Freezer Meals - Take 2

I am so excited about this post. Mainly because I am a huge dork, and this kind of stuff makes me happy but seriously, if you cook - this is cool. If not, just stop reading here because you will be sorely underwhelmed. You've been warned.

The hubs has been working like crazy on our monthly budget. We want to do a bunch of stuff around here, and there has to be a plan for that to happen. Our "go live" date for the budget is Feb. 1, so if I don't leave my house after that, you'll know why. I am only kidding. I am taking this as a challenge to see how much we can save.

I posted before about freezer meals. I love them! I saw a post on Pinterest a while back about crockpot freezer meals where you basically throw everything in a bag, freeze, then thaw to cook  in the crockpot. There was no pre-cooking. Well, sign me up. I looked over a bunch of the recipes today, and I had so many of the ingredients. I decided to go for it. I figured if I were going to spend a bunch of money, I might as well do it before the budget kicked in. Well, I was wrong because I just made 17 meals in 1 1/2 hours for less than $150 PLUS I had 4 bags of leftover chicken for other recipes!!!!!  How cool is that?

We started with this:

And we ended with this:

I doubled all the recipes except for the pork stew. I had 4 chicken breasts leftover and 21 chicken thighs (I split those into 3 bags). I promise to review these recipes later as we try them. We have had the chicken caccitore because it is a WW recipe, and it was yummy. Some of the recipes don't include instructions for freezing or cooking in the crockpot, but I was able to figure it out. I plan to thaw each bag in the fridge overnight before cooking in the crockpot the next morning. The only one I am not cooking in the crockpot is the maple dijon chicken. Click on the links below to get the recipes:

Mongolian Beef
Green Chile Pork Stew
Teriyaki Chicken
Sweet & Spicy Meatballs
Honey Garlic Chicken
Chicken Caccitore
Island Chicken
Maple Dijon Chicken
Pesto Chicken (you are only doing the chicken from this recipe, not the pasta)

I should say that for my money, I also bought a box of rice, several bags of frozen veggies, and some pasta to go with these meals. Still, it ain't too shabby. The hubs will be pleased. When the Jakeman saw the camera, he said, "Mommy, take Jake picture." So, here he is.

Having a Good Time

Whew! We made it through another stretch where Jason has worked several days in a row. There are times where I am not sure if we are going to make it without someone being injured or having a nervous breakdown (that would be me), but we survived. These are trying times - these toddler months. The level of cuteness is all that saves him sometimes because it is mixed in with a high level of stubbornness . We have a had a few really good days, though, so we will focus on those.

Yesterday, we decided to head back to music class. It was the first attempt we've made since I had Connor, and I am so glad that we went and we spent the afternoon in the park. Today, was a repeat of sorts. I have to share this picture of sweet Connor from this morning. The ER nurses gave Jason an outfit for Connor. It was a Kissy Kissy outfit, and for those who don't know, those aren't the cheapest things and are oh, so soft. Well, it was a little big when we first got it, and then it's been too warm to wear since it was pants and long sleeves. I hated for the little man who is growing like a weed to never wear it, so it became PJs last night. Well...little Connor was a little big for it, and although the pants fit the top was a wee bit short. When I got out of the shower this morning, this is what I saw - my sweet man all slithered down in his bouncy seat with his pants hiked up and his midriff showing and happy as could be - haha.

While sitting with Jake during breakfast, I noticed we had a visitor in the yard this morning.

Once everyone was up, fed, and dressed for the day, we headed out to Michael's to pick up a few things for a few projects I am working on. I can't wait to show them to you all, but I have to do some work first. Most are for Jake's new room in the new house. Which, by the way, we move into in May - woohoo!!!! Everything has been done as far as appraisal, inspection, etc so now we are in the "hurry up and wait" stage until closing. I can't wait. It is a beautiful house and one where we will be able to grow and be happy in for a long time. Anyway, we made our weekly trip to Home Goods since I am scouting for a bedroom rug. For some reason this shopping center has front row parking dedicated to hybrid vehicles. Well, none of the spaces was taken and apparently all of Savannah had decided to truck it to Home Goods at 9:30 in the morning like we had. My car suddenly became a hybrid vehicle. I'm sorry - I have 2 little children to get out of the car and I have to retrieve a cart while leaving my children in the car, so I need to be close to the store. That is WAY more important than giving you a pat on the back for buying hybrid. Also, personally, I think that the fact that I pushed 2 little people out of my body is way the hell more impressive than your "green" purchase as well. So there, Mr. and Mrs. Save the Planet, I will continue to steal your parking spot near the door - thank you very much.

