Freezer Meals: Meatballs

The day of Grace's second birthday party I was in need of another main course to serve at her party. I had intended to pick up frozen meatballs from Ikea (only place I know that sells them here,) but I had forgotten. Typical. So I hopped onto pinterest in hopes to find a quick and easy barbecue meatball recipe. I was pretty quickly annoyed when every recipe I opened up included two ingredients:

1. frozen meatballs.
2. barbecue sauce

Finally, I just winged it and came up with my own meatball recipe and it turned out great. The wonderful thing about meatballs is that you can mix up huge batches just as easily as a small batch, and once they are baked and cooled you can separate and freeze them into portions for each meal. The recipe below makes about 50 meatballs but could easily be doubled.

And meatballs aren't just for spaghetti. We use them in meatball subs, barbecue meatballs, meatball stroganoff, or reheated with taco seasoning and served over some spanish rice.

And I have now use the word "meatball" more than I thought I would in my entire life.

Here's the recipe:

Ingredients
2 lbs ground beef (not lean!)
4 eggs
1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs

2 tbs oregano
2 tbs thyme
2 tbs basil

Directions
Combine all ingredients in large bowl. Using clean hands (and take off your rings!) thoroughly mix all ingredients evenly. Use hands to form the meat into small balls, roughly the size of a doughnut hole and place on broiling pan so that fat/grease can drain off of them. Place meatballs on pan with space between so that they can cook evenly and don't stick together*.  Cook at 350 for 30 minutes. Remove and let cool completely. If using, use immediately in recipe. If freezing, let cool for one hour on countertop. Place family size servings ** in freezer proof container or baggie and freeze. When using from freezer, let thaw for  45 minutes to an hour before using in a recipe.

Enjoy!

*I can fit all 50 onto one pan with just a little space between each of them
** We use 10-12 for 2 adults. 15 for 2 adults and 1 toddler.

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Freezer Meals: Meatballs

{Freezer Meals} Baked Ziti

I love cooking for the freezer. It is so satisfying to me to know that I am cooking one meal for my family for that night, but will have a magical, ready made meal on a night when I don't have time. or energy. or will power.

Whatever the case might be that night.

OR you could give away the meal to a new mom, or a family that's been sick lately, or to a friend who has been really busy lately! Either way, an extra meal equals encouragement to someone, even if it is you!

Baked Ziti was next on my freezer meal prep meal plan. Baked ziti is one of those meals that seems pretty intuitive to me. After all, it's pretty much like spaghetti. That you bake. And have cheese on top of.

But I'll share anyways, in case you are out of loop on how to Bake Ziti.

The ingredients:

One box of ziti
Two jars of pasta sauce (or you could make your own, I'm taking the lazy man approach)
Parmesan Cheese
4-6 cups of shredded cheese
4-6 finely diced garlic cloves
2 pounds of ground beef
Thyme, Basil, Oregano, Garlic Salt

1.) Bring large pot of water to boil, add plenty of salt (1 tablespoon)

2.) Pour in dry pasta, let boil for 7-9 minutes until nearly done
3.) While that is boiling, saute garlic, and then add ground beef in skillet
4.) Add sauce and spices to taste to garlic and meat, reduce heat  to simmer for 10-15 minutes
5.) Remove pasta from heat, drain water, return pasta to pot
6.)Spoon pasta into two baking dishes
7.) Cover pasta with half of meat sauce into each pan, stir gently

8.) Top pasta and sauce with 2-3 cups of shredded cheese and Parmesan cheese
9.) Bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes
 

 *For freezer meal, Complete steps 1-8, then let cool completely before covering and freezing. Thaw dish when time to serve, and cook for 20 minutes on 375.

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{Freezer Meals} Baked Ziti

{Freezer Meals} Chicken Enchiladas

To me, nothing says warm, gooey, delicious, comfort food like Chicken Enchiladas.

And I don't even like them from a restaurant. Only this recipe.

It's the perfect combination of cheese, chicken, and tortilla, baked into a perfect dish.

In fact, I would liken it to the Mexican version of Chicken and Dumplings. And I am not particularly crazy about the whole "wet bread," concept of Southern chicken and dumplings.

You'll notice most of my freezer meal recipes are simple. And that's because over here we can't always find the more complicated ingredients. So, these recipes may not be gourmet, and they may not be healthy, but they are simple, and they are delicious!

Chicken Enchiladas
(recipe is doubled, one for cooking night, one for the freezer.)

The Ingredients:

4 cups boiled, shredded chicken (I like mine pulsed in the food processor)
1/2 cup butter
4 tbsp cumin
2 tbsp cilantro
2 tbsp minced garlic
2 cans diced chili peppers
1 tsp salt
2 cans cream of chicken soup (I use powdered soup mixes)
1 jar picante sauce (salsa)
2 pkg flour tortillas
6 cups shredded cheese (cheddar, Mexican, Colby Jack)

Directions:

1.) Saute butter, cumin, cilantro, garlic, peppers, and salt, together in large skillet over medium heat
2.) Add in chicken, and mix together. Remove from heat.

