Crock Pot Freezer Meals - learn from my mistakes

     Since having baby #2 I decided I needed some help in the dinner area, so I decided to do crock pot freezer meals! I started by searching for recipes online and found ZILLIONS of articles titled something along the lines of "33 3-ingredient crock pot meals" and "100 freezer meals for your slow cooker!"
     Needless to say, I was overwhelmed. I wanted easy. Minimal prep, minimal ingredients, minimal effort. So I dove in and picked out a few that were relatively simple and tried them out. Some were great, others... meh. So I made more of the ones we loved and am now trying out a few new recipes.
     Now that I've done all the hard work, I'm hoping to help YOU out by sharing the ones we love here along with a few tips/tricks I'm learning as a I go. Eventually, I'll put them all together in a cookbook.




Ginger Peach Chicken:

1 lb. Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs
1 C. Peach Jam
1 Tbs. Soy Sauce
1 in. Ginger Root - peeled, grated
3 cloves Garlice - minced

Mix Jam, Soy Sauce, Ginger, and Garlic together in 1 Gal Ziploc bag. Add Chicken and mix around to coat with sauce. Lie flat and freeze.

Thaw overnight. Crock pot 4-6 hours on low heat. Shred Chicken and serve over rice or pasta


Ranchy Chicken and Potatoes:

3-4 lg. Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast
1 sm. bottle Ranch Dressing
1/4 C. water
3-4 lg. Potatoes - diced

Put chicken and potatoes in 1 Gal Ziploc bag. Pour full bottle of ranch over top. Pour water into ranch bottle and shake then empty into bag to get as much ranch as possible. Mix everything together in bag. Lie flat and freeze.

Thaw overnight. Crock pot 4-6 hours on low heat. Serve over rice and/or with rolls.


Salsa Chicken:

2 lg. Chicken Breast
1 sm. jar Salsa
1 8oz brick Cream Cheese

Pour salsa and cream cheese into bag and mush together. Add Chicken and coat with salsa mixture. Lie flat and freeze.

Thaw overnight. Crock pot 4-6 hours on low heat. Perfect in burritos, tacos, or cafe rio style salad!


Roast and Vegetables:

2 lb Roast (beef or pork)
1 lb Whole Baby Carrots
1 lb Potatoes - Chopped
3 Tbs Olive Oil
2 Tbs Red Wine Vinegar
1 pkt McCormick Mesquite Seasoning

Mix oil, vinegar, and mesquite seasoning together. Add roast, carrots, and potatoes to bag, then coat with seasoning mixture. Lie flat and freeze.

Thaw overnight. Crock pot 8-12 hours on low heat. Serve with bread/rolls.




***Tips/Tricks!***
- Don't use the fancy zipper Ziploc bags - they leak! Don't go for the generic brand either. This is one thing you want to spring for the name-brand. Get the regular Ziploc gal freezer bags.
- Always lie your meals flat to freeze them - this makes them thaw more evenly. Once frozen, you can store them however you like.
- Double the recipes, but bag them separately so that you can have the meal twice OR put both bags in the crock pot for guests. Doubling the recipe now means less work later!
- These recipes feed my little family of 3 perfectly with leftovers for lunch the next day. Alter them as fits your families needs.
- Each of these recipes can be done fresh as well - no need to freeze. Just toss all the ingredients in the crock pot and follow regular cooking instructions.
- Chop your vegetables to fit your cook times. Smaller veggies = smaller cook times, so if you have a meal that cooks for 6 hours and one that cooks for 12, you'll want to cut the 12 hour meal veggies bigger so they don't get mushy.
- You can add or substitute ANY veggies for anything you prefer. Onions in your roast? Go for it! Carrots with your ranch chicken? Yessiree!

My next experiments will be:

Creamy Potato Soup
Pork Chops and Potatoes
and
Pork Barbacoa

Stay Tuned to see what I think is worth making!

Pregnancy #2 - 32 weeks

I was really good at this blog thing with my last pregnancy...

We are at 32 weeks gestation with our new little guy! Estimated Due Date, August 10, 2015

Let's Recap:
Saw my new OB/GYN at about 10 weeks (LOVE him)
Announced to the world at 12 weeks

"I'm gonna be a big sister!"

Found out gender at 16 weeks, and did our gender confirmation and reveal at 20 weeks.

Baby Boy is healthy and continuing to develop well. It's crazy how different this pregnancy has been from the last one though!

