**NEW UPDATE 3/11/13**
Guess what?! I listened to your requests and, just for you, I wrote another meal planning post! Read through this one, enjoy it, and then click HERE for the newest addition!
**UPDATE 5/25/12**
I have tried to answer many of your questions at the bottom of this post!! Scroll down to read the answers and feel free to ask more! I am so glad so many of you are liking this! Maybe I need to post like this more often! Good luck and happy cooking!
Back in September, I thought I'd try to get organized with meal planning. I decided to try planning for the entire month, instead of doing it week to week. I loved it so much, that I've continued it. Because let's be honest, with a family of 6 it just gets tiring to have to always be thinking "what's for dinner tonight?".
So, I am going to share with you my December calender. I must wan you, most of these recipes are new to me so if they aren't good, it's not may fault :). However, at the end of the post, I will add my top favorite recipes from the past 3 months - all of which can be made ahead and frozen.
How do I plan?
- we eat leftovers once a week
- I allow for 2 nights of eating out per month
- we always have breakfast for dinner at least once a month
- I try to vary chicken, beef, and fish recipes
- I double every recipe that I can and store them in the freezer. I don't use all the meals in the same month, some "spill over" into the next month. I takes me about 3-4 days to do all the planning, shopping, and prepping. These are good nights to use the extra meals.
- I also prepare both breakfast tacos and lunch tacos for the month (recipes below). I wrap them in foil, place them in gallon sized zip lock bags and freeze them. They are super easy to pop in the microwave and eat on the go. This month we made about 30 breakfast tacos and about 60 lunch tacos.
How do I prep it all?
I make 3 lists as I gather recipes:
1. Prep/no cooking (throw all ingredients in a freezer bag, label it, freeze it)
2. Prep/cooking (requires minimal cooking - maybe cook chicken or beef or noodles - but then put in bag or dish and freeze)
3. Make day of (can't be frozen, or prepped ahead of time)
When I get home from shopping, I spend the next days prepping all the meals that I can and stocking my freezer. I also label my calender so I know which days I have no prep work for dinner, and which days I will. I try to take into consideration our schedules and plan crock pot meals on days we are out and about.
How much does it cost?
This month I spent $200 at SAM's and $129 at HEB.
$329 for 37 recipes (I made 2 extra this month to take to friends). That's less than $9 a day for us to eat.
Here is my December calender:
December dates:
1. Leftovers
2. San Francisco Pork chops (left over from last month's meals)
3. Beef Taco Soup
4. Stuffed Peppers
5. BBQ Pineapple Pulled Pork
6. Slow Cooker Lasagna
7. Lemon Garlic Chicken
8. Leftovers
9. Ravioli Casserole
10. Sesame Ginger Chicken
11. Baked Salmon Parmesan
12. WW Taco Casserole
13. Cheesy Chicken and Potatoes
14. Leftovers
15. Chicken Tatrazzini
16. Spinach Lasagna Roll Ups
17. Eat Out
18. Pancakes
19. Chicken & Spinach
20. Pizza
21. Beef Taco Soup
22. Stuffed Peppers
23. Sandwiches
24. Turkey Meatballs
25. Christmas!
26 - 31 - We have family in this entire week so I didn't make a set schedule. I know I will have plenty in my freezer to pull out, but we'll also be at my parents and in-laws this week as well.
Lunch/Breafast Meals
- WW Breakfast Tacos - store in freezer
- WW Salmon and Asparagus Wraps
- WW Chicken Burritos - store in freezer
- Callie's Chicken soft tacos - store in freezer
- WW Italian Pasta Salad
Items still left in freezer:
BBQ Pineapple Pulled Pork
Lemon Garlic Chicken
Ravioli Casserole
Sesame Ginger Chicken
WW Taco casserole
Cheesy Chicken and Potatoes
Chicken and Spinach
Turkey Meatballs
{most of these meals are from pinterest and other blogs I have found. I wish I would have saved the web address to each one, but I didn't - sorry!}
DINNERS
1. BBQ Pineapple Pulled Pork - doubled this - prep/no cooking, freeze
Ingredients:
- one 4 - 6 pound pork shoulder
- all purpose seasoning
- one bottle of barbecue sauce
- one 15 ounce can of diced pineapples, undrained
Directions:
- Rub pork shoulder all over with all purpose seasoning and place in slow cooker.
