- Plan meals around items currently on sale at the grocery. Great money saving tip, no coupons required.
- Freezer meals help to save both money and time. We are much less likely to run to the "bad for my body and budget" fast food joints if supper is planned and prepped. Also, you make one big mess when making the meals and then enjoy very little cooking cleanup the rest of the week.
So I married the two concepts and came up with Frugal Freezer Meals. So here's the breakdown. I come up with 5 recipes using mainly ingredients on sale at Kroger. Then compile a shopping list from those recipes. Willing participants (read: Super busy moms who desire to feed their families well and crave a little girl time) take said shopping list to Kroger, bring the ingredients to the ginormous kitchen at our church, and at the end of the night we each walk away with finished meals for a week. Sounds great, right? And to ice that cake, we meet during the Open Arms program time at the church so the kids get to play and have a Bible lesson while we cook!
Tonight was the third time we've met to cook, right now we meet the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month at 6:30. I've got to tell you, freezer cooking has made a huge improvement to our grocery bills and my sanity. While driving home tonight I got to thinking: This could be a really big blessing to other people, too. So consider yourself invited to join along. You are more than welcome to come cook with us at the church, or you can make the meals at home. I take ZERO credit for these recipes, they all come from Bloggerland. Follow the links for all the great pictures and more recipes. Take a peek at our program printout which can also be seen on the church website http://pietistchurch.org/.
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
Taco
Soup, Orange Chicken, Chicken Fajitas, Beef Tips, Cheesy Ham and
Potato
Bonus
Snacker Recipe: Bean and Cheese Burritos
10/13/13 Revision: Beware, the Orange Chicken recipe has received less than rave reviews. Suggestion has been made to scale down on the zest. BE YE WARNED!
Taco
Soup (optional Meatless Monday)
(1
lb ground beef or ground turkey, optional)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 package mild taco seasoning mix
1 16 oz can corn (undrained)
1 16 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed (you could use kidney beans or pinto beans)
1 14 oz can stewed tomatoes
1 14 oz can diced tomatoes
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
1 4 oz can diced green chilis (optional)
tortilla chips
Other taco toppings you like (cheese, sour cream, avocado, etc)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 package mild taco seasoning mix
1 16 oz can corn (undrained)
1 16 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed (you could use kidney beans or pinto beans)
1 14 oz can stewed tomatoes
1 14 oz can diced tomatoes
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
1 4 oz can diced green chilis (optional)
tortilla chips
Other taco toppings you like (cheese, sour cream, avocado, etc)
Brown
meat and onion, drain. Dump ingredients into gallon-sized bag. Thaw
24 hrs and crock pot 6 hrs low.
Serve with tortilla chips and your favorite toppings.
Serve with tortilla chips and your favorite toppings.
Homemade
Taco Seasoning
Ingredients:
1T
Chili Powder 1t Ground Black Pepper
1t Garlic Powder 1/4t Oregano
1/4t Onion Powder 1/2t Salt
1/4t Crushed Red Pepper (optional) 1/2t Cumin
1/2t Paprika
http://www.sonotbetty.com/2011/07/i-have-confession-to-make.html
1t Garlic Powder 1/4t Oregano
1/4t Onion Powder 1/2t Salt
1/4t Crushed Red Pepper (optional) 1/2t Cumin
1/2t Paprika
http://www.sonotbetty.com/2011/07/i-have-confession-to-make.html
Bonus
After School Snacker: (not
included in Shopping List)
Crockpot
Refried Beans
In
a crockpot combine the following:
- 1
large onion, diced
- 4
cups dried pinto beans
- 1.5
tsp sea salt
- 1
tsp black pepper
- 2
tsp cumin
- pinch
of cayenne pepper
- 11
cups of water
Cook
on low for 8-10 hours. Drain out excess water, then mash the
beans/onions with a potato masher.
Bean
and Cheese Burritos
For
every large whole wheat tortilla mix together 1/2 cup refried beans
along with 2 tbsp shredded sharp cheddar. Roll in and freeze in a
single layer then place in a bag.
When
ready to eat microwave covered with a paper towel for 2-2.5 minutes
Crock
Pot Orange Chicken
Ingredients:
4
Chicken Leg Quarters (take skin off) –or any kind of cut chicken
will do
3
Navel Oranges
1/2
Sliced Onion
1
Tbsp. Fresh Ginger, grated
2
Cloves Garlic, minced
1/4
cup flour
2
Tbsp. Soy Sauce
1/4
cup Sugar (I know it seems like a lot, but trust me!)
3
tsp. Red Pepper Flakes (optional)
Salt
& Pepper
Directions:
Place chicken in
freezer bag. Slice one orange and put in bag with sliced onion. Zest
2 whole oranges and put in a small bowl, add juice from both oranges
and place in the bowl. Add all other ingredients to
the bowl and whisk until combined, then add mixture to freezer bag,
freeze. On the day of cooking, allow bag to sit at room temperature
for 30-45 minutes, then put everything into a slow cooker and cook
for 6-8 hours on low.
Chicken
Fajitas
Ingredients:
1
1/2 – 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, sliced
1-2
red bell peppers, sliced
1
green bell pepper, sliced
1
onion, sliced
lime
juice
fajita
seasoning, store bought or homemade.
