Needing Help Planning Meals Good for Freezing!

One of my favorite cookbooks is "The Everything Meals for a Month Cookbook" by Linda Larsen. Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/Everything-Meals-Month-Cookbook-Rec...
I wrote one of the "most helpful" reviews, so you can get an idea of what is in it. While the book does not list nutrition information, it does have simple ingredient lists, good varieties of flavors, and helpful information for freezing meals. This cookbook is also nice because it provides instructions both for cooking from frozen or for immediate consumption.

I also recommend searching through recommended books on Amazon by reading the reviews. It takes some time, but that's how I've learned about many of my favorite cookbooks!

K.,
I use to work as a personal chef and did this for a living...found that pasta dishes freeze well. I do this with Lazagna (meat or veggie), a penne pasta dish with red sauce, saugage, bell peppers and onions (I add a little red pepper and call it cajun), chicken or spinich enchiladas, rice casserole with chicken breast(cut up)with frozen veg mix and cream of mushroom soup,Pot pies...just buy pre made crust and frozen peas and carrots, cream of chk soup and cut up chk breast, Quiche also feezes very well(easy to make) and my daughter loves it. If possible store it in freezer bags. When I did this I put everything in single seving containers covered it with plastic wrap then put the lid on top of that. That works but now I would do that then put it in gallon size frezzer bags. If you plan to store in family size portions just take it out of the freezer in the morning to thaw. I wish you lots of luck. This is such a great idea for busy moms!!

Here's a good website that can help you...

http://www.frugalmom.net/once_a_month_cooking.htm

W. Q

K., your request made my day. I own a small cafe that is connected to our country store so I do a lot of cooking at the cafe and at home. You can make a lot of good healthy dishes to freeze and reheat or baked later on.

Homemade Spaghetti Sauce freezes well and will last in the freezer for several months if packaged properly. I get very lean beef and make sure to drain of any access grease. I add in diced green pepper, onion, garlic, oregano, italian seasoning, garlic powder, mushrooms, diced tomatoes, a couple cans of hunts tomato sauce (I select the garlic and herb or the 4 cheese sauce). Cook this then freeze in freezer bags, making sure to remove all air and lock properly. A good size stock pot full of spaghetti sauce can easily be frozen into 3 or 4 meals.

Stuffed Peppers freezes well and is easy to prepare. I make a mixture of things I would use to make meatloaf and stuff inside the peppers. I do blanch the peppers before stuffing them, this gets rid of that bitter taste. Stuff the peppers and let cool then place in freezer containers or in freezer lock bags. Once you are ready to bake the peppers, put some tomato sauce on top or ketchup, your choice, bake and serve.

Meatloaf is easy to create and freeze. Use your favorite recipe and place in the tins you can get at the store, get the size that will make enough for your family meal. I put the mixture in the tins (without baking) and wrap the seal wrap on the tin first then put on alunimum foil to ensure a good wrap and no freezer burn. When I'm ready to bake a meatloaf, I remove the seal and put some ketchup on top then put the foil back on and bake.

Lasagna or Manicotti freezes well and is so easy to make. I do something a bit different with my lasagna noodles that most probably haven't heard of. I cook the noodles off in the evening and place in a large pan (stretched out), add water to cover the noodles and let them sit in the refrigerator over night. The next day the noodles have almost doubled in size which helps to cover the pans when I start building the lasagna. I purcahse cottage cheese, ricotta cheese, motz. cheese and parmasan cheese. I blend the cottage cheese and ricotta together. I make a batch of spaghetti sauce, making it a bit thicker than normal and have it ready to put on the noodles. Get some tins from the store and place sauce on bottom then noodles making sure to overlap. Top with sauce, and droplets of cottage/ricotta. Top that with Motz cheese and a good handful of parmasan. Keep building your lasagna in this order, I usually get 5 layers. The top layer will be sauce and topped with matz cheese and parmasan. Use the Seal wrap then foil. Before baking remove the seal wrap and place the foil back on. You should get at least 3 good pans of lasagna to freeze.

A good rule of thumb is, if you are wanting to make soups or meals that require milk added, dont freeze them with the milk. Milk does not freeze well. I make starter batches of soups. Some require milk or cream. I leave that out and have my basic mix that will freeze well until I'm ready to finish them off and serve. Leek/potato soup is a good soup to freeze. Saute your leeks in a bit of olive oil. Let them cook down a bit then add in your diced potatoes. Pour in Chicken stock. Let the mixture cook a bit then set aside to cool. Place the mixture in freezer containers, mark the date of the soup mix then freeze. When you are ready to finish off your leek potato soup, remove from freezer, place in a large sauce pan or stock pot. Let the potatoes and leeks cook down a bit then add half and half or milk. Serve piping hot. Leek Potato Soup will last at least 3 months in the freezer.

