Freezer to Slow Cooker

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1 Freezer to Slow Cooker Week 5 by Sarah Robinson copyright 2014 No portion of this e-book may be shared or transmitted, electronically or in print, without the express written consent of the author.

2 Recipes Table of Contents Shepherd s Pie... 3 Mexican Beef Wraps... 5 Beef & Veggie Soup... 7 Crockpot Lasagna... 9 Salsa Chicken One Pot Italian Chicken Meal...13 Shopping List Assembly Instructions Labels Week 5 - Freezer to Slow Cooker SidetrackedSarah.com "2

3 Shepherd s Pie Ingredients: 2 pounds ground beef (browned) 1 medium onion (chopped) 1 clove garlic (chopped) 1 can diced tomatoes 1 bag frozen peas 1 cup chopped carrots 2 t. oregano 1 t. salt đ t. pepper 2 packages (24 oz each) of instant mashed potatoes (or make fresh) shredded cheese (optional) Directions: 1. Mix all ingredients together except mashed potatoes. 2. Cook on low for 7 to 8 hours. 3. Mix up mashed potatoes, the day you plan to serve the meal. Week 5 - Freezer to Slow Cooker SidetrackedSarah.com "3

4 4. Place mashed potatoes on top of the meat & veggie mixture and cook for 30 minutes, giving the mashed potatoes a chance to heat all the way through. 5. Top with cheese if you choose. Freezer to Slow Cooker Recipe Instructions Brown ground beef, chop onion, mince garlic. Mix all ingredients together except mashed potatoes. Place in freezer safe bag. Label and lay flat to freeze. Week 5 - Freezer to Slow Cooker SidetrackedSarah.com "4

5 Mexican Beef Wraps Ingredients: 1 Tbsp chili powder 2 tsp cumin 1 tsp salt lb boneless beef chuck pot roast(cut into 4 pieces) 1 medium onion (chopped) 3 cloves garlic (minced) đ cup salsa (plus extra for serving with) 12 tortillas, warmed Serve with: grated cheese, chopped tomato, cilantro, avocado, salsa and sour cream (all optional) Directions: 1. Blend chili powder, cumin and salt. Week 5 - Freezer to Slow Cooker SidetrackedSarah.com "5

6 2. Rub meat on all sides with spice mixture. 3. Put chopped onion and garlic on the bottom of your slow cooker. 4. Place meat on top. 5. Spoon đ cup of salsa on top of meat. 6. Cook on low for 8 to 9 hours or on high for 3.5 to 4.5 hours. 7. To serve, remove meat from the slow cooker and place on a plate. 8. Use forks to shred the meat up. 9. Skim any fat from the cooking liquid and throw it away. 10. Return meat to juices and mix well. 11. Place meat on warm tortillas and top with cheese, tomato, cilantro, avocado and salsa. Freezer to Slow Cooker Recipe Instructions Chop onions and garlic. Cut meat into quarters. Rub meat with spices. (if it s already frozen you can save this step until cooking day, once it has thawed) Place meat, onion and garlic into Gallon Size Freezer Bag. Label with marker and freeze. Don t forget to keep 1/2 cup salsa on hand to put on top after you remove the contents of the bag and place in the slow cooker. Week 5 - Freezer to Slow Cooker SidetrackedSarah.com "6

7 Beef & Veggie Soup Ingredients: 1-2 lbs of beef stew meat (can substitute with browned ground beef) 1 medium onion, (chopped) 1/2 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. pepper 3 cups water 1 can (14-1/2 oz) Italian diced tomatoes, undrained 1 can (11-1/2 oz) vegetable juice 1 cup celery (chopped) 1 cup carrots (chopped) 2 T sugar 1 T. parsley flakes 2 t dried basil 1 bay leaf 3 potatoes (for cooking day) Week 5 - Freezer to Slow Cooker SidetrackedSarah.com "7

8 Directions: 1. Place all ingredients into slow cooker 2. Cook on Low 8-9 hours or on High for 4-5 hours. Freezer to Slow Cooker Recipe Instructions Slice onion, carrots, and celery. Mix spices and place all ingredients except potatoes into a freezer safe bag. Label and lay flat to freeze. Week 5 - Freezer to Slow Cooker SidetrackedSarah.com "8

9 Crockpot Lasagna Ingredients: 2 pounds sausage or ground beef (browned) 2 cans (26.5 oz each) Spaghetti sauce 1 Box Lasagna Noodles (cooked) Shredded Cheddar Cheese (use as much or as little as you like) 2 cups cottage cheese đ cup Parmesan cheese 1 Egg Directions: 1. Cook lasagna noodles. 2. While noodles are cooking, mix 2 cups cottage cheese, one egg and 1/2 of Parmesan cheese. 3. In the bottom of slow cooker, put a small amount of sauce on the bottom. 4. Layer noodles, sauce mixture, cottage cheese mixture and cheese. Week 5 - Freezer to Slow Cooker SidetrackedSarah.com "9

10 5. Repeat 2-3 times (until you run out). 6. Cook on low 4-6 hours. Freezer to Slow Cooker Recipe Instructions Brown meat. Mix with spaghetti sauce. Put mixture in freezer safe bag and label. Night before, remove meat mixture from freezer so it will be thawed by morning (or you can microwave it a bit if you need to). Week 5 - Freezer to Slow Cooker SidetrackedSarah.com "10

