November Freezer Meal Post

Hey friends,

Here is the freezer meal post. Sorry its so late. I have been super busy trying to get everything settled in here and Jeff has been out of town the last two weeks in a row so I've been kicking it by myself and haven't really had a lot of "me" time.

It won't be my prettiest post, as I don't have time to embed the links, but you can copy and paste the links from the list I'm posting.

Happy meal planning!

Slow Cooker Black Bean and Corn Salsa Chicken http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/2011/09/slow-cooker-black-bean-and-corn-salsa.html

Chicken Cacciatore http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/2012/09/slow-cooker-freezer-meals-make-8-meals.html

Freezer Chicken Pot Pie http://www.freezerdinner.com/recipes/freezer-chicken-pot-pie/

Slow Cooker Pizza Bake http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/2011/10/slow-cooker-pizza-bake-recipe-freezer.html

Hearty Beef Stew http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/2012/09/slow-cooker-freezer-meals-make-8-meals.html  

Honey Lime Enchiladas

Most Amazing Pork Chops Ever http://crockingirls.com/recipes/most-amazing-pork-chops-ever/

Cream Cheese Chicken http://fabulesslyfrugal.com/fabuless-freezer-cooking-cream-cheese/

Boneless Country Style Ribs http://happymoneysaver.com/boneless-country-style-bbq-ribs-slow-cooker-freezer-meal/

Honey Garlic Chicken http://www.mommysfabulousfinds.com/2013/06/crock-pot-honey-garlic-chicken.html

Crock Pot chicken and Sweet Potatoes http://www.mommysfabulousfinds.com/2013/06/crock-pot-chicken-sweet-potatoes.html

Pineapple Chicken Burritos http://www.mommysfabulousfinds.com/2013/10/easy-crock-pot-freezer-meals-2.html

Lasagna

Stroganoff http://www.365daysofcrockpot.com/2013/02/slow-cooker-freezer-meal-idea-beef.html

4 Week Meal Plan- Freezer Meal Prep

So...
You've come home with your 2 carts full of groceries all bagged and you look at everything and think:

"Holy cow! I totally can't do this!"

But YES, you can!

Your mantra as you work is, "Just think about all the time I'll save this month by NOT having to chop veggies and mix ingredients. I just may have time to__(insert your reward here)___."

I read several articles on how to streamline meal prep. After picking and choosing the tips that seemed to make the most sense to me, I came up with a system and I am going to share it now.  Just be aware that YES it is going to take time- it took me 3 1/2 hours- my husband took little diva duty while I did some of the prep, and then we realized that it was definitely naptime, and she slept the rest of the time.

I know what you're asking? What can I do to make the meal prep time the most efficient and as quick as it can be?

Well, it takes preparation...yes, that's right, it takes some planning- but the planning is well worth it.

Go through all your freezer meals, make a list as you go of commonly used vegetables like onions, and peppers (whatever) and make a little hash mark for every time you need to chop some for a recipe, or make two columns for chop and slice...

Ex: Onions
Chop:  (hash marks) slice: (hash mark)

Do the same for your meats, like if you need to cube or slice a steak or a piece of chicken (its easier to do it now than after its been frozen)

If you already have your containers or freezer bags that you're going to put your meals in, take time to write the Menu item (i.e. label what is in the bag) and label how its supposed to be cooked and any special instructions.  If your bags are all labeled and prepped, it will take a large portion of time out of your prep.

On prep day make sure you have all your recipes categorized, and at your disposal for you as you're putting things together. Also, make sure you have a shelf cleaned out on your freezer for all the bags/tupperwares that you will be freezing after prep. Remember, the bags can always be readjusted later, so don't worry too much if one shelf seems overflowing. It will only be for one night. :)

Chop your veggies first! You can either keep them in piles on your counter or put them in bowls (worst case scenario you rinse them and throw them in the dishwasher- it shouldn't be too hard.) If your veggies are already chopped you can just grab a handful, or your desired amount, and throw it into the bag as you put things together. Also, have a "garbage bowl", just pick out a big bowl that you can toss tops and peels into. It will make things much faster and easier to clean up because you'll only have to take one trip to the garbage, as opposed to having to stop every time you chop something to make room and clean up to take care of something else.

Prepare your meals in categories- I recommend starting with your chicken. Put whole breasts (thighs...whatever) into bags first then dice up a big pile (if your recipes call for it) and divide it among the bags that call for diced. Then move to your beef and do the same. Then make the sauces that are supposed to cover the meats and veggies- END with your ground beef recipes- many of the freezer ground  beef recipes I've found require mixing the raw meat with various elements (like crock pot meat loaf or sloppy joes.) If you're smart, you'll only need one bowl for all the sauces and mixing the meat at the end. You'll just have to rinse it out between uses. This will make clean up easier, and keep you focused on one menu item at a time so you don't forget anything.

