Freezer meals and canning ideas for preganancy/Postpartum RECIPE Swap!

[rustydaisies]

so here it is totally empty because it s 11 and im not breaking out my recipes quite yet, but thought id create for other people to throw recipes into until i blow the dust of mine : )

Exciting!

[futuremamaheather]

We got the Dream Dinners cookbook as a wedding gift, so I'll make some of the recipes that we liked from that to stock the freezer with. And also:

spagetti pie

beef stew

chicken pot pie/chicken with dumplings (same filling, with either pie crusts or dumplings

Here's the chicken pot pie recipe:

AMAZING CHICKEN POT PIE!!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast meat 1 cup chicken broth 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 1 1/2 cups milk 3 tablespoons butter 1 onion, chopped

1 cup chopped celery 1/3 cup all-purpose flour 1 cup chopped carrots 1 cup chopped red potato 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme 3 (9 inch) pastries for single (or double) crust pies 3 foil pie plates, or 2 foil (for freezing) and 1 glass/ceramic (for eating tonight) Ziplock freezer bags (gallon sized or the extra big ones, depending on the size of your pie plates)

Directions:

1.	In a large saucepan over medium high heat, combine the chicken meat, chicken broth, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low. Cover and let simmer for 30 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear. About 10 minutes before the simmer time is up, throw in the cut up potatoes and let them simmer too, so they're not crispy in the finished pie.
2.	Remove the chicken and let cool. Pour the remaining chicken broth mixture into a measuring cup. Let stand; spoon off fat. Add enough milk to the broth mixture to equal 2 1/2 cups. Cut chicken into 1/2 inch pieces.
3.	In the same pan, melt butter or margarine over medium heat. Add the onion and celery. Saute, stirring, for 3 minutes. Stir in flour until well blended. Gradually stir in broth mixture. Simmer, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens and boils. Add the chicken, vegetables, cheese, parsley and thyme.
4.	Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
5.	(Optional: Place first crusts in bottoms of the three pie plates.) Pour chicken and vegetable mixture into three pie plates. Place pastry on top of pie plates. Roll edges and cut away extra pastry; flute edges by pinching together. Use a fork to poke venting holes in crust. We like a heart and our initials, but that's up to you :-) Re-roll scraps to cut into decorative designs. Place on top of pastry. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling. Let cool for 10 minutes and serve. To freeze: Place pies in freezer in a level spot with nothing on top of them. Leave overnight. When frozen, place in Ziplock freezer bag – a gallon sized one usually works. Use a Sharpie marker to write the date made and the cooking instructions. Pie CAN be cooked from frozen, it just takes about 20-30 minutes longer and needs a bit of foil over the top to keep the crust from burning.

[sarahtar]

I like this recipe for canned beef stew:

http://preparedldsfamily.blogspot.com/2010/10/beef-stew-with-vegetables-recipe-for.html

I use our own beef broth or stock instead of the soup base.

[Czarena]

Posting to sub, I'll add recipes later!

[Azadehhast]

Great idea! I'm so so so bored with food these days, I can't even begin to think of the PP meal freezing yet. Fill me up with ideas, please!

And I totally didn't know you can freeze a pie. Delightful! I make some seriously yummy meat pie, so now I have one thing on the PP list. :D

[wendizbaby]

Here is my go-to zucchini bread recipe: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/moms-zucchini-bread/detail.aspx

I follow the advice of the first reviewer on that page.  You can use up a lot of zucchini this way and it freezes wonderfully!!

[futuremamaheather]

Just remembered another one that I"m adding to the list: Sloppy Joes! Make a batch of biscuit dough, put in bottom of pan. Top with browned hamburger or turkey meat mixed with whatever sloppy joe mix or seasonings you like, top that with some cheddar cheese. Freeze the whole thing uncooked, then cook when ready to eat (cant remember how long to cook it right now...)

[insidevoice]

Originally Posted by Azadehhast 

Great idea! I'm so so so bored with food these days, I can't even begin to think of the PP meal freezing yet. Fill me up with ideas, please!

