3.16.2011

Recipes that Freeze Well

I mentioned in yesterday's post a few recipes for new mommies that freeze well!  It's always nice when friends bring dinner after the new baby comes, but after a while you're back to cooking again, so I thought it'd be nice to share a few of my favorite recipes that also freeze well.  These would all be great to half or double and take for the new mommy and daddy to eat at the time and then an extra to freeze for later.

Before I get to the recipes, please know that I do not follow recipes well, and most of these were handed down from my Memaw, so the measurements are not precise.  Specifics of what I use:
- 98% fat free cream soups
- Mexican blend shredded cheese (unless otherwise specified)
- 2% milk Velvetta and original Rotel
- 93/7 ground beef and I don't drain it
- yellow onion (it's sweeter, IMO)
- I season all meat w/ salt, pepper and garlic (SPG), to taste

Stuffed Bell Peppers
4 bell peppers, cut in half from top to bottom to make a bowl (color doesn't matter)
1 lb ground beef
1 diced onion
3 ribs diced celery
8oz can tomato sauce
1 boil in bag white rice, cooked according to package
handful shredded cheese
large can crushed tomatoes

photo credit: foodphotoblog.com

Directions
- preheat oven to 350*
- Boil peppers in salted water until tender, about 10 minutes, drain
- Brown meat, onion and celery, season with SPG
- once meat is cooked, add rice, cheese and tomato sauce, mix well
- put peppers in baking dish, stuff with meat mixture, top with crushed tomatoes
- bake for 20-30 minutes

Tips
 - to freeze, do not add crushed tomatoes until you are ready to bake. 
- goes straight from freezer to oven (don't forget to add tomatoes), bake at 350 about 1 hour, or until hot
- I always make the full recipe and put it in 2 pans, one to cook now, one to freeze for later.  The 8" square tin pans are perfect for this!  Could also double and use 9x13 pans.
- Serve with mashed potatoes

Chicken Spaghetti
1 lb chicken breast, cooked and chopped, I boil the chicken in chicken broth
(or one rotisserie chicken shredded)
1 can cream of mushroom
1 can cream of chicken
4 oz velvetta
1 can rotel
12 oz spaghetti, cooked in chicken broth according to package with celery & onion, drain
(I use the same water I boil my chicken in - cook the chicken first, then the pasta)
1 diced onion
3 ribs diced celery
shredded cheese

photo credit: myrecipes.com

Directions
- preheat oven to 350
- Once you drain your pasta, throw it back in the same pot and add all ingredients, except shredded cheese
- Mix well and keep heat on low so velveeta will melt
- Once mixed put it in a baking dish and cover with cheese.
- Bake until bubbly, about 20 minutes

Tips
- to freeze, do not add cheese until you are ready to bake.
- goes straight from freezer to oven (don't forget the cheese), bake at 350 for an hour, or until hot
- I always make the full recipe and put it in 2 pans, one to cook now, one to freeze for later. The 8" square tin pans are perfect for this! Could also double and use 9x13 pans.
- Serve with caesar salad and garlic bread - we love the salad in the bag w/ all the fixin's and Texas Toast Garlic Bread w/ Cheese.  So GOOD!

I'll be back with more freezer friendly recipes next week!



 



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17 comments:

Laura@The Oily Cupboard said...

so gonna do the chick spag

Shannon said...

thank you thank you thank you! Spaghetti chicken sounds yummy!

Aly @ Analyze This said...

These sound GREAT!!! :)

Traci said...

You're making me hungry!

Mommie Couture said...

Those peppers look amazing... My stomach is actually growling right now. Definitely putting that on my list of things to cook ASAP!

Love from Texas said...

I'm making the chicken spaghetti as we speak... THANKS :)

Neely said...

The stuff peppers...OMG

Kristy said...

I am ALL about freezer cooking!! Those look delicious!
And thank you so much for the link back to my breakfast enchiladas recipe :)

Jessica said...

Those all look delicious! Yum!

Missyduck said...

I've been looking for new real life, real mom) recipes to try. This is awesome! Can't wait to try the chicken spaghetti! Sounds yummy..

Shauna said...

Yum!! That stuff looks so good! I'm gonna have to try the chicken spaghetti!

I'm a new follower. Your blog is so cute and your little boy is adorable!

Cool Gal said...

Those stuffed peppers look fantastic. I can't wait to give them a try.

Oh, and the chicken spaghetti, my family would go crazy for this dish!

Thanks for sharing.

Off to grab your button. Your blog is just too cute! :)

Jennifer said...

What great picks...any new mom (or any mom!!) would love these :) The peppers look delicious....thanks for sharing :)

The White House said...

YUM YUM YUM! I'll definitely be trying these out!

nomo wino daph said...

Thanks for linking up and playing!

I am ALL about freezing things. My newest thing is smaller containers, single serving size (love the glass PBA free). Last night I pulled 2 out, threw in microwave to defrost, then heated. INSANT DINNER for myself. lol Its the little things......

I am loving the chciken spaghetti! I made it a few weeks ago and was going to blog about it:) I may wait now and try this! I am loving the velveeta that you have in yours....I will be trying this version. I can eat velveeta outta the box :p And chicken broth...brilliant idea!

Hope your weekend is a great one-D

Crystal Kelly said...

MMM! That chicken spagetti looks SOOO good! I'm going to try it! Thanks! :)

Ruth said...

the bell peppers sound yummy.