I love how easy this recipe is, and it makes a TON. It completely fills an entire gallon sized freezer bag. If you're only cooking for 2 like me, you may want to separate it into multiple bags. Another thing I like is that you can use whatever kind of meat you like. The recipe uses ground beef. We all know I don't eat ground beef (unless I'm making an exception for a delicious burger) so the first time I made this I used ground turkey. The second time I made it I used leftover Crockpot Taco Chicken and that was awesome!
This was another Six Sisters Stuff recipe I found on Pinterest:
Black Bean Taco Soup
Other than changing the meat, I also opted to get diced tomatoes instead of stewed. I used stewed tomatoes the first time I made this and the soup came out extremely thick, it was actually more like chili. It wasn't a terrible thing because it still tasted good but it was just really thick, and not really soupy. So the next time I made it I swapped the stewed tomatoes for the diced since they tend to have more juice in them, and I added some chicken stock also to thin it out. These changes made it more soupy and less chili-ish.
I crumbled up some tortilla chips to top it off which was really good. The first time I made it when it was in a more chili like state, I threw some shredded cheese on top and let it melt, so good!
I don't add the chicken stock until I'm putting it in the crock pot. By doing this, you can use the thicker version to make nachos or tacos (or the chili if you want). The more uses you have for the same recipe, the better it is in my opinion!
Showing posts with label Freezer Meals. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Freezer Meals. Show all posts
Sunday, April 27, 2014
BBQ Cranberry Chicken
Chicken is pretty much the only meat I like, so I need a lot of different marinades/recipes so I don't get bored. This is one of my favorites. It's really easy to make, & you can make it ahead and freeze it for later without sacrificing flavor. You can cook it in the crock pot, bake it in the oven, or grill it! The first time I made it I baked it in the oven, it was delicious. The next time we make it, Jer will grill it... even better! This was actually a crock pot recipe and I haven't used the crock pot to cook it. I'm sure I will eventually, but now that it's getting warmer we will pretty much be using the grill as much as we can.
I found this recipe on Pinterest via Six Sisters Stuff:
Slow Cooker BBQ Cranberry Chicken
This is another recipe that I frequent when I'm doing a round of freezer cooking because it's yummy and there's not much too it. This is a lot of chicken, so I split into 2 freezer bags. If you split it up like me and cook it in the crock pot make sure to cut back on the cooking time, or use a smaller crock pot so the chicken doesn't dry out.
I don't deviate from this recipe at all. I like it the way it is. Simple.
The Twice Baked Potatoes make a good side dish for this. They make a great side dish for any BBQ dish or chicken dish really.... I just love those things.
I found this recipe on Pinterest via Six Sisters Stuff:
Slow Cooker BBQ Cranberry Chicken
This is another recipe that I frequent when I'm doing a round of freezer cooking because it's yummy and there's not much too it. This is a lot of chicken, so I split into 2 freezer bags. If you split it up like me and cook it in the crock pot make sure to cut back on the cooking time, or use a smaller crock pot so the chicken doesn't dry out.
I don't deviate from this recipe at all. I like it the way it is. Simple.
The Twice Baked Potatoes make a good side dish for this. They make a great side dish for any BBQ dish or chicken dish really.... I just love those things.
Chicken Alfredo
This is an easy, make ahead & freeze type meal - if you want it to be. Obviously you can make it and bake it right away for dinner if you'd like. This meal is regularly included in my freezer cooking days. The first time I made this I made a mistake: I divided the meal into 2 freezer bags because it's a lot of food and I'm only cooking for two. I didn't take the fact that it was less food into consideration later when I threw it in the crock pot and I didn't adjust my cooking time accordingly. I shouldn't have cooked it for as long as I did, or I should have used a smaller crock pot (which I don't have yet... I'll get one eventually). The chicken ended up being pretty dry due to this and I almost didn't make it again. Once I realized it was my mistake, I made it again, cut down on the cooking time, and it was way better :) Mistakes aren't actually mistakes if we learn from them, right?