And I totally didn't know you can freeze a pie. Delightful! I make some seriously yummy meat pie, so now I have one thing on the PP list. :D

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/meat-pie-tourtiere/detail.aspx

 

 

That was a dish we had a lot when we lived near Quebec- it was a really nice mid-winter meal and we always made up two, and tossed one in the freezer.  The spices are just so nice and warming!

 

 

[wendizbaby]

Thanks for reviving this thread.  Since my zucchini bread I've frozen a batch of minestrone soup, chicken noodle soup (without the chicken - I'll add later) and black bean chili.  The black bean chili is a hit around here!  Here is the recipe and it makes a ton: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/fantastic-black-bean-chili/detail.aspx.  I double the tomatoes and this time I didn't make it with meat (meat still makes me puke-gah!).  I did make a bunch of lasagna but ended up eating the entire thing before I could freeze it.  

I plan on making this potato soup this week: http://www.ourbestbites.com/2010/10/baked-potato-soup/.  It's still so dang hot here that I hate making soup, but that's my favorite thing to freeze.  I'm really looking forward to picking a bunch of kale from my garden and making this recipe to freeze: http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/kale_and_roasted_vegetable_soup/.  I LOOOOVE this soup!

 I also plan on making these eventually (I make the recipe much more healthful with applesauce and mashed bananas to substitute fat and some of the sugar): http://allrecipes.com/recipe/playgroup-granola-bars/detail.aspx.  They make great on-the-go snacks and freeze well.  

[insidevoice]

It's finally cooling down here, so I'm actually willing to cook again! I tend to use disposable baking pans for quick breads.  I know it's wasteful, but sometimes I just don't want to deal with mess.  I make the batter and freeze it in the pans.  Simply take out and pop in the oven for freshly-baked yumminess. We do this with banana bread, pumpkin bread, zucchini bread etc.  For me it works better than freezing cooked loaves. 

Once the weather cools down, I usually bake fresh bread every day or two- I  make a big batch up and keep the dough in the fridge until I am ready to bake it.  I make a fresh batch of dough about once a week. 

Soups become a staple around here once fall sets in, it's just so warm and comfortable.  I don't usually freeze them though- I always mean to but then they make such good lunches for a few days.... 

[futuremamaheather]

Someone in the Jan DDC found this website too: http://onceamonthmom.com

It is great! It's a once a month cooking menu with recipes. There's a tradtional food menu, a whole foods menu, a gluten/dairy free menu, diet menu, vegetarian menu and a baby food menu. Very cool! I saw a couple of dinner recipes I'd like to try, and also a cream cheese stuffed pumpkin muffin recipe that looks TO DIE FOR. Yum. http://onceamonthmom.com/pumpkin-cream-cheese-muffins/ And some pistachio chai muffins too... I might have to add some of those to the freezer stash!

Insidevoice: Have you seen Artisan Bread in Five MInutes A Day and the other books by those authors? If not, you may like looking through their books if you can get your hands on a copy from a library or something. They have some nice recipes and good instructions for how to do bread dough that sits in the fridge for a week or two at a time, waiting for you to cut a chunk off each day and bake it up. I like the basic recipe, haven't tried others yet. Their blog is great too.

[insidevoice]

I have, that's where I initially got in the habit of it- I thought that you had to bake dough as soon as it was made or something would go wrong, but it doesn't HAVE to happen that way at all.  I've been baking bread for so long now that I don't use specific recipes any more- I just toss it together and call it good- often I'll use different proportions of types of flour or something, and I always make a richer bread than most traditional recipes call for (I add honey, milk or powdered milk, eggs etc- it's a huge favorite of the kids for toast etc, so I pack in some extra fats especially.)

On a related note- those muffins WILL happen sometime this week.  Holy. Yumness. 

[futuremamaheather]

I love the idea of freezing the batter for quick breads in the foil pans. I bet it would work to do muffins that way too - freeze in the pan, pop out the frozen batter and put in bag, keep in freezer until ready to bake later on.

[futuremamaheather]

Those granola bars look delicious! And oh my gosh so does the potato soup! Have you frozen that one before? I worry a little about freezing cream soups, don't know why. Maybe just because I never have.
 