11 Salsa Chicken Ingredients: 6 frozen chicken breasts 1 package taco seasoning 1.5 cups salsa 2 cans cream of chicken 1.5 cups of sour cream Directions: 1. Place all ingredients in the crockpot, making sure to cover the chicken with the mixture. 2. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. 3. Once cooked, pull chicken out, shred it and mix back in, cooking for another 30 minutes. 4. Serve over baked potatoes, noodles or as a taco salad. Week 5 - Freezer to Slow Cooker SidetrackedSarah.com "11

12 Freezer to Slow Cooker Recipe Instructions Mix all ingredients minus the chicken in a freezer safe bag. You can add the chicken to the bag or leave it in it s original packaging. Label & lay flat to freeze. Week 5 - Freezer to Slow Cooker SidetrackedSarah.com "12

13 One Pot Italian Chicken Meal Ingredients: 6 Boneless Skinless frozen Chicken Breasts 16 Oz Bottle of Italian Dressing 1/2 Cup of Parmesan Cheese Italian Seasoning 4-6 Potatoes scrubbed cut in half or wedges (you can peel if desired) 10 carrots peeled and chopped Directions: 1. Squirt a small amount of Italian dressing at the bottom. 2. Place 3 chicken breasts in slow cooker. 3. Pour some of the Italian dressing on the chicken. 4. Spring with 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese. 5. Sprinkle Italian seasoning onto the chicken. Week 5 - Freezer to Slow Cooker SidetrackedSarah.com "13

14 6. Place next 3 chicken breasts into crockpot and repeat first few steps. 7. Pour more of the Italian dressing on top of chicken and carrots. 8. Sprinkle Italian seasoning onto the chicken and carrots. 9. Place potatoes on top. 10.Pour the remaining Italian dressing on the potatoes. 11.Sprinkle Italian seasoning on the potatoes. 12.Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Freezer to Slow Cooker Recipe Instructions Peel and chop 10 carrots. Place chicken and carrots in freezer safe bag. Peel potatoes on the day of cooking because they do not freeze well. (Don t freeze potatoes, Italian seasoning, Italian dressing or Parmesan cheese.) On cooking day, layer your ingredients as described above. Week 5 - Freezer to Slow Cooker SidetrackedSarah.com "14

15 Shopping List Meat 2 pounds ground beef 2 pounds sausage 1 3 pound chuck roast 2 pounds stew meat 2 bags of Frozen, boneless skinless chicken breast Produce 3 onions 4 cloves garlic tomato avocado 10 lb bag of potatoes celery (will need 1 cup, chopped) carrots (will need 4 cups, chopped) Boxed/Canned/Jarred 3 cans diced tomatoes 1 box (or 2 bags) instant mashed potatoes (or substitute for homemade) salsa (need 2 cups) V-8 Juice oz jars Spaghetti Sauce Lasagna Noodles Taco Seasoning packet 2 Cream of chicken soups Italian Dressing Freezer/Refrigerator Section Spices cilantro salt pepper chili powder cumin oregano basil bay leaf parsley italian seasoning Bread Other Flour Tortillas (need 12) Gallon Size Freezer Bags Quart Size Freezer Bags Butter Shredded Cheese (use your favorite variety) Cottage Cheese (need 2 cups) Eggs (1) Parmesan Cheese (need 1 cup) Sour Cream 1 bag of frozen Peas Week 5 - Freezer to Slow Cooker SidetrackedSarah.com "15

16 Assembly Instructions 1. Print recipes 2. Brown 2 pounds of ground beef 3. Brown 2 pounds Sausage 4. Chop 3 onions 5. Chop 4 cloves garlic 6. Peel & Dice carrots (2 cups) 7. Peel and slice 10 carrots 8. Chop celery (1 cup) 9. Assemble each recipe above into separate gallon size freezer bags. 10. Be sure to label each bag, writing any additional instructions you ll need to remember on cooking day. 11. Lay as flat as possible to freeze. Not only does this help you get it out of the bag if you forget to thaw it, but it saves room in your freezer. Week 5 - Freezer to Slow Cooker SidetrackedSarah.com "16

17 Labels (Cut these out to place on your freezer bags) Shepherd s Pie Mexican Beef Wraps Beef & Veggie Soup Crockpot Lasagna Salsa Chicken One Pot Italian Chicken Meal Week 5 - Freezer to Slow Cooker SidetrackedSarah.com "17

18 Freezer to Slow Cooker Week 6 by Sarah Robinson copyright 2014 No portion of this e-book may be shared or transmitted, electronically or in print, without the express written consent of the author.

19 Recipes Table of Contents Slow Cooker Honey Parmesan Pork Roast... 3 Slow Cooker Vegetable Beef Soup (ground beef version)... 5 Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Stack... 7 Marinara Chicken & Vegetables.. 9 New Orleans Red Beans & Rice Easy Crockpot Meatballs (Spaghetti & Meatballs)...13 Shopping List Assembly Instructions Labels Week 6 - Freezer to Slow Cooker SidetrackedSarah.com "2

20 Slow Cooker Honey Parmesan Pork Roast Ingredients: 1 (2-3 pound) boneless pork roast 2/3 cup Parmesan cheese 1/2 cup honey 3 Tbsp soy sauce 2 Tbsp dried basil 2 Tbsp minced garlic 1/2 tsp salt Week 6 - Freezer to Slow Cooker SidetrackedSarah.com "3