- Dump can of pineapples (undrained) over pork.
- Pour bottle of barbecue sauce over pork.
- Lift pork a little to let the sauce get underneath.
- Cook on high for six (6) hours or low for ten (10) hours.
- Shred in the pot and mix with the juice.
Strain & serve!
2. Slow-Cooker Lasagna - doubled this - prep/cook, freeze
1 lb. lean ground beef (could be substituted for italian sausage)
1 jar spaghetti sauce
1 c. water
1 15 oz. container of ricotta cheese (we used skim ricotta to save some unneccesary fat haha)
1 pkg. Kraft Italian Cheese (approx. 2 cups)
1/4 c. grated parmesan cheese
1 egg
2 tbsp. parsley
6 lasagna noodles, uncooked
Brown meat in large skillet; drain. Stir in spaghetti sauce and water. Mix ricotta, 1-1/2 cup mozzarella, 2 Tbsp. parmesan, egg and parsley.
Spoon 1 cup meat sauce into slow cooker; top with layers of half each of the noodles (3 noodles broken up per layer), broken to fit; and cheese mixture. Cover with 2 cups meat sauce. Top with remaining noodles, broken to fit; cheese mixture and meat sauce. Cover with lid.Cook on low 4-6 hours or until liquid is absorbed. Sprinkle with remaining cheese; let stand, covered, 10 min. or until melted. *
*Ours only cooked for about 3 1/2 hours because I had a hungry husband and it was fine! Plus the meat is cooked beforehand so it is safe. :)
3. Lemon Garlic Chicken - doubled this - prep/no cooking, freeze
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
2 T. butter
1/4 c. water
3 T. fresh lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. chicken bouillon granules
1 tsp. chopped fresh parsley (I didn't have fresh parsley, so I just used dried and it worked perfectly)
1 package cream cheese (you can use 1/3 less fat or fat free)
1. In a bowl, mix the oregano, salt, and pepper. Rub the mixture into chicken. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Brown chicken in butter for 3 to 5 minutes on each side. Place chicken in a slow cooker.
2. In the same skillet, mix the water, lemon juice, garlic, and bouillon. Bring the mixture to boil. Pour over the chicken in the slow cooker.
3. Cover, and cook on High for 3 hours, or Low for 6 hours. Add the parsley to the slow cooker 15 to 30 minutes before the end of the cook time.
4. About 15 minutes before you're ready to serve, remove the chicken and place on a serving platter. Add the cream to cheese to the juice in the crockpot, and whisk until smooth.
Ladle the sauce over rice or pasta, then place your chicken on top!
4. Crock-pot Ravioli Casserole - doubled this - prep/cook, freeze
1 1/2 lbs. lean ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 can stewed tomatoes
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
salt/pepper
10 oz. frozen spinach, thawed (I used fresh spinach)
16 oz. bowtie pasta, cooked
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, shredded
1 1/2 cup mozzarella, shredded
*Brown ground beef with onion and garlic. Put in crock-pot and add sauce, tomatoes and seasonings. Cook for 6-7 hours on low. Add the last 4 ingredients during the last 30 minutes of cooking and turn crock-pot to high. I added the fresh spinach, pasta, parmesan and 1 cup of the mozzarella and I mixed it all up really well. Then I added the last 1/2 cup of mozzarella to melt on the top.
