The Dinner Doctor

Posted: Fri Mar 30, 2007 6:56 pm **Ideas for freezer meals**

The ladies at my church are planning to shower one of our expectant members with freezer meals to feed her family in the tired weeks following the birth. Thinking that something one-dish would probably be a good idea, I checked out the casseroles in TDD, but only one had a note saying it was particularly freezer-friendly (can't remember off the top of my head which recipe it was). Anyone have freezable recipe recommendations, either from TDD or other sources?

Thanks!

~Valerie
_________________
"Make us masters of ourselves that we may be the servants of others." ~Sir Alexander Patterson

Posted: Fri Mar 30, 2007 9:21 pm

Lasagnas are great freezer meals. Meatloaf is frequently in my freezer, especially when I make small loaves. I know cream-based sauces in foods are NOT good in the freezer, but tomato-based items are good. I can send you some recipes in a PM if you'd like. Oh, I freeze enchiladas, too.

Jen
_________________
Man cannot live on bread alone. That's why someone invented CAKE!!

Posted: Sat Mar 31, 2007 10:16 am

I'd love PM'd recipes from anyone who's got 'em! Thanks! Very Happy

~Valerie
_________________
"Make us masters of ourselves that we may be the servants of others." ~Sir Alexander Patterson

Posted: Sat Mar 31, 2007 2:01 pm

I just PM'd you three of my faves. Very Happy

Jen
_________________
Man cannot live on bread alone. That's why someone invented CAKE!!

Posted: Sat Mar 31, 2007 3:17 pm

Hi Jen! I have a friend who'll be having a baby soon and I love the idea of showering her with some freezer meals. Could you also PM me with your recipes? TIA
_________________
~KDS~

Posted: Sat Mar 31, 2007 3:44 pm

Valerie,
Many of the DD recipes can be frozen, but some just need to be frozen in various stages. A lot of these ideas come from Once-A-Month Cooking. Stock up on freezer bags and disposable freezer containers. Freezer bags can stack flatter, so you can get more things in the freezer. Also, be careful with some of the meals. Try not to have every meal with beans or cruciferous vegetables, which could cause gas in a nursing infant. That said, here is what I would do:

1) Black-eyed peas and pasta: I would make the tomato mixture (I always add a lb. of turkey smoked sausage) and put it in a freezer bag when cool. Cook the bacon, and do the same thing. Put both bags into a gallon freezer bag with the directions and name of the recipe on it. Give with the box of pasta and feta cheese, both marked with the recipe name.

2) Susan's Chicken Potpie: Make the filling, cool, and put into a freezer bag. Attach directions. Pair with either a box of Stove-top stuffing, canned biscuits, or the pie shells, labeled with the recipe name.

3) Spaghetti Casserole freezes well.

4) Not-So-Impossible Moussaka pie: Make the filling, cool, then put in a freezer bag. Attach a bag with the right amount of Bisquick (or you could give the whole box!) Don't forget the feta cheese, but I wouldn't freeze it (Most other cheeses freeze well, so you could attach a bag of mozzarella if you wanted.)

5) Ham-and-cheddar Not-so-Impossible pie: Place the ham and cheese in a freezer bag; see above for the rest of the directions.

6) Savory Pork Carnitas: Place the shredded meat in a freezer bag when cool. Attach directions, and give all the other ingredients along with the meat.

7) Hearty Lentil and Sausage Stew should freeze well.

Cool

Taco soup should freeze well.

9) Family-Style Vegetable Soup: Freeze before adding pasta. Attach pasta, with directions for adding it in.

10) Thai Chicken Noodle Stew: Cook the chicken, cool, and place in freezer bag. Send along the other ingredients, labeled for that recipe.

11) Tuscan Chicken, Zucchini, and White Bean Ragout: Should freeze fine; attach the cheese in a freezer bag.

12) Roast pork tenderloin: Freeze when cool, send along the ingredients to complete the meal.

13) Mini Cheese Calzone will freeze well...you could make the recipe bigger and more filling by using bread dough. Attach freezer bags of marinara sauce and cheese.

This should give you some good ideas to get you started. If you can get ahold of Once-A-Month Cooking, you can get even more ideas.
Diane

Posted: Sat Mar 31, 2007 9:58 pm

Thanks, Diane! I think I'll want to go with simple -- just a one-dish meal they can reheat rather than several stages -- but you definitely expanded my list of possibilities! Very Happy

~Valerie
_________________
"Make us masters of ourselves that we may be the servants of others." ~Sir Alexander Patterson

Posted: Tue Apr 10, 2007 10:29 am **Freezer cookbooks**

Not sure how 'kosher' mentioning other cookbooks is around here {ducking}, but there are a few I've gotten recently that are specifically for freezer meals (and not necessarily 'once a month' bulk recipes) -

My fave:
Don't Panic Dinner's in the Freezer! by Susie Martinez

Also:
Super Suppers by Judie Byrd
Dream Dinners by Stephanie Allen

Each of these is like the dinner prep franchises, great for freezer gifts!

Posted: Wed May 02, 2007 7:26 pm

How late am I for this post? Been forever since I have looked on this site. : )
We are doing something similar, only the woman at work is going through chemo. I like to make a big batch of homemade spaghetti sauce and put it in freezer bags (if you put them in the freezer flat, they stack really well). I sent it to her with a box of uncooked pasta so while the sauce was defrosting and cooking in the microwave for her, all she had to do was boil the pasta. She told me she appreciated the uncooked pasta along with it because that way she could eat it when she wanted and not right away.
_________________
~Erin~

Posted: Wed May 02, 2007 8:39 pm

Erin, I've been wondering about you, and you have been missed!

Thanks for a very useful idea that can be used for anyone who is ill, has a new baby or is overloaded. Very Happy

Posted: Fri May 25, 2007 8:46 am

I obviously haven't checked back here in a while. Thanks, foodieQ and Erin, for your recommendations. It's too late for that shower, but not for the next occasion! Very Happy

~Valerie
_________________
"Make us masters of ourselves that we may be the servants of others." ~Sir Alexander Patterson