Frozen recipes thread

[Yin Yang]

All right, here we go! Let's post our frozen recipes here so everyone can get ideas for what to cook and freeze for after the babies are here!!

I know it's still plenty of time, but time flies and some of us are already feeling up the freezers, including myself. I wanna make sure I have some food read this time. :p

So feel free to post any recipes that are suitable for freezing. :thumb

Let's keep them coming!! :wink

[Red Sonja]

Ooh, I have one! It's by no means healthy but boy is it good! We've made it for the freezer before, I wish I had one in there now. :) It's one of my favorites from our Greek cookbook.

Spanakopeta

2 lbs of finely chopped spinach
1 Tbsp salt
1 lb crumbled feta cheese
1 small onion, finely chopped
4 eggs, slightly beaten
2 Tbsp olive oil
dash of salt & pepper
15 pieces phyllo dough
1/2 lb butter, melted

Filling: Wash spinach & chop fine. Sprinkle with 1 Tbsp salt and allow to stand for 15 minutes. Squeeze spinach to remove excess moisture. (This is important, really squish it to get it as dry as you can!) Combine with feta cheese, onion, eggs, olive oil, salt & pepper to taste.

Brush 9 pieces of phyllo dough with melted butter and arrange in a greased 10"x15" pan. (Working with the phyllo dough is a real PITA!) Cover with spinach filling. Cover with 6 more pieces of phyllo dough, brushing each one with melted butter. Seal edges to retain filling. Brush top with melted butter. Chill until firm. Cut through top layers to mark pieces. (I found it easier to go ahead and cut through all the layers.) Bake in 350 degree oven for 45 minutes.

