Creating your own slow cooker meal kit is very easy. Here’s a recipe I make regularly and a guide to create the meal kit. Check my blog next week for other meals I have made.
Italian Sausage Sandwiches
Create a label for the bag. Either write directly on the bag, use adhesive labels or even create your own label using paper and fasten to the bag using strong tape. Include the following information on the label:
• Description of the item: “Italian sausage”
• Date the bag meal was created
• Cooking instructions — note the temperature and amount of time the items in the bag need to be cooked.
Place the label on a one-gallon freezer bag.
Place the bag into a bowl that will allow the bag to stand upright, making it easy to fill.
Attach the bag to the bowl. I attached it with bag clips, but you could also use clothes pins. This step is optional but will allow your hands to be free as you prepare the recipe.
Pour a 40-ounce can of tomato sauce in the bag.
Add spices of your choice. I added garlic powder, onion powder and a little paprika. Tip: Slow cookers intensify the flavors as they cook, so do not over-spice.
Using a small whisk, gently mix the spices with the sauce. Be very careful not to scrape the bottom with the wire whisk.
Cut a green bell pepper into slices and place in the bag.
If your family likes onions, you could add onions at this time.
Add one 19-ounce package of uncooked Italian sausage links.
I keep mine whole for sandwiches, but you could also cut them up into bite-size pieces and serve over rice. If you choose to cut them up, go ahead.
Seal the labeled bag and either place in the refrigerator or freezer.
Grab and go meals
When you get up in the morning, grab the bag and dump the contents of it in the slow cooker and cook for the amount of time listed on your label.
If you have frozen the meals, pick one out the night before and throw it in the refrigerator overnight to defrost.
It will be ready to put in cooker by morning. It is fine if it is still a little frozen in the morning, but you may just have to extend the cooking time a little.
It takes less than five minutes in the morning, and dinner will be waiting in the evening.
If you are making a recipe that requires browning the meat before cooking for an extended period of time, you can include this step in your meal-bag preparation.
Brown and season the meat as instructed, let cool and then add to your bag with the rest of the ingredients.
I also used a Reynolds slow cooker liner bag in one of the slow cookers to test it. You drop in the liner, add the ingredients and when you are finished cooking, you remove it and discard.
It worked like a charm — the pot was still clean when I removed it.
I was able to prepare the following slow cooker bag meals in a single afternoon:
• Sweet & Sour Chicken
• Teriyaki Chicken
• Hungarian Goulash
• Swiss Steak
• Italian Sausage
• Sweet & Sour Meatballs
• Sloppy Joes
