FREEZER MEALS RECIPES

Meat Marinara Recipe

3 pounds ground beef, cooked and strained
1 medium onion, diced finely
4 cloves of garlic, minced
4 large cans of crushed tomatoes
1 12 oz. can tomato paste
1 huge (the double size) jar of good store bought marinara
1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 Tablespoon of balsamic vinegar
Salt to taste (1 1/2 Tablespoons or so)
Pepper to taste (3/4 of a tablespoon)

Italian Seasoning

INGREDIENTS
o 3 tablespoons dried basil
o 3 tablespoons dried oregano
o 3 tablespoons dried parsley
o 1 tablespoon garlic powder
o 1 teaspoon onion powder
o 1 teaspoon dried thyme
o 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
o 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
o 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

DIRECTIONS
1. Mix all ingredients in a spice grinder.
2. OR put in a small bowl and crush with the back of a spoon.
3. Store in an airtight jar for up to 6 months.

To the ground beef, add in the garlic and onions and let cook until onions are soft. Add
in the rest of the ingredients and cook for 45 minutes or so on medium heat, until flavors
are combined.

I used the marinara to make 5 small lasagnas in 2.5 pound size aluminum pans.
Easy Lasagna Recipe

(makes 5 freezer meals)

Meat Marinara
Ricotta Cheese (largest tub)
1 large egg
1/2 Tablespoon ground black pepper
1 cup grated Parmesan
No bake lasagna noodles (2 boxes made all of mine)
Shredded mozzarella cheese (the bag kind totally works for me) its hard to say how
much, but I used about 10 cups total

In a small bowl mix together the ricotta, egg, pepper and Parmesan until thoroughly
combined.

On the bottom of your pan, ladle in enough sauce to lightly coat the bottom of the pan
with a thin layer. Using a small spoon or tablespoon scoop, add in dollops of the ricotta
mixture (I did 5 drops on each layer, one on each corner and one in the middle). Add
more marinara onto and around the ricotta, sprinkle a thin layer of mozzarella, then add
another layer of noodles. Do three layers, topping it off the final layer of noodles with
sauce and good layer mozzarella cheese and cover with cardboard top. Set aside to cool
before putting in freezer.

When youre ready to cook, take off the top, cover with aluminum foil and bake for 35
minutes at 375 degrees, take off aluminum and cook for an additional 10 minutes or
until top is lightly browned and bubbly.

Add a salad and some garlic bread and youve got a meal in just a few minutes.

**********

After I made my lasagna, I put the rest of the marinara into gallon Ziploc bags, two cups
in each, then squished all the air off and froze them flat in the freezer. When I want to
make spaghetti, I cook the noodles, warm the sauce, add a salad and some bread and Im
done.

*************
Easy Chili Recipe

(makes 2-3 freezer meals)

2 pounds of ground beef

1 onion, diced
3 cans of chili beans
1 can Rotel tomatoes
1 can of diced tomatoes (14 oz can)
2 packs of chili seasoning
1/2 table spoon salt
2 cups water
Put browned ground beef into a pan with onions and cook until onions are soft. Add in
all the other ingredients (including the juice of the tomatoes) and cook for 30 minutes or
so until flavors have combined.

Its hard to measure, but I used two gallon bags to put in 1/3 of the mixture into each,
and then split the rest up into a couple smaller quart bags for chili dogs or chili chips
and cheese (things where chili is not the main meal.)

*****

Easy Cheeseburger Casserole

(makes 3 freezer meals)

For the topping:

2 pounds of ground beef (again, mine was pre-cooked)

1 onion, diced very finely
Six cups Cheddar Cheese, grated
For the crust:
5 cups of self rising flour
3/4 cup of sour cream
1 egg
1 cup (more or less) of water
In a saute pan, cook together the ground beef over medium high heat until onion is soft.
Set aside to cool.
Make the crust first by combining the flour, egg, sour cream and enough water to bring
it together into a thick, but spreadable consistency.

Spray the pans (I used three round pans) and spread a layer of the dough into each one.
Sprinkle the cooled meat mixture over the dough, then top each one with about 2 cups of
cheddar. Top with lid. To cook, bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes, until cheese is
lightly browned and bubbly.

For a variation, you could put some of the marinara on the dough, and have a
cheeseburger pizza casserole. We sometimes use marinara for dipping its the perfect
finger food!

***

For the rest of the ground beef, I divided it up into a couple of quart Ziploc bags for
sloppy joes or tacos.

