Freezer to Crockpot Cranberry Lemon Pork Roast

Freezer to Crockpot Cranberry Lemon Pork Roast

2-3 lb pork roast

1 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp dry mustard

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1-2 tsp minced garlic

1 16oz can whole berry cranberry sauce

1 Tbsp lemon juice

2 Tbsp cornstach (added later)

Place all ingredients into a gallon ziplock freezer bag except for the cornstarch. Label bag with instructions to add 2 Tbsp cornstarch just before cooking. Thaw before cooking. Dump everything into the crockpot. Mix cornstarch with a little cold water and add to crockpot. Cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 6-8 hours. Serve over rice.

Freezer to Crockpot Mexican Sweet Pork with Beans

It is difficult to photograph the filling in a tortilla - that said, this is so tasty! I cooked up a large pork roast and shredded it as the recipe below describes. I wanted to stretch it and use it for a few meals so I decided to throw some beans in the mix. I am so glad I did. The beans added a nice texture and everyone loved it. 

To prepare this for the freezer, place the pulled pork in a ziplock freezer bag. You need about 4 cups of pork. Add the salsa and brown sugar. Throw in 2 cans of kidney, pinto, or white beans, drained. (You could also cook dry beans and use them. You need about 3 cups.) Label and freeze. To eat, thaw and heat through in the crockpot or microwave. Wrap in a tortilla and add cheese and lettuce. (You can see some purple cabbage and a carrot in the photo because we just used a lettuce salad mix to make it easy.) This recipe was enough for two meals. You can choose to divide it into additional freezer bags before freezing or just know you'll have leftovers or enough to share with company.

Mexican Sweet Pork
This becomes a speedy dinner if you already have pulled pork cooked and frozen in the freezer.
1 pork picnic roast	1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 cup medium salsa	½ cup chicken broth, optional
Place pork roast in a crockpot and cook on low for 12–15 hours. I usually put the roast in just before going to bed. Test the pork by stabbing it with a fork and twisting. If the meat shreds easily, it is ready. Remove from the crockpot and place on a baking sheet. Using two forks, pull the pork apart and separate out all the visible fat and bone pieces. It pulls apart more easily when it is still warm. Combine 4 cups of the shredded pork with the salsa, and brown sugar. Add a small amount of pork juices or chicken broth if the mixture seems too dry. Return this all to the crockpot. Heat through and serve wrapped in tortillas or top a taco salad with it.

Dehydrated Vegetables

Dehydrated carrots, celery, and onions

Dehydrated vegetables are delicious when they are re-hydrated correctly and they expand the meals you can make with storable ingredients. I love to use them in the Fall and Winter because they go so well into soups and stews.  I save hours in the kitchen each week since I don't have to wash and chop all the vegetables. I also find myself using them in the Spring and Summer to add color to salads and to make easy mixes that we can take backpacking or camping.

Potato cheese soup made with dehydrated carrots, celery, and onions.

Nutritionally, dehydrated, canned, and frozen fruits and vegetables contain many vitamins we need.  There has always been an argument about fresh vs. processed foods.  Even health magazines suggest that produce that is processed at its peak of ripeness (in-season) may contain higher amounts of vitamins than produce that is picked green and then shipped to its destination.

With this thought in mind, we eat from our garden all Summer and Fall and then bottle and freeze any extra for the Winter and Spring.  I also store dehydrated fruits and vegetables to give us the variety we are used to.  You can purchase dehydrated carrots and onions from the LDS cannery.  Some local stores carry dehydrated fruits and vegetables in their bulk section or in #10 cans. You can also order from many different places online.

Dehydrated vegetables will double in size after hydrating so keep that in mind as you decide just how much to use.  Soak in warm water for 15-20 minutes.  If making a soup, just drop in a handful while everything else is simmering.  If using just a few onions or peppers for added flavor, just put some in a glass bowl and cover with a little water.  Microwave for 30 seconds and then drain off any excess water.

I love to make mixes for soup and rice pilaf with these dried vegetables.  Then I can have a just add water meal straight from my food storage.

Make room in your pantry so the cans are easily accessible and you will find that you use them a lot more often.