Make sure the seals on bags are solidly closed and lay your bags FLAT for the first night. They will turn into little flat bricks and then you can maneuver them to make more room in your freezer for other stuff later- a frozen flat bag is easier to stack like a library book in the freezer than one that has had everything settle into the bottom like a glob.  Be sure to put bags with lots of liquid on the top to avoid leakage due to too much weight being on top of them. I would even suggest folding the top of the really liquid filled bags over so that as other bags lay on top of them there is an extra layer of "protection" to prevent leaks.

Finally- put a list of the freezer meals that you've made up on your fridge so you can mark it off as you use it.  The freezer meals should be good for 3-6 months, and it will be good to keep an inventory so you don't find a freezer burnt mess that you've forgotten later on.

So...that's how I did it.  If I remember anything else special that I did while prepping my freezer meals I will be sure to edit this post, but I covered all the important stuff.

Happy "cooking"!

Hugs and Loves until next time darlings!

4 Week Meal Plan- 30 Minute and Easy Meals.

Yesterday I posted my 4 week meal plan with the crock pot freezer meal recipes. Today I went through the rest of my meals and (except for 3 of them because they are recipes that I've either made up or have memorized) I wrote out the recipes and found other freezer prep that you can do as you make the crock pot meals to make your life even easier.  So...here are a few more recipes for you to try and enjoy! Happy table time! :)

Beef Meals:

Skillet Garlic Meatballs: Mix 1 lbs ground beef, 1 egg, 1/4 c breadcrumbs, 3 TBS parmesan cheese, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper. Form into 16-24 balls. Bake in 400 degree oven for 15-20 minutes.  Allow to cool slightly, pour into a freezer safe tupperware or a gallon freezer bag. Label: Defrost in fridge overnight. Add 4 red potatoes chopped, 1 small bag frozen green beans, 1 can stewed tomatoes, and 3 cloves garlic minced. Simmer covered, stirring occasionally until potatoes are tender. Serve with extra parmesan on top if desired.

Texas Goulash: mix in a bag 1 lbs ground beef, 1/2 onion chopped  Label: Brown Ground Beef and Onion Mixture. Add 1 can diced tomatoes, 1 small bag frozen corn, 3 TBS chili powder, 1 TBS sugar, 1tsp oregano, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper. Can be served over Fritos, or with them stirred in. For extra flare pour Fritos over the top and sprinkle with cheese and bake 350 degree oven for 10 minutes or until cheese is bubbling. Serve with sour cream to stir in and salsa (if desired.)

Country Bean Casserole: mix in bag 1/2 lbs ground beef, 1/2 lbs bacon chopped, and 1 c chopped onion. Label: Defrost and brown meat mixture. Add 1 can pork and beans, 1and 3/4 c frozen lima beans (or 1 can), 1 can kidney beans, 1/2 c ketchup, 1/2 c brown sugar, 1 tsp salt, 1 TBS dry mustard, 2 tsp vinegar. Pour into prepared casserole dish. Bake 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes.

Skillet Shepherds Pie: (No Freezer Prep for this one- sorry!) Boil 3 medium russet potatoes and mash with 2 tbs butter and 1/4 milk or half and half.  While potatoes are boiling, brown 1 lbs ground beef with minced onion, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir in 1/4 c flour and 1 small can tomato paste. Mix well and add 1 c Beef Broth, 1 and 1/2 tsp parsley, 2 tsp worcestershire sauce, and 2 cups mixed veggies. Simmer until mixture is thick and heated through. Add more salt and pepper to taste if needed. Serve with Mashed potatoes over the top and cheese (if desired)

Calzones:  Prepare Pizza Sauce for freezer prep- or you can buy a can premade, but why buy it when it tastes so much better homemade?- 1 can tomato sauce, 1 can tomato paste, 1 tsp sugar, 1 tsp oil, 1/4 tsp lemon juice, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp oregano, 1/8 tsp basil, 1/8 tsp parsley,  and 1/4 tsp garlic powder. Simmer together for 15-20 minutes. Allow to cool a bit and store in a quart freezer bag. Recipe: Brown  3/4 lbs ground beef w/ chopped onion to taste, and 2 cloves minced garlic.  Add in pizza sauce.  Cut pizza dough (prepared by you or a store or whatever...) into squares and spoon meat mixture onto the middle. Top with mozzarella cheese and fold over to form a triangle. Seal the sides and poke the top with a fork. Bake 400 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until pizza dough is golden brown.