Savanna 1st Trimester - very sick for a week, tired ALL the time
Baby Boy 1st Trimester - moderately sick all the time
Savanna 2nd Trimester - energy returned, smooth sailing
Baby Boy 2nd Trimester - energy good, major pain in hips and pubic bone, the start of physical therapy and chiropractic care
Savanna 3rd Trimester - pain in hips and pubic bone, maintained energy, retained lots of water
Baby Boy 3rd Trimester - continued pain in hips and pubic bone managed with physical therapy and an SI belt

Tiave has been a TREMENDOUS help throughout this, really stepping up to take care of Savanna when it is just too difficult for me, letting me rest as much as I need, and never ever complaining about it. I'm so blessed to have such a wonderful partner in this madness we call life.

Savanna is 2!

Am I the only one having a hard time comprehending that my little girl is 2 years old!

2 years old!!!

Let's get nostalgic, shall we?



Savanna Renae Tuputeata Matagi
7:51am
7lbs, 3oz
20 inches long



We attended Auntie's wedding at just 12 days old!



Then we blessed our beautiful girl!



Here she is at 3 months old



And family pictures at 6 months old!



1 year (ish)

And now she's driving! Eeeep! ;)

At birth 7 lbs, 3 oz - Today 24.5lbs

At birth 20 inches long - Today 32 inches

She loves Minnie Mouse and princesses and music. She can count to 10, sing Twinke Little Star and almost do her ABCs! She's got attitude for DAYS and always keeps us on her toes.

I love you baby girl! We made it another year! Here's to many more!





Feeling Blessed

The last little while we've been busy...

There was Easter :) 

And a coooold beginning to spring!

Lots of fun with Daddy!

Growing, Laughing, Smiling, Growing, Growing, GROWING.

.

Mommy's Supermodel!

Hanging out!

Our little family has been busy for sure. Living a life filled with love and wonder. We struggle like the rest of the world, but it's easy to forget the pains when you're blessed in so many ways! 

Here's to looking at the bright side guys! 

Operation Better Wife : Wake Up Call for Wives

We hear a lot about how men should/shouldn't treat women... but too often, i fear, people are too afraid to tell women how they should/shouldn't treat men. So here I go. 

Women: Please keep in mind that I believe most of you are fantastic wives striving to provide a good home/environment for your husbands. What I share is not to criticize or point fingers, simply to help those who wish to improve.


Men: Don't think that just because I am speaking to women, you don't still have faults as well.


With that said...


"The wife, also should treat the husband with the greatest respect and courtesy. Her words to him should not be keen and cutting and sarcastic. She should not pass slurs or insinuations at him. She should not nag him. She should not try to arouse his anger or make things unpleasant about the home. The wife should be a joy to her husband, and she should live and conduct herself at home so the home will be the most joyous, the most blessed place on earth to her husband. This should be the condition of the husband, wife, the father and the mother, within the sacred precinct of that holy place, the home." - Gospel Doctrine, 283-284
There's always room for improvement, right? 

Please read this article from Meridian Magazine:

http://ldsmag.com/article/8174/1

 There is a link there to the "Wake Up Call for Husbands" as well if you're interested in reading it. 

A loss...

Grandpa Skip passed away on Saturday.

I will forever hold on to my fondest memories of him...

Trying to convince me (before I could read) that food labels said silly things like "Everyone gets some, except Renae" or "none for people below this tall"

Giving us rides around the block on his motorcycle. He always made sure he had a helmet to fit us. Even when we were really small.

Recruiting our help at the book store. He was the best at peeling a label off a cardboard box in one piece... and every time he did I responded with "...My Hero!"

Allowing me to have candy from the pantry... even after my parents said "no."

Always taking time during our visits to talk to just me and find out how things were going in my life and making sure that I knew he was there for me. No matter what. 

Banning texting during dinner visits. He wanted us there. Really there. And he made sure we knew it. 

(Thanksgiving 2010)

My heart hurts and I will be missing him as long as I live. I relate to the words in this poem that President Hinckley wrote shortly before his own death.

What Is This Thing That Men Call Death?

What is this thing that men call death?

This quiet passing in the night?

‘Tis not the end but genesis

Of better worlds and greater light

O God, touch Thou my aching heart

And calm my troubled, haunting fears

Let hope and faith, transcendent, pure

Give strength and peace beyond my tears.

There is no death, but only change

With recompense for vict’ry won

The gift of Him who loved all men

The Son of God, the Holy One.

