Freezer Meals

Recently I have seen an increase desire to have meals made ahead stored in the freezer ready to go. For when that new baby gets here or when someone has surgery and yes even when parents are getting a little older and need a few meals tucked in their freeze so you can rest better knowing they ate…

I have repeatedly typed over and over that same tips and recipes today after yet again doing this I decided we needed a blog where everyone on can share tips and recipes and I can update or link them into the blog to save time for EVERYONE….Plus this will allow everyone one place to locate them as well.

I am not making this perfect since life isn’t and I know I am not but along the way I am trying to help someone else who has the same questions I had just a few years ago find some answers and recipes…

Tips:

Use your slow cooker that can be your best friend in the kitchen..

Create a list of all the meal your family or u like...

Then next to the list above figure out how many times your family or you would eat said meal a week/month. This number will help you create a cooking plan..

Lets say your planning to do a 2 month menu/meal plan= 8 weeks you and your family plans to eat say 1 meatloaf one a week they you will need to make 8 meatloaves for those 2 months.

I prefer 8 x 8 pan size for meal for a few reason I will share since I have a family of 3 adults one being male who thinks he needs 2 pieces of main dish per meal I use 8 x 8 this allows for a total of 4 pieces with no leftovers to not get eaten.

Ziplock baggies work well for most meals as it allows/takes up less space then containers..

Label, Label, Label everything. (Recipe Name and Heating instructions if desired and anything else you need to know... Some people have placed this on index cards to assist with not writing on so they can reuse the bags for the next meal making session.)

Mexican Rice

Refried Beans

Slow Cooker Chicken Taco Soup

Freezing Smoothies

Recently I have been eating smoothie for breakfast as well as snacks better then junk.. while surfing the internet I came across this link trying to find out if anyone has pre-made smoothies and froze them since I make 1-2 a day I could do 6 at one time and blend up and put into my pint size mason jars to freeze and grab and go for work or place in the frig the night before to drink in the am since I don't sleep 8 + hours this would work great..

The results are in I made a smoothie for work Friday and took it out of the freeze dropping in my lunch bag w/ ice pack around 2 pm and popped it into the frig at work about 3 pm and last night about midnight it was a perfect (thick smoothie) I ate it with a spoon like ice cream as the summer months are quickly approaching this will work perfect & thaw faster when I pull it out of the frig..I also noticed it was icy which I prefer as I love it colder the better..
I made one today late in the am so it will not be frozen before I leave for work today yet I will have it already to go while I was making my lunch and pre-prepping veggie for the next few days.. :O) Time saver.

Why Frozen Meals?

Southwestern Eggroll Recipe

This recipe goes together well I have used both tortillas and wonton wraps I pre-make them for quick dinners as well as to make sure my dd has something to eat on the nights I work 12 hours if I didn't have time to make dinner before I got to work I know she can grab this out thaw it and reheat it in the toaster oven in 30 mins. The part I like best is I can make huge batches of say 20 + and know they are always ready and waiting for me in the large freezer outside.

Mexican Rice II Recipe

What I love about this recipe is I don't have to use those boxed mixes to get a nice side dish. I use to go thru 2 boxes of mixes for every dinner say $2.00 per meal this I can keep the ingredients on hand which most of them I already do plus I can change the tomato part to what ever I have on hand and it always turns out great and freezes well this allow me to just be able to grab & nuke straight from the freezer.

Refried Beans w/ Out the Refry Recipe

Crock-pot Recipe is great and this allow me to be able to make this on my day off and portion control them out for quick grab and go lunches as well as larger amounts for dinners. I have used the recipe to make both Pinto beans and Black Beans with no issues.. I plan to try it with others that I have hiding in the cabinet as well just to use them up..



So back to dinner I was able to pull everything out to thawish around noon & all I have to do is either nuke or place in the oven for 30 mins I could even nuke the burritos however I prefer them crunchy that is why they are in the oven plus I can then pour enchilada sauce that I have on hand that is frozen as well just for this type of quick meal if I want it enchilada style. I love having these quick meal available in the freezer for nights when we can't decide what to eat just like today...

Don't have time Bullshit!!!!

People are always saying they don't have time to cook dinner or lunches I say Bull here is why I say this it only takes planning this is what I was able to do in just over 2 hours.... Last night around 5 pm DD took a pound of ground turkey meat out of freezer to thaw in the refrigerator for dinner for the next night...