21 Directions: 1. Mix last 6 ingredients together in a bowl. 2. Pour over the top of the pork roast in crockpot. 3. If you re home while it s cooking, you may want to flip the roast at some point so that you can recoat the top of the roast with the honey/parmesan mixture 4. Cook on low for 7-8 hours or on high for 4-5 hours. Freezer to Slow Cooker Recipe Instructions You can mix the 6 ingredients together and put in a freezer safe bag and freeze beside the pork roast OR, you can place it all in a baggie together. Just remember that you will need to get it out the night before so that it is thawed when you put it into the crockpot and you can nicely coat the roast. Week 6 - Freezer to Slow Cooker SidetrackedSarah.com "4

22 Slow Cooker Vegetable Beef Soup Ingredients: 2 pounds ground beef 1/2 medium onion, diced 1 16 oz bag of frozen mixed vegetables 1 can white beans, drained 2 cups of frozen corn (or 1 can) 2 cups carrots, sliced 5 cans of diced tomatoes & green chilies 2 cups of water Directions: 1. Chop onion. 2. Cook ground beef and onions. 3. While beef is cooking, chop carrots. Week 6 - Freezer to Slow Cooker SidetrackedSarah.com "5

23 4. Place all ingredients in slow cooker. 5. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours. Freezer to Slow Cooker Recipe Instructions Place 1st 6 ingredients in a freezer safe bag. Staple or tape note to the bag that says, Add 2 cups of water & 5 cans of diced tomatoes & green chilies. Week 6 - Freezer to Slow Cooker SidetrackedSarah.com "6

24 Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Stack Ingredients: 1 chopped onion 1 medium sized poblano chili pepper, chopped 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 1/2 t. chili powder 1 can of diced tomatoes & green chilies 1 cup of spaghetti sauce (Or 1 can tomato sauce with basil, garlic and oregano) 2-3 cooked chicken breasts (OR 2 cans of chicken) 1 cup of frozen corn 1 15 oz can chili beans (or black beans) 5 corn tortillas shredded cheddar cheese Directions: Week 6 - Freezer to Slow Cooker SidetrackedSarah.com "7

25 1. Chop onion & poblano chili. 2. Boil chicken (unless you re buying cans or buying it precooked). 3. In a food processor or blender, blend onion, poblano chili, garlic, tomatoes & green chilies, chili powder, and tomato sauce. Blend until almost smooth. 4. Combine with chicken, corn & chili beans. 5. Assemble in a round crockpot by placing about 3 Tablespoons of mixture in bottom of pot, top with corn tortilla, and then top with 1 cup of chicken mixture and then top with cheese. 6. Repeat with remaining chicken mixture, tortillas and cheese. 7. Cover and cook on Low 2-6 hours (or until edges are slightly brown). Freezer to Slow Cooker Recipe Instructions 1. Follow Steps 1-4 above. 2. Place mixture in freezer safe bag and label. 3. To prepare for cooking, remove from freezer the night before. 4. Layer as described in Step 5 above. 5. Cover & cook on Low 2-6 hours (or until edges are slightly brown). Week 6 - Freezer to Slow Cooker SidetrackedSarah.com "8

26 Marinara Chicken & Vegetables Ingredients: 3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts 4 cloves garlic 1 can of diced tomatoes & green chiles 4 ribs celery, chopped 2 small zucchini, chopped (about 2 cups) 1 green pepper, chopped 2.5 cups of spaghetti sauce 1 t. basil bowtie noodles (or another version of your favorite) Week 6 - Freezer to Slow Cooker SidetrackedSarah.com "9

27 Directions: 1. Chop Vegetables. 2. Place all ingredients into slow cooker and cook on low for 6-7 hours or on high 4 hours. 3. Cook noodles about 10 minutes before dinner. 4. Shred chicken with a fork. 5. Mix cooked noodles with the chicken marinara mixture. Freezer to Slow Cooker Recipe Instructions First chop the vegetables and then mix all of the ingredients into a freezer safe bag (except noodles). Label and freeze flat. Note: I thawed mine in the microwave long enough so that it would come out of the bag and then tossed it into the slow cooker. The chicken wasn t all the way thawed at the beginning, but it still turned out wonderful. Week 6 - Freezer to Slow Cooker SidetrackedSarah.com "10

28 New Orleans Red Beans & Rice Ingredients: 1 pound dried red kidney beans 7 cups of water 1 green pepper chopped 1 onion chopped (medium) 3 celery stalks, chopped 3 garlic cloves, chopped 1 pound smoked sausage (or kielbasa) 3T. Creole seasoning Cooked Rice Directions: 1. Chop veggies and sausage. 2. Place first 8 ingredients in slow cooker. 3. Cook on Low for 7-8 hours or on High for 5-6. Week 6 - Freezer to Slow Cooker SidetrackedSarah.com "11

29 4. Cook rice about an hour before serving time and serve the beans over the rice. Freezer to Slow Cooker Recipe Instructions Chop veggies & sausage. Place everything but kidney beans, water and cooked rice into gallon size freezer bag. Label and Freeze. On cooking day, remove from freezer the night before (or throw it in frozen that morning). Add kidney beans and water and cook as directed. Cook rice about an hour before serving time and serve the beans over the rice (or mix it up like I did). Week 6 - Freezer to Slow Cooker SidetrackedSarah.com "12

30 Easy Crockpot Meatballs Ingredients: 1.5 pounds ground beef (low fat content if you plan to cook with sauce) 1.25 cups Italian bread crumbs 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 medium onion, chopped 1 egg 2 28 oz jars of spaghetti sauce Spaghetti Noodles (for cooking before you serve) Directions: 1. Mix first 5 ingredients together. 2. Shape into 16 meatballs. 3. Either precook them as described in paragraphs above OR place sauce in slow cooker and then put meatballs over the top of the sauce, allowing it to cook for 6-8 hours on low. 4. Serve over cooked spaghetti noodles. Week 6 - Freezer to Slow Cooker SidetrackedSarah.com "13