5. Sesame Ginger Slow-Cooker Chicken - doubled this - prep/no cook, freeze
Ingredients:
12 boneless, skinless chicken thighs/tenderloins (about 2 lbs)
1 bag (16 oz) ready-to-eat baby carrots
2 Tbsp grated fresh ginger root
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup honey
2 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp dried minced garlic
1/4 cup soy sauce
3 Tbsp cold water
3 Tbsp corn starch
1 Tbsp sesame seed, toasted
2 green onions, sliced with tops
-Spray 3 1/2- to 4-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Place chicken in slow cooker. Add carrots; sprinkle with ginger root. In small bowl, stir broth, honey, oil and dried minced garlic. Pour over chicken and carrots.
-Cover; cook on Low heat setting 6 to 8 hours.
*Note: Some folks have said their chicken was dry. I would consider cutting your cooking time shorter, or using larger pieces of chicken. Not all crock pots are created equal, so keep that in mind so you don't have dry chicken!
-With slotted spoon, remove chicken and carrots to serving platter; cover to keep warm. Strain cooking liquid; pour into 1-quart saucepan. In small bowl, mix soy sauce, water and cornstarch until smooth; add to liquid in saucepan. Cook and stir over high heat until thickened and sauce begins to bubble.
-To serve, pour sauce over chicken and carrots. Garnish with sesame seed and onions.
6. Chicken & Spinach - doubled this - prep/no cook, freeze
4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 jar Classico Pasta (Three Cheese)
Onions, bellpeppers, etc.
Cajun seasoning to taste
Sliced zucchini & squash (the yellow ones that look like cucumbers) (optional)
mushrooms sliced (fresh or can)
Bag or container of fresh spinach (i break off the larger stems)
Pasta of your choice (bow-tie,spaghetti, etc.)
Layer:Chicken breasts, onions,bell peppers, etc., seasoning, other veggies and top with spinach. I cook it about 6 hour
7. Beef Taco Soup - make day of, freeze leftovers
2 cans ofkidneybeans
–2 cans of pinto beans
–2 cans of corn
–1 large can of diced tomatoes —1 can tomatoes and chiles
–1 packet taco seasoning
–1 packet ranch dressing mix
–1 lb browned ground turkey or hamburger
–shredded cheese and sour cream forembellishment
–1 package of tortilla chips
Directions:
–brown meat if you are going to use it
–drain fat and add to crockpot stoneware insert (the meat. not the fat.)
–sprinkle seasoning packets on top of meat
–drain and rinse the beans and add
–add the ENTIRE contents of the corn and tomato cans
–stir.
Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 4-5. I think the longer you cook soup, the better, so if you have the time, opt for cooking on low. About 20 minutes before serving, add desired amount of crushed chips into the crockpot. Then,stir well, and serve with a handful of shredded cheese and a dollop of sour cream.
8. WW Taco Casserole - 7 points plus - prep/cook, freeze in dish
1 lb ground skinless chicken breast
1/2 c onions, chopped
1/2 c bell peppers, chopped
1 clove garlic
1 pkg taco seasoning mix
8 ozs taco sauce
1 c fat-free sour cream
1 c fat-free cottage cheese
1 c low-fat tortilla chips, whole or broken up
1 c low-fat cheddar cheese, shredded
3/4 c salsa
Heat oven to 400. Spray cooking spray on bottom of a 2-quart casserole dish; set aside. In a skillet, cook chicken, onion, peppers, and garlic clove until tender. Add seasoning mix and taco sauce; set aside. In a medium bowl, combine sour cream and cottage cheese; set aside. Place half the broken chips in the bottom of casserole dish. Add meat mixture to cover the chips, then cover the meat with sour cream mixture. Sprinkle with cheese and remaining crushed chips. Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes or until cheese has melted. Top with 3/4 cup salsa if desired. Makes 8 (1 Cup Servings)
9. Crock Pot Stuffed Peppers - 8 points plus - prep/cook, freeze peppers wrapped in foil
4 large bell peppers
1/2 lb ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onions
1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
1 (15 oz) or 2 (8 oz) cans tomato sauce
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
2/3 cup uncooked couscous
1/2 cup water
Pine nuts, optional
Cilantro, optional
Directions:
1. Cut thin slice from stem end of each bell pepper to remove top of pepper.
Remove seeds and membranes; rinse peppers.