Veggies. Peas, Corn, Beans are easy to prepare and freeze well. You can create one or blend all 3 and make mixed veggies. I always remove the corn from the cob. I blanch or sometimes completely cook the veggies before freezing. They taste like they just came from the garden if the proper freezing technique is used.

I hope this is a bit of help for you. There are so many things you can freeze and have available for your family on short notice.

J. Blue Star Mom

I have heard about the plan-for-a-month, food in the freezer ideas, and they didn't sound too good to me. It seemed like the people spent about two whole days each month preparing the meals, and then they still had significant prep time before, and had to settle for less-than-desirable meals.

Anyway, let me tell you about a method that I have used for the past 5 years or more and really like. I plan a certain meal for certain days. For example, Sunday is meat night, Monday is spaghetti, Tuesday is a beans night, Wednesday is a meat night, Thursday is a beans night, Friday is usually Mexican Rice, Curry, or Chili. (I take a Sabbath rest, so I don't like to do much cooking on Saturday, so I cook a big pot of something for Friday night and Saturday.) The hard part for me was deciding what to make each night. This way I don't have to re-invent the wheel each week. It works so well that when there is a question about which day of the week it is, we say, "We had spaghetti last night so it must be Tuesday."

You can of course make changes to the schedule as things come up, but it's always nice to know what is planned for that evening.

My husband and I have a total of seven children, but only four boys are living at home now, the others are grown.

M. Burleson

Robin Miller on the Foodnetwork has a lot of great advice for quick meals that are good throughout the week and for freezing.

Hi K.,
I noticed that someone already mentioned Robin Miller-I like this b/c if you have cable/satelite, it's Free :-).

She does meals for the Week, but there is no reason you couldn't double/triple and make them for about a month at a time.
One tip I got from Robin that I use Every week is Baking!! I bake most of our meat and her philosophy is that if you are heating the oven you might as well Fill it Up :-). Yesterday I cooked regular chicken fingers (w/ salt & pepper), garlic rosemary chicken, and buffalo chicken-you ALSO could cook Beef/Pork/Fish-just make sure you watch the stuff if they have different cooking times/temps. You can also cook Veggies that way, roast Peppers (if you get a deal), Garlic, Tomatoes, etc...and have it ready.

After I get all the food cooked, I put it in quart Freezer bags, label and Freeze. It makes cooking Dinner MUCH easier. You can also cook and pre-season ground meat (turkey/beef/chicken) and freeze it!! You can plan a trip to the grocery store Around what you already have (look at your frozen inventory and buy salad/veggies/bread etc...to make meals.
You can even cook n freeze Eggs, Bacon and Rice. I do all of those and then you can just heat them in the Microwave and you are ready to go. The Rice is a Great for a side dish.
I like to watch Robin Miller and Rachel Ray-her meals are pretty simple and I LOVE that she says "If you don't have XXX you can substitute Y, Z, A, B that You and your family like-makes it easier to get things customized for your family. You can go oniline & print out their recipes and just multiply the ones you like by 4, 3 etc... and shop/cook/freeze.
I am having trouble Meal Planning too-I have a 2 yr old-and I have found that having stuff onhand that I just have to heat and cook some frozen/fresh veggies is a Huge Help.
Also, I look at my local Grocery Stores for Bread when It's on sale and buy and freeze immediately so if we need rolls/hogie buns/wraps/loaf bread we have it and I can just put it out that am, and it's ready for dinner.
Gee, I just realized this is long.
:-) Hope it helps!
C.

Hello, just wanted to tell you about a great cookbook by Holly Clegg-Trim and Terrific Freezer Friendly Meals. I have several of her cook books and they are all great, healthy meals with nutritional information included. There are very few of the meals that we haven't liked. Some of her other cookbooks have freezer friendly recipes also. I would highly recommend her books. Blessings on your meals.

Have you tried any Homemade Gourmet ideas? You can order seasoning packets or marinades, and they will provide meal ideas and instructions. Lots of them can be frozen. I don't know what I would do without them! Check them out on the web www.homemadegourmet.com.

Good Luck!
K. in OKC

You should check out www.recipezaar.com. It's a very neat site where people posts their own recipes and ones they picked up from other places. Recipes have nutritional information, serving sizes, a "cookbook" to save your favorite dishes, and you can create & print a shopping list for the recipes you want to make. There are also message boards in case you run into a problem or just need some help planning your meals. People posts their weekly and monthly menu ideas on the boards. Just go there and search "OAMC" (once a month cooking). I absolutely LOVE this site, and always find something good. Hope this helps.

