Now and Later Freezer Meal Recipes

Do a little more work now, so that you can have a pretty easy meal later.  You could prep these dishes on a Sunday.  You could also prep them with a friend and split the "booty" so that you both benefit from some easy "later" meals.  (I typed out a "prep" sheet for myself to use time as efficiently as possible.  It is at the bottom of this post.  Feel free to use- I am also making muffins on this day too :) )

Notes:

1. Each of these recipes is a double recipe.  They will be divided into two freezer bags and each freezer bag will be one meal for a family of two.  If you have a larger family, keep the recipes as one meal and do not separate into two freezer bags as the instructions describe.
2. Write the “later” instructions on the plastic bags before you fill them so that you have instructions on how to prepare them.

Pineapple Chicken

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 can crushed pineapple, unsweetened and juices retained

1/2 tablespoon soy sauce

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 red peppers, sliced into strips

4 chicken breasts

Now

Put all ingredients (except for pepper and chicken) in a large bowl.  Mix well.  Divide this marinate between two plastic freezer bags and add two chicken breasts and half the peppers to each.  Tightly seal.  Place on counter and gently knead the chicken so that it marinates thoroughly.  Put in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.  Then, freeze on a cookie sheet in the freezer.  Once frozen, you can place upright in freezer to save room.

Later

Take out freezer bag in the morning to let it thaw in the refrigerator all day.  At dinner-time, preheat oven (350 degrees) and prepare brown rice.  Brown chicken in a pan (optional) and then place in a baking dish.  Put in the preheated oven and bake for about 40 minutes.  Serve over rice.

Beef Stew

1 pound of beef stew meat 

1 large onion, chopped into chunks

20 baby carrots, cut in half

2 potatoes, skinned and cut into chunks

4 celery stalks, cut into 1/2 inch chunks

1 pint of mushrooms, cut into halves

3 teaspoons of Worcestershire Sauce

4 cups of beef broth

1 tablespoons of tomato paste 

2 tablespoons of flour

1/2 teaspoons of pepper

2 bay leaves

1 spring of fresh thyme

3 cloves of garlic, crushed

1 bottle of red wine (1/2 for each batch)

Now

Brown all sides of the meat in a dutch oven coated with a bit of olive oil.  Remove from dutch oven and let cool completely.  Pour rest of ingredients in a large bowl and mix everything well.  Divide these ingredients into two plastic freezer bags, add cooled meat, and tightly seal. Freeze flat on a cookie sheet.  Once frozen, you can place upright in freezer to save room.

Later

Take out freezer bag in the morning to let it thaw in the refrigerator all day.  Pour thawed contents of bag in a dutch oven, add 1/2 bottle of red wine, stir well, and bring to a boil.  Lower to a simmer and cook until thickened, meat is cooked through, and vegetables are tender.  (As an alternative, you can also place the dutch oven in a 350 degree oven for about an hour, again until thickened, meat is cooked through, and vegetables are tender.)  Before serving, remove thyme stalk and bay leaves.  

Meatloaf

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 stalks of celery, finely chopped

1 red pepper, finely chopped

1 medium-sized onion, finely chopped

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

1 and 1/2 pounds of lean ground beef

1 cup of homemade bread crumbs

3/4 cup of milk

1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce

2 large egg whites

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 tablespoon of Dijon mustard

Now

Put all ingredients in a large bowl.  Mix well.  Divide into two and shape into loaves.  (You can estimate the size by having your meatloaf/bread pan out on the counter.)  Place each loaf in a plastic freezer bag and tightly seal. Freeze.

Later

Take out freezer bag in the morning to let it thaw in the refrigerator all day.  At dinner-time, preheat oven (350 degrees).  Put the thawed loaf into your oiled meatloaf/bread pan and bake for one hour.  Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Minestrone Soup 

1/2 red onion, chopped finely 

1 small zucchini, chopped

10 baby carrots, chopped 

1 sticks celery, chopped

1 small leek, washed and chopped into half moons (white part only)

1 clove garlic, minced 

1/2 teaspoon of dried oregano

1 bay leaf 

1 can of diced tomatoes, no salt added

2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1 tablespoon of tomato paste

2 basil leaves, chopped

1 can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed 

1 cup ditalini pasta (1/2 for each batch)

2 cups of baby spinach, chopped (1 cup for each batch)

salt and pepper to taste

grated Parmesan cheese

Now

Put the first 13 ingredients in a large bowl and mix well.  Divide these ingredients into two plastic freezer bags and tightly seal. Freeze flat on a cookie sheet.  Once frozen, you can place upright in freezer to save room.

Later

Take out freezer bag in the morning to let it thaw in the refrigerator all day.  Pour thawed contents of bag in a dutch oven and bring to a boil.  Reduce to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes or until vegetables and beans are tender.  After 20 minutes, add in the 1/2 cup of pasta and the cup of chopped spinach.  Continue to cook until the pasta is tender.  Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and serve the warm bread.

Prep

1. Put baking sheet in freezer and take out 7 freezer bags.  (Label bags with instructions.)

2. Take out all spices and measuring spoons.

3. Measure out flour, brown sugar, and bread crumbs.

4. Take out tomatoes and beans.  Rinse beans.

5. Prep all vegetables:

• 3 red peppers: cut one into strips and dice the other two (2 white bowls)
• 2 onions: chop one into chunks and finely chop the other two (2 white bowls)
• 7 stalks of celery: chop into 1/2 inch chunks (1 white bowl)
• 1 zucchini: chop (1 white bowl)
• 1 bag of baby carrots: cut into halves (1 white bowl)
• 2 potatoes: skin and cut into chunks (1 white bowl)
• 6 cloves of garlic: crush (1 small orange bowl)
• 1 pint of mushrooms: halve (1 white bowl)
• 1 leek: half moons (1 white bowl)

6. Brown the stew meat and let cool.

7. Take out tomato paste, worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, and dijon mustard.

8. Take out milk and beat eggs.

9. Meatloaf: Mix all ingredients in large metal bowl and shape two loaves.  Put in bags and freeze.  Wash metal bowl.

10. Stew: Mix all ingredients in large metal bowl (adding cooled meat).  Put in two bags and freeze on cookie sheet.  Wash metal bowl.

11. Soup: Mix all ingredients in large metal bowl.  Put in two bags and freeze on cookie sheet.  Wash metal bowl.

12. Chicken: Mix all ingredients in large metal bowl.  (Save half of the pineapple for muffins.)

13. Clean up.

14. Prep muffins and put in oven.

15. Remove cookie sheet from freezer and put all bags upright.