Freezer Meal Recipes

I have a sweet friend who I used to do freezer meals with, but then she moved to Texas.  So, I had to find a new buddy to make meals with, and who better than my own mom!

We got together one afternoon, spent 4 1/2 hours and we each had 10+ meals to store in our freezers!  We made everything from chicken & rice soup ... to beef stir fry.

Some took more time than others, but the greatest thing is that when we want to use one all we have to do is thaw it and bake it.

I thought I'd share some of the recipes of what we made so if you're into freezer meal making, you can make them too.

Here are the meals we made:

Smothered Beef Enchiladas (a spin off of this recipe, I just used leftover roast instead)
Meatless Manicotti (seriously, so yummy)
Beef Stir Fry (typical stir fry, but did you know you can freeze it too?)
Chicken & Wild Rice Soup (a family favorite)
Simple & Savory Chicken Pot Pie (seriously, the best recipe)
Chicken Enchilada Casserole (my mil's recipe)
Chicken Broccoli Casserole (the recipe we used is my aunt's & I don't have it, but I'll post the recipe I do have)
[recipes below]


I stored all of them in the little aluminum containers you can get at the dollar store or Wal-Mart.  I did put my soup in Tupperware just because it was convenient & put both pie tins together for my pot pie, but do what works best for you (other containers, Ziploc bags, etc.)

Smothered Beef Enchiladas

[these are the chicken enchiladas that are from the link above]

You will need:


3/4 c. shredded Monterey jack cheese
3/4 c. shredded cheddar cheese
2 c. shredded roast
1/4 c. sour cream
1/4 c. finely chopped cilantro
1 (4 oz.) can green chilies
2-4 large tortillas
Salt & pepper to taste
Enchilada sauce*

Directions:

1.   Combine roast, 1/2 c. cheddar & 1/2 c. Monterey cheeses, sour cream, chilies & cilantro in medium bowl
2.   Stir in 1/2 c. enchilada sauce
3.   In a greased 9 x 13 baking dish, pour just enough enchilada sauce to cover the bottom
4.   Warm tortillas & spread 2 tbs. mixture in each
5.   Roll tortillas & place fold down in baking dish
6.   Top with remaining enchilada sauce & cheese

*Bake @ 350 for 15-20 mins, or until cheese is bubbly

*Enchilada sauce

You will need:

2 tbs. oil
2 tbs. flour
2 tbs. chili powder
1 tsp. cumin
1 (14 oz.) can beef broth
1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. salt


Directions:

1.     Heat oil in pan, add flour & chili powder
2.     Add remaining ingredients, simmer for 10 minutes

Meatless Manicotti

[trust me, they taste WAY better than this photograph depicts]

You will need:

8 oz. Manicotti Shells               

2 Eggs-beaten 

2 TBS. Chopped Onion 

1/2 c. Parmesan Cheese

1/2 tsp. Nutmeg                                  

3 c. Cottage Cheese

Frozen Spinach            

1 c. Mozzarella Cheese

32 oz. Spaghetti Sauce 

1/4 c. Parmesan Cheese

Directions:

1.     Cook manicotti shells according to directions

2.     Grease a 9 x 13 inch baking dish, set aside

3.     Mix eggs, onion, cheeses (except 1/4 c. Parmesan), nutmeg & spinach, fill shells and place in dish

4.     Pour sauce over top & sprinkle with 1/4 c. Parmesan cheese

*Bake @ 350°for 35-40 mins.

