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28 Summer Meals for $180

As much as I loved my last round of grill-ready meals, I really missed my crock pot. So for this round most of the meals are cooked in the crock pot (a few can cook in the crock pot or grill) and all are great summer meal options. I did 28 meals for $180 ($6.40/meal).

So here it goes....

MENU |
2 BBQ Ribs Two Ways
2 BBQ Meatballs
2 Chili
2 Chicken Taco Soup
2 Pulled Pork
2 Tavern Style Pork Loin
2 Ranch Pork Chops & Potatoes
2 Cilantro Lime Chicken
2 Italian Sausage & Peppers
2 Zesty Herb Chicken & Peppers
2 Smoked Sausage, Sweet Onion & Pepper Kabobs
2 Mango Salsa Chicken
2 Roast Beef Au Jus
2 Creamy Tortellini Soup

GROCERY LIST |

Seasoning and Sauces:
2 Alfredo Sauce Packets
2 Roast Beef Au Jus Seasoning Packets
2 Zesty Herb Seasoning Packets
1 Slower Cooker Tavern Style Roast Marinade
2 Ranch Seasoning Packets
2 taco seasoning
5 bottles BBQ sauce
2 chili seasoning
1 smoked applewood seasoning packet

Produce:
2 packages of sliced mushrooms
1 sweet onion
8 green peppers
6 red peppers
1 bunch cilantro
2 limes
1 bag red potatoes

Refrigerator:
1 container mango salsa
1 container medium salsa
2 packages of cream cheese (8 oz.)

Meat & Poultry:
3 bags frozen chicken breasts
2 Packages Roast Beef
2 Packages Italian Sausage
8 pork chops
1 10-12 lb. pork loin (will be cut in four)
3 lbs. ground beef
2 bags meatballs
1 rack of ribs (to be cut in half)

Dried Goods:
2 packages tortellini (I used fresh but dried would work)
2 cups brown rice
4 packages of hoagies to freeze
2 packages tortillas to freeze

Canned Goods:
3 Cartons of Chicken Broth
2 can evaporated milk
2 cans corn
4 cans tomatoes
6 cans tomato sauce
4 cans black beans
2 cans kidney beans

Gallon-sized bags (always get these)

Other items in my pantry:
EVOO
Lemon Pepper
Garlic Powder
Dried Basil

Once home, open cans, rinse beans, slice onion, cut peppers in large chunks and place in one large bowl (red and green), quarter limes, chop cilantro, cube potatoes, and cook ground beef. Then label bags and get ready to dump.

RECIPES |

BBQ Ribs Two Ways

1/2 rack of ribs with 1 bottle of BBQ sauce
1/2 rack of ribs with the applewood seasoning packet + 1 cup water

8 on low, 4 on high...or grill
Update: Yum.

BBQ Meatballs
1 bag frozen meatballs
1 bottle BBQ sauce

2-3 hours on low
Freeze hoagies with this meal
Update: Do not overcook this! BBQ Sauce will burn.

Chili
1.5 lbs. cooked ground beef
2 cans tomato sauce
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can kidney beans
1 can black beans
1 chili seasoning packet
1 Tbsp. brown sugar

8 on low, 4 on high (throw on some hotdogs if you wish)
Update: Yum.

Chicken Taco Soup
1 carton chicken broth
1 can tomato sauce
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can corn
2 chicken breasts
1 can black beans
1 Taco seasoning packet

8 on low, 4 on high (shred chicken when done)
Update: Yum.

Pulled Pork
1/4 of the loin
1 bottle BBQ sauce

8 on low, 4 on high
Update: Yum.

Tavern Style Pork Loin
1/2 of the slow cooker pouch (Tavern Style Roast flavor)
1/4 of the loin

8 on low, 4 on high
Update: This was not my favorite flavor but it wasn't bad.

Ranch Pork Chops & Potatoes
4 chops
4-6 potatoes (whole or cubed)
1 packet ranch seasoning
Drizzle with EVOO
1 cup water (if cooking in crock pot)

8 on low, 4 on high
Update: This is a good one!

Cilantro Lime Chicken
4 chicken breasts
1/2 bunch cilantro
1 lime, squeezed and quartered
1/2 Tbsp. Lemon Pepper
1/2 Tbsp. garlic powder
drizzle EVOO

8 on low, 4 on high (add 1 cup water) or grill
Update: Yum.

Italian Sausage & Peppers

1 package Italian sausage
A couple handfuls of chopped peppers (red and green, about 2 cups)
Drizzle EVOO
Basil and Garlic Powder to taste

8 on low, 4 on high or grill
Update: Yum.

Zesty Herb Chicken & Peppers
4 chicken breasts
A handful of peppers (red and green, about 1 cup)
Drizzle EVOO

8 on low, 4 on high (add 1 cup water) or grill
Update: Yum.

Smoked Sausage, Sweet Onion & Pepper Kabobs
1 smoked sausage link, sliced
1 sweet onion, cut in chunks
1 handful peppers (about 1 cup)
Garlic Powder and Pepper to taste

Make into kabobs and grill
Update: This was pretty good. Freezing the veggies made them less crisp though, FYI.

Mango Salsa Chicken
1/2 container medium salsa
1/2 container mango salsa
1 8 oz. package cream cheese
4 chicken breasts

8 on low, 4 on high
Serve on tortillas or chips (freeze tortillas with this meal)
Update: Yum.

Roast Beef Au Jus
1 package roast beef
1 package au jus + 2 cups water

6 on low, 3 on high (serve on hoagies with cheese)
Freeze hoagies with this meal
Update: Yum. Kids love this.

Creamy Tortellini Soup
1/2 carton chicken broth
1 can evaporated milk
1 alfredo seasoning/sauce packet
1 container of sliced mushrooms

6 on low, 3 on high
Freeze tortellini with this meal, add 30 minutes prior to serving OR cook separately.
Update: This is one of my least favorite meals. I think the mushrooms made it taste funny. That made me sad.

Done & done.

Freeze the meals and pull them out when needed. I typically plan out my meals for the week and put them in the refrigerator so they will defrost before cooking (especially for the large meat cuts) though it's not completely necessary.

Happy crock potting!

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