Meal Planning to fill your freezer

 As a busy mom, there are many work nights my family would not get a homemade meal if I had not planned ahead. You can find me many Sundays in the kitchen preparing meals for my week and freezer. Some recipes listed are adapted from cookbooks or websites, some are family recipes or recipes I've gotten from friends.  For my chicken recipes I usually cook a chicken breast or get a rotisserie chicken. We have a roast chicken dinner then I boil down the chicken to make my own stock and take the rest of the meat off the bone to use for whatever recipes i have planned for the rest of the week. I also make double of what my husband and I can eat of soups ect and freeze half right away in freezer bags whenever possible because they store better with less freezer burn. I also do the same thing by purchasing hams during the holidays when they are on sale. make one traditional meal and then package the left over ham that I can get off the bone in meal servings and the hock for soup. For things like lasagna, baked ziti, ect. I purchased foil pans so there would be less cleanup and easy freeze so everything was the same size. I would also recommend buying things like chicken thighs, drumsticks and pork ribs. pre cook them in the oven with barbecue sauce then freeze that way your husband can just throw them on the grill to finish them off once thawed, saving you time and mess. I also pre cook ground beef for tacos, sauce, manwich, ect that way once thawed I can cook a quick meal. Chicken breast for salads can also be pre cooked or packaged with seasonings and frozen so they marinate themselves as they thaw and are ready to cook when you are with little prep. Same with italian sausage. I cook it, slice it and freeze it for quick add to sauce or for sausage and peppers. Many people have asked how I have meals all the time Good luck and happy preparing :)

Chicken Pot Pie soup

 

1 box TS perfectly potato soup

Chicken breast- cooked & diced

1 bag frozen mixed veggies

Make soup according to directions on box. Add chicken and frozen veggies and let cook.

 

Chicken & Creamy Wild Rice soup

 

1 box TS wild rice soup mix

chicken breast – cooked & diced

1 pkg presliced baby bella mushrooms

½ leek sliced thin

 

Make soup according to directions on box. In separate pan sauté mushrooms and leek. Add mushroom mixture and chicken to soup and cook

 

Chicken, spinach, mushroom Alfredo

Alfredo sauce- from cook this not that

2 tbsp butter

3 tbsp flour

3 cups milk

2 garlic cloves chopped

2 tsp grated parmasean

pepper to taste

1 lb favorite pasta

Chicken breast diced- cooked

1 box frozen chopped spinach * or substitute kale

1 container baby bella mushrooms sliced thin

½ leek sliced thin

 

Melt butter in sauce-pan over medium-high heat. Whisk in flour & cook for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in milk to prevent lumps. Add garlic and simmer, whisking often for 10-15 minutes or until thickened. Stir in parmesan cheese and season with pepper. keep warm.

 

defrost spinach Cook pasta according to box aldente directions (if using kale, tear off ribs, rip into bite size pieces & add to pasta to wilt as pasta cooks. Saute leek & mushrooms add spinach(if using) and chicken. 

 

Toss with pasta and alfredo. Sprinkle extra parm on top

 

Chicken Cordon bleu bake

1 lb. Pasta (I used penne-you could use any fun shaped pasta)

1 cup Chicken Breasts, cooked and cubed

1 cup Ham, cooked and cubed

1 1/2 cups Milk

8 oz. Cream Cheese (softened)

2 Tbsp. Dried Minced Onion

2 cups Swiss Cheese, shredded

Salt

Pepper

1 cup Panko Crumbs

1/2 cup Butter, melted

 

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over med-high heat. Salt it and add the pasta; cook until al dente (about 11 minutes-I used whole wheat pasta which takes a bit longer than regular pasta). Drain and return to the pot. Add in the chicken and ham and toss to combine.

Preheat the broiler. In a medium saucepan, combine the milk, cream cheese and minced onion over low-medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until it becomes a smooth texture (about 5 minutes). Stir into the pasta mixture. Stir in the Swiss cheese and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Transfer pasta to a baking dish and top with Panko crumbs. Pour melted butter over crumbs and broil until browned (I gave it 4 minutes).

 

Ravioli lasagna

1 ½ lb Italian pork sausage or ground beef ( if want meat lasagna)

1 jar (26 to 28 oz) tomato pasta sauce (any variety)

1 package (25 to 27 1/2 oz) frozen cheese-filled or cheese & spinach ravioli

2 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese (10 oz)

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

 

In 10-inch skillet, cook sausage over medium heat or ground beef, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink; drain. In ungreased 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish, spread 1/2 cup of the pasta sauce. Arrange single layer of frozen ravioli over sauce; evenly pour 1 cup pasta sauce over ravioli. Sprinkle evenly with 1 1/2 cups sausage and 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers with remaining ravioli, pasta sauce and sausage. Cover tightly with foil; refrigerate at least 8 hours but no longer than 24 hours.Heat oven to 350°F. Bake covered 45 minutes. Remove foil; sprinkle with remaining 1 1/2 cups mozzarella and the Parmesan cheese. Bake about 15 minutes longer or until cheese is melted and lasagna is hot in center. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting.