31 Freezer to Slow Cooker Recipe Instructions Roll into balls and place onto a cookie sheet. Place the cookie sheet into the freezer so that they won t stick together when frozen. Once frozen, place into the bag and label. Week 6 - Freezer to Slow Cooker SidetrackedSarah.com "14

32 Shopping List Meat 3.5 pounds ground beef 3 pounds chicken breast 1/2 pound kielbasa or smoked sausage 3 pound boneless pork roast Produce 11 cloves garlic, minced (or buy the jarred minced garlic) 3.5 medium onions 2 green peppers 7 celery stalks 2 small zucchini 1 medium sized poblano chili pepper 4 carrots Boxed/Canned/Jarred 3 28 oz jars of spaghetti sauce 8 oz of spaghetti sauce (Or 1 can tomato sauce with basil, garlic and oregano) Spaghetti Noodles (for cooking before you serve) bowtie noodles (or another version of your favorite) Italian bread crumbs (1.25 cups ) 1 pound dried red kidney beans Rice Italian bread crumbs (1.25 cups ) 1 pound dried red kidney beans Rice 7 can of diced tomatoes & green chiles 1 can white beans, drained 1 15 oz can chili beans (or black beans) Parmesan cheese (2/3 cup) honey (1/2 cup) soy sauce Freezer/Refrigerator Section Eggs (1) 24 oz of frozen corn 1 16 oz bag of frozen mixed vegetables shredded cheddar cheese Spices 3 T. Creole seasoning 1 1/2 t. chili powder 1 Tbsp + 1t. dried basil 2 Tbsp minced garlic 1/2 tsp salt Bread Other 5 corn tortillas Gallon Size Freezer Bags Quart Size Freezer Bags Week 6 - Freezer to Slow Cooker SidetrackedSarah.com "15

33 Assembly Instructions 1. Brown 2 pounds of Ground Beef (leave the other 1.5 pounds for meatballs) 2. Boil 2-3 chicken breasts (for enchilada stack) 3. While the meat is browning & boiling, begin chopping the vegetables. 4. Mince 11 cloves garlic (or buy the jarred minced garlic) 5. Chop 3.5 medium onions 6. Chop 2 green peppers 7. Chop 7 celery stalks 8. Chop 2 small zucchini 9. Dice 1 medium sized poblano chili pepper 10. Chop 4 carrots 11. Slice the Kielbasa/smoked sausage. 12. Begin assembling each recipe, according to it s individual instructions. 13. Be sure to label each bag and lay them flat to freeze. Note: If you are planning to write on the bag, be sure to do so before anything cold is in it. If it fogs up before you write, the writing won t stick. Week 6 - Freezer to Slow Cooker SidetrackedSarah.com "16

34 Labels (Cut these out to place on your freezer bags) Honey Parmesan Pork Roast Vegetable Beef Soup Chicken Enchilada Stack Marinara Chicken & Vegetables Red Beans & Rice Easy Crockpot Meatballs Week 6 - Freezer to Slow Cooker SidetrackedSarah.com "17

35 Freezer to Slow Cooker Week 7 by Sarah Robinson copyright 2014 No portion of this e-book may be shared or transmitted, electronically or in print, without the express written consent of the author.

36 Recipes Table of Contents Chicken Cordon Bleu... 3 Broccoli Cheese Soup... 5 Smothered Steak... 7 Hearty Western Casserole... 9 Crockpot Chicken Cacciatore Shredded Pork Soft Tacos...13 Shopping List Assembly Instructions Labels Week 7 - Freezer to Slow Cooker SidetrackedSarah.com "2

37 Chicken Cordon Bleu Ingredients: 5-6 large boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into pieces 1 can of Cream of Chicken Soup 2 boxes of Chicken Stuffing (Stovestop or off brand prepared as package recommends minus the butter) 6 slices of ham (I used smoked ham lunchmeat) 6 (approx.) slices swiss cheese 8 T. Butter Salt, pepper, garlic powder to taste Directions: 1. Place chicken in the bottom of the slow cooker. I cut mine up, so that it would serve more people, but you wouldn t have to. 2. Mix Cream of Chicken Soup with milk and pour over the chicken. 3. Cover with slices of ham. I used ham lunchmeat, but if I do it again, I ll use a slightly thicker cut of ham. Week 7 - Freezer to Slow Cooker SidetrackedSarah.com "3

38 4. Mix up the stuffing mix with the water. Put over the top of the ham mix. The butter that was supposed to be mixed in with the stuffing mix can be cut into pats and placed on top of the stuffing so that it slowly sinks in throughout the day. 5. Top with Swiss Cheese. 6. Let bake for 4-5 hours on high or 8 hours on low. I ended up topping mine with a little extra shredded cheese that I had on hand, because the Swiss melted on into the dish Freezer to Slow Cooker Recipe Instructions Place 5-6 Chicken Breasts in a Gallon Size freezer bag. Place sliced swiss cheese and ham pieces in a smaller quart size bag. Place the small bag inside the larger bag. Label bag with Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole. Lay flat to freeze. (On cooking day you ll need to have the chicken thawed so you can quickly chop it with scissors once you put it in the slow cooker, the other ingredients can be added that day as well). Week 7 - Freezer to Slow Cooker SidetrackedSarah.com "4

