Thursday, August 29, 2013

More Freezer Foods



Okay, here is the list I keep on my fridge of all the dinners for one and a half to two months (we eat with my husband's family once a week, we eat out once a week, and maybe with my family every other week). I fill in the little bubbles as we eat them. There are two bubbles, because I have two of everything made (or on hand). 


list hanging on fridge

August-September Cooking List
O O Sloppy Joes: French Fries, Fruit Salad
O O Spaghetti: Bread, Salad
O O Nachos: Chips, Taco meat, Queso, and the fixins
O O Meatloaf muffins: Corn on the Cob, Baked Beans
O O Beef Fajitas: Tortillas, Sour Cream, Queso, Chips Salsa
O O Frito Pie: Chili, Fritos, and the fixins
O O Hamburger(Grilled): French Fries, Fruit Salad
O O Steak(Grilled): Corn, Baked Beans
O O Hot Dogs(Grilled): Chips, Fruit Salad
O O Lasagna: Bread, Salad
O O Sweet BBQ Chicken: Mac and Cheese, Fruit Salad
O O Teriyaki Chicken: Couscous, Stirfry veggies
O O Creamy Italian Chicken: Salad, Bread
O O Honey Garlic Chicken: Rolls, Green Beans, Fruit Salad
O O Balsamic Glazed Drumsticks: Couscous, Broccoli
O O Applesauce BBQ Chicken: Mac and Cheese, Fruit Salad

 Here is my freezer. Top shelf (you can't see) has my steaks and hamburger meat. The next shelf has one of each frozen meal (at least the ones we haven't eaten). The third shelf also has one of each meal. The bottom shelf is Adam's lunch shelf. I also like to by those long french loaves of bread from the bakery and split them in thirds and freeze them. They defrost super quick and easy to turn into a side.The door and bottom bin has my frozen veggies.


Easy frozen beef dishes:

Spaghetti: Nothing fancy here just spaghetti packet, ground beef, and tomato sauce and stuff.... Adam doesn't care for the jarred stuff as much.

Taco meat: same thing pretty basic, just seasonings and beef.

Beef fajitas: This is my only beef recipe where the meat is not cooked ahead of time. Cut the beef (skirt or flank steak) into strips, some fajita seasoning(I split my recipes in two so I put 1/2 packet in each bag, 1/2 to 3/4 cup water (per freezer meal), slice up a couple bell peppers (I like two use to different colors) and toss them in the bag(s), and slice up an onion and toss that in too. That's it!  Super Easy!


Chili for Frito Pie:
  • 2 pounds Ground Beef
  • 3 cloves Garlic, Minced (optional)
  • 1 can Tomato Sauce
  • 1 can Ro-tel
  • 1/2 teaspoon Salt
  • 1 teaspoon Ground Oregano
  • 1 Tablespoon Ground Cumin
  • 2 Tablespoons Chili Powder
  • 1 can (14-ounce) Kidney Beans, Drained And Rinsed
  • 1/4 cup Masa (corn Flour) Or Regular Corn Meal
  • 1/2 cup Warm Water

Preparation Instructions

Brown ground beef with garlic in a pot over medium-high heat. Add tomato sauce, Rotel, salt, oregano, cumin, and chili powder. Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 30 minutes.

Add drained and rinsed beans. Stir to combine, then cover and simmer for another 20 minutes.
Mix masa with water, then add to the chili. Stir to combine and simmer for a final 10 to 15 minutes.

Let cool, bag, and the freeze. Took reheat, I left mine thaw out on the counter, run under warm water, or overnight it in the fridge till dinner time the next day and then pour it into a pot and warm it up.


