Freezer Cooking & Prepping

Well my 6 months (which turned out to be 9 months due to the wonderful hospitality of church friends and other friends) of freezer meals is gone. I am sad to see it all gone. It was so nice having done so much work for 3-4 days and have it pay off for that long. I decided to do a monthly plan that I shared a while back. I chose 16 of our favorite meals (4 per week plus at least 1 night of leftovers - we go out once a week and eat at church once a week) including pastas, chicken, beef, and pork recipes. Some of the recipes are better made fresh, so I just cut the fat off the meat and cut it in tenders or chunks for simplicity down the way.

I made:
Honey Baked Pork Chops (cut the fat off the pork, made the marinade, and froze)
Chicken Pot Pie (prepped the insides and froze)
Chicken Stuffing Pie (prepped the insides and froze)
Italian Balsamic Chicken (cut the fat off the chicken, made the marinade, and froze)
Baked Ziti (prepped and froze)
Spaghetti (made the sauce)
Meatballs in Sauce (made the meatballs and sauce)
Salisbury Steak (prepped and froze)
Meatloaf (prepped and froze)

Pot Roast (froze the meat)
I also cut the fat off of, cut into pieces, and froze 6 lbs of chicken for later use.
I plan to use those to make Chicken Noodle Dumpling Delight, Chicken Barley, Chicken Stirfry, Chicken Parmesan, Buffalo Chicken Tenders, and Maple Glazed Chicken.

This way I can go to the freezer 4 times a week, pull out something and do a marginal amount of work (some nights a little more), and have a yummy dinner (plus leftovers some nights). It really helps because I don't have to think about what we are going to eat, only have to go to the store for a few things each week (Lee can even go), and don't have to spend an hour every night cooking. Plus I only have to cook 4 times a week. That's pretty nice. (I wanted to take pictures but was hurrying through - SORRY)

Here are the recipes if you would like to try them:

HONEY BAKED PORK CHOPS
Ingredients:
6 boneless pork chops
½ cup honey
¼ cup cider vinegar
¼ tsp ground ginger
1 clove garlic, minced
2 Tbsp soy sauce

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix honey, vinegar, ginger, garlic, and soy sauce in a blender.
Pour sauce over pork chops.
(Freeze here if desired).
Place in baking dish.
Bake for 30 minutes or until done.

SPAGHETTI

Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef or turkey
Onion, chopped
Pepper, chopped
1 jar spaghetti sauce
Spaghetti noodles

Directions:
Cook spaghetti noodles.
Cook ground beef, onion, and pepper.
Heat sauce and add beef mixture.
(Freeze here if desired).
If you freeze, make the noodles fresh the day of.

SPAGHETTI WITH MEATBALLS

Ingredients:
1 lb ground turkey/beef
2 egg whites
½ cup breadcrumbs
¼ cup water
½ onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp parsley
2 tsp basil
1 tsp black pepper
3 cups pasta sauce
12oz pasta
¼ cup Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Preheat oven broiler.
Combine turkey/beef, egg whites, breadcrumbs, water, onion, garlic, parsley, basil, & pepper.
Mix ingredients thoroughly and shape into 1 ½ inch diameter meatballs.
Arrange meatballs on a baking sheet and place under broiler for 10-12 minutes turning occasionally until browned on all sides.
In a large saucepan, combine pasta sauce and cooked meatballs.
Simmer over low heat until warmed thoroughly, about 20 minutes.
(Freeze meatballs and sauce here if desired)
While pasta sauce is simmering, cook spaghetti.
Serve sauce and meatballs over spaghetti.
If freezing, cook noodles the day of.
Sprinkle Parmesan cheese.

BAKED ZITI

Ingredients:
1 lb pasta
1 jar pasta sauce
1 lb ground beef/turkey
Diced peppers and onions
1 bag mozzarella cheese

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease 2 ½ qt baking dish.
Cook and drain pasta.
Cook beef, peppers, and onions until brown in large skillet on medium heat and drain.
Mix pasta, beef, and pasta sauce and put in pan.
Cover with mozzarella cheese (I also like to add some parmesan cheese).
Bake for 30 minutes or until bubbly.

MEATLOAF

Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef or turkey
Diced peppers and onions
1 package onion soup mix
1 egg
½ cup ketchup
¼ cup bread crumbs or rolled oats

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix all ingredients and put into loaf pan.
(Freeze here if desired).
Thaw if frozen.
Bake for 1 hour or until done.

SALISBURY STEAK

Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef
½ pkg stuffing mix
½ medium onion, finely chopped
2 egg whites
A few splashes of water
1/2 Tbsp oil
Brown gravy

Directions:
Mix meat, stuffing mix, onion, and water until well blended.
Shape into 4-6 patties.
(Freeze here if desired).
If frozen, thaw first.
Heat oil in large skillet on medium heat.
Add patties.
Cook 6 minutes on each side or until cooked throughout.
Cover with brown gravy and serve.

