Slow Cooker Freezer Meals

When my husband and I got married my cousin gave us a crock pot and I absolutely love that thing!  Initially we got a crock pot cook book and to be honest it was the most useless thing ever.  It was full of recipes that called for you to do various things in a pan first and then put it in the crock pot.....em, no thanks!  The whole reason I wanted a crock pot was because I loved the idea of one pot cooking and almost zero prep work.  So that recipe book did not stay with us for long!  Thankfully there are so many free recipe ideas online and to be honest once you get in to it it's so easy to just throw something in and come up with your own creation.  I have pinned and saved links to so many recipes and I haven't had any disaster or a meal we didn't enjoy.  Now I am really into making my own freezer meals for the crock pot.  This makes life even easier.  I will pick a few recipes, get all the ingredients and spend an afternoon bagging each meal up and freezing it.  This leaves me with a freezer stocked with a choice of meals ready to defrost and cook.  Check out my YouTube channel here to see my latest meals.  I made three different things:  Southwest Chilli Chicken, Chicken Teriyaki and a Chickpea Vegetable Curry.  We've already cooked the SW chilli chicken, it was a huge hit and so economical, I think we ended up with 10 adult sized portions that cost less than £0.70 (GBP) each!  I'll leave all the recipes down below!

 
Watch my video HERE!
 

Southwest Chilli Chicken (recipe from Mommy's Fabulous Finds)

Ingredients:

1½ lbs boneless chicken breast

3 cans diced tomatoes (note, I only used 2 cans)

2 cups medium salsa

1 (14.5 oz) can corn, undrained

2 (14.5 oz) cans black beans, drained and rinsed

1 pkg ranch seasoning

1 pkg taco seasoning

Toppings - cheese, sour cream, tortilla strips...

 

Instructions:

1. Combine all of the ingredients in a freezer bag.  Place in freezer. When ready to use thaw in fridge overnight. Empty contents into crock-pot and cook on low 4-5 hours.

2. Remove chicken from crock pot and shred. Place chicken back in crock pot and stir.

3. Serve with desired toppings.

 

Teriyaki Chicken (recipe from Graciously Saved)

Ingredients:

1 lg bag of carrots

1 red onion cut in chunks

2 lg cans of pineapple (undrained)

4 garlic cloves

4 chicken breasts

1 cup teriyaki sauce

Instructions:

1. Mix all items together in freezer bag and place in freezer.

2. Defrost in fridge overnight before using

3.Cook on low for 8 hours (or I did high for 4 hours)

4. Serve with rice or lettuce

 

Veg Curry With Chickpeas (recipe from The Lemon Bowl)

Ingredients:

4 cups cauliflower - cut in florets

2 cups Brussels sprouts - quartered (I didn't use these)

1 sweet potato - peeled and diced

1 red pepper - diced

1 medium onion - diced

15 ounce can chickpeas - drained

15 ounce can tomato sauce - low sodium

½ cup light coconut milk

½ cup chicken or veg broth - low sodium (forgot to list this in video!)

1 tablespoon cumin

1 tablespoon curry powder

1 tablespoon turmeric

½ teaspoon cayenne - optional

½ cup frozen green peas (don't add these to the bag like I did, they go in at the end of cooking!!)

salt and pepper to taste

plain yogurt, cilantro, sriracha and scallions - optional garnishes

 

Instructions:

1.  Place vegetables, chickpeas, tomato sauce, coconut milk, chicken broth and spices in the slow cooker and heat on Low for 8 hours or on High for 4 hours

2.  Before serving stir in green peas to warm.

3.  Check for seasoning and adjust accordingly.

4.  Serve over brown rice or grain of choice (or on own) with yogurt, cilantro and scallions. Sriracha doesn't hurt either.

 

Home Haul Video

Head on over to YouTube to watch my latest video!  It's a haul of all the home(ish!) things I bought on my trip to America.  Click here to watch! Also check out my previous blog post if you're interested in reading about a little of what I got up to in Philly.

Libby :)

My Top Philly Picks

Having just returned from an unforgettable trip to Philadelphia I thought I would share with you my list of top picks in Philly!  This is a city I enjoyed so much, it really exceeded my expectations....be sure to arrive hungry, the food is A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!

1. Philadelphia City Hall.  You must take a tour of the observation deck of this iconic building.  I think Philly has some breathtaking architecture and this building was a favourite.  The statue of William Penn on top of the tower is so dramatic and makes a beautiful backdrop for the city.  Under the impressive statue is an observation deck which only costs a few dollars to take a trip to.  For that small fee you get 15 minutes at the top to soak in the incredible views.  What's even better is that they only allow 4 people up at a time so it gives you a pretty much private experience.  At city hall there is a small gift shop where you can book a place (we just did this on the day).

