With CHRISTmas season upon us, I decided to do a major shopping/prepping/freezer cooking deal but keep it simple. I chose 16 dishes to make over the month (we eat at church on Wednesdays, eat out once a week, and would have some dishes with leftovers). I chose to do Spaghetti, Spaghetti and Meatballs, Baked Ziti, Goulash, Chicken Parmesan, Buffalo Chicken Tenders, "Fried" Chicken Tenders, Maple Glazed Chicken, Chicken Pot Pie, Chicken Stuffing Pie, Chicken and Noodles, Chicken Noodle Soup, Meatloaf, Salisbury Steak, Pot Roast, and Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Beef Bake.
I made a list of all ingredients, made a big Walmart run, and got everything prepped/freezer cooked. I cooked up 2 batches of spaghetti sauce for the Spaghetti and Baked Ziti. I prepped the meatballs and froze them. I froze a pound of beef for the goulash. I prepped the meatloaf and froze it. I prepped the Salisbury steak patties and froze them. I cooked a pound of beef and froze it for the GMP & BB. I cooked 3 pounds of chicken and froze them for the CSP and CPP. I prepped up some chicken and froze it in 1 pound packages for the other dishes.
It is nice that I will just have to lay something out each day, do a little prep and heating up, and we will have dinner. Great for this busy time of year.
Showing posts with label Freezer Cooking. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Freezer Cooking. Show all posts
Monday, December 3, 2012
Monday, December 19, 2011
Eat at Home Challenge - Week 3
This week was pretty good. I ate out a couple of unplanned times but all in all it was still better than usual. We spent about $59 eating out this week.
Monday - Crockpot Chicken Noodles
Tuesday - Crockpot Chicken Stew
Wednesday - CHURCH Meal
Thursday - Chicken Stuffing Casserole (Ashley MNO)
Friday - Leftover Chicken Stuffing Casserole
Saturday - Pizza Takeout
Sunday - Baked Ziti
Monday - Crockpot Chicken Noodles
Tuesday - Crockpot Chicken Stew
Wednesday - CHURCH Meal
Thursday - Chicken Stuffing Casserole (Ashley MNO)
Friday - Leftover Chicken Stuffing Casserole
Saturday - Pizza Takeout
Sunday - Baked Ziti
Thursday, December 15, 2011
A Great Tip for Meal Planning
When I made/prepped all of our meals for the month, I had to decide how I would know what to eat each night. I am usually not good at saying, "We will eat _______ the 3rd Thursday of the month." What if something comes up or we aren't feeling that meal that night? So I decided to make a tentative schedule in Microsoft Excel:
I tried to spread out similar dishes (ie Italian, beef vs chicken, etc). I didn't print it. I just go to the computer and check the planned meals each day. I know what I am planning to have and if I decide to make something different, I can just cut and paste and move things around. I have done this many times this month as various things have come up. I love it because I don't stress as much about sticking to the exact plan and don't have to erase and mark out stuff. Yes I am a perfectionist about certain things.
I hope this helps!
I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR YOUR MEAL PLANNING IDEAS. PLEASE SHARE! ;)
| 28 | 29 | 30 | 1 |
| MONDAY | TUESDAY | WEDNESDAY | THURSDAY |
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| FRIDAY | SATURDAY | SUNDAY | MONDAY |
| 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
| TUESDAY | WEDNESDAY | THURSDAY | FRIDAY |
| 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 |
| SATURDAY | SUNDAY | MONDAY | TUESDAY |
| 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 |
| WEDNESDAY | THURSDAY | FRIDAY | SATURDAY |
| MNO for Ashley - Eva's Chicken Casserole & Veggies for Boys | Spaghetti & Meatballs | BBQ Chicken, Rice, & Veggies | |
| 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 |
| SUNDAY | MONDAY | TUESDAY | WEDNESDAY |
| Italian Balsamic Chicken, Rice, & Veggies | Meatloaf, Mashed Potatoes, & Veggies | Chicken Parmesan | Honey Soy Chicken, Rice, & Veggies |
| 22 | 23 | ||
| THURSDAY | FRIDAY | ||
| Baked Ziti |
I tried to spread out similar dishes (ie Italian, beef vs chicken, etc). I didn't print it. I just go to the computer and check the planned meals each day. I know what I am planning to have and if I decide to make something different, I can just cut and paste and move things around. I have done this many times this month as various things have come up. I love it because I don't stress as much about sticking to the exact plan and don't have to erase and mark out stuff. Yes I am a perfectionist about certain things.
