp Dried Tomato & Garlic Pesto Mix
14 oz can artichoke hearts, drained & cut in half
4.5 oz jar sliced mushrooms, drained
14.5 oz can petite diced tomatoes
1/2 c dry red wine (optional)
4 oz cream cheese, cubed

Serve tonight:  Combine first 5 ingredients and the wine, if desired, in a greased slow cooker.  Cover; cook on low 6-8 hours.  Add cream cheese; stir to combine.  Salt and pepper to taste.

Freeze for later:  Combine first 5 ingredients and the wine, if desired, in a gallon resealable freezer bag; freeze.  Thaw completely.  Prepare as directed above.

Makes 6 servings.  Serve with warm biscuits.

I really love our TS to You program.  Takes the mystery out of "What's for dinner?".

Creamy Salsa Chicken - Cozy Meal Collection #5

 
This just took minutes to assemble!  It was delicious!  I love finding different ways to fix chicken since that is one of our staple proteins.  What's so neat about this recipe was no modifications in the ingredients!  We did use the healthy version of the soup.


Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 jar Corn, Black Bean Salsa
10.75 oz can cream of chicken soup


Serve tonight:  Combine ingredients in a greased slow cooker.  Cover; cook on low 6-7 hours.  Salt and pepper to taste.

Freeze for later:  Combine ingredients in a gallon resealable freezer bag.  Seal well, label and freeze.  Thaw completely.  Prepare as directed above.

Makes 6 servings.  Serve with rice or tortillas.

tip:  use the crock-pot liners to save on clean-up.

You can order your TS 2 You Meal Collection at my website. 

Superb Beef Stroganoff - Cozy Meal Collection #4

This was our dinner last week prepared in the crock pot.  What a great way to have dinner ready when you get home from work.

I love stroganoff but always seem to have a hard time to get it creamy enough.  I just realized what my problem is . . . you can't use fat free sour cream.  Otherwise, it tasted delicious.

Ingredients:

2 lbs cubed beef stew meat
14.5 oz can beef broth
2 Tbsp Onion Onion Seasoning
2 tsp Garlic Garlic Seasoning
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
8 oz pkg fresh sliced mushrooms
1 c sour cream
2 Tbsp cornstarch
16 oz pkg egg noodles, cooked

Serve tonight instructions:  Place first 6 ingredients in a greased slow cooker.  Cover; cook on low 7-8 hours.  Combine sour cream and cornstarch, mix well.  Stir into slow cooker until well blended; cook an additional 15-20 minutes until sauce thickens.  Serve over egg noodles.  Salt and pepper to taste.

Freeze for later instructions:    Combine first 6 ingredients in a gallon resealable freezer bag.  Seal well, label and freeze.  Thaw completely.  Prepare as directed above.

Makes 6 servings.  Serve with steamed vegetables.

I actually didn't use stew meat but used beef strips and cubed it myself.  There was less fat.  We bought whole mushrooms and sliced them ourselves (I think I like the packaging better - saves time!).

We froze our leftovers for those nights that I'm not home or forgot to get something started.