22 Meals for $115

I just have to say, I really enjoyed my last round of crock potting, however, the meals were pretty hearty and I was feeling a little weighed down (I guess I loved those meals a little to much. Maybe it was the holidays, though. All I know is I gained 5 lbs.) So, anyhoo, I wanted to keep it somewhat light this round, plenty of protein meals ready to grill bake or slow cook, but since I'm also a die-hard pasta eater, a few sauces as well.

Also, the pot in our crock pot broke (again!) so many of these meals can be made in the oven or on the stove.

I hope you all enjoy!

 

Menu |
2 Apple Honey Pork Loins with Butternut Squash
2 Texas BBQ Rub Pulled Pork
2 Spaghetti Sauce and Meatballs
2 Greek Meatballs w/ Pitas
2 Dirty Rice
2 Alfredo & Pesto Sauce with Sundried Tomatoes
2 Smoked Sausage Bake
2 Zesty Herb Chicken Thighs
2 Chipotle Chicken Thighs
2 Herb and Wine Chicken Breasts
2 Butternut Squash Chili with Kale

Grocery List |

Meat:
4 Pork Loins or 1 huge 8-10 lb. loins cut into fourths
2 bags Italian meatballs

 

7 lbs. ground beef
2 packages smoked sausage
2 3 lb. bags of chicken thighs
1 3 lb. bag of chicken breasts

Produce:
2 Apples
2 Butternut Squash (large)
1 bunch mint
2 lemons
2 bags of frozen broccoli florets
1 bag of kale
1 sweet onion

Canned Goods:
2 marinara sauce
2 tomato sauce
2 tomato paste
4 crushed tomatoes
1 8 oz. jar pesto
2 8 oz. jars of sundried tomatoes
4 jars Alfredo sauce
2 cans kidney beans
2 cans black beans
2 cans garbanzo beans

Dried Goods:
4 cups brown rice
2 boxes penne
2 bags hoagies
2 packages pitas
Bread Crumbs

Seasoning:
Bay Leaves
Basil
Garlic
Oregano
Rosemary
Cinnamon
Chili powder
Cayenne Pepper
Brown Sugar
Montreal Steak Seasoning
2 Texas BBQ seasoning packets
6 seasoning packets for chicken - I chose: 2 Zesty Herb, 2 Herb and Wine, 2 Chipotle

Other:
Honey
Gallon Ziplocs
1 egg

When you get home, cook the 4 cups of rice in a rice cooker and 4 lbs. of the ground beef in a skillet. Label all 22 gallon zips with the appropriate meal, then just move one meal at a time.

Recipes |

Apple Honey Pork Loins with Butternut Squash

1 Pork loin (about 2 lbs.) with slits cut almost all the way through the loin
1 apple cut in slices and stuffed in the slits
Add rosemary, salt, pepper, and cinnamon
Drizzle with honey (about 1/4 cup)
1/2 the butternut squash, peeled and cubed

8 hours on low (make 2) or bake at 350 for 40 minutes-1 hour
Update: This meal is really good. The butternut squash can get a little mushy but this one is still a keeper.

Texas BBQ Rub Pulled Pork

1 Texas BBQ seasoning packet
1 cup water
1/2 chopped sweet onion
1 pork loin

8 hours on low (make 2). Serve on hoagies (freeze with the meal).
Update: This is an ALL. TIME. FAVORITE. So delicious, fall-apart good!

Spaghetti Sauce and Meatballs

1 bag Italian meatballs
1 can marinara
1 can crushed tomatoes, drained
1 can paste
1 bay leaf
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
Basil
Garlic
Salt

8 hours on low (make 2), or heat in a pot. Serve over spaghetti.
Update: This is a great kid one. My husband and I prefer a ground beef/Italian sausage mix over the meatballs but still, no complaints.

Greek Meatballs w/ Pitas

3 lbs. ground beef
1 bunch minced mint
the juice of 2 lemons
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp oregano
1/4 bread crumbs
1 egg

Mix everything together with your hand, roll into meatballs, and divide in two separate bags (meals).

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Serve with the pita pockets (freeze them with the meatballs) and tzatziki sauce (greek yogurt, lemon zest, cucumber, and dill).
Update: Really, very good! We need to make these again soon.

Dirty Rice

2 cups cooked brown rice
1 lb. cooked ground beef
Drizzle EVOO
Season with Montreal Steak seasoning

Heat in a skillet until thawed and warm.
Update: One of our favorites to have on hand.

Alfredo & Pesto Sauce with Sundried Tomatoes

2 jars Alfredo sauce
1/2 jar pesto (about 4 oz.)
1 jar strained sundried tomatoes

Heat until warm in crock pot or skillet, and serve over penne pasta (keep that in your pantry).
Update: Be sure to use sundried cherry tomatoes or cut the sundried tomatoes into smaller pieces. The ones I bought were to big and clunky. Otherwise, this is a great sauce. We added cooked chicken to it as well.

Smoked Sausage Bake

Simply freeze the sausage and the bags of broccoli florets together. I don't like the taste of frozen potatoes so I bought the freezable ingredients then when I want to make the sausage bake, I simply take them out, slice the sausage, add cubed potatoes and sweet potatoes, broccoli, drizzle with EVOO and season with sage, garlic, salt and pepper.

Bake at 425 for 40 min.
Update: One of our absolute favorites.

Zesty Herb Chicken Thighs

1 Zesty Herb seasoning packet
1/2 bag of chicken thighs
1 cup water

Grill or cook in the crock pot, 8 hours on low (make 2). Serve with rice or potatoes and salad.
Update: Yum.

Chipotle Chicken Thighs

1 Chipotle seasoning packet
1/2 bag of chicken thighs
1 cup water

Grill or cook in the crock pot, 8 hours on low (make 2). Serve with rice or potatoes and salad.
Update: Yum.

Herb and Wine Chicken Breasts

1 Herb and Wine seasoning packet
1/2 bag breasts
1 cup water

Grill or cook in the crock pot, 8 hours on low (make 2). Serve with rice or potatoes and salad.
Update: Yum.

Butternut Squash Chili with Kale

1 can tomato sauce
1 can crushed tomatoes
1 can black beans
1 can garbanzo beans
1 can kidney beans
1 lb. cooked ground beef
1/2 a butternut squash, peeled and cubed
2 handfuls of kale
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
2 tsp. chili powder
Garlic (I don't know....a bunch)
Salt to taste
2 tbsp. brown sugar

8 hours on low or simmer in a pot on the stove (make 2).
Update: Yum.

And you're done. 22 meals for $115.

And for those of you intimidated by bulk cooking like this, I have to say this round includes some super simple meals. I even only used this many dishes:

That's right. Less than 10 dishes for 22 meals. Not a bad gig.