Will you share your best make-ahead recipes with me?

Question

I was a stay-at-home mom for over 3 years and recently I've started working 3-11. I would like my daughter to get a homecooked meal at least a few times a week, not just frozen pizza and canned soup. I would like crockpot meals or meals I could make and freeze. They are already sick of spaghetti and meatloaf... any help you could give is much apprieciated!!!

Answer 1

Place in to your crock pot
1pork roast or beef roast
2 to 3 carrots chopped into bite size pieces
frozen onions (optional)
1 to2 potato's diced
Cover and simmer on low for 8hours. Or on high for about 6 hours
That way she can have her meat veggies and starch in one dish. And it makes it easier for you both.

Answer 2

virtually every meal cab be frozen but, if you want something easy

here are a few good meals

over the weekend or when your not working, cut up an entire bag of onions

or stick them one at a time in the food processor
save them in a gallon sized freezer bag and store in the fridge for a week.

next time you go to the store get a jar of minced garlic.

Cook some white rice and save it in the fridge.

Cut up 2 heads of lettuce,

3 tomatoes

2 cucumbers,

Store all of these separately and they will last for about a week.

now you are set for the week


Next get a wok,

add a bit of vegetable oil or olive oil to the pan and heat it up.

At the store you can buy for a cheap price some boneless chicken thighs,

throw those bad boys in the pan, keep the flame on medium

and season,
Curry,
goya sells great seasoning, recaito and sofrito are great
currant, and dried apricot
beef bouillion and chicken
salt pepper, whatever you like
I like to add 2 handfuls of lentils because my kids don't like veggies.


Now add a little onions, and garlic

and maybe a few currants and dried apricots (sliced or diced)

add a bit of water.and cover til cooked ( about 20 minutes)

At the same time you can cook in another wok some more boneless chicken thighs, same way and add curry salt pepper and potatoes onion and garlic. add a bit of water and cover cook about 20 or 30 minutes

In your crockpot make stews, soups,
super easy stews and soups,
( in the grocery they sell the pre packaged soup veggies)
never buy the stew packet because its 4 bucks instead of 2

chop up the veggies in the bag and a few extra potatoes

Now have you ever fed your family stew and there is a lot of water or gravy left over,

Save the gravy, and use it again in a soup.and it freezes forever.

Diffrent types of good hearty stews,
Chicken stews
Pumpkin stew
pumpkin soup



Other easy meals

London broil in the broiler if you use a big pan and add water the meat gets very tender and you can add veggies

Shaken bake chicken ( kids love to shake em)
Shaken bake pork chops

canned veggies

boil the corn on the cob in advance and freeze, nuk em

you can buy the frozen meatballs in Costco's or bj's

Sausage and peppers are great

and can be recycled aswell. left overs can be chopped up and warmed for breakfast, added to recipes ect..

Well I hope these crazy Ideas help you,

Good luck

Meg

Answer 3

Enchilada Cassarole

1 lb or hamburger
1 onion chopped
1 can tomato soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can chopped green chilies
Grated Cheese, at least 1/2 cup. I like cheese so I always put more.
1/4 cup milk
Flour Tortillas

Brown hamburger and onion together. Drain and return to skillet. Add rest of ingredients except cheese and milk. Heat to bubbly.

Place a layer of tortillas in bottom of casserole pan. Place half of mixture on top. Layer tortillas then rest of mixture. Top with cheese. If you cook in a gas oven add the milk on top. If electric leave out the milk. Bake at 325 degrees until cheese melts.

This is very good for a potluck dinner too. It can be frozen and reheated easily.

Answer 4

Try a hobo dinner. Using aluminum foil, place a hamburger patty on the bottom, a big slice or two of potato on top of that, and a big slice of onion on top of that. Add a little salt and pepper, maybe some carrot slices too, then wrap it all up very tightly and bake it at 400 degrees for about 45 minutes or longer if you like. Take it out, unwrap and it's done. You cannot overcook these, so don't worry if you don't take them out right at 45 minutes; they can bake for hours and only get better!

Also, make chicken and dumplings: just get a box of biscuit mix and follow the directions; this is an easy to make, nutritious meal and it can be frozen in individual servings.

Answer 5

There are loads of websites that have recipes that you can use to search for foods that your family enjoys. I know that each area has their own take on dinner, but I love this easy to make recipe:
one package stove top stuffing mix (chicken flavor)
one can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup sour cream
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (seasoned to you liking)
Make stuffing per package directions and set aside.
mix the can of soup with the sour cream and set aside.
Place seasoned chicken in a greased casserole dish. Cover with soup/sour cream mixture and top with stuffing. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. This freezes well and you can also make ahead of time and reheat in the microwave.
Hope you like it! I love it.
PS-I usually serve with green beans.

Answer 6

Is your daughter old enough to bake a casserole that is already put together? Leave cooking time and temp. and tell her to put it in a cold oven out of the fridge, so the dish doesn't break.

Answer 7

I was just reading your answers you got, do you think she is old enough to put a casserole in the oven??? LOL I would give her a couple more years...

Answer 8

get your own recipe