Freezer Meals?

Question

Anyone have any good recipes for meals that can be made ahead of time and frozen? My job is going to limit the time I can cook, so I am going to plan a day and cook and freeze a bunch of meals. Any help would be appreciated!! Thanks in advance! : )

It is for 4 people

Answer 1

Here is an easy Lasagna dish that freezes very well:

8-10 servings

2 cups ricotta or small curd cream cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
2 tspn parsley
1 1/2 tspn dried Italian seasoning
2 jars spaghetti sauce
12 uncooked lasagne noodles
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (8oz)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan

mix ricotta, 1/2 cup Parmesan and parsley

spread 2 cups spaghetti sauce in 13x9x2 inch pan
top w/4 noodles
spread cheese mixture over noodles
spread 2 cups spaghetti sauce
top w/4 noodles
spread 2 cups spaghetti sauce
top w/4 noodes
sprinkle with 2 cups mozerella
spread remaining sauce on top
sprinkle w/ 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

To cook now: heat oven to 350, cover w/ aluminum foil & bake for 30 mins. Uncover and bake about 30 mins longer or until hot and bubbly. Sprinkle with mozzerella cheese. Let stand for 15 mins. before cutting.

To freeze: Wrap unbaked lasagne tightly w/ aluminum foil. Freeze no longer than 2 months.

To cook from freezer: About 2 hours before serving, heat oven to 350. Bake covered 45 mins. Uncover and bake 35 to 45 mins. longer or until hot and bubbly. Sprinkle w/ mozerella cheese. Wait 15 mins. before cutting.

(Note you can also store this in the refrig. for up to 24 hours after assembling the lasagna - bake 45 mins. covered - 20 mins. uncovered or until hot and bubly. Sprinkle w/ cheese & wait 15 mins. before cutting)

Answer 2

Chili, vegetable soup, pizza(cook the crust, add the toppings and freeze until you are ready to cook it)
lasagna, chicken casserole, Goulash, Hamburger hash, almost any type of casserole, spaghetti,
As long as there isn't milk or another type of ingredient that will separate, you should be able to make it ahead of time and freeze it. You can thaw it out in the fridge before cooking or put in the oven frozen. It will take longer if you do it this way.
I do a lot of different things this way. I will buy meats and chicken when it is on sale, make up a variety of things then freeze them. It really helps make dinner time a lot easier, especially with a 4 1/2 year old and 10 month old.
Also, I spend Sunday cooking and packing lunches. I will make 3 or 4 different veggies, a couple of main dishes, cut up some fruit and then put in all in Tupperware containers. Pop it on the stove or in the microwave to reheat and a great dinner in a portion of the time. It also makes it easy to grab something for lunch on your way out the door in the morning.
If you would like a few of my recipes, send me an e-mail and I will share with you.
There is also a cookbook that has some great meals in it that you can freeze. I am not sure of the name, but I have seen it at Border's.

Answer 3

My favorite things to freeze are:
meat balls. I make a double batch and then freezer bag the portiions for 4 abt 20-24 balls per bag. Then it's a breeze to make: sweet and sour meatballs with rice, or swedish meatballs and noodles, spaghetti and meatballs, or meatballs and green bean casserole.
Meatloaf freezes well. Beef stew, Soups.Chili, Cut up chicken after cooking and freeze enough per baggie for things like, chicken lasagna, chicken pizza, chicken enchilades, creamed chicken with peas over mashed potatoes or toast. Chicken and rice.... Lots of things to do.

My problem with making full meals ahead, except those I just mentioned, has been that they just don't taste as good, separate, are more runny than I like. That is why I like to do the 'main' part of the meal and bag and freeze. It's easy to do instant mashed potatoes, or rice or whatever (baked potatoes) when you get home if the chicken or meat part is already done.

Answer 4

I usually cook on the weekend for the entire week, too. Pasta sauce and soups are great make-ahead items that freeze well. I freeze them in individual portions in plastic freezer bags. Then you can take it out & zap it in the microwave. With the pasta sauce all you have to do is cook the pasta. Also like to keep breakfast items (homemade pancakes, breakfast breads & muffins) on hand in the freezer. Also have frozen homemade cornbread, cakes, etc. One foodnetwork.com "chef" I like is a nutritionist - "Healthy Cooking With Ellie Krieger" - lots of online recipes available.

Answer 5

I do freezer cooking a lot: most Italian pasta dishes freeze beautifully (lasagna, baked ziti, stuffed manicotti). Many casseroles are a good bet also, but steer clear of freezing rice--it tends to get gummy. Chili is awesome frozen, as is beef stew. Burritos freeze nicely.

For inspiration, just take a stroll down the freezer aisle at your grocery store--if they can freeze it, likely so can you!

Good luck, and get a nice comfortable pair of shoes for cooking day (I just got some Crocs clogs, and they are great).

Answer 6

Try pasta meals with lots of sauce in them; the freezer will also dehydrate the meals.
Lasagna freezes very well. So does any kind of chili, stew, or soup. Check http://www.allrecipes.com for more help!
P.S. If you grate some fresh nutmeg into your ricotta and egg in a Lasagna, and add some fresh spinach, you'll make a more authentic Italian dish, and less an American knock-off. :) IMO.

Answer 7

How about a lasagna - use a 13x9 inch (or larger) pan. Pasta sauce can be made ahead and frozen. Chili, beef stew, corn chowder....sorry I'm from the east - it's getting cooler up here.

Answer 8

Lasagna, filled Cabbage or filled Peppers, make Meatballs from floor meat and then through into gravy or sauces, pink meat Stew, pink meat Stroganoff. Mac and Cheese, Pot Pies. I favor to prepare the nighttime formerly and through right into a crock pot many different concepts. it type of feels that you've extra selections this kind.

Answer 9

I usually make a little extra at a lot of meals and then I stick them in the used TV dinner trays that people save me, and then I use my seal a meal and presto... I have my own TV dinners.

Answer 10

Scrappy,
Virtually anything you bake or cook can be frozen. Chicken, fish, meat, turkey, pasta, etc.. You can google for recipes or check www.kraftfoods.com for some incredible recipes!