Make & Freeze Meals

Today I didn't have to work and Josh has left me for the rig. I am waiting on some fabric to come in the mail before I fire up the sewing machine again and I was struck with a case of boredom. I started pinteresting, a favorite time killer of mine, and saw some pins for make ahead meals. I have contemplated doing this before and well today was the day! I cooked for a couple of hours this afternoon and the result is a small stock pile of home cooked goodness for the first little while after G-baby gets here. Josh and I are notorious for eating out, not even because we want to, just because we forgot to go to the grocery store again. We really aren't even satisfied when we go out. We have burned ourselves out on all the restaurants Corning has to offer at supper time. So hopefully I can have a marathon cooking spree again before my pregnancy ends and have even MORE food in my deep freeze!

 

Here is what I came up with today: 3 meals of Autumn Pork Chops, 2 pot roasts, 2 meals of potato soup, 3 meals of chili, 2 meals of Creamy Chicken and Chive Sauce, and 1 meal of poppy seed chicken.  Recipes anyone? Here they are! (*Before I start, Georgia's godmommy Caleigh went on a cookbook queen run after all her wedding showers and she is responsible for sharing the majority of these recipes with me. She is a good gal to have around.*)

 

 

Autumn Pork Chops  This is one of the easiest to make ahead. (I ate it once at Caleigh's house, it was really good!) All you need are 4-6 boneless pork chops, sprinkled with cinnamon. Put in a freezer bag with 2 cups of apple juice. Thaw the night before you want to prepare. Once thawed, cook in the ole crock pot on low for 10 hours.

 

Pot Roast   Also an easy one, this will just save me the time of going to the store and chopping up the vegetables. My favorite recipe for roast is what I used. Place roast in freezer bag, add 2 envelopes Lipton Onion Soup Mix, chopped potatoes, and chopped carrots, and 1/2 cup Root Beer (makes it tender and juicy!)  Thaw before placing in crock pot on low for 8-10 hours or high for 4-6 hours.

 

Potato Soup  One 30 ounce bag of frozen shredded hash browns, 32 ounce container of chicken broth, 1 can cream of chicken soup, 1/2 cup chopped onion, 1/2 tsp pepper, 1/4 tsp garlic powder, 8 ounces cream cheese. Put all the ingredients in a freezer bag except the cream cheese. To serve: thaw and place in crock pot on low for 6-8 hours or high for 4-5 hours. One hour before serving, add cream cheese. Garnish as desired.

 

Chili  Well I am sure this one goes without explaining. Make chili and freeze it. Just use your favorite recipe.

 

 

Creamy Chicken and Chive Sauce  Love this one, which Caleigh gave me the recipe for! Melt 1/4 cup butter and stir in one 0.7 ounce package of dry Italian salad dressing mix. Stir in one can of condensed golden mushroom soup and one 8 ounce package of chive and onion cream cheese. Place 4-6 boneless skinless chicken breasts in freezer bag and top with sauce. To prepare thaw and cook in crock pot on low for 4-5 hours. Serve over cooked pasta or rice.

 

 

Poppy Seed Chicken  5 cups chopped cooked chicken in bottom of 9x13 freezer safe dish. In a medium bowl stir together 1 can cream of chicken soup and 1 cup of sour cream. Pour over chicken. In separate bowl melt 1/2 cup butter. Add 1 1/2 cups crushed Ritz crackers (I use the roasted vegetable crackers Ritz makes) and 1 tsp poppy seeds. Sprinkle over chicken and sauce. Cover dish and place in 2 gallon freezer bag. To prepare, thaw and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. (This one is also a Caleigh recipe! Aren't you jealous she isn't your best friend??)

 

 

Anyways, that's all folks. I have found through my internet research that you should double bag before freezing and get all of the air out of the bags to avoid freezer burn. I am hoping to have another burst of nesting momma energy and do this again with some different recipes.

 

Peace. Love. Make & Freeze.