2. In a 10 inch skillet, cook beef, onion and garlic over medium high heat about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until beef is brown; drain. Stir in tomato sauce, cumin, salt, cinnamon and cayenne pepper. Stir in couscous. Divide beef mixture evenly among peppers.
3. Pour water into 4 1/2 to 6 quart crockpot; stand peppers upright in crockpot.
Cover and cook on LOW 5 to 7 hours or until peppers are tender.
Yield: 4 servings
Serving Size: 1 pepper per serving
10. WW Baked Salmon Parmesean - make day of
4 (4 oz) fresh or frozen salmon filets, about 1 inch thick
1/4 cup light mayonnaise
2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
1 tbsp sliced green onion
1 tsp "Lea & Perrins White Wine Worcestershire Marinade For Chicken".
1. Thaw fish, if frozen. Preheat oven to 450 F. Rinse fish; pat dry with paper towels. Set aside.
2. In a small bowl, stir together mayonnaise, Parmesan, chives and marinade.
Spread mayonnaise mixture over fish. Place in a greased 2 quart square or rectangular baking dish. Bake 8 to 12 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork.
Yield: 4 Servings Serving Size = 1 Filet per Serving.
Weight Watchers PointsPlus+ = 4 Per Serving
Lunches/Breakfasts
WW Salmon and Asparagus Wraps - make day of
Ingredients:
6 thin fresh asparagus spears
1/4 cup tub style fat free cream cheese
1 tsp finely shredded lemon peel
1 tbsp lemon juice
Dash cayenne pepper
3 oz smoked salmon, coarsely flaked,
skin and bones removed
1 tsp dried basil, crushed
2 (6 to7 inch) whole wheat flour tortillas
1/4 of a red bell pepper, cut in thin bite size strips
Directions:
1. Snap off and discard woody bases from asparagus. In a covered large saucepan, cook asparagus in a small amount of boiling lightly salted water 3 to 5 minutes or until crisp tender.
Drain and plunge into ice water to cool quickly. Drain again; pat dry with paper towels.
2. In a small bowl, stir together cream cheese, lemon peel, lemon juice and cayenne pepper. Fold in flaked salmon and basil. Spread on tortillas. For wraps, arrange 3 of the asparagus spears and half of the pepper strips over salmon mixture on each tortilla. Roll up tortillas. If necessary, secure with toothpicks. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill overnight.
3. Store wraps in refrigerator until ready to eat.
Yield: 2 Servings Serving size: 1 Wrap per serving
Weight Watchers PointsPlus+ = 4 Per Serving
WW Breakfast Taco - quadruple recipe, prep/cook, wrap in foil, freeze
Ingredients
Non stick cooking spray
1 whole egg
3 egg whites
6 slices "Oscar Mayer Deli Fresh Shaved
Smoked Ham", chopped
2 (8 inch) whole wheat flour tortillas
1/4 cup 2% shredded cheddar cheese
Directions:
1. Beat whole egg, egg whites and ham until well blended. Heat a nonstick skillet sprayed with cooking spray on medium high heat. Add egg mixture; cook 3 minutes or until set, stirring occasionally.
2. Spoon egg mixture down centers of tortillas; top with cheese. Fold in opposite sides of each tortilla, then roll up burrito style.
Yield: 2 Burritos
Serving Size = 1 Per Serving.