K.,
Check out the book "Once A Month Cooking" by Beth Lagerborg. You can get it online through the MOPShop at www.mops.org. I think a second edition was recently released as well. The idea is to set aside one day for cooking either a month's worth or two weeks worth of meals. Chop everything, prepare similar sauces, etc. one time rather than eveery day. The book has several menus with shopping lists right down to how many freezer bags or containers you will need. You may have to tweak the recipes to add a little southern flair, but for the most part my family liked everything (and at ages 5,7, and 9 they are picky!).

I hope this helps!

K.

There is a book called The Occasional Cook by a Christian lady named Cyndy Salzmann. She actually came and did a ladies retreat for us at my church and a bunch of us bought her books. The Occasional Cook is exactly what you are talking about wanting. You can order it off of her website http://www.cyndysalzmann.com/Nonfiction.html
Check her out! She has other resources for the domestically challenged--that is her ministry.
L.

i used to teach a power cooking class - here is my handout including recipes and tips. let me know if you have any questions or want some more recipes! also let me know if you want me to email you the word doc which might be easier to read!
happy cooking!
J.

Power Cooking
Bring your family back to the dinner table with ease.

Jennifer Warr
Independent Consultant for The Pampered Chef
###-###-####
www.pamperedchef.biz/whatscookingjen
www.jenwarr.mywildtree.com

~ Helpful Hints and A Baker’s Dozen Recipes ~

Preparing multiple meals at once saves time, money and energy. Power Cooking combines the tasks of planning meals, buying groceries, and slicing & dicing with FUN tools while assembling healthy meals for your freezer. After Power Cooking, you will save money by reaching into your freezer for your family’s meal rather than reaching for the telephone for take-out. Plus, dinner at home, around your own table, really makes a difference in family life. Many studies show that numerous childhood “problems” are experienced at a significantly lower rate—based on how many meals the family eats together AT HOME. The rate of juvenile delinquency and teenage pregnancy are lower (and test scores are higher) for those families who eat a mere 3 dinners together at home a week!

Part of the Pampered Chef mission is to bring families back to the dinner table at home to reconnect and share ideas, with one of the best family traditions of all: a healthy, home-cooked meal. Part of my mission is making that experience “painless” by providing the tools to make it easier!

Cooking can be FUN with the right tools!

Helpful hints to prepare for Power Cooking:
 Clean out your freezer and refrigerator the day before shopping.
 Plan to use containers designed for the freezer, or purchase Ziploc freezer-quality storage bags.
 Purchase a new, black permanent marker for labeling the bags or containers.
 Find a comfy spot and make your shopping list in pencil. Go through the recipes and list the ingredients. This list will be your Master List. Alter the quantity of items on your list as you reread each recipe so that you do not over-purchase. Then go through your freezer, fridge, and pantry and mark off items that you find. A primary goal of Power Cooking is to SAVE MONEY!
 Keep a copy of your list so that you do not have to recreate your list in the future.
 Shop the day before you plan to cook so that you have the energy to have fun in the kitchen!
 The night before your Power Cooking day, clear off your countertops; you will need the space. Disinfect your countertops, gather all your ingredients and group them by recipe. Make sure your microfiber towels and dishcloths are clean. Unload your dishwasher and empty your garbage cans, including your recyclables garbage can. In the morning, you will be ready to Cook with Power!

Helpful hints for shopping:
 Shop at your bulk store first and purchase in large quantities. Then shop at your regular grocery store and buy store-brand items.
 Shop the inner aisles first, produce next, then bakery and frozen foods last.
 Watch the sell by dates on the meat; always select meat from the bottom of the stack for freshest.

Helpful hints for Power Cooking Day:
 Begin by labeling your freezer bags or freezer-safe containers using a permanent marker. Write the name of the recipe and date it was prepared for the freezer. Also list anything that needs to be added from the pantry and/or fridge.
 Record the start and finish times of foods that are cooking at the same time.
 Fill the sink with hot, soapy water. Wash the dishes as you go. When you are completely finished using a tool, place it in the dishwasher for less cleanup later.
 Chop and grate all fresh foods at once and place in bowls on your countertop. Scoop required amounts when assembling your meals. Freeze leftover veggies into 2 cup portions for later use.
 Cool your cooked ingredients in an area away from your prep area so that you can continue your recipes without feeling short on space. Pour cooled ingredients into freezer bags or containers that are appropriate for food quantity to avoid freezer burn. Squeeze extra air out of filled freezer bags.
 Pull tomorrow night’s dinner out of the freezer and place in fridge before bedtime.
 After cleaning up, go out to dinner and reward yourself for a good day’s work!

~ A Baker’s Dozen ~
Power Cooking Recipes

Notes:
~ To thaw most recipes listed, simply remove bag from the freezer the night before. To prevent leaks, place the bag in a bowl or dish on a shelf furthest from freezer.
~ To greatly shorten the cooking time, you may pound or buy thin sliced chicken breasts.