39 Broccoli Cheese Soup Ingredients: 42 oz frozen chopped broccoli florets (I bought 3 14 oz size bags) oz cans of cheddar cheese soup 3 cans evaporated milk 1 teaspoon of Garlic Powder 1.5 teaspoons of black pepper 1.5 cups of Chopped Onions Cheddar Cheese (to top with) Directions: 1. Place all ingredients except cheddar cheese into slow cooker. 2. Cook on low 4-6 hours or high for 2-3 hours. 3. Top with cheddar cheese. Week 7 - Freezer to Slow Cooker SidetrackedSarah.com "5

40 Freezer to Slow Cooker Recipe Instructions Chop 1.5 cups of onion (about 2 medium). Place all ingredients except cheddar cheese and frozen broccoli into gallon size freezer safe bag. Get bag out of freezer the night before you plan to cook it. The next morning, add contents of bag and the frozen broccoli to the slow cooker. Stir. Follow cooking directions above. Week 7 - Freezer to Slow Cooker SidetrackedSarah.com "6

41 Smothered Steak Ingredients: 2-3 lbs cubed steak (or enough pieces for your family) 2 cans cream of chicken or mushroom soup 2 6 oz cans of tomato paste 2 15 oz cans of tomato sauce salt & pepper 1 teaspoon oregano 3/4 cup water Directions: 1. Place all ingredients together in slow cooker. 2. Cook on low for 7-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours. (You can serve this over rice or pasta or all by itself. We chose to do it all by itself, because we ve been eating a lot of pasta this week). Week 7 - Freezer to Slow Cooker SidetrackedSarah.com "7

42 Freezer to Slow Cooker Recipe Instructions Place all ingredients into freezer safe gallon size bag. Squish around so that the ingredients are distributed evenly. Label and lay flat to freeze. Week 7 - Freezer to Slow Cooker SidetrackedSarah.com "8

43 Hearty Western Casserole Ingredients: 1.5 lbs ground beef, browned 16 oz can of corn, drained 16 oz can kidney beans, drained oz can tomato soup 1 cup Cheese (your choice) 1/4 cup milk 1 teaspoon minced dry onion flakes 1/2 teaspoon chili powder Directions: 1. Combine all ingredients. 2. Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours or high 1-2 hours. Week 7 - Freezer to Slow Cooker SidetrackedSarah.com "9

44 Freezer to Slow Cooker Recipe Instructions Brown hamburger meat. Combine all ingredients in a gallon size freezer safe bag. Label and freeze flat. Week 7 - Freezer to Slow Cooker SidetrackedSarah.com "10

45 Crockpot Chicken Cacciatore Ingredients: 2 cups sliced mushrooms 1 cup sliced celery 1 cup chopped carrots 2 medium onions, chopped 1 green pepper, cut into strips 4 teaspoons of minced garlic (or 4 cloves of garlic, minced) 5-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts 1/2 cup chicken broth 1/4 cup dry white wine 2 bay leaves 1 teaspoon dried oregano 1 teaspoon sugar 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper oz can of diced tomatoes 1 can tomato paste Italian Bread Crumbs (optional: to thicken sauce at the end) Week 7 - Freezer to Slow Cooker SidetrackedSarah.com "11

46 Parmesan Cheese Hot Cooked Pasta (we used spaghetti noodles) Directions: 1. Combine all ingredients except pasta, Parmesan cheese and bread crumbs. 2. Mix it up well so that everything will evenly cook and mix flavors together well. 3. Cook on low for 7-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours. 4. Once cooked, mix in about 1/4 cup of bread crumbs and 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese to thicken it up just a tad. 5. Shred meat with two forks. 6. Leave the lid off and cook for another 30 minutes. 7. Serve over hot cooked pasta or rice. Freezer to Slow Cooker Recipe Instructions Chop mushrooms, carrots, onions, and green peppers. Mince Garlic (unless you bought it in a jar). Place all ingredients except Parmesan cheese, pasta and bread crumbs into the bag. Label and Freeze. On Cooking day, if you forget to get it out the night before, place in slow cooker frozen, but add an extra hour of cooking time if cooking on Low or an extra 30 minutes if cooking on High. Week 7 - Freezer to Slow Cooker SidetrackedSarah.com "12

47 Shredded Pork Soft Tacos Ingredients: 4-5 pounds of bone-in pork shoulder 1 Tablespoon of chili powder (or taco seasoning) Salt Pepper 1 Large Onion chopped 1 cup of root beer 1 4 oz can of canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, finely chopped Flour or Corn Tortillas Directions: 1. Rub meat with chili powder, salt and pepper. 2. Place in slow cooker. 3. Place chopped onions all around the meat. Week 7 - Freezer to Slow Cooker SidetrackedSarah.com "13

48 4. Chop 3-4 chipotle peppers into fine pieces (the more you do, the spicier it will be). 5. Mix chipotle peppers with 1-2 Tablespoons of Adobo sauce from the can with 1 cup of root beer. 6. Pour over the meat and onions. 7. Cook on Loe for 8-10 hours or on High for 4-6 hours. 8. Shred meat with a fork. 9. Serve on tortillas and top with your favorite taco fixings. Freezer to Slow Cooker Recipe Instructions Be sure you bought meat that is raw, not yet frozen. If you discover yours is frozen already, just be sure to keep it separate from the rest of the bag ingredients below so that you can rub it once it s thawed on cooking day. Rub meat with chili powder, salt and pepper and place in gallon size freezer bag. Chop 1 large onion. Chop 3-4 chipotle peppers from the can. Mix chopped chipotle peppers, 1-2 T. of adobo sauce (from same can) and 1 cup of root beer (you can use the whole can, but you may want to add more root beer if you do). Pour mixture over meat and onions in freezer safe bag. Label bag and freeze flat. Remove bag from freezer the night before cooking day to let thaw. Week 7 - Freezer to Slow Cooker SidetrackedSarah.com "14