I hope this helps!
I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR YOUR MEAL PLANNING IDEAS. PLEASE SHARE! ;)
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Eat at Home Challenge
We are on a tighter budget this year due to unforeseen medical expenses so I am challenging myself this month to eat at home more. Now I know a lot of you probably already do this, but we still eat out quite a bit even on a budget. My challenge for myself is to cut our estimated eating out budget down significantly this month so that we can put some of that money into CHRISTmas presents.
I decided to get together a list of 25 meals (we are eating at church 3 nights and I did it up until the 23rd) to have this month. Then I decided to go ahead and buy everything we would need for those meals. After doing all of the planning and shopping, I decided to go ahead and freezer prep/cook as much as I could to make life even easier the next 4 weeks since we will be so busy.
What I Did:
I prepped Salisbury Steak - I will only have to thaw and cook and add some rice and veggies.
I prepped Meatloaf - I will only have to thaw and cook and add some potatoes and veggies.
I cooked a pound of meat for Meaty Pizza - I will only have to thaw and toss on the pizza.
I cooked a pound of meat, peppers, and onions for Crockpot Lasagna - I will only have to thaw and toss into the lasagna in the crockpot.
I cooked 2 pounds of spaghetti sauce for Spaghetti and Baked Ziti - I will only have to make the pasta and toss in the sauce (add some cheese to the BZ).
I cooked 4 pounds of chicken for Chicken Pot Pie, Chicken Stuffing Pie, and BBQ Chicken Pizza - I will just have to put everything together and bake.
I prepped a bunch of different marinades for chicken - I will only have to thaw and bake and throw together with some rice and veggies.
I prepped a few pounds of plain chicken for a few other recipes.
I am super glad that I won't have too much to do. Most of these things will go in the crockpot or oven and require a few things. NICE.
I will update on how it goes.
I would love to hear your favorite ways to save time and money on recipes. Do you freezer cook, crockpot cook, and/or cook for the week? I would love to hear some great recipes. :)
I decided to get together a list of 25 meals (we are eating at church 3 nights and I did it up until the 23rd) to have this month. Then I decided to go ahead and buy everything we would need for those meals. After doing all of the planning and shopping, I decided to go ahead and freezer prep/cook as much as I could to make life even easier the next 4 weeks since we will be so busy.
What I Did:
I prepped Salisbury Steak - I will only have to thaw and cook and add some rice and veggies.
I prepped Meatloaf - I will only have to thaw and cook and add some potatoes and veggies.
I cooked a pound of meat for Meaty Pizza - I will only have to thaw and toss on the pizza.
I cooked a pound of meat, peppers, and onions for Crockpot Lasagna - I will only have to thaw and toss into the lasagna in the crockpot.
I cooked 2 pounds of spaghetti sauce for Spaghetti and Baked Ziti - I will only have to make the pasta and toss in the sauce (add some cheese to the BZ).
I cooked 4 pounds of chicken for Chicken Pot Pie, Chicken Stuffing Pie, and BBQ Chicken Pizza - I will just have to put everything together and bake.
I prepped a bunch of different marinades for chicken - I will only have to thaw and bake and throw together with some rice and veggies.
I prepped a few pounds of plain chicken for a few other recipes.
I am super glad that I won't have too much to do. Most of these things will go in the crockpot or oven and require a few things. NICE.
I will update on how it goes.