This is another recipe I found on Happy Money Saver:
Crockpot Chicken Broccoli Alfredo
So as I mentioned I divide this into 2 bags and get 2 meals out of it. If you do this, learn from my mistake and take a couple hours off the cooking time so the chicken doesn't dry out. You can also bake this if you don't have a crock pot, or if you forget to put it in the crock pot. I have done this and it turns out just as good. Bake it at 350, the timing will depend on how much chicken you have, quantity and size. I trim the breast up pretty good, cut them into 4oz-ish servings and pound/tenderize them before adding them to the bag, so mine cook up pretty good in about a half hour. If you're baking the entire recipe, you'll probably need at least 45 minutes to bake.
As far as ingredients are concerned, the only thing I don't use is the bacon. Sometimes if I remember, I'll throw some sliced mushrooms in there because I like them and think they go good with this dish.
If you make ahead and freeze, just remember to take out of the freezer 24 hours before you plan on making and throw it in the fridge to thaw. Keep in mind if you want to put it in the slow cooker in the morning, taking it out the night before will probably not be enough time to thaw. I have also done this, and I just ran the bag under some hot water to loosen it up enough to get it out of the bag and into the crock pot. I did not notice a difference in the taste of the dish when I did this, so no biggie!
Boil up your noodles (I have used penne, fettucini, & farfalle, but it's all the same, whatever you have in your cupboard will do) right before dinner time and you're set! Sprinkle a little parmesan cheese on top if you like and enjoy!
This is another recipe I found on Happy Money Saver:
Crockpot Chicken Broccoli Alfredo
So as I mentioned I divide this into 2 bags and get 2 meals out of it. If you do this, learn from my mistake and take a couple hours off the cooking time so the chicken doesn't dry out. You can also bake this if you don't have a crock pot, or if you forget to put it in the crock pot. I have done this and it turns out just as good. Bake it at 350, the timing will depend on how much chicken you have, quantity and size. I trim the breast up pretty good, cut them into 4oz-ish servings and pound/tenderize them before adding them to the bag, so mine cook up pretty good in about a half hour. If you're baking the entire recipe, you'll probably need at least 45 minutes to bake.
As far as ingredients are concerned, the only thing I don't use is the bacon. Sometimes if I remember, I'll throw some sliced mushrooms in there because I like them and think they go good with this dish.
If you make ahead and freeze, just remember to take out of the freezer 24 hours before you plan on making and throw it in the fridge to thaw. Keep in mind if you want to put it in the slow cooker in the morning, taking it out the night before will probably not be enough time to thaw. I have also done this, and I just ran the bag under some hot water to loosen it up enough to get it out of the bag and into the crock pot. I did not notice a difference in the taste of the dish when I did this, so no biggie!
Boil up your noodles (I have used penne, fettucini, & farfalle, but it's all the same, whatever you have in your cupboard will do) right before dinner time and you're set! Sprinkle a little parmesan cheese on top if you like and enjoy!
Twice Baked Potatoes
These are a staple for our freezer. We don't even have to wait for potatoes to go on sale, we have a local market here that has prices so cheap they beat any grocery stores sale prices. Anytime we run out I just head over there to grab 6 or 7 tates and bake away!
I found this recipe from The Tip Garden on Pinterest:
Twice Baked Potatoes (w/4 variations!)
I just make the basic recipe. I always have turkey bacon on hand so if I'm in the mood I'll cook some of that up and crumble it into half of the potatoes for Jer.
One thing I do to the potatoes that aren't mentioned on her directions: After I wash them, I rub olive oil on them and sprinkle with salt before baking. I have found that this makes the skin a little crunchier, which we like :)
After I bake the potatoes I sliced them in half and started scooping... I don't let them cool because I can get distracted and by the time I come back to them they're too cooled and hard to scoop. I use an Ove Glove to handle the potatoes while they're hot. You can get them on Amazon.com, Target, convenience stores, etc. We actually have an "off brand" version so they don't have the grippies on them but still just as good. Jers mom got them for him years ago, we've been together 6 and he had them for a few years before that, so they're probably 8-10 years old, and we still use them almost every day. They're a great investment if you don't have them already. **End tangent
Anyway, I make the basic stuffing recipe. After filling them up I let them cool for awhile, then throw the baking sheet with the potatoes on it in the freezer to get nice and cold before wrapping them up (If you don't do this, the skin will be soggy after baking them again, yuck, but okay if you don't eat the skin I guess). After they're completely cooled/slightly frozen, I wrap each potato individually in plastic wrap, and then stick them all in a gallon sized freezer bag (or 2). Whenever we want one, I just pull them out of the bag, let them thaw in the fridge overnight and throw in the oven when we start dinner. The recipe says to bake thawed/room temp potatoes for 15 minutes - I don't bake them from room temp, mine are coming from the fridge, so I do 20 minutes and it's perfect! She also mentions heating them up for 2 minutes in the microwave but I haven't tried that yet...
