Freezer Meals

A while back I had several friends to take meals to, so I thought while I was making meals for them I would start preparing for the arrival of our little one as well and make some freezer meals {with the help of my wonderful friend Kasie}.  We spent the afternoon, cutting, chopping, cooking and pouring and ended up with 15 meals.  Here were the three recipes we made that day {I have made a couple of different ones since for variaty}:

Chicken Pot Pies

Makes: 2 meals
Need: Two 8x8 pans

Ingredients:
4 c. chopped cooked chicken

1 c. chopped onion 

1 c. chopped celery

1 c. chopped carrot   

2 c. chicken broth  
1 c. half and half                                               
1/3 c. butter 
1 tsp. salt 
¼ tsp. pepper                                                                    
½ c. flour                                                                           
Basic pastry (see below) {I bought a pie crust instead because I found that making the dough did NOT turn out well}

Prep: Chicken, onion, celery, and carrots

Cooking Night: Saute onion, celery, and carrots in butter for 10 minutes.  Add flour to sautéed mixture, stirring well; cook 1 minute stirring constantly.  Combine broth and half and half; gradually stir into vegetable mixture.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened and bubbly.  Stir in salt and pepper.  Add chopped chicken, stirring well.  Pour chicken mixture into greased pans. 

Label: Thaw.  Lay pastry crust on top.  Cut slits in top to allow steam to escape.  Use a fork to press edges down around casserole dish.  Bake at 400 for 40 minutes or until crust is golden brown. 

Basic pastry (for one 8x8):

1 c. + 2 T. flour
½ tsp. salt
1/3 c. canola oil
2-3 T. cold water

Combine flour and salt in bowl; add oil.  Sprinkle water in and stir until all ingredients are moistened.  Shape into a ball; chill.  Roll out between two sheets of waxed paper so the dough does not stick.

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Makes: 2 meals or 4 meals
Need: Two 8x8 pans or four 8x4 loaf pans

Ingredients: 

2 lbs. cooked chicken, chopped (about 4 chicken breasts)
 2 cans red enchilada sauce
1 lb. cheese, shredded
1 pkg. flour tortillas (12-16 tortillas, depending on how many fit in your pan)
Optional Toppings:
Lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, guacamole

Prep: Chicken

Cooking Night: Pour the enchilada sauce on a platter and dip the tortilla in the sauce so both sides are covered. Make a layer of tortillas in the bottom of an 8x8 baking dish. Then add a layer of shredded chicken next, then add a layer of cheese on top.  Repeat the layering until the layers reach the top of the pan with a cheese layer on top.  Pour the rest of the sauce over the top. 

Label:  Thaw.  Bake at 375 for 20-30 minutes.  It will take a bit longer if not thawed.  Top with lettuce, tomatoes and sour cream if desired. 

Deceptively Delicious Meatloaf

Makes: 2 meatloaves
Need:  2 ziploc bags (plastic wrap and foil if you want to shape it into a loaf)

2 c. Italian seasoned breadcrumbs  

1 c. nonfat skim milk                                                                     

4 T. olive oil                                                                                      

1 onion, finely chopped                                                         

4 celery stalks, finely chopped  

1 c. carrot puree                                       

2 lb. lean ground turkey                                                          
1 c. grated parmesan

1/2 c. ketchup
2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 c. cans tomato sauce 

Prep: Onion and celery. 

Cooking night:  In a large bowl, soak the breadcrumbs in milk. Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and set it over med-high heat. When the skillet is hot, add the oil. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, 7-10 minutes. Add the celery and cook 3-4 minutes longer. Scrape the mixture into the bowl with the breadcrumbs. Add the turkey, parmesan, carrot puree, ketchup, salt, and pepper, and stir to combine.  Shape into a loaf and place in a freezer bag. 

Label:  Thaw.  Place in a loaf pan.  Top with tomato sauce.  Bake at 350 for 45-50 minutes.  Top with cooked, crumbled bacon. 

It is really nice to open the freezer after a long day and just grab a meal and throw it in the oven!