Originally Posted by wendizbaby 

I plan on making this potato soup this week: http://www.ourbestbites.com/2010/10/baked-potato-soup/.  It's still so dang hot here that I hate making soup, but that's my favorite thing to freeze.  I'm really looking forward to picking a bunch of kale from my garden and making this recipe to freeze: http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/kale_and_roasted_vegetable_soup/.  I LOOOOVE this soup!

 I also plan on making these eventually (I make the recipe much more healthful with applesauce and mashed bananas to substitute fat and some of the sugar): http://allrecipes.com/recipe/playgroup-granola-bars/detail.aspx.  They make great on-the-go snacks and freeze well.  

[BennyPai]

  Thanks for starting this, rustydaisies.  :)

MIL has an old chest freezer around.  She isn't sure whether it works, but if it does it'll be ours when we visit later this month...  I will be a cooking and freezing fool if we get it!

[Lisa R]

What a good idea for a post!  You guys are giving me some great ideas, I'm going to check them out for sure:)  So far, I'm still working on mostly canning/ freezing food from our garden and CSA, but I guess it's getting time to start getting ready for the baby too:)  We also stock up on our local organic chicken and beef for winter, so that takes up lots of valuable freezer space. I love the idea of freezing bread/ muffin dough and cooking later.  Sounds great to me!  My project for today is salsa:)  I'm never sure myself what would make good food to freeze, so all these ideas are great.

@futuremamaheather- Anything with cheese, or cream I usually just add to the recipe when I'm reheating it.  I froze a bunch of pesto, and will just add the parm cheese later.  I've heard such great things about Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a day.  I actually have it from the library right now, and I really need to try it!  I've been spending all my time reading birth books.  I'm definitely going to see if I can find their blog too.

[wendizbaby]

Originally Posted by futuremamaheather 

Those granola bars look delicious! And oh my gosh so does the potato soup! Have you frozen that one before? I worry a little about freezing cream soups, don't know why. Maybe just because I never have.
 

I haven't frozen this soup recipe before.  BUT...this one has lower fat and uses milk instead of cream, so it'll probably be okay.  Hopefully it'll be okay.  :)
 

[Czarena]

on my list is

pancakes

waffles

french toast (just put it back into the bread bag, I have extras saved to double bag)

muffins

cupcakes

cakes

lasagna

veggie soup

baked potato soup

minestrone soup

pizza

spagetti

enchiladas

cinnamon rolls

bread dough (let ti rise once and then freeze, it'll rise a second time as it thaws)

biscuits

fresh fruit

shredded and sliced cheese

[futuremamaheather]

Thanks for the thoughts on the baked potato soup - maybe I'll make a batch this fall and freeze a few servings and see how they turn out when they thaw. Then decide if I'll make a big batch to put in the big freezer.

Here's my list, so far:

Cheesy baked ziti with meatballs or sausage http://allrecipes.com/recipe/baked-ziti-iii/detail.aspx

Chicken pot pies (from recipe above in thread)

Baked Mac & Cheese http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/mac-and-cheese-recipe2/index.html

Breakfast burritos

Scrambled Egg Muffins http://allrecipes.com/recipe/scrambled-egg-muffins/detail.aspx

Sloppy Joes

Spagetti Pie http://allrecipes.com/recipe/spaghetti-pie-iii/detail.aspx

Zucchini bread http://allrecipes.com/recipe/moms-zucchini-bread/detail.aspx

Meat Pie http://allrecipes.com/recipe/meat-pie-tourtiere/detail.aspx

Pumpkin Breads for holiday gift giving

Pistachio Chai Muffins http://onceamonthmom.com/pistachio-chai-muffins/

Oatmeal Molasses Bread (below)

Playgroup Granola Bars http://allrecipes.com/recipe/playgroup-granola-bars/detail.aspx

Cookies

Baked Potato Soup http://www.ourbestbites.com/2010/10/baked-potato-soup/. 

Beef Stew

Split Pea Soup

Meatloaf Muffins?

