Crock Pot Cooking for One - Freezer to Crock Pot

I love freezer-to-crock pot recipes because they are such a time saver.  However, most of the recipes make a ton of food.  That's difficult for one person because they either end up eating the dish for several days or have to try to freeze it to keep it for later.  

My mother is nearly 80 and lives alone in a home next to us.  We help her with meals, but if she cooks for herself she tends to eat ready-to-eat meals or a bowl of cereal or whatever is easy because it's hard cooking a bunch of food when only one person is going to eat it. 

I decided to try my hand at crock pot cooking for one.  I got Mom a 2-quart crock pot with removable crock (pictured above and link HERE).  Then I bought groceries and got to work. I made 12 meals (2 meals per recipe) with each of the recipes listed below.  

I made enough quantities that if she wanted a larger meal, it would be just enough for her, or if she wanted a smaller meal, there would be enough left over for lunch or dinner.  Depending on how much she eats and which meals she chooses, these can stretch anywhere from 2 weeks to a month.  So far, she has been thrilled, and I have peace of mind knowing that she's eating good meals. 

Here are the recipes I made, below. While these are recipes I have posted previously, I had to modify them to take into consideration the smaller amounts.  Click on the title for each recipe to see the original post for a full-size, 5 quart version of this recipe. 

Use quart size Ziploc bags for storage.  I split each recipe between two one-quart bags.

Butter Curry Chicken (Have not posted this as a large recipe yet, so no link)

4 small boneless skinless chicken breasts or 2 very large chicken breast  cut in half to make 4 pieces

1 can cream of chicken soup

3-4 green onions, chopped and including bottoms and green tops OR 2 tablespoons finely minced onion 

1/2 cup tart fruit juice such as pineapple, orange, or white grape OR dry cooking sherry

4 tablespoons of butter 

2 teaspoons of curry

salt and pepper 

Divide ingredients between two quart size Ziploc freezer bags.  Squish to remove air, then seal and massage to distribute ingredients.  When ready to cook thaw in refrigerator or place frozen chunk in crock pot.  Cook on low 6-8 hours.  Serve over noodles or mashed potatoes. 

Chipotle Lime Chicken 

4 small boneless skinless chicken breasts or 2 very large chicken breasts cut into 4 pieces

1 cup chopped onion

1 cup chopped celery

1 cup chopped carrots

1 14 oz can tomato sauce

1 can diced tomatoes with chipotle peppers 0R 1 can diced tomatoes with 2 tablespoons chopped chipotle peppers in sauce 

1/4 cup lime juice 

2 garlic cloves minced (2 teaspoons of minced garlic if you buy the type in a jar)

1/4 cup dried cilantro

Divide all ingredients between two quart size zippered freezer bags.  Squish out air, seal, and massage bag to distribute ingredients.  Freeze.  When ready to eat, either thaw overnight and place in crock pot the next morning or put entire frozen chunk into crock pot and cook on low for 8 hours.  Serve with rice or steamed vegetables.  This is also great on a tortilla with pico de gallo.

Smothered Pork Chops 

4 pork tenderloins/chops 

1 can cream of chicken soup 

1 package dry onion soup mix 

salt and pepper 

Divide ingredients between 2 zippered freezer bags.  Remove air, seal, and massage bags to distribute ingredients.  Thaw the night before or put frozen chunk into crock pot.  Cook on low 8 hours.  

Ranch Crock Pot Pork Chops 

4 pork tenderloins/chops

1 can cream of chicken soup 

1 package ranch dressing 

Divide ingredients between 2 zippered freezer bags.  Remove air, seal, and massage bags to distribute ingredients.  Thaw the night before or put frozen chunk into crock pot.  Cook on low 8 hours.  

Roast Beef 

One 4 pound roast cut into 2 pieces that are 2 lbs each

1 package dry Italian dressing mix 

1 package dry onion soup 

1 package dry brown gravy mix

4 potatoes peeled and cut into very small chunks (I prefer red potatoes)

1 cup carrots

1/2 of a medium onion, cut into chunks 

Divide ingredients between 2 zippered freezer bags.  Remove air, seal, and massage bags to distribute ingredients.  Thaw the night before or put frozen chunk into crock pot.  Cook on low 8 hours. Do not add water to this, as the roast will make its own juices.  A note:  Normally I do not put potatoes in the freezer, but if you use small red potatoes, they seem to work well and the recipe comes out fine. 