For freezing: We just froze it in a casserole dish. Took it out of the freezer the day before we wanted to eat it and let it defrost until the next night, then followed the cooking directions.

~~~~~~
Alternate filling: (even more unhealthy but tasty and richer)

4 pkgs frozen chopped spinach
1 8 oz package cream cheese
1 lb feta cheese
1/2 cup grated romano cheese (optional)
4 eggs
1 small onion, chopped fine
1 tsp chopped dill (optional)
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Allow spinach to stand at room temperature to defrost completely (do not soak in water). Squeeze dry and combine with remaining ingredients.

[Yin Yang]

Thank you! that sounds really yummy!! Can I use puff pastry instead of the phyllo? I HATE working with Phyllo! I think it should turn out basicly the same. Puff pastry separates into sheets as it bakes.

[Max'sMama]

Breakfast Casserole

1 lb sausage (soy sausage works fabulously)
1 lb cheese (whatever you have on hand, I normally use cheddar)
Mushrooms
1 Dozen eggs
1 pint half-n-half
Broccoli, peppers, onions (all optional)

Brown sausage.
Break eggs into bottom of 9x13 poke yolks, but do not scramble eggs, salt and pepper the eggs.
Layer the sausage, mushrooms, broccoli, whatever you desire over eggs with cheese layer on top. Freeze.

When you are ready to cook, put in fridge overnight and in the am pour half-n-half over top, no mixing necessary. Bake at 350 F for about 45-60 minutes.

[Quagmire]

Easy peasy and so very very unoriginal :)

Spinach lasagna


1 box no bake lasagna noodles (you can use reg lasagna noodles, but boil em before using!)
1 large container ricotta cheese
2 pkgs frozen spinach
1.5 - 2 jars of sauce (according to taste)
1.5 - 2 bags of mozzerella cheese (12 oz) - according to taste


Microwave the spinach until it is fully defrosted. Squeeze out all excess water.

Prepare the noodles if necessary. Leave them slightly "al dente"

Coat the bottom of a lasagna pan with sauce. Layer noodles, ricotta chese, spinach, sauce and shredded mozzerella repeatedly until ingredients are used. I like less sauce so I tend to use one jar and go light on the cheese. However to each his own :)

The lasagna can be baked and then frozen or frozen first. Preheat oven to 400 and cook 45 minutes (longer if frozen) or until cheese bubbles on top. If frozen you may want to cover it to cook for 45 minutes, allowing it to heat through, then take the foil off and allow it to brown for another 30 or so.

[Quagmire]

Ohhh and I just had this at my inlaws' house - so YUMMY!!!!

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/recipe_views/views/107754

[jinkel]

:notes:

[Yin Yang]

Ohhh and I just had this at my inlaws' house - so YUMMY!!!!

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/recipe_views/views/107754
This one sounds absolutelly delicious! Do you think it's ok to freeze it after it's baked?

[UnskulinMama]

Oooh, good thread! I just made this recipe tonight (wanted pasta but was sick of marinara sauce) and it was SOOO good. Definitely a good variation on plain old mac n cheese.

Tomato-y Baked Mac and Cheese

1lb pasta (I used small shells, but regular old macaroni would work too!)
1 can condensed tomato soup (10.75oz)
1.25 cups milk (1 can-full, once you open the tomato soup)
3 cups shredded cheddar cheese (I like extra sharp)
A bit of minced garlic/garlic powder, onion powder, italian seasoning
Stick of butter
1 ham steak, cubed (optional, of course)
1/4 cup bread crumbs (I used seasoned)

Cook the pasta.
In 9x13 casserole dish, mix tomato soup, milk, cheese, 3/4 of the butter, cubed ham, and seasonings.
Mix in pasta.
Top with breadcrumbs and dot with the remaining butter.
Bake @ 350 for 30-45min until bubbly and browned.

[Quagmire]

This one sounds absolutelly delicious! Do you think it's ok to freeze it after it's baked?


I think it would be fine - it seems like the leftovers microwave well!

[Yin Yang]

Bumping this up :thumb We need to keep it on the top :wink

[midwestmom]

just saw this...can we sticky it? I have been filling up my freezer lately. I will post some recipes when I get a moment.

[bugnbean]

Taking note.

Maybe a crockpot list of recipes would be good too. I love throwing everything in in the am and then having it ready all on it's own at dinner time LOL

[Quagmire]

Someone mentioned in another thread - I forget where - that goulash freezes pretty well. Anyone have a recipe?

You know, just about anything should freeze well. I had no idea that fresh fruits and veggies could be thrown in the freezer with no "processing" I'm learning a lot from the Good Nutrition area!

Hmm. Maybe we should cross-post this there...

[Miss Juice]

Maybe a crockpot list of recipes would be good too. I love throwing everything in in the am and then having it ready all on it's own at dinner time LOL

There's a great crockpot thread in Nutrition and Good Eating. Hang on, I'll find it...

http://www.mothering.com/discussions/showthread.php?t=237665

[Miss Juice]

You know, just about anything should freeze well. I had no idea that fresh fruits and veggies could be thrown in the freezer with no "processing" I'm learning a lot from the Good Nutrition area!

Hmm. Maybe we should cross-post this there...

That's a good idea. I'm going to head over there now and do that, if you haven't already :thumb

[cjcolorado]

Ohhh and I just had this at my inlaws' house - so YUMMY!!!!

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/recipe_views/views/107754
Ooooo, after reading that recipe, I just HAD to try it and it truly is phenomenal! Would be good for any meal. I was wondering about freezing--would you do that after it's baked? Not sure it would ever make it to the freezer at our house!

[midwestmom]

I have recently gotten 3 good books for this....

Don't Panic, Dinner's in the Freezer

The Vegetarian Mother's Cookbook (Cathe Olson)-she notes good freezable recipes

Tried and True Slow Cooker and Casserole Top 200 Recipes (from Allrecipes.com)

I am so into this right now, for after the babies are born and for when I am hugely pregnant and uncomfortable.

[MsGrizzle]

:notes:

Can someone post the link to the Nutrition forum? I'm at work so I read on the sly and can't be clicking around a lot. :nono

[writermommy]

:notes:
Subscribing to this thread. We never froze meals before, but since we are having #4, I want to do it this time.

[lotus.blossom]

bumping this up for MrsSurplus.

Also its probably a good time to get crack-a-lackin on some freezer meals!

[Yin Yang]

Thank you April, I was just thinking about doing that! :love

I was browsing the "food" forum for ideas.....so let's keep them coming in here please! :thumb

[MrsSurplus]

bumping this up for MrsSurplus.

Also its probably a good time to get crack-a-lackin on some freezer meals!

:D

How nice!! Thank you!! I'll have some recipes to post later today as well! (And I thought my 11yo dd made up "crack-a-lackin'" - apparently I'm just not hip enough!)

[SabbathD]

Hey ladies - we should probably get thinking about freezer food again. Anyone got any new recipes? I got that Don't Panic - Dinner's in the Freezer cookbook at the library, and it's AWESOME!!

[MsGrizzle]

Thanks for the reminder! I froze some lasagnas this weekend and a couple of chicken/veggie casseroles. Need to do more - but whether I do it or not is another story! :) And our take-out food options (with delivery) are almost nil where I live!

[SabbathD]

I wanted to share this website -

http://www.30daygourmet.com/Recipes/Free_Recipes.aspx

Check this website out - it's CHOCK FULL of free freezer recipes. This whole concept of 30 day gourmet is for you and a couple of people to get together, but stuff in bulk, like at Sam's club or Costco, and make them together for all of you to use over a 30 day period of time. I have no problems using their recipes for just me doing it, and there are TONS of recipes. Great stuff. Let's just say that it's not the healthiest of stuff in a lot of cases, but you can easily replace things on there, and play with the recipes without to much of a problem. I have had great luck with that. Anyways, thought I would share! :thumb