3.) Combine soup, picante, and 3 cups of cheese in sauce pan and heat over medium heat until cheese is melted. Remove from heat..

4.) Fill tortillas with chicken mixture, roll, and place seam side down into baking dish.

5.) Cover one pan with half of sauce mixture and top with cheese.

6.) Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

(Only bake freezer dish for 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool before covering and placing in freezer. Then, when it is time to use, let thaw and bake for an additional 15 to 20 minutes.)

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{Freezer Meals} Chicken Enchiladas

{Freezer Meals} Chicken Pot Pie

Last week I wrote about how I like to Double Up on my meal that I'm cooking for dinner and freeze the second portion as a freezer meal for later use.

I shared one of my favorite recipes for Lil Cheddar Meatloaves and I am plowing ahead with more freezer cooking. I'm trying to cook one beef and one chicken meal a week for storage, so last week I made a second freezer meal: Chicken Pot Pie.

I think Chicken Pot Pie is a definite comfort food. I prefer mine with a biscuit topping, but Ian likes it with pie crust, so, this time, pie crust it was!

The ingredients are very simple:

(ingredients are for a double batch, one for that night, one for freezing!)

• 2/3 cup butter
• 2/3 cup flour
• 2/3 finely diced onion (about one medium onion)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 3 and 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1 and 1/3 cup milk
• 6 cups boiled chicken, shredded (I love it finely shredded, so I use my food processor)
• 2 cans of peas and carrots, drained
•  Pie Crust or biscuit topping

Directions:

1.) Melt butter in large pot
2.) Add flour, onion, salt, and pepper
3.) Cook over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally. until mixture turns a deep yellow/light brown.
4.) Pour in broth and milk and let entire pot come to a boil for 2-3 minutes
5.) Mix in chicken and peas/carrots.
6.) Pour mixture into two separate casserole dishes- 8x8 or 9x9
7.) Top with your choice of pie crust or biscuit topping
8.) Bake, one dish at a time, in an oven for 35 minutes at 425 degrees.
(bake only 20 minutes for your freezer meal.)

Enjoy! It really is a simple meal, especially if you are using boiled shredded chicken in several other dishes that week. I tend to make this in the same week I am making chicken enchiladas or bar b que pulled chicken, so that I can just buy a GIANT bag of frozen, skinless, chicken breasts, boil for 20 minutes, and shred it all in one go.

Recipe originally from Betty Crocker

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{Freezer Meals} Chicken Pot Pie

{Freezer Meals}

Freezer Meals:

It seems like everyone is talking, pinning, and trying this method of in advanced meal prep.

I first tried freezer cooking a couple of months before Grace was born at the end of 2010. Our freezer was tiny but I was able to keep it stocked with plenty of meals and it came in handy, particularly after we became first time parents.

It wasn't all successful though. I learned a couple of lessons on what can and can't (or shouldn't) be frozen. There was a Tortilla Chicken Soup incident that I don't think Ian or I will ever be able to forget. Turns out, cilantro can go rancid when frozen and then thawed.

Lesson learned.

My taste buds will never forgive me for that one.

We have a much larger freezer now and I have officially started freezer cooking for after the arrival of our second baby girl, Sophia. I thought I would share some of my favorite freezer recipes. Even if you aren't expecting a new arrival, freezer cooking can be really helpful, especially as the months of the busy holiday season approach.

There are several different ways to freezer cook:

Batch Freeze Cooking- where you stock up and spend a whole day or an afternoon cooking several meals to freeze.

Crock Pot Freezer Cooking- Where you slice and prepare all of the ingredients ahead of time but do not actually cook the ingredients, simply freeze them together so that you can put them in the crock pot on the day of cooking.

Single Meal Freezer Cooking- Prepare and cook a meal for the sole purpose of freezing it.

Double (or Triple) up Freezer Cooking- My personal preference. On the day that you prepare a meal for your dinner, simply double the ingredients and, in turn, double the results. One meal goes on the table, one goes in the freezer!

You can do whatever way you want, but I usually double or triple my recipe and freeze the extras because I feel that it is most cost effective AND the least stressful. Only one set of dirty dishes, the same amount of prep work (approximately,) and you get to actually eat the food that you prepare on the day that you do the work!

The first freezer meal I have made in the new house is:

Li'l Cheddar Meat Loaves

Now, I know meat loaf isn't everyone's favorite, but I l-o-v-e this recipe. It's got enough other flavors that makes it not too much like just a loaf of meat. It's moist, cheesy, and a hint of sweetness.