Serve with: Fresh Fruit with Bruschetta

Beef Stir Fry

You will need:

1 c. rice
Beef stir fry strips (already cut up-found in grocery store)
Fresh veggies (snow peas, broccoli, carrots, peppers, zucchini, onions, etc.)
OR 1 pkg. stir fry veggies (found in store)
Teriyaki sauce of soy sauce
1 can beef broth (or 1 cube beef bouillon and 1 c. boiling water)
1 tsp. ginger
1 TB. cornstarch (optional)

Directions:

1.     Boil water-add rice and simmer for 20 mins. or until no longer crunchy
2.     Grease large skillet with oil or Crisco-let pan get hot, then add beef strips
3.     When beef is almost done, add veggies and a few squirts of soy sauce
4.     Stir until veggies are no longer frozen or hard
5.     Add can of beef broth or 1 bouillon cube with 1 c. boiling water, simmer-if you want a thicker sauce
6.     Mix 1 TB. cornstarch in 1/2 c. cold water and mix in with veggies
7.     Serve stir fry mix over rice and drizzle with teriyaki sauce

Serve with: Fruit Salad & Orange Rolls

[to store, just place in a freezer container (bag, aluminum pan, Rubbermaid) and freeze.  Cook rice when thawing meal]

 Chicken & Wild Rice Soup

You will need:

1 box Wild Rice

2 chicken breasts, cooked & cut up

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 pkg. chicken gravy

Carrots, sliced

Celery, sliced

Onion, sliced

Any other vegetables you want

2 c. chicken broth

1 c. water

Directions:

1.     Cook Wild Rice according to directions, set aside

2.     Put water, cream of chicken soup and chicken broth in a large pot & heat

3.     Wash and cut all vegetables, put in broth and cook until tender

4.     Add chicken and rice and stir

5.     Add chicken gravy to thicken soup to your desire

Serve with: Green Beans, Carol’s Wheat Bread

Chicken Pot Pie

[again, this photograph does not do this recipe justice.  it's the best recipe I've ever had for pot pies]

You will need:

1 can potato soup

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 can veg-all, drained

1/4 c. cream or milk

1-2 c. cooked chicken, shredded

1/8 tsp. thyme

2 pie crusts

Salt & pepper

Directions:

1.     Combine all ingredients and pour into one pie crust

2.     Place remaining pie crust on top, seal edges with fork and poke holes in top for venting

*Bake uncovered @ 375°for 47 to 55 mins. or until crust is golden brown

Serve with: Biscuits & Applesauce or fruit salad

[to store: place top pie crust on top, carefully remove lid & poke holes in top crust.  Replace tin top and push on hard (so you create a seal between top & bottom crusts).  Or, mold pie crust into a freezer dish, mold top pie crust on top & place pan lid on]

MIL's Chicken Enchilada Casserole

You will need:

1 c. chicken, cooked & shredded

1 can black beans

1 pkg. frozen corn

1 c. sour cream

1 c. cheddar cheese

1 pkg. taco seasoning

10 tortillas

2 cans cream of chicken soup

1 can green chilies

Directions:

1.     Combine soups and 1/2 c. cheese

2.     Combine beans, corn & chilies

3.     Cut tortillas into 1 inch strips or 8 triangles

4.     Grease a 9x13 pan, cover bottom with soup mix

5.     Add 1/2 tortillas, then 1/2 chicken

6.     Pour 1/2 veggies then 1/2 soup mix

7.     Sprinkle more taco seasoning

8.     Sprinkle with cheese

9.     Repeat layers one more time

10.   Top with remaining cheese & seasoning

*Bake covered @ 350°for 45 mins.

Serve with fresh fruit, chips & salsa

Chicken Broccoli Casserole

You will need:

1-2 c. cooked chicken, cut into pieces

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 c. sour cream

2 tsp. lemon juice

1-2 c. broccoli florets

Cheddar cheese

Bread crumbs or crushed crackers

Directions:

1.     Cook broccoli in microwave safe bowl and put on bottom of 9 x 13 inch greased baking dish

2.     Mix cooked chicken with cream of chicken soup, sour cream and lemon juice

3.     Pour chicken mixture over broccoli, top with cheese and crumbs

*Bake covered @ 350°for 30 mins.

Serve with:  Fresh Fruit, White Rice or Bread

Hopefully you can enjoy one or more of these meals, either tonight or sometime soon:)

[I have done my best do credit all appropriate sources.  If I have placed your recipe here without credit, please let me know]