I would love to hear your favorite ways to save time and money on recipes. Do you freezer cook, crockpot cook, and/or cook for the week? I would love to hear some great recipes. :)
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
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! :)
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! :)
Sunday, January 23, 2011
7 Week Meal Plan
Some of you know that I did a huge freezer cooking session when I was pregnant with the twins in June (at 17 1/2 weeks pregnant). I made roughly 6 months worth of meals and my freezer was stocked. Well we didn't eat it exactly like I had planned since we ate out some (even heating up or making sides became too much at the end) and then had meals brought to us for 6 weeks after the delivery. Then it was the holidays. Well I figured out we had 7 weeks worth of meals (including having some leftovers, eating out one night, and going to church for dinner one night).
I came up with a list so that we wouldn't repeat the same meal before having all of them. It ended up working out great. I am looking forward to having 7 weeks of meals that require very little work. It will help our budget, give me more time at night with the kids, and clear out our freezer.
I am working on my plan for after that. I think I am really going to try to meal plan. I am finding that it might make life easier since I have more on my plate now and will continue to as we homeschool and God willing have more children. As always I will be sharing with my readers.
I would love to hear your tips on meal planning aas that is something I am still working on.
I came up with a list so that we wouldn't repeat the same meal before having all of them. It ended up working out great. I am looking forward to having 7 weeks of meals that require very little work. It will help our budget, give me more time at night with the kids, and clear out our freezer.
I am working on my plan for after that. I think I am really going to try to meal plan. I am finding that it might make life easier since I have more on my plate now and will continue to as we homeschool and God willing have more children. As always I will be sharing with my readers.
I would love to hear your tips on meal planning aas that is something I am still working on.
Monday, June 21, 2010
The Payoff of Freezer Cooking - Week #2
Sunday - Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, green beans, peas, and corn. I just had to thaw, top with ketchup, and bake the meatloaf. I made a bunch of mashed potatoes, green beans, peas, and corn. We had enough for leftovers Monday night and Tuesday night for Lee.
Monday - Leftovers from Sunday.
Tuesday - Lee had leftovers from Sunday.
Wednesday - Spaghetti. Super easy. I just thawed and heated it.
Thursday - Chicken pot pie. Super easy. We just had to thaw it, put the topping on it, and bake.
Friday - Cookout at mom's house.
Saturday - Eating out night.
Sunday - Pork sandwiches, french fries, peas, and corn. I just thawed out the pork, heated it up, and added it to some buns. I cooked up some frozen french fries and heated up the veggies. Dinner in under 25 minutes with barely any trouble.
Monday - Leftovers from Sunday.
Tuesday - Lee had leftovers from Sunday.
Wednesday - Spaghetti. Super easy. I just thawed and heated it.
Thursday - Chicken pot pie. Super easy. We just had to thaw it, put the topping on it, and bake.
Friday - Cookout at mom's house.
Saturday - Eating out night.
Sunday - Pork sandwiches, french fries, peas, and corn. I just thawed out the pork, heated it up, and added it to some buns. I cooked up some frozen french fries and heated up the veggies. Dinner in under 25 minutes with barely any trouble.
Sunday, June 13, 2010
The Payoff of Freezer Cooking - Week #1
Well after that marathon of organizing, shopping, prepping, cooking, and freezing meals, we got to enjoy our first week of freezer eating.
Sunday - Baked Ziti - Thawed, added mozzarella cheese, baked, and ate. The best part was it was in a throw-away container. Just a few dishes in the dishwasher. :)
Monday - Honey Baked Pork Chops - Thawed, cooked, and ate. Just had to add some flavored rice and canned peas and corn. A little bit of work, but the pork was already had all the fat off and was marinated.
Tuesday - Chick-fil-A - We were supposed to have Chicken Stuffing Pie which only required thawing, adding stuffing from a box, baking, and cooking up a couple of cans of green beans. Easy peasy. Luckily a friend of mine had a baby and we took that meal to her.
