Looking for Freezer meals for crockpot

tmotley · 08-07-2008, 07:49:41 PM

I have been looking for recipes for meals that you can prep ahead of time and freeze, then pull out and cook in the crockpot. Kind of like those dinner prep stores that are popular now, but mainly for the crockpot. Frozen, but not coooked ahead of time.
It is so hot here now, I have been using my crockpot so much more, but would love to have some meals all ready to go in my freezer.
I have been searching online for a week and have only found a few like this. Most freezer meals sites are the cook ahead and then freeze.
Any ideas or recipes would be great!

AngB21 · 08-19-2008, 10:25:10 AM

Dump chicken recipes do very well in the crockpot. If you google search 'dump chicken recipes' you'll probably have quite a few that pop up.

A staple recipe in my family is Sweet Salsa Dump Chicken. I make up about 5 or 6 of these when chicken is on sale along with a few other dump recipes and throw them all in the freezer. My friend excludes the preserves in the recipe and it still comes out delicious.

Ingredients:
1 jar salsa (i use mango salsa)
8oz preserves or jam (apricot, pineapple, peach, etc)
1 to 3 pounds of chicken (i do 6 boneless breasts)
1 package of taco seasoning

Place all ingredients in a large freezer bag. Lay flat in freezer. When you're ready to use, take out of the freezer the night before to let it thaw in the fridge overnight. Dump it in the crockpot and cook on high for about 3 1/2 hours or low for 8 hours. Great served with rice.

tmotley · 08-19-2008, 11:02:22 AM

Thanks! That looks good, I'll have to try it out.
BTW, I love your sig. line.

hopeky94 · 08-19-2008, 01:03:15 PM

There's a Yahoo group called "Frozen Assets" that is a great source for freeze-ahead meals!! The one below is one I've been wanting to try for years, just never think of it at the right time (LOL). It's in the "Files" section on the Frozen Assets group's page (as are several dump chicken recipes and more)... HTH!

Linda's Ice Cream Bucket Lasagne

Recipe By :Linda Stolz
Serving Size : 8

5 pounds lean ground beef
20 ozs tomato sauce
Desired spices
2 qts cottage cheese
4 eggs
Salt and pepper
2 lbs shredded mozzarella (or more, depending on your family's taste)
2 packages lasagne noodles
6 ice cream buckets -- 1 gallon size

I cook a large package of hamburger (approx 5 lbs), drain. Place it back in the pan I cooked it in (don't dirty another pan!!), and add tomato sauce and spices as you like it.

Then in another large bowl, mix two large containers of cottage cheese, four eggs, and salt and pepper.

A third bowl has a large quantity of shredded mozzarella.

Finally, I open two packages of lasagne noodles, either no-bake or regular, doesn't matter. I prefer the regular, they are thicker..the no bake kind of disappear in my lasagne because they are so thin.

Place all the ingredient bowls and pans in a row on the counter. Then I take 6 (one gallon) ice cream buckets or similar container. Layer as follows:

-small amount of sauce (makes serving easier if there is a bit of sauce in the bottom, so it doesn't stick)
-uncooked noodles
-sauce (it is important that all of the uncooked noodles are covered in sauce)
-cottage cheese
-uncooked noodles
-sauce
-cottage cheese
-noodles
-sauce
-mozzarella cheese to cover top (we love this quite thick)

That is it! You end up with six lasagnes, and only 3 dirty pans. Freeze. Once solid, slip from the ice cream bucket, and place in gallon Ziploc bags.

Now they go back in the freezer, taking up much less space. I use the ice cream bucket because it makes it the exact correct size and shape for my 5 quart crockpot. You may find another container that works better for you. Just choose a container to assemble/freeze the food in that is a little smaller than the pot/pan you plan to cook it in!

When its lasagne eating day, just pop it in the crockpot (or other pan, if not using crockpot) on LOW, and let her go all day...come home, dinner is ready!

NOTE: this is the original version of this recipe. Newer crockpots are much hotter, so you might find it neccessary to cut the cooking time down considerably.

Yield: 6 meals, 8 servings each

ElaineHN · 08-19-2008, 02:10:32 PM

This isn't a recipe really and it may not be the type info you are looking for ... but for what it's worth I've found that I can cook a beef roast, pork loin, or a whole cut up chicken in my crockpot straight from the freezer and it cooks just fine. No need to thaw or pre-brown.

The only 'notes' would be to make sure that the meat will fit into your crockpot ... if it's a big tray of chicken, you need to rearrange it (I use gallon ziplock bags) before freezing so that the frozen 'chunk-o-chicken' will fit into your crock. Then when ready to cook just put the meat of choice into the crockpot and pour some type of liquid over it. Cook on low all day and it should be YUMMY for supper.

Combos we like ... (choose ONE of the 'liquids' ... not all at once)

Chicken - bottled BBQ sauce (add sliced onion if you wish), bottled Italian salad dressing, 1/2 cup Heinz 57 mixed with 1/2 cup apple juice, 1 jar salsa mixed w/ spoonful of brown sugar & spoonful of spicy mustard.

Beef Roast - 1 can french onion soup, 1/2 cup A-1 sauce mixed with 1/2 cup beer or water, bottled BBQ sauce (add sliced onion if you wish), bottled Italian salad dressing

Pork Tenderloin or Pork Chops - bottled BBQ sauce (add sliced onion if you wish), 1/2 cup Heinz 57 mixed with 1/2 cup apple juice, bottled terriyaki sauce mixed with can of pinapple chunks & liquid,

Or any of these with any bottled marinade that you like ... I usually mix half and half with water since the marinades tend to be heavy in salt 7 strongly flavored.