Make Ahead Casserole Dishes or Crockpot Meals that don't use Canned Soups

[Anonymous]

Hi,

Just wondering if anyone has ideas for canned cream soup free casserole or crockpot meals? It seems to be the bulk of what I find....I don't mind making that part of the recipe from scratch (flour/butter/milk) but don't care for the canned soup (sodium, etc.).
And of these recipes, do you have some casseroles that can be refrigerated/frozen ahead or crockpot recipes that can cook for at least 8-10 hours (I am a WOHM with a long commute)? Thanks.

Thanks.

[Anonymous]

I always use water and lots of veggies and spices with chicken, it always gives it tons of flavor.

Not sure if you are opposed to bbq sauce in a bottle but one of my favorites is throwing in chicken breasts and bbq sauce smothered in with some water. Sometimes I add corn.
When it is cooked, the house smells amazing and I shred it easily with a fork and make pulled chicken sandwiches. YUM!

[Anonymous]

check out this blog for ideas:

http://crockpot365.blogspot.com

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:check out this blog for ideas:

http://crockpot365.blogspot.com

Some of my favorites from this site are Vietemese chicken, peanut butter porkchop, Vietemese porkchop. None of these has canned soup(maybe broth - do you mean no broth?). For the Vietemese chicken, I make extra sauce and throw in a bunch of carrots, set up the rice cooker (with a timer) and then I have a full meal when I get home.

If you have a good crockpot, you can cook these for 8 to 10 hours on low (some don't have a good "low" setting and burn food). The meat just gets more tender (falls apart). I also have a crockpot with a timer (goes to warm after a set amount of time), but since I use frozen meat a lot, I find the food needs at least 8 hours anyways (I'd rather error on having over-tender food then not cooked enough).

Keep in mind with casseroles, that if you premake and refriderate, you often have to add on cooking time (I fall for this mistake every freaking time).

[Anonymous]

There are some great recipes in this cookbook (Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Cookbook) and it prides itself on no canned soups or other processed foods...

http://www.amazon.com/Your-Mothers-Slow-Cooker-Cookbook/dp/1558322450

[Anonymous]

what about slow cooked fajita meat or brisket?

[Anonymous]

Thanks everyone for some good ideas.

Someone asked about the canned broth/sauce question - I am not adverse to that but I am to MSG. I gave away some box broth, canned soup, gravy packets, and box potato mixes because I seem to be more sodium sensitive (pesky headaches around the eyes/nose and a dried out feeling overall) the older I get and a lot of those ingredients have MSG. I do not have a programmable crockpot but will consider getting one but I will be adding a heck of a lot more non-MSG liquids to my crockpot recipes to buy me a longer cooking time.

I'll also check out those blogs and cookbooks suggested, too.

Thanks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are some great recipes in this cookbook (Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Cookbook) and it prides itself on no canned soups or other processed foods...

http://www.amazon.com/Your-Mothers-Slow-Cooker-Cookbook/dp/1558322450

I second the recommendation for this cookbook. It's very good. We're vegetarian and we've found lots of options in this book and in some of the blogs and sites other posters have mentioned.

[Anonymous]

There are tons online, too. For instance:
http://southernfood.about.com/library/crock/blcpidx.htm

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are some great recipes in this cookbook (Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Cookbook) and it prides itself on no canned soups or other processed foods...

http://www.amazon.com/Your-Mothers-Slow-Cooker-Cookbook/dp/1558322450

I suggest checking this out at the library (if they have it) before buying. I got it and found too many of the recipes to be multiples steps (cook x for 4 hours, add y, cook longer). Which doesn't work at all if what you are looking for is something for days you work.

[Anonymous]

For broth, a lot of recipes I have only call for a minimal amount (like 1/4 cup). I think you'd be safe substituting water and maybe just upping the seasonings a bit.

[Anonymous]

Two (super-easy, 2-ingredient) things my family likes from the crockpot are:

- Pulled chicken sandwiches - Place about 1-1.5lbs boneless chicken breasts and a bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce in the crockpot on low for 8 hrs (or longer if you need to). When you take the lid off the crockpot, it will look like there's too much sauce, but use 2 forks to shred all the chicken (still in the crock) and it will be just the right amount. I usually leave it in the crock on warm at this point while I'm getting other things ready. Serve on rolls, along with whatever sides you like (baked beans, coleslaw, corn, etc.)

- Pork tenderloin - Giant has these pre-seasoned pork tenderloins that are DELICIOUS in the crockpot. I like the garlic & herb one and the teriyaki one. (Tried the peppercorn one and it was too peppery for the kids.) I sear the tenderloin in a pan to get a nice crust on the outside, then put it in the crockpot with about 1/2 cup of water or low-sodium chicken broth & cook on low. This comes out SO tender and juicy. I use the liquid to make a gravy (strain into small saucepan and thicken with cornstarch & water). Serve w/ mashed potatoes or rice & a veggie.

I also made ravioli in the crockpot a few times and it was pretty good, though it was more like a baked ravioli casserole. It was very easy & I think it was just frozen ravioli, marinara sauce, and water. I'm sure you can find a recipe online to get the right proportion of liquids.

[Anonymous]

Just wanted to thank whoever recommended the crockpot blog. Made the peanut pork last night and it was so freaking good! Can't wait to use the leftovers inside lettuce leaves for a thai lettuce wrap sort of meal.

[Anonymous]

Question - can you put frozen meat directly in the crockpot - or do you need to defrost it first the night before in the fridge?

[Anonymous]

Question - can you put frozen meat directly in the crockpot - or do you need to defrost it first the night before in the fridge?

No, you should not put frozen meat in the crockpot.

Here's why:

Slow cookers typically bring meat up to at least 141 degrees within two hours of starting cooking, even on the low setting. This brings meats out of what is called the "danger zone" in terms of food safety. The danger zone is an unsafe temperature range for meats. At this temperature range of 40 degrees to 140 degrees Fahrenheit, bacteria is ready to grow rapidly on food leading to potentially very harmful food. When frozen meats are added to a slow cooker meal, the frozen meat is not brought out of this all important danger zone quickly enough. Frozen meats take well over 2 hours to thaw and start cooking in a slow cooker. Because of this, any frozen meats placed in a slow cooker are a breeding ground for bacteria for a few hours.

That said, tons of people will tell you they do it all the time and have never had a problem. But it's kind of like the people who say "my mom smoked and drank while pregnant and I turned out just fine!" It may turn out fine, or your family could get food poisoning. I use my crockpot often and I thaw everything first.