Wednesday - Stuffed Peppers - Thawed, added a can of tomato sauce, baked, and ate. They were really good. It was the one dish I was concerned about, but they were awesome.
Thursday - Ate at Durham Bulls game. We just switched out our eating out night from Saturday night to make up for it.
Friday - Eating out night.
Saturday - Chicken Meal. The chicken had been frozen in a 1 lb bag of tenders that had all the fat cut off. I just thawed it out and made Buffalo Chicken Tenders and frozen veggies. Super easy.
Sunday - Meatloaf - Thawed, added ketchup, baked, and ate. I made mashed potatoes, green beans, peas, and corn. It required more work (which is why I chose Sunday to have it), but we have a whole meal for tomorrow night.
I am really glad I did the freezer cooking. I am planning to do more of it after we run out and the babies and I get through the first few months. I am thinking about doing batch cooking in the future rather than marathon cooking since I will have two babies and not as much ability to just work all day.
Sunday - Baked Ziti - Thawed, added mozzarella cheese, baked, and ate. The best part was it was in a throw-away container. Just a few dishes in the dishwasher. :)
Monday - Honey Baked Pork Chops - Thawed, cooked, and ate. Just had to add some flavored rice and canned peas and corn. A little bit of work, but the pork was already had all the fat off and was marinated.
Tuesday - Chick-fil-A - We were supposed to have Chicken Stuffing Pie which only required thawing, adding stuffing from a box, baking, and cooking up a couple of cans of green beans. Easy peasy. Luckily a friend of mine had a baby and we took that meal to her.
Wednesday - Stuffed Peppers - Thawed, added a can of tomato sauce, baked, and ate. They were really good. It was the one dish I was concerned about, but they were awesome.
Thursday - Ate at Durham Bulls game. We just switched out our eating out night from Saturday night to make up for it.
Friday - Eating out night.
Saturday - Chicken Meal. The chicken had been frozen in a 1 lb bag of tenders that had all the fat cut off. I just thawed it out and made Buffalo Chicken Tenders and frozen veggies. Super easy.
Sunday - Meatloaf - Thawed, added ketchup, baked, and ate. I made mashed potatoes, green beans, peas, and corn. It required more work (which is why I chose Sunday to have it), but we have a whole meal for tomorrow night.
I am really glad I did the freezer cooking. I am planning to do more of it after we run out and the babies and I get through the first few months. I am thinking about doing batch cooking in the future rather than marathon cooking since I will have two babies and not as much ability to just work all day.
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Freezer Cooking Adventure (Pictures)
The fridge
The pantry
Onions, peppers, and garlic
Crockpot and freezing/baking pans
Clean-up station
Recipe and labelling station
Pulled Pork Sandwiches
Spaghetti
Meatloaves
Sloppy Joes
Salisbury Steak
Garlic Beef Bake
Stuffed Peppers
Chicken Pot Pie
Chicken Stuffing Pie
Chicken Noodle Soup
Baked Ziti
Freezer
The pantry
Onions, peppers, and garlic
Crockpot and freezing/baking pans
Clean-up station
Recipe and labelling station
Pulled Pork Sandwiches 
Spaghetti
Meatloaves
Sloppy Joes
Salisbury Steak
Garlic Beef Bake
Stuffed Peppers
Chicken Pot Pie
Chicken Stuffing Pie
Chicken Noodle Soup
Baked Ziti
Freezer
Freezer Cooking Adventure
So the freezer cooking adventure has come to an end. Let me just say a big, "Hallelujah!!!!" In case you can't tell, I am glad to be done. It was a ton of work, physically exhausting, and at times a little stressful, but it is totally worth it when I look in my freezer and it is fully stocked and we have 6 months of meals (or at least the main dish) done (minus a few nights of prepped raw meat to make an easy meal).
