Another meal that we made for the freezer during our freezer cooking marathon session was Broccoli Rice Chicken Casserole. I got the recipe from MoneySavingMom:
http://moneysavingmom.com/2012/05/4-weeks-to-fill-your-freezer-chicken-broccoli-rice-casserole-day-14.html
The only change we made was adding some onions. We had some extras from the other recipes.
This recipe was super easy to throw to together and freeze. We used a rice cooker to cook the rice and just threw the ingredients in the bag and mixed it (kinda) in the bag. Then in the freezer!
Verdict: Super easy to make and freeze. So far this is my favorite from the freezer dish as well. It reheated nicely and was delicious. I think this will make the rotation in the future for freezer meals. I also want to possibly freeze this recipe in muffin tins to use for potato toppings!
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Guest Post!
Check out my guest post over on Money Saving Mom:
http://moneysavingmom.com/2013/03/9-tips-to-simplify-freezer-cooking.html
I'm not sure if you've seen this blog before, but it's definitely one of my favorites! There are good deal, and coupon alerts plus recipes, freezer cooking, meal planning! There's a little bit of everything and it's updated often!
Check it out!
http://moneysavingmom.com/2013/03/9-tips-to-simplify-freezer-cooking.html
I'm not sure if you've seen this blog before, but it's definitely one of my favorites! There are good deal, and coupon alerts plus recipes, freezer cooking, meal planning! There's a little bit of everything and it's updated often!
Check it out!
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Beef Enchiladas
Beef Enchiladas - Freezer Friendly Recipe
6-8 servings
Ingredients:
1 lb lean ground beef
1 medium onion, diced
1 pkg Taco Seasoning (or make your own)
1 small can green chile, chopped
1 8 oz can green chile salsa
12 corn tortillas
1 lb shredded cheese, Monterey Jack
water, for taco seasoning
Sauce:
1 15 oz can red enchilada sauce
1 15 oz can green enchilada sauce
1/3 c sour cream
3 T milk
Method:
Brown meat with onion. Mix in taco seasoning per directions. (I always use less than recommended water because I think it takes entirely too long for all the water to evaporate). Add green chiles and green chile salsa. Mix well, cover and simmer on low heat for 15 minutes.
Sauce: combine both enchilada sauces, sour cream and milk in a medium bowl. Mix well until blended.
Assembly: In a 9x13 pan (lined with foil and plastic wrap if freezing), pour 3/4 c of sauce on bottom of pan. Layer with tortillas. Top with half of meat mixture. Sprinkle with cheese. Place another layer of tortillas. Top with rest of meat mixture. Sprinkle with cheese. Pour remaining sauce over top and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Cool completely before freezing.
Thaw completely before serving. Bake at 350F for 18 - 20 minutes or until heated through. Serve with desired toppings (tomatoes, lettuce, guacamole).
Verdict:
This was a labor intensive meal for our freezer cooking session. Trying to drain the fat off the beef was very difficult (we browned 7 lbs!). Then we had trouble with the liner method (see below). Then lastly we actually had to assemble the enchilada.
We haven't thawed this meal out yet so I can't so how it tastes. The other families have eaten theirs and they both said it's a yummy dish.
Liner Method for Freezer:
Take your casserole dish (I recommend an 8x8). Place a layer of foil in the dish, making sure there is extra on the ends to cover the top of the dish. Next place a layer of plastic wrap, the same length of the foil. (If using a larger dish, consider laying a second piece of plastic wrap perpendicular to the first one and foil). Assemble your enchilada. Wrap the plastic wrap and foil around the enchilada.
Freeze enchilada (after allowing to cool), in the baking dish (and plastic wrap and foil). After the dish is frozen, remove the casserole dish. Return foil encased enchilada to freezer.
This method is useful so you don't lose a casserole dish in your freezer for a few months.
When you are ready to eat, thaw out the enchiladas somewhat and remove the foil and plastic wrap (the goal is that the enchiladas are frozen enough to keep it's shape/not make a mess, but thawed enough that you can get the plastic away/off the meal - it's tricky). Place the enchilada in your baking dish and allow to finish thawing.
6-8 servings
Ingredients:
1 lb lean ground beef
1 medium onion, diced
1 pkg Taco Seasoning (or make your own)
1 small can green chile, chopped
1 8 oz can green chile salsa
12 corn tortillas
1 lb shredded cheese, Monterey Jack
water, for taco seasoning
Sauce:
1 15 oz can red enchilada sauce
1 15 oz can green enchilada sauce
1/3 c sour cream
3 T milk
Method:
Brown meat with onion. Mix in taco seasoning per directions. (I always use less than recommended water because I think it takes entirely too long for all the water to evaporate). Add green chiles and green chile salsa. Mix well, cover and simmer on low heat for 15 minutes.