Beef Stew

2-3 lbs stew meat, browned in batches with olive oil 

1/2 medium onion, diced 

1-2 carrots cut into chunks

1/2 clove minced  garlic 

1 stick celery cut into small chunks

3/4 to cup chicken broth  OR 3/4 to 1 cup beer (yes, chicken broth; don't substitute beef)

2 tablespoons bouillon 

1/2 tablespoon worcestershire sauce

1 can RoTel diced tomatoes with chiles 

1 small can (4oz) tomato paste 

1/2 teaspoon paprika

3/4 teaspoon sugar 

2-3 red potatoes peeled and cut into thin/small chunks 

In a skillet, brown meat in oil, in batches.  Pour just enough water in bottom of skillet and stir to deglaze the pan. About 2-3 tablespoons of water. Place meat and deglazed mixture in bottom of 2 quart freezer bags.  Add remaining ingredients EXCEPT POTATOES.   Squish out air and massage to distribute ingredients.  Open then add potatoes to top.  Seal and freeze.  Cook on low for 8-10 hours.  Serve with cornbread, crusty bread, or fry bread. This is best when cooked low and slow. 

To make this a stove top recipe, follow instructions, except you will need to add approximately 1 to 1-1/2  cups of water to the mixture and allow it to simmer on the stove top for 1-1/2 to 2 hours.  Watch carefully and add water if the stew becomes too thick. 

 

Creative Cooking - Revamping Leftovers

This is a guest post by my friend, Estelle Clements.  Thanks, Estelle!!

Wait, was that LEFT-OVERS??

Not every household has this kind of exchange, but it is an all too familiar exchange in many homes across the country.

“Mom, what’s for dinner?”

“Leftovers!”

“A-GAIN? Uuuuuugh”

Can you do anything else with leftovers other than reheating them? YES, YOU CAN!

Here are some ideas of basic meals which can be morphed into something entirely different. More times than not, that leftover food can be just the ingredient you need to go proceed with a menu instead of having to run to the store real quick. I do not have recipes in this article, but hopefully you can be inspired to find a recipe you enjoy and make this yours.

MEATLOAF

It was a tasty meatloaf, but your family is growing tired of it. Meat loaf is one of those meals that get better the longer it sits.Growing up, leftover meatloaves meant meatloaf sandwiches the next day. 

Depending on the flavor of the meatloaf, it can be chopped into another meal. If the meatloaf contains Italian seasonings and a tomato sauce, you can make quick spaghetti sauce with it.

If the meatloaf contains Tex-Mex seasoning and maybe a salsa topping, it can be chopped into taco/burrito/enchilada meat.

If the meatloaf contains a more BBQ flavor, that can be your base for sloppy joes.

For a kid-friendly little snack, why not chop them into little cubes, and let them dunk the cubes into various savory dips like marinara, Alfredo, BBQ, or even mustard?

SPAGHETTI

This is a meal that rarely lasts into leftovers at my house, but I have had it happen. Most times, I leave the noodles separate from my sauces, as I tend to make disproportionate ratios between the pasta and the sauce.

If you have more pasta noodles (spaghetti/fettuccine) than sauce, you have got a great opportunity to add the noodles to an Asian-inspired dish like lo mein or other stir-fry. You can also make Asian noodle-bowls or even cold noodle salads.

Pre-cooked pasta is also easily dumped into or served with a soup such as chicken noodle or a minestrone soup.

Speaking of pasta in soup, I have been known to make spaghetti soup simply by chopping the spaghetti and/or meatballs into bite-sized pieces, adding chicken/beef broth and more tomato product, and bumping up the Italian seasoning a little bit. Serve with Italian or French bread, and you have got an Italian lunch or light supper.

If you have more sauce than you do pasta noodles, you have got a great start for a new soup base or dip for more bread!

If you mixed your pasta and sauce together for storage, you can find directions to make spaghetti pie, a classic re-use for spaghetti in some Italian homes.

ROASTS

You can get a lot of bang for your buck when you cook a roast, especially beef or pork roasts. Personally, I do not care for much more than salt, pepper, garlic and onion seasoning the meat. This allows for more freedom to experiment with flavors beyond the original meal.

Roasts can easily transform into your Tex-Mex meat for tacos, burritos and enchiladas.

Chop your roasts into BBQ sauce and put into a slow cooker, and you have got wonderful fillings for sandwiches.

Roast beef that has been sliced, and then chopped into bite-sized squares, can enable you to make beef stew, beef stroganoff, and shepherd’s pie. 

Diced roast beef, especially with diced potatoes, makes an excellent beef hash.

Pork roasts are versatile in Tex-Mex cooking, as well. Season with Tex-Mex seasoning, shred the meat, and you have got filling for tacos, burritos and enchiladas.