 

Makes 8 servings

Baked Eggplant or Zucchini lasagna

Just like regular lasagna but using either raw zucchini sliced thin lengthwise as noodles or for eggplant slice, bread and “fry” bake in oven with a little olive oil and use eggplant as noodles

 

For filling. Mix together

1 large container rigotta

1 egg

1 lb motzarella shredded

1 tbsp Italian seasoning

1 tsp pepper

 

 

 

Copycat Zuppa Toscana soup

1 lb Italian sausage (I like spicy sausage)

2 large russet baking potatoes, sliced in half, and then in 1/4 inch slices

1 leek sliced thin

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 cups kale or 2 cups swiss chard, chopped

2 (8 ounce) cans chicken broth

1 quart water

1 cup heavy whipping cream

 

Directions: Chop or slice uncooked sausage into small pieces. Brown sausage in your soup pot. Add chicken broth and water to pot and stir. Place leeks, potatoes, and garlic to the pot. Cook until potatoes are soft and pepper to taste. Simmer for another 10 minutes. Turn to low heat.Add kale and cream. Heat through and serve.

 

Chicken & spicy v8 soup

Chicken Cooked & diced

1 large box chicken stock

Any and all veggies that you like in soup (cooked, frozen, canned, fresh) diced small

1 can black beans, rinsed

2 cloves garlic minced

1 large bottle spicy v8

pepper to taste

Add everything together cook until flavors meld and veggies are soft

 

Cheeseburger Skillet Dinner

A fast, fun and slightly adapted Taste of Home recipe.

1 package deluxe macaroni and cheese, the type with the sauce packet (I used Annie’s Creamy Deluxe Shells & Real Aged Cheddar Sauce.)

1-pound ground beef

1/2 cup chopped onion

Dash of seasoning salt

1 package (16 ounces) frozen mixed vegetables (without lima beans)

1/3 cup ketchup

1/4 cup water

1/2 teaspoon prepared mustard

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

Prepare macaroni and cheese according to package directions.

 

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, brown beef with the onion and a dash of seasoning salt, drain. Stir in vegetables, ketchup, water, mustard and garlic powder. Cook until vegetables are crisp-tender, about 10 minutes. Add cheddar cheese and stir until melted. Mix in macaroni and cheese. Season generously with salt and pepper.

Yield: 4-6 servings. Total time 25 minutes.

 

Fritatas

Base

8 eggs

1 c milk

 

 Fillings

 

12 breakfast sausage, cooked & sliced

2 oz cheddar cheese shredded

½ box frozen chopped spinach

½ leek sliced thin

 

or

 

1 c ham

2 oz cheddar cheese shredded

1 c sauted mushrooms

½ leek sliced thin

 

 preheat oven @ 375. place fillings at bottom of oven safe skillet or pan, scramble eggs, and pour over fillings cook for 20 min or toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. remove from oven cool. can freeze whole or in individual servings

 

Pasta fazool

1 stick chorizo or pepperoni. sliced & quartered

2 large containers chicken stock

1 can white beans, drained & rinsed

2 cans diced tomatoes

1 leek sliced thin

4 garlic cloves minced

1 lb dittalini pasta, cooked aldente

 

 put all in large soup pot and cook until flavors meld add cooked pasta right before serving.

 

Split pea & ham

1 lb split peas, rinsed (I like yellow)

8 cups water

1 1/2 lbs smoked ham hocks or smoked pork shanks

2-3 carrots, diced

2 stalks celery, diced

1 onion, chopped

        

In a large soup pot, simmer all ingredients, covered, for 1-1/2 hours. Remove hocks from pot. Allow to cool slightly. Remove meat from hocks. Add meat to soup. Heat through.

 

Ham, Potato & Kale Soup

If you don’t have a hambone to make stock, use 1 L chicken or vegetable stock.

1 ham bone, with meat still on the bone, or a cup or so of chopped leftover roast ham


canola or olive oil, for cooking


1 onion or leek, finely chopped 


2 celery stalks, chopped


 2 carrots, chopped


3-4 garlic cloves, crushed or chopped


3 small thin-skinned potatoes


1 large bunch kale, washed and thinly sliced (discard the ribs)


salt and pepper, to taste

1 can white beans, drained and rinsed

In a pot big enough to accommodate it, cover the ham bone with water and bring to a simmer. Cook for about 30 minutes, then remove the bone and set it aside until it’s coolenough to handle. Pull and cut any meat off the bone and add it to the ham stock.

Meanwhile, heat a drizzle of oil in a heavy pot set over medium-high heat. Sauté the onion for about 5 minutes, until soft. Add the celery, carrot and garlic and cook for another minute or two. Add the ham, stock and bring to a simmer. Cook for about 20 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.

Add the kale and stir; cook for a minute or two, until the kale wilts. Season with salt and pepper and serve hot, topped with freshly grated Parmesan. Serves 4-6.

 

 Chicken Fajitas

Sliced pre cooked chicken

1 bag frozen mixed peppers

½ bag frozen chopped onions

fajita seasoning

tortillas

 

 

Quick Sausage & Peppers

Precooked sliced Italian sweet & hot sausage

1 bag frozen mixed peppers

½ bag frozen shopped peppers

1 can diced tomatoes

 

 Cook in skillet until heated through