January 22, 2012
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Pre-LJ Arrival Freezer Cooking Meal List w/Links
All weekend I’ve been trying to prepare to make things a little easier the first month LJ is here so I’m going to have a go at freezer cooking for the first time. Lowell and I went out last night and purchased a small chest freezer in preparation and I bought some freezer-friendly, straight-to-oven Glad containers on Amazon that will make it nice and easy. I’ve been doing lots of searching for recipes that will not only be good to freeze, but ones that *cough cough* will actually eat. It’s not as easy as it seems! lol So to make it a little easier on myself I thought I’d post the links here to the recipes I plan on making so I can come back to it quickly and easily! The majority of these I found on Pinterest or found them after finding them there. Gosh, I love Pinterest. :) Not sure how I lived without it. lol
Breakfast Freezer Meals
To Die For Blueberry Muffins x2 (for 12 muffins)
Cinnamon Belgian Waffles x2 (for 6 waffles)
Hash brown Casserole (divided into 2 8×8 pans) – (Note: Read comments for suggestions and go HERE for how to freeze)
Cinnamon Rolls x2 (32 count – pull out as needed)
Whole Wheat Pancakes x2 (28 count – pull out as needed)
Coconut Almond Granola x2 (approx. 10 cups and can be frozen)
Whole Wheat Coconut Waffles x2 (for 6 waffles)
Whole Wheat Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins x2 (24 muffins or 48 mini muffins)
Lunch-Type Freezer Meals
Savory Chicken Pot Pie Pockets x1 (10 count – to pull as needed and can be for dinner)
Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos x4 (48 count – to pull as needed and can be for dinner)
Chicken & Rice Soup x2 (4 quarts?)
Hamburger Vegetable Soup x2 (4 quarts? – and can be for dinner)
Calzones x2 (to pull as needed and can be for dinner)
Buffalo Chicken Bites x1 (48 count – to pull as needed)
Southwest Roll-Ups x1 (16 count – to pull as needed and can be for dinner)
Ground Beef Burritos x1 (12 count – pull as needed and can be for dinner)
Dinner Freezer Meals
Baked Teriyaki Chicken x2 (for 2 meals) (Make marinade and put in little baggies with frozen bone-in chicken with instructions)
Jambalaya x1 (for 1 meal) – (Note: Scroll Down to view recipes)
Italian Beef For Sandwiches x2 (For 2 Meals)
Baked Ziti w/Sausage (divided into 2 8×8 pans – For 2 Meals)
Dessert Freezer Treats
Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies x1 (for 3 dozen cookies – freeze dough)
Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies x1 (for 3 dozen cookies – freeze dough)
Chocolate chip cookies x1 (for 2 dozen cookies freeze dough)
Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream (recipe from Ice Cream maker instruction booklet) (2 Quarts)
Chocolate Ice Cream (recipe from Ice Cream maker instruction booklet) (2 Quarts)
Grapefruit Sorbet (1 Quart)
Preparation For Meals
Taco Meat x4 (for 4 meals with Homemade Taco Seasoning)
Shredded Beef Filling x1 (For sandwiches/tacos)
Pizza Sauce x8 (For 4 pizzas and 2 batches of Calzones)
Pizza Crust Dough x8 (For 3 pizzas, 2 batches of Calzones, 1 batch of Buffalo Chicken Bites and freeze the rest for a head start on next freezer cooking day)
Also, made a bag of BBQ chicken, lemon pepper marinaded chicken, & BBQ pork chops for quick pull-out, throw in the crock-pot meals!
I think that’s a pretty good start, and I can always add a meal a here and there when I get an hour or so of good LJ nap. This may make me look crazy, and people probably think I’m crazy, but hey…I know what’s going to help me, and keep me so much more relaxed and rested during the crazy first few weeks of being a mom. Plus, all the mommy bloggers swear by this method. I’ve been wanting to do this for a long time anyway because I’m so tired of the, “What’s for dinner, babe?” and not having a clue. It’s time consuming and when dinner from the decision process through clean-up takes 2 hours that is just not efficient. I’m going to want and need all my new-baby time I can get! They’re only so little and precious for so long and I want to take every advantage I can get! The whole idea is that Lowell will be able to look at a list on top of the freezer, pick something he wants (or we want) for dinner and follow the instructions attached to the bag (if any) and be able to make dinner if I can’t. Quick, easy, and simple. At least it should be if all goes to plan. lol
Now off to inventory the fridge and pantry for things I already have on my list, and add things I don’t to the shopping list. Go through the grocery store flyers and finish putting my coupons in my coupon binder! And clean this place up because not doing anything but searching for recipes yesterday and compiling this list has left the house in complete bomb-came-through status. lol
It feels so good to have this list done and together!
Until lata!
