Freezer Meal Recipes: July 2014

Sloppy Joe's (Beef or Turkey)

1 1/2-2 COOKED ground beef or turkey
1 Green Pepper finely chopped
1Onion minced
1 lb bacon finely chopped
Salt to taste
BBQ sauce to your liking for right thickness/consistency
Buns for serving

Place contents in bag and mix to coat the meat evenly. You can put this in crock pot frozen or defrosted, it will cook on low for 4-6 hrs. Closer to 4 hrs if defrosted, closer to 6 if frozen.Serve on buns with side of veggies

French Dip Sandwhiches

4 lb of pot roast
32 oz beef broth
5 garlic cloves
1 oinon quartered
1 Tble Italian seasoning (dry dressing mix)
1 Tble ground mustard
1 Tble pepper
Salt to taste
Hoagie Rolls for serving

Place all food in bag and shake to incorporate. Place defrosted food in crock pot and cook on low for 7 hrs. Shred the meat and strain the broth to remove the large pieces of
food. You will be left with your au jus dipping sauce.

Mexican Chicken Lettuce Wraps

15 oz (or 2 cups homemade) tomato sauce
4 oz diced chilies
1 Tble cumin
1 Tble onion powder
2 bls chicken
Salt/Pepper to taste
1 Tble corn starch (for after
cooking)
1 Head Butter lettuce for serving
Favorite salsa for topping

Place all ingredients in bag except the corn starch. Defrost in the fridge overnight, place in crock pot and cook on low for 6 hrs, or high for 3 hrs. Remove the chicken and shred, add corn starch to sauce to thicken, return chicken to the pot. Top with salsa of choice.Place in Lettuce leaves and wrap (you can also use tortillas, I was just trying to change things up!)

Rosemary Chicken

1 whole chicken (or 4 breasts if a whole chicken freaks you out!!!)
I Tble garlic powder
1 Tble rosemary
1 Lemon, sliced
Salt/Pepper to taste

Whole Chicken: Place spices under skin and sliced lemons inside cavity

Defrost when ready to cook, and cook on low for 8 hrs

Breasts: Coat chicken with spices, place lemon slices on top. When ready to cook, place in crock pot with 1⁄2 cup of chicken broth and cook on low 4-6 hrsServe as sandwich meat, or with vegetables and pasta.

Turkey Meatball

 1 1⁄2 lbs of ground meat (beef, turkey, chicken)
1 Tble garlic (1 clove)
1 T onion powder
1 Tbl Italian seasoning (dry dressing mix
2 cups (15-16 oz ) tomato sauce
1⁄4 cup Parmesan cheese
Salt/pepper to taste
1 cup diced mushrooms optional

Mix all ingredients, except sauce and cheese, in a bowl, just until incorporated. Too much mixing
with make the meatballs tough. The mushrooms are optional b/c the mix makes a dense meatball, the mushrooms will lighten it up. It is all your preference.Roll into balls and place in a single layer in freezer bag.

Defrost when ready to use and place in crock pot . Top with tomato sauce and cheese. Cook on low for 4-6 hrs. Serve over pasta

Santa Fe Chicken 

1-2 lbs chicken
Green chilies
2 cups (1 can) black beans
1 cup corn
2 garlic cloves
1⁄2 jalapeno pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion poweder
1 Tble cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cayenne
1⁄2 lime juiced
1 cup salsa

*Time saver: the amount of garlic, onion, and chili powder, cumin, and cayenne are equal to about a packet of taco seasoning if you would prefer to use that.  Place all ingredients in bag and mix to coat the chicken

Cook (frozen or defrosted) on low for 4-6 hrs Serve over rice

Chicken Pad Thai

 1⁄2 cup HOT water
1⁄4 cup sugar
2 Tble rice wine vinegar
2 Tble soy sauce
1 Tble chili sauce
1⁄2 lime juiced
1 lb chicken
2 cups broccoli (fresh or frozen)
1 cup shredded cabbage (you can use coleslaw mix)
1⁄2 cup cilantro
1 small onion chopped
3 garlic cloves
8 oz linguine (for serving)

Mix first 6 ingredients to create a sauce, add in remaining ingredients into freezer bag and mix to incorporate. Place in crock pot frozen or defrosted and cook on low 6-8 hrs. When ready to serve, cook the pasta and shred the chicken. Mix the cooked pasta into the pot and toss to coat with sauce.


Mexican Rice

 2 cups brown rice
2 cups chicken broth
2 cups diced tomoatoes
1 onion
1 bell pepper
2 tsp chili powder
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp salt
2 Tble cilantro

Mix all ingredients in freezer bag.

Defrost when ready to cook, place in crock pot and cook on high for 2 1⁄2 -3 hrs or until the liquid is absorbed. Serve as a side with tacos, grilled chicken.

