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.

Veggie Beef Stew (slow cooker)

Tonight's dinner is a throw it in and forget it kind of day. I'm making some fresh bread to go with it. I was just going to make some beef stew, but realized I wanted more veggie content. Then it turned into more of a veggie stew with a few chunks of beef. I think this will be a good dinner full of vitamins. It should have a great beefy flavor. A nice and hearty dinner.

Ingredients:
1 fajita dry mix
1 cup beef gravy dry mix
1 can beef stock
1 cup diced onions
1 lb beef stew chunks
1 bag frozen mixed veggies
2 cups dried potato slices
4 -6 cups water
10 shakes of Worcestershire sauce
1 regular bag of carrots 8 or 9 regular, thick sliced
4 stalks of celery, large slices

Directions:
dump the fajita and beef gravy mix in the bottom of the slow cooker. Then add the beef stock and 4 cups water. Stir to dissolve the fajita and beef gravy mixture. Then add the potatoes, carrots, celery, and mixed veggies. Stirring to mix it all together. Then add the beef chunks and Worcestershire sauce. Stir to incorporate it all. Add more water to cover if not enough liquid to cover.

Set on low for 6 hours. High for 3-4.

Serve with warm rolls, and a salad.

Verdict:
My kids ate it all up and then even finished the broth. That's a win in my book. My husband said it was good too... I really liked it. Not bad for throwing things I had on hand in a slow cooker to eat for dinner. Yeah Me! I hope you enjoy it too :)

Easter Dinner

Our Easter Dinner 2011
Shrimp cocktail, breaded pesto chicken, instant mashed potatoes and sweetened corn-microwavable

I know most of you are thinking that I would have some delicious, wonderful dinner prepared. Unfortunately, that was not the case this Easter. I had a final due in one of my classes, and spent most of the day preparing and finishing the paper, after I went to church. That, and when I went to purchase a ham or lamb at the grocery store, they were all sold out. I guess when you snooze you loose. :( I thought I'd have time, I guess I was wrong. So instead, we had my shrimp cocktail, breaded pesto chicken cutlets, instant mashed potatoes, and sweetened corn (cooked in the microwave). I know some of you may be thinking that sounds pretty awesome... It was. It took me about 45 minutes to make. All in all it was a nice dinner, we all sat around the table having dinner and eating shrimp cocktail. I know it was our little extravagance for Easter...shrimp cocktail.  Unfortunately, no pictures were taken of dinner. But it was very delicious... I will try to do better with pictures of my meals. I have been just a little more lax on that part lately since I'm so busy with school. I will get a little busier these next 9 weeks, as I finish up my last three classes to complete my associates degree. I will hopefully be able to get back to making delicious meals with pictures by then. I may have more slow cooker meals coming your way as I'll be very busy with the kids finishing their school for the year, my final term in school, and to top it all off, I may be starting a new job... pray I get it. I could really use the experience :) I have included the recipe for the sweetened corn. It's heavenly!

Sweetened Corn - Microwavable

Ingredients
1 bag frozen white corn kernels
2-3 Tsp white sugar
1/4 cup milk
1/2 stick of butter/margarine

In a medium microwavable bowl, add the white corn kernels with the butter, set the microwave on full power, and microwave for 3 minutes, take out of the microwave, then add the milk and sugar. Then stir to incorporate the sugar and milk. Then microwave another 4 minutes. Stoping the time at 2 minutes and stirring again. Check temperature of the corn, may need 2 more minutes to cook. (depending on the temperature of your microwave), Serve as a side dish. Delicious.

VERDICT - My kids and husband said it tasted like it was straight off the cob, and oh so sweet. They LOVED it!