Sauce: combine both enchilada sauces, sour cream and milk in a medium bowl. Mix well until blended.
Assembly: In a 9x13 pan (lined with foil and plastic wrap if freezing), pour 3/4 c of sauce on bottom of pan. Layer with tortillas. Top with half of meat mixture. Sprinkle with cheese. Place another layer of tortillas. Top with rest of meat mixture. Sprinkle with cheese. Pour remaining sauce over top and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Cool completely before freezing.
Thaw completely before serving. Bake at 350F for 18 - 20 minutes or until heated through. Serve with desired toppings (tomatoes, lettuce, guacamole).
Verdict:
This was a labor intensive meal for our freezer cooking session. Trying to drain the fat off the beef was very difficult (we browned 7 lbs!). Then we had trouble with the liner method (see below). Then lastly we actually had to assemble the enchilada.
We haven't thawed this meal out yet so I can't so how it tastes. The other families have eaten theirs and they both said it's a yummy dish.
Liner Method for Freezer:
Take your casserole dish (I recommend an 8x8). Place a layer of foil in the dish, making sure there is extra on the ends to cover the top of the dish. Next place a layer of plastic wrap, the same length of the foil. (If using a larger dish, consider laying a second piece of plastic wrap perpendicular to the first one and foil). Assemble your enchilada. Wrap the plastic wrap and foil around the enchilada.
Freeze enchilada (after allowing to cool), in the baking dish (and plastic wrap and foil). After the dish is frozen, remove the casserole dish. Return foil encased enchilada to freezer.
This method is useful so you don't lose a casserole dish in your freezer for a few months.
When you are ready to eat, thaw out the enchiladas somewhat and remove the foil and plastic wrap (the goal is that the enchiladas are frozen enough to keep it's shape/not make a mess, but thawed enough that you can get the plastic away/off the meal - it's tricky). Place the enchilada in your baking dish and allow to finish thawing.
Chicken in Raspberry Sauce
Chicken in Raspberry Sauce - Freezer Friendly
6 servings
Ingredients:
1/2 cup raspberry preserves
1/2 cup frozen pineapple juice concentrate, thawed
1/2 cup soy sauce
2 T rice vinegar
1/2 t chili powder
1/2 t curry powder
1/2 t garlic powder
1/4 c fresh raspberries, mashed (substitute with frozen raspberries, thawed, when out of season)
6 chicken breasts
Method:
Combine preserves, juice concentrate, soy sauce, vinegar, seasonings, and mashed raspberries. Place raspberry sauce with chicken breasts in freezer bag/container and seal securely. Freeze.
Thaw completely before serving. Place chicken and sauce in large baking dish (9x13). Baked covered at 350F for 30-40 minutes. Top chicken with pan juices to serve. Garnish with fresh raspberries.
Verdict:
To make and freeze, this recipe is a breeze. It was very easy to make the sauce and combine with the chicken before freezing.
As for taste, Brian did not especially like this recipe (it was "ok"). I only had it as a leftover. I thought the chicken was juicy so that was good, but I was disappointed the sauce wasn't more raspberry-ish.
I would make this again for the freezer considering it's ease, but I'll probably modify the seasonings (omit the curry and maybe the soy sauce which I think dominated the flavor).
Did you make this recipe? What did you think?
6 servings
Ingredients:
1/2 cup raspberry preserves
1/2 cup frozen pineapple juice concentrate, thawed
1/2 cup soy sauce
2 T rice vinegar
1/2 t chili powder
1/2 t curry powder
1/2 t garlic powder
1/4 c fresh raspberries, mashed (substitute with frozen raspberries, thawed, when out of season)
6 chicken breasts
Method:
Combine preserves, juice concentrate, soy sauce, vinegar, seasonings, and mashed raspberries. Place raspberry sauce with chicken breasts in freezer bag/container and seal securely. Freeze.
Thaw completely before serving. Place chicken and sauce in large baking dish (9x13). Baked covered at 350F for 30-40 minutes. Top chicken with pan juices to serve. Garnish with fresh raspberries.
Verdict:
To make and freeze, this recipe is a breeze. It was very easy to make the sauce and combine with the chicken before freezing.
