Freezer meal ideas and recipes - Page 2 « Back to Group Discussions

[Cali2SC]

I was just going to start a thread like this, but checked first and found this one!  I am impressed that you started thinking about this in September!    Seriously.  

Ok so now I feel way behind.  I would like to do this, this time around, but most of the time I'm too tired/sick to prepare food for a given day, let alone make extra to freeze.  A friend dropped off a frozen quiche for us a few weeks ago, and I thought about saving it for April, but we ate it on one of those nights last week where it was doubtful if we would be able to feed ourselves otherwise.  It was delish!  

I had a pretty good day yesterday as far as nausea and energy level and even managed to cook dinner for my fam.  I'm trying to make some shopping lists today and have stuff on hand so I can start stocking the freezer on my next good day.  Thanks for sharing your recipes!  I think I might start with a lasagna and go from there.  I've been obsessing about lasagna recently!   

Thank you for the inspiration!!!

[firespiritmelody]

Don't worry Cali - I haven't even started yet. Despite my best intentions, we'll be lucky to get around to buying some frozen lasagna before this lo arrives

[bmcneal]

Cali and firespiritmelody, you can add me to that list. I *finally* have all the ingredients that I need for the freezer meals, now just to get the time/energy to make it. I'm going to feel *really* bad if I have all these groceries, and haven't used them the way I intended. I'm going to try and get some of it done tonight and tomorrow, and I think I'm going to have to add lasagna to my list, even though DF doesn't like it. 

[BeanBean06]

I got my freezer meals done on Tuesday... But by no prep work on my part lol my gram came over with tons of groceries and meat. We spent the whole day prepping and freezing meals! We have enough for probably 2/3 weeks of dinners. I'm so glad she came over with all of it! Cuz I don't think I would have gotten around to it,.. I have no energy lol

[bmcneal]

Originally Posted by BeanBean06 

I got my freezer meals done on Tuesday... But by no prep work on my part lol my gram came over with tons of groceries and meat. We spent the whole day prepping and freezing meals! We have enough for probably 2/3 weeks of dinners. I'm so glad she came over with all of it! Cuz I don't think I would have gotten around to it,.. I have no energy lol

That's so great, beanbean! I miss my grandmas. I'll start on mine today. School is closed, so maybe the kids will help.

[1babysmom]

I have only recently begun our freezer cooking. Didn't want to start any earlier because I didn't want to worry about things getting freezer burn or getting used up too soon (I'm cooking half for the benefit of after baby, half for just having meals handy since with DH's work (24-72hr shifts, depending) meal planning has never worked well, and now he's completing an advanced certification this year so he's at school on top of that and it's just nice to have easy options!!!). So far I just have simple things, like lasagna, taco soup, Santa Fe chicken chile, black bean chicken enchiladas, and breakfast burritos. We also have some cookie dough in there, as well as sausage patties and whole wheat pizza dough bites. As for non-freezer stuff, I made up a bunch of bags of "instant" oatmeal and both buttermilk and gluten-free pancake mixes. I'm trying to do things that my DD1 (turning 7) can make mostly by herself, because she wants to help so badly and I thought this would be a good way.

On my list for this next week is egg & cheese strata and green chile stew, as well as some GF banana oat muffins.

I am just doing a few things a week.

[cagnew]

I started making my list of possible freezer meals today :) I don't know how many of these I will actually get made, but it's good to have options!

Crock Pot Meals: Pork and Kraut, Sausage and Peppers, Beef tips, Pot Roast, Italian Sausage Soup, BBQ Chicken, Pulled Pork, French Chicken

Oven Meals: Meatloaf, Chicken Parm, Lasagna, No Peek Chicken (chicken and rice), Chicken Enchilada's, Mexican Rice, Stromboli

Pre-cooked Meat: Lots of cooked chicken for various meals (we eat a lot of chicken) and ground beef for spagetti, sloppy joes, and taco's

Breakfast stuff: Pancakes, Waffles, Banana Bread, Blueberry Muffins, Zucchini Bread

Dessert: Apple Pie, Chocolate Chip cookie dough, Granola bites

I might try freezing some bread dough too. I've never tried it, but apparently if you freeze it before the first rise, it is good.

You know what I hate? When you try a  new recipe and love it... then forget to print out the recipe or write it down. I  know I made some awesome crock pot beef awhile back and I can't remember where I got the recipe! I don't even remember exactly what the meal was... I just know it was good. Might have been Italian beef....