Sloppy Joes:
  • 2 Tablespoons Butter
  • 2-1/2 pounds Ground Beef
  • 1/2 whole Large Onion, Diced
  • 1 whole Large Green Bell Pepper, Diced
  • 5 cloves Garlic, Minced
  • 1-1/2 cup Ketchup
  • 1 cup Water
  • 2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
  • 2 teaspoons Chili Powder
  • 1 teaspoon Dry Mustard
  • 1/2 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
  • Worcestershire Sauce, To Taste
  • Salt To Taste
  • Freshly Ground Black Pepper, To Taste

Preparation Instructions

Add butter to a large skillet or dutch oven over medium high heat. Add ground beef and cook until brown. Drain most of the fat and discard.
Add onions, green pepper, and garlic. Cook for a few minutes, or until vegetables begin to get soft.
Add ketchup, brown sugar, chili pepper, dry mustard, and water. Stir to combine and simmer for 15 minutes, adding salt and pepper to taste. Also add Worcestershire.

Really there are so many things that you could freeze (soups, stews, casseroles, enchiladas, just browned meat, or grilled chicken patties...). This are just some of the meals that my pretty picky family enjoys.

Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Easy Chicken Freezer Meals

So I started freezing meals a couple months back now and it has been a HUGE hit in my house.

Pros:
1). We end up saving money. I always had a bad habit of food spoiling before I ever cooked it... now that is not a problem anymore. We also don't end up eating out as often, because there is delicious easily made food at home.
2). It makes dinner so easy. I am not a big fan of cooking, so I never looked forward to cooking dinner, but now I can honestly say I kind of enjoy it. Super easy to throw a freezer meal in the oven and whip up a few easy sides and wait for Adam to get home and mmmm over how delicious it is.



Tips:
For all of these recipes I split them in half to make two meals out of them. 

I like to label all of the bags first. Then open them up by rolling the lip of the bag outwards so the bags sit open on the counter (I hope that made sense). Next, I fill the bags with all the ingredients except meat. I save the meat for last because it saves on clean up time. Seal bags, pressing the air out, and then freeze laying flat.

When ready to cook I listed both the traditional crock-pot method and my method. I am not a huge fan of chicken in the crock-pot, so I cook mine in the oven. I thaw the meat out enough to pour it in a pyrex dish and then cook at 400 degrees till cooked (I use a meat thermometer to check doneness). To thaw the meat you can set it out for awhile, run it under warm water, or set it in the fridge the night before.

Here are the chicken dishes I made today:



Chicken Dishes
Teriyaki Chicken:
Ingredients:
   6-8 Bonesless, Skinless Chicken Thighs
   1 Cup Teriyaki Sauce
   1 Cup Water
   2/3 Cup Brown Sugar
   3 Cloves Garlic
   A few slices of of Ginger (I just use Ginger a la McCormick) 
Preparation Instructions:
Add all ingredients to a Freezer Gallon Ziplock Bag!  Don’t stress about trimming up the Chicken Thighs too much, it’s really not needed!  One of the reasons I love crockpotting Chicken Thighs is because the fat melts and only adds to the taste!!  Once bag is closed with all the air out use your hands to mix all the ingredients and make sure the Thighs are sitting in a good sauce!!
To cook:
Take the Freezer Meal out of the Freezer and hour before starting OR run it under some room temperature water for about 30 seconds.  Dump meal in the Crockpot and cook on Low for 4-6 hours!
OR
My preferred method is to thaw the meal enough to pour contents of the bag into the a pyrex dish and then bake at 400 till done (time varies on how thawed the chicken was … yay for meat thermometers).

Creamy Italian Chicken(Just made this one haven't tried it):
Ingredients:
   4-6 Chicken Breasts
   8 oz Cream Cheese
   1 Can of Cream of Chicken
   1 Dry Packet of Italian Seasoning
Preparation Instructions:
Take softened Cream Cheese, Cream of Chicken and Italian Seasoning and mix together in a bowl.  Take cleaned chicken and place in a Freezer Gallon Ziplock Bag and top with the mixture.  After Ziplock bag is closed, take your hands and push wet mixture to cover chicken.
To cook: Take the Freezer Meal out of the Freezer and hour before starting OR run it under some room temperature water for about 30 seconds.  Dump meal in the a Crockpot and cook on Low for 4-6 hours!
OR
My preferred method is to thaw the meal enough to pour contents of the bag into the a pyrex dish and then bake at 400 till done (time varies on how thawed the chicken was … yay for meat thermometers).