Bacon Stuffed Hamburger Patties: in a bag mix 1 lbs ground beef, 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp pepper, 2 tbs steak sauce, 1egg and 1/2 c breadcrumbs. Label: Divide into 16 patties, place cooked, chopped bacon into the middle of one patty and cover with another and seal. Grill until well done (about 9 minutes each side)  Serve with Sauteed mushrooms and onions on top and steak sauce on the side.

Chicken Recipes:

Bacon, Chicken and Cheese Quesadillas: In a quart bag mix 2 chicken breasts, diced and 1/2 package of bacon chopped with 1/2 onion sliced. Label: Defrost overnight, Brown together seasoning with 1 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp chili powder, 1/4 tsp cayenne, and salt to taste. Place on tortilla shell and sprinkle with cheese. Grill on each side until cheese is melted and tortilla is lightly browned. Serve with ranch dressing, salsa, and guacamole for dipping (depending on your desire.)

Baked Ranch Chicken: (the only pre-prep you could do here is to make your own ranch dressing mix, but if you're hesitant, go ahead and buy a premade packet.) Recipe: Mix 1 c breadcrumbs with ranch dressing packet in a bowl or baggie.  Dredge chicken in melted butter.  Coat with the breadcrumb mix. Bake 350 degrees for 45 min or until no longer pink.

Pork/Ham Recipes: 

Crock Pot Ham and Ranch Potatoes: (again the only pre-prep you could do would be to make your own ranch dressing mix)  quarter 2 lbs red potatoes, Pour a 16 oz package of diced ham (juices and all) over the top of the potatoes. Dice 1 package of cream cheese and put on the top, and sprinkle with 1 c cheese. Cook 6-7 hours on low or until potatoes are tender.

Vegetarian Meals:

Spaghetti Squash Marinara (Makes 2 VERY LARGE servings- in fact, could easily serve 4) Freezer Prep: Slice 1 Zuchinni and 1 Yellow Squash. Put into quart freezer bag with 1/2 bag frozen broccoli. 

Recipe: Slice 1 Spaghetti Squash in half. Boil until tender. Take out the seeds and throw away, then use a fork to get the flesh of the squash. Reserve the shells.  Melt 3 TBS butter in a fry pan large enough for the spaghetti squash. Sautee the squash and add your prefrozen vegetables. Pour in half a pint (jar, can, etc...we make our own freezer pasta sauce and store it in pints.) of spaghetti squash and 1 can of diced tomatoes (drained).  Simmer together and heat the rest of the spaghetti sauce separately. Put Spaghetti Squash mixture back in the shell and top with cheese of choice (be it mozzarella or cheddar, it depends on what you have in the house and what you like.) Bake 350 degrees until cheese is bubbling. Pour the rest of the pasta sauce over the top and serve. 

For good measure, I'm going to throw in the Ranch Dressing Mix recipe that I use, in case you want to save a few bucks. :)

3 TBS Onion Powder

2 and 1/2 tsp Paprika

1 TBS parsley flakes

2 tsp salt

2 tsp sugar

2 tsp pepper

1 and 1/2 tsp garlic powder

Mix well and store in airtight container. Can be stored for up to 12 months. use 1 TBS for every 8 oz of liquid.  The recipes above will need roughly 2 TBS. :)

Happy meal planning!

Hugs and loves until next time darlings!

4 Week Meal Plan- Freezer Meals

Last week and this week mark my first expedition into the world of the magical 4 week meal plan... I usually only plan for 2 weeks, but my loving husband asked that I attempt the whole month in an attempt to thwart us eating out when I'm tired (and we've been doing that more than I'd like to admit.)  We usually eat out for pretty cheap, but the reality is that no matter where you're eating out, you can never eat out for as cheaply as you can make it at home, and it will always be healthier to eat at home.

I love to cook. It makes me sad that this pregnancy has basically left me exhausted (well, this pregnancy coupled with keeping up with a 6 month old who has no problem with being the princess and demanding all of my free time.) It makes me sad because I know that there is nothing more satisfying for me than being in the kitchen.

So... I'm getting back into it, and purposely planned a lot of freezer crock pot meals so that all I have to do is pull out a gallon ziplock from the fridge the night before I need it and plop it into the crock pot the next morning.   We haven't had our shopping trip yet (we don't get paid until tomorrow) but I'm hoping that the tips I've found online to help economize will make things cheaper...and the beauty is that except for a run for milk and possibly cereal here and there, all our shopping will be done for the month...which means we will save money because we won't be running to the store for random things at random times.