Here's what I made:
13 Meals of Baked Ziti (we are eating one tonight before we officially start the 6 months of freezer eating)
6 Meals of Spaghetti
6 (12) Meals of Meatloaf (each meal yields 2 nights)
6 Meals of Sloppy Joes
6 (12) Meals of Salisbury Steak (each meal yields 2 nights)
6 Meals of Stuffed Peppers
6 Meals of Garlic Beef Bake
6 Meals of Chicken Pot Pie
6 Meals of Chicken Stuffing Pie
6 Meals of Chicken Peppers Pasta
6 Meals of Italian Balsamic Chicken
6 Meals of Pulled Pork Sandwiches
6 Meals of Honey Baked Pork Chops
We also prepped (cut fat off, cut into tenders, and put into 1 lb bags) 18 lbs of chicken and 6 lbs of ground beef or turkey. This will be one meal a week of cooking. This will be for stuff like Chicken Parmesan, Buffalo Chicken Tenders, Chicken with Skillet Gravy, Ginger Chicken Stirfry, Chicken and Dumplings, Goulash, or Homemade Pizza (things that wouldn't freeze well).
With all of this done, I won't have to cook some meals (at least not more than reheating or baking), only will have to make a couple of sides for some meals, have meat prepared to make a full meal once a week, and won't have to grocery shop for meat at all or most of the other ingredients (thus making grocery shopping easier for a big fat pregnant girl).
I am going to post pictures of the process in the next entry.
Here's what I made:
13 Meals of Baked Ziti (we are eating one tonight before we officially start the 6 months of freezer eating)
6 Meals of Spaghetti
6 (12) Meals of Meatloaf (each meal yields 2 nights)
6 Meals of Sloppy Joes
6 (12) Meals of Salisbury Steak (each meal yields 2 nights)
6 Meals of Stuffed Peppers
6 Meals of Garlic Beef Bake
6 Meals of Chicken Pot Pie
6 Meals of Chicken Stuffing Pie
6 Meals of Chicken Peppers Pasta
6 Meals of Italian Balsamic Chicken
6 Meals of Pulled Pork Sandwiches
6 Meals of Honey Baked Pork Chops
We also prepped (cut fat off, cut into tenders, and put into 1 lb bags) 18 lbs of chicken and 6 lbs of ground beef or turkey. This will be one meal a week of cooking. This will be for stuff like Chicken Parmesan, Buffalo Chicken Tenders, Chicken with Skillet Gravy, Ginger Chicken Stirfry, Chicken and Dumplings, Goulash, or Homemade Pizza (things that wouldn't freeze well).
With all of this done, I won't have to cook some meals (at least not more than reheating or baking), only will have to make a couple of sides for some meals, have meat prepared to make a full meal once a week, and won't have to grocery shop for meat at all or most of the other ingredients (thus making grocery shopping easier for a big fat pregnant girl).
I am going to post pictures of the process in the next entry.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Freezer Cooking Day #1
Okay so I am exhausted and ready for bed but really happy with what I was able to get done today. I completed 6 meals worth of spaghetti, meatloaf, salisbury steak, sloppy joes, BBQ pork, stuffed peppers, and garlic potato beef bake. This is 54 meals - the meatloaves and salisbury steaks will last two nights once cooked. WOW! That is pretty insane. It was a long day. I started at 10:30 and took a couple of short breaks and a couple of long breaks. My feet and back are aching and I think I could fall asleep right now if I laid down. The kitchen is clean and ready for round 2 tomorrow. I took pictures and will chronicle the whole thing at some point this week when I am not too tired at the end of the day. I will update what I got done tomorrow. I hope this helps others as much as I am praying it will help my family over the next few months.
Freezer Cooking Shopping Trip
After I went through all the recipes and figured out how many I wanted to make (6 full meals of each recipe), I multiplied the ingredients. I went through all of the ingredients and totalled up how many of each I needed overall (ex. 6 lbs of chicken times 10 recipes = 60 lbs chicken).
I then went through my kitchen to see how much I already had and figured up how much I needed from the store. I made my list and we headed to Kroger since they had most of what I needed on super good deal. When we got to the store everything we needed was pretty much on sale (most for a great price).