-Gordon B. Hinckley

I am so thankful to my husband for being a shoulder to cry on and a pillar of strength for me in this difficult time. Also to family for being so supportive of each other. Aunt Debbie for coming all the way from Oklahoma to help care for Grandpa during his last few weeks of life and care for her sisters kids. Aunt Susan, Aunt Sandy, Uncle Rich, Mom and Dad for always being around to lend a hand, no matter the time or day. Keith and Desiree for coming from Oklahoma to see the family for the funeral. Evan and Barbara Murdock for calling just to make sure we were all okay. Gina Arlene for sending her love and prayers our way every time we need them - she never fails to know and we always feel it. All of our friends/family/neighbors/ward members for all of their love and support. I know I've missed people, but know that I love and appreciate all of you for all that you do.

Rest In Peace Grandpa, we'll see you soon.

Washington, Oregon, Weddings, Miracles.

We started our trip on Wednesday and drove from Provo, UT to Nampa, ID. On the road to our hotel we met this little guy:

Not a very good picture. But this Hawk was just chillin' on the side of the road. He was beautiful, and kind enough for us to get close and take pictures.  

We spent the night in Nampa, then got up early and headed out to Lake Oswego, OR to stay Thursday and Friday night. 

Brandi got her endowments on Friday morning, then our friend Kaycy and her sweetheart were sealed in the afternoon with a reception to follow that evening. 

My big brother, Russell got married to his sweetheart Brandi near her home in Washougal, WA on Saturday.

They were Sealed in the morning for time and all eternity in the Portland, OR Temple...

Followed by a luncheon/ring ceremony in Brandi's parent's backyard (which was stunningly landscaped. pics to come.)

Then they had a reception that evening in the church near the home. 

(They will also be having an open house for friends/family here in Utah on September 1st. That, I think, will be another post all on it's own.) 

We started our drive home on Sunday and stopped at Multnomah Falls in Portland on our way out. We didn't go up all the way, but got pretty close. 

It was super crowded, but the falls were absolutely gorgeous. 

We stayed Sunday night in Nampa again, then headed home early Monday morning. 

My sister and brother in law decided to stay and play in Idaho for a little while. They did some shopping in Caldwell, then went and found the twin falls in Twin Falls. 

Unfortunately, on their way home, they hit gravel and wind at just the wrong angle and rolled the car twice. It landed upside down on the other side of the freeway. 

This is their car after the accident.

Thankfully, they were both wearing seat belts and walked away from the accident with only minor cuts and bruises. A miracle we are all so thankful for. 

An EMT came and looked them over and told them they were fine. They had the car towed, then sold it to the tow company and got a ride home with Brett's parents. They arrived home safely today. 

Tiave wasn't able to come to WA with us because he was attending the wedding of his dear friend in Idaho.

He left early Friday morning, attended the sealing, then a luncheon, then made the drive home. It was a long day for him, but he's so glad he was able to make it out there!

My congratulations go to Reef and his new wife! I'm sorry I couldn't make it, but I'm so glad Tiave could. And we're both excited to see you when you're in town next week!

A lot of craziness, a lot of fun, a few disasters, and some miracles. All in all, it was a good long weekend. I'm thankful to be home with my sweet husband. I missed him terribly while we were apart. I'm also so thankful that Brandy and Brett made it through their accident and are alive and well today. 

2 down, 1 trimester to go!

We had our 7 month check up today!

Baby Girl is doing great! She's growing growing growing, her lil' heart beat is at 161bpm, and she's definitely a dancer like her daddy. Sometimes I can sit and watch my belly move with her kicks and wiggles for like 30 min at a time. Especially if Daddy is talking to her... or even just in the same room. She loves the sound of his voice.

We got tested for gestational diabetes this morning. They made me drink a thing of sugar water, then drew my blood. They'll test it at the lab today and we'll have the results by tomorrow. They said no news is good news so let's keep our fingers crossed that we don't get any calls from the Dr.'s office tomorrow.

Also, I have a nasty head cold. The kind that makes you feel like you swallowed a rock and your head is stuck in a balloon that's about to pop + a pounding headache. Awesome. Here's what I think of that.

1: Pregnant women should be exempt from getting sick. period. Aren't we dealing with enough already?
2: I wish people hadn't freaked me out so bad about taking meds when you're pregnant. I went in to see the doc today and told the nurse I had a head cold and she asked if I'd taken anything and then scolded me when I told her "no." She agrees pregnant women shouldn't get sick, but the fact is, because our bodies are so busy creating a little person, they sometimes forget to fight off illness and we get sick anyway. Worse than normal. And it sucks. She advised me to go home immediately and take some tylenol and sudafed. I did. I'm feeling much better.
3: Don't think that because of number 2 I'm suddenly going to pop every pill I can think of every time I sneeze. No. Pregnant women should still consult their Dr. about any and all medication they take. Just don't be scared to ask! If you're sick, and herbal remedies aren't working, it's better for you to take the medicine and kick it than run the risk of it getting worse and affecting your baby/pregnancy.

