Sausage & Veggie Pasta Casserole

16 oz. farfalle (bowtie) pasta
1 lb. Italian sausage, browned and cooled
1 lb. broccoli florets, frozen or fresh
1 c. carrots, julienned
3/4 lb. onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, finely minced
1/4 c. dried basil (or 1/2 c. fresh)
2 c. mozzarella
2 large eggs
15 oz. ricotta cheese
2 T. lemon juice
2 t. salt
1 t. black pepper
1 jar pasta sauce
Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta until barely al dente; drain and place in large bowl. Add sausage, broccoli, carrots, onion, garlic, basil, and half of mozzarella. Mix. In small bowl, combine eggs, ricotta, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Add to large bowl and mix together. Spread half of mixture into lasagna tray, top with half of pasta sauce. Spread remainder of mixture, top with remaining pasta sauce, and mozzarella. Add parmesan cheese as desired. Wrap with foil and plastic wrap; freeze. Thaw before cooking. Bake 45 minutes at 375 degrees. Remove foil and cook another 10-15 minutes or until cheese is melted and casserole is bubbling.

Garlic Pork Roast

3 lb. boneless pork loin roast
1 t. kosher salt
1/2 t. pepper
1 medium onion, sliced or chopped
6 garlic cloves, whole or minced
1 c. chicken broth

Place all ingredients in gallon freezer bag; freeze. Thaw overnight before cooking. Cook in crockpot on Low for 6-8 hours.

Meatball Veggie Soup

Original recipe from newleafwellness.biz

1 pound small meatballs
24 oz jar of pasta sauce
4 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 pound frozen chopped carrots
1 pound frozen chopped green beans
1 medium-sized zucchini, ends cut off and cut into bite-sized pieces

1 medium-sized yellow squash, ends cut off and cut into bite-sized pieces1 medium-sized yellow onion, diced (about 1 cup)

Combine all ingredients in a gallon-sized plastic freezer bag. Remove as much air as possible, seal, and freeze for up to three months. When ready to cook, thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then cook in slow cooker for 8 hours or until veggies are soft. *Note: If you prefer your freezer meals to freeze flatter, then do not add the chicken broth to the bag. Instead, add it when you place the thawed soup in the crockpot.

Lemon Pepper Chicken

1/2 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
3 lbs. chicken thighs

Add the lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper to gallon freezer bag. Add chicken, seal bag, and toss to coat chicken. Thaw before cooking. Grill or cook in crockpot on High for 4 hours. After cooking, place chicken on baking sheet and broil for 5-10 minutes to brown. 

Tater Tot Casserole

* Late posting of March recipe

32 oz bag tater tots or rounds
1.5 lb ground beef or turkey, browned
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
2 cans green beans
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 chopped onion
1/4 c. milk

Freeze all ingredients except tater tots in one bag. Thaw both bags to make spreading out tots easier. Line crockpot with tater tots, empty other bag on top. Cook low for 6 hours or high for 3.

Easy Enchilada Soup

* This is one of my March recipes, I just forgot to post them earlier.

2 lb ground beef, browned
2 c frozen corn
2-10 oz cans enchilada sauce
4 oz can diced green chilis
2-14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes
2 14.5 oz cans beef broth
2 T chili powder
1 T cumin
5 garlic cloves, minced

Thaw. Place in slow cooker, high for 3 hours or low for 6 hours. Garnish with cilantro, cheddar cheese, sour cream, and tortilla chips as desired.

Tasty Tuesday Easy Slow Cooker Pork Chops

6 pork chops
1 packet of ranch
1 can of cream of chicken soup

Tasty Tuesday Easy Slow Cooker Pork Chops  Place in crock pot on low for 6 hours.

Slow Cooker Beef Roast and Carrot Recipe

Ingredients

• 2-pound boneless beef chuck shoulder roast (No substitutions!  This is the best cut of meat for the slow cooker!)
• 1-2 pounds carrots, peeled and chopped into bite-sized pieces
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• one seasoning packet (We love the McCormick mesquite and chipotle seasonings) or 3 tablespoons of your favorite homemade seasoning mix (Like homemade taco seasoning.  Yum!)

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients in your slow cooker.
2. Add lid, and cook on “low” setting for 8-10 hours until beef shreds easily with a fork.

Chicken & Broccoli

2 lb beef, thinly sliced  (flank steak is ideal, but any cut will work) 

Or cubed chicken

1 can beef broth or consomme

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 tablespoon sesame oil

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 bag frozen broccoli florets or 2 cups fresh broccoli

Thaw and Crock pot low 4-6 hours. 

Makes 6-8

Hawaiian BBQ Chicken

4-6 boneless chicken breasts
1 bottle BBQ sauce
1-20 oz. can pineapple chunks, drained
1/4 c. dried chopped onion

Cook in crockpot on high for 3-4 hours or low 6-8 hours. Shred if desired and serve over rice.

Chinese Wings

2 1/2 - 3 lbs. chicken wings
1/2 c. soy sauce
1/2 c. orange marmalade
4 Tbsp. ketchup
2 cloves garlic, minced

Thaw overnight. Cook in crockpot on low 6-8 hours or high 4 hours. Or, bake in oven in baking dish, 375 degrees until done.

Sloppy Joes

2 lbs Ground Beef

1 medium onion

3/4 cup Brown Sugar

1 tablespoon Mustard

1/2 cup BBQ Sauce

2 tablespoons Ketchup

Thaw and reheat on stove top, crock pot or microwave.  Serve on buns.  

Makes 7-8 

Cream Cheese Chicken Chili

2 pounds chicken thighs, quartered, or ground chicken

1 can Rotel Tomatoes
1 can corn, do not drain
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 pkg. Ranch Dressing Mix
1 tsp. Cumin
1/2 tsp. Chili Powder
1 tsp. Onion Powder
1 8oz pkg. cream cheese

Place all ingredients in freezer bag. Thaw overnight in fridge. Cook on low 6-8 hours, stirring occasionally to blend cheese. Serve over rice or in tortillas/taco shells. 

Apple BBQ Pork Chops

Ingredients

• 6 pork chops
• 1 cup chunky applesauce
• 1 cup BBQ sauce
• 2 tbsp minced dried onion

Instructions

Place pork chops in a gallon-sized freezer bag, in a medium bowl mix together applesauce, BBQ sauce and onion, add to bag. Zip close and freeze. When ready to use thaw in fridge overnight. Empty contents into crock-pot and cook on low 6-8 hours, or high 3-4 hours. Serve over rice or pasta.

Chicken Curry

6-8 chicken breasts/strips 

1 can cream chicken soup

1/2 cup cooking sherry

4 green onions chopped

2 tsp Curry powder

1/4 cup butter

Cook on low 8 hours. Serve over rice or toast or flat bread. 

Salt and pepper

Crockpot Ranch Porkchops

• Pork Chops
• Ranch Seasoning Dry Mix Packet
• 1 can Cream of Chicken plus 1 can water as needed {or 2 cans cream of chicken}  This will depend on how fast your crockpot cooks and how long you’ll be cooking it.

Ready for the hard part?  {I’m so funny.  I know.} Combine all three ingredients in the crockpot and mix well.   Yup.  That’s it.

Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken

Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken

(Adapted from The Frugal Girls)

Ingredients

4 chicken breasts
1/2 bottle or can of root beer (full sugar not diet) – you can use Coke or Dr. Pepper if you prefer
18 oz. bottle of BBQ sauce
1/4 Tsp Salt
1/4 Tsp Pepper

Slow cook 4-6 hours and serve on rolls. Great served with bbq beans.