Nesting for School

Over the past few years, I have had many friends share stories about "nesting" right before they give birth. One friend went to Walmart at 3am and bought groceries, returned home and organized her entire kitchen. Six hours later, she gave birth! Another friend stayed up for almost two days doing laundry and organizing closets before giving birth to her child that afternoon. These experiences fascinate me, but not to the point of actually having my own children! However, the idea of preparing a home/life for the arrival of something new is so exciting! Each school year is so unbelievably different from the last,that it requires new ideas every year, thus requiring me to make preparations months in advance. Just like my pregnant friends, I am going to experience something new that will change my life; however, I will get to send my students home at 3pm and I won't have to wake up to feed them during the night. How do I prepare for the arrival of the upcoming school year? I organize ALL of the closets in my house and I make freezer meals! Yes, this is the American Dream!

I LOVE using my crockpots! I just throw my dinner in it, turn it on low, and (ta-da!) dinner is cooked when I get home. Because I am quite obsessed with crockpot cooking, I collect recipes all year. I get them from different blogs, but also from friends at work. I work with some awesome ladies that really know how to cook! Here are a few of the recipes that I completed today: 

Taco Soup (I created this mix on my own!)

 Ingredients:

-1lb ground beef (cooked)

-1 can of black beans

-1 can of whole kernel corn

-1 can of chili beans

-1 can of kidney beans

-1 can of Rotel

-1 envelope of taco seasoning (I prefer no-MSG options)

Directions: 

While my beef is cooking, I pour all of my ingredients into a gallon-size ziplock bag. After my my meat is cooked and drained, I let it cool for a few minutes before adding it to the bag. After I add the meat, I seal up the bag and label it. I always write the date and the cooking instructions on the bag, too. When I get ready to cook this soup, I run the bag under the faucet for about 30 seconds so that the soup will slide right out of the bag and into my crockpot with ease! I cook it on low for 3-4 hours. I always serve mine with tortilla chips and cheese!

 Signed, sealed, and ready to freeze!

Chili (This recipe came from my Mom, who probably made it up on the fly, because that's how good kindergarten teachers roll!)

Ingredients: 

-1lb ground beef (cooked)

- 2 cans of chili beans

- 1 can of kidney beans

- 1 can of diced tomatoes

- 1 can of Rotel

- 1 envelop of chili seasoning

Directions: 

Just like the Taco Soup, I add all of the ingredients to the gallon-size ziplock bag while the meat is cooking. I add the meat to the mixture after it has been drained and cooled. When I am ready to cook this soup, I run the frozen bag under the faucet for about 30 seconds and then pour my chili into the crock pot. I cook it on low for about 3-4 hours. 

Sweet BBQ Chicken (I got this recipe from a teacher at school.)

Ingredients

-4 chicken breasts

- 12oz bottle of BBQ sauce (I use Sweet Baby Ray's)

- 1/2 cup of brown sugar

- 1/4 cup of vinegar

- 1/8 tsp of cayenne pepper

- 1tsp of garlic powder
- 1tsp of BBQ seasoning

Directions: 

Place chicken in a gallon-size ziplock bag and pour all of the ingredients in the bag. Seal it up and press all of the ingredients around so that the chicken is fully covered. Label the bag and write the cooking instructions: cook on low for 4-6 hours.

Creamy Italian Chicken (I got this recipe from: Over the Big Moon)

Ingredients

This is my favorite Italian seasoning!

-4 chicken breasts
-8 oz cream cheese (I use reduced-fat)
-1 can cream of chicken soup
-1 dry packet of Italian seasoning

Directions:
Mix cream cheese, cream of chicken, and Italian seasoning together. Pour into gallon-size ziplock bag. Put chicken in the bag and move it around until it is completely covered. Label and place in the freezer! When you are ready to cook it, place it under the faucet and allow hot water to thaw it out for about 30 seconds. Place in crock pot and cook on high for 6-7 hours.

BBQ Pork (We love bbq at my house!)

Ingredients:
-1 or 2lbs of pork chops
-1 1/2 cup of ketchup
- 1 1/2 tablespoons of seasoned salt (I like Byron's Butt Rub)
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
-1/2 cup white vinegar

Directions:
Place pork chops in gallon-size ziplock bag. Pour ingredients into the bag and mix the ingredients together so that all of the pork chops are covered. Seal the bag, label, and freeze. When I am ready to cook my pork chop, I run the frozen bag under the faucet for about 30 seconds and then pour it into the crock pot. I cook it on low for about 6-7 hours.Meal idea: I like to shred my pork and serve it over freshly baked potatoes. This is my simple version of a "pig-in-a-potato-patch."


Chicken Broccoli Alfredo (I got this recipe at Over the Big Moon blog)

Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 lbs of chicken breasts
- 1 bag (16 oz) frozen broccoli florets
- 1 jar of Alfredo sauce (I prefer the low-fat selections)
-1 large green pepper chopped
- 1 can of sliced mushrooms (I love mushrooms!)

Directions:
Place chicken in the bag, pour Alfredo sauce over the chicken. Add broccoli, peppers, and mushrooms to the chicken and Alfredo. When I am ready to cook this soup, I run the frozen bag under the faucet for about 30 seconds and then pour the frozen into the crock pot. I cook it on low for about 6-7 hours. I like to pour my cooked product over whole wheat pasta.

Beef Stew 

-1 pound of beef cubes
- 4 carrots sliced
-4 red potatoes sliced
- 1pkg of dry onion soup
-2 cans of cream of mushroom soup
- 1 8oz can of tomato sauce
-1 package of frozen peas

Directions:
Place beef cubes, carrots, potatoes, and peas into the gallon ziplock bag. Pour dry onion soup mix into the bag and shake it up! Then place cream of mushroom soups and tomato sauce into the bag and shake some more! When I am ready to cook this soup, I run the frozen bag under the faucet for about 30 seconds and then pour my stew into the crock pot. I cook it on low for about 6-7 hours.

Clean Chicken Casserole

 This recipe is a little more involved, because it must be cooked before freezing. This is my only non-crockpot freezer meal. I like to divide this casserole up into small portions so that I can put one in the fridge over night and then put it in my lunchbox the next morning. This is a much healthier alternative to Lean Cuisine meals. While I love Lean Cuisines, the sodium and preservatives are just not good for me.

The recipe for this casserole is located here: Clean Chicken Casserole

What a beautiful sight!