Crock-pot Honey Garlic Chicken:

Ingredients:
   Chicken (I use thighs and drumsticks, but you can use whatever)
   5 garlic cloves chopped
   1 tsp. oregano
   3/4 cup soy sauce
    1/4 cup ketchup
    1/2 cup spicy honey bbq sauce
    1/3 cup honey
    pinch of salt
    dash of pepper
Preparation Instructions:
Add all ingredients to a Freezer Gallon Ziplock Bag!   Once bag is closed with all the air out use your hands to mix all the ingredients and make sure the chicken are sitting in a good sauce!!
To cook: Take the Freezer Meal out of the Freezer and hour before starting OR run it under some room temperature water for about 30 seconds.  Dump meal in the a Crockpot and cook on Low for 4-6 hours!
OR
My preferred method is to thaw the meal enough to pour contents of the bag into the a pyrex dish and then bake at 400 till done (time varies on how thawed the chicken was … yay for meat thermometers).


Crockpot Applesauce BBQ Chicken:
Ingredients:
    4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
    1/2 t ground pepper
    2/3 cup chunky applesauce
    2/3 cup BBQ sauce (I used Brown Sugar/Hickory)
    2 T brown sugar
    1 t chili powder
Preparation Instructions:
Add all ingredients to a Freezer Gallon Ziplock Bag!   Once bag is closed with all the air out use your hands to mix all the ingredients and make sure the chicken are sitting in a good sauce!!
To cook: Take the Freezer Meal out of the Freezer and hour before starting OR run it under some room temperature water for about 30 seconds.  Dump meal in the a Crockpot and cook on Low for 4-6 hours!
OR
My preferred method is to thaw the meal enough to pour contents of the bag into the a pyrex dish and then bake at 400 till done (time varies on how thawed the chicken was … yay for meat thermometers).

  
Crockpot Balsamic Glazed Drumsticks: 
Ingredients:
8 chicken drumsticks
3 tablespoons coconut oil (olive oil would work too!)
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons tamari (or soy sauce if you're not GF)
1 tablespoon honey
Preparation Instructions:
Add all ingredients to a Freezer Gallon Ziplock Bag!   Once bag is closed with all the air out use your hands to mix all the ingredients and make sure the chicken are sitting in a good sauce!!
To cook: Take the Freezer Meal out of the Freezer and hour before starting OR run it under some room temperature water for about 30 seconds.  Dump meal in the a Crockpot and cook on Low for 4-6 hours!
OR
My preferred method is to thaw the meal enough to pour contents of the bag into the a pyrex dish and then bake at 400 till done (time varies on how thawed the chicken was … yay for meat thermometers).


Sweet BBQ Chicken:
Ingredients:
   4-6 Chicken Breasts
   12 oz bottle of BBQ Sauce
   1/2 Cup Brown Sugar (I like mine really sweet, so I’ll usually do a little bit more then this)
   1/4 Cup Vinegar
   1/8 teaspoon of Cayenne Pepper
   1 tsp Garlic Powder
Preparation Instructions:
Add all ingredients to a Freezer Gallon Ziplock Bag!   Once bag is closed with all the air out use your hands to mix all the ingredients and make sure the chicken are sitting in a good sauce!!
To cook: Take the Freezer Meal out of the Freezer and hour before starting OR run it under some room temperature water for about 30 seconds.  Dump meal in the a Crockpot and cook on Low for 4-6 hours!
OR
My preferred method is to thaw the meal enough to pour contents of the bag into the a pyrex dish and then bake at 400 till done (time varies on how thawed the chicken was … yay for meat thermometers).


If anyone has any good recipes please share. I'll post my other recipes later. Enjoy!