1. Triple Citrus Chicken
2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 tsp grated orange zest
1 tsp grated lemon zest
1 clove freshly pressed garlic
1 Tbsp chives, chopped
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
3 Tbsp fresh lime juice
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp honey
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp vegetable oil

Place chicken into freezer bag. Add remaining ingredients and lay flat in freezer. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Empty the contents of the bag into the Stoneware Rectangular Baker and bake until the juices run clear, about 30 minutes.

2. Chicken in a Tarragon-Caper Sauce
2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts or tenderloins
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon minced shallots
1 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons capers
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon chopped dried tarragon

Place chicken into freezer bag. In another freezer bag add shallots, broth, capers, lemon juice and tarragon. Bundle the 2 bags together and lay flat in freezer. When ready to cook - heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper. Add chicken to pan; brown on each side (about 2 minutes). Add sauce to pan; reduce heat to low, cover and cook until chicken is done (about 20 minutes).

3. Caesar Chicken
2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts or tenderloins
1 (16 oz) bottle of Creamy Caesar Salad Dressing
2 – 3 cloves freshly pressed garlic

Place chicken into freezer bag, add garlic and bottle of dressing. Coat chicken well. Squeeze air out of bag and freeze. Chicken will marinate as it defrosts in refrigerator for 24 hours. Remove chicken from bag and place in Stoneware Rectangular Baker. Bake, uncovered, at 400 degrees for 45 minutes (30 minutes for tenderloins).

4. Chicken Tettrazzini
16 oz. spaghetti
2 sticks butter
1 onion, chopped
1 cup green bell pepper, chopped
3 cups cooked chicken, cubed
8 oz. fresh mushrooms, sliced
2 cups grated Monterey Jack cheese
2 cans Golden Cream-of-Mushroom soup
3 cups milk
salt and pepper to taste
Break spaghetti in half and cook as directed on package; drain. Sautee onion and bell pepper in butter for 5 minutes; toss with spaghetti and remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Place mixture into two freezer bags; squeeze air out of bags and freeze. Defrost and bake in Stoneware Deep Dish Baker, covered, at 350 degrees for 45 minutes until bubbly.

5. Moroccan Chicken with Green Olives
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon dried mint flakes
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
4 (4-ounce) skinned, boned chicken breast halves
2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
2 cups sliced onion
1 cup chicken broth
1 (6-ounce) can thawed orange juice concentrate, undiluted
10 green olives, sliced

Combine the first 5 ingredients; rub chicken with spice mixture. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; add chicken. Cook 2 minutes on each side, and set aside. Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in pan. Add sliced onion, and cook for 8 minutes or until golden. Stir in chicken broth, orange juice concentrate, and olives; bring to a boil. Return chicken to pan; reduce heat, and simmer mixture for 15 minutes or until chicken is done. When chicken is cool, place in freezer bags and store in freezer. To heat; remove from freezer the night before and defrost in the refrigerator. Re-heat in oven in covered baking dish at 350 degrees until warm.

6. Curry Chicken Casserole
1 box of chopped broccoli (or 2 crowns of fresh broccoli)
4 cups cooked and chopped chicken
2 cans of Cream of Chicken Soup
1 Tbsp Lemon Juice
1 cup of Mayo
1 Tbsp Curry Powder
1 box of Pepperidge Farm cubed, seasoned stuffing

Thaw broccoli or steam fresh broccoli. Mix cream of chicken soup, lemon juice, mayo and curry. Add chicken, broccoli, and croutons to the soup mixture, adjust seasonings to taste. Place all ingredients in a freezer bag, lay flat in freezer. When ready to cook, preheat oven to 350 degrees. cook 30-45 minutes (until bubbling) in a 9 X 13 baking dish.

7. Mexican Chicken
2 lbs. frozen boneless, skinless chicken breasts or tenderloins
16 oz. jar mild or medium salsa
2-3 cloves freshly pressed garlic
1 cup finely chopped onion
2 (2 oz) cans sliced black olives, drained
sliced or grated Monterey Jack cheese

Place frozen chicken into freezer bag. Combine remaining ingredients except cheese. Pour sauce into bag and coat chicken well. Squeeze air out of bag and freeze. Chicken will marinate as it defrosts in refrigerator for 24 hours. Remove chicken from bag and place in Stoneware Rectangular Baker. Pour excess sauce from bag over top of chicken. Bake, uncovered, at 400 degrees for 45 minutes (30 minutes for tenderloins). Using Deluxe Cheese Grater, grate cheese onto chicken; bake 10 minutes and serve.