So, no dice on the rug and we headed to the mall to hang out in the soft play area for a bit. I was amazed watching Jake play on the stuff. He looked so grown up! And let me say that having a 5 week old does throw a kink into watching the 19 month old. I stood up to help Jake climb and when I turned around, there was a gaggle of toddlers standing around Connor's carrier on the bench. First, let me say that Jason and I are about the least germaphobic healthcare workers around. I am not one to stay in the house after having a baby to reduce "exposure" or anything, but I didn't want anyone poking an eye or sticking a little finger in his mouth or anything. So, I rushed over to assure them that he needed to sleep :) After playing for 45 minutes, it was lunch time. Now, I knew that he had not played enough in his opinion and was ready for the tantrum. I wish I had had the camera. It was a good one. I mean, threw his head back and wailed like I had beaten him kind of tantrum where the body just goes stiff and makes getting legs into the stroller nearly impossible. Instead of being frustrated, it only made me giggle. I was getting the looks from all the other parents like "oh, yeah, we are going to have to do that in a few minutes, too."  It continued on the way out of the mall. I got a few horrified looks from those "I don't have children" people, and all the moms and grandmas gave me the smile and nod that said that they had been there, done that, and got the t-shirt. Thank God for naptime.

Speaking of naps, while Jake was napping I did some chores around here and cooked dinner. I either try to prepare as much of dinner or if it is something that will be just as good reheating I try to go ahead and cook. As you all know, I am trying to lose the poundage from baby plus some. I have managed to get back down to the weight I was when I went to my first prenatal visit, so we are making progress. Woohoo!! I made a recipe last night from a WW recipe website for sweet and sour baked chicken, and it was really good. Click here to get the recipe. I made some brown fried rice to go with it. I made the sauce during naptime yesterday, chopped the chicken, chopped my veggies to put in the rice, and all I had to do before dinner was coat the chicken, add the sauce, and throw it in the oven. Easy peasy. Tonight, I made a corn chowder from Pinterest that was a WW recipe. It was also pretty good and filling, too. Here is the recipe for that. Sweet Connor hung out under the playmat for a while. I did get on the scale with and without Connor today, and there was an 11.4 lb difference!!! Holy cow, this boy is growing!

This afternoon, we headed back to the playground so we could dig and play. I bought a mosquito net for the stroller, so C hung out and slept like this:

We stayed at the playground for about an hour then went on a walk. Here are a few pics from the playground. I especially enjoyed getting sand out of every crevice tonight during the bath. See if you can figure out why :)

This is what I got when I asked for a smile - I don't think he gets it yet - haha



During the drive home, we opened to sunroof, let down the driver's window, and blasted some 80's music. I drove out past our house to the end of the island. It still blows my mind that this is only 2 minutes from our house. Now THAT was a good day....

Smoky Chicken Chili

This recipe came from Southern Living, and it is one of my cool weather favorites. In fact, if you choose to make one recipe from the blog, let it be this one. It is yummy, quick, and very easy. The thing that takes the longest time to do is pull the chicken off the bone (aside from the one hour cook time).

Ingredients:
2 poblano peppers, diced
1 large red bell pepper, diced
1 medium sweet onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp olive oil
2 (14.5 oz) cans zesty chili style diced tomatoes
3 cups shredded chicken - I never measure, just pull off meat from one rotisserie chicken
1 (16 oz) can navy beans, drained
1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (12 oz) can or bottle of beer *Can substitute 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 (1.25 oz) packet of white chicken chili seasoning mix - I use McCormick's

Toppings: shredded cheese, sour cream, cornbread, tortilla strips, chopped onion, black olives, cilantro, etc.

1. Saute first 4 ingredients in oil until tender - usually about 8 minutes or so.

2. Stir in remaining 6 ingredients and bring to a boil over medium high heat. Reduce heat to low and cook for one hour, stirring occasionally. Serve with desired toppings.

**This recipe freezes well. Let cool and put in freezer bags or container for freezer. Thaw and reheat when ready to serve.

A few quick and easy recipes

I decided a few days ago that I wanted to be a little more careful about what we are eating. Now that the ravenous stage of pregnancy has passed, I can eat like a normal person again. When I was doing Weight Watchers, we ate well. What many people think about a plan like Weight Watchers is that you will be hungry, the food is icky, etc. It was a struggle in the beginning for me to eat all of my allotted points for the day, and by the time I got the swing of it, I didn't eat all my points every day anyway. I decided to cook some of my Weight Watchers recipes today. I am not trying to lose weight while I am preggo, but these were quick and easy, healthy, and just good food.

The first thing I made was the tomato basil soup. I will be the first to admit, I am not a fan of tomato soup - usually. This one is yummy, and I have posted about it before. It is only 3 points for 1 cup of soup and is great with a little Parmesan cheese sprinkled over the top. Click here to see the instructions and recipe. I didn't have shallots today, so I substituted a little onion. This one is going to be lunch or a snack throughout the day for the next few days.

