OAMC – Once A Month Freezer Crock Pot Meals

I tried something new yesterday (Sunday).  New is good, and with Pinterest crowding my brain, new is inevitable.  I was seeing lots of people post their OAMC recipes, menus, shopping lists, etc.  My problem?  I didnt like half the recipes tey were using, or couldnt get half the ingredients.  I hate teriyaki sauce, and fruit and chicken dont go together, so that pineapple concoction with teryaki sauce totally grosses me out.

I have therefore made my own OAMC setup, containing 8 super simple recipes with staples and easy to find ingredients.  No weird sauces, no nuts in main dishes.  (Someday I’ll need to write a post about all the wrong things people do with their food – fruit and nuts in savory dishes are some of those things)

Here’s My Recipe List:

• Saucy Pork Chops
• Soy Chicken
• Chicken Fajitas
• Beef Fajitas
• Pot Roast & Veggies
• “Pulled” BBQ Chicken
• Ranch Chicken Breasts
• Italian Chicken Breasts
• Italian Pork Chops

Here’s my shopping list:
Meats:

• 8 Pork Chops
• 18 chicken breasts or equivalent in Thighs or breasts & thighs
  • 12 whole breasts
  • 3 sliced into fajita strips
  • 3 cut into bite size pieces
• 1-2lb London broil, chuck steak or flank steak sliced across the grain in thin strips for fajitas
• 1 3-4 lb Pot Roast (chuck is best)

Veggies: 

• Garlic
• 5 Onions, 2 sliced, 2 ¼’d and 1 diced
• 2 Bell Peppers, sliced
• 1 lb small red potatoes
• 1 lb Carrots – peeled and in 3″ sections, or use baby carrots

Staples/Pantry:

• 1 Package Asian frozen vegetables
• 2 Cans Rotel
• 1 Qt Reduced Sodium Chicken Stock or Broth (or homemade)
• Powdered Ginger
• Corn Starch
• 1 Can 98% fat free cream of mushroom soup
• 2 Packets Brown Gravy Mix
• Italian Dressing Mix
• 2 Packets Ranch Dressing Mix
• Soy Sauce
• Salt & Pepper
• ½ to ¾ Bottle Italian Dressing
• 1 Packet Onion Soup Mix

You’re also going to need Gallon-sized FREEZER zip bags and a Sharpie.

First clean up and chop your veggies.  Set them aside in piles for when you need them

I also lined up my packets and cans and opened them.  This makes the actual assembly go really fast.

Recipe 1 – “Pulled” Chicken Breasts

• 3 Whole Chicken Breasts
• 1 1/2 C Favorite BBQ Sauce
• Combine in your zip bag, label and freeze.

Preparation Instructions:

Thaw and place in your slow cooker with about 1/4 C of water for 3-4 Hours on High.  Shred chicken and mix back in with sauce, serve on crusty rolls with a slice of cheese.  This recipe is also pretty flexible and can be baked or grilled if you don’t want to slow cook.

Recipe 2 – “Ranch Chicken”

• 4 Whole Chicken Breasts
• 1 Packet Ranch Dressing Mix (The dry kind)
• Dust the chicken with the ranch dressing – try to get the whole packet to stick.  I found this worked a bit better if I didn’t try to do it in the bag, so I did it on a plate and put whatever didnt stick in the bag.  Label and freeze.

Preparation Instructions:

Thaw and place in your slow cooker with about 1 C of Water or Chicken broth for 3-4 hours on High, or 4-5 Hours on Low.  Serve whole or chop up for tacos or sandwiches.

Recipe 3 – Italian Chicken

• 4 Whole Chicken Breasts
• 1 1/2 C. Italian Dressing

Preparation Instructions:

Thaw and place in your slow cooker with about 1/2 – 1 C of water or Chicken broth for 3-4 hours on high or 4-5 hours on low.  This recipe can also be grilled or baked with amazing results.

Recipe 4 – Soy Chicken

• 4-6 chicken breasts or pieces
• 1 onion – diced
• 1 Package of frozen Asian
• 1/2 Cup of soy sauce
• 2 Teaspoons of minced garlic
• 1 Teaspoon of ginger powder
• 1-2 Cups of chicken stock
• 1/4 Cup of sugar
• 1 Teaspoons Molasses or Hoisin sauce
• 2 Teaspoons of corn starch

Preparation Instructions

Combine all ingredients except Vegetables and Cornstarch in a zip bag, label and freeze

Keep the Asian veggies frozen until you need them

Thaw and add to Crock Pot, cook 3-4 hours on High .  30 minutes from serving remove 1/2 C of cooking liquid and dissolve the cornstarch in the liquid, add back in and stir well.  Microwave the vegetables for 3-4 minutes and stir in.  Place cover back and cook for remaining 30 minutes.

Recipe 5 – Pot Roast & Veggies (2 bags)

• 1 3-4 lb Pot Roast – Chuck is best
• 1 Pkg Brown Gravy Mix
• 1 Pkg Ranch Dressing
• 1 Pkg Italian Dressing Mix
• 3/4 C Chicken or Beef Stock
• 1 lb very small red potatoes, or larger ones cut in half
• 1 lb baby carrots or carrots peeled & cut in sections
• 2 medium onions, quartered

Preparation Instructions

In a large zip bag add the mixes and the Stock, zip shut and combine well.  Add back in the roast and smush around to coat, label and freeze

Add the veggies to a second zip bag, label and freeze

Thaw and dump into crock pot with veggies on the bottom.  You might need to add 1/2 to 3/4 more liquid to get things going.  Cook 7-9 hours on low

Recipe 6 – Beef Fajitas

• 1-2 lbs chuck steak, flank steak or London broil
• 1-2 Tbsp Fajita Seasoning, from a packet or a jar
• 1 medium onion sliced
• 1 medium pepper sliced
• 1 Can Rotel tomatoes & green chiles

Preparation Instructions

The meat should be sliced across the grain and added to your zip bag.  Add in the Fajita Seasoning and smush around.  Dump in the rest of the ingredients and smush around, label and freeze

To prepare thaw and dump into the crockpot – cover and cook 4-5 hours on low

Recipe 7 – Chicken Fajitas

• 3 Chicken Breasts, sliced into fajita strips
• 1-2 Tbsp Fajita Seasoning, from a packet or a jar
• 1 medium onion sliced
• 1 medium pepper sliced
• 1 Can Rotel tomatoes & green chiles

Preparation Instructions

Add the meat to your zip bag.  Add in the Fajita Seasoning and smush around.  Dump in the rest of the ingredients and smush around, label and freeze

To prepare thaw and dump into the crockpot – cover and cook 4-5 hours on low

Recipe 8 – Saucy Chops

• 1 15oz Can 98% Fat Free Cream of Chicken or Mushroom Soup
• 1 1/2 Cups Reduced-Sodium Chicken Broth
• 1 Package Brown Gravy Mix
• 1 Package Onion Soup Mix
• 4 Regular Cut Pork Chops

In a bowl combine the soup, broth and mixes, whisk until smooth.  Add chops to a bag and pour the sauce over them.  Seal and label.

Thaw and add to crock pot, cook on low 6-7 hours and serve with potatoes or noodles.

Recipe 9 – Italian Chops

• 4 Nice Pork Chops (assorted or center cut – or even pork steak – doesn’t matter.)
• 1 1/2 C. Italian Dressing

Preparation Instructions:

Thaw and place in your slow cooker with about 1/2 – 1 C of water or Chicken broth for 3-4 hours on high or 4-5 hours on low.  This recipe can also be grilled or baked with amazing results.