We started in the produce section:
45 bell peppers, various colors (luckily they were on sale for $1.00 each)
53 onions (on sale for 99c a pound)
2 2-lb bags baby carrots
5 heads garlic
Then we moved onto the packaged stuff:
10 boxes Barilla whole-wheat pasta (on sale for $1.25 each)
6 bags egg noodles (on sale for $1.69 each)
21 jars pasta sauce (on sale for $1.91 each)
1 box instant mashed potatoes (on sale for $1.75)
9 cartons chicken broth (on sale for $1.89 each)
24 cans Cream of Chicken soup (on sale for $1.00 each)
6 cans Cream of Mushroom with Roasted Garlic soup (on sale for $1.50 each)
Breadcrumbs (on sale for $1.39)
Giant thing of honey (on sale for $7.49)
2 Heinz ketchups (on sale for $1.49 each)
6 Heinz beef gravy (on sale for $1.39 each)
Parmesan cheese ($2.37)
Apple cider vinegar (on sale for 79 cents)
Soy sauce (on sale for $1.19)
Balsamic vinegar ($3.39)
2 Kraft BBQ sauces (on sale for $1.00 each)
14 3pk aluminum baking dishes (on sale for $1.00 for 3pk)
4 2pk stuffing mixes ($2.29 each)
1 1pk stuffing mix ($1.29)
Then we went to the cold stuff:
2 18pk eggs (on sale for $1.19 each)
7 bags mozzarella cheese (on sale for $1.50 each)
7 giant bags frozen mixed veggies (on sale for $2.00 each)
44 lbs 93% lean ground turkey ($3.19 a pound)
14 pounds pork chops ($3.79 a pound)
8 pounds pork loin ($1.99 a pound)
62 lbs chicken breasts ($1.99 a pound)
We spent about a hour and a half at the store including a marathon checkout, 3 carts, and help out to our car. When we got home, we spent about 30+ minutes unloading and piling stuff into our fridge and pantry. It was insane. We even had to take stuff up to the mini-fridge on the 3rd floor to make room. It is all ready to go tomorrow. I will blog about how I did it. I might take pictures if I am not too overwhelmed.
In case anyone was wondering, we spent $600 and saved $220 plus the fact that Kroger has decent prices anyways. We also earned $6.00 in a coupon for another trip. So by my calculation if we make 120 meals (a good amount will give us leftovers - some a whole 2nd meal) plus 6 pots of soup for lunch, we are under $5.00 a dish. Not bad. Of course some recipes will still require starch and veggies, but that will keep them under $7.00 with couponed items.
I then went through my kitchen to see how much I already had and figured up how much I needed from the store. I made my list and we headed to Kroger since they had most of what I needed on super good deal. When we got to the store everything we needed was pretty much on sale (most for a great price).
