To become a proficient crock-potter (such as myself) I will give you a few tips:
1) Accept to always stock your cabinets with Cream of Chicken or Cream of Mushroom
2) Most recipes call for garlic (i always have a jar of minced garlic available)
3) When cooking meats and veggies, layer the veggies on the bottom and then the meat
4) Unless in Chili, ground beef really needs to be cooked prior to adding to your meal, just take me word on this one!
5) There is no need to frequently open and stir your dishes, just be lazy- I mean be patient.
6) If your meal is too runny, you can let it cook with the lid off for about 30 min and it helps reduce excess liquid.
So now that you have the basics to the crock pot let me tell you what we are eating over the next 1-2 weeks. I have 6 meals planned. Most meals will make 4-8 servings. Since I have a picky 5 year old, its only my husband and I that typically enjoy these creations. We either have leftover nights, or my husband takes a plate to work for lunch. (Beats a hotpocket or spending more money with eating out!). Each meal is about $10 or less total to make, and especially if it will last 2 nights, that is $5 per night or $2.50 per person (I obviously had to break that down for you because you are likely in shock from learning of this new way of life). I grocery shop at Aldi or Kroger depending on my mood. Another way to save money is to shop alone. I can easily spend $75 extra when the hubs and kid are in tow.
Today I spent $138; however, this included breakfast items and lunch for my son to carry to school.
Slow cooker Meals:
1) Stuffed Shells with garlic bread
2) Cubed Steak and gravy with Broccoli and Mashed Potatoes
3) Creamy Italian Chicken Asparagus and Rice-a-Roni
4) Spicy Green Chili Pork over rice
5) Ranch Pork Chops with Roasted Potatoes and Green Beans
6) Pot Roast with waffle corn bread
If you put a little time into the beginning and prepare all your meals in freezer bags you can ensure that your meat/ produce doesn't spoil and your week is easy and planned out. The night before put your meal in the fridge to defrost and put it in the slow cooker the next morning. It took me about 2 hours to bag everything; however, that included the food photo shoot to share with your guys and the kid kept asking to buy games on the kindle. (Did you know the Minecraft App is $6.99!!!- WOW)
Below you will find the grocery list required to replicate these meals. I will give you the recipe each night that we eat (I got to keep you coming back to read my babble, right!).
Grocery List:
Meat: 1 pack cubed steak, 1-2lbs of stewed beef, 1-2 lbs of chicken breast/ tenderloins, 2 lbs pork loin, 4-6 boneless pork chops, 1 lbs of ground beef. (please note if you don't eat red meat, you can substitute for ground turkey or chopped pork roast)
Frozen: 1-2 bags of stuffed shells, Frozen veggies (or use fresh- your preference)
Canned Goods: 1 can 14oz diced tomatoes, 2 4oz can of green chilies, 1-10oz chicken broth, 2- cans of Cream of Mushroon, 2 cans of cream of chicken, 1 jar of Jalapenos (or fresh if you prefer), 1 jar spaghetti sauce, instant potatoes (if you are lazy like me, or you can boil and mash your own.)
Mixes: 2 Dry Ranch packs, 1 dry Italian pack, 1 brown gravy pack, 2 onion soup mixes, 1-2 boxes of Jiffy cornbread mix.
Produce: any vegetable sides that you prefer, I bought, 2 fresh broccoli crowns, carrots, mushrooms, sweet potatoes, red potatoes, and onions.
Spices used include: Cumin, Garlic (i warned you!), salt and pepper.
 |
| All the groceries for the slow cooker |
 |
| All ready to freeze!! |
