Frozen Meals

[beachdrivegirl]

I have a friend who is 20 weeks pregnant and just got put on bed rest. Does anyone know of some nice & easy frozen meals I could make her and her husband? they can not have tomatoes in them b/c she is allergic to them. Thanks for the suggestions!

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[WSB]

Having greatly appreciated that kind of help before and after Torin’s birth a million years ago, big applause to you for reaching out. I don’t have particular recipes but googled “freezer casseroles” if you didn’t already try that term, and it looks like some of these are tomato=free and potentially worth trying:

http://busycooks.about.com/od/makeaheadrecipes/a/freezecasserole.htm

Good luck!

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[beachdrivegirl]

Thanks for the site. I had googled “frozen meals” and got info on SMART ONES not quite what I was looking for. I have my work cut out for me but it is the least I can do for her.

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[JenV]

BDG, you might also try a session at Dream Dinners. I used to know a busy mom who relied on those meals – full meals that stay frozen until you need them – and you can pick and choose on their menu for tomato-free items.

http://dreamdinners.com/main.php?page=ms_previewcurrentmenu

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[jissy]

BDG, how very thoughtful of you!!!! My cousin turned me onto a cookbook called “Fix, Freeze, Feast” by a Bellingham author….. it’s based on buying at Costco and making 2-4 entrees at a time and most of them are REALLY fast/easy. I’ve used it to reconnect with some girlfriends with Sat. afternoon cooking parties, we usually double the recipes, make 3 or 4 and all go home with 6-8 meals to stock the freezer. I HIGHLY recommend it.

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[anatidaephobia]

Trader Joes! I buy a lot of frozen dinners there, and just about everything is great. If you don’t like the taste, you get a refund. The prices are cheap, yet the quality is high.

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[Bonnie]

I second Dream Dinners, but if she needs stuff that is already done I’d make some lasagnas, enchiladas, order pizza for her, etc. I also found this website http://www.once-a-month-cookingworld.com/index.php?option=com_pccookbook&page=viewallrecipes&Itemid=27

I feel for your friend. I was on bedrest for 7 weeks with my second and I had a toddler running around. I didn’t have a lot of help but my friend went to Costco for me and got me a chicken pot pie (yummy) and some other stuff that you just pop in the oven.

Good luck to your friend!

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[hollyplace]

Here is one for Chicken Tetrazzini that I always make a double or triple batch of that freezes well. Although it is not lowfat, people love it – and no tomatoes.

I usually buy a couple of costco rotisserie chickens and take the meat off the bones and then make stock in a large pot by covering the bones and skin with water, adding bay leaf, a quatered onion, two carrots and two stalks of celery, and a few peppercorns. Simmer for 4 hours an then strain.

1 lb thin spaghetti

1 pk frozen small early peas

1/4 cup each small diced celery and white onion

2 T flour

3 T butter

salt and white pepper

1/2 tsp fresh ground nutmeng

2 cups chicken broth

1 cup half and half

1 & 1/3 cup sour cream

4 T sherry

2 cups of cooked chicken cut into small pieces

mushrooms 8 oz cleaned and sliced

1/4 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese

Cook the spaghetti al dente

Cook the peas briefly

Heat oven to 350 degrees

On the stove(I use a big dutch oven if doubling the recipe so I can mix everything in one pot) melt about 1 T butter in a pan, soften the celery and onion add the mushrooms remove,I salt and pepper the veggies

Add butter to the pan blend in flour until mixture is smooth add the half and half making a a bechamel, add salt and pepper to taste and nutmeg. Should be thick and smooth.

Add the broth, bring to a boil for 1 minute stirring constantly

Turn heat off,stir in sour cream and sherry

Add the pasta to the sauce, add the veggies and chicken stir to cover all and then gently turn into a butered 2 qt casserole dish or a 9×13 pan.