*****

Now lets work on the chicken recipes. I shredded all of the chicken and used it in
several of the recipes below. After they were all made, I put the rest of the shredded
chicken into quart size Ziploc bags and froze them flat for Chicken Tacos, BBQ Chicken
sandwiches, etc.

Broccoli Cheddar Chicken Pasta Bake Recipe

(makes 3 freezer meals)

3 cooked, shredded chicken breasts

2 boxes of pasta (I used penne), cooked and draine
2 cans of Campbells cheddar soup
2 cups of chicken broth (I used the broth from cooking the chicken)
2 bags of frozen broccoli
1 Tablespoon Salt
3 cups of shredded cheddar
Combine all ingredients except shredded cheddar into a bowl, divide out into three pans,
the top with cheddar cheese. When ready to cook, bake at 350 degrees for 30 -40
minutes, until warm and bubbly. Because Im getting carbs, veggies and protein all in
one dish, I usually add another veggie and some garlic bread and thats it . So yummy!

*****
Tex Mex Chicken Casserole

(makes 4 freezer meals)

4 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded

8 cups of cooked rice
2 can of Rotel tomatoes
2 packs of taco seasoning
2 cans of whole kernel corn, drained
2 cans of black beans (undrained)
1 small can of black olives, drained
6 cups of cheddar cheese, grated
Mix together all of the ingredients in a bowl, except the cheese. Divide out into four
pans, then top each with the cheddar cheese and top with cardboard topper. To cook,
remove cardboard piece and bake at 350 until thoroughly heated and cheese is melted
(all ingredients are already cooked, so its just a matter of heating it well.) I serve with
sour cream and salsa on top and tortilla chips on the side.

Basic Chicken Casserole Recipe

(makes 3 freezer meals)

4 shredded, cooked chicken breasts

5 cups of cooked rice
2 cans of cream of chicken condensed soup
1 cup of chicken broth
2 bags of frozen peas and carrots (I used mixed, but you could use one bag of
each)
1 Tablespoon of salt
1/2 Tablespoon of black pepper
3 cup of Frenchs onions
3 cups of shredded cheddar cheese
In a small bowl, combine the cheese and onions together set aside (for the topping)

In a large bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients together, then separate into pans.
Top each one with 1/3 of the topping mixture and freeze. When ready to cook, bake at
350 until thoroughly warm and cheese is melted (everything is already cooked in the
casserole.)
Chicken & Dressing

(makes 3 freezer meals)

A big pan of cornbread (use your own fave recipe) cooked and crumbled
2 cans of cream of chicken soup
1 can of chicken broth
1 medium onion, finely diced & sauteed in butter
2 Tablespoons of ground sage
1 1/2 Tablespoons of salt
3/4 of a Tablespoon of ground black pepper
2 cups of cooked, shredded chicken
*you can also add a couple of stalks of celery, however we dont like it so my dressing
doesnt have it.*

Mix all of the ingredients together, put into pans and freeze. When youre ready to cook,
bake at 350 degrees for about an hour. Make sure to have chilled cranberry sauce and

basic chicken gravy for the side, because thats what a good southerner would do

My total freezer meals recipe stash:

5 lasagnas

2 bags of pre-made marinara (for spaghetti)

2 bags of chili (plus 2 additional small bags for chili dogs/nachos)

3 cheeseburger casseroles

3 broccoli cheddar chicken pasta bakes

4 Tex Mex chicken casseroles

3 basic chicken casseroles

2 bags of ground beef (ready for sloppy joes, etc.)

3 bags of shredded chicken breast (ready for tacos, etc.)

Plus the original Chicken & Dressing that started it all

Grand total 28 meals (plus two small bags of chili)

Recipe #2: Teriyaki Chicken

This recipe is from my mother-in-law! Its a recipe that I generally bake, but have
made using a crockpot before. Its one of my families favorites!

6-8 Bonesless, Skinless Chicken Thighs

1 Cup Teriyaki Sauce

1 Cup Water

2/3 Cup Brown Sugar

3 Cloves Garlic

A few slices of of Ginger

Ingrediente
Sos Teriyaki
120 ml sos soia
sucul de la 1 grapefruit (sau de la 2 portocale sau 50 ml sake)
2 lingurite miere
2 lingurite ulei de susan
1 lingurita rasa ghimbir pudra
1/2 lingurita mustar pudra (seminte de mustar macinate)
1 lingura seminte susan
2 cepe verzi tocate marunt
Portii: 220 ml sos
Preparare
Sos Teriyaki
1. Amestecati totul intr-un borcan si pastrati la frigider.