[Cali2SC]

Originally Posted by firespiritmelody 

Don't worry Cali - I haven't even started yet. Despite my best intentions, we'll be lucky to get around to buying some frozen lasagna before this lo arrives

If all else fails, I am totally making this my plan!  Gathering recipes now... we will see about shopping and preparing.

[Cali2SC]

Originally Posted by BeanBean06 

I got my freezer meals done on Tuesday... But by no prep work on my part lol my gram came over with tons of groceries and meat. We spent the whole day prepping and freezing meals! We have enough for probably 2/3 weeks of dinners. I'm so glad she came over with all of it! Cuz I don't think I would have gotten around to it,.. I have no energy lol

 Yea for BeanBean's Gram!

[BeanBean06]

Originally Posted by Cali2SC 

 Yea for BeanBean's Gram!

Yeah she's awesome! And has done so much for us in getting ready for baby, she SOOO excited for her very first great-grandbaby

In other "meals after baby" news. I went to church with my DH yesterday... (My first time there, he found it and has been going for 4months while I've been on bedrest but I had yet to go) and one of the guys he's become good friends with leads a community group and he told us they have been talking and really want to care for us after the baby comes, so if wed allow them to they'd like to bring us meals and send someone once or twice a week to clean, do laundry, run errands, groceries...etc.

If wed "allow" them? HA! Yum yes please... If feels strange for people I don't even know, to want to help us so much but it's awesome! Especially with all our families so far away...

[1babysmom]

Can you guy recommend some awesome egg recipes that are freezer friendly? Our chickens were laying a ton all winter (normally they slow a bit and produce less, sometimes they stop all together for a period of time if we don't get much sunlight and warmth), so while normally at this time of year we would be restocking up on them, we are trying to get creative with our surplus. Getting about a dozen a day on average with an already full fridge AND regularly giving them away by the dozen as well! LOL

I already have lots of yummy egg strata in the freezer, as well a breakfast burritos. And muffins and cookies. LOL

[Cali2SC]

Originally Posted by 1babysmom 

Can you guy recommend some awesome egg recipes that are freezer friendly? Our chickens were laying a ton all winter (normally they slow a bit and produce less, sometimes they stop all together for a period of time if we don't get much sunlight and warmth), so while normally at this time of year we would be restocking up on them, we are trying to get creative with our surplus. Getting about a dozen a day on average with an already full fridge AND regularly giving them away by the dozen as well! LOL

I already have lots of yummy egg strata in the freezer, as well a breakfast burritos. And muffins and cookies. LOL

  We do have a working farm and typically sell ours from our farm, but with me being so nauseous, I haven't been up for cleaning/packing eggs in a timely manner.  We have been gifting eggs to our farm volunteers (which we do anyways).  And have given away many more.  I will definitely be using some of your ideas. How do you do the breakfast burritos so they freeze well.  How do you reheat them?  How do they taste/stand up to freezing and reheating.  Cookie dough would be awesome as DD loves to bake cookies and I am not always up for the challenge. 

DH wants to do a mass quiche day where we just make oodles and oodles of quiches to freeze.  One of our farm volunteers brought us a frozen quiche and it was awesome!  Yes we already ate it.    Precooked, wrapped and then frozen.  We will probably use pre-made pie crusts for simplicity.

[brooklyn_warbler]

Originally Posted by 1babysmom 

Can you guy recommend some awesome egg recipes that are freezer friendly? Our chickens were laying a ton all winter (normally they slow a bit and produce less, sometimes they stop all together for a period of time if we don't get much sunlight and warmth), so while normally at this time of year we would be restocking up on them, we are trying to get creative with our surplus. Getting about a dozen a day on average with an already full fridge AND regularly giving them away by the dozen as well! LOL

I already have lots of yummy egg strata in the freezer, as well a breakfast burritos. And muffins and cookies. LOL

Wow, lucky!  I can't imagine having an egg surplus.  We go through *so many eggs* in our house!  I would love to have mega productive chickens (someday, but probably never as many as you guys can have!).

[Cali2SC]

1babysmom, do you pre cook the strata?  We have a couple of family recipes for egg casserole that would be awesome to stash in the freezer.  It is suppose to sit overnight before cooking so I think it would be a two day project......  

[1babysmom]

Originally Posted by Cali2SC 

1babysmom, do you pre cook the strata?  We have a couple of family recipes for egg casserole that would be awesome to stash in the freezer.  It is suppose to sit overnight before cooking so I think it would be a two day project......  