8. Hawaiian Chicken
2 pounds skinless boneless chicken breast
1 can crushed pineapple in juice
½ cup soy sauce, low sodium
3 green onions – chopped
½ red pepper - diced
1/2 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp olive oil
salt and pepper

Place chicken into freezer bag. In another freezer bag add pineapple and juice, soy sauce, green onions, ginger and red pepper. Bundle the 2 bags together and lay flat in freezer. When ready to cook, heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Add chicken to pan; brown on each side (about 2 minutes). Add sauce to pan; reduce heat to low, cover and cook until chicken is done (about 20 minutes).

9. Pork Baby Back Ribs
2 lbs pork baby back ribs
¾ cup ketchup
1 tsp chili powder
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp vinegar
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
Onion

Cut long rack of ribs in half using Chef’s Knife; place racks of ribs into freezer bag. Add remaining ingredients to freezer bag, except onion and coat ribs well. Squeeze air out of bag and freeze. Ribs will marinate while defrosting in refrigerator for 24 hours. Remove ribs from bag and place in Stoneware Rectangular Baker. Pour excess sauce from bag onto ribs. Using Mandolin, slice onion into rings and place on top of ribs. Cover and bake at 400 degrees for 1 ½ to 2 hours.

10. Ginger Pork Chops
8 (2-ounce) boned center-cut loin pork chops (1/4 inch thick)
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup thawed orange juice concentrate, undiluted
1/4 cup chopped green onions
2 teaspoons grated peeled fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon olive oil

Combine soy sauce and the next 5 ingredients (soy sauce through garlic) in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add pork to bag; seal and freeze. Pork chops will marinate while defrosting in refrigerator for 24 hours. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chops and marinade; sauté 3 minutes on each side.

11. Meatloaf
2 lbs fresh, lean ground beef
1 cup Italian bread crumbs
2 eggs
6 oz can tomato sauce
2-3 cloves freshly pressed garlic
1 cup finely chopped onion
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in Classic Batter Bowl. Shape into 2 large loaves or four mini loaves. Place loaves into Stoneware Rectangular Baker or Mini Loaf pan. Bake, uncovered at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Cool and place loaves into freezer bags. Squeeze air out of bags and freeze. Defrost in refrigerator for 24 hours and heat, covered, for 20 minutes

12. Flank Steak
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 cloves freshly pressed garlic
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 1/2 pounds flank steak
In a medium bowl, mix the oil, soy sauce, vinegar, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, garlic, and ground black pepper. Place meat in a freezer bag and pour marinade over the steak, turning meat to coat thoroughly. Place bag flat in freezer until ready to defrost. When ready to cook, preheat grill to medium-high heat. Oil the grill grate. Place steaks on the grill, and discard the marinade. Grill meat for 5 minutes per side, or to desired doneness. (You can also use a grill pan on the stove top and follow the directions.)

13. Taco Soup
2 lbs. fresh, lean ground beef
1 onion, coarsely chopped
4 oz. can diced green chilies
taco seasoning packet
Ranch dressing/dip packet
2 cans corn, undrained
4 cans stewed tomatoes, undrained
1 can pinto beans, undrained
1 can kidney beans, undrained
2 cups chopped fresh cilantro, optional
grated Monterey Jack and/or cheddar cheese

Chop onions using Food Chopper. Brown meat and onions in 8-qt. Stockpot. Open cans using Can Opener and add remaining ingredients and cook over medium heat for 30 minutes. Cool completely and pour into freezer bag. Squeeze air out of bag and freeze. Reheat to serve. Using Deluxe Cheese Grater, grate cheese on top of soup served in Coffee & More Cups.

a good place on the internet is the food network they have good recipes and they give you all the information that you will need. hope that it helps.

Go to Prairiehomemaker.com & check it out it's a safe place & Christian based. They have a thread with all sorts of things...think you'll find what you want to know & love this place....! Another site is Makingbysaving.com also safe with loads of info on how to save...

Holly Clegg has a great cookbook for preparing meals you can cook now or freeze for later. It is called "Holly Clegg's Trim and Terrific Freezer Friendly Meals". I use it all the time and my family loves the recipes. Good Luck and God Bless!

I use a website called E-Mealz designed by a minister's wife and her sister. They send out a menu each week along with a grocery list. It is easy to customize for your family. There is a $5 per month charge, but it has been worth it for me.

www.e-mealz.com/

I found an awesome site that will actually email you a weekly menu,recipes and grocery list too! They also have ALL their menus in an archive that you can search. It seems like the last time I was on their site I saw a bulk and freezer cooking section. The site is Menus4moms.com

Hope this helps!

Hi, K.!

Congratulations on wanting to be healthy and use your own home-cooked foods rather than the convenience ones!

Whether you're vegetarian or not, you might enjoy the Vegetarian Mother & Baby Book because the author, Rose Elliott, has whole sections to meal freezing, telling you what to avoid (it was either curry or cumin or both that she says can smell musty or moldy when frozen), and even tells you how to do it so that you can add leftovers from one meal to some fresh ingredients to make another, for variety without a lot of hassle. She focuses on very healthy meals, tells you how to stock your pantry and freezer, and shows some sample menu plans. She points out recipes that your family can eat and share with your 11-month old, as opposed to making separate meals, so it decreases your time cooking.