We started in the produce section:
45 bell peppers, various colors (luckily they were on sale for $1.00 each)
53 onions (on sale for 99c a pound)
2 2-lb bags baby carrots
5 heads garlic
Then we moved onto the packaged stuff:
10 boxes Barilla whole-wheat pasta (on sale for $1.25 each)
6 bags egg noodles (on sale for $1.69 each)
21 jars pasta sauce (on sale for $1.91 each)
1 box instant mashed potatoes (on sale for $1.75)
9 cartons chicken broth (on sale for $1.89 each)
24 cans Cream of Chicken soup (on sale for $1.00 each)
6 cans Cream of Mushroom with Roasted Garlic soup (on sale for $1.50 each)
Breadcrumbs (on sale for $1.39)
Giant thing of honey (on sale for $7.49)
2 Heinz ketchups (on sale for $1.49 each)
6 Heinz beef gravy (on sale for $1.39 each)
Parmesan cheese ($2.37)
Apple cider vinegar (on sale for 79 cents)
Soy sauce (on sale for $1.19)
Balsamic vinegar ($3.39)
2 Kraft BBQ sauces (on sale for $1.00 each)
14 3pk aluminum baking dishes (on sale for $1.00 for 3pk)
4 2pk stuffing mixes ($2.29 each)
1 1pk stuffing mix ($1.29)
Then we went to the cold stuff:
2 18pk eggs (on sale for $1.19 each)
7 bags mozzarella cheese (on sale for $1.50 each)
7 giant bags frozen mixed veggies (on sale for $2.00 each)
44 lbs 93% lean ground turkey ($3.19 a pound)
14 pounds pork chops ($3.79 a pound)
8 pounds pork loin ($1.99 a pound)
62 lbs chicken breasts ($1.99 a pound)
We spent about a hour and a half at the store including a marathon checkout, 3 carts, and help out to our car. When we got home, we spent about 30+ minutes unloading and piling stuff into our fridge and pantry. It was insane. We even had to take stuff up to the mini-fridge on the 3rd floor to make room. It is all ready to go tomorrow. I will blog about how I did it. I might take pictures if I am not too overwhelmed.
In case anyone was wondering, we spent $600 and saved $220 plus the fact that Kroger has decent prices anyways. We also earned $6.00 in a coupon for another trip. So by my calculation if we make 120 meals (a good amount will give us leftovers - some a whole 2nd meal) plus 6 pots of soup for lunch, we are under $5.00 a dish. Not bad. Of course some recipes will still require starch and veggies, but that will keep them under $7.00 with couponed items.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
A Crazy Pregnant Woman's Freezer Cooking Idea
So I am almost 18 weeks into my twin pregnancy (which is almost halfway to my goal of 37 weeks gestation) and I have been thinking about freezer cooking. Well a few weeks ago, I went on Craigslist and found an upright freezer for $75 and it just so happened the guy lived in my neighborhood. I went to check it out, it worked, I paid him, and he delivered it in about an hour (faster than a pizza sometimes) ;). Now I had no excuse not to do it since I have a huge freezer sitting out in our garage waiting for me to put stuff in it.
I thought about when I should do the freezer cooking and how many meals I should plan to do. I figured that I should definitely do it in the 2nd trimester and crazily thought, I could do it for a few months. Well a few months has turned into 6 months of meals, that way I don't have to cook for the rest of my pregnancy or the first 6 weeks of the babies' lives.
I decided to try and find as many tried-and-true recipes as I could that would freezer cook so we wouldn't be having the same meals over and over again. I came up with 20 recipes using chicken, ground turkey, and pork that were in all genres (pastas, casseroles, baked marinated meats, and other yummy things) and figured I would make 6 of each. That way we have 5 nights of freezer dinners, a night of leftovers, and order in or go out to eat one night (much like what we do on a normal basis).
I am going to do separate posts with the recipes, shopping trip, and how we did the process of prepping and or cooking the meals for the freezer. I don't want this blog post to be too long. I hope you enjoy seeing it done and glean some tips for your first (or next) freezer cooking experience.
I thought about when I should do the freezer cooking and how many meals I should plan to do. I figured that I should definitely do it in the 2nd trimester and crazily thought, I could do it for a few months. Well a few months has turned into 6 months of meals, that way I don't have to cook for the rest of my pregnancy or the first 6 weeks of the babies' lives.
I decided to try and find as many tried-and-true recipes as I could that would freezer cook so we wouldn't be having the same meals over and over again. I came up with 20 recipes using chicken, ground turkey, and pork that were in all genres (pastas, casseroles, baked marinated meats, and other yummy things) and figured I would make 6 of each. That way we have 5 nights of freezer dinners, a night of leftovers, and order in or go out to eat one night (much like what we do on a normal basis).
I am going to do separate posts with the recipes, shopping trip, and how we did the process of prepping and or cooking the meals for the freezer. I don't want this blog post to be too long. I hope you enjoy seeing it done and glean some tips for your first (or next) freezer cooking experience.
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