The next recipe is what we are having for dinner tonight. It's Asian Turkey Meatballs, brown fried rice, and steamed broccoli. I was a little skeptical when I first saw this one because ground turkey is not my meat of choice. However, I made it, and Jason and I both enjoyed it. I shared it with a friend who is doing WW, and she said that her whole family, including her 2 year old twins gobbled it up. Here is the link to this one. I will say, that I didn't like the dipping sauce so now I mix a combo of light mayo, soy sauce, and sriracha to make a pink sauce to dollop on my meatballs and occasionally the rice. The recipe for the rice is here. I do it a little differently. I use microwavable brown rice and cook it according to the directions. I add chopped onion to the garlic as well as carrots that I have finely sliced. I also leave out the fish sauce. It doesn't in any way affect the point value. The broccoli is the bagged Steamfresh variety. This meal is super fast. I mixed the meatballs while Jake was napping, and they only take about 15 minutes to cook. Your rice and broccoli can be done in that time, too, so this is a super fast meal! I can't say enough about the Skinnytaste website - the link can be found on the right of my page. It is listed as Gina's Skinny Taste. The site breaks down recipes into point values if you are searching by points, and it also lists low-carb options for those of you on a low carb diet. The recipes I have tried from this site have been fabulous!!

When I was about 34 weeks pregnant with Jake, I spent one whole day - and I do mean the WHOLE day - cooking and freezing food. One of my favorites from that endeavor is this sticky chicken recipe. You certainly don't have to freeze it. The recipe is as follows:
1 whole fryer chicken, giblets removed
1 cup chopped onion - I omit this one because Jason doesn't really like onion
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp white pepper - I have never added this because I don't have any
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp paprika
4 tsp salt

Combine all the spices in a small bowl. Wash the chicken inside and out and pat dry. Rub the spice mixture into the chicken, both inside and out. Place in a resealable bag (like a gallon sized freezer bag). Refrigerate overnight. When ready to roast chicken, place onion inside cavity and roast. Cook according to the size of the chicken. I used this site to determine cooking times. Now, if you are freezing the chicken, rub with spices, and  put the chicken in a freezer bag. I usually put another freezer bag on the first one. Make sure to get as much air out of the bag as you can. When you are ready to cook, place in the fridge overnight to thaw and cook according to the size of the chicken.

I will be doing some freezer cooking soon to prepare for the arrival of the new baby and to make life easier in general. I will be sure to share some pictures then. Sorry for the lack of photos today. The website links do have photos, so be sure to take a look. Please let me know if you try anything. I love hearing your feedback!!!

Quick and Easy Lunch

As many of you know, I love to cook. I will be the first to admit that the Jakeman has put a kink in the amount of  cooking going on in the Lowe household, but Jason has been off for a few days. So, we have gotten back into the swing. I have been doing Weight Watchers to lose some poundage. I can't say that it is weight from pregnancy. Nope - this is weight that came from pre-pregnancy. Just good ole fashioned happy poundage :) Anyway, I wanted to share the light lunch we had around here today. Nothing fancy and not my culinary shining moment, but it was filling and super easy. We had tomato basil soup and a tuna and white bean salad. The recipes are courtesy of the WW New Complete Cookbook. All point values reflected are part of the new points plus system. Recipes go a little something like this:

Tomato Basil Soup
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup chopped shallots
4 large tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1 cup vegetable stock
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 cups fat free milk
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 cup fat free half-and-half
1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil
Serving size 1 cup equals 3 WW points plus value and 120 calories

Step 1: Dice shallots and coarsely chop

tomatoes

Step 2: Heat oil and cook shallots for 5 minutes.

Add tomatoes, broth, oregano, salt, and pepper.

Bring to boil and cover. Simmer until tomatoes are

tender - about 6 minutes.





Step 3: Puree the mixture in blender
or food processor. I was too lazy to
break out the food processor, so the
blender worked just fine. Return to pot

Step 4: Whisk together tomato paste and 1 cup milk.

Add to soup.

Step 5: Add half-and-half and other cup of milk.

Stir in basil.

Step 6: Cook over med heat until heated throughout.

Tuna and White Bean Salad

1 can cannellini (white kidney) beans, rinsed and drained

2 cans water packed light tuna, drained and flaked

1/2 red onion

3 celery stalks, chopped

3 Tbsp lemon juice

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 tsp dried sage

2 tsp olive oil

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

Serving size 1 1/2 cups, 180 cal, 4 WW points

Mix all ingredients together in bowl.

Finished product on mixed greens with tomatoes.

Lunch is served.

Last but certainly not least, my little sous chef, the Jakeman ;)