Have fun!
L.

I froze enough food for 6 mo. worht of dinners when I was pregnant. These turned out the best-
stuffed bell peppers, meat loaf, pulled pork, brisket and chicken frozen dry- just thaw and add sauce or to dishes. Spanish rice sauce and then add rice later, spaghetti sauce, lasagna and enchilada casseroles,tamales. Taco meat I browned and seasoned and then could just take out what ever i needed for that meal- thaw and eat. Also works for just browned beef that you can add to recipes.

Good luck!

My Mom sent me a book years ago to help allevieate my cooking burden, with me being a working mother. It's a book from Readers Digest called "Cook now, Serve later, More Time with the Family Less in the Kitchen". It's a full cook book with appetizers, soups, meats, breads etc. If you can find it, it has a lot of recipes. The recipe that I use alot in the book is a fettucinee with chicken and ham. You prepare most of the dish and can store it in the refrigerator for two days, then you would take it out one hour before cooking. This really helps my busy week nights. There are other recipes in the book that you can either refrigerate or freeze. I don't mind cooking on the weekends when I have a little time but the hussle and bussle after work and school can be overwhelming for me. Good Luck!

There are several really good cook books, I have found them at amazon.com. Dream Dinners and Don't Panic Dinner is in the Freezer. Dream Dinners is my favorite. If you only use the first section you are well on your way to having awesome meals in the freezer. It gives information on what foods are best for freezing, how long they can be frozen. and how to package for freezing. It also give you a grocery list for the meals and already has the ingredients multiplied if you are making more than one. I have also learned that most anything you and your family like can be prepared/frozen in some way. Don't be afraid to experiment. Worst case you have sandwiches or left overs for dinner.

THe once a month cooking...I have one and I have the computer version. My book is pretty used looking as I used to do this all the time. The meals are yummy and you can make them in different ways to suit your family, and if you have the computer version you can change the serving sizes and it helps you make a good shopping list.

I foud mine in a Mardel's, and most of the Christian book stores have them as they are endoursed by Focus on the Family.

Have fun and get your kids involved...let the older ones learn to chop onions and they younger ones love to stir and mash things...but most of all have fun and make it all your own. I have 4 children and we used to do the shopping together as well as prep day and choosing what to eat. Make a list on your freezer and mark off what you get out so that you will know what you have in there. The spaghetti sauce in the book is great-and makes lots for multiple meals. You will have to get containers that you can freeze as well as bake in- the disposeable foil pans are great as well as finding pans at thrift stores and garage sales-you'll need LOTS!!! Zip lock baggied-not the cheaper brands-work the best(I have tried both) like I said "HAVE FUN WITH YOUR FAMILY!!!"

T.

Aside from what others have said, Homemade Gourmet (It's a direct sales company & they have reps in all areas) has a great meal plan where you buy all of the seasonings and packets from them, they give you a big binder with a calendar and cards with different meals on them that you put on the calendar for the day that you'll be eating that meal. I haven't done this in a long time, but I've been wanting to go back to it. It help a LOT when I Was doing it. You can do it yourself or get with a friend (like I did) and plan out your meals for the month (or week if you'd like) and have a big cooking day. I did better when I just had a big beef meal day and a big chicken meal day, stuck them in the freezer and used them when I needed to. I only did the calendar thing for one month. My friend and I had a lot of fun. My husband watched the kids one Saturday and Sunday and we wiped ourselves out cooking for those 2 days and had about 45 meals (I had 2 kids and a baby at the time) and she had about 65-70 meals (she didn't have kids yet).

I also make double soup or double the pot of beans. I got a stock pot for Christmas and have been using it a lot to double my recipe (I have to have a big one for 2 meals for my family), and I put the soup in our vacuum sealer bags and seal it up (I don't use the vacuum part, I just seal the bags). I also do this with spaghetti sauce a lot. If you lay the bags flat on a shelf in the freezer, they stack up really easily, and I just label the flaps so I can just skim through the flaps on the end to see what I have. I also usually double up on the ground beef when I make tacos or something else that needs ground beef and I'll freeze half after it's been seasoned and cooked so next time I want that for a meal, at least the meat's done.

I had a friend that was a religious OAMC (Once a month Cooker). I've been thinking a lot lately that I REALLY need to start doing that. Maybe not once a month, but at least have plenty of meals on hand. I have 4 kids and am VERY involved at church, but my one huge fall back is making meals for people. It's something that I love and appreciate having done for me when needed but I have a hard time reciprocating because of our massively busy schedule. When I have things in the freezer already, it makes it a LOT easier just to pull it out and hand to someone (especially when there's a funeral or baby and they're getting a lot of food but don't have a place for it. That way they can just throw it in a pot and let it cook w/out having to "cook" and have it when the other meals are gone).