Today Dr. Judd. put a jump start on my anxiety (something he usually avoids,) but he made me realize that  this baby girl is going to get here sooner than we know it and I'm terrified I won't be ready. As far as appts go... we have 1 more 4 week appt, 2 - 2 week appts, and 4 - 1 week appts until she get's here. I'm told once those 2 week appts kick in, time just flies by. And since I already feel like time's been flying... I think we're about to jump into light-speed here. Wish me luck!

A Day At The Lake

+

+

+

Me, Tiave, Dad, and Ryan

=

SO-MUCH-FUN!

Now, before anyone goes judging about how I'm pregnant and how dare I be so reckless on such dangerous machinery.... I talked to my Dr. before I went and got his permission and blessing to go. He said "You'll probably pee you're pants, but as long as you don't throw yourself off at high speed belly first, you'll be fine" So I went.

And we had a blast! Tiave and I took turns driving and Tiave scared me to death with his sharp turns and donuts. My arms are now sore from holding on so tight being so scared, but I wouldn't trade the day for anything! It was so much fun to spend time with family outside in the sunshine and the water!

We'll definitely be going back as often as we can. 

Join us sometime?

P.S. Sorry about the lack of pictures... It's silly to bring a camera on these things.. It would just get ruined. Plus... lake pictures are never cute!

Glimples of the Future

Family, home, food, clothes, love, and of course...smiles.

These are a few of the things, that swarm my thoughts like locusts. At first you might think that I am being a bit shallow because of some of those things listed above, and that these things are relatively tertiary.

 I agree.

But allow me to paint the colors of perspective, and together we can reach an understanding that will take us from tertiary, to necessary.

I am a son, brother, uncle, cousin, friend, employee, confidant, teacher, husband, and soon to be, father. I am known to many by certain titles; Tiave, Chavez, Brown guy, Coach, baby, Shad, J, and as before that soon will come, Dad.

My family is necessary. For when the world of "friends" has gone out, who is left but those who are truly called family? And when I refer to family, understand that I speak of more than those who share blood, but also those who have, or who may yet, give blood in the name of Family.

Home is where the heart is. At current, I live with my beautiful wife, Renae. We reside in the home of her Father and Mother, Edward and Lynda; a place that at first, left me uncomfortable when without my wife. In my time there, I have found the sounds of endearing efforts, heartfelt prayer, tears of confidence, and words of comfort. I am taken to the time when as a young man, I was raised within the walls of the similar sounds. It is a house one may say, and to that I agree, but what is it that changes four walls of containment, into a hall of harmony, transforming a structure into a home?

Food you may say, is the source that fills our belly's. But I say food, is also the source  that feeds our souls the feast of happiness. It doesn't have to be the cheese burger from Mcdonalds, or the steak from the outback. It can be the family, and the friends, and the home the provide for our comforts.

Clothes - the tunics of metaphor. Why shouldn't they cloud my thoughts with concern? I am to be a Father, and what father would not want the means to clothe his family? Clothe them in the threads of warmth, the cloak of protection,  in shield of honor, and the strength of his love? Of the two men I now call Father, I speak of them both when I say, the mantle of my Father is the bond of his love, and how honored I am to bear that mantle. In the sound lyrics of a song I love, "I hope I'm at least half the dad, that *they* didn't have to be".

Love. The infinite, and ever present power of love. It brings pride to its knees, conflict to resolution, lies to truth, and war to peace. How do we ever presume to gather and build all that is necessary in our lives, and in our homes, and families, without this seemingly intangible force that governs our existence? We can't. It's impossible. Without this power, we simply roam without destination, linger without purpose, and exist without fiber. For what greater fiber is there to be woven throughout the tapestries of our lives, then the colors of perspective, beautifully enhanced by the threads of love?

My love grows deep, and is rooted in my heart. It grows like daylight breaking the night, radiant and powerful. It is witnessed in the life I live and threads I weave. My love is real. And so is my need to make clear the confusion in my thoughts. It is the love that leaves me with a smile each day.

Smiles are the charm that produce an effect that cannot be explained by science. They contain the ability to turn a cold season warm, and hard day easy, and a sad moment a memory. It is a sword of such power, it can be wielded by the wisest of men and women, or the youngest of children. So to all I implore, wield it well!

Thus is the work I am left with, to labor and to understand...
...and so I work to see the understanding...tertiary to necessary.

God speed...