Directions:
In
your freezer bag add all ingredients, then close bag and mix
ingredients thoroughly around to coat in seasonings. Freeze!
Day
of cooking: let contents thaw completely, then stir fry in
a skillet with a little oil. Fajitas will be ready when chicken is
cooked through and veggies are tender. Serve with warm tortillas.
YUM!
Fajita
Seasoning Mix
1 tablespoon cornstarch 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons chili powder 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon sugar 1/4 teaspoon cumin 1 teaspoon paprika 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
http://www.news-gazette.com/blogs/meg-makes/2012-08/recipe-homemade-salt-free-fajita-seasoning-mix.html
1 tablespoon cornstarch 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons chili powder 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon sugar 1/4 teaspoon cumin 1 teaspoon paprika 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
http://www.news-gazette.com/blogs/meg-makes/2012-08/recipe-homemade-salt-free-fajita-seasoning-mix.html
Crockpot
Beef Tips & Gravy
Recipe
From The
Country Cook
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 1
1/2 lbs cubed beef (stew meat)
- 1
packet Dry Onion Soup Mix
- 1
can Cream of Mushroom Soup (although Cream of anything will work)
- 1
14 oz. can beef beef broth or stock
- Salt
& Pepper
- Add
beef cubes to Crockpot, season with salt & pepper.
- In
bowl combine soup mix, soup & broth, stir to combine.
- Dump
mixed ingredients over top of beef, stir.
- Cook
on low 6-8 hours.
http://whoneedsacape.com/2013/01/crockpot-beef-tips-gravy/
Cheesy
Ham and Potato recipe
Ingredients
4 medium potatoes diced
4 medium potatoes diced
1
medium onion diced
3
stalks of celery
1
c shredded Cheddar
1
c shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 (10.75 oz) can condensed cream of celery soup
1 (8 oz) container plain smooth & creamy yogurt (any variety or Stony Field has a good organic option)
2 pounds of boneless fully cooked ham that is halved lengthwise
1 (10.75 oz) can condensed cream of celery soup
1 (8 oz) container plain smooth & creamy yogurt (any variety or Stony Field has a good organic option)
2 pounds of boneless fully cooked ham that is halved lengthwise
6-8
strips of oven baked bacon
cooking sprayDirections
Combine ingredients (minus bacon) into gallon freezer bag. Thaw overnight. Spray the inside of slow cooker with cooking spray to prep.
Combine potatoes, cheddar and monterey jack cheese, cream of celery soup, plain yogurt and place in the slow cooker.
Place ham on top of potato mixture.
Cook potato mixture on low for 5 to 6 hours. Stir well before serving. Garnish on top with broken up small pieces of bacon before serving.
cooking sprayDirections
Combine ingredients (minus bacon) into gallon freezer bag. Thaw overnight. Spray the inside of slow cooker with cooking spray to prep.
Combine potatoes, cheddar and monterey jack cheese, cream of celery soup, plain yogurt and place in the slow cooker.
Place ham on top of potato mixture.
Cook potato mixture on low for 5 to 6 hours. Stir well before serving. Garnish on top with broken up small pieces of bacon before serving.
Shopping
List
*
=on sale at Kroger
1
package mild taco seasoning mix (or homemade mix)
1
packet Dry Onion Soup Mix
fajita
seasoning, store bought or homemade.
4
medium onion, chopped
*3 Navel Oranges
*3 Navel Oranges
4
medium potatoes diced
3
stalks of celery
1-2
red bell peppers, sliced
1
green bell pepper, sliced
1 16 oz can corn
1 16 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed (you could use kidney beans or pinto beans)
1 14 oz can stewed tomatoes
1 14 oz can diced tomatoes
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
1 4 oz can diced green chilis (optional)
taco toppings you like (cheese, sour cream, tortilla chips, *avocado, etc)
1 16 oz can corn
1 16 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed (you could use kidney beans or pinto beans)
1 14 oz can stewed tomatoes
1 14 oz can diced tomatoes
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
1 4 oz can diced green chilis (optional)
taco toppings you like (cheese, sour cream, tortilla chips, *avocado, etc)
4
Chicken Leg Quarters (take skin off) –or any kind of cut *chicken
will do
*1
1/2 – 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, sliced
(1
lb *ground beef or *ground turkey, optional)
*1
1/2 lbs cubed beef (stew meat)
*2
pounds of boneless fully cooked ham that is halved lengthwise
*6-8
strips of oven baked bacon
1
Tbsp. Fresh Ginger, grated
2
Cloves Garlic, minced
1/4
cup flour
2
Tbsp. Soy Sauce
1/4
cup Sugar (I know it seems like a lot, but trust me!)
3
tsp. Red Pepper Flakes (optional)
lime
juice
*1
(10.75 oz) can condensed cream of celery soup
*1
can Cream of Mushroom Soup (although Cream of anything will work)
1
14 oz. can beef beef broth or stock
Salt
& Pepper
*1
c shredded Cheddar
*1
c shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 (8 oz) container plain smooth & creamy yogurt (any variety or Stony Field has a good organic option)
1 (8 oz) container plain smooth & creamy yogurt (any variety or Stony Field has a good organic option)
There's the list. Let me know what you think!
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