POT ROAST

Ingredients:
2 ½ lb pot roast, well trimmed
Salt and pepper
1 package onion soup mix
Onions, diced
Potatoes, diced
Baby carrots

Directions:
Spray crockpot with nonstick spray.
Add roast.
Season with salt and pepper.
Add onion soup mix.
Cover with water.
Cook on low for 1 hour.
Add onions, potatoes, and carrots.
Cover with water.
Cook at least 5 more hours on low.
(Freeze here if desired).

MAPLE GLAZED CHICKEN

Ingredients:
1 tsp paprika and salt
½ tsp cinnamon, cumin, and pepper
4 chicken breasts
2 Tbsp maple syrup
1 Tbsp butter and Dijon mustard

Directions:
Preheat oven to 500 degrees.
Combine dry ingredients and rub on chicken. (Freeze spiced chicken if desired)
Bake in upper 3rd of oven for 15 minutes.
Combine other ingredients in saucepan and stir until melts. (Freeze glaze if desired)
Brush glaze on chicken.
Bake 5 more minutes.
Brush glaze on chicken.
Bake 5 more minutes.

ITALIAN BALSAMIC CHICKEN BREAST

Ingredients:
1 ½ tsp dried Italian seasoning
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
¼ tsp black pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts

Directions:
Combine everything but chicken in a large Ziploc bag.
Add chicken to bag and marinate in refrigerator for at least 2 hours (freeze if desired).

CHICKEN PARMIGIANA

Ingredients:
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts (4 pieces)
4 egg whites
2/3 cup breadcrumbs
6 Tbsp Parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp olive oil
8oz pasta
1 jar pasta sauce
Bag (2 cups) mozzarella cheese, shredded (or desired amount)
2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Stir egg whites in a bowl.
Mix breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, and Italian seasoning.
Heat olive oil in skillet.
Dip chicken in egg whites and breading.
Cook until crispy on both sides.
Cook pasta while cooking chicken.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Put pasta in baking dish.
Put chicken on top of pasta.
Pour pasta sauce on top of chicken.
Pour cheeses on top of pasta sauce.
Bake 30 minutes.

CHICKEN POT PIE

Ingredients:
1 cup cooked chicken
1 bag (1 lb) frozen veggies
1 can Cream of Chicken soup
½ cup milk
½ cup milk
1 cup Bisquick mix
1 egg

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Mix chicken, veggies, soup, and milk.
Add to baking dish.
(Freeze if desired).
If frozen, thaw first.
Mix Bisquick, milk, and egg.
Pour over chicken mix.
Bake for 30 minutes.

CHICKEN STUFFING PIE

Ingredients:
1 box stuffing mix
2 ½ lbs cooked chicken
2 cans Cream of Chicken soup
2 cups boiling water
1 cup uncooked rice

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Wash and drain rice and line pan.
Mix soup and water and stir into rice.
Lay chicken on top and season.
(Freeze if desired).
If frozen, thaw first.
Spread stuffing over.
Bake for 30 minutes.

BUFFALO CHICKEN TENDERS

Ingredients:
6 Tbsp butter
¾ cup Frank’s Red Hot sauce
1 lb chicken tenders
Bread crumbs

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Melt butter in microwave.
Add hot sauce and mix.
Add sauce mixture.
Coat in bread crumbs.
Bake until chicken is done.

GINGER CHICKEN STIR FRY

Ingredients:
Zucchini, sliced
Carrots, sliced
Onions, sliced
Peppers, sliced
Chicken, chopped
Stir fry sauce
Ground ginger

Directions:
Cook veggies in oil a few minutes and remove from pan.
Add chicken and cook until done.
Mix ginger into sauce and pour over chicken.
Add veggies and cook a few more minutes.
Serve over rice.

CHICKEN NOODLE DUMPLING DELIGHT

Ingredients:
1 can Cream of Chicken soup
1 cup carrots, sliced
¾ cup onions, chopped
½ cup water
Salt & pepper
Parsley & thyme
1 lb chicken, diced
5 oz egg noodles

Directions:
Put soup, carrots, onions, water, salt & pepper, parsley & thyme, and chicken in pot on high.
Bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and cover.
Cook 10-20 minutes until chicken is done (stirring occasionally).
Cook pasta while the chicken mixture is cooking.
Mix pasta into chicken mixture.

CHICKEN BARLEY

Ingredients:
Olive oil
Onion, chopped
Carrots, chopped
6 cups chicken broth
2 large chicken breasts, chopped
2 cups barley
Salt & pepper

Directions:
Saute onions and carrots in olive oil until tender in a big pot.
Add chicken broth and chicken.
Cook until chicken is done (about 10 minutes).
Add the barley and salt & pepper.
Cook for 10 minutes on high.
Reduce to low and cover.
Cook about 45 minutes.

ENJOY! :)