The weekends are a great time to brainstorm some meal ideas for the week – and we frugal foodies have unique challenges that normal shoppers don’t. This little segment aims to help by offering:
- Stockpile-cooking ideas
- Clever Casseroles in which to hide your leftovers from the hubby & kids
- Kitchen tips & tricks
- Freezer-cooking recipes & planning
- And really, everything but the kitchen sink!
Our very own “Deal Detective Kim” has generously offered to take the lead on this one (aspiring food writer that she is) – but start thinking up a recipe YOU often turn to, because we’ll be asking for some contributions to keep this new weekly segment running!
And now, I’ll turn it over to you Kim!
There’s nothing better than coming home to the smell of dinner ready, right? But most of us don’t have the luxury of an Alice, that angel of a Brady Bunch housekeeper, waiting in the wings to put dinner on the table. What most of us DO have, or can obtain fairly cheaply, is a crockpot – AKA slow cooker. These can be a lifesaver for the busy Mom (or Dad) on the go.
If you don’t have one, the feature I recommend most is the lift-out crock, for a couple of reasons. Mainly, because it can go in the dishwasher!! But also because it can go in the fridge. Whenever you’re cooking, there’s always down time–just usually not enough to sit down or go to another room, right? I use that time for clean-up–unloading or loading the dishwasher, wiping the counter, etc. Sometimes, though, I use it to get a head start on the NEXT meal, and that’s where the lift-out crock comes in handy. I confess to you all now: I am not a morning person!! If it’s not essential, and it doesn’t get done the night before, it doesn’t get done. So by doing the crockpot prep the night before, all I have to do in the morning is grab it out of the fridge, plop it in the cooker, and turn it on. Without further ado, I give you my favorite crockpot recipes:
If you don’t have one, the feature I recommend most is the lift-out crock, for a couple of reasons. Mainly, because it can go in the dishwasher!! But also because it can go in the fridge. Whenever you’re cooking, there’s always down time–just usually not enough to sit down or go to another room, right? I use that time for clean-up–unloading or loading the dishwasher, wiping the counter, etc. Sometimes, though, I use it to get a head start on the NEXT meal, and that’s where the lift-out crock comes in handy. I confess to you all now: I am not a morning person!! If it’s not essential, and it doesn’t get done the night before, it doesn’t get done. So by doing the crockpot prep the night before, all I have to do in the morning is grab it out of the fridge, plop it in the cooker, and turn it on. Without further ado, I give you my favorite crockpot recipes:
Slow Cooker BBQ:
1 Boston Butt pork roast, 3 lbs or more (depending on family size)Sprinkle roast liberally with onion powder and garlic powder, and just a little bit of cayenne pepper (depending on how spicy you like it!)Put roast in crockpot, cook all day (8 hours) on low. When you get home, drain off the grease; using a fork, peel away any fat that’s left. If the roast has a bone–and they usually have at least one–use tongs to remove it. The dog will be happy at this point, and may not want to wait until the bone cools! Pour in a bottle of whatever kind of bbq sauce you normally like. I’m partial to Kraft Hickory myself! The meat will be falling apart, so you just pretty much stir it with a fork to shred it. Serve on burger buns (I wouldn’t use thin ones for this!) with slaw, chips or potato salad, and pickle spears. Yum!!
Cajun 15 bean soup:
This is my favorite way to use up a hambone after Christmas or Easter! It also just as easily could have gone into last week’s tomatoes column!
Start with 1 bag 15 bean soup mix (found in the dry beans aisle). It comes in regular and Cajun–I prefer the Cajun but the mild is good, too. The beans need to soak overnight the night before you cook this, so put them in a big bowl with enough water to completely cover them. It’s OK for them to sit on the counter–they don’t need to go in the fridge. In the crockpot, combine 1 can diced tomatoes (OR Rotel if you like it hot), 1 chopped onion, and the hambone. Put the lid on and stick it in the fridge til morning. Before you go to work, drain the soaking water off the beans, add them to the crockpot, and pour in enough FRESH water to cover them. Cook on low 8 hours. When you get home, stir in the seasoning mix, and pull out any bones/cartilage you can see–the rest of the ham meat will have come off the bones! This is sooo good with some corn muffins–you can usually get a box of Jiffy for under .50.**Tip Alert! I found a silicone muffin pan at a thrift store for $2. I ladle leftover soup into the pan, freeze it, and pop it out in cubes. Put the cubes in a qt. freezer bag, 2-3 to a bag, for quick winter lunches.
Pot Roast:
1 beef roast, 3+ pounds, depending on your family sizeflour for dustingsalt & pepper1 bag (1 lb) baby carrots, or regular carrots, peeled and cut into large chunks1 or 2 onions, cut into large chunksa few potatoes–small ones can be left whole, bigger ones peeled and cut into chunks1 envelope brown gravy mix1-2 bay leaves1 cup red wine (optional)Put about a half cup or so of flour in a ziploc bag, with salt and pepper to taste. Drop the roast in, zip it up, and shake until the roast is covered with flour. Put vegetables in the bottom of the crock and place roast on top. Prepare gravy mix according to package directions and pour into crockpot. Add bay leaves and wine, if desired. Cook 8 hours on low. This is sooo good, and the leftovers can make either plate lunches or a yummy roast beef sandwich!
One more night-before helper: A lot of times, when I am fixing my dinner plate, I have one of those divided leftovers plates ready on the counter. I fix that plate at the same time and stick it in the fridge so that it’s ready to take to work in the morning. I also save those little bowls that butter and sour cream come in. I usually eat my breakfast at my desk, so when I open a box of cereal, I portion it out into those little bowls. I pour some milk into a take-along drink bottle. Cereal goes into my lunch bag the night before, and then all I have to do is grab the milk out of the fridge on my way out the door!
Before I leave you (until next week, or the next big deal) I will give you one final gift: Some helpful links. Standard disclaimer: I found these sites by searching “Just Crockpot Recipes” on Swagbucks. I have no association with any of these sites or their content, and I probably have not tested the recipes.
I’d love to hear your feedback, so email me at DealDetectiveKim@gmail.com
Until next week….
Until next week….