Sprinkle with parmesean and bake until bubbly and heated through for about 35 minutes

Serves 6 nicely

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[CMP]

Slow cookers are great for making large amounts to freeze for later use. BBQ pork or chicken is easy, you can find recipes anywhere online. Here’s a good mac & cheese recipe I’ve made in the past. There are instructions at the bottom for reheating from the freezer. I fill up smaller ramekins since they can be put in the oven, Tupperware obviously wouldn’t work for this one! But I think it’s tasty, plus you can throw in some veggies or protein to make it more of a meal.

Macaroni and Cheese (Serves 8)

1 pound short pasta, such as macaroni

2 teaspoons coarse salt, plus more for seasoning

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

4 cups milk

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

12 ounces grated sharp white cheddar cheese (3 cups)

2 ounces grated Parmesan cheese (1 cup)

3 cups very coarse fresh breadcrumbs (6 ounces)

1. Preheat oven to 375°. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add pasta and a large pinch of salt. Cook until almost al dente (1 to 2 minutes less than package instructions); drain, rinse with cool water, and return to pot.

2. Meanwhile, heat 4 tablespoons of butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add flour, and cook, whisking, for 1 minute. Add milk, cayenne, nutmeg, and 2 teaspoons salt. Bring to a simmer, and cook, whisking frequently, until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, 2 to 3 minutes. Whisk in cheeses.

3. Pour sauce over pasta, and toss well; divide between two 8-inch square (or shallow 2-quart, or 8 individual 8-ounce) baking dishes.

4. Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a large microwave-safe bowl. Add breadcrumbs, and toss to combine; sprinkle over pasta. Place dishes on sheet pan, and bake until bubbling and golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool 5 minutes before serving.

5. To freeze, wrap tightly in plastic wrap; will keep up to 3 months. To bake from frozen: remove plastic, cover tightly with foil, and bake in a 375° degree oven for 60 to 70 minutes; remove foil, and bake until topping is golden, 5 to 10 minutes more.

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[swimcat]

I’ve had great success freezing mac-n-cheese too. You can add peas or ham or both and it makes it more of a meal. You can make some meaty pasta sauce or chili too. Youcould also buy quiches from Costco, or frozen pizzas. I also buy the 6 pack of small french loaves from Costco and toss them in the freezer for quick use since they defrost so quickly.

i’ve looked at the once a month cooking website but get overwhelmed by the idea of buying/cooking that much food at once. It is a very cool idea though!

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[johnnyblegs]

What my wife and I did for a friend when she had her baby – We sent out an email to her friends asking for people to sign up a day/s on the calendar for meals. People brought them over to her house hot and fresh or filled her freezer with home made meals than could be heated in minutes. It was great; soups freeze very well. Check out my wife’s food blog for more ideas.

http://obsessedwithdinner.blogspot.com/

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[JayDee]

I have a FoodSaver vacuum appliance, and while the bags run $0.25 to $0.50 each, the amount of food you can seal and freeze is truly amazing. About 1 out of 20 bags suffers from a bad seal, but overall it has improved the quality of food I eat, and I can cook to my heart’s delight and know I am not wasting food. Typically stuff can be reheated in the bag (or if one worries about cooking in plastic) you can open the bag and reheat in a pan or oven.

My favorite is a chicken pot pie recipe that uses miniloaf pans. Or Giant Chipotle Bean Casserole, or… ;-)

Perhaps you might get a FoodSaver on Craigslist used?

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[EmmyJane]

This is the most delicious lasagna, well priced for how many meals it makes, and leftovers are even better than the first time you cook it:

http://www.stouffers.com/Products/ProductDetails.aspx?ProductId=138&ServingSizeId=0&ProductGroupId=0&SearchText=lasagna&ServingSize=&ProductGroup=&cP=1&isPOn=True

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[beachdrivegirl]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I am defin. taking notes on everything. :) She is back in the hospital on bed rest now so if everyone can keep her in their thoughts it would be appreicated. I will make a note of all these lovely recipes and hope I get to make them for her & her family soon.

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