I hope this has helped some.
K.
SAHM of 4 (3 BUSY monkeys 6, 5, 3 & a princess 9mths)

Here's a couple of good websites:

http://hardys.freeservers.com/plans.htm

http://www.menus4moms.com/

I check out the internet for ideas and recipes. It has really helped me to decide what to cook for the freezer and what to not try. Usually I do things like freezer biscuits, quiches, meatballs, meatloaf. Try menu mailer.com they have good recipes for bulk cooking. Gradually you will find food that works for you and that your family likes. I usually cook ahead a little at a time. It is overwhelming to do too much at a time for me.

K.

Basically after 40 years of marriage I freeze anything that does not have boiled eggs or mayo in it. Mostly I cook extra meat abd/or starch type dishes and casseroles and freeze the extra. Rice based things do freeze but the texture of the rice suffers some, it is still good but we like fresh cooked rice and that is so easy. Also by the time I reheat whatever, I can add a veggie or salad. I do find frozen rolls are a life saver. There is a Sister Schubert brand here that the restaurant style comes out fairly cheap per serving and can be table ready in 10 minutes and you can do from 1 to however many you need. Try typing in on Google freezer meals if you have not already and you may get more than you want, several sites popped up when I did that. Also look on Food Network.com and specify freezer meals. Good luck.

Good friends of my brothers (in California) have 6 children, homeschool, and are very involved in their church. They use the Once a Month cookbook. The wife says it's wonderful.

I have frozen a few things for future meals but I only really know of three that freeze well and are simple. Enchilads(when I make them I usually have enough to put some in the freezer and I made some the other day and did so), Lasagna, and spaghetti sauce, I usually will make spaghetti sauce enough to freeze some or make lasagna with and that is like cooking two meals at the same time. i also will do the same when I cook a Porl roast Beef roast or a while chicken, I will use the left overs for a mexican food dish like enchiladas and they make great taco or burrito filling. If you want any recipes I would be glad to send them to you. If you get any good recipes I would love for you to share them with me.....thanks

K., I too have three little ones (8, 5, and 2) so I can relate in wanting meals already prepared, ready to heat from the refrigerator. I had the original "Once a Month Cooking" cookbook from when it originally appeared on Focus on the Family's broadcast but never did care for the recipes (too much meat, canned soups, and cheese). We also do not have a freezer large enough to store that much food.

In my experience just about anything will freeze, just don't be too picky on the texture once it thaws. Cheese for example can be frozen in blocks but it crumbles once it's thawed. Cooked pasta also gets mushy but that's more of a mouthfeel issue. I use a Crock-Pot a lot, especially when I know I'm going to be in and out of the house and most often half of those meals go straight into the freezer. I freeze many containers of soup, beans and casseroles in sizes geared to either a family meal or something I can pop into the 8-year old's lunchbox.

I do not know of any cookbooks that cater to freezing food.

30 day Gourmet . com

Have you ever heard of Tastefully Simple? I have freezer meal menus that goes along with our products. They are delish. I was able to make 10 meals and spread them out with left overs If you are interested you can email me at ____@____.com

When I make beef or chicken stew, I make extra & freeze them for up to a month. Also, I heard somewhere that you can make lasagna (but don't cook it all the way) & freeze it, then you can reheat/finish cooking it in the oven when you're ready. Other than that, I would say to invest in a good-sized crock pot (slow cooker). You can put frozen meat & veggies or whatever in a slow cooker around 9/10 in the morning, and it'll be ready by 5/6pm. Also, you can put dried beans in the crock pot, cover with extra water for them to soak up, and put your seasonings in, and voila!

Hi, I'm Valerie. I am TRYING starting a small business right now I do mostly personal cook/meal planning. I want to help busy moms such as yourself to be able to have healthy food ready to go as soon as un-healthy fast food would be. Just let me know if you are interested or if you couold let me know of anyone else who would be. thank you :)
God bless.

Spaghetti is an excellent freeze and eat later meal.
You can make a big pot of sauce and freeze it in supper size portions. Spaghetti noodles are versatile. You can freeze spaghetti in supper size portions and use it for all kinds of meals.
I put mine on defrost in the microwave, then just run it under warm water in the container you froze it in and it is ready to serve. I freeze mine in plastice freezer bags.

the easiest things to freeze would be soups or stews... a good vegitable soup or beef stew or anything with a sauce base. I recently made a large pot of chicken caccitore' and froze it and for dinner all I had to do was boil some noodles and thaw the sauce.... meats and veggies freeze well but cooked meat won't last forever in the freezer so don't forget about it! My suggestion is to just test some things out.... you may discover some new things all on your own... also, the slow cooker idea is a great one.... I love throwing a pot roast in my croc pot before I leave for work and comeing home to dinner being ready!