Weight Watchers PointsPlus+ = 6 Per Serving
Nutrition Information:
Calories 230, Carbs 19g, Fat 8 g, Fiber 3 g, Protein 19g
WW Chicken Burrito Wrap -quadruple recipe, prep/cook, wrap in foil, freeze
Ingredients:
1 oz ranch salad dressing mix, dry
7 ozs picante sauce
8 ozs chicken breast skinless, cooked and cubed
11 pcs fat-free flour tortillas, warmed
8 ozs light sour cream
Directions:
In a saucepan combine, dressing mix, shredded chicken, sour cream, and picante sauce.
Mix well and heat through. Fill each tortilla with 1/4 cup chicken mixture.
Nutritional Info Per Serving: (1 Chicken Wrap)
Calories 143; Carbs 22g; Protein 9g; Fat 4g; Fiber 0.8g
WW Italian Pasta Salad - make day of
Ingredients:
4 ounces tricolor rotini (corkscrew) pasta, uncooked
3/4 cup cubed part skim mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup sliced zucchini
1/4 cup chopped, seeded tomato
3 tablespoons fat free Italian dressing
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
3/4 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar substitute
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Directions:
Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain; rinse with cold water and drain. Add cheese, zucchini and tomato, tossing gently.
Combine Italian dressing and remaining 5 ingredients, stirring well with a wire whisk. Add vinegar mixture to pasta mixture and toss gently. Cover and chill 1 hour.
Toss gently before serving.
Makes 6 (1/2 cup) servings
Nutritional Info Per Serving: calories 108, fat 2.6g, fiber 0.9g, protein 5.8g, sod 162mg,
carbs 14.9 g
Callie's Chicken Soft Tacos (because I made this up and it's yum!)
- 5 frozen chicken breasts
- 1 can enchilada sauce
- 1 package taco seasoning
- 35-40 tortillas
- Shredded mexican cheese
Put first 3 ingredients in crock pot. Cook 5-6 hours on low, or until chicken is done. Shred chicken, return to crock pot for another hour. Fill tortillas with chicken and cheese. Roll up, wrap in foil, freeze batches of tacos in gallon sized zip lock bags. Pull out, unwrap, and microwave for an easy lunch on the go!
Favorites!!(made these in previous months and they are delish!!)
Crock Pot Pizza Soup - prep/no cooking, freeze in zip lock bag
--1 jar (14 oz) of pizza sauce
--3 empty jars full of water
--1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
--1/2 red onion, chopped
--1 cup sliced mushrooms
--1 cup baby tomatoes, cut in quarters (or 1 can diced tomatoes, drained)
--2 already-cooked Italian sausage (I used chicken Italian sausage)
--1 cup sliced pepperoni, sliced in quarters (Hormel turkey pepperoni is labeled gluten free)
--8 fresh basil leaves, chopped (or 1/2 T dried)
--1 T dried oregano
--1/2 to 1/3 cup of dried pasta (if your pasta is tiny, use 1/3 cup. if it's big, do 1/2. I used 1/2 cup Trader Joe's brown rice penne)
--shredded mozzarella cheese (to add later)
The Directions.
Use a 5 or 6 quart crockpot for this recipe. Serves 4 hungry adults, or 2 hungry adults and 2 kids with enough leftovers to feed them all again.
Wash and prepare veggies. Dump them into the crockpot. Cut up the sausage into small pieces--I sliced, then cut the pieces in fourths. Add to crockpot. Cut up the pepperoni, add it, too. Add basil and oregano. Pour in the pizza sauce, and follow with three empty jars of water.
Cover and cook on low for 7-9 hours. Everything in this is already cooked, so you are really only heating through and allowing the flavors to meld.
Thirty minutes before serving, add the dry pasta, and turn to high. My pasta only took 20 minutes to soften quite nicely.
Garnish/top with shredded mozzarella cheese.
Peperoncini Sandwiches - prep/no cooking, freeze - SOOO GOOD!
2 pounds beef chuck roast (frozen is okay)
1 (16-ounce) jar peperoncini peppers
optional:
6 ounces sliced mozzarella or Swiss cheese
6 hamburger buns or French rolls (pictured are toasted pieces of Udi's white bread)
The Directions.
all you have to do is pour a jar of peperoncinis on top of a hunk of beef (and it can even be frozen?!) and it'll cook all day and the meat will tenderize and shred all on it's own!