I woke up at 730 am

• Turned the toaster oven on

• Grabbed the Ziploc baggie of thawed meat & large mixing bowl.

• Grabbed a box of stuffing I got on clearance for 69 cents for a box of 2 stuffing mixes :O) dropped 1 packaged mixture into food processor to mix up to smaller pieces

• While that was spinning I sprayed a 8 x 8 glass pan w/ oil.

• In large mixing bowl I dropped the meat/one egg/fresh ground pepper/dehydrated onions and when the food processor stopped I poured half of the mix into bowl mixed up well

• Then spread it out in the prepared pan and into the oven it went.

• The bowl into the sink to soak.

• Large pot was filled with hot water placed that on stove turn burner on.

• Located my 5 lbs bag of potatoes peeled half & diced them up & into the boiling water they went. The others got washed and into the crockpot lined w/ foil those went (turned on as I walked out the door for work since those are for dd when she got home to handle putting in the refrigerator for herb/oiled potatoes this weekend.

Then at 800 am

• Started a load of laundry

• Located my to-go meal container as I have several styles & lunch box for work.

• Checked my emails and a few websites

• Located my clothes for work

• Got all my work stuff into the car

• Washed the dishes

Then it was 9 am

• Mashed potatoes needed my attention so I drained them mixed them w/ butter and sour cream and very little milk.

• Filled my to-go container and had 3 -1 cup portions of mashed potato containers for the freezer & 1 cup for mashed potato quesadillas for breakfast tomorrow am

915 am

• Pulled out the meat loaf to cool before cutting some turned off the oven.

• Went to get dressed for work

• Prepared breakfast Chicken Wrap in to foil & in plastic baggie to go

930 am

• Cut meatloaf into 4 pieces.

• 3pieces into a container & into the refrigerator

• 1 pieces into my to-go container along w/ frozen corn from the freezer

• Grabbed my little mason jar filled it w/ tablespoon of butter/shredded cheese and green onions

• Poured water into the meatloaf pan to soak

• Loaded my lunch box w/ Chicken wrap/meatloaf plate/mason jar/ silverware

Already and done by 945 am :O) and off to work and dinner for dd & me already done..see pretty picture....

Bulk Cooking

This is my new fave menu item that we tired this week LOVE it this can be baked or
deep fried however I prefer baked 400*F for approximately 15mins or until golden brown using one won-ton wrap only I did try a double wrap but the inside wrap didn't cook well. I used spray butter to assist w/ that golden look as well.
I am sharing the place I got the recipe w/ you I used only half the recipe since it was for only 2 people I end up w/ 20 won-ton wrap fully stuffed well and we ate 12 over 2 nights and frozen the rest for another meal
Southwestern-Egg-Roll Recipe

Bulk Cooking Steps 4-5

Step 4

Making homemade breakfast/Lunch Burritos to save money using the following ingredients priced around $12.19 however if you have the some of the ingredients on hand or you purchase them cheaper you get a better deal. As well if you are able to purchase any of the items and get more then one use for it like the leftover Hashbrowns could be use for dinner one night as side dish.

• Frozen Hashbrowns (on hand but $1.00 at store)
  
• Frozen Diced Peppers & Onions (on hand but $1.00 at store)
• 2 shredded chicken breast (3lbs for $6.90 used in several meals crockpot cooked)
• Broccoli Slaw (on hand but $1.00-$2.00 at store)
• Cheese (on hand but $1.50 at store)
• Tortillas ($4.69 for 26 fresh tortillas but can purchase tortillas for $1.00)

Step 5

Final product I was able to get 16 burritos. I wrapped 2 per ziplock for quick meals at work. This allows me to keep them frozen when I take them to work and nuke only as needed so some days I may have 2 due to I start work VERY early & some day I may only have one w/ sides to go with it yet I know every day what is in my meal & it's already pre-made so no guess work or extra spending..

The average burrito here in Phoenix, AZ is about $3.00-$5.00 so I am really saving $$

Bulk Cooking Steps 1-3

1st Step

In getting lots of meals made is to cook bulk chicken in the crockpot it takes about 4-6 hours on low and you don't have to babysit it which lets me work on other parts of meal preps.

Step 2

Get your cheese shredded if need be I purchase it pre-shredded to save time & less pain in my food processor :O) I also purchase my tortillas shells in bulk to save $$

Step 3

If you have food you need to quick nuke get that done so all the steps are completed prior to assembling time as this make assembling really quick..