Add all ingredients to a Freezer Gallon Ziplock Bag! Dont stres about trimming
up the Chicken Thighs too much, its really not needed! One of the reasons I love
crockpotting Chicken Thighs is because the fat melts and only adds to the
taste!! Once bag is closed with all the air out use your hands to mix all the
ingredients and make sure the Thighs are sitting in a good sauce!!

To cook: Take the Freezer Meal out of the Freezer and hour before starting OR run
it under some room temperature water for about 30 seconds. Dump meal in the a
Crockpot and cook on Low for 4-6 hours!
 Recipe #3: Sweet BBQ Chicken

I adapted this recipe from one that a friend shared with me from Just a Pinch
Recipes. If you decide to use a Sweet BBQ Sauce, then youll want to reduce the
amount of Brown Sugar you use.
 4-6 Chicken Breasts

12 oz bottle of BBQ Sauce

1/2 Cup Brown Sugar (I like mine really sweet, so Ill usually do a little bit more
then this)

1/4 Cup Vinegar

1/8 teaspoon of Cayenne Pepper

1 tsp Garlic Powder

Sos BBQ (barbecue) facut in casa

Portii: 600 ml

Ingrediente - savoriurbane.com
2 linguri (30ml) de ulei de masline sau floarea soarelui
1 ceapa medie tocata
4 catei de usturoi zdrobiti
400g rosii in conserva (cuburi sau intregi) sau proaspete (sa fie rosii de vara, coapte)
 optional - o crenguta de cimbru verde sau uscat
sare, piper
1 lingurita de chimion macinat pudra
lingurita pudra de chili (renuntati la ea sau reduceti-o daca nu va place iute)
2 lingurite de boia afumata (smoked paprika)
2 linguri (50g) de zahar brun
2 linguri de melasa (sirop auriu) sau miere
200ml apa (un pahar)
50ml otet balsamic rosu sau otet de mere

MOD DE PREPARARE SOS BARBECUE BBQ DE CASA

Asa cum spuneam la inceput, totul sta in proportiile ingredientelor. Puteti varia acest sos reducand
zaharul, crescand pudra de chili sau otetul, usturoiul sau adaugand alte ierburi (busuioc, oregano,
etc.).

Once the chicken is cleaned, I like to rub it with the Cayenne Pepper. But, if
youre in a hurry you can just add the Chicken to a Freezer Gallon Ziplock Bag and
then add the rest of the ingredients. Once bag is closed, use your hands to mash all
the ingredients together!

To cook: Take the Freezer Meal out of the Freezer and hour before starting OR run
it under some room temperature water for about 30 seconds. Dump meal in the a
Crockpot and cook on Low for 4-6 hours!
 Recipe #4: Creamy Chicken Italian-O

I got this recipe from Lisa actually! Its a yummy one! Enjoy!
4-6 Chicken Breasts

8 oz Cream Cheese

1 Can of Cream of Chicken

1 Dry Packet of Italian Seasoning

Take softened Cream Cheese, Cream of Chicken and Italian Seasoning and mix
together in a bowl. Take cleaned chicken and place in a Freezer Gallon Ziplock
Bag and top with the mixture. After Ziplock bag is closed, take your hands and
push wet mixture to cover chicken.

To cook: Take the Freezer Meal out of the Freezer and hour before starting OR run
it under some room temperature water for about 30 seconds. Dump meal in the a
Crockpot and cook on Low for 4-6 hours!
Recipe #5: Cafe Rio Crockpot Chicken

I got this recipe from Chef in Training!

4-6 Chicken Breasts

1/2 a small bottle of Zesty Italian Dressing

1 Packet of Dry Ranch Dressing (3 TB)

1/2 Cup Water

1/2 TB of Minced Garlic

1/2 TB Chili Powder

1/2 TB Ground Cumin

Combine all ingredients in a Freezer Gallon Ziplock Bag. Once ziplock bag is
closed, take your hands and combine all ingredients together well.

To cook: Take the Freezer Meal out of the Freezer and hour before starting OR run
it under some room temperature water for about 30 seconds. Dump meal in the a
Crockpot and cook on Low for 4-6 hours!

I also made a couple of the Freezer Meal Recipes from Round #1. I made a
couple Worlds Best Chicken Freezer Meals and a couple Garlic Lime Chicken
Freezer Meals. My husband really enjoyed both of those last time!
Recipe #6: Garlic Lime Chicken

Recipe #7: Worlds Best Chicken

It feels so good to have my Deep Freezer FULL! WooWoo!! I hope these recipes
are ones that you and your family enjoy! Good luck filling up your freezers!