Pork roast can lend itself to sweeter tastes in BBQ sauces, enhance fruits.

Pork roast can easily be substituted for poultry in virtually every menu.

These are just a couple of main meals that can get tiresome as plain leftovers but, with a little ingenuity and a little inspiration, hopefully this will spark your imagination to think beyond reheating leftovers.

                                                                                                 

Salvaging Meat That's Tough or a Bad Cut

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Ever cook meat and have it come out looking and tasting like shoe leather?  We have two tried and true ways of salvaging bad cuts of meat or meat that we've somehow flubbed the cooking process. Nothing makes me madder than ruining food, so I am always determined to save it if I can. 

Method #1, crock pot shredding method.  

Works for any type or cut of meat. Place meat in crock pot and cut in chunks to make it fit, if necessary.  We particularly use this if the meat has been cooked but at the end of the cooking process it's tough.  It works especially well for grilled items like steaks, chicken breasts, or pork tenderloins.

Place meat in crock and add enough broth or bouillon to cover it about halfway.  It doesn't even matter what type of bouillon.  Beef, chicken, vegetable... any of it is good.  It doesn't even have to match.  For this process, it's fine to use chicken broth with beef or vice versa.  Cook meat on low for 8 hours.  Shred inside crock pot.  Either add 1/2 bottle of barbecue sauce OR 1 packet of taco seasoning mix.  Allow to cook for another hour or so.  Remove shredded meat and discard drippings/sauce.  This will not have a strong flavor but more of an essence of whatever seasonings you added. 

If using barbecue sauce, then use shredded meat in sandwiches or add to baked beans and use more full-strength barbecue sauce. 

If using taco seasoning, use as meat for enchiladas, soft tacos, flautas, etc.  

Method #2, oven method.  

Especially good for large cuts of meat such as roasts or other thick but less expensive cuts. 

Place meat in a large pan.  Add water or broth, enough to fill halfway.  Cover pan tightly with aluminum foil and cook in a 200-250 degree oven for 8 hours.  We usually do this overnight.  

The next morning, this usually comes out tender, juicy, flavorful, and falling apart.  

Meat is too expensive nowadays for it to be ruined and need to be thrown out.  Usually one of these two ways is an excellent way to salvage meat that's just not quite come out how it was expected and is an economical way to get your money's worth! 

Freezer to Crock Pot - Pot Roast with Veggies

The combination of pot roast and veggies is a yummy, satisfying, and comforting meal, especially after a long day.  Walking into your house and smelling the wonderful aroma of a hot meal is like a little slice of heaven.  This is an easy recipe and can be prepared ahead of time, put into the freezer, then cooked in the crock pot for a hearty meal.  (See my confession about this roast below.*)

SLOW COOKER POT ROAST

One 2-3 pound roast, trimmed of excess fat (see below for substitution)**

1 packet Italian dressing mix

1 packet onion soup mix 

2-3 carrots cut into medallions 

1 small onion cut in large chunks (optional) 

2 cubes beef bouillon or 2 tablespoons beef bouillon granules

1/2 cup water

 

When ready to cook, 3-4 potatoes cut in chunks.

Trim roast and cut slits in meat.  This is important, as the meat starts to cook it tends to contract and can take longer to cook.  Place roast in 1 gallon zippered freezer bag and add all ingredients except potatoes.  When ready to cook, add potatoes to crock, along with frozen roast and veggies.  Allow to cook for 8-10 hours on high (necessary to get the internal temperature of the roast up where it needs to be). 

*Here's my confession.  The poor roast pictured above had a real workout.  I put the chunk in the crock pot, turned it on, and went on my merry way.  The problem is that the crock pot wasn't plugged in!  D'oh!  I found it about 1-1/2 hours later. Aacck!!  I plugged it in and turned the crock on high, but even at 11:30 last night, it still wasn't done.  I ended up taking everything out of the crock pot, putting it into a large bowl, and sticking it in the fridge because cooking it overnight would have been too much.  I got up this morning, put everything back in the crock pot, and cooked it 4 more hours.  Luckily, it was ready to go by lunchtime.  Unfortunately, some of the carrots and potatoes were worse for the wear, but everything still tasted good! 

** If you do not have roast, another inexpensive cut of meat can work, such as round steak.  What I have done in the past is to get approximately 2-3 pounds of round steak and cut it into medallions.  Use the rest of the ingredients, as directed.  Cook on high 6-8 hours, and check doneness of meat.  This comes out more like a stew than roast but can be a great way to use a less expensive cut of meat.