49 Shopping List Meat large boneless skinless chicken breasts 6 slices of ham (can use lunch meat) 2-3 lbs cubed steak (or enough pieces for your family) 1.5 lbs ground beef 4-5 pounds of bone-in pork shoulder Produce 5 Onions Mushrooms Celery (for one cup) Carrots ( for 1 cup of chopped) 1 green pepper Garlic clove Boxed/Canned/Jarred 3 cans of Cream of Chicken Soup 3 6 oz cans of tomato paste 2 15 oz cans of tomato sauce 2 boxes of Chicken Stuffing oz cans of cheddar cheese soup 3 cans evaporated milk 16 oz can of corn 16 oz can kidney beans oz can tomato soup 1/2 cup chicken broth Dry white wine Sugar (need 1 tsp) oz can of diced tomatoes Italian Bread Crumbs (optional: to thicken sauce at the end) Parmesan Cheese Pasta (we used spaghetti) root beer (1 cup) 1 4 oz can of canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce Baking Aisle Flour Brown sugar (need 2 Tbsp) Freezer/Refrigerator Section 1.25 cup of Milk 6 (approx.) slices swiss cheese Shredded Cheddar Cheese - 2 cups 8 T. Butter 42 oz frozen chopped broccoli florets (I bought 3 14 oz size bags) Spices salt pepper garlic powder oregano minced dry onion flakes chili powder 2 bay leaves Bread Other Flour or Corn Tortillas Gallon Size Freezer Bags Quart Size Freezer Bags Week 7 - Freezer to Slow Cooker SidetrackedSarah.com "15

50 Assembly Instructions 1. Gather your cutting board, knife, freezer bags and Sharpie Marker. 2. Brown 1.5 pounds of ground beef 3. While meat is browning, begin cutting vegetables 4. Dice 5 onions 5. Slice 2 cups of mushrooms, 6. Chop one cup of celery 7. Chop 1 cup carrots 8. Slice 1 green pepper into strips 9. Mince 1 garlic clove 10. Begin assembling each recipe above, following the Freezer to Slow Cooker instructions. 11.Label each bag before you fill it, so that the marker does not smear if it gets wet or foggy from cold or hot food inside. 12.Be sure to lay as flat as possible to freeze and get air out of the bag. Hint: You ll want to try to thaw out your bag the night before. In most cases, if you forget, you can just add an hour or so of cooking time. Take a look at the recipes first to get a handle on what you ll be doing on cooking day. Week 7 - Freezer to Slow Cooker SidetrackedSarah.com "16

51 Labels (Cut these out to place on your freezer bags) Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole Broccoli Cheese Soup Smothered Steak Hearty Western Casserole Chicken Cacciatore Shredded Pork Soft Tacos Week 7 - Freezer to Slow Cooker SidetrackedSarah.com "17

52 Freezer to Slow Cooker Week 8 by Sarah Robinson copyright 2014 No portion of this e-book may be shared or transmitted, electronically or in print, without the express written consent of the author.

53 Recipes Table of Contents Salisbury Steak... 3 Stuffed Pepper Soup... 5 Pizza Burgers... 7 Chicken Ala King... 9 Crockpot Sausage & Peppers Cheeseburger Soup...13 Shopping List Assembly Instructions Labels Week 8 - Freezer to Slow Cooker SidetrackedSarah.com 2

54 Salisbury Steak Ingredients: 2 Pounds lean ground beef 1 Envelope of Onion Soup Mix 1/2 Cup Italian Bread Crumbs (can use crushed crackers if you prefer) 1 egg 1/4 Cup milk Flour (enough to dip your patties into) 2 Cans cream of mushroom soup (or use cream of chicken, like I did) 1 Package Au Jus mix Directions: 1. In a large bowl, mix together beef, onion soup mix, bread crumbs, egg, and milk. 2. Form beef mixture into 8 patties. 3. Dredge the patties in flour to coat Week 8 - Freezer to Slow Cooker SidetrackedSarah.com 3

55 4. Brown the patties on both sides (You don t have to fully cook them if you don t want to since they ll be cooking for 4 or more hours in the slow cooker, too) 5. Place the browned patties into the slow cooker, layering them if you need to 6. In a medium bowl, prepare the Au Jus mixture according to package instructions. 7. Mix in both cans of cream soup 8. Pour the mixture over the patties. 9. Cook on LOW for 4 to 6 hours, or until beef is done. Freezer to Slow Cooker Recipe Instructions Follow instructions 1-4 above. Place browned patties into a gallon size freezer safe bag. Follow instructions 6-7 Pour this mixture over the patties in the bag. Mix around, being sure to coat all the patties. Lay flat to freeze, to maximize freezer space. Label & Freeze. Week 8 - Freezer to Slow Cooker SidetrackedSarah.com 4