2. Beiler's Donuts.  Philly has some of the most delicious food on offer, two of which have made this list and both of which are in the Reading Terminal Market. I'm sure you can eat anywhere in there and not be disappointed.  After eating my first donut at Beiler's I promised myself that I would eat one every day I was there!  I love donuts and Beiler's did not disappoint.  Whilst you wait in line you can watch them make up a fresh batch and admire the art of donut making mmmmmm.  I would love to know how many donuts they sell in a day, there is a constant line but there are always trays filled with donuts as they are constantly being restocked with the fresh batches made on site.  Not sure what to get? Well it's my belief that you can never go wrong with a simple glazed donut!

3. Rent a bike.  I was probably very surprised at what a bike friendly city Philadelphia was.  There are bike rental stations all over the place (Indego bike share program) that you can pick up a bike from and return them to any location across the city.  It only costs a couple of dollars per 30 minutes which is excellent value for money.  We spent a Sunday morning cycling along the beautiful Schuylkill River Trail and it was a highlight of the trip.  The trail is a lovely escape in a busy city and it is certainly well loved by the locals.  Even if you don't fancy getting bikes you really should check out this trail for a walk or run. 

4. Independence Hall. The name says it all really - the place where the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were debated and written.  I'm sure all tourists in Philadelphia have visiting here at the top of their list and quite rightly.  You can take a free tour that lasts less than an hour - the guides are very interesting and knowledgeable.  While you are there be sure to take the short tour of Congress Hall.  

5. South Street. We stayed on South Street while we were in town which was such an incredible experience and gave a totally different perspective on the city than if we had stayed elsewhere. I was so thrilled with this area, it doesn't matter what time of day it is there is always something going on.  Walk the length of the street and you will find the most interesting little shops and eatery's - really something for everyone.  Of course, we were blessed with some beautiful spring weather and my heart sang at the sight of cherry blossom lined streets.  Even if you can't stay in this area be sure to visit and see what's on offer or even just grab some delicious ice cream and enjoy sitting outside and soak up the atmosphere!

6. Dutch Eating Place. My last pick of course had to be food related! Again head to Reading Terminal Market for the best feed of your life at this Pennsylvania Dutch homestyle cooking joint.  I had the best breakfast ever here, I would go back to Philly just to get that breakfast again!  I had the apple cinnamon french toast with turkey bacon - I don't even usually like french toast but it sounded too good to pass up.  Seriously there are no words to describe how tasty it was.  My plate was clear and i'm still dreaming of it now.  Everything I saw come out of the kitchen looked incredible, so no matter what you order you probably won't be disappointed! Hubby had a western omelette and blueberry pancakes - equally as delicious.

So there you have it....my Philly top picks!  If you're planning a trip there I hope this was at least a little helpful!  Philadelphia is such a fabulous city to visit, this list could be pages long and still not even cut it.  See for yourself and put Philly on your list!

52 Reasons I Love You

Hej!

Valentine's Day is almost here and I wanted to share with you a simple gift idea that costs little to no money!  My husband and I don't always give each other gifts at this time of year, sometimes we do, sometimes we don't but last year I made him what I am about to show you.  It's very pinterest inspired but you personalize it for the one you love and can incorporate memories and private jokes to make a very thoughtful and fun gift! 

All you need is deck of cards (check out discount stores like poundland, dollar tree etc) and you're pretty much all set to go! First of all you want to make a list of 52 reasons why you love the person you are giving this to.  I did this over a couple of days and just wrote things down as I thought of them.  You can really go anywhere with this and include all sorts of things that are special for your relationship, they don't have to be serious...HAVE FUN!!!  Once you have a full list you are going to assign each one to a card and write it on the card.  I used plain white stickers and cut them out in varying shapes and sizes so my cards looked slightly different to each other.  Of course you can choose how much or little you want to decorate them!  Once your card are all written out you'll want to attach them together so it's easy to flip through them all.  I hole punched the cards and then put a round clip through (found in most craft stores) but you could always use a nice ribbon or piece of string.  That's it!

Be sure to give this simple craft project a try.  I loved making it and my husband really enjoyed receiving it.  He was actually away from home last year and I had slipped this in his suitcase before he left for him to find when he unpacked! 

Until next time....

Hej då!
Libby

The month of the heart

Hej!

I might be Mrs Christmas but I really do love the new year and packing away all the festive decorations of Christmas.  Yes, of course I love them but there is something so pleasing in the feeling of the simplicity and freshness of the décor I revert back to at the beginning of every year.  It helps me feel organised and free from clutter to be more minimal in my decorating style.  February is almost here and I will pull out a few things to decorate for Valentine's day but nothing too major or OTT.  To be honest my house is covered in hearts anyway so you could say it's always having some sort of love theme! 

