Meal Planning 101: Freezer Meals

One of the best ways to save time with cooking is by making freezer meals. There is A LOT of planning that goes into them. I am just going to briefly touch on this topic because there are so many tips, tricks and techniques that go into freezer meals. My meal plan bible is called Don't Panic Dinners in the Freezer and the sequel, Don't Panic--More Dinner's in the Freezer . It not only tells you how to prepare and package your meals but also how to triple and quadruple to have multiple meals to freeze or share. I have picked a couple of my favorite recipes out of the second book to share with you.

• The 1st step is to just get started. The freezer cooking method can be implemented simply by choosing a favorite family recipe & just doubling or tripling it. 
• The 2nd step is to choose a day. I cook my freezer meals the day after I go to the grocery store. This way the meat does not have to be frozen and none of the produce goes bad. Block out 2-3 hours, one day a week and you can make about 6-9 meals!  
• Step 3 is to choose your recipes. 
• Step 4 is to write up your shopping lists

EASY AS PIE!

The first one is the Balsamic Roasted Chicken Thighs  I actually cooked this meal on Tuesday and it is the absolute best one so far.I couldn't get over how well it turned out! The only adaption I made to the recipe is that I used boneless instead of bone-in thighs. This can be done in the oven or on the grill, yields about 6 servings and is only 225 calories.

Ingredients:
6 chicken thighs, with bone and skin
1/2 c. extra virgin olive oil
3 T. balsamic vinegar
2 garlic cloves, pressed
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
Cooking Day:
Mix oil, vinegar, salt , and pepper in a small bowl. Transfer marinade to a large freezer bag. Add chicken to bag, turning to coat thoroughly. Freeze!
Serving Day:
Thaw chicken completely. Place chicken, skin side up and well coated with marinade, into rimmed baking pan/dish. Roast uncovered in a 350 degree oven until brown and cooked through, about 35-40 minutes, Chicken may also be grilled over medium-hot coals until cooked through, turning once, Serve with salad, tomatoes and cheese biscuits.


The next one is my second favorite, Telluride Black Bean Tortilla Bake. This recipe yields about 4-6 servings and ground turkey can be substituted for the ground beef.
Ingredients:
1 lb. ground beef
1/2 c. chopped onion
1- 15oz. can black beans, drained & rinsed
1- 16 oz. can stewed tomatoes (Mexican style)
1/2 c. enchilada sauce (Mild or Medium)
1 t. chili powder
1 t. cumin
1/4 t. pepper
6 flour tortillas (I use more like 8)
3 oz. low-fat cream cheese, softened
1- 4oz. can diced green chilis, chopped.
Serving Day:
1/2 - 1 cup shredded Monterrey jack or cheddar cheese (or both)
Cooking Day:
Brown ground beef and onion in a large skillet; drain fat, Put stewed tomatoes in a blender (or food processor) and blend just long enough to break up large tomato pieces. Add to skillet with meat. Stir in black beans, enchilada sauce, chili powder, cumin, and pepper. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.
Spread one side of tortillas with cream cheese, topping with green chilis. Fold tortillas in half over cream cheese. Pour half of the cooled meat sauce into the bottom of a lined 7x11 baking dish, Arrange the folded tortillas over the sauce, overlapping if necessary. Pour the remaining sauce over the tortillas. Freeze.
Serving Day:
Return the unwrapped meal to original baking dish and thaw to a slushy state, Cover dish with foil and bake in 350 degree oven for 20-30 minutes, until heated through. Uncover and sprinkle cheese on top; bake for 5 more minutes or until bubbly.

I highly encourage you to pick up one of the books above if you are at all interested in diving into freezer meals. Since I hate paying full price for anything, I got my books at half price bookstore for under $8 a piece.

If any of you decided to try one of the meals above please let me know how it turns out! Check back tomorrow for a little insight to crock pot meals.

Happy Freezing!