56 Stuffed Pepper Soup Ingredients: 1-2 pounds ground beef 1 medium onion, chopped 2 green peppers, chopped 2 15oz cans diced tomatoes, undrained 1 15 oz can of tomato sauce 1 15 oz can of water 1 can corn (optional) 1 cup brown rice (if you choose to use instant or white, you will need to add it at the end or it will be mush) 1 clove garlic 1/2 tsp parsley 1/2 tsp oregano 2 Tablespoons brown sugar 2 tsp salt 1 1/2 tsp pepper Week 8 - Freezer to Slow Cooker SidetrackedSarah.com 5

57 Directions: Place all ingredients in slow cooker and cook on high for 4-5 hours or on low for 7-8 hours. Hint, the longer this cooks, the more likely your rice is going to eat up all the liquid. If you find your soup thick, you can add water to it until it reaches the consistency you d like to see. Also, if you use white rice, it will be mush. If you plan to cook the rice in the slow cooker, you ll need a tougher grain, like brown rice. If you prefer white rice, cook it separately and add it towards the end of its cooking time. Freezer to Slow Cooker Recipe Instructions Brown Ground Beef Chop Onions & Green Peppers Place all ingredients except rice in freezer safe bag. Label the bag and write a note to be sure to add the rice to the crockpot on the day of cooking. Lay it flat to freeze. Week 8 - Freezer to Slow Cooker SidetrackedSarah.com 6

58 Pizza Burgers Ingredients: 2 lbs ground beef or turkey (browned) 1 small onion, chopped 24 oz of tomato sauce (I used 3 8oz cans, because that s what I had on hand) 2 tablespoon dried oregano Dash of Salt (optional) ¼ tsp. pepper Cheese to top with Hamburger Buns Directions: 1. Cook ground beef in skillet until brown. 2. Drain 3. Place meat in slow cooker. 4. Add remaining ingredients and mix well 5. Cover crockpot and cook on low for 2-3 hours until onions are tender. 6. Serve on hamburger buns. Week 8 - Freezer to Slow Cooker SidetrackedSarah.com 7

59 Freezer to Slow Cooker Recipe Instructions Mix all ingredients except hamburger buns and cheese together in a freezer safe bag. Label & lay flat to freeze. Week 8 - Freezer to Slow Cooker SidetrackedSarah.com 8

60 Chicken Ala King Ingredients: Chicken Breasts (enough for your family) 26 oz can of Cream of Chicken Soup 1/2 cup of flour 1/2 teaspoon pepper 2 15 oz cans of peas 1 teaspoon paprika More Flour or Instant Mashed Potatoes to thicken Directions: 1. Cut up chicken breasts into bite sized pieces. 2. Mix flour and cream of chicken soup together along with the pepper. 3. Cook on high for 2.5 hours or low for 5 hours. 4. Add 2 cans of peas and paprika. Stir well. Week 8 - Freezer to Slow Cooker SidetrackedSarah.com 9

61 5. Add in flour or instant mashed potatoes to thicken. (We used the potatoes with great results.) 6. Let cook for another 30 minutes. Enjoy 7. We topped ours with cheese.just because we can. Freezer to Slow Cooker Recipe Instructions If chicken is already thawed when you bought it, cut it into bite sized pieces. If it s not, you can wait and cut it up with scissors in the slow cooker after it s cooked. Mix flour, pepper and cream soup together. Place chicken and soup mixture into gallon size freezer safe bag. Label, Lay Flat & Freeze. On cooking day, follow instructions in recipe above. Week 8 - Freezer to Slow Cooker SidetrackedSarah.com 10

62 Crockpot Sausage & Peppers Ingredients: 2 lbs sweet or hot Italian sausages 2 onions 3 red, yellow or green peppers, cut into 2 slices 2 cloves of garlic 14 oz can diced tomatoes 6 oz can of tomato paste 1/2 cup beef broth 1 T. dried Italian seasoning 1/4 t. pepper Directions: 1. Brown the Italian Sausages in a skillet. (I usually start with them whole, then slice them up while they re cooking.they stay in tact and keep their shape better that way). Week 8 - Freezer to Slow Cooker SidetrackedSarah.com 11

63 2. Layer half of the onions on bottom of slow cooker, then add half of the peppers. 3. Put all of the browned sausage on top of that, followed by the rest of the onions and peppers. 4. Mix together diced tomatoes, tomato paste and beef broth and pour over the top. 5. Cook on low for 6 hours. 6. One hour before mixture is done, add the spices. 7. Stir. 8. Cover and cook an additional hour. Freezer to Slow Cooker Recipe Instructions Brown Italian Sausages While browning, slice peppers and onions. Place onions and peppers in freezer safe bag. Mix together diced tomatoes, tomato paste and beef broth and place in a 2nd freezer bag. Label & Freeze Follow instructions on cooking day. It helps to at least have the sauce thawed out when you re putting it in the slow cooker, but not required. Week 8 - Freezer to Slow Cooker SidetrackedSarah.com 12

64 Cheeseburger Soup Ingredients: Pounds cooked ground beef 1 onion, diced 1 Tablespoon of minced garlic 2 Cans (14.5 ounce) Diced Tomatoes 1 pound bacon, cooked & broken into pieces 6-7 small to medium Potatoes, Cubed (or can substitute shredded potatoes/hash browns if you want to freeze ahead) 1 Cup of chopped or shredded carrots 8 oz pkg of cream cheese Cubed 8 Cups of Chicken Broth 2 teaspoons of Salt 1 teaspoon of Pepper 2 cups of milk 1/2 cup of flour 3 cups of cheddar cheese, shredded Directions: Week 8 - Freezer to Slow Cooker SidetrackedSarah.com 13

