Crock pot update

Ok Folks... Here's where we are at!

Week 1 - Veggie Chowder

Week 2 - Pork Tenderloin

Week 3 - Minestrone Soup

Week 4 - Lasagna

Week 5 - some type of beef sandwich!

So far everything has been good.  Not sure I'll be doing the veggie chowder anytime soon though!  I will probably make some adjustments to the minestrone soup too!  But so far so good.  One month down and 11 more to go.  I'm thinking I'll have to try at dessert at some time too!!!  Thanks for your suggestions and comments on what to feed the little ones.  Sometimes you just get so stuck in a rut!!

Happy Saturday!

Busy book

I LOVE Pinterst - I think I'm addicted to it! The other day I saw a post for preschooler DIY busy books. They used a binder with page protectors and then dry erase markers. Yesterday I went to the store to pick up some supplies. Here is Makayla's busy book to practice her letters. I'll find some more printable pages when I have some free time!

I need to figure out how to rotate the pic when it comes off my cell phone!!!

Meal Planning is my enemy

Cooking for two small kids is such a chore. If they could eat soup and mac and cheese forever they'd be happy... but I want them to have more of a variety and more healthy food options. I've made all these awesome things lately (Taco Bites being one of them!) and they're just not into it... any ideas?

I did make the Pork Tenderloin recipe and it was amazing... it will be a keeper. I also made a minestrone soup that was pretty good too and the kids even ate it! I was a little surprised but totally thrilled. Trying to think about what to cook up next!

Crock pot here we come!

Last week I made the Veggie Cheese Soup recipe (find it posted in the post below).  I thought this was going to be awesome - my kids love soup and I thought this would be great for them to get their veggies.  Well, I was the only one who ate it, so now I have it in the freezer for a quick meal for me!

This week I am going to try this Maple and Brown Sugar Pork Tenderloin.  I'll let you know how that one goes over!!

Hope you're all enjoying the weather wherever you happen to be.  It's a balmy plus 7 or so today!  It feels more like spring than winter here!  Would like to see some snow so the kids can get out and use their snowsuits more!!!

52 Crock Meals

This year my mom and I decided to challenge ourselves to see if we could cook one meal a week in our crock pot.  So, I thought I would share here what meals I'm going to be making and then I'll update to share if they were good or bad and how well they went over with the kids.

Here is a list of some up and coming meals...
Orange Chicken
Lasagna
Beef Stroganoff
Veggie Chowder
Chicken Tortilla Soup
Crock pot Italian Chicken


Healthy Mama Barbecue Chicken
3 medium unpeeled  sweet potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
2 large green pepper, cut into strips
1 large red pepper, cut into strips
1 zucchini, chopped
1 medium onion, sliced
1 tablespoon quick cooking tapioca
2 pounds chicken thighs or drumsticks
1 8-ounce can of tomato sauce
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon yellow mustard (I wasn't sure if this meant actual mustard or the spice so I did a little of both)
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt

Dump everything into two gallon freezer bags, shake it up, seal, label and put in the freezer.
Take out of freezer, for 30 minutes and cook on low for eight hours or low for four hours.


Chicken Curry
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 tablespoons curry powder
1.5 teaspoons ground cumin
1.5 pounds chicken thighs, cut into 1 inch pieces
2 cups chopped peeled sweet potatoes
2.5 cups baby carrots
2 cup coarsely chopped mango
1 cup chopped onion
1 zucchini chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 chicken bouillon
.5 cup raisins (for garnish)
.5 cup peanuts or cashews (for garnish)

Dump everything into two gallon freezer bags, shake it up, seal, label and put in the freezer.
Take out of freezer, for 30 minutes and cook on low for eight hours or low for four hours.


I think this week we might try the Veggie Chowder and prep the frozen meals too!!!  If you readers have any great crock pot recipes, I'd love to have you share them with me!