Having these on hand is so convenient! Perfect for the summer time when we're grilling chicken or steaks, to have an easy side dish without having to keep the oven on for over an hour. My other favorite time to have these is when we're having chili for dinner: Let the chili cook in the crock pot all day, come home and only have to cook these for 20 minutes - you could even top with your chili if you'd like :)
I found this recipe from The Tip Garden on Pinterest:
Twice Baked Potatoes (w/4 variations!)
I just make the basic recipe. I always have turkey bacon on hand so if I'm in the mood I'll cook some of that up and crumble it into half of the potatoes for Jer.
One thing I do to the potatoes that aren't mentioned on her directions: After I wash them, I rub olive oil on them and sprinkle with salt before baking. I have found that this makes the skin a little crunchier, which we like :)
After I bake the potatoes I sliced them in half and started scooping... I don't let them cool because I can get distracted and by the time I come back to them they're too cooled and hard to scoop. I use an Ove Glove to handle the potatoes while they're hot. You can get them on Amazon.com, Target, convenience stores, etc. We actually have an "off brand" version so they don't have the grippies on them but still just as good. Jers mom got them for him years ago, we've been together 6 and he had them for a few years before that, so they're probably 8-10 years old, and we still use them almost every day. They're a great investment if you don't have them already. **End tangent
Anyway, I make the basic stuffing recipe. After filling them up I let them cool for awhile, then throw the baking sheet with the potatoes on it in the freezer to get nice and cold before wrapping them up (If you don't do this, the skin will be soggy after baking them again, yuck, but okay if you don't eat the skin I guess). After they're completely cooled/slightly frozen, I wrap each potato individually in plastic wrap, and then stick them all in a gallon sized freezer bag (or 2). Whenever we want one, I just pull them out of the bag, let them thaw in the fridge overnight and throw in the oven when we start dinner. The recipe says to bake thawed/room temp potatoes for 15 minutes - I don't bake them from room temp, mine are coming from the fridge, so I do 20 minutes and it's perfect! She also mentions heating them up for 2 minutes in the microwave but I haven't tried that yet...
Having these on hand is so convenient! Perfect for the summer time when we're grilling chicken or steaks, to have an easy side dish without having to keep the oven on for over an hour. My other favorite time to have these is when we're having chili for dinner: Let the chili cook in the crock pot all day, come home and only have to cook these for 20 minutes - you could even top with your chili if you'd like :)
Easy Homemade Lasagna
I have made this recipe many times and it always turns out great. I usually make it on Sunday's when I have extra time because I like to make 3 at once. This way we have one for dinner that day plus 2 extra to put in the freezer for an easy meal later. I substitute the ground beef with ground turkey, and instead of using 3 - 15oz jars of sauce I use 2 of the 24 oz jars because 1) I like a little extra sauce, & 2) the 24oz jars are usually on sale for less than the 15oz jars. Meijer has a 3lb container of Jennie-O ground turkey always for $9 which is cheaper than buying the 1lb containers at $4/ea (I'm sure you can get the 3lb containers at other stores but I haven't found it at Kroger). I always stock up on pasta & sauce when it's on sale and if the turkey goes on sale I know it's time for a Lasagna day! The 13x9 aluminum pans are pretty cheap, I buy the 4pk for a couple bucks, which gets me through 2 sessions because I use one of my glass pans for the one were baking that day. This isn't the least expensive freezer meal I've made but it's cheaper than going out to eat, better (tasting and for you!) than the premade kind you buy in the freezer section, and it's one of Jer's favorite meals, so totally worth it.
