Crock Pot Cooking

Hello blogging world!

The Fiance and I are all moved in and working like real adults and all, one hour commute on the way home plus 4 days a week in the gym = not much time to actually cook real food! The temptation to pick up junk food on the way home is way to easy.  So.....how do you have time to work, drive home, work out, and still manage to have a healthy home cooked meal for dinner?!

CROCK POT!

So I've been scouring the internet world and several cook books to find easy to prepare, healthy, and so easy to put together in the mornings I have no excuse to put it in the crock pot in the morning before I leave in the morning!!

Here is my theory on crock potting - pick out 4-6 recipes make your shopping list, including some freezer bags, spend 2-3 hours chopping and preparing the meals (and make a mess of your kitchen) then throw them all in the freezer and call it a day!

We have the Hamilton Beach Set N' Forget it from Target for about $50, although we got ours on sale for about $39 I think.

Next up....awesome recopies
Lucky you I'm sharing a few of our favorites!

Buffalo Chicken Lettuce Wraps
3 Chicken Breasts
1 stalk celery
1/2 cup diced onion
1 cup chicken broth
Put everything in a freezer bag and mix, freeze
Cook on low 6-8 hours
Shred chicken
Place back into crock pot with 1/3 cup of the chicken broth with 3/4 cup buffalo chicken sauce
Cook on high 25 minutes
Put on lettuce leaves, shredded carrot, and ranch dressing.
Makes 4-6 servings

Not your average Red Beans and Rice
1 lb of spicy smoked sausage, cooked and sliced
Two 15oz cans red beans drained
1 Green and 1 Yellow bell pepper chopped
1 Jalopeno seeded and chopped
One 15 oz can of peeled diced tomatoes in juice
1 small red onion chopped
Put everything in a freezer bag and mix, freeze
Cook on low 6 hours
Serve over rice
We like 1/2 brown rice and 1/2 white rice
Makes 6-8 servings

Slow Cooker Fajitas
2lbs of flank or skirt steak, sliced (great if you can find it on sale!!)
1 onion sliced
1 Red or Green bell pepper  (or both)
1 Garlic clove crushed
1 Jalepeno seeded and chopped
2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup veg oil
1Tbsp lemon juice
Put everything in a freezer bag and mix, freeze
Cook on low 6-7 hours
Serve with warm tortilas, avacado, sour cream, cheese, lettuce and pico
Makes 8-10 servings

Jambalaya
2-3lb of chicken, cubed
1 Onion chopped
1 finally chopped green bell pepper
3 carrot sliced
1 garlic clove minced
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp basil
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp of: pepper, paprika, red pepper flake
One 14oz can tomatoes cut up
Put everything in a freezer bag and mix, freeze
Cook on low 4-6 hours
Then add shrimp and cooked rice- cook on high 30 minutes.
(we like the popcorn shrimp or salad shrimp)
Makes 4-6 servings

Italian Meatballs
1-2lbs lean ground beef
1/2 cup of bread crumbs
2 eggs beaten
1/4 cup milk
2 tbsp grated parmesean
1/2 tsp salt, season salt, oregano, basil
1/4 tsp pepper
1 garlic clove crushed
Combine and form 2 inch balls, put them on a cookie sheet and into the freezer until frozen solid then add to a freezer bag with
One 6 oz can tomato paste
2 cups beef broth
Cook on low 4-5 hours
Serve with angel hair pasta, or add cooked Italian veggies to the broth to make a stew, also good on subs with provolone cheese!

**Disclosure I have found recipes from all over the place, I do not take credit for creating these personally, just passing them on!!**

Enjoy!