I made it a point to plan 1 vegetarian meal for each week. Obviously, if you're not eating meat, you're not paying for it.  To be honest, these are the nights I'm most excited for. I'm back on a veggie kick (likely pregnancy cravings, but I will be honest and say that I go through periods where I just don't crave meat at all...in fact, the summer before I married Jeff, with the exception of a few meals I was completely a vegetarian- not for any social reasons, just because I really didn't want meat. The honest to goodness truth- I will eat a really good black bean burger over a hamburger any day)

I also used a lot of "cheaper" meats like chicken (which is around $2.28 a pound at the grocery store we usually shop at, but, as always, I will be checking ads to see if its on sale cheaper somewhere else) and ground beef.  

I'm going to go ahead and post the 4 weeks of meals, but for right now, I'm only going to post how to put together the freezer meals (as I spent the majority of the afternoon planning my prep day and took the time to write them all out....) I will post the other recipes as we use them if they're any good...mostly because when I cook I always find something I want to tweak or some way I want to change the recipe to make my tastebuds happy....

So...here are 4 weeks worth of meals (I plan on mixing it up...I tried to vary what we were eating in this particular list, but let's face it, sometimes you just aren't in the mood for what was planned for that particular evening.) I will put an asterisk next to the freezer meals that I am posting the recipes for.

1. Crock Pot Chicken and Wild Rice *

2. Skillet Garlic Meatball Dinner

3. Parmesan Dijon Chicken

4. Spaghetti Squash and Vegetable Marinara

5. Texas Goulash

6. Ham and Ranch Potatoes (a crock pot meal, but as potatoes don't really freeze well, it will be prepped day of.)

7. Honey Catalina Chicken *

1. Penne Pasta Zuppa *

2. Country Bean Casserole

3. Crock Pot Philly Cheesesteak *

4. Chicken Pesto Pasta

5. Skillet Shepherds Pie

6. Cream Cheese Stroganoff *

7. Bacon, Chicken, and Cheese Quesadillas

1. Slow Cooker 7 Up Chicken and Rice *

2. Baked Ranch Chicken

3. Crock Pot Stuffed Peppers *

4. Crock Pot Ratatouille *

5. Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo

6. Slow Cooker Meat Loaf *

7. Chicken Cacciatore *

1. Crock Pot Sloppy Joes *

2. Basil Chicken *

3. Swiss Steak with Onion and Mushroom *

4. Calzones

5. Bacon Stuffed Hamburger Patties

6. Teriyaki Chicken *

7. Crock Pot Lemon Chicken *

Freezer Recipes:  Just take it out the night before so it will be thawed enough to go in the crock pot. (Bear in mind that these are adjusted for 2 people; however, many of them would serve 4 with a single serving or 2 adults and some small children. :)  Adjust accordingly.) 

Chicken Recipes:

Crock Pot Chicken and Rice- Mix 1 can cream of chicken soup with 1 package of onion soup mix, 1/2 TBS of Parsley, 3/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper. Pour over 2 diced boneless skinless chicken breasts in a Gallon freezer bag. Label should say: Place 1 small box wild rice mix in bottom of crock pot,  and pour  contents over the top. Cook on Low 8 hours 

Honey Catalina Chicken- Pour 1/2 bottle of Honey Catalina dressing over 2 chicken breasts in a gallon freezer bag. Label: Cook on Low 8 hours

7 up Chicken and Rice- Mix one 12 oz can of 7 up (or generic knock off....)with 1 can cream of chicken soup. Pour over 2 diced chicken breasts  in a bag.  Label: Cook 3 hours on low, add 1 cup rice and 1/4 cup chicken broth. Cook 3-4 more hours on low.

Chicken Cacciatore- 1/2 onion sliced, 3/4 c baby carrots, 4 mushrooms quartered, 2 chicken breasts diced, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper, 1 pint of spaghetti sauce. Label: Cook on low 4-6 hours

Basil Garlic Chicken- 2 chicken breasts, 1 c baby carrots, 3 stalks celery diced, 1 onion sliced.  Label: Place 3-4 chopped red potatoes in the bottom of crock pot. Add contents of pack and 3/4 c chicken broth mixed with 1 tsp Garlic powder, 1 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper, 1 TBS basil. Cook on Low 8 hours.