I found the recipe on Pinterest, from a freezer cooking post on a blog called Happy Money Saver:
Lasagna Recipe from Happy Money Saver
After doing this a few times, I have a process in order to be more efficient with my time. Since I do 3 at once, it takes a little longer to brown the meat and boil the noodles so you'll want to save all the time you can. Put your pot of water on high to get the water boiling - it takes awhile since you'll need so much water to contain all the noodles! After I get that on the stove I start chopping my onions and put them in the skillet with the turkey. I always have to drain the turkey multiple times while cooking because my skillet is not big enough and it will almost overflow with juices if you don't. At some point your water will begin to boil and you can add the noodles. I use a pasta spoon as well as tongs while stirring the noodles because 2 noodles always get stuck to each other and it's in a pain in the butt if you don't separate them while they're boiling... the spoon doesn't do it so I use tongs. Between watching the noodles and stirring/draining the meat, I mix the cottage cheese/parmesan cheese/parsley together so that is ready to go. Once the noodles are done, I dump those in a strainer and throw the meat in that pot along with the 2 jars of sauce to heat up a bit while the noodles cool (enough to handle). I don't bother letting it simmer for the full 15 minutes listed on the recipe (I'm too impatient for that), 2/3rds of it is going into the freezer anyway and the rest is getting thrown into the oven to warm up. I warm it for about 5 minutes before I start assembling Lasagna.
To assemble I throw a spoon full of the meat/sauce into the bottom of each pan so the noodles don't stick. Then I layer as described in the recipe. I'm always conservative in the beginning because I worry about running out, but then have extra cheese and sauce at the end so the tops have more than the bottoms but it does not effect the baking or taste at all so no biggie.
When were ready to have lasagna again I just pull one out of the freezer 24 hours ahead of time and put it in the fridge. Some nights I'm just so exhausted from the work day that the thought of cooking makes me want to just go right to bed (and you can only have Subway so many times in 1 week)! It's so nice being able to come home from work and just throw it in the oven - and 45 minutes later we have a delicious homemade dinner that I didn't have to put any effort into (at that time, anyway). It also says you can bake it from frozen for an hour and a half but I haven't tried that yet.
This Lasagna is definitely a Jer & Lindsay favorite!
I found the recipe on Pinterest, from a freezer cooking post on a blog called Happy Money Saver:
Lasagna Recipe from Happy Money Saver
After doing this a few times, I have a process in order to be more efficient with my time. Since I do 3 at once, it takes a little longer to brown the meat and boil the noodles so you'll want to save all the time you can. Put your pot of water on high to get the water boiling - it takes awhile since you'll need so much water to contain all the noodles! After I get that on the stove I start chopping my onions and put them in the skillet with the turkey. I always have to drain the turkey multiple times while cooking because my skillet is not big enough and it will almost overflow with juices if you don't. At some point your water will begin to boil and you can add the noodles. I use a pasta spoon as well as tongs while stirring the noodles because 2 noodles always get stuck to each other and it's in a pain in the butt if you don't separate them while they're boiling... the spoon doesn't do it so I use tongs. Between watching the noodles and stirring/draining the meat, I mix the cottage cheese/parmesan cheese/parsley together so that is ready to go. Once the noodles are done, I dump those in a strainer and throw the meat in that pot along with the 2 jars of sauce to heat up a bit while the noodles cool (enough to handle). I don't bother letting it simmer for the full 15 minutes listed on the recipe (I'm too impatient for that), 2/3rds of it is going into the freezer anyway and the rest is getting thrown into the oven to warm up. I warm it for about 5 minutes before I start assembling Lasagna.
To assemble I throw a spoon full of the meat/sauce into the bottom of each pan so the noodles don't stick. Then I layer as described in the recipe. I'm always conservative in the beginning because I worry about running out, but then have extra cheese and sauce at the end so the tops have more than the bottoms but it does not effect the baking or taste at all so no biggie.
When were ready to have lasagna again I just pull one out of the freezer 24 hours ahead of time and put it in the fridge. Some nights I'm just so exhausted from the work day that the thought of cooking makes me want to just go right to bed (and you can only have Subway so many times in 1 week)! It's so nice being able to come home from work and just throw it in the oven - and 45 minutes later we have a delicious homemade dinner that I didn't have to put any effort into (at that time, anyway). It also says you can bake it from frozen for an hour and a half but I haven't tried that yet.
This Lasagna is definitely a Jer & Lindsay favorite!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)