What are some meals you can prepare, freeze and reheat?!


Question: My husband and I are both in school full time and working full time. I work days and he works nights, we are in class from about 6-9 M-Th. I need some ideas of meals that I can prepare and freeze then leave him instructions to reheat so we don't have to eat out every night.


Answers: My husband and I are both in school full time and working full time. I work days and he works nights, we are in class from about 6-9 M-Th. I need some ideas of meals that I can prepare and freeze then leave him instructions to reheat so we don't have to eat out every night.

I'm a great fan of the "Cook Once--Eat Twice" theory. Here are a few ideas for you to make.

Make a roast chicken for dinner on the weekend. Use the leftovers to make chicken pot pie. Cut the pot pie into individual servings and freeze in a resealable container until ready to serve.

CHICKEN POT PIE

3 c. of well-seasoned chicken stock or turkey stock
6 tbsp. of fat from a roasted chicken or turkey (or melted butter)
6 tbsp. of flour
1 c. sliced mushrooms
3-4 c. of cooked and diced chicken or turkey meat
1/2 - 1 c. of fresh or frozen peas (thawed)
1 c. diced red peppers (or to taste)
1 c. half and half cream, scalded
1 rolled piecrust (see my piecrust recipe below) OR use a prepared pie crust

To make the roux:

Heat a skillet over medium-low heat. When skillet is hot, melt fat or butter. Add flour and stir over heat until roux is smooth (do NOT brown.)

Instructions for the chicken pot pie:

Heat stock until boiling. Add mushrooms and red peppers and cook over medium heat until vegetables are crisp-tender (do not over-cook.) Add roux to stock, stirring until thickened. Add diced chicken (or turkey) and green peas and heat. Thin with hot cream to correct consistency. Correct seasoning. Pour into 2-1/2 quart baking dish and top with piecrust. Crimp piecrust edges and cut vents in the crust. Brush crust with beaten egg and water. Bake in 400 F. oven until bubbling and crust is lightly browned. Serve chicken pot pie with a mixed green salad. Serves 6-8.

Make a lasagna for Sunday dinner. Cut leftover lasagna into individual portions and freeze.

LASAGNA

1 tbs. olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb. lean ground beef
2 (14 oz.) cans tomato sauce
2 (10 oz.) cans sliced mushrooms
1 tsp. oregano
1 C. ricotta cheese
3 C. grated Parmesan
2 eggs, slightly beaten
2 tsp. oil
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
3 C. grated mozzarella (or very thin mozzarella slices)
12 lasagna noodles

Sauté onion and garlic in oil. Add ground beef and brown. Remove excess fat. Stir in tomato sauce, mushrooms with their juice, oregano, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and remove from heat. In a small bowl, combine ricotta cheese, eggs, Parmesan and oil. Spoon 1/3 of the sauce into a large, greased chicken roaster or other similar-sized pan. Layer with 4 noodles, one cup of grated mozzarella and half of the ricotta cheese mixture. Spread 1/3 of sauce overtop, another 4 noodles, one cup of grated mozzarella, and the remaining ricotta cheese mixture. Put the last 4 noodles on top, the remaining sauce, and top with enough mozzarella to cover all. Cover and bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake until cheese starts to brown, about 15 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving. Serve with crusty bread and a green salad on the side.

Make 2 Sloppy Joe Casseroles--one for supper and the other to freeze until needed.

SLOPPY JOE CASSEROLE

8 oz. shell or elbow macaroni
1 envelope sloppy Joe mix
1 lb. ground beef, cooked and drained
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 c. water
16 oz. cottage cheese
1 c. grated cheddar cheese

Cook pasta and drain. Brown meat and add Sloppy Joe mix, tomato paste, tomato sauce and 1 cup water. In a greased 2-1/2-quart dish layer half the pasta, half the cottage cheese, half the meat sauce. Repeat. Top with cheese. Bake at 350 F. for 40-50 minutes.

pizza

you can freeze almost anything you cook and reheat later go to receipezaar for some good meals

Lasange,
ziti,
hamburger,
meatballs,
chicken or tuna noodle casserole,
soups,
stews,
pot pies,
meatloaf,
turkey bbq,
ham bbq,
roast beef,
ham,
chicken,


Have youever thought about crock pot? You could out food in and it cook while you are gone and he gets hot meal easily....or
Why not cook meals twice a week and make up containers(they sell divided ones) for the week. Make 4 or 5 for the nights you arent there....

well lasagna comes to mind. Make it up on Sunday then freeze in portions have a bag of ready made salad for him with some bread sticks.
By the way, the best investment I ever made was the Food Saver Vaccum System. I got mine at Sam's at 78.00 That way you can prtion out things and freeze and they keep a really long time

just about anything.. all ur doing is reheating it in the oven..

check http://www.tasty-cook.blogspot.com

Burritos, chili, spaghetti, meat loaf.

You could cook things on Sunday like beef roast or roasted chicken that would be good for quick dinners for a few days after the original meal. Life beef roast on Sunday, roast beef hash on Monday, and hot beef sandwiches on Tuesday.

Lasagne, enchiladas, soups & stews that dont have cubed potato, Pot pie, Stuffed bell peppers, Shepards pie.

You can freeze and reheat almost anything but you have to make sure that it is piping hot before you serve it.

chicken cutlets
ziti
soup
pancakes
french toast

I used personal sized throw away tins or large metal pans (throw away or metal casserol pans)from the market, and have put meatloaf with mashed potatos, gravy and a veggie-you can do personal pot pies, pasta such as lasgna, spagetthi, mannacotti etc..., or other casserols and freeze. Label and date so you know what's in it and how long it's been there. Just put them in the fridge a day or two in advance and then reheat in the oven, you can reheat
straight from the freezer as well. Basically anything you see in freezer meals at the market you can do your self.
Check out the freezer isle at your grocery store to get ideas. Then find those recipes. Do a week or 2 orth on say Sunday and then freeze them and pick and choose as your day goes on.

Also in seperate containers in the fridge keep, shredded carrots, onions, tomaotos, cucumbers, canned beans such as garbonzo or kidney, shredded cheese, cucumber slices etc. Then all you have to do is build the salad when you get ready for dinner, is to build the salad and top with dressing.





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