Crockpot Sweet and Sour Meatballs

Crockpot Sweet and Sour Meatballs

One of the easiest recipes I've ever made. I found a similar recipe on Pinterest that used kielbasa. Since I didn't have that and not as much bell pepper (my family won't eat it any way) I altered the original recipe that was for Freezer Meal Crockpot Sweet and Sour Sausage, to Crockpot Sweet and Sour Meatballs. 

Trying to adjust to having a baby and three teenage boys, making dinner has been a real challenge. Well, at least made by 9pm. The two older teenage boys are playing football this fall, and are at practice most of the day. When they come home they are famished, to say the least. Having something quick and easy to make and have ready has been much needed these days. 

Luckily, lately the baby has been napping without me holding him for a few hours in the morning. Thus I can get a few things done that were previously neglected. 

One of those being dinner prepped and/or made.

Crockpot Sweet -n- Sour Meatballs

1/2 bag prepared meatballs (found in frozen section)
1 can pineapple, DO NOT DRAIN (I use the small can..8 oz. I think?)
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1/2 bell pepper, chopped
**Or, alternatively, I buy a small bag of frozen, chopped pepper and onion mixture to throw into it. (I would probably only use half a small bag)
Cooked rice

Sauce Ingredients
3/4 cup sugar
4 T. ketchup
1/2 cup distilled white vinegar
2 T. soy sauce
1 t. garlic salt

3 T. Sweet Chili Sauce
Mix the sauce ingredients together in a large bowl. Mix well. Add directly to Crockpot mixing the meatballs, pineapple, bell pepper, onion and sauce mixture. Cook on low 6 hours.

Freezer Meal directions:

Place the mixture in a gallon ziploc and freeze.  The day before serving, thaw mixture in fridge.  The morning of serving, place the mixture in the crockpot and cook on low for several hours.  Serve with rice.

Beef and Bean Chili

This recipe is a concoction of stuff I had around the house and in food storage. I am trying to stretch our food budget and our food. This recipe includes leftovers from a previous freezer meal for Beef Burritos. This seemed like a great alternative to extend our food. The meat from the burritos stretched from burritos, to quesadillas and now to chili. All from one pot and one freezer bag. Three meals! I find that amazing. Talk about stretching a dollar. :) I may even be able to stretch this to one other meal. That would make four meals from one freezer meal! I'm thinking since this makes a TON of chili. You can reuse leftover chili from anything such as chili cheese dogs, to cornbread chili, and chili burgers. The list can go on and on. You could even make it into a cheese dip for chips. MMM my mouth is salivating thinking of all these possibilities. I digress... Well, here is the recipe for tonights chili. I hope you enjoy it. I know we will.

Ingredients:
2 cups leftover burrito beef (or other leftover meat)
2 cans corn (do not drain)
2 cans white beans (drained and rinsed)
1 can black beans, low sodium (drained and rinsed)
1 can chili beans
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can Rotel diced tomatoes with green chilies
1-2 cups chicken stock
1 1/2 tsp beef buillion
4-6 dashes of liquid smoke
2 tsp cilantro
1 tsp garlic, minced
2 tsp onion salt

Add all ingredients in slow cooker. Stir gently, not smashing the beans.  Set on low and cook until heated through or let simmer all day for a full blended flavor. I have mine set on low for 8 hours.

Serve with sour cream and cheese, tortilla chips or corn bread.

Beef Burritos Freezer Meal

I have been trying to do more freezer meals to help me in the evenings since we've become so busy this school year. I found a great recipe on Pinterest for Beef Burritos. I've changed the recipe a bit. It's really good. I want to warn you... this is spicy, but very flavorful. I found it delicious.

I bought my meat at Costco, because it comes in bulk and is usually cheaper unless you hit a sale some where else.

Ingredients:

1 Beef roast (aprox 2-3 pounds)
1 diced onion or 1/2 cup minced dry onions
3 Tbsp minced garlic
2 Tbsp ground pepper
2 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
2 cans (8oz) tomato sauce (I used spaghetti sauce)
1 Chipotle pepper in adobo sauce (comes in a can, ONLY use 1 pepper per roast)
2 tsp chili powder

Stick in a gallon size labeled freezer bag, seal. Freeze up to 3 months.
When ready to use. Run outside of freezer bag under warm water to loosen contents from bag. Empty contents in crockpot for 8 hours on low. Enjoy in taco shells, tortillas, make into enchiladas or divide and make into separate meals.

This makes a LOT of beef. I made this and it will provide 2-3 meals.

Crockpot Freezer Meal - Teriyaki Pork and Cream Cheese Peas

Tonights dinner was one of my Freezer Crockpot meals that I made a week or so ago, to help me with evening dinners since we are doing Football in the evenings and it's new for our family. These easy dinners have really helped me with juggling these busy evenings.

This recipe was originally for pork chops, but I only had pork roasts, instead of cutting them up into chops, I figured cooking the whole roast would be tasty. It really was! My husband raved that I needed to keep this recipe and make it again. Soon! So, because it tasted so yummy I'm posting it on my blog and sharing with you. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did.

ingredients:
2-3 pound pork roast or 6-8 pork chops
salt and pepper to taste (I recommend sprinkling them before you freeze them)
1 Tbsp minced garlic
4 Tbsp brown sugar
1/2 cup soy sauce or amino acid
2/3 cup chicken or veggie broth

Add the garlic, brown sugar, soy sauce and broth in a large gallon size ziploc freezer bag. Mix well, then add the pre-seasoned pork roast or chops. make sure you coat all of the roast or chops in the marinade. Place in the freezer. Pull out the morning you want this for dinner, run warm water over the outside of the freezer bag to loosen up the items in the bag. Place in a crockpot on low 6-8 hours. I removed mine about 10-20 minutes before the end of the cooking time, and let set for about 5 min. This will allow the pork to stay moist.

I served this with cream cheese peas and instant mashed potatoes.

The cream cheese peas is super easy and I made that in the microwave. it's half a cream cheese package, salt and pepper to taste, and 1 pound sweet peas. Microwave 5 min on high, stir, microwave on high another 5 min. Serve warm.

Creamy Shepherds Pie

Ok, So tonight is shepherds pie. My husband had bad acid reflux. So, I try to limit the items I make with a tomato based sauce. Here is a good alternative for tomato sauce in your shepherds pie. I've used one can of cream of celery and one can of cream of broccoli. Cream of chicken or cream of mushroom as well as Alfredo sauce is good in it too. :)

Ingredients:

1 can cream of celery

1 can cream of broccoli

2 cans green beans

2 pkg instant potatoes (or 7 red potatoes boiled and smashed)

1 cup shredded cheese

1 lb ground beef

1 small onion

This is a really simple and easy meal. You can substitute mixed veggies for the cans of green beans, to add more veggie value.

Directions:

Brown ground beef and onion in a skillet, drain excess fat, set aside. Make instant potatoes or boiled potatoes. set aside. In a 13x9x2 pan, mix the cream soups, the ground beef and onion together. Once mixed well, layer the green beans (or mixed veggies) on top of the creamy mixture in the pan. Then layer the prepared mashed potatoes on top of the green beans. Sprinkle the cheese on top. Bake in a 350F preheated oven for 30-45 min, till bubbly and cheese is melted. Let stand 5 min. Then eat.

This is a tasty meal, good on a cold day. Serve with salad, buttered bread, or with no side dish. If wanting for smaller meals. Make up and divide into two square pans or small casserole dishes. Set one in the Freezer for a later date, and cook one for now. Two meals in one :)