65 1. Place cooked ground beef, garlic, diced tomatoes, 1/2 of the cooked bacon, onion, potatoes, carrots, cream cheese, chicken broth, salt and pepper into the slow cooker. 2. Cook on low for 7 hours. 3. One hour before done cooking, whisk milk and flour together and pour into the slow cooker. 4. Add the 3 cups of cheese at this time as well. 5. Let cook another hour or so. 6. Top with shredded cheese and bacon pieces. Freezer to Slow Cooker Recipe Instructions Cook bacon & ground beef. Crumble the bacon & place half of it in a quart sized freezer bag. Chop the carrots & onion. Chop the cream cheese into cubes. Substitute 6-7 potatoes for 3-4 cups of hashbrowns. Add all ingredients except milk, flour and cheese to the gallon size freezer bag. (Can freeze cheese in another freezer bag to make sure you have enough on cooking day) Label & Freeze as flat as possible. Get out of freezer the night before to let thaw. (If you forget, can cook frozen, just add an extra hour of cooking time to it) On cooking day, follow instructions in original recipe. Week 8 - Freezer to Slow Cooker SidetrackedSarah.com 14

66 Shopping List Meat 7-8 Pounds lean ground beef Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts **(enough for your family for one meal)** 2 lbs sweet or hot Italian sausages 1 pound bacon Produce 5 medium onions 2 green peppers 3 red, yellow or green peppers 3 clove garlic 6-7 small to medium Potatoes, Cubed (or can substitute shredded potatoes/hash browns if you want to freeze ahead) Carrots Boxed/Canned/Jarred 1 Envelope of Onion Soup Mix 1 Package Au Jus mix 1/2 Cup Italian Bread Crumbs 2 Cans cream of mushroom soup 26 oz can of Cream of Chicken Soup 1/2 cup beef broth 64 oz Chicken Broth 5 15oz cans diced tomatoes 1 15 oz can of tomato sauce 3 8oz cans of tomato sauce 6 oz can of tomato paste 1 can corn (optional) 2 15 oz cans of peas 1 cup brown rice Instant Mashed Potatoes (optional) Freezer/Refrigerator Section 1 egg 2 1/4 Cup milk 8 oz pkg of cream cheese Cubed 4 cups Cheddar Cheese hash browns/shredded potatoes (unless you went with fresh potatoes) Spices parsley oregano salt pepper paprika Italian seasoning Minced Garlic Bread 2 packs of Hamburger buns Other Gallon Size Freezer Bags Quart Size Freezer Bags Baking Aisle Flour Brown sugar (need 2 Tbsp) Week 8 - Freezer to Slow Cooker SidetrackedSarah.com 15

67 Assembly Instructions 1. Chop 3 Onions & 2 green peppers into pieces 2. Chop 3 (red, green or yellow) peppers & 2 onions into long strips 3. Dice 3 cloves of garlic (or use minced if you prefer) 4. Chop or Shred Carrots 5. Brown 5-6 pounds of Ground Beef 6. Brown Italian Sausage (cutting into pieces while cooking) 7. Cook pound of bacon (I like to do this in the oven on cookie sheets) 8. If you bought thawed chicken, chop your chicken into bite sized pizzas. If frozen, you ll wait until after you cook them. 9. Chop Cream Cheese into cubes 10. Assemble Salisbury Steak Patties (using Recipe 1), dredge them in flour and Brown 11. In a medium bowl, prepare the Au Jus mixture according to package instructions and mix with 2 cans of Cream of mushroom soup. 12. Place browned beef patties and soup mixture into gallon sized freezer safe bag. 13. Label Salisbury Steak and lay flat to freeze. 14. Place all ingredients for Stuffed Pepper Soup except rice in gallon size freezer safe bag. 15. Label Stuffed Pepper Soup and attach a note to add the rice to the crockpot on the day of cooking. Lay flat to freeze. 16. Mix all ingredients for Pizza Burgers together in a gallon size freezer safe bag. (except hamburger buns and cheese) 17. Label Pizza Burgers & lay flat to freeze. 18. Mix 1/2 cup flour with 26 oz cream of chicken soup 19. Place frozen chicken breasts and soup mixture into gallon size freezer safe bag. 20. Label with Chicken Ala King and lay flat to freeze. 21. Place onions strips and green peppers strips together into a quart sized freezer bag. 22. Mix together 1 15 oz can diced tomatoes, 6 oz can of tomato paste and 1/2 cup of beef broth and place in a 2nd freezer bag. 23. Staple 2 bags together at the top 24. Label with Crockpot Sausage & Peppers. Lay flat to freeze. 25. Break Bacon into little pieces, and place 1/2 of the pieces into a small freezer bag. 26. Place ingredients to Cheeseburger soup, except Milk, Flour and Cheese into 1-2 gallon sized freezer bags. (if you want to withhold canned goods, you can, saving space in your freezer bag, just be sure to add on cooking day) 27. Place 3 cups of cheese into a quart size freezer safe bag. 28. Staple 3-4 bags together. 29. Label with Cheeseburger Soup and lay flat to freeze. Week 8 - Freezer to Slow Cooker SidetrackedSarah.com 16

68 Labels (Cut these out to place on your freezer bags) Salisbury Steak Stuffed Pepper Soup *Add Rice on Cooking Day Pizza Burgers Chicken Ala King Crockpot Sausage & Peppers Cheeseburger Soup Week 8 - Freezer to Slow Cooker SidetrackedSarah.com 17