As I unpack my small box I thought I'd share what i'll be putting up this year!

A few years ago, after a stormy winter, I was walking near my house and found a big pile of twigs from a tree that had come down.  I dragged a bunch of them home and cut them a bit, grabbed a can of white spray paint and covered them very roughly to get a weathered shabby look.  I have since used them to decorate with for several different seasons.  I like to place them in a vase or a jug and festoon them with something appropriate for the occasion: so red wooden hearts it is for February! This display will sit in my bay window at the front of the house.

I'll stand the 'Love' letters up in my entrance way as a little welcome in a spot where I will generally have some sort of sign or welcome for the season. 

I bought this bunting several years ago from a wedding supply company.  I did feel a little bad as it would be so easy to make!! It came with several bunting triangles which meant I was able to split it in half and get two instead of one!  I will hang one of them across the mantle of my fireplace and it often ends up staying there into the spring as I usually can't bring myself to take it down! 

Well, that's about it.  I hope you this post inspired you to decorate a little for Valentine's Day!  For me it really is just an excuse to have a little fun and change things around in my home.

Hej då!

Libby

Simple Banana and Nutella Bread

Hej!

Well summer really hasn't been playing too fare so far! I imagined writing blog posts about BBQs or the garden or something summery.  Oh well, hopefully the best is yet to come!  Dull days have had to be spent elsewhere and today I am going to share with you an old recipe for banana bread that I have enjoyed making for years.  It is really simple and always produces a moist yummy loaf, just the way it should be!  This time though I swirled some Nutella through to change it up a bit and to satisfy a craving.  Obviously the Nutella is optional and it works just as well without.  Read on for the recipe and some pictures....although I must warn the pictures aren't as good as I would have liked.  It was a horrible, horrible day outside and the light was really not great.


Ingredients:

• 2 medium bananas (the browner the better) peeled and mashed
• 1 large egg
• 130g/ 1 cup self raising flour (or use regular flour and add 1 1/2 teaspoon bicarb soda)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 55g / 1/2 stick butter (softened)
• 100g / 1/2 cup caster sugar
• Nutella to tatse

Recipe:

1. Preheat a fan oven to 160°C / 320°F. If you don't have a fan oven, increase the tempreture e.g. 180°C. Line a loaf tin with butter or a loaf liner. 

2. Mix all the ingredients together, combining well. You want to the mixture to have a loose dropping consistency. You may need to add a drop of milk to achieve this, it will depend on how mushy your banana is.  I generally don't have to add milk, I always make sure my bananas are very ripe and mash them up as much as I can.

3. Pour your mixture into your loaf tin. If you wish to add Nutella then take a heaped teaspoon, drop it in mixture and swirl it around the tin using a toothpick.  Start with a teaspoon and add more should you desire! Once baked the nutella will give the loaf an overall brown colour.

4. Bake in the oven for around 35-40 minutes (check a skewer comes out clean).  All ovens will vary so you may need longer.  Since starting to use this recipe I have baked this in 4 different ovens, each one requiring me to alter the timing! Leave to cool in the tin and then turn onto a wire rack.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I hope you enoy this recipe! Please ask if you have any other questions and I'll be happy to help.  Enjoy the rest of your summer and check back soon for my next post!

 

Hej då,

Libby

Mini Spring Decor Haul

Hej!

I mentioned in my Spring Decor post that I generally pick up decorative items on sale at the end or towards the end of a season so I thought I'd show you what I managed to grab this year.  I always find the best seasonal items in America where there are so many wonderful shops piled high with beautiful decorations at reasonable prices.  With no trip to America this spring I wasn't expecting to find anything of interest here in the UK.  I did however manage to pick up a couple of cute things on sale in John Lewis.



 The best spring/Easter items I have found in the UK over the
years have all come from John Lewis.  Every year they stock a relatively small but sweet selection of springtime decorations.  Just after the Easter weekend I took a quick look at their website to see if it was worth venturing into the store and the item that caught my eye was this garland of felt carrots on the left!  So into the shop I went!  The full price was £8 and they were marked down to £4.  I have to say that I don't think they look that great stuffed in the box but hanging on display they are adorable!  I also took the bundle of shredded paper on the right which I thought would be useful for perhaps building little nests or some other craft project next year. 

 

 

I couldn't walk away from the bundle of these carrots! They weren't the best reduction at £2.25 each but I loved them so much they had to come home with me!  They were each stuffed with mini chocolate eggs (which obviously had to be eaten immediately!) and can be hung on their own as shown below.  I have a few ideas for how I can use them which is great as I can change it each year to make my display look different.

 

 

So there you have it, that is all I managed to add to my collection this year!  I'll now pack them away until next spring and you'll have to check back to see what I do with everything!

 

Hej då! Libby