Some meals from Dream Dinners cookbook

Some meals from Dream Dinners store?

The "Gobbler" from Pies a la Mode: Homemade stuffing and cranberry sauce are layered with oven roasted turkey, gravy and carmelized onions. The finishing touch is a topping of homemade corn bread.

Oatmeal Molasses Bread (from Silver Lake Conference Center)

2 1/2 cups oatmeal
3 3/4 cups boiling water
Combine and let stand to cool a little.

4 Tablespoons vegetable shortening (like Crisco)
1 heaping Tablespoon salt
2/3 cup white sugar
1 cup dark unsulphured molasses
2 envelopes yeast dissolved in scant 1/2 cup rather warm water
4 cups white flour (unbleached is best)

Stir above ingredients with heavy spoon.

Add 4 or 5 more cups flour and knead into a smooth base.

Cover with cloth and let rise until double in bulk.

With floured hands, punch down dough and shape into four loaves or rolls and place into greased pans.

Cover with towel and let rise again.

Bake 350 degrees for 40 minutes (may need to turn the oven off during the final 10 minutes.

Turn on the rack to cool.

Will keep several weeks without molding.
Freezes well.

Gifford's Grandmother

Edited by futuremamaheather - 10/6/11 at 6:56am

[MamaTangerine]

Some things on my list so far:

 

Baked Macaroni and Cheese

I've done this with different combos of cheese and it's excellent.  I sometimes add the tomatoes, but I don't bother with the breadcrumbs.  It's much better if you freeze it before you bake it.  

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/mac-and-cheese-recipe2/index.html

 

Nacho Mix: seasoned ground beef and pinto beans

I use this taco seasoning mix:

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/taco-seasoning-i/detail.aspx

 

Quiche (with or without crust, depending on how tired my feet are when I make them)

 

Chicken/Beef Enchilada Casserole

I can't be bothered to roll individual enchiladas, so I just layer the corn tortillas - 6 on bottom, 6 on top, lots of filling in the middle.   

 

TONS of homemade chicken stock and shredded chicken.  I made a lot of chicken soup for my last postpartum, but I didn't like how the veggies got mushy.  With the stock and chicken already made, chopping a few veggies and sweet potatoes is easy enough.  I'll probably freeze some small containers of parsley so I don't have to chop that, too.  

 

Chickpeas for easy hummus.  Does actual hummus freeze well, anyone know?  

Pinto beans

Grated cheese

Pesto (1.5 cups basil, .5 cup cilantro, 1 cup pistachios, 3 cloves garlic, 2/3 cup olive oil, 1 tbsp lemon zest, 1 tsp salt)

 

Lemon-Blueberry Cheesecake

This is my favorite cheesecake.  I made it for my birth team to eat in celebration after my last homebirth, so I'm going to do it again and start a tradition.  To freeze it, just place it in the freezer along with the bottom of the springform pan.  After a few hours, it'll be hard enough that you can remove the bottom of the pan.  Then wrap in plastic wrap and foil.  I've never frozen the topping, but I imagine it would freeze well.    

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/the-ultimate-cheesecake-recipe/index.html

 

 

And some holiday make-aheads...

 

Cranberry Sauce 

(made with orange juice, orange zest, maple syrup instead of sugar, and cinnamon)

 

Mashed Sweet Potatoes and Pears

This is like eating dessert as a side dish and freezes really well.  Very kid-friendly.  I leave out the pear nectar and add lots more cardamom.  I think I may just peel and either boil or steam the sweet potatoes instead of roasting them.  I made this for dinner tonight and standing and peeling those roasted potatoes made my feet ache.

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Mashed-Sweet-Potatoes-and-Pears-809

 

Cornbread Stuffing with Sausage, Chestnut, and Apple

I made this last Thanksgiving, and it was the best thing ever.  I hope it freezes well!  I suppose it's better to freeze it before cooking, maybe add a little broth to it before baking?    

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/raffys-turkey-sausage-and-chestnut-stuffing-recipe/index.html

Pumpkin Pie

Cookies and Cookie Dough