Mine is best having been refridgerated for 24 hours prior to baking, but I am usually happy with it after a few hours minimum. But yes, i bake it first. I actually freeze it in smaller portions too.

[1babysmom]

Originally Posted by brooklyn_warbler 


Wow, lucky!  I can't imagine having an egg surplus.  We go through *so many eggs* in our house!  I would love to have mega productive chickens (someday, but probably never as many as you guys can have!).

When we make scrambled eggs we go through like 10-12 at a time but I can't stomach eggs (or the thought of them) very often these days!!

I cant believe they are laying so much. It is bizarre, like they are trying to prove something. LOL. We even lost a few to coyotes and neighbors dogs over the last several months. And DH accidentally killed our one remaining rooster (it was one of those "could only happen in this family" things....hal shocking because it was so random, half the most hilarious thing in my life!!!) so we dont have any setting anymore for now.

[1babysmom]

Originally Posted by Cali2SC 

  We do have a working farm and typically sell ours from our farm, but with me being so nauseous, I haven't been up for cleaning/packing eggs in a timely manner.  We have been gifting eggs to our farm volunteers (which we do anyways).  And have given away many more.  I will definitely be using some of your ideas. How do you do the breakfast burritos so they freeze well.  How do you reheat them?  How do they taste/stand up to freezing and reheating.  Cookie dough would be awesome as DD loves to bake cookies and I am not always up for the challenge. 


DH wants to do a mass quiche day where we just make oodles and oodles of quiches to freeze.  One of our farm volunteers brought us a frozen quiche and it was awesome!  Yes we already ate it.  
  Precooked, wrapped and then frozen.  We will probably use pre-made pie crusts for simplicity.

I wish we could sell, I think it would be a great project for the kids! But everyone and their dogs sell eggs aroud here so I am afraid it wouldn't be worth it.

The burritos aren't that great. I will find the recipe link later from my computer....they are frozen in a paper towel and foil (then bagged), then reheated in the paper towel. They are tolerable but not great.

[Cali2SC]

Thanks 1babysmom!  Yea, I can't really get into eggs right now either.  If DH makes them for me, then they are delish, especially with avocado.  But for me to cook them myself really turns my stomach right now.  

Too bad about your rooster....  Wish we could give you one of ours!  One of our breeding roos was recently killed by one of our goats.  He was living on borrowed time because of his bad attitude.  Some of our farm volunteers wanted to throw a party for the responsible goat, but we aren't sure which one it was.  Nice when things work themselves out.  

I think I'll skip the burritos then.  Thank you for the tip on the strata!

I took some anti nausea medicine today, so maybe we can get some of the shopping done and start prepping meals.  I'm thinking of making at least a couple of each thing, so we have a meal for now and one for later....

My list so far:

I am totally making Brooklyn Warbler's lactation cookies and Spanakopita from her links.  Thanks!

Mashed Potato Casserole

Spinach Balls

Quiche

Cheese Enchiladas

Lasagna 

Lentil Soup

Meatballs (if ground venison presents itself to me or I can find meat that I am willing to eat)

Chicken Pot Pie

Minestrone Soup

Meatloaf (if ground venison presents itself to me or I can find meat that I am willing to eat)

Egg Stratas/Breakie Casseroles

I have a couple of questions:

1. My lasagna recipe is an overnight version where you do not precook the noodles.  Would it be best to just assemble and freeze and the overnight step could happen during defrosting?  Should I let it sit overnight, then freeze?  Or sit, bake and then freeze?  Thanks!

2. Also found a potato gratin recipe.  Do you think this would freeze well?  

3. Oops one more.... I was going to assemble my enchiladas with the sauce.  Any reason that I really should freeze the sauce separately and then add after defrosting?

Thank you!

[cagnew]

I just read that you can freeze eggs. Never tried it so I can't vouch for how they taste....

http://www.georgiaeggs.org/pages/freezingeggs.html

[1babysmom]

Hmmm....I wonder how they bake up after freezing. We bring in a lot of frozen ones during the winter and it seems to change the texture of the yolk....not aure if I used any because of that but maybe it's not a bit deal!

We are def. going to need another rooster. It was disappointing to lose this one because e was so sweet and gentle....the reason he is he only one we kept!!!

As far as enchiladas....never thought about why to freeze them w/o sauce?? Because that is how I do mine, too. But I freeze enchilada casserole with the sauce....?