Refried Beans

 2 lbs pinto beans
1 onion
4 garlic cloves

Place all ingredients in freezer bag and freeze.

2 Tble salt
1 tsp pepper
2 Tble Cumin

When ready to cook, defrost and place in crock pot. Add 10 cups of HOT water and cook on high for 4 hrs and low for 2 hours. Blend to desired consistency This make a lot of beans! Place approx. 2 cups in smaller freezer bags and freeze until needed. Serve as side or use to make filling for enchiladas or tacos at a later date.

Chocolate Bread Pudding

1 lb bread cubed (Italian works best)
1 cup cream
12 oz dark chocolate chips
2 cups milk
3 eggs
6 Tble sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Melt chocolate chips in cream using the microwave until smooth. Add in other ingredients and toss over bread to coat. Place in freezer bag and freeze.

When ready to cook, defrost and place in crock pot. Cook on low for 3 hours.

*Tip: Place a paper towel under the lid when cooking to absorb the condensation and prevent it from dripping into your pudding!

Orange Chicken

1 lb chicken
1⁄2 bottle of BBQ sauce
1⁄2 cup of orange jelly/jam
1⁄2 cup chicken broth

Mix all ingredients in freezer bag and freeze.

Place in crock pot frozen or defrosted and cook on low for 6-8 hrs. Serve over rice

Buffalo Chicken

1 lb chicken
1⁄2 packet of ranch dressing mix
1⁄2 cup chicken broth
2 Tble butter
1 bottle of Franks Red Hot Buffalo Sauce for serving

Place chicken , ranch, broth, and butter in freezer bag and freeze.

Place in crock pot frozen or defrosted and cook on low for 6-8 hrs. When finished cooking, drain excess liquid off, shred chicken, and add in buffalo sauce to desired hotness level!

Serve on sandwiches or tacos

Featured Article: Making Memories

Making Memories by Sarah L.
Originally published in the Summer Newsletter 2013

Have you ever thought about what memories you are making with your kids?  It is hard having little ones running around the house because there is always something to do. A mom is never, ever "done" with chores. There is the laundry, cooking, cleaning, potty training, nursing, diaper changing, errands....It can be both overwhelming and boring at the same time.

With something always on the "To-Do" list it is easy to get caught up in the list of things we need to get done and forget to spend time making memories with the kids. At one of the May MOPS meetings the Mentor Mom challenged us to think about what matters long term. Does a clean house matter or does spending time playing with the kids matter? The answer is obvious but it sure is hard to do when you are caught up in the moment and overwhelmed with housework.

Since I have two kids in elementary school and one still in diapers I have seen how quickly time goes by.  I also know I can't stop it either. If we don't stop and savor these moments they will pass by unnoticed. How do you find a balance?

I came up with a plan I think will work for my family. Each day we will do something fun. It doesn't have to be grand or expensive, it could be baking cookies, going on a walk and exploring nature, cloud watching, dancing, tickling, snuggling, making homemade Popsicles, or having a movie night.  Then once a week, we will just forget the chores and have fun. On this day we will go to the park and have a picnic, go to the movies, the zoo, have a play date, or try something new. We will schedule time together, maybe even put it on our "To-do" list. We created a Summer Bucket List of fun ideas we want to do this summer. At least once a week we are going to check something off our list and in the meantime we will be making memories that will last a lifetime.  I challenge you not to let the summer go by without making some lasting memories with your kids. Enjoy this short stage of motherhood or it will be over before you know it. The laundry can wait but our babies won’t.

The kids and I will be working hard on our summer bucket list and I will try to post the highlights for you.

My Favorite Things: Websites

Want to try a new restaurant but not sure where to go?

Are you pregnant and not sure what baby products you really need?

Are you unsure of what to cook on a busy weeknight?

What better place to turn than your fellow MOPS moms for ideas?

Our blog feature My Favorite Things - will give you some ideas of where to start.

Each month we will feature a different question and recommendations will be listed by other MOPS moms in the group.

This month's feature:

What is your favorite website?

• Babycenter - Melony S.
• Babycenter - Ashley C.
• Facebook - Jessica F.
• Pinterest, Jane H.
• Goodreads - Stephanie H.
• Any food blog - Emily H.
• Pinterest - Heather J.
• Pinterest - Stephanie L.
• Pinterest - Alicia P.
• Pinterest - Lindsay R.
• Pinterest - Amy S.
• Pinterest, Facebook, Buzzfeed - Raychel V.
• Amazon - Laura W.
• Olathe Public Library - Erin B.
• Pinterest - Karla T.
• Facebook - Julie K.
• Babycenter - Angela A.
• Google - Sara B.