A little meatloaf back story. I whole heartedly believe that you love the type of meat loaf that your mom made. My mom makes a mid western style meat loaf and I love it. Ian's mom makes a Louisiana/Southern style meatloaf and he loves it. When we got married, I knew that I would never be able to replicate his mom's meatloaf and I also knew that it wasn't really fair to just keep making my mom's meatloaf (which I couldn't get quite right anyways.) SO, I set out to find our own meatloaf recipe!

I found this recipe on Tasty Kitchen. It is originally from Julie's Eats and Treats and we honestly look forward to this meal every time it comes around.

The directions are for doubling up and freezing one half (one normal portion) of the recipe. Pictures are on the owner's site of the preparation process.

• 2 whole Egg
• 1 1/2 cups Milk
• 2 cups Cheddar Cheese
• 2 cup Quick Cooking Oats
• 1 cup Chopped Onion
• 2 teaspoons Salt
• 2 pounds Lean Ground Beef
• 1 1/3 cups Ketchup
• 1 cups Packed Brown Sugar
• 1 tablespoon Prepared Mustard 

1. In a bowl beat egg and milk.
2. Stir in cheese, oats, onion and salt.
3. Add beef and mix well.
4. Shape the mixture into 8-12 loaves; place loaves in a greased 13x9x2 inch baking dish.
5. Combine ketchup, brown sugar and mustard. Spoon over loaves.
6. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes or until meat is no longer pink.
7. With remaining meat mixture, spoon into greased muffin tin and cook at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes. Do not cover with sauce. Will make 12-18 additional loaves (for freezing!)
8. Eat and enjoy the 8-12 loaves for dinner,  let muffin tin meatloaves cool for 30 minutes, then place in a freezer safe container and freeze for later use.

If you have extra sauce, you could always freeze it in a baggie, or you could make another batch of the sauce (ketchup, brown sugar, and mustard,) at the time of reheating the frozen meat loaves.


I tried freezing the sauce in individual disk shapes, thinking it would be easier to grab one or two per loaf if I was only heating up a loaf or two, but it didn't freeze very well.

When using the frozen meat loaves, thaw, top with sauce, and cook for 20 minutes at 350 degrees F. You can reheat them all at once or just a few at a time.

I've also prepared this meal for freezing and not baked them first. They turned out fine but I am choosing to cook things thoroughly this time around, just to be safe.

We love this meal with mashed potatoes, green beans, yeast rolls, and sauteed squash!

Stay tuned for more of our favorite freezer meals!

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{Freezer Meals}

Not Your Momma's Egg Salad

I have to share with you a little recipe.

I call it, "Not Your Momma's Egg Salad."

Unless, of course, you are Baby Galloway, and I am your momma.

In that case, this IS your momma's egg salad.

This egg salad is amazing.

It has a ton of flavors, is fairly healthy, and is slightly addicting.

And also, I'm not usually creative in the kitchen, when it comes to inventing my own recipes, that's my sister's thing, so I'm pretty proud of this tried and tested recipe.

Okay?

The cast of characters:

One and a half finely diced bell peppers, any assortment is fine.


Half of an onion, finely diced. If I had access to it, I think I would try a Vidalia onion. Or maybe a red onion. I only have this plane white one. But it was awesome.


3-4 tablespoons bacon pieces. Packaged or the real deal. I even used the last of our bacon pieces for this recipe. It's that good.


4-6 tablespoons of mayonnaise, though I don't really measure any of the ingredients in this recipe. I usually just eye it to make sure it's moist enough.


One tablespoon Dijon mustard (this might be the secret ingredient, besides the bacon, that is.)


9 eggs. Hard boiled (cover in pot with water, bring to a hard boil, and turn off from heat. Leave alone for 20 minutes, after which you drain the hot water, fill with cold water, and cool off the eggs.) Peeled, and diced. I removed 2 yolks, which I was told makes it 'healthier," but I really did it because I like an even higher egg whites to yolk ratio.

Optional ingredients: Diced celery, 1 tsp. paprika, grapes, walnuts, Italian salad dressing, or use leftover deviled eggs!

Mix all ingredients together and refrigerate for half an hour.

Serve on super soft buns or croissants.

Should make enough for 6 hearty sandwiches. I serve with a fruit salad, pasta salad, and/or fresh raw veggies.

SO SIMPLE.

So Delicious.

And even though it sounds like a "woman," food, the bacon really sends it over the edge into the realm of all things that are manly and edible by menfolk.

See, this man was waiting by my side the entire prep time.

That and sassing me with sarcasm and wit.
I keep him around for several reasons, sass and wit being two of them. Also for the fact that he'll wear a pink shirt and drink chammomile tea with me.

He's awesome.

Hope you enjoy! Let me know if you try it!

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Not Your Momma's Egg Salad