Hi K., I read through your responses and no one has yet to mention a food saver. So here goes I use a foodsaver for everything and because it takes the air out of the food you can freeze anything and reheat and it tastes like you just cooked it.my favorite dish is mini meatloafs (it doesnt matter how you make the meatloaf as far as seasonings filler ect.)I use about 2- 2 1/2 lbs of meat with tomato soup or tomato sauce (depending on what i have on hand) crackers onions eggs seasoning mix it up and divide into small mini loafs i shape them like they were a big loaf i put them on a baking sheet (lined with foil) i then add a little soup or sauce to the tops and bake at 350 till done (i pull them out about 20 mins before done and add ketchup) i let them cool then place the desired amount in the freezer bags then seal them up and place them in the freezer. when i am ready to eat i pull them out and throw them in a pot of boiling water till heated. i am not kidding they taste like i just baked them.one note though i usually place things in the freezer including chilli soups stews mini loafs ect till they are hardened so that they are easier to freeze in the bags. because liquids cannot have the air sucked out in a bag even grease will mess up the machine. it is all worth it though because if you have your meat cooked and in the freezer how hard is it to put something else with it. i use my foodsaver always it is a great tool. now the seal a meals machine are not really the quality of the foodsaver and i dont recommend them you can really save money and time using one i purchased mine on qvc but i am sure you can find one in the stores but qvc usually has a better deal then the store. They also have alot of great cookbooks. well anyway i hope this helps you if you want to visit just email me. Take Care and God Bless. V.

A good book is Don't Panic Dinner is in the Freezer. It tells you how to shop loss leaders and prepare and wrap foods for the freezer.

Don't know if you have heard of FlyLady but she has an amazing crew that works with her. One person in the crew is a lady named Leanne who has fantastic menu products. They are all online, so downloadable and include all nutrition info, shopping list and the like. She offers a crazy variety of menus but a couple freezer ones, which is why I am writing this! Good Luck!!
http://savingdinner.com/

One of my favorite websites is Recipe Zaar. You can search the recipes for OAMC (once a month cooking) and get some great ideas! The great thing about it is that you can modify the serving size for the dish to meet your need.

http://www.recipezaar.com/

dear K. tm 77years old still preaching the gospil never going to stop when your little ones groes up you are going to rember your babys and thank god you gad them love never stops it just groes as they have babyes rember god loves you A.

There is a cookbook called "Once a Month Cooking". You can find it on Amazon.com. M.

Deceptively Delicious is a great cookbook. It talks more about pureeing veggies and fruits to freeze, but there are some great ideas in it. I don't know of any other specific books, but chicken enchiladas, lasagna, baked pasta and casseroles freeze well.

Let your crock pot (I own two) do the work of the daily meals while you spend time preparing those meals for freezing. I have found my local library to be a wonderful source for recipes such as what you are looking for and best of all they are free. Good luck. L.

Pampered chef has a power cooking show. It is like 5 ground beef recipes ( can use ground turkey) the best part is that they are made to be frozen. When you re-heat all you need to do is a dd a few things & you have a meal. I can send you the information I have on this, or you can find a consultant in your area. If you would like me to send this to you, just send me you e-mail address.

L. C.

I've found several recipes off RecipeZaar.com and epicurous.com. Also if you cook your ground beef in large amounts and freeze it in small containers, you can just pop it out and add it to soups or noodles (homemade hamburger helper), etc. Lasagnas usually freeze well.

Enchaladas, lasagna, soups and spaghetti sauce freeze very well. You can also cook up meat - shredded chicken, hamburger and shredded roast, divide it into one night proportions and freeze that, then make a quick cook meal. When my kids were at home I would make at least a weeks worth of meals on the weekend - especially during football season.

I cheat a little....I go to "Pass Your Plate" in Owasso OK also there are "Super Suppers" and "Dinner Market". these are food prep places. A little more pricey than doing it on your own, but the food is GREAT and cheaper than eating out. All the ingredients are fresh and the meals are pretty healthy. You tailor make your meal to how your family likes it. Also, the meals are usually something I wouldn't think to make and exposes my family to so many different things. My husband RAVES!!

Because the ingredients are set out (buffet style)- pre cut and the instructions are posted at every station...I can literally prepare a MONTHS WORTH OF MEALS (that all freeze great) IN AN HOUR to an hour and 1/2!!!!!!!!(You don't spend the time and money shopping for each specific ingredient and havind to chop everything up)

For our busy society this is the best invention EVER in my book!!

You can go online and look at what type of meals they have for the month.