Plop the ingredients in, turn to low and let it cook for about 8 hours. When you get home, shred the meat with two large forks and stir. Serve on toasted bread, rolls, or buns with a slice of cheese. If you're fancy, you can broil your sandwich in the oven for a few seconds to melt the cheese.
Easy-peasy.
Brown Sugar Chicken - prep/no cooking, freeze in bag
The Ingredients.
--12 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, or 6 boneless, skinless breast halves
--1 cup brown sugar (it's okay. you can brush your teeth after.)
--1/4 cup lemon-lime soda (stay with me...)
--2/3 cup vinegar (I used white wine, but think regular white would be fine)
--3 cloves smashed and chopped garlic
--2 T soy sauce (La Choy and Tamari wheat free are GF)
--1 tsp ground black pepper
The Directions.
Use a 4 quart crockpot for this recipe.
Plop the chicken into your crockpot. Cover with the brown sugar, pepper, chopped garlic, and soy sauce. Add the vinegar, and pour in the soda. It will bubble!
Cover and cook on low for 6-9 hours, or on high for 4-5. The chicken is done when it is cooked through and has reached desired consistency. The longer you cook it, the more tender it will be.
Serve over a bowl of white rice with a ladle full of the broth.
Crock pot pumpkin spice latte - not a meal, a yummy coffee drink!!
The Ingredients.
adapted from Taste of Home's Halloween 2008 edition
--2 cups milk (I used 1%)
--2 T canned pumpkin
--2 T white sugar
--2 T vanilla (not a typo. it asks for tablespoons)
--1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
OR: 1/4 tsp cinnamon, 1/8 tsp cloves, 1/8 tsp nutmeg, and a teeny tiny pinch of ground ginger
--1/2 cup brewed espresso or 3/4 cup strong brewed coffee
--garnish with whipped cream (optional)
The Directions.
This will make enough for 2 people to have a big mug with a bit leftover. If you are having friends over, adjust the recipe accordingly. I used a 4-quart crockpot, but as small as a 1.5 quart will work with these amounts.
Add the coffee/espresso and milk to the crockpot. Whisk in the pumpkin, spices, sugar, and vanilla.
Cover and cook on high for 2 hours if everything is cold. Whisk again.
Ladle into mugs, and garnish with whipped cream and additional cinnamon. I added a cinnamon stick to be fancy.
(if I rinse it off, can I re-use it? It seems wasteful to toss.)
Best Ever Beef Dip Sandwiches - prep/no cooking, freeze
recipe from AllRecipes
4 pounds beef chuck roast
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon dried rosemary
3 bay leaves
1 cup soy sauce
6 cups water
Place roast in slow cooker. Season with garlic, rosemary, and bay leaves. Pour in soy sauce and water. Cook on low setting for 6 to 10 hours. Unlike most roasts, the longer the better.
To serve, place in hamburger buns or split french bread and top with your preferred cheese if desired. Feel free to dip your sandwich in the au jus left in the slow cooker too! To make ahead/freezer meal - Place all the ingredients except the water into a gallon sized freezer storage bag; seal and freeze. When ready to prepare, defrost completely. Place contents into your slow cooker and add 6 cups of water. Cook on low setting for 6 to 10 hours. Unlike most roasts, the longer the better.
Slow Cooker San Francisco Pork Chops - prep/no cooking, freeze
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 pork chops, about 1-inch thick
Salt and pepper for seasoning
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon cold water
Mashed Potatoes or Hot Cooked Rice (for serving)
In a large 12-inch skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat until it is simmering and hot. Season the pork chops on both sides with salt and pepper. Brown the pork chops for 1-2 minutes on each side in the hot oil until golden. Transfer the chops to the slow cooker. Add the garlic to the drippings in the skillet and stir constantly over medium heat until the garlic is aromatic and golden (but not burned or it will turn bitter!). Stir in the soy sauce, broth, brown sugar and red pepper flakes; cook and stir until sugar is dissolved. Pour over chops.
Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours until the meat is tender. If using bone-in pork chops, fish out the bones from the slow cooker. Remove the chops from the slow cooker to a shallow pan or plate – they will most likely be falling apart in tenderness at this point. In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch and cold water until smooth. Whisk the cornstarch slurry into the sauce in the slow cooker. Return the chops to the slow cooker. Turn the slow cooker heat to high and cook for 30 minutes to an hour longer, until the sauce is slightly thickened. If you want a super duper thick sauce, once you remove the chops from the slow cooker, pour the sauce into a pan and place it over medium heat on the stove. Add the cornstarch slurry and bring the sauce to a boil. Boil for 1-2 minutes until the sauce is thick. Add the pork and heat through.
And THAT'S how we do dinner/meal planning around here! I must admit, it's terribly stressful and lots of work for the first few days of the month, but after that - I never have to think about "what's for dinner tonight?" and to me, that makes it all worth it!
Reader Questions and Answers!!
1. I'm confused as to how you prep and bag the 'no cook' meals before you freeze them. Could you elaborate?
'no cook' literally means just that. I take all the ingredients, measure them out and pour them into a gallon size zip lock freezer bag. I label the bag and toss it in the freezer. When it's time to use the meal, I cut open the freezer bag and toss the frozen chunk of ingredients in the crock pot! it's that easy!
2. How do you buy all your produce? Ahead of time, or as needed?
Most of my produce I buy ahead of time. I buy a huge bag of fresh broccoli at Sam's and divide it up into smaller quart size zip lock bags. I freeze it. Then, about 30 minutes before the dinner is ready, I toss the frozen broccoli in the steamer on my stove. You can do this same things for brussel sprouts, fresh spinach, carrots, etc. Yes, I do have to go to the grocery store to stock up on fruit, milk and eggs twice a month.
3. What recipe do you use for lunch tacos?
See 'Callie's Chicken Soft Tacos' recipe above.
4. When you say prep/no cooking/freeze, you are just putting all the ingredients in a freezer bag and throwing it all in the freezer correct?
Yep! It's that easy!
5. Do you put it in the fridge a day or two ahead of time to thaw before you cook it?
Nope. If it's a casserole dish, I simply set it out in the morning on my counter and let it thaw. If it's a crock pot meal that's been prepared in a zip lock bag, I just take it out and plop it in the crock pot.
6. All the directions are for cooking it as you go, so how do you(I) know what to do for the freezing part?
See all the recipes above? After the title of each recipe, I have written what type of planning it involves. If it is a casserole, you follow all the directions, except you do NOT bake it. You freeze it, unbaked. After it thaws out (the day that you want to cook it) you toss toss it in the oven and cook for the time listed on the recipe.
7. What is the cooking method for your Chicken and Spinach recipe? Crockpot? Oven?
Crock pot.
8. I'm wondering if this includes all of your lunch food for the month or how you deal with that meal?
We almost always have leftovers after each meal. However, if we don't, I always keep a stash of canned soups, sandwiches, chicken nuggets, and my chicken tacos (see recipe above) on hand.
9. I was wondering if this amount that you spent included sides to go with your suppers?
Yes. See question #2.
10. Does this amount also include fruits, breakfast foods like cereal and oatmeal and drinks?
Yes. This amount included all the food I bought for the month, except the occasional refill on eggs and milk.
11. But I'm wondering if that budget you mention was for dinners only or does it includes breakfast and lunch too???
This includes all our food for the month.
12. From the description of the recipe, it sounds as if you are doing the cooking the day of the meal but these are freezer meals?!!?!?!? What point do you prep to and then freeze?
See question #6