Teriyaki Chicken- Mix 1/4 c soy sauce, 1 c water, 1/2 tsp ginger, 3 TBS Brown Sugar, 1 clove garlic chopped or minced, and 1 TBS cornstarch mixed in 1/4 c cold water. Set aside. Put 2 diced chicken breasts, 1 c baby carrots, 1/2 onion sliced, 2 chopped cloves of garlic, and 1 can of pineapple undrained into a bag. Pour sauce mix over the top.  Label: Cook on Low 8 hours, serve over rice

Crock Pot Lemon Chicken-  Mix 1/4 c Dijon Mustard, 1/2 c lemon juice, and 1/2 c chicken broth. Pour over 1 onion sliced, 3 cloves garlic chopped, 2 chicken breasts diced in a gallon bag.  Label: Cook on Low 8 hours, add 1/3 c half and half in the last half hour of cooking. Serve over noodles or rice.

Beef Freezer Meals: ( Some of these couldn't be adjusted for 2 people, so they will easily serve a family of 4-6 -or more- comfortably) 

Philly Cheesesteak- 2 steaks sliced thin, 1 onion sliced, 1 bell pepper sliced. Label: Add  1 TBS butter, 1/2 c Beef Stock mixed with 1/2 tsp pepper, and 1 TBS garlic powder. Cook on Low 6-8 hours. Serve over hoagie or Kaiser Rolls with provolone (or desired) cheese and mayo/miracle whip.

Cream Cheese Stroganoff- Cube 2 steaks, add 1/2 onion chopped, and 8 oz of cream cheese cubed. Mix 1 can cream of mushroom soup, 2 TBS worcestershire sauce, 1/4 c beef broth, and 1/4 tsp garlic salt. Pour over steak and onions in the bag.  Label: Cook on Low 6-8 hours.

Stuffed Peppers- Combine 1lbs raw ground beef with 1 cup rice, 1/2 onion chopped, 1 carrot shredded, 1/2 tsp salt, 1tsp worcestershire, 1/2 tsp pepper, 1 can tomato sauce. This will stuff 6 peppers; however, if you don't need 6, you can stuff the number you want and store the rest. Stuff them 2/3 full so the rice will have room to expand.  Label: Top with 1 can tomato sauce. Cook on Low 6-8 hours.

Meatloaf- Combine 1 lbs raw ground beef with 1 egg, 1/2 c breadcrumbs, 8 oz tomato sauce, 3 TBS onion chopped, 3 TBS bell pepper chopped, 3 TBS celery chopped, 2 TBS seasoned salt,  3 tsp parsley.  Label: place in a greased crock pot shaped in loaf, not allowing it to touch the sides. Top with mixture of  1/2 c ketchup, 4 TBS Brown Sugar, 4 TBS vinegar, 1 TBS mustard powder.  Cook on high 1 hour then move to low for 6-8 hours.

Slow Cooker Sloppy Joes- Mix 1 lbs raw ground beef with 1/2 onion chopped, 2-3 stalks celery diced, 1/2 bell pepper diced, 1 can tomato sauce, 1/4 c ketchup, 1/4 c barbecue sauce, 1 TBS brown sugar, 1 tsp dry mustard, 1 tsp chili powder, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 TBS worcestershire sauce, 1 TBS vinegar. Label: pour into greased crock pot, cook on low 4-6 hours stirring as needed to keep ingredients mixed.

Swiss Steak- 2 steaks, 4 mushrooms quartered, 1 onion sliced. Mix 3/4 c beef broth with 1 and 1/2 tsp paprika, 1/4 c apple juice, 2 TBS parsley.  Label: Cook 8-10 hours on low. Add 1/4 c half and half mixed with 1 TBS corn starch  20 minutes before end and stir in to thicken juices.

Vegetarian Freezer Meals:

Penne Pasta Zuppa- 1 can white beans or kidney beans, 2 diced yellow squash, 2 tomatoes diced, 1 onion diced, 3/4 c carrots diced, 1/2 bag frozen green beans, 2 cloves garlic chopped. Label: Add 4 c. chicken or beef broth mixed with 1 tsp oregano, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper.  Cook 2 hours on high, then 6 hours on low. Add pasta and more water if necessary to cover during the last 30 minutes of cooking time or until pasta is tender.  Serve sprinkled with parmesan cheese.

Ratatouille- 1/2 onion chopped, 2 cloves garlic chopped, 1 small eggplant diced, 1/2 red pepper diced, 1/2 green pepper diced, 1 zuchinni diced, 1 small can tomato paste, 1 can chick peas, 1 can diced tomatoes undrained, 1 tsp basil, 1/2 tsp oregano, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper.  Label: Cook on Low 4-6 hours, serve over rice

Happy Eating! :)