As for taste, Brian did not especially like this recipe (it was "ok"). I only had it as a leftover. I thought the chicken was juicy so that was good, but I was disappointed the sauce wasn't more raspberry-ish.
I would make this again for the freezer considering it's ease, but I'll probably modify the seasonings (omit the curry and maybe the soy sauce which I think dominated the flavor).
Did you make this recipe? What did you think?
Freezer Cooking
I have been somewhat obsessed with freezer cooking lately.
I did one freezer cooking session about 4 years ago and didn't think much of it. I was getting ready to work a turn around so I knew that for a month all I'd be doing was working and sleeping. I wanted to make things easier on Brian (this was before kids too!) so I made a few things one weekend when he was out of town and started freezing. It was successful so I'm not entirely sure why I never tried it again or thought much about freezer cooking until a few months ago.
Two of my friends and I spent a Friday afternoon cooking. We made a lot of food and I was completely exhausted from the rest of the weekend. But my freezer is full!
We made 4 dishes (and multiplied each by 6 so that we each took home ~12 servings of each meal).
1. Beef Enchiladas
2. Chicken in Raspberry Sauce
3. Sweet Potato and Chicken Stew
4. Broccoli and Rice Chicken Casserole
I am really glad that I got to spend an afternoon with some friends and fill the freezer as a result, but it was a long, tough afternoon! Since then I've still be stocking the freezer, but my method has been to make a larger batch of whatever I happen to be making and freezer half. I think I like this method better because it seems like minimal effort to make extra. I've mainly been making toddler friendly recipes but we need those too!
I did one freezer cooking session about 4 years ago and didn't think much of it. I was getting ready to work a turn around so I knew that for a month all I'd be doing was working and sleeping. I wanted to make things easier on Brian (this was before kids too!) so I made a few things one weekend when he was out of town and started freezing. It was successful so I'm not entirely sure why I never tried it again or thought much about freezer cooking until a few months ago.
Two of my friends and I spent a Friday afternoon cooking. We made a lot of food and I was completely exhausted from the rest of the weekend. But my freezer is full!
We made 4 dishes (and multiplied each by 6 so that we each took home ~12 servings of each meal).
1. Beef Enchiladas
2. Chicken in Raspberry Sauce
3. Sweet Potato and Chicken Stew
4. Broccoli and Rice Chicken Casserole
I am really glad that I got to spend an afternoon with some friends and fill the freezer as a result, but it was a long, tough afternoon! Since then I've still be stocking the freezer, but my method has been to make a larger batch of whatever I happen to be making and freezer half. I think I like this method better because it seems like minimal effort to make extra. I've mainly been making toddler friendly recipes but we need those too!
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
Minestrone Casserole
Minestrone Casserole
Serves 4-6
Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups malfada pasta*
1 (10 oz) can cream of celery soup
1 cup beef broth*
1/4 cup water*
1 (15 oz) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup julienned carrots
1 (14 oz) can tomatoes with basil and oregano, undrained*
1 (16 oz) can corn, undrained
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
Directions:
In large skillet, brown ground beef with onion and garlic, stirring to break up meat. Drain well. Stir in remaining ingredients except for Parmesan cheese. Pour into 3 quart casserole (9x13), cover tightly, and refrigerate.
When ready to eat, preheat oven to 400°F. Bake casserole, covered, for about 55-60 minutes until hot. Uncover, sprinkle with cheese, and bake for 10-15 minutes longer until bubbly.
*My modifications:
I used penne pasta. I don't know what malfada is and wasn't about to search the store for it. I used chicken broth instead of beef broth. I also omitted the can of tomatoes because Brian is avoiding tomatoes right now and I used 1/2 cup of water since I wasn't using the tomatoes.
I made this Sunday morning. I was a little worried that since left the tomatoes out, there wouldn't be enough liquid for the pasta. There was plenty of liquid after it baked - too much really and next time I'll probably use less than 1/2 cup water. We both thought this dish was very delicious. It definitely needed salt, but other than that it was super yummy and this will become one of our regular dinners!
Serves 4-6
Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups malfada pasta*
1 (10 oz) can cream of celery soup
1 cup beef broth*
1/4 cup water*
1 (15 oz) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup julienned carrots
1 (14 oz) can tomatoes with basil and oregano, undrained*
1 (16 oz) can corn, undrained
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
Directions:
In large skillet, brown ground beef with onion and garlic, stirring to break up meat. Drain well. Stir in remaining ingredients except for Parmesan cheese. Pour into 3 quart casserole (9x13), cover tightly, and refrigerate.
When ready to eat, preheat oven to 400°F. Bake casserole, covered, for about 55-60 minutes until hot. Uncover, sprinkle with cheese, and bake for 10-15 minutes longer until bubbly.
*My modifications:
I used penne pasta. I don't know what malfada is and wasn't about to search the store for it. I used chicken broth instead of beef broth. I also omitted the can of tomatoes because Brian is avoiding tomatoes right now and I used 1/2 cup of water since I wasn't using the tomatoes.
I made this Sunday morning. I was a little worried that since left the tomatoes out, there wouldn't be enough liquid for the pasta. There was plenty of liquid after it baked - too much really and next time I'll probably use less than 1/2 cup water. We both thought this dish was very delicious. It definitely needed salt, but other than that it was super yummy and this will become one of our regular dinners!
Twice Baked Taco Potatoes
I am still here. I am still meal planning and I am still cooking. I just have a hard time finding time/motivation to write about it! (I also don't even think about taking a picture anymore, sorry!)
I made myself some goals at the beginning of this year. These goals were targeted around dinner/meal planning. I feel like I have a fairly good system, but there are a few meals in the rotation that I'd either like to have less often or I just don't like them as much (either because of work required or taste).
My goals:
3 more great crockpot recipes (Tuesday Nights)
2 more great premade meals (Monday Nights)
1-2 more great quick meals (Wednesday Nights)
New grilling ideas (Friday Nights)
Well I found a treasure of a recipe in this Twice Baked Taco Potatoes!
I could see this recipe becoming a little overwhelming because there is a lot to do. Bake the potatoes, cook the beef, hollow out the potatoes, make filling, stuff potatoes, bake. The day that I tried this recipe (a Sunday) I had small spurts of time to work. I cleaned and pricked the potatoes and put them in the crockpot. I was also making Monday's night dinner (Minestrone Casserole) that day which happened to call for cooked beef (nicely planned out Past Krista!). So I cooked the entire pound of beef and split it for the two recipes (different seasonings). The potatoes took awhile to bake through in the crockpot, but it was better than heating up the oven and making the kitchen hot. Meanwhile I made the casserole. Then I did other things (played with my son, went to lunch with a friend). Later that evening all I had to do was hollow out the potatoes (after they finished cooking, I just let them chill in the CP for a few hours) which was easier than I anticipated. Made the filling and stuffed the potatoes. They went into the frige until we were almost ready to heat. These were really good and made a nice option for lunch during the week! Brian reall liked them! These will become a normal part of my "Premade Meal" group. I think the key for me will be to cook the meat ahead of time (so if we are having tacos for dinner on Friday, I will just make extra beef for this dish on Monday!).
I made myself some goals at the beginning of this year. These goals were targeted around dinner/meal planning. I feel like I have a fairly good system, but there are a few meals in the rotation that I'd either like to have less often or I just don't like them as much (either because of work required or taste).
My goals:
3 more great crockpot recipes (Tuesday Nights)
2 more great premade meals (Monday Nights)
1-2 more great quick meals (Wednesday Nights)
New grilling ideas (Friday Nights)
Well I found a treasure of a recipe in this Twice Baked Taco Potatoes!
I could see this recipe becoming a little overwhelming because there is a lot to do. Bake the potatoes, cook the beef, hollow out the potatoes, make filling, stuff potatoes, bake. The day that I tried this recipe (a Sunday) I had small spurts of time to work. I cleaned and pricked the potatoes and put them in the crockpot. I was also making Monday's night dinner (Minestrone Casserole) that day which happened to call for cooked beef (nicely planned out Past Krista!). So I cooked the entire pound of beef and split it for the two recipes (different seasonings). The potatoes took awhile to bake through in the crockpot, but it was better than heating up the oven and making the kitchen hot. Meanwhile I made the casserole. Then I did other things (played with my son, went to lunch with a friend). Later that evening all I had to do was hollow out the potatoes (after they finished cooking, I just let them chill in the CP for a few hours) which was easier than I anticipated. Made the filling and stuffed the potatoes. They went into the frige until we were almost ready to heat. These were really good and made a nice option for lunch during the week! Brian reall liked them! These will become a normal part of my "Premade Meal" group. I think the key for me will be to cook the meat ahead of time (so if we are having tacos